Questions and answers

Question reference: S1W-28441

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 11 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it made any representations to (a) the European Commission and (b) Her Majesty's Government in respect of the merging of the European councils on fisheries and agriculture and, if so, what the nature of any such representations was and what the response was.

Question reference: S1W-28436

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 11 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what the operational budget was for each water authority in each year since 1996, expressed as (a) a monetary value and (b) a percentage of the overall budget.

The figures requested are given in each of the water authorities' published accounts. Copies of their accounts as laid before the Scottish Parliament and, pre-devolution, the Westminster Parliament, back to 1996-97 are held in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Bib. numbers are as follows:

Water Authorities' Published Accounts	Scottish Parliament Information Centre - Bib. numbers
Water Authorities' Published Accounts	NoSWA	ESWA	WoSWA
1996-97	97515	12833	12836
1997-98	12832	12834	12837
1998-99	4005	12835	4004
1999-2000	8790	7898	7925
2000-01	16464	17792	16463

Accounts for 2001-02 are nearing completion and will be laid in due course.

Question reference: S1W-28293

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive why it ceased payments to Aberdeen City Council from 31 March 2002 in respect of the Education Action Plan.

Time limited support for Education Action Plans was provided under a special programme of the Excellence Fund to help local authorities to raise standards in schools facing major challenge. A total of £15 million was made available under the programme over the three financial years from 1999-2000 to 2001-02. Authorities were advised of this in Circular 8/98, which was issued by the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department on 24 December 1998. Aberdeen City Council was one of 16 authorities which benefited under the three-year programme.

Question reference: S1W-28292

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 6 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any local authorities have sought additional resources to implement the national concessionary travel scheme because of anticipated shortfalls and, if so, how much each local authority has sought and what the estimated shortfall is.

Issues about the allocation of grant funding within the local government settlement are discussed with local authorities on a collective basis through COSLA. Following discussions with COSLA about the funding implications of implementing the enhanced concessionary travel arrangements from 30 September, the Executive agreed that an additional £5 million would be made available in the current financial year to be distributed on the basis of the existing GAE distribution formula, with a further £10 million earmarked in 2003-04 if required. These sums are in addition to the initial £20 million and £45 million made available in these respective financial years to fund these enhancements.

Question reference: S1W-28285

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of businesses have websites and how this percentage compares with businesses in (a) the rest of Europe and (b) other countries in the rest of the world.

The latest international e-business benchmarking figures (weighted by number of employees) show that 76% of Scottish businesses have a website, which is on a par with comparable countries. The survey covered nine other countries, plus the UK as a whole and the percentage of their businesses that have a website are shown in the table:

Sweden	80%
UK	80%
Germany	78%
US	77%
Scotland	76%
Canada	73%
Rep. of Ireland	64%
Australia	60%
Japan	58%
Italy	58%
France	56%

Source: 2001 e-business benchmarking survey for Scottish Enterprise.

Question reference: S1W-28286

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of companies conduct the majority of their business on the internet and how this percentage compares with other (a) European nations and (b) countries in the rest of the world.

According to Scottish Enterprise's e-business benchmarking survey for Scotland, 20% of Scottish businesses are trading online, but figures are not available for the percentage of these that do more than 50% of all their transactions online. However, it can be calculated from the survey data that 3% of Scottish businesses make more than 50% (by value) of their sales via online orders, and that 5.8% of Scottish businesses order more than 50% (by value) of their supplies online. The comparative figures (weighted by number of employees) for the other benchmarked countries are shown in the tables below.Percentage of Businesses for Which More Than 50% of Sales (by Value) are Ordered Online.

US	4.4
Sweden	3.8
Japan	3.2
Scotland	3.0
Australia	2.9
Rep of Ireland	2.7
Canada	2.4
UK	2.3
Germany	2.2
Italy	1.5
France	0.8

Percentage of Businesses for Which More Than 50% of Supplies (by Value) are Ordered Online.

US	7.0
Canada	6.4
Scotland	5.8
Germany	5.1
Sweden	5.0
Australia	5.0
Japan	4.6
Rep. of Ireland	4.4
UK	4.0
France	3.4
Italy	2.9

Source: Scottish Enterprise e-business benchmarking survey 2001.

