- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Deputy First Minister on 6 December 2007 (Official Report, c. 4140), whether, in the interests of openness and transparency, it will publish the legal advice on the draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
It is the practice of successivegovernments, reflected in the Scottish Ministerial Code and the provisions of theFreedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, that the fact and content of legal adviceis not revealed.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Deputy First Minister on 6 December 2007 (Official Report, c. 4140), whether the draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill is competent and legal.
Answer
Choosing Scotland''s Future says (at paragraph 5.9 and paragraph 3 on page 35) that as far as legislative competence is concerned, a referendum could be held under the authority of an Act of the Scottish Parliament, depending on the precise proposition in the referendum Bill, or any adjustments made to the competence of the Parliament before the Bill is introduced.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 4 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7005 by John Swinney on 6 December 2007, when the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) dispatched the data to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; when civil servants were advised that there was a potential problem, and when ministers were similarly advised.
Answer
The data were despatched on 26 October 2007. Civilservants were advised of a potential problem on 23 November. Ministers were informedon 23 November.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive in how many cases since May 1999 ministers have called in a planning application after the local authority has rejected it.
Answer
Scottish ministers have no powerto call in a planning application after the written notice of refusal has been issuedby a planning authority.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all telephone calls about the Trump Organization’s planning application for a golf course, hotel and residential development on the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire between civil servants, ministers or special advisers and representatives of (a) the Trump Organization and (b) Aberdeenshire Council since May 2007.
Answer
The Scottish Government doesnot hold this information.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the new Welcome to Scotland advertising logo cost to develop.
Answer
Welcome to Scotland is nota slogan or a logo – it is a simple and straightforward welcome to those arrivingin our country. No money was used to develop the “Welcome to Scotland” message.The message reflects recommendations from customer research and evaluation undertakenin March 2006 and 2007. Design, printing and installation of the new airport campaigncost £125,000 from existing budgets.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Bruce Crawford on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6786 by Bruce Crawford on 3 December 2007, whether the review of the Scottish Ministerial Code will include consideration of having an independent adviser to investigate breaches of the code, similar to the approach taken by Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP.
Answer
In line with the practice aftereach Scottish parliamentary election, the Scottish Ministerial Code is currentlybeing reviewed. The review will consider a number of issues and will be publishedin the near future.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth will publish the advice that he received on the legal basis for calling in planning applications after they have been rejected by the relevant local planning authorities and where no appeal has been lodged.
Answer
It is Scottish Government practiceneither to confirm or deny whether legal advice has been received.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Bruce Crawford on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6783 by Bruce Crawford on 3 December 2007, when the review of the Scottish Ministerial Code will be concluded.
Answer
The review is expected to beconcluded in the near future and a revised version of the code will be publishedby the First Minister soon after.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all those who have made representations that the Trump Organisation’s planning application for a golf development at the Menie Estate should be called in, subsequent to it being determined by the local planning authority.
Answer
We will in due course publisha list of all representations that have been received by the Scottish Government’sPlanning Directorate.