- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote the use of e-commerce by Scottish businesses.
Answer
The Executive is involved with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and private sector partners, in the development of an e-commerce strategy for Scotland. The strategy will aim to increase awareness of the importance of e-commerce; to support an infrastructure which is e-commerce friendly; to co-ordinate enterprise network activities in order to create a climate where e-commerce may flourish; and to help managers and the workforce to acquire the necessary skill set to undertake e-commerce.
The strategy is expected to be finalised, and an implementation plan drawn up, early next year.Scotland will also benefit from actions being considered by the UK Government as a result of the Ecommerce@its.best.uk report launched by the Prime Minister in September. The Executive will ensure that the Scottish e-commerce strategy takes account of relevant recommendations in the UK report.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 23 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that all primary schools strike a balance between schoolwork and play.
Answer
An appropriate balance between schoolwork and play is a vital component of a rounded curriculum. Schools and pre-school centres have been given advice on the benefits of play as part of a balanced curriculum. Schools are also encouraged to provide pupils with experience of, and access to, a wide range of games and sports through the formal curriculum and through extra curricular activities. HMI reports comment on the delivery and breadth of the curriculum as well as on school ethos which includes an appraisal of school atmosphere and the extent to which pupils are positive and gaining pleasure from their work in school.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 22 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any element of its contribution of #2 million to the Hampden Park rescue package has been paid to AR Ltd or Austin Reilly in connection with the National Stadium project.
Answer
I refer to the answer given to question S1W-2296.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 22 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the arrangements whereby Austin Reilly through his company AR Ltd has been paid as a consultant by Queens Park FC Ltd to manage the National Stadium project by virtue of his role in the National Stadium plc are consistent with the assurances regarding the future management of the project to which its contribution of #2 million was subject.
Answer
I refer to the answer given to question S1W-2296.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 18 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to alter the Scottish salmon fishing season from February until October to March until November in order to take account of climatic change over recent years altering the life cycle of Scottish salmon.
Answer
Salmon stocks, as measured by annual catches, continue to decline throughout the range of the species. This has led to advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) urging caution in the exploitation of both early-running multi-sea winter (MSW) salmon and later running one-sea winter (1SW) salmon. In the circumstances, alteration of the fishing season as suggested would lead to increased exploitation of a diminishing resource, and therefore the Scottish Executive have no plans to extend the autumn fishing season.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the three year contract from 1 January 1999 worth #160,000 a year between AR Ltd and the National Stadium plc is consistent with the assurances regarding the future management of the project to which its contribution of #2 million was subject, whether there is any provision in the contract for a one-off payment of #160,000 to Austin Reilly or AR Ltd in the event of termination of the contract by The National Stadium plc and, if so, whether any of its contribution of #2 million could be used to fund this payment.
Answer
The details of the contract between The National Stadium plc and AR Ltd are a matter for the two parties concerned. One of the conditions attaching to the further financial contributions of all the co-funders' is that a new management structure is put in place. The role of TNS in the future management of the stadium is therefore an element in the ongoing negotiations and discussions.None of the Scottish Executive's contribution of £2m to the rescue package will be paid over until the co-funders' pre-conditions have been met. The co-funders' money will be used to help pay off debts to Queen's Park Football Club's creditors.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the resignation of William Samuel this month as a Director of The National Stadium plc has any implications for compliance with the assurances regarding the future management of the National Stadium project to which its contribution of #2 million was subject.
Answer
Only to the extent that the role of The National Stadium generally is being reviewed as part of putting in place a new management structure for the ongoing stadium operation.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 15 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the funding gap in respect of the National Stadium project currently stands at #6 million.
Answer
It is for Queen's Park Football Club plc and The National Football Stadium plc to decide what information it wishes to make publicly available about its financial position.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 15 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-1960 by Mr Sam Galbraith, to what specific assurances regarding the future management and business plan of the National Stadium project its contribution of #2 million was subject.
Answer
The Scottish Executive wishes to see new management arrangements which reflect the fact that the construction phase of the project is virtually complete and that the project is now mainly a marketing and management operation. We also wish to see a fully developed business plan which demonstrates that the stadium operation is commercially viable on a long term basis.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
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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.
Answer
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.
