Monday 28 November 2011

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

Education and Lifelong Learning Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 330 school building projects completed during the last parliamentary session were planned or started before May 2007. (S4W-04071) Michael Russell: On election, the responsibility for the provision of funding for school building projects fell to the new Government. As a result the Government from 2007 was responsible for the 330 school building projects. Under this Government, the annual revenue support grant paid to local authorities for schools PFI or NPD projects rose from £17.6 million in 2006-07 to over £153 million by 2010-11. In addition, the average annual capital expenditure on school buildings rose from £270.4 million in the four years prior to May 2007 to £432.4 million in the following three years, an increase of 60%.

Finance and Sustainable Growth Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive who owns the retained reserves held by David MacBrayne Ltd. (S4W-04043) Keith Brown: As the parent company of the David MacBrayne Group, David MacBrayne Ltd owns these reserves. David MacBrayne Ltd is a company wholly owned by Scottish Ministers.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) cost was to buy and (b) lease charges payable are for the MV (i) Ali Cat and (ii) Argyll Flyer. (S4W-04044) Keith Brown: David MacBrayne Ltd purchased the vessels for use by Ltd. Argyll Ferries Ltd is a subsidiary company of David MacBrayne Ltd. The cost of purchasing the MV Ali Cat was £0.975 million and the cost of the MV Argyll Flyer was £1.25 million. The lease charges payable by Argyll Ferries Ltd to David MacBrayne Ltd are a commercial matter for those companies.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of (a) invoices paid by David MacBrayne Ltd, (b) payments to David MacBrayne Ltd from Argyll Ferries Ltd, (c) any other financial transactions between Argyll Ferries Ltd and David MacBrayne Ltd and (d) any other financial transactions between Argyll Ferries Ltd and other companies in the David MacBrayne Group relating to the to public service obligation operated by Argyll Ferries Ltd. (S4W-004045) Keith Brown: Commercial transactions, by and between, David MacBrayne Ltd, Argyll Ferries Ltd and other companies in the David MacBrayne Group relating to the Gourock – Dunoon ferry service, are a matter for those companies.

Health and Wellbeing Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03198 by Nicola Sturgeon on 31 October 2011, when it plans to release section 16b funding to small third-sector organisations in 2012-13. (S4W-04081) Nicola Sturgeon: The application process has been agreed for 2012-13. The deadline for applications is 14 December 2011. Successful applicants will be informed in due course, and the funding made available in April 2012.

Justice Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the UK Government regarding the Teach First Programme and possible applications in Scotland. Holding answer issued: 15 November 2011 (S4W-03667) Michael Russell: officials have corresponded with their counterparts in the Department for Education about aspects of the Teach First Programme which was introduced to address, among other things, the extreme difficulty in England associated with recruiting teachers to some inner city schools.

Private Office Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive how much extra is being allocated to the International Development Fund in the 2012-13 budget to allow targeted support for people in developing countries. (S4W-03979) Fiona Hyslop: The International Development Fund has been maintained at £9 million in 2012-13, despite a reduction in the overall Scottish budget. This is an increase from a baseline budget of £3 million in 2007-08 and from £6 million in 2008-09, reflecting our determination to support the world’s most vulnerable people during these difficult economic times.

The following questions received holding answers: S4W-04041