- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the legal costs in respect of the Shirley McKie case already paid or pending and incurred by it or its agencies, broken down by year and into costs for solicitors, counsel, assistance, court work, documentation and other expenses.
Answer
The administration costs incurredby public bodies involved in work related to these matters cannot be separatelyidentified within the local administration costs incurred by those bodies. The finalcosts of legal representation cannot be determined until the court resolves theoutstanding issues in relation to expenses.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the fingerprint expertise, experience and qualifications of each of the heads of the fingerprint bureaux in Scotland.
Answer
The posts were created with theestablishment of the Scottish Fingerprint Service. They were advertised widely andfilled following open competition. The successful candidates have a broad rangeof senior management skills and experience from industry and the armed forces. Thepost holders are not, and are not required to be, fingerprint experts.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21275 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005, whether the estimated cost of its planned on-line upgrade of the A80 to full motorway status does not include the cost of the Auchenkilns interchange project and work on the millennium bridge over the Forth and Clyde Canal.
Answer
The estimated cost of themotorway upgrade does not include either the Auchenkilns Junction or the Millenium Bridge.
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: Wednesday, 01 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide written proof that it was accepted by both parties to the settlement reached between Shirley McKie and the Scottish Executive that “no malice was involved”.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23664 on 20 March 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: Wednesday, 01 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide written proof that it was accepted by both parties to the settlement reached between Shirley McKie and the Scottish Executive that an “honest mistake” was made by individuals.
Answer
The Scottish Executive offeredto settle with Ms McKie on the basis that the misidentification had been made ingood faith and was not malicious. This was made clear to Ms McKie and her legaladvisers in writing on 29 June 2005. When the case was settled on 7 February 2006, thejudge noted that the settlement was made without admission of liability.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its understanding that the (a) management and (b) staff of the Scottish Criminal Records Office accept that "an honest mistake" was made in respect of the misidentification of Shirley McKie's fingerprint.
Answer
The Executive reached a settlementwith Ms McKie on the basis that the misidentification had been made in good faithand was not malicious. The basis on which the Executive sought to reach a settlementwas made clear to the staff at SCRO in June 2005. The Director of SCRO has confirmedthat he accepted ministers’ decision to settle the case and has acknowledged itas an opportunity for the organisation and staff to move on.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any investigation has taken place to establish whether any serving officers within Strathclyde Police deliberately tried to falsely incriminate Shirley McKie in respect of her fingerprint being allegedly found at the scene of the Marion Ross murder in Kilmarnock in 1997.
Answer
That would be an operationalmatter for the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the full details of its financial settlement with Shirley McKie.
Answer
The settlement figure of £750,000includes compensation for personal injuryand loss of reputation, past wage loss, future wage loss, pension loss, relevantservices and an element to cover interest. The Scottish Executive will also be responsiblefor meeting the costs of Ms McKie’s legal team. This cost is not yet known.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Forth Estuary Transport Authority is funded; what its budget has been in each of the last three years, and what it will be in each of the next three years.
Answer
The Forth Estuary TransportAuthority (FETA) is principally funded through tolling revenues. Details ofFETA’s past and future budgets are available from the Authority, which producesannual operating reports and accounts.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive why the cost of the new A8000 to M9 link road has risen from an estimated £15.15 million, excluding VAT, identified in the 1999 strategic roads review, to £35.6 million in 2005.
Answer
The cost of A8000 upgrade wasestimated in the Strategic Roads Review by the then Scottish Office at £15.15 millionexcluding VAT, at 1998 prices. Responsibility for taking the project forward sincethat time, and for later estimates of costs, lies with the City of Edinburgh Council. The council’s recent price estimates take account of more detailed designwork, ground consolidation requirements and the upgrading of the original designto motorway standards, as well as price inflation since 1998.
