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Written Answers Wednesday 28 October 2009

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the change in Scotland’s consumption of alcohol has been since 2003 and what has contributed to this change.

 

(S3W-27923)

Shona Robison: Alcohol consumption can be measured in a number of ways. The Scottish Health Survey records usual weekly consumption and consumption on the heaviest drinking day in the previous week. Measures of consumption include the mean number of units drunk and the proportions drinking above and below various unit thresholds.

The proportion of men drinking over the weekly recommended limit (21 units) declined from 34% in 2003 to 30% in 2008. The equivalent figures for women (based on 14 units) were 23% and 20% respectively. Although the overall decline in men’s average weekly unit consumption was statistically significant, it was at the very margin of being so. The decline for women was not significant. Further years of data will need to be collected before firm conclusions can be reached about weekly drinking trends.

In relation to daily consumption, in 2008, 44% of men had drunk more than four units on their heaviest drinking day in the previous week and 27% said they drank more than eight units. The mean units consumed were 6.2. 36% of women reported drinking more than three units on the heaviest drinking day in the past week and 18% drank more than six units. The mean units consumed were 3.5. Levels of daily consumption were very similar in 2003 and 2008, with no significant differences. As with the weekly drinking trend figures, more years of data will need to be collected before any clear patterns can be identified.

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers may agree expenditure only where such expenditure is included in the budget approved by the Parliament.

 

(S3W-28211)

John Swinney: The Scottish Public Finance Manual provides details of the circumstances under which the Scottish Government may undertake expenditure without the authority of a Budget Act. The relevant section is headed "Expenditure Without Parliamentary Authority".

Fuel

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many petrol stations there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Holding answer issued: 27 October 2009

(S3W-27817)

Stewart Stevenson: The following table shows the number of petrol stations in operation in Scotland between 1999 and 2008 (figures for 2009 are not currently available). The data is taken from a Scottish extract of the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR), which is maintained by the Office for National Statistics.

Number of Business Sites1, 2 of Registered Enterprises in SIC code 50.5: Retail Sale of Automotive Fuel by Local Authority Area3 for 1999 to 2008

Local Authority 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Aberdeen City 40 40 30 25 25 20 20 20 15 20
Aberdeenshire 55 50 50 45 45 40 40 40 40 30
Angus 15 15 20 15 15 15 15 10 10 5
Argyll and Bute 35 35 35 35 40 35 35 35 35 30
Clackmannanshire 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 0 0
Dumfries and Galloway 50 50 40 40 40 35 35 30 30 30
Dundee City 25 15 15 15 15 10 10 10 5 5
East Ayrshire 25 25 20 20 20 20 20 15 20 20
East Dunbartonshire 20 20 15 20 15 15 10 15 10 10
East Lothian 15 15 10 10 10 10 10 10 5 10
East Renfrewshire 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 5 5
Edinburgh, City of 35 30 45 40 45 45 35 30 20 20
Eilean Siar 10 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 10
Falkirk 25 20 20 20 20 15 20 15 15 15
Fife 65 65 55 40 40 30 30 35 30 20
Glasgow City 60 60 60 50 55 50 50 40 40 35
Highland 70 65 65 65 60 55 60 60 60 60
Inverclyde 5 5 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Midlothian 5 10 10 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Moray 25 25 25 25 25 30 25 20 20 20
North Ayrshire 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
North Lanarkshire 45 45 35 40 35 30 30 35 35 25
Orkney Islands 10 5 10 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Perth and Kinross 40 40 40 35 35 35 30 30 25 20
Renfrewshire 25 25 30 25 30 25 25 20 15 15
Scottish Borders 15 15 20 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
Shetland Islands 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
South Ayrshire 20 15 15 15 10 10 10 10 10 10
South Lanarkshire 50 45 40 35 40 40 40 40 30 25
Stirling 10 10 15 10 10 15 15 10 10 5
West Dunbartonshire 10 10 10 10 15 10 10 10 10 5
West Lothian 25 25 30 25 25 20 20 20 15 10
Total 880 835 810 750 745 700 680 645 575 510

Notes:

Totals may not equal the sum of the constituent parts due to rounding.

Due to the rounding to the nearest five, a business site count of zero could represent zero, one or two business sites.

1. Excludes central and local government.

2. It is likely that the SIC code 50:5: Retail Sale of Automotive Fuel will not capture petrol stations that are attached to large supermarkets. The activity of these petrol stations may come under the retail SIC code of the supermarket. The SIC code of a business is determined by its main activity.

