- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 13 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what contracts and arrangements for the provision of insurance services it holds with (a) Royal and Sun Alliance and (b) Marsh UK.
Answer
The Scottish Executive doesnot hold a central record of contracts and arrangements for the provision ofinsurance services. The Executive’s finance system (which covers core Executivedepartments and many Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies) showsthat some payments have been made to Royal Sun Alliance and Marsh UK. However,details of the contracts and arrangements which relate to those payments couldonly be provided at disproportionate cost.
As a general rule commercialinsurance would only be justified in constituent parts of the ScottishAdministration if the cost of claims, including in-house and contracted-outadministration costs, was calculated as likely to exceed the cost of insurancepremiums. However, in certain circumstances there are special factors which mayjustify commercial insurance being taken out.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisation carries out the monitoring and scrutiny of conditions when individuals are held in cells in court, in the same way that prison visiting committees carry out this function for individuals held in prisons.
Answer
Under the Criminal Justice andPublic Order Act 1994, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) has a statutory responsibility“to inspect the conditions in which prisoners are transported or held in pursuanceof prisoner escort arrangements.” This includes custodies held in cells on courtpremises.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive on which occasions a member of the Cabinet has spoken on behalf of the Executive in a debate called during opposition debating time in session 2 of the Parliament.
Answer
The information requested canbe obtained from the Official Report.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the speed camera on the southbound carriageway of the A9 at Ballinluig was operational at the time of the accident at the junction on 25 October 2006.
Answer
I can confirm that the safetycamera on the A9 at Ballinluig was operational at the time that the fatal accidentoccurred at this location. The film from the camera has been examined by the policeofficers investigating the accident.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 2 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA on the consultation process that should be carried out in connection with rural school closures, in light of the issues raised by Petition PE872.
Answer
The statutory requirementsfor consultation on any local authority school closure proposal are set out inthe Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.)(Scotland) Regulations 1981.Guidance on these regulations was issued in 1981 and the Scottish Executiveissued additional guidance in September 2004 on handling proposals for changesto the school estate, including school closures, whether rural or urban.
COSLA prepared and issued inOctober 2006 a guide for local authorities on School Estates Management, whichdeals among other things with communicating and consulting with parents andother stakeholders. The COSLA guide in no way overtakes or replaces theExecutive’s guidance.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 2 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities on the consultation process that should be carried out in connection with rural school closures, in light of the issues raised by Petition PE872.
Answer
The statutory requirementsfor consultation on any local authority school closure proposal are set out inthe
Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.)(Scotland)Regulations 1981. Guidance on these regulations was issued in 1981 and the Scottish Executive issued additional guidance in September 2004 on handlingproposals for changes to the school estate, including school closures, whetherrural or urban.
Following requests fromParliament, I asked COSLA to consider preparing further guidance forauthorities on improving the consultation processes. COSLA is therepresentative body for local authorities in Scotland, and the COSLA workinggroup which produced the recently issued guide on School Estates Managementcomprised local authority members and officers. The COSLA guide in no wayovertakes or replaces the Executive’s guidance.
When COSLA issued their guide,I wrote to local authority Education Conveners emphasising the importance of the quality of consultations with parents and others on school estate matters.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 2 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has asked COSLA to have with parents’ groups on the consultation process that should be carried out in connection with rural school closures, in light of the issues raised by Petition PE872.
Answer
The statutory requirementsfor consultation on any local authority school closure proposal are set out inthe Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.)(Scotland)Regulations 1981. Guidance on these regulations was issued in 1981 and the Scottish Executive issued additional guidance in September 2004 on handlingproposals for changes to the school estate, including school closures, whetherrural or urban.
The 1981 regulations requirelocal authorities to consult parents of schools affected by specific schoolclosure proposals.
A COSLA working group hasrecently completed and issued a guide for local authorities on school estates management.At the meeting of the Parliament’s Education Committee on 26 October 2005,Fiona Hyslop sought a commitment about parental involvement in the workinggroup. I did suggest this to the then COSLA Education spokesperson andExecutive officials also conveyed that message to COSLA officials. Ultimately,it was for COSLA to decide whether it involved parents in an internal workinggroup.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 2 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with parents’ groups on the consultation process that should be carried out in connection with rural school closures, in light of the issues raised by Petition PE872.
Answer
The statutory requirementsfor consultation on any local authority school closure proposal are set out inthe Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.)(Scotland)Regulations 1981. Guidance on these regulations was issued in 1981 and the Scottish Executive issued additional guidance in September 2004 on handlingproposals for changes to the school estate, including school closures, whetherrural or urban. The regulations require local authorities to consult parents ofschools affected by specific closure proposals.
The Executive is preparinginformation for parents about school closure consultation processes and, inconnection with this, has engaged with and sought the views of representativesof parents.
In addition I met the Rural SchoolsNetwork on 26 October 2005, including the Petitioner who submitted PE872 onbehalf of another parents’ group. I intend to meet with the Rural SchoolsNetwork again in due course.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 27 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider implementing a fast-track procedure to introduce a ban on alcohol consumption in specific public places.
Answer
To date, byelaws have been confirmedbanning alcohol consumption in specific public places in over 480 towns and villagesacross Scotland. We will continue to work with local authorities to ensurethat byelaws are workable and proportionate. It is important that proper consideration is givento the making of byelaws and that members of the public are given a chance to raiseobjections. Steps have been taken by the Executive to improve turnaround times.We will publish revised guidance for local authorities on the confirmation processand content of byelaws in the near future.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate has been of golden eagle chicks removed from nests in Scotland and relocated to Ireland in each year since the golden eagle reintroduction project began.
Answer
Mortality rates are not availableon a yearly basis. Twenty-six of the 42 individuals released (62%) were knownto be alive at the end of 2005. This should not be seen as a definitive survivalrate as it would be incorrect to assume that most of the other birds are dead. However,the known survival rate is very good, similar to Scottish survival rates and, althoughdata is incomplete given that the project is still at a very early age, it is myunderstanding that survival is well within the expected range, and sufficient toachieve the project’s aims.