Question reference: S1W-28288

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many multi-national companies there currently are in Scotland and how many there were in each of the last 10 years, detailing in each case whether the company located its headquarters in Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-28283

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 5 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of households are connected to the internet and how this percentage compares with other countries in the rest of the world.

The latest statistics for Scotland as a whole show that over the financial year 2001-02, 36% of households had access to the internet from home. This compares with 41% of households in England, 31% of households in Wales, 31% of households in Northern Ireland and 40% of households across the UK. The same survey (ONS Expenditure and Food Survey) estimated that 24% of households in Scotland had access to the internet in financial year 2000-01. In order to make comparisons between different countries it is necessary that the surveys used to collect the information use harmonised questions. There are to date no Europe-wide surveys that collect information in a comparable form to the ONS survey.

Question reference: S1W-28284

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 5 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the population have access to an e-mail address at (a) home and (b) work and how these percentages compare with (i) the rest of Europe and (ii) other countries in the rest of the world.

There are no statistics available for the percentage of the population with access to an e-mail address, at home at work, in Scotland or in other countries. Theoretically, anyone can have access to an e-mail address if they have access to the internet via a variety of technologies ranging from PCs, Digital TV, WAP mobile phones, video game consoles or handheld computers.Some surveys do measure use of e-mail (rather than access) and in Scotland, for those people that have home access to the internet, more than 75% use e-mail (Scottish Household Survey (SHS) 2001).In order to make comparisons between different countries, it is necessary that the surveys used to collect the information use harmonised questions. There are to date no Europe-wide surveys that collect information in a comparable form to the SHS survey.The Scottish Executive is also working with local authorities to ensure that all secondary school children have individual access to e-mail and that primary school children have access to either an individual or class e-mail address.

Question reference: S1W-28269

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) civilian employees and (b) serving police officers there were per capita in each of the last five years, broken down by rank and police force.

The information, relating to the number of civilian employees and serving police officers in each of the last five years, is shown in the following tables.Total Civilian Employees Per 1,000 Population

Force	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Central	0.78	0.82	0.77	0.78	0.96	1.03
Dumfries and Galloway	1.08	1.48	1.40	1.41	1.64	1.65
Fife	0.70	0.71	0.76	0.77	0.85	0.90
Grampian	0.86	0.91	0.99	0.96	0.97	1.13
Lothian and Borders	1.17	1.21	1.22	1.20	1.15	1.21
Northern	1.15	1.19	1.22	1.29	1.26	1.29
Strathclyde	0.84	0.86	0.88	0.90	0.93	0.95
Tayside	1.09	1.14	1.18	1.22	1.28	1.37
Total	0.93	0.97	0.99	1.00	1.03	1.08

Source: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary: Quarterly Strength Returns.Notes:1. Employee figures for forces, which include traffic wardens, at 30 March in each year. 2. Population as at 30 June in the previous year except that population for 30 June 2000 used in each of last two columns.Police Strength by Rank at 31 March 1997

Force	Chief Officers	Superintendent	Chief Insp	Inspector	Sergeant	Constables	Total Number of Police Officers	Total Number per 1,000 Population
Central	2	8	12	33	101	530	686	2.49
Dumfries and Galloway	2	6	7	19	65	313	412	2.78
Fife	3	9	11	41	111	656	831	2.38
Grampian	3	16	19	69	181	885	1,173	2.21
Lothian and Borders	4	36	41	125	361	2,124	2,691	3.08
Northern	2	8	12	27	108	492	649	2.32
Strathclyde	8	114	110	357	980	5,662	7,231	3.18
Tayside	3	14	14	51	165	869	1,116	2.83
Total	27							2.88

Source: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary: Annual Statistical Returns.Notes:1. Population as at 30 June 1996.2. Figures for chief officers include chief constables, deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables. Figures for superintendents include chief superintendents.Police Strength by Rank at 31 March 1998

Force	Chief Officers	Superintendent	Chief Insp	Inspector	Sergeant	Constables	Total Number of Police Officers	Total Number per 1,000 Population
Central	2	10	7	34	103	547	703	2.55
Dumfries and Galloway	2	6	8	20	68	335	439	2.99
Fife	3	9	14	36	110	683	855	2.46
Grampian	4	16	20	68	183	902	1,193	2.26
Lothian and Borders	4	37	40	127	368	2,115	2,691	3.06
Northern	2	7	13	26	108	501	657	2.35
Strathclyde	8	118	102	374	975	5,722	7,299	3.21
Tayside	3	14	13	53	163	897	1,143	2.92
Total	28							2.92

