Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14326 on 15 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Government issues guidance to all police forces and police boards in the form of police circulars. These cover a range of topics including the impact of new legislation and changes to police pay and allowances. During each of the last five years the number of circulars issued has been as follows:

2007	8
2006	5
2005	13
2004	23
2003	12

 

Full details on the content of these circulars can be found on the government’s website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Police/Circulars/2007.

In addition to the distribution of police circulars, ministers and officials are in regular contact with chief constables on a wide range of matters.

A review of the calculation of the average cost of answering a parliamentary question is currently underway. The last time such an exercise was conducted, in 2002, the average cost was calculated to be £65.18.

We have highlighted the importance of achieving the Millennium Development Goals within the scope of our current devolved powers.

We have also ensured that our international development policy, launched on 7 May 2008, places achievement of the Millennium Development Goals at its core and this is supported through our increased International Development Fund.

The bulk of the government’s communication about school education is with local authorities, with whom responsibility for the provision of school education lies, rather than with head teachers themselves.

A trawl of files across government directorates to compile a comprehensive list of the limited instances of direct contact with head teachers could only be carried out at disproportionate cost.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14321 on 10 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates issue a weekly bulletin containing a digest of their recent publications and this is available on the Scottish Health on the Web (SHOW) website at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/. The bulletin is circulated to chief executives of NHS boards and operating divisions to cascade as appropriate, and is also circulated more widely to other interested bodies for information. The table below sets out the number of documents contained within each weekly bulletin issued in each of the last five years:

Table 1 – Number of Documents Issued by Year

2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
337	238	161	166	214

Source: www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

In addition there may be ad-hoc correspondence issued that is not included in the weekly bulletin. Information on the number of these documents is not collected.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14324 on 9 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Beauly Denny public inquiry, the largest in Scotland since devolution, started on 6 February 2007 with public hearings concluding in 20 December 2007.

The inquiry reporters are now preparing their report, which is not expected until the end of 2008.

Scottish ministers will consider the reporters findings in reaching their determination and therefore a decision may be expected in 2009.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14043 on 18 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.