3. Includes June 2002 local authority boundary changes between the City of Edinburgh and West Lothian and Glasgow City and Renfrewshire.

4. For 1999 to 2004, the extract used from the IDBR was taken in November. For 2005 to 2008, the extract used from the IBDR was taken in March.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants have been made under the Rural Petrol Station Grant Scheme since it was established, broken down by local authority area.

Holding answer issued: 27 October 2009

(S3W-27818)

Stewart Stevenson: The following table shows the number of grants made under the Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme between 1998, when it was introduced, and 31 March 2008.

Local Authority Area 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
Aberdeenshire 0 0 0 7 0 0 2 3 2 2
Aberdeen City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Angus 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Argyll and Bute 2 0 3 4 0 1 3 5 2 3
City of Edinburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Clackmannanshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 4 1 3
Dumfries and Galloway 0 0 0 2 1 0 7 4 4 3
Dundee City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
East Ayrshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
East Dunbartonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
East Lothian 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
East Renfrewshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Falkirk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fife 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Glasgow City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Highland 2 4 3 5 2 4 9 5 4 5
Inverclyde 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Midlothian 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Moray 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0
North Ayrshire 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
North Lanarkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Orkney Islands 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 8 2 3
Perth and Kinross 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 1 1
Renfrewshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Scottish Borders 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 1 1
Shetland Islands 0 3 2 0 2 0 1 6 1 1
South Ayrshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
South Lanarkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Stirling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
West Dunbartonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
West Lothian 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 4 10 10 23 6 7 33 38 21 24

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the funding available under the Rural Petrol Station Grant Scheme.

Holding answer issued: 27 October 2009

(S3W-27819)

Stewart Stevenson: We have no plans to extend the funding available under the Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme. The scheme is administered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27500 by Stewart Stevenson on 25 September 2009, how much will be saved each year following cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.

 

(S3W-28167)

Stewart Stevenson: The expenditure avoided as a result of the cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, based on latest estimated costs, is detailed in the following table:

Financial Year 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
£ Million £ Million £ Million £ Million £ Million
Forecast Capital Expenditure 48.7 62.6 37.7 23.5 3.2

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many men over the age of 65 were (a) offered the opportunity to be screened for, (b) screened for, (c) found to have and (d) successfully operated on, following screening, for an abdominal aortic aneurysm in each month since September 2008, also broken down by NHS board.

 

(S3W-27866)

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.

A national screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysms, for men aged 65, will be implemented in Scotland. The programme is currently being planned and it is envisaged that it will begin in 2011.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22472 by Shona Robison on 27 April 2009, what plans it has to ensure that NHS Highland is fully compliant with the report, health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

 

(S3W-27935)

Shona Robison: The work to address the variation in implementation of certain aspects of health for all children 4 across Scotland continues. This includes NHS Highland. The Scottish Government Health Directorate will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W–22473 by Shona Robison on 27 April 2009, what plans it has to ensure that NHS Highland has an orthoptist pre-school screening programme in place.

 

(S3W-27936)

Shona Robison: Scottish Government Officials are in contact with NHS Highland to monitor the situation and expect to receive an update from NHS Highland in the next few weeks.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in the Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22474 by Shona Robison on 27 April 2009, what the timescale is for every NHS board area to have an orthoptist pre-school screening programme in.

 

(S3W-27937)

Shona Robison: As stated in my previous answer, a date has not been specified. The NHS boards who have not yet introduced an orthoptist pre-school screening programme are working towards doing so, or towards introducing a programme supervised by an orthoptist or an optometrist.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding working with schools and parents on young people’s health.

 

(S3W-27938)

Shona Robison: A significant amount of guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding working with schools and parents on young people’s health. This includes guidance, which may not be primarily addressed to NHS boards but requires them to work in partnership with local authority children’s services and education authorities.

All guidance published by the Scottish Government is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent.

Housing

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question SW3-24517 by Stewart Stevenson on 10 June 2009, for what reason the analysis report on the householder development permitted rights consultation has not been published.

Holding answer issued: 27 October 2009

(S3W-27826)

Stewart Stevenson: The analysis report was received from the consultants in the summer. Other priorities, particularly in relation to implementation of the new development management process, have meant that officials have not been able to prepare the final version of the analysis report for publication. The intention is to publish the report on the Scottish Government website in November.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there were no new supply shared equity completions in Argyll and Bute in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.

