- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 1 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any information on organophosphate poisoning available for those who may have been affected by it and, if not, whether it will make such educational materials available.
Answer
The Executive has not produced any such materials and has no plans to do so. General practitioners, who were advised by the Chief Medical Officer in July 1999 of the need to be aware of the possibility that patients may be suffering from organophosphate poisoning, are best placed to advise and inform patients, and to refer to a specialist in appropriate cases.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 1 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision to refer the Report on the Lingerbay Inquiry to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was within its powers; whether it will continue to refer such reports to SNH in future, and in particular whether it will refrain from referring reports to SNH where SNH has been an objector to the planning application.
Answer
Lord Hardie's comments in relation to the Lingerbay case have been noted and it has been decided not to appeal against his judgement. A decision as to whether it might be appropriate to refer a matter to Scottish Natural Heritage in any future case will depend on the particular circumstances of that case.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 1 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive with regard to the Education and Training (Scotland) Regulations 2000, why classes teaching Gaelic are not included in the categories of education and training which qualify for 80% support, given that an aim of such Gaelic lessons is to enhance communication, an identified criterion.
Answer
Under the definition of learning that is eligible for Individual Learning Account incentives, people will be able to receive grants of up to £150 for courses to learn Gaelic if they are in the first 100,000 applicants in Scotland. In most cases these grants should cover the full course costs. Later applicants will only be able to claim discounts of 20% as the higher 80% discounts are aimed specifically at people who have literacy difficulties, numeracy problems or who wish to develop basic computing skills.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 1 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate was made by it, regarding the Court of Session action by Lafarge Redland Aggregates Ltd. for an order in respect of the Lingerbay inquiry, before it made the decision to defend the proceedings, of the likely level of court expenses in the event that it lost the action and an award of expenses was made against it; what sums have been expended in connection with its defence of the action, and what estimate it has made of the legal expenses of its opponent.
Answer
The likely level of court expenses was not regarded as a determining factor in considering whether or not to defend the Court of Session action brought by Lafarge Redlands. No estimate of the possible expenses was prepared and final costs are not known at this time.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 1 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision on whether to appeal against the decision by Lord Hardie in respect of the Lingerbay Inquiry will be taken by its full Cabinet.
Answer
It has been decided not to appeal against the judgement of Lord Hardie.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 1 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to require special advisers to provide services to MSPs who are not members of the Executive and, if so, on the basis of what legal provision and whether such services should be publicly funded or funded by individual political parties.
Answer
Special Advisers are appointed to advise the First Minister in the development of Scottish Executive policy and its effective presentation. They discharge this role by carrying out a range of duties as required by the First Minister and set out in their contract.
Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Article 3(4) of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995 as amended by the Civil Service (Amendment) Order in Council 1999.
Full details about the role and duties of advisers are contained in the Model Contract for Special Advisers, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 30 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions were reached by the Small Business Consultative Group in relation to the small business rates relief scheme advocated by the Forum for Private Business.
Answer
The Small Business Consultative Group discussed the issue on 4 September. No formal conclusions were reached but the views expressed at the meeting will be taken fully into account in reaching decisions on this matter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 30 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated (a) initial costs and (b) annual costs will be to local authorities of administering any relief scheme for water and sewerage charges to those on low incomes and from what source local authorities will meet such costs.
Answer
The initial and subsequent costs to the local authorities of administering the scheme to cap water and sewerage charges for those on Council Tax Benefit will be established in discussions between the Executive and the local authorities. The Executive has undertaken to reimburse the authorities for these costs.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 30 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how it arrived at the figure of #24 million to be made available over the next three years for funding of a relief scheme for water and sewerage charges for those on low incomes.
Answer
The proposed scheme will cap water and sewerage charges for those on Council Tax benefit. The cap for each year will be set once water and sewerage charges for the year have been announced. The estimated cost of £24 million over three years reflects assumptions about level of the cap and the number of households likely to be eligible for the scheme. It also includes an element to cover the cost to the local authorities of administering the scheme.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 30 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Water Industry Commissioner recommended to it that there should be a relief scheme for water and sewerage charges for those on low incomes.
Answer
Prior to the current public consultation on the affordability of water and sewerage charges, the Executive invited views on the subject from various experts, including the Water Industry Commissioner. Ministers drew on these views in framing their proposals for a scheme to cap water and sewerage charges for those on Council Tax Benefit.
