- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 20 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate has attended any party political meetings in his official capacity since his appointment to the post.
Answer
I have not attended anyparty political meetings in an official capacity since taking up my currentappointment in February 2000. I have, however, attended the Scottish Conferenceof the Labour Party, but in a personal capacity, as a member of the LabourParty. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10299 on 21 September2004. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23744 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 March 2006 and given her confirmation of her statement at the Labour Party’s Scottish conference, whether it considers that coverage in the Sunday Mail was misleading as her statement does not explicitly indicate that she pledged to stop Scottish airports being used to facilitate the process of “extraordinary rendition” by US agencies.
Answer
I have nothing to add to my answerto question S2W-23744 of 24 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.The way in which the media reportstatements made by politicians is a matter for them.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 20 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21872 by Colin Boyd QC on 18 January 2006, whether, when it states that the forcible removal of an individual against their will may constitute the crime of abduction in Scots law, this means that in some cases it does constitute the crime of abduction but in others it does not.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21871 on 18 January 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 20 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22705 by Colin Boyd QC on 7 February 2006, in what way this answer indicates for whom the Executive considers it would be unhelpful if it speculated as to what would constitute a credible allegation in respect of the allegations that US agencies have used Scottish airports to facilitate the process of “extraordinary rendition”.
Answer
Speculation would not be helpfulto anyone who was responsible for decisions in relation to criminal investigationsor proceedings.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22495 by Cathy Jamieson on 2 February 2006, whether it has a definitive figure for the number of communications it has received expressing concern that flights using Scottish airports have been involved in unlawful activity and, in particular, that they may have been involved in the process known as “extraordinary rendition” and, if so, what this figure is.
Answer
The majority of communicationswe have received on the subject of “extraordinary rendition” have been in the formof written parliamentary questions. Since 21 November 2005 there have been 149; of these, 85 were submitted by Alex Neil MSP.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 19 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23924 by Tavish Scott on 16 March 2006, what services it envisages will use a new Allandale railway station.
Answer
The proposed services fromAllandale station in the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Study wouldcomprise four trains per hour to Glasgow Queen Street via Cumbernauld, two ofwhich would start from Allandale and two come through from Falkirk Grahamston.In addition, if the proposed Motherwell to Stirling service is introduced,these services would also call at Allandale.
These services are allsubject to further evaluation and alternative service options may beconsidered.
Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 19 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of its review into the council tax anomaly which has affected the residents of Abbeyfield Homes and similar establishments.
Answer
We are continuing to considerthe way forward and will make an announcement in due course.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 19 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available the report of the public local inquiry into proposals to upgrade the A80 prepared by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit in advance of it making a decision and, if not, whether it will consider making it available to those who gave evidence to the reporter.
Answer
The reporter’s report willnot be made available until such times as a decision has been reached byScottish ministers.
When Scottish ministers havereached their decision, it will be made public by sending copies of the reportand the decision letter to objectors. Additionally, the report and the decisionletter will be placed on the Executive’s website.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 19 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23834 by Cathy Jamieson on 15 March 2006, whether Her Majesty’s Government has given any indication that the Executive will be required to contribute to any UK response to Senator Marty’s final report once it has been published in full.
Answer
As Senator Marty’s inquiryis still on-going, it is too early to speculate whether Her Majesty’sGovernment will require a contribution from the Scottish Executive to anyresponse.
I therefore cannot add tothe answer I gave to question S2W-23834.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 19 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23994 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 March 2006, how does this answer indicate whether or not they have discussed with Her Majesty’s Government the briefing paper sent by the Foreign Office to the Prime Minister’s Office stating that people captured by British forces could have been sent illegally to interrogation centres to establish whether there are any links between these reports and the allegations that US agencies have used Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights engaged in the process of “extraordinary rendition”.
Answer
The Scottish Executive hasregular discussions with the UK Government on a variety of issues and across avariety of portfolios. However, all such discussions are subject to anestablished undertaking of mutual confidentiality so as to allow for the free and frank discussion of policy between thetwo administrations.
