- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 11 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to reduce the number of special advisors to the First Minister.
Answer
Under the terms of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995 as amended by the Civil Service (Amendment) Order in Council 1999, which is still in force, up to 12 special advisers can be appointed by the First Minister. There are no current plans to change that order.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 11 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether former special advisers to it, following termination of employment, are immediately eligible for any appointment to posts in non-governmental organisations or for other appointments within the recommendation, gift or nomination of the Executive or First Minister.
Answer
The contract of employment for special advisers states that in certain circumstances Advisers should obtain the agreement of the Crown before accepting any offer of employment outside the civil service which would start within two years of leaving Crown employment. In common with other members of the public, there is nothing to prohibit former special advisers from applying for an appointment to a public body. All such appointments are made on merit after a fair, open and transparent process, which is subject to independent scrutiny.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18626 by Lewis MacDonald on 28 November, whether the information provided was available to it before 18 December 2000 and, if so, on what date and whether the ex-gratia payments to Scottish Transport Group pension schemes members that it announced on the 18 December 2000 were discussed at any meeting of the Cabinet and, if so, on what dates.
Answer
I understand that the Report and Accounts of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes for the year ended 31 March 2000 were published by the trustees prior to 18 December 2000. Publication and timing of publication is a matter for the trustees.It would be inappropriate to provide information which would harm the frankness and candour of discussion and advice, including the proceedings of Scottish Cabinet.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or plans to make, to the board of management at Caledonian MacBrayne in relation to the current industrial dispute in the Clyde division, in particular to ascertain whether they have considered making any economies to their management operations, structure, directors' bonuses and termination payments, and what plans it has to seek to make a ministerial statement on these matters.
Answer
I have no plans to make a statement on matters relating to the general management of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd.Scottish Executive officials kept in close touch with the company throughout the recent industrial dispute on the Clyde with the objective of ensuring that adequate lifeline ferry services were maintained. We also funded connecting bus services to help foot passengers use the sailings that the company continued to provide to Arran and Bute.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 so that licensed premises and the licensee are covered by separate three-year licences.
Answer
We have put in place an independent committee, led by Sheriff Principal Nicholson, to carry out a fundamental review of Scotland's liquor licensing law and practice. The committee has received submissions on this issue. The committee is expected to report early in 2003 and we await its recommendations.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly people in the Highland Council area have been unable to receive free NHS dental treatment in the past 12 months because of a lack of dental surgeons.
Answer
This information is not held centrally. We are aware that there are access problems to NHS dentistry in Highland and will be meeting the Primary Care Trust to discuss the situation.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 9 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that those who wish to pursue a career in teaching by way of the Postgraduate Certificate of Education and who are leaving a career in the private or public sector are not deterred from doing so by reason of the level of starting salary.
Answer
There have been significant improvements in pay, conditions and opportunities for teachers arising from the Agreement on a Teaching Profession for the 21st Century, in addition to the positive benefits of joining a re-invigorated profession.Negotiations on a range of issues relating to pay and conditions are continuing through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). A proposal from the SNCT Working Group on Conditions of Service that all probationers would start on the probationer point on the pay scale (£16,644 as from August 2002, rising to £18,000 from August 2003) will be considered at the next meeting of the SNCT on 31 January.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 8 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has obtained in relation to the distribution of the Scottish Bus Group employee pension funds; whether these funds are liable to public general taxation and, if so, under what income and corporation taxes statutes or other statutory provisions; whether ex gratia payments made to former members of the fund are liable to tax and, if so, whether this applies in respect of payments in excess of #30,000 and, if so, at what rate.
Answer
It would be inappropriate for the Executive to provide information which would harm the frankness and candour of discussion and advice, including between the Scottish Executive and legal advisers.I can confirm that UK tax law applies on the wind-up of occupational pensions schemes, including the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes. The Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 applies. For tax purposes, beneficiaries will be responsible for reporting the receipt of the ex-gratia payments to the Inland Revenue in the normal manner. The tax payable on payments made to beneficiaries will depend on the personal tax circumstances of individuals.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 8 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made to date for free central heating installation in the Highland Council area under its central heating installation programme; how many of these applications have been processed; how many installations have been carried out, and how many have been refused on grounds of cost.
Answer
There have been 255 applications from the relevant postcode area. 170 of these are eligible and are to receive their package of measures shortly. Another 46 applications are to be assessed. No applications for the Central Heating Programme are rejected on grounds of cost.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 7 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has yet completed compiling a full list of eligible beneficiaries under the Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes; if so on what date this list was completed and, if not, what action is being taken in order to complete it.
Answer
No. Following approval by the Finance Committee of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish ministers have issued indemnities to the trustees which enable them to proceed to wind up the pension schemes. Until the schemes are wound up, the trustees have a responsibility to keep confidential records about scheme members. The Executive is working closely with the trustees and is discussing whether it is possible for the trustees to make details of scheme members available to the Executive ahead of the formal wind-up of the pension schemes, in the light of the indemnities they have now obtained, and ministers' expressed intention to make ex-gratia payments to scheme members.In addition, the Executive has prepared and distributed a pro-forma to interested parties which enables potential beneficiaries to register their interest with the Executive.
