- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Saturday, 05 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 3 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what transfer of financial resources there has been from prison to community sentences and prevention of crime since May 2007 and what effect this has had on the projected prison population.
Answer
None. Because of the required investment to make up for decades of neglect in the prison estate by previous administrations, and the unprecedented prisoner numbers, it has not been possible to transfer financial resources.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 3 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to report to the Parliament on the progress of the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer
I have stated that I would keep Parliament informed about the progress of the Scottish Futures Trust. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19803 on 23 January 2009, when I announced the appointment of the two remaining non-executive directors to the board of the Scottish Futures Trust.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19167 by Stewart Stevenson on 19 January 2009, what the purpose was of each visit to Barcelona by Guy Houston of Transport Scotland and when each meeting took place.
Answer
Mr Houston visited Barcelona between 1 and 5 July 2008 to attend the Transfin 2008 Conference. The conference, attended by delegates from across the world, discussed the financing of transport and infrastructure projects.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 29 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the 71 school projects that have been taken forward during the First Minister’s term in office, as referred to by him on 8 January 2009 (Official Report c. 13820), also showing the (a) responsible local authority, (b) date on which the work was commissioned, (c) date on which the school was opened or reopened and (d) Scottish Government ministers or officials who attended any opening ceremony.
Answer
The list of 71 schools that were completed or substantially refurbished during 2008, financially supported by the record capital and revenue funding made available by this government in the local government settlement, is provided in the following table. It is set out by local authority, date when the school opened or reopened or when the work completed, and indicating where Scottish Government ministers or officials attended any opening ceremony. The Scottish Government does not collect information on the dates when authorities commission work on individual schools.
The period covers January to December 2008. In addition, another 81 schools were completed or substantially refurbished between May and December 2007.
| Authority | School(s) | Date Opened Etc | Minister/Official attended Opening Ceremony |
| Angus | Burnside Primary | February 2008 | |
| | Strathmore Primary | January 2008 | |
| | Whitehills Primary | February 2008 | |
| Dundee | Claypotts Castle Primary | May 2008 | |
| | Craigowl Primary | August 2008 | |
| | Downfield Primary | August 2008 | |
| | Grove Academy | August 2008 | |
| | St. Andrew''s RC Primary | August 2008 | |
| East Ayrshire | Galston Primary | August 2008 | |
| | Grange Academy Campus - Grange Academy Annanhill Primary Park Special school | August 2008 | |
| | St. Joseph''s RC Academy | April 2008 | |
| | St. Joseph''s RC Primary | April 2008 | |
| East Lothian | Ross High | August 2008 | |
| | Sanderson Wynd Primary | August 2008 | Fiona Hyslop (November 2008)* |
| Edinburgh City | Bonaly Primary | November 2008 | |
| | Gorgie Mills Special School | February 2008 | |
| | Niddrie Mill Primary School St. Francis Primary School | August 2008 | |
| | Woodlands Special School | June 2008 | |
| Falkirk | Kinnaird Primary | January 2008 | |
| Glasgow | Oakwood Primary | June 2008 | |
| | Our Lady of Peace Primary | May 2008 | |
| | St. Fillan''s Primary | April 2008 | |
| Highland | Dingwall Academy | August 2008 | |
| | Drummond ASN School | May 2008 | |
| | Kinlochleven High | August 2008 | |
| | Milburn Academy | November 2008 | |
| | Portree High | August 2008 | |
| Inverclyde | Newark Primary | August 2008 | |
| | Wemyss Bay Primary | August 2008 | |
| North Ayrshire | Arran High | January 2008 | |
| North Lanarkshire | Clarkston Primary | October 2008 | |
| Coatbridge High | October 2008 | |
| | St. Aidan''s High | 2008 | |
| Perth and Kinross | Dunning Primary | October 2008 | |
| | Fairview School | July 2008 | |
| Renfrewshire | Bushes Primary | April 2008 | |
| | Cochrane Castle Primary | May 2008 | |
| | Linwood High | January 2008 | Fiona Hyslop (September 2008)* |
| | St. David''s Primary | May 2008 | |
| Scottish Borders | Denholm Primary | October 2008 | |
| | Priorsford Primary | March 2008 | |
| South Ayrshire | Alloway Primary | April 2008 | |
| | Barassie Primary | April 2008 | |
| | Belmont Academy | August 2008 | |
| | Kyle Academy | February 2008 | |
| | Monkton Primary | April 2008 | |
| | Prestwick Academy | October 2008 | |
| South Lanarkshire | Blacklaw Primary | May 2008 | |
| Calderglen High | February 2008 | |
| | Calderside Academy | January 2008 | Fiona Hyslop (November 2008)* |
| | Cathkin High | August 2008 | |
| | Craigbank Primary | May 2008 | |
| | Crosshouse Primary | January 2008 | |
| | John Ogilvie High | August 2008 | |
| | Sanderson High | February 2008 | |
| | St John''s Primary | January 2008 | |
| | St. Anne''s Primary | August 2008 | |
| | St. Blane''s Primary | August 2008 | |
| | Wester Overton Primary | February 2008 | |
| Stirling | McLaren High | August 2008 | |
| | Raploch Community Campus - Raploch Primary Our Lady''s Primary Castleview School | January 2008 | |
| | St. Modans''s RC High | August 2008 | |
| | Stirling High | February 2008 | |
| | Wallace High | February 2008 | Fiona Hyslop (November 2008)* |
| West Lothian | Linlithgow Academy | October 2008 | |
| | Williamston Primary | September 2008 | |
Note: *An official attended in support of the minister.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Saturday, 05 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 28 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what official Christmas gifts have been received by the First Minister and how each one has been disposed of.
Answer
The First Minister received four Christmas gifts in 2008. In line with Section 9.26 of the Ministerial Code the Scottish Government is required to publish information on gifts valued at more than £140. As the four Christmas gifts received by the First Minister in 2008 were valued at less than £140, no details are held.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any discussion with the Public Works Loans Board regarding funding for the Forth Replacement Crossing and, if so, what the response has been.
Answer
No. The option of funding through local authorities had been considered by the Scottish Government and rejected in part because it would considerably restrict councils'' ability to borrow for their own purposes.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on preliminary work on the Forth Replacement Crossing.
Answer
Since December 2007, when I announced to Parliament the decision to proceed with a replacement bridge, approximately £16 million has been spent on preliminary works.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 26 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the growth of employment in small businesses over the course of the current spending review period.
Answer
The Scottish Government''s targets are for the whole economy of which small businesses form a very material part and that target is to converge on the UK growth rate by 2011. We do not have a specific target for jobs but continue to monitor labour participation rates.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 26 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the growth of small businesses over the course of the current spending review period.
Answer
The Scottish Government''s targets are for the whole economy of which small businesses form a very material part and that target is to converge on the UK growth rate by 2011.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 26 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what the start-up costs of the Small Business Bonus Scheme were; how they were calculated, and what the total cost of the scheme will be over the course of the current spending review period.
Answer
The projected cost of the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2008-09, following its introduction in April 2008, is currently estimated at around £70 million. A final figure will not be available until later this year. The estimate was based on the number of eligible business properties and the expected take-up. The total cost of the scheme over the full spending review period will not be known until after the end of the period.
