Written Question · S2W-09600 · Session 2
Further to the answer to question S2W-8985 by Patricia Ferguson on 5 July 2004 on the provision of information to the Holyrood Inquiry befo…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8985 by Patricia Ferguson on 5 July 2004 on the provision of information to the Holyrood Inquiry before 1 September 2003, why material has been provided to the Inquiry relating to the factual position of the Holyrood project after 1 September 2003, such as inquiry document SE 9 218 on landscaping; whether it will now place copies of reports made by the Chief Executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Head of Legal and Parliamentary Services to the Executive, any individual minister and the First Minister in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; whether it remains Executive policy that, in respect of the Holyrood Inquiry, no questions must remain unanswered; where in the remit of the inquiry there is reference to 1 September 2003; why, if that date is of significance for the inquiry, it is not treated as significant in the report prepared for the Auditor General, Management of the Holyrood building project, and what the reason is for stating in that answer that the non-disclosure of reports by the Chief Executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Head of Legal and Parliamentary Services to the Executive after August 2003 was normal practice.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>S2W-09600 Fearghas Ewing (Inbhir Nis an Ear, Inbhir Narann agus Loch Abar) (SNP): A dh' fhaighneachd do Riaghaltas na h-Alba, as dhidh dhaibh ceist S2W-8985 le Patricia Nic Fhearghais air 5 Iuchar 2004 a fhreagairt mu sholaradh fiosrachaidh do Rannsachadh Taigh an Rrid ro 1 Sultain 2003, carson an deach fiosrachadh a sholaradh dhan Rannsachadh a thaobh flor shuidheachadh Taigh an Rrid as dhidh 1 Sultain 2003, mar eiseimpleir foillseachadh an rannsachaidh SE 9218 mu gh`irnealaireachd; ma bheir e lethbhreacan de dh' aithisgean, air an dhanamh le @rd-oifigear Oifis a' Chryin agus Seirbheis Luchd-casaid a' Chryin agus Ceannard Sheirbheisean Laghal agus P`rlamaideach dhan Riaghaltas, le ministear sam bith agus leis a' Phrlomh Mhinistear anns an Ionad Fiosrachaidh P`rlamaid na h-Alba (SPICe); mas e poileasaidh Riaghaltas na h-Alba fhathast, a thaobh Rannsachadh Taigh an Rrid, gum bu chrir do na ceistean uile a bhith air am freagairt; far a bheil sgeul ann mu 1 Sultain ann an raon-yghdarrais an Rannsachaidh; carson, ma tha cudthrom sam bith air a' cheann-latha seo airson an Rannsachaidh, nach eilear a' l`imhseachadh mar rud cudthromach anns an aithisg air ullachadh dhan @rd-neach-sgrydaidh, Stiyireadh Prriseact Togalach Taigh an Rrid, agus dh an t-adhbhar a tha ann a dh' innse anns an fhreagairt sin gur e drighean-obrach abhaisteach a bh' annta nuair nach deach na h-aithisgean fhoillseachadh le @rd-oifigear Oifis a' Chryin agus Seirbheis Neach-casaid a' Chryin agus Ceannard Sheirbheisean Laghal agus P`rlamaideach dhan Riaghaltas
The answer
Document SE/9/218 on the HolyroodInquiry website has been recorded incorrectly as dating from February 2004. As thetext of the document makes clear, the document is dated 26 October 2001.
The remit of the inquiry doesnot refer to 1 September 2003. However, that date is significant to the extent thatit is the date on which the agreed terms of reference and letter of appointmentto conduct the inquiry were issued to Lord Fraser. The Executive lodged copies ofdocuments relevant to Holyrood Progress Group meetings up to 15 August 2003, beingthe date of the last report to ministers prior to 1 September, taking the view thatthat date was appropriate in relation to the terms of reference as being the datefrom which the inquiry commenced. That course of action has met with no objectionor request for further information from the inquiry.
Itis for the Auditor General to determine the bounds of relevance in investigationsjust as it is for Lord Fraser to determine what he considers to be relevant materialfor consideration by him. The Executive continues to co-operate fully with the inquiry.
The Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:
Chaidh mearachd a dhèanamh annan clàradh ceann-là an Sgrìobhainn SE/9/218 air Làrach-lìn Rannsachadh Holyroodmar Gearran 2004. Mar a tha teacsa an sgrìobhainn a’ dèanamh soilleir, ‘s ann bho26 Dàmhair 2001 a tha an sgrìobhainn.
Chan eil raon-ùghdarraisan rannsachaidh a’ beantainn ri 1 Sultain 2003. Ach, tha an ceann-là seo sònraichteleis gur e an ceann-là air an deach na cumhachan iomraidh aontaichte agus an litircur-an-dreuchd airson an rannsachadh a stiùireadh a lìbhrigeadh don Mhorair Friseal.Chuir an Riaghaltas a-steach lethbhreacan de sgrìobhainnean a bha a’ beantainn ricoinneamhan HPG suas chun 15mh Lùnastal 2003, oir b’ e seo ceann-là na h-aithisgmu dheireadh gu na Ministearan ro 1 Sultain, a’ gabhail ris a’ bheachd gun robhan ceann-là sin iomchaidh a rèir nan cumhachan iomraidh mar an ceann-là air an dothòisich an rannsachadh. Cha deach gearanno iarrtas airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh iarraidh on Rannsachadh mar thoradh aira’ ghnìomh sin.
‘S e an Àrd-neach Sgrùdaidha dhearbhas crìochan buntainneas ann an rannsachaidhean dìreach mar a tha e an urraris a’ Mhorar Fhriseal dearbhadh dè a tha esan a’ meas a tha na stuth buntainneachair am bu chòir dhàsan beachdachadh. Tha an Riaghaltas a’ leantainn air a’ làn cho-obrachadhris an Rannsachadh.
The remit of the inquiry doesnot refer to 1 September 2003. However, that date is significant to the extent thatit is the date on which the agreed terms of reference and letter of appointmentto conduct the inquiry were issued to Lord Fraser. The Executive lodged copies ofdocuments relevant to Holyrood Progress Group meetings up to 15 August 2003, beingthe date of the last report to ministers prior to 1 September, taking the view thatthat date was appropriate in relation to the terms of reference as being the datefrom which the inquiry commenced. That course of action has met with no objectionor request for further information from the inquiry.
Itis for the Auditor General to determine the bounds of relevance in investigationsjust as it is for Lord Fraser to determine what he considers to be relevant materialfor consideration by him. The Executive continues to co-operate fully with the inquiry.
The Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:
Chaidh mearachd a dhèanamh annan clàradh ceann-là an Sgrìobhainn SE/9/218 air Làrach-lìn Rannsachadh Holyroodmar Gearran 2004. Mar a tha teacsa an sgrìobhainn a’ dèanamh soilleir, ‘s ann bho26 Dàmhair 2001 a tha an sgrìobhainn.
Chan eil raon-ùghdarraisan rannsachaidh a’ beantainn ri 1 Sultain 2003. Ach, tha an ceann-là seo sònraichteleis gur e an ceann-là air an deach na cumhachan iomraidh aontaichte agus an litircur-an-dreuchd airson an rannsachadh a stiùireadh a lìbhrigeadh don Mhorair Friseal.Chuir an Riaghaltas a-steach lethbhreacan de sgrìobhainnean a bha a’ beantainn ricoinneamhan HPG suas chun 15mh Lùnastal 2003, oir b’ e seo ceann-là na h-aithisgmu dheireadh gu na Ministearan ro 1 Sultain, a’ gabhail ris a’ bheachd gun robhan ceann-là sin iomchaidh a rèir nan cumhachan iomraidh mar an ceann-là air an dothòisich an rannsachadh. Cha deach gearanno iarrtas airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh iarraidh on Rannsachadh mar thoradh aira’ ghnìomh sin.
‘S e an Àrd-neach Sgrùdaidha dhearbhas crìochan buntainneas ann an rannsachaidhean dìreach mar a tha e an urraris a’ Mhorar Fhriseal dearbhadh dè a tha esan a’ meas a tha na stuth buntainneachair am bu chòir dhàsan beachdachadh. Tha an Riaghaltas a’ leantainn air a’ làn cho-obrachadhris an Rannsachadh.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-09600 by reference.