 

(S3W-27857)

Alex Neil: My previous answer to the question S3W-27821 on 28 September 2009, has been revised as there had been new supply shared equity completions in Argyll and Bute in 2007-08 and 2008-09. In 2007-08, there were 39 new supply shared equity properties completed. In 2008-09, there were 20 new supply shared equity properties completed. The letter sent to you on the 21 October 2009, noting the amendment, has been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 49491), and S3W-27821 will be changed on the official record.

Mental Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds there have been for (a) children and (b) adolescents in child and adolescent psychiatric wards in each year since 1999.

 

(S3W-27870)

Shona Robison: Information is not available by hospital ward. However, figures for child and adolescent inpatient bed numbers are provided in the following table:

  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Child inpatient beds 30 23 15 16 11 9 8 8 9 9 9
Adolescent inpatient beds 39 40 48 43 38 32 35 35 35 36 42

For children, the nine beds are provided on a national basis at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill). For young people requiring inpatient care, there are currently 24 beds available in the West of Scotland, 12 beds in the East of Scotland and six beds in the North of Scotland, with ongoing consideration to increase this to 12 beds.

This potential figure of 48 beds, though less than that previously announced, reflects the significant additional investment in intensive community services intended to reduce the need for admission to inpatient care. To support this, we have made £2 million available to NHS boards on a recurring basis to accelerate the development of specialist child and adolescent mental health community services.

Planning

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27553 by Stewart Stevenson on 5 October 2009, whether it will list, in relation to each report, (a) the name of the planning application, (b) the date of receipt by ministers of the report of the public local inquiry and (c) when it expects to announce its decision

 

(S3W-28035)

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are currently considering reports submitted by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals as follows:

Site Development Date Report Submitted to Scottish Ministers. Date Decision Expected
Beauly to Denny. Section 37 application for power line and also compulsory purchase orders, wayleaves and planning appeals. Main line report submitted 18 February 2009. 2009.
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. Road Scheme. 30 June 2009. Under active consideration and expect to make a decision as soon as possible.
M8 (Baillieston to Newhouse) Special Road Scheme. Roads Scheme. 13 October 2008. Under active consideration and expect to make a decision as soon as possible.
M8/M73/M74 (Networks Improvements) Road Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders. Roads Scheme. 24 July 2009. Under active consideration and expect to make a decision as soon as possible.
M876 Glenbervie (connecting Roads). Roads Scheme. 3 December 2008. Under active consideration and expect to make a decision as soon as possible.
A92 Trunk Road (Station Brae and Inerdovat Junctions) (Prohibition of Specified Turns) Draft Order. Roads Scheme. 28 July 2009. Under active consideration and expect to make a decision as soon as possible.
Morrison Street, Edinburgh. Planning application in respect of the demolition of building and structures, regrading existing car park, redevelopment comprising hotels etc. 17 September 2009. October 2009.
Baillie Windfarm, by Thurso. Section 36 windfarm application. 17 August 2009. Under active consideration and hope to make decision in 2009.
Muaitheabhal, Isle of Lewis. Section 36 windfarm. 5 September 2008. Under active consideration and hope to make decision in 2009.
Calliachar, Amulree, Strathtay. Planning appeal for a 14 turbine windfarm with ancillary development. 12 October 2009. Spring 2010, this case is being considered conjointly with another windfarm appeal in the same area, the report for which will not be submitted to Scottish ministers until early 2010.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide police forces with sufficient funding to ensure that they are able to maintain police numbers at current levels until May 2011.

 

(S3W-28037)

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary’s comments to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 that it may not be possible to maintain police officer numbers at current levels through 2010-11 (Official Report c. 2265).

 

(S3W-28153)

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the comment of the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 in relation to maintaining officer numbers through 2010-11 that "every force will have looked at profiles of what it might mean if budgets are not at the level that is hoped for" (Official Report c. 2265), whether it considers that this may mean a reduction in officer numbers in some forces.

 

(S3W-28154)

Kenny MacAskill: Provision has been included in the draft budget for 2010-11 for the Scottish Government to pay police grant of £586.7 million, which is a 3.1% (£17.6 million) increase over 2009-10. In addition, in 2010-11 we will continue to meet the costs associated with police forces enjoying the benefits of 1,000 extra officers. We have also provided £95 million to meet the additional costs of police and fire pensions.

Following the concordat with local government, the level of funding local authorities provide to police authorities is no longer set by the Scottish Government. However, the Scottish Government is providing record levels of funding for policing in Scotland and we expect local authorities to continue delivering their end of the bargain in meeting the concordat commitment of providing 1,000 extra officers in our communities by 2011.

