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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-05912

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the overseas official visits made by each minister since May 2007, showing the cost of each visit.

Question reference: S3W-05907

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase support for Scottish music, poetry and painting.

Funding for thearts in Scotland is disbursed by the Scottish ArtsCouncil. Once I have set the initial budget it is for the Scottish Arts Councilto determine how that should be allocated amongst the different art forms. The ScottishArts Council will plan its budgets for 2008-09 once its grant is confirmed postthe announcement of the government’s spending review plans. It is not thereforepossible at this stage for it to give a definitive answer on its programme fornext year.

Question reference: S3W-05913

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the meetings held between Scottish and UK ministers since May 2007, showing the dates and topics discussed in each case.

Question reference: S3W-05900

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in each local authority area have been designated as community schools with extended access and opening hours.

Question reference: S3W-05910

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whom the First Minister met on his recent visit to the United States of America and what devolved matters were discussed in each case.

Question reference: S3W-05908

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what communications there have been between ministers and EU commissioners since May 2007 and on what subjects.

The Scottish Governmenthas engaged in communications and had many meetings with the EU since May 2007.The First Minister met European Commissioners Borg (Fisheries and MaritimeAffairs), Grybauskaite (Budget), Mandelson (Trade) and McCreevy (InternalMarket and Services) when visiting Brussels on 11 July.He discussed a range of Scottish interests in relation to each of theCommissioners portfolios.

He also met withCommissioner Piebalgs (Energy) in Edinburgh on 19 Julywhere carbon capture and storage projects, renewable energy targets and otherenergy issues were discussed. The First Minister followed up this meeting bywriting to Commissioner Piebalgs on energy issues.

The Cabinet Secretaryfor Education and Lifelong Learning and I met with Commissioner Figel(Education) on 28 June where we discussed higher education issues, the EuropeanInstitute of technology and the Erasmus programme.

The Cabinet Secretaryfor Rural Affairs and the Environment has written to Commissioner Borg twice, atthe time of his appointment as Cabinet Secretary and in advance of CommissionerBorg’s visit to Aberdeen in June.

Ministers havealso met EU Commissioners during Council of Ministers meetings in Brussels.

There has alsobeen contact between the Scottish Government and Commissioners through writtenresponses to Commission communications, such as the Commission consultation onits Green Paper on Maritime Policy.

Question reference: S3W-05911

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what overseas official visits are planned for the First Minister in the next six months.

Question reference: S3W-05973

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 15 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what contacts there have been between Scottish ministers and ambassadors and high commissioners at the Court of St James since May 2007.

The following tablelists the meetings and events which Scottish ministers have undertaken with Ambassadorsand High Commissioners to the Court of St James since May 2007.

Date of Meeting	Ambassador/ High Commissioner	Scottish Minister		Meeting
24 May	His Excellency, Mr. Robert Holmes Tuttle, the American Ambassador	First Minister		Courtesy call on the Scottish Government
5 June	His Excellency Mr. James R. Wright, the Canadian High Commissioner	First Minister		Courtesy telephone call on the Scottish Government
28 August	His Excellency Mr Data’ Abd Aziz Mohamed, Malaysian High Commissioner	Ms Linda Fabiani		Opening of the Visit Malaysia event.
30 August	His Excellency Mr Indulis Berzins, the Lativan Ambassador	Ms Linda Fabiani		Reception to mark the opening of the Lativan Consulate in Edinburgh
13 September	His Excellency Dr Francis Moto, the Malawian High Commissioner.	Ms Linda Fabiani		Courtesy call on the Scottish Government.
18 September	His Excellency Mr Josip Paro, the Croatian Ambassador	Ms Linda Fabiani		Reception to mark the opening of the Croatian Consulate in Scotland.
18 September	His Excellency Mr Josip Paro, the Croatian Ambassador	First Minister		Dinner to mark the visit by President Stjepan Mesic of Croatia
20 September	His Excellency Mr Claver Gatete, the Rwandan Ambassador	Ms Linda Fabiani	Courtesy call on the Scottish Government.
22 September	His Excellency The Right Honourable Jonathan Hunt, ONZ the New Zealand High Commissioner	Mr Stewart Maxwell	Reception to celebrate Scotland – New Zealand relations on the eve of Rugby World Cup match
22 October	His Excellency Mr Vygaudas Usackas, the Lithuanian Ambassador	Ms Linda Fabiani	Discussion on possible cultural links.
15 November	His Excellency Mr Jaako Laajava, the Finnish Ambassador	Mr Bruce Crawford	Courtesy call on the Scottish Government
15 November	His Excellency, Mr Don Carlos Miranda, the Spanish Ambassador	Mr Bruce Crawford	Courtesy call on the Scottish Government

Question reference: S3W-06020

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hard copies of Firm Foundations: the Future of Housing in Scotland were produced and what the estimated cost was of its production and distribution.

Question reference: S3W-05897

Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of free personal care was in 2006-07, broken down by local authority.