- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used in declaring which countries the First minister should visit; what consultation is undertaken with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or other UK Government departments regarding such visits, and who is responsible for authorising the expenditure.
Answer
The First Minister travels overseas in order to undertake activity which supports the Scottish Government''s purpose of creating a more successful country by increasing sustainable economic growth. All visits must represent good value for the Scottish Government and the taxpayer.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office are informed of all ministerial visits overseas and officials work closely with them and other stakeholders and organisations to prepare such visits.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 9 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what schools and hospitals the First Minister has visited since July 2009.
Answer
The First Minister has visited Montrose Academy, St Brigid''s Primary Glasgow, Cults Academy and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. The Cabinet Secretary for Education has visited 16 schools and the Cabinet Secretary for Health has visited 13 hospitals since July 2009.
In addition the First Minister undertook a visit to Sunnybank Nursing Home in Aberdeenshire on New Year''s Day.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make public all medical reports submitted to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice on Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi prior to the decision to release him.
Answer
Mr Al-Megrahi''s application for compassionate release, the medical report submitted to me and the associated advice have been published. They are available at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/lockerbie.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has contacted the Libyan authorities regarding the condition of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.
Answer
The conditions of his licence require him to provide a monthly report on his medical condition to his supervising officer, and I am aware of the content of those reports.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place involving ministers regarding learning from the experience of the recent severe weather period and what action is proposed as a result.
Answer
The Scottish Government has asked resilience contacts across Scotland to identify lessons which may be learned and applied from the recent period of prolonged winter weather. The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Scottish Government Resilience (CSC SGoR) will meet to consider the findings, including any recommendations for action, once the current Scottish Government Resilience Room lessons learned activity has reported.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers or officials have had with East Renfrewshire Council regarding the condition of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.
Answer
Scottish Government officials are in contact with the supervising officer nominated by the Director of the Community Health and Care Partnership of East Renfrewshire Council. We are aware of the content of the monthly reports on Mr Al-Megrahi''s medical condition provided to his supervising officer.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what alterations to the Edinburgh tram project would require (a) ministerial and (b) parliamentary approval.
Answer
The Edinburgh Tram (Line One and Line Two) Acts 2006 provide full Parliamentary powers to the City of Edinburgh Council to construct and operate a tram network in the city. Changes to the route of the tram outside the limits of deviation approved by Parliament would require amendment to the relevant Tram Act, or new powers to be secured by the City of Edinburgh Council. On 27 June 2007, Parliament voted to require the Scottish Government to proceed with the Edinburgh Trams project within the budget limit set by the previous administration, noting that it is the responsibility of Transport Initiatives Edinburgh and the City of Edinburgh Council to meet the balance of the funding costs. Changes to the tram project which affected this arrangement would require ministerial approval.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions for using a mobile phone while driving have been undertaken in each police board area and whether guidance is being considered for police forces on dealing with this issue.
Answer
The majority of mobile phone offences are dealt with by police conditional offers rather than court prosecutions. In 2007-08, the latest year for which information is available, an estimated 18,856 offences of driving while using a mobile phone were dealt with by police conditional offers.
The available information on court prosecutions is given in the following table.
Persons Proceeded Against 1 in Scottish Courts for Mobile Phone Vehicle Offences2,
2003-04 to 2007-08
| Police Force | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
| Central | 0 | 31 | 83 | 100 | 158 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 0 | 3 | 17 | 30 | 66 |
| Fife | 0 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 41 |
| Grampian | 0 | 18 | 49 | 36 | 75 |
| Lothian and Borders | 0 | 31 | 74 | 187 | 204 |
| Northern | 0 | 12 | 21 | 30 | 47 |
| Strathclyde | 1 | 108 | 264 | 235 | 440 |
| Tayside | 0 | 52 | 121 | 194 | 200 |
| Unknown | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| All | 1 | 255 | 642 | 827 | 1,232 |
Notes:
1. Where main offence.
2. Includes offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 sections 41D(b) and 42. A small number of proceedings under these sections may relate to use of vehicles offences other than mobile phone offences.
Legislation on the use of mobile phones whilst driving is reserved. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service works in close partnership with ACPOS to resolve any national difficulties in the investigation of all criminal offences in Scotland, and procurators fiscal meet regularly with police commanders to resolve issues arising in their own localities.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to institute inquiries in areas other than planning and what consideration has been given to setting up an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conviction of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi and subsequent events relating to the Lockerbie bombing.
Answer
The Scottish Ministers have powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 to establish an inquiry where it appears to them that particular events have caused, or are capable of causing, public concern. The terms of reference and powers of such an inquiry are restricted by section 28 of that act.
In my statement on 20 August 2009, I acknowledged that there remain concerns to some on the wider issues of the Lockerbie atrocity; that this is a global issue, and international in its nature. I said that the questions to be asked and answered are beyond the jurisdiction of Scots law and the restricted remit of the Scottish Government. If a further inquiry were felt to be appropriate then it should be initiated by those with the required power and authority. The Scottish Government would be happy to fully co-operate in such an inquiry.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions officials and ministers have had with councillors or officials of the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the tram project in the last three months; what subjects were discussed, and whether any alterations to the scheme are envisaged as a result.
Answer
Transport Scotland officials regularly meet with City of Edinburgh Council officials to review the monthly progress reports. In addition, there have been further meetings within the last three months, covering project finance matters. The leader of the Council, the Transport Convener and the Chief Executive of tie.Ltd, met with the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 2 December 2009 to discuss both progress with the Tram and Gogar Station projects. No alterations to the current Tram scheme are envisaged as a result of these meetings.