Public Sector

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed by public sector bodies in each quarter of the last three years, broken down by (a) executive agencies, (b) non-ministerial departments, (c) public corporations, (d) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPB), (e) advisory NDPBs, (f) tribunals, (g) commissioners and ombudsmen, (h) NHS bodies and (i) other significant national bodies, also showing percentage change.

Holding answer issued: 11 September 2009

(S3W-26488)

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of employment in public sector bodies was in each of the last two years, broken down by (a) executive agencies, (b) non-ministerial departments, (c) public corporations, (d) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPB), (e) advisory NDPBs, (f) tribunals, (g) commissioners and ombudsmen, (h) NHS bodies and (i) other significant national bodies.

Holding answer issued: 11 September 2009

(S3W-26489)

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it classifies NHS bodies as public sector bodies and, if not, under what category it does so.

Holding answer issued: 11 September 2009

(S3W-26490)

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which public sector bodies it does not consider to be quangos.

Holding answer issued: 11 September 2009

(S3W-26492)

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public bodies have been created or become operational in the last two years, showing employment figures and staff costs.

Holding answer issued: 11 September 2009

(S3W-26493)

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage change there has been in the number of staff employed in non-departmental public bodies and government agencies from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2009.

Holding answer issued: 29 September 2009

(S3W-27288)

John Swinney: I wrote to the member on the 26 October 2009, and have placed a copy of the requested information in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 49498).

Schools

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether under its £1.25 billion school building programme only existing primary schools will benefit from investment.

 

(S3W-27982)

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether under its £1.25 billion school building programme primary schools might be built in communities where no such school exists, but where there is an identified need for one.

 

(S3W-27983)

Fiona Hyslop: The new school building programme is principally focused on lifting up to 35,000 more pupils out of being educated in poor condition or unsuitable buildings through replacing or upgrading existing schools and where appropriate, the establishment of new schools. Discussions with COSLA and individual councils however are ongoing. Councils have been provided with record levels of capital resources in the local government settlement for other investment in schools.

Scottish Government Funding

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was allocated to the (a) Third Sector Enterprise Fund, (b) Scottish Investment Fund and (c) Social Entrepreneurs Fund in 2009-10.

 

(S3W-28012)

John Swinney: £10 million was allocated to the Scottish Investment Fund in 2009-10. £6.5 million was allocated to the Third Sector Development Investing budget in 2009-10. The Third Sector Enterprise Fund and the Social Entrepreneurs Fund sit within the Third Sector Development Investing budget.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was allocated to the (a) Third Sector Enterprise Fund, (b) Scottish Investment Fund and (c) Social Entrepreneurs Fund in 2010-11, based on the final 2009-10 budget.

 

(S3W-28013)

John Swinney: The Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 outlined our spending plans for the Third Sector, investing £93.6 million over the three-year period from April 2008 to March 2011. £38.2 million was allocated for 2010-11, £16 million was allocated to the Scottish Investment Fund and £22.2 million for Third Sector Development. The £22.2 million allocated for Third Sector Development included the Third Sector Enterprise Fund and the Social Entrepreneurs Fund.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations have made a successful application to the (a) Third Sector Enterprise Fund, (b) Scottish Investment Fund and (c) Social Entrepreneurs Fund and the level of award for each organisation.

 

(S3W-28015)

John Swinney: Details of all successful applications to the Third Sector Enterprise Fund, including the level of award, are published on the Scottish Government website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/15300/funding/awardstodate.

Social Investment Scotland deliver the Scottish Investment Fund on behalf of Scottish ministers. Details of all successful applications, including the level of award, are published on their website:

http://www.scottishinvestmentfund.co.uk/casestudies.cfm.

First Port deliver the Social Entrepreneurs Fund on behalf of Scottish ministers. Details of all successful applications, including the level of award, are published on their website:

http://firstport.org.uk/news-events/awardees/52.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was allocated to the (a) Third Sector Enterprise Fund, (b) Scottish Investment Fund and (c) Social Entrepreneurs Fund in 2010-11, based on the 2010-11 draft budget.

 

(S3W-28014)

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide level four budget information for the Third Sector Development Fund for 2009-10 and 2010-11.

 

(S3W-28016)

John Swinney: The Budget for 2009-10, published on 18 September 2008, is £32.6 million. £22.6 million is for Third Sector Development and £10 million for the Scottish Investment Fund.

The £22.6 million Third Sector Development budget is allocated as follows:

Localism - £11.8 million,

Opportunities for Growth - £2.4 million,

Strategic Partners and Development - £1.9 million,

Investing - £6.5 million.

The Third Sector Enterprise Fund and the Social Entrepreneurs Fund sit within the Investing budget.

The Draft Budget for 2010-11, published on 17 September 2009, is £35.6 million. £20.8 million is for Third Sector Development and £14.8 million for the Scottish Investment Fund.

The £20.8 million Third Sector Development budget is allocated as follows:

Localism - £10.9 million*,

Opportunities for Growth - £2.1 million,

Strategic Partners and Development - £1.8 million,

Investing - £6.0 million.

The Third Sector Enterprise Fund and the Social Entrepreneurs Fund sit within the Investing budget.

Note: *£0.9 million has been transferred from the localism budget to the education budget.

Scottish Government Ministers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27349 by Bruce Crawford on 28 September 2009, on what occasion written briefs have been provided by it to SNP MSPs but not to MSPs from other political parties.

 

(S3W-27914)

Bruce Crawford: Information and briefing is provided to MSPs by the Scottish Government in accordance with the ministerial code.

Sectarianism

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will present its coordinated approach on tackling sectarianism.

 

(S3W-28400)

Fergus Ewing: I can confirm that the Scottish Government’s strategy on tackling sectarianism will be presented on 23 November 2009 at an event I will be hosting to mark the achievements of those organisations that have been working in this area. I will be inviting those MSPs who have noted their interest in this work to the event.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Building

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a list of upgrades and maintenance work undertaken on the present Scottish Parliament complex since it opened, showing the (a) date and (b) cost of each piece of work, (c) total cost to date and (d) projected cost and details of any forthcoming work.

 

(S3W-27869)

Alex Johnstone: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has not undertaken any upgrades to the Scottish Parliament complex since it opened.

Maintenance work, and other building-related revenue expenditure, including security projects, relating to the complex, is summarised for the 2005-06 to 2009-10 financial years in Tables A and B respectively.

Separate accounting for projects was introduced from April 2007 and project expenditure relating to the complex is summarised for the 2007-08 to 2009-10 financial years in Table B.

Projected costs for the remainder of the 2009-10 financial year will be published in the chief executive’s report. The chief executive’s report is presented to the SPCB and contains financial information. These are published regularly.

The projected cost and details of forthcoming work for 2010-11 financial year will be included in the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body’s budget submission for that year, which will be considered by the Finance Committee in November 2009.

Due to the iconic nature of Holyrood, long-term maintenance planning is undertaken to ensure assets are appropriately maintained to meet business needs. The maintenance plan identifies individual maintenance tasks which budgets are derived from and facilitates the forecasting of maintenance budgets over future years.

Table A: Maintenance Expenditure (Excluding Projects)

 

April 2005 to March 2006 April 2006 to March 2007 April 2007 to March 2008 April 2008 to March 2009 April 2009 to September 2009
(6 months only)
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Planned Fire 27 22 22 60 8
Planned Security 32 (10) 24 31 15
Planned Lifts 24 25 10 14 8
Planned Landscaping 25 39 23 30 13
Planned Statutory Testing 2 3 3 3 4
Reactive Fire 18 17 6 9 6
Reactive Security 28 12 8 49 7
Reactive Lifts 3 3 (1) 4  
Reactive Landscaping 30   23 55 (2)
Window and Vertical Cleaning 35 119 105 93 104
Planned Pest Control 3 3 2 3 6
Reactive Pest Control     3 4 1
Sign Maintenance 4 2 5 4 4
Planned Building Fabric Maintenance   191 354 443 139
Reactive Building Fabric Maintenance 32 281 79 74 65
Reactive Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) 335 395 160 186 84
Planned Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) 229 293 329 379 260
Reactive Building Energy Management System (BEMS)   23 16 36 11
Planned Building Energy Management System (BEMS)   42 40 48 23
  829 1,461 1,211 1,525 755

Note: Information has been provided in respect of the financial years of the SPCB, which run from 1 April to 31 March.

Table B: Other Building Related Revenue Expenditure (Projects)

 

April 2007 to March 2008 April 2008 to March 2009 April 2009 to September 2009 (6 months only)
£000 £000 £000
Queens Drive 40    
Fire Alert System (Hard/Hearing) 35    
Building Related Changes 337 923 (4)
Various Maintenance Related Projects 40 917 9
Security Programme 337 482 242
  789 2,322 247

Note: Information has been provided in respect of the financial years of the SPCB, which run from 1 April to 31 March.