Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-02266

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 November 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to address the comprehensive needs of business; what action it intends to take to encourage greater integration of business support services between the public and private sectors, and what plans it has to look at the current business support structure.

The Enterprise networks provide a comprehensive range of business support services to help business formation, survival and growth. We keep under constant review existing arrangements for business support in Scotland to monitor the effectiveness of services and to identify ways of improving efficiency and service delivery. We will continue to work with SE and HIE to improve the quality and consistency of business support services, for example, through implementing the recommendations of the Review into Business Support in Scotland concluded earlier this year. The Parliament's Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into business support services at the local level including examination of the co-ordination of services. The Executive will study the Committee's findings and conclusions with keen interest in considering whether further improvements are required in our business support arrangements.

Question reference: S1W-02267

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 November 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to emulate the Small Business Service operational in other parts of the United Kingdom and what measures it intends to implement to encourage more effective and efficient partnerships between the various business support organisations such as chambers of commerce, enterprise trusts, local councils and LECs.

We are currently considering the Scottish implications of the Small Business Service proposals published by the Department of Trade and Industry. Our assessment will take account of the fact that economic development issues are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and the existence of Scotland's distinctive business support structure, including the role of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the wider enterprise network.

Question reference: S1O-00479

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to relax capping limits for Scottish local authorities.

Question reference: S1W-02249

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to relax capping limits for Scottish local authorities.

Question reference: S1W-01989

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 27 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail how much each Scottish local authority spent on (a) internal and (b) external public relations consultants, advisors and lobbyists in the financial year 1998-99 or in the most recent financial year for which this information is available.

Question reference: S1W-01990

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the implementation of a national careers advice service for Scotland along similar lines to the system to be adopted by the National Assembly for Wales.

On 6 October 1999 I announced that I wanted to review the Careers Service using the remit: "To examine the role of the careers service in Scotland, and the scope for change and development of that role in the light of trends and initiatives in education, lifelong learning, and the labour market."This review will consider all the options for the future of the careers service. The independently chaired committee is expected to report by the middle of 2000.

Question reference: S1W-01978

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 25 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, in real terms will be the new burdens for Scottish local authorities for the financial years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02.

The provision made for new burdens for the financial years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out in the Table below:

	1999-00 £m	2000-01 £m	2001-02 £m
Y2K Millennium Bug	10.000	-	-
Contaminated land	1.700	1.952	1.904
Assessors costs	1.000	0.975	0.952
Abolition of Advanced Corporation Tax credits	27.000	37.561	36.645
Working time regulations	0.130	0.081	0.081
Hallmarking regulations	0.009	0.003	0.003
Housing stock transfer	0.089	0.090	0.091

NoteThe figures are based on 1999-00 prices, adjusted in line with the latest GDP deflator figures published by ONS.We are currently discussing possible further new burdens with COSLA as part of the statutory consultations which take place each year on the local government finance settlement. Any further new burdens recognised for next year will be included in the 2000-01 settlement. Further potential new burdens for 2001-02 will be discussed with COSLA next year as part of the consultation for that settlement.

Question reference: S1W-01979

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 25 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all new burdens imposed on Scottish local authorities for the financial years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 will be funded entirely from the Scottish Consolidated Fund and if not, what alternative sources of funding will be used.

Those new burdens which were recognised by the Scottish Executive after consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities have been taken fully into account in determining the level of Aggregate External Finance to be paid to local authorities for 1999-2000. Discussions are still taking place with the Convention about possible new burdens for 2000-01. New burdens for 2001-02 will be assessed at the time of next year's settlement.

Question reference: S1W-01578

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 14 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive when the action plan setting out remedial action to be taken by East Dunbartonshire Council regarding the administration of housing and council tax benefits will be implemented.

Question reference: S1W-01285

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 12 October 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend park and ride facilities on the periphery of Scotland's cities.

It is for local authorities to take forward the development of park and ride facilities in their areas. The Government's Preliminary Guidance on Local Transport Strategies encourages local authorities to set out their plans in interim strategies which are due this year. Also, the Scottish Executive's Public Transport Fund encourages local authorities to develop projects promoting the use of public transport such as the establishment of park and ride sites and associated bus priority measures. In the first round of the Fund 3 projects involving new park and ride sites were successful in securing additional capital allocations. Applications to the second round of the Fund are currently being considered.