Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
by PAUL GALLAGHER, Press & Journal
Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen was reproached in parliament yesterday for the time he takes to give written answers to MSPs' questions.
The performance of Mr Stephen was called into question by Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson, who raised a point of order at the end of yesterday morning's question time session to allege that the minister was breaching parliament's standing orders.
Mr Stevenson cited an audit by the Scottish Executive of answers over a three-month period last year, which showed Mr Stephen had answered 46 of his 130 questions within the required time of 10 counting days - days when the office of the parliament clerk is open.
This, Mr Stevenson said, compared unfavourably with Health Minister Andy Kerr, who had missed the deadline for only one of his 202 questions. Mr Stevenson said that, in total, Mr Kerr had answered 86% of his 4,617 questions on time, while Mr Stephen had managed to get 59% of replies to his 3,437 out in time.
Presiding officer George Reid was asked by Mr Stevenson if this constituted a breach of standing orders and, if so, what sanctions could be imposed. Mr Reid replied that there was no breach if a holding answer was given within 10 counting days. These normally consist of ministers stating they will "reply to the member as soon as possible". The presiding officer understood this had always been the case.
He said: "The figures quoted by Stewart Stevenson are for substantive answers, not for holding answers. As a result, although the differences in performance are striking, they are a matter for the Scottish Executive, not for me."
Mr Stephen later defended his record in answering questions. He said: "Of the hundreds of parliamentary quest-ions I have answered recently, only one is currently outside the 10-day target time.
"I often request additional information to ensure that the answers are as helpful as possible. As a result, the 10-day target time is not always met.
"I do, however, always aim to meet the 10-day deadline wherever possible."
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Karen Adam is now the MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast
