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The Scottish Government is not aware of any occasion on which any such advice has ever been put in the public domain, other than in accordance with the routine release of historic files of which such advice may form part.

The spend to date with the vehicle entry system installation contractor Allen Fencing Ltd is £235,823.71. The design of the system by MFD International Ltd cost £8,157.64.

The vehicle entry system was not operational due to a damaged safety device on the exit blocker. The system was repaired and put back into operation on 7 May. Minor work was also carried out on the 14 May. The system is fully operational.

On 27 April 2010, I recorded messages for the Diana Awards ceremony and a message for the International Self Care conference. I also met with ministerial colleagues to discuss forthcoming parliamentary business, attended to ministerial papers and I attended the weekly meeting of the Scottish Cabinet in Bute House.

The First Minister met, respectively: the Chancellor of the Exchequer and relevant HM Treasury officials; George Osborne MP, David Mundell MP and Philip Hammond MP, and Vince Cable MP.

The meetings were arranged in order to seek clarity about the implications for the Scottish Government''s 2010-11 budget of the public spending proposals outlined by the chancellor and shadow chancellors, and to make them aware of the impact that any further reductions in the Scottish Budget would have on the spending programmes approved by the Scottish Parliament on 3 February and on Scottish public services more broadly. As the meetings related to government business, the First Minister undertook them in his ministerial capacity and was supported by appropriate Scottish Government officials.

The Scottish Government strongly supports the principle of cross-Forth ferry travel, and remains keen to see progress. Any proposals, however, remain a matter for local government to take forward - principally Fife and City of Edinburgh Councils, as well as SEStran. Most recently, the application by Fife Council for European Regional Development Funding (ERDF), to provide the harbour infrastructure to support a new service, was not successful.

Responsibility for funding for development and extension of the Edinburgh tram project, beyond the £500 million contribution from the Scottish Government, rests entirely with the promoter, the City of Edinburgh Council. This would be a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council.

Stephen Noon and Stuart Nicolson have resigned to participate in the UK General Election.

On the 27 April 2010 the minister undertook his usual Tuesday engagements as listed

Tuesday 27 April 0900 “ 0930	Meeting with Business Manager
Tuesday 27 April 1100 “ 1130	Meeting with Business Manager
Tuesday 27 April 1130 “ 1200	Meeting with Business Manager
Tuesday 27 April 1200 “ 1230	Meeting with Business Manager
Tuesday 27 April 1300 “ 1330	Business Planning Meeting
Tuesday 27 April 1400 “ 1500	Parliamentary Bureau
Tuesday 27 April 1600 “ 1800	Cabinet Meeting
Tuesday 27 April 1800 “ 1830	Preparation for Debates Meeting

 

Of the 1,539 questions asked by George Foulkes up to end March 2010, 311 have not received a substantive answer within the required time. They did, however, receive a holding reply and have now all been answered substantively.