Source: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary: Annual Statistical Returns.Notes:1. Population as at 30 June 1997.2. Figures for chief officers include chief constables, deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables. Figures for superintendents include chief superintendents.Police Strength by Rank at 31 March 1999

Force	Chief Officers	Superintendent	Chief Insp	Inspector	Sergeant	Constables	Total Number of Police Officers	Total Number per 1,000 Population
Central	2	9	9	34	101	564	719	2.61
Dumfries and Galloway	3	5	8	20	70	331	437	2.97
Fife	3	9	12	36	109	677	846	2.42
Grampian	2	17	20	70	187	953	1,249	2.38
Lothian and Borders	4	36	37	127	361	2,050	2,615	2.97
Northern	2	8	13	31	107	499	660	2.37
Strathclyde	8	105	103	373	974	5,572	7,135	3.14
Tayside	3	14	12	59	157	904	1,149	2.95
Total	27							2.89

Source: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary: Annual Statistical Returns.Notes:1. Population as at 30 June 1998.2. Figures for chief officers include chief constables, deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables. Figures for superintendents include chief superintendents.Police Strength by Rank at 31 March 2000

Force	Chief Officers	Superintendent	Chief Insp	Inspector	Sergeant	Constables	Total Number of Police Officers	Total Number per 1,000 Population
Central	2	8	10	36	100	565	721	2.59
Dumfries and Galloway	3	5	8	20	68	347	451	3.07
Fife	2	9	13	36	110	667	837	2.40
Grampian	3	18	21	75	186	912	1,215	2.31
Lothian and Borders	4	35	36	130	352	2,027	2,584	2.92
Northern	2	7	14	32	110	488	653	2.34
Strathclyde	8	102	98	373	960	5,560	7,101	3.13
Tayside	3	15	16	56	159	888	1,137	2.93
Total	27							2.87

Source: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary: Annual Statistical Returns.Notes:1. Population as at 30 June 1999.2. Figures for chief officers include chief constables, deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables. Figures for superintendents include chief superintendents.Police Strength by Rank at 31 March 2001

Force	Chief Officers	Superintendent	Chief Insp	Inspector	Sergeant	Constables	Total Number of Police Officers	Total Number per 1,000 Population
Central	2	9	11	37	111	563	733	2.64
Dumfries and Galloway	2	7	7	20	70	372	478	3.27
Fife	2	10	12	38	114	676	852	2.43
Grampian	4	17	21	82	190	959	1,273	2.43
Lothian and Borders	4	30	46	134	369	2,087	2,670	3.00
Northern	2	7	14	35	113	497	668	2.40
Strathclyde	7	99	94	380	971	5,767	7,318	3.23
Tayside	2	16	16	56	156	911	1,157	3.00
Total	25							2.96

Source: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary: Annual Statistical Returns.Notes:1. Population as at 30 June 2000.2. Figures for chief officers include chief constables, deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables. Figures for superintendents include chief superintendents.Police Strength by Rank at 31 March 2002

Force	Chief Officers	Super	Chief Insp	Insp	Serg	Cons	Total Number of Police Officers	Total Number per 1,000 Population
Central	2	9	15	42	116	535	719	2.59
Dumfries and Galloway	2	7	7	23	73	370	482	3.30
Fife	5	14	14	37	123	719	912	2.61
Grampian	3	18	20	87	202	928	1,258	2.41
Lothian and Borders	4	32	44	142	369	2,109	2,700	3.03
Northern	2	8	13	33	122	505	683	2.46
Strathclyde	7	103	94	387	975	5,761	7,327	3.24
Tayside	3	12	17	54	157	927	1,170	3.03
Total	28							2.98

Source: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary: Annual Statistical Returns.Notes:1. Population as at 30 June 2000.2. Figures for chief officers include chief constables, deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables. Figures for superintendents include chief superintendents.

Chamber and committees