| North Lanarkshire | 70 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194710,"EventID":"S2W-22049","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female directors there have been in each local authority in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of local authority directors","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female directors there have been in each local authority in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of local authority directors in the same timescale.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194711,"EventID":"S2W-22050","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female heads of service it has had in each of its departments in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of heads of service in ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female heads of service it has had in each of its departments in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of heads of service in its departments in the same timescale.","AnswerText":"The first female head of department in the Scottish Executive was appointed in 2001 and remains in post. Since eight people currently hold head of department posts, (not including the Permanent Secretary) this is 12.5% of the complement. The percentage of women in the Senior Civil Service in the Scottish Executive as a whole is currently 31.3%. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194712,"EventID":"S2W-22051","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage CBI Scotland to adopt and promote sex equality strategies amongst its members to eradicate sex discrimination in the workplace.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage CBI Scotland to adopt and promote sex equality strategies amongst its members to eradicate sex discrimination in the workplace.","AnswerText":"This is, of course, a matterfor Confederation of British Industry (CBI) themselves. We understand that the CBIacross the UK is already promoting sex equality strategies amongstits members to help eradicate sex discrimination in the workplace.CBI has published severalpapers on the subject including its response to the Women and Work Commissionreport Choice at Work: Women, The Labour Market and the Gender Pay Gap. TheCBI is also engaged in a number of initiatives regarding women and the labourmarket and has board membership of the current Equal Opportunities Commissioninvestigation into the employment prospects of ethnic minority women. The CBIhas also issued a Diversity statement, which offers information and advice toemployers on how best to embed diversity in their organisations. The CBI’sEquality Forum meets three times a year to discuss legislative developments andexchange best practice on gender equality and other diversity issues. Scottish Enterprise, onbehalf of the Scottish Executive, promotes equal opportunities policy in itsengagement with business and advises employers on compliance with equalopportunities legislation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194713,"EventID":"S2W-22052","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings officials and ministers have had with representatives of CBI Scotland in each year since 1999, specifically to discuss aspects of Executive policy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings officials and ministers have had with representatives of CBI Scotland in each year since 1999, specifically to discuss aspects of Executive policy.","AnswerText":"Avery considerable number of meetings between the Executive and CBI Scotland havetaken place since 1999, however the exact number is not held centrally andcould only be obtained at disproportionate cost.OurPartnership Agreement for a Better Scotland, clearly sets out the Executive'scommitment to working in partnership with business. We value the skills,knowledge and experience of those in the Scottish business community and we arekeen to work closely with business to develop Scotland's economy and deliverreal growth and opportunities for the people of Scotland. To foster this partnershipagenda, ministers and officials engage regularly with business organisations,including CBI Scotland, on a wide spectrum of Executive policy.< There have been a verysignificant number of meetings since 1999. The Scottish Executive recognisesthe important role that trade unions play in promoting economic development andrepresenting workers interests in Scotland and we work closely with the STUC on matters ofmutual interest. In April 2002, the Executive signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding with the STUC and this underpins the Executive’s commitment toworking with the STUC across a wide range of policy issues. Under the terms of the memorandum,ministers meet formally with the STUC twice a year to exchange informationabout policy issues. Ministers also meet with the STUC, as necessary, todiscuss specific issues around their portfolios. In addition, the Executive’sPermanent Secretary and Management Group meet the STUC on an annual basis, andother officials engage regularly with STUC to discuss specific policies. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194715,"EventID":"S2W-22054","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to eradicate gender stereotyping among young people.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to eradicate gender stereotyping among young people.","AnswerText":"The Executive is committed to addressing gender inequalities and stereotyping among young people in Scottish schools. Specific initiatives - past and on-going - are detailed in the answer to question S2W-22055 on 12 January 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. Executive work to tackle discrimination and prejudice and promote gender equality in all aspects of Scottish life is relevant and will benefit people of all ages, including the young. For example, in recognition that there are a complex set of factors which influence career choice, the Executive has recently agreed to set up an interdepartmental working group on occupational segregation. Officials are currently liaising with the Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland over the remit, membership and duration of the group. Careers Scotland, which has done a lot of work on gender stereotyping and the career choices of young men and women, is likely to be involved with the group. The Executive is also involved in raising awareness of occupational segregation in the context of equal pay through its involvement with the Close the Gap partnership project. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194716,"EventID":"S2W-22055","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it has had in each year since 2000 to eradicate gender stereotyping in schools.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it has had in each year since 2000 to eradicate gender stereotyping in schools.","AnswerText":"The Executive is committed to addressing gender inequalities and stereotyping in Scottish schools. As well as the initiatives listed, we continue to monitor relevant gender data in publications such as Destinations of Leavers from Scottish Schools (2003-04) (Bib. number 34816) and SQA Attainment and School Leaver Qualifications in Scotland (2003-04) (Bib. number 36264). | Year | Initiative | | 2000 | The Executive funded publication of An Equal Opportunities Guide for Parents (Bib. number 38570) which highlighted the issue of gender stereotyping and stressed the importance of changing traditional attitudes to gender roles and curriculum areas. | | 2001 | Publication of Executive Research on Gender and Pupil Performance (Interchange 70; Bib. number 16412) which referred to changing gender stereotypes and attitudes. | | 2003 | A major international conference was held in March 2003. It focussed on science education in schools in order to help breakdown some of the gender stereotyping which is prevalent. | | 2004 | The report of the Physical Education (PE) Review Group noted there had been a drop in PE participation of teenage girls. This gender pattern is confirmed in other UK wide research. This is an area which is also being considered within the on-going curriculum review. | | 2005 | The final report of research on Strategies Used to Address Gender Inequalities in Scottish Schools (the follow-up to Interchange 70 in 2001) is imminent. Issues around vocational education paths and stereotyping will be in it. | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194717,"EventID":"S2W-22056","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it has piloted or launched in each year since 2001 to end gender segregation for modern apprenticeship trainees.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it has piloted or launched in each year since 2001 to end gender segregation for modern apprenticeship trainees.","AnswerText":"The Executive’s Equality Unithas developed an Equality Strategy with the aim of mainstreaming equality throughoutthe policy making process. This provides a means by which effective action can beput in place by strategic collaborative partnership working, without the need todevelop individual strategies to tackle specific areas of policy. Also, one of themain drivers in our Diversity Policy is a commitment by ministers to put the promotionof equality at the heart of all policy making.Officials were involved in theEqual Opportunities Commissions (EOC) External Advisory Group as part of their researchinto occupation segregation. I have met with the EOC since the launch of their investigative report into occupational segregation inMAs, Jobs for the boys and the girls. We will continue to work with them, and others, in tacklingissues through collaborative partnership working. We have also, through the ModernApprenticeship Implementation Group (MAIG), encouraged changes to the role of thegroup, the way it operates and also the process that MA frameworks are approved.The process is now more robust and through Sector Skills Agreements we can encourageemployers to become more proactive in tackling occupational segregation and sharebest practice. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194718,"EventID":"S2W-22057","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female plumbing apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the total nu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female plumbing apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of plumbing apprenticeships in the same timescale.","AnswerText":"Details about the number of modernapprentices (MAs) broken down by framework and gender since 2001 is an operationalmater for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information is not held centrally.However, Scottish Enterprisehave published MA figures for males and females in the top 12 frameworks since 1998-99,as well as the gender split for each framework by age groups 16 to 24 and over 25sfor the year ending 31 March 2005. These tables are available onthe Scottish Enterprise website www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_home/training-providers-top/training-providers/performance-and-reports.htm?siblingtoggle=1. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194719,"EventID":"S2W-22058","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female construction apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the tota","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female construction apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of construction apprenticeships in the same timescale.","AnswerText":"Details about the number of modernapprentices (MAs) broken down by framework and gender since 2001 is an operationalmater for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information is not held centrally.However, Scottish Enterprisehave published MA figures for males and females in the top 12 frameworks since 1998-99,as well as the gender split for each framework by age groups 16 to 24 and over 25sfor the year ending 31 March 2005. These tables are available onthe Scottish Enterprise website: www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_home/training-providers-top/training-providers/performance-and-reports.htm?siblingtoggle=1. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194720,"EventID":"S2W-22059","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female engineering apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the total","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female engineering apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of engineering apprenticeships in the same timescale.","AnswerText":"Details about the number of modernapprentices (MAs) broken down by framework and gender since 2001 is an operationalmater for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information is not held centrally.However, Scottish Enterprisehave published MA figures for males and females in the top 12 frameworks since 1998-99,as well as the gender split for each framework by age groups 16 to 24 and over 25sfor the year ending 31 March 2005. These tables are available onthe Scottish Enterprise website: www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_home/training-providers-top/training-providers/performance-and-reports.htm?siblingtoggle=1. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194721,"EventID":"S2W-22060","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many male childcare apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the total num","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many male childcare apprenticeships there have been under the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2001, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of childcare apprenticeships in the same timescale.","AnswerText":"Details about the number of modernapprentices (MAs), broken down by framework and gender since 2001, is an operationalmater for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information is not held centrally.However, Scottish Enterprisehave published MA figures for males and females in the top 12 frameworks since 1998-99,as well as the gender split for each framework by age groups 16 to 24 and over 25sfor the year ending 31 March 2005. These tables are available onthe Scottish Enterprise website: www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_home/training-providers-top/training-providers/performance-and-reports.htm?siblingtoggle=1. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194722,"EventID":"S2W-22061","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has collected to monitor Scotland’s progress in maintaining or expanding its science and technology links across the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has collected to monitor Scotland’s progress in maintaining or expanding its science and technology links across the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive doesnot collect information routinely which monitors links between the science andtechnology base in Scotland and elsewhere. Such links can take a very widevariety of forms, ranging from informal networking and conferences to formalcollaborations between universities, businesses and research institutes. Animportant example is the Edinburgh to Stanford link, funded by a £6 milliongrant from Scottish Enterprise, which is making excellent progress. the Executive has recently asked the Scottish Funding Council and UniversitiesScotland to consider the feasibility of collecting information routinely tomonitor research collaborations between universities here and outside Scotland.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194723,"EventID":"S2W-22062","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific actions have been taken to implement its commitment, referred to in A Science Strategy for Scotland, to ensure the effective use of scientific evidence in p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific actions have been taken to implement its commitment, referred to in A Science Strategy for Scotland, to ensure the effective use of scientific evidence in policy formulation and resource allocation by government and to review regularly the policies and spending of each of its departments against the key objectives of the strategy and related priorities; what early results have been achieved by these actions, and what the responses have been from the academic and business communities to such actions.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executivesubscribes to all the principles of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’sGuidelines on the use of science in government, and implements these as fullyas it can.The Executive usesscientific evidence, along with many other forms of evidence, as an integraland fundamental part of the policy-making process. An example is the work bythe Health Economics Research Unit, funded by the Scottish Executive, to helpinform policy on banning smoking in public places. Since A Science Strategyfor Scotland was published in 2001, the Executive’s departments which spendsignificantly on scientific research have developed strategies to help targetspending more effectively on research which will help to improve the health andquality of life of the people of Scotland. The Executive has formed anindependent Scottish Science Advisory Committee, drawn from the academic,business and other parts of the science community, to advise it on prioritiesfor science. This committee has published a number of reports evaluating theExecutive’s progress on meeting science priorities. The Executive has alsoimproved internal co-ordination through regular meetings of the ScienceCross-cutting Group, comprising senior officials having responsibilities formanaging science. The Executive will befurther strengthening its management of science this year by appointing a LeadChief Scientific Adviser. The post-holder will oversee activity to improvefurther the management of science in the Executive, in partnership with therecently appointed Chief Scientific Adviser in the Environment and RuralAffairs Department and the Chief Scientist in Health Department. The Executive plans topublish a report very shortly detailing progress on all areas of the sciencestrategy, which will provide further details and examples of the use of sciencein policy-making. The Executive intends over the course of the next year torefresh the science strategy. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194724,"EventID":"S2W-22063","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of students in secondary schools and in post-secondary institutions are enrolled in science and engineering courses; what the trends have been in such enr","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of students in secondary schools and in post-secondary institutions are enrolled in science and engineering courses; what the trends have been in such enrolments in recent years, and what specific measures are being considered to increase the proportion of these enrolments.","AnswerText":"Information on entrants to National Qualifications science courses in Scottish secondary schools from 2000 to 2005 (figures for 2005 are pre-appeal); enrolments in science and engineering courses at Scottish colleges from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 and entrants to science and engineering courses at Scottish higher education institutions (HEI) from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 38613 and 38614). These are the latest available figures held by the Scottish Executive for each sector. The general trends over the periods indicated are that entries to National Qualifications courses in secondary schools has declined slightly at higher level in some subjects but increased at Intermediate 2; enrolments in science and engineering courses at colleges has slightly declined and Scottish entrants to science and engineering courses at HEIs has slightly increased. However, the variations are so small that there needs to be caution over drawing general conclusions from the figures. The Scottish Executive’s Science Strategy commits the Executive to ensuring that enough people study science to a standard which will enable Scotland’s future needs to be met. There is no reliable information available at present to suggest that this aim is not being met but the Executive is working with FutureSkills Scotland to develop a more informed analysis of the supply and demand for scientists in the economy. The Executive’s policy is to ensure that pupils, students and parents are provided with high quality information to enable them to make informed career choices rather than to attempt to control the uptake of particular subjects. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194725,"EventID":"S2W-22064","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reactions of the print and electronic media have been to A Science Strategy for Scotland and whether there is evidence of any trend towards increasing in-depth c","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reactions of the print and electronic media have been to A Science Strategy for Scotland and whether there is evidence of any trend towards increasing in-depth coverage of science in the media as a result of the implementation of the strategy.","AnswerText":"Media coverage of the launchof A Science Strategy for Scotland in August 2001 was very positive.The Science Strategy commitsthe Executive to supporting initiatives that enable the media, scientists andpolicy makers to work more closely together to effectively promote science tothe people of Scotland. The Executive supports a wide range of publicscience initiatives which frequently attract helpful media attention, forexample Science Week and the Edinburgh International Science Festival. the Executive is supporting the British Association’s Science CommunicationConference in April, which will in part consider how to engage the media in abetter coverage of science issues. The Executive plans to publish a reportshortly, detailing progress on all areas of the Science Strategy, which willprovide further details of activities in this area. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194726,"EventID":"S2W-22065","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a technology strategy in parallel to A Science Strategy for Scotland and, if so, when.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a technology strategy in parallel to A Science Strategy for Scotland and, if so, when.","AnswerText":"Technology is recognised asa key strategic issue within the Scottish Executive’s Framework for EconomicDevelopment in Scotland and A Smart Successful Scotland. Weintend to update the Science Strategy for Scotland in the coming year andtechnology issues will be fully addressed as part of this review.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194727,"EventID":"S2W-22066","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the sickness rate in each of the last five years in the (a) Scottish Criminal Records Office and (b) fingerprint bureaux in (i) Glasgow, (ii) Aber","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the sickness rate in each of the last five years in the (a) Scottish Criminal Records Office and (b) fingerprint bureaux in (i) Glasgow, (ii) Aberdeen, (iii) Dundee and (iv) Edinburgh.","AnswerText":"The information available for sickness rates in the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the four fingerprint bureaux is shown below: Scottish Criminal Record Office – All Staff, including Fingerprint Officers | Year to 31 March 2005 | 7.29% | | Year to 31 March 2004 | 8.39% | | Year to 31 March 2003 | 6.67% | | Year to 31 March 2002 | 6.24% | Fingerprint Bureaux Aberdeen | Year to 31 March 2005 | 1.3% | | Year to 31 March 2004 | 1.7% | Dundee | Year to 31 March 2005 | 4.10% | | Year to 31 March 2004 | 2.80% | Edinburgh | Year to 31 March 2005 | 8.0% | | Year to 31 March 2004 | 7.9% | Glasgow | Year to 31 March 2005 | 13.63% | | Year to 31 March 2004 | 11.13% | It has not been possible to separate out the figures for sick leave in the four fingerprint bureaux prior to April 2003. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194728,"EventID":"S2W-22067","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the legal costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the legal costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report; whether the external use of lawyers was subject to a competitive tendering process, and for which of the cases referred to in the annual report external lawyers were required.","AnswerText":"Following a competitive tendering process in 2003, the SPCB approved the commissioner’s determination to appoint Anderson Strathern as his legal advisers. In one case, a separate firm, Simpson and Marwick were used because of a potential conflict of interest. A breakdown of the legal costs referred to in table 2 of the commissioner’s Annual report is below. To maintain confidentiality, the invoices processed by the SPCB for individual cases are anonymised and we are therefore unable to identify which cases referred to in the annual report required external advice from lawyers. | Invoice Date | Invoice Number | Amount (inc VAT) | | 26/04/2004 | PSC0001.14 | £148.05 | | 26/04/2004 | PSC0001.4 | £27.00 | | 21/07/2004 | PSC0001.13 | £2,231.33 | | 21/07/2004 | PSC0001.14 | £521.70 | | 21/07/2004 | PSC0001.15 | £587.50 | | 05/8/2004 | SC040173/1 | £881.25 | | 05/11/2004 | PSC0001.1 | £1,165.60 | | 05/11/2004 | PSC0001.13 | £1,623.85 | | 05/11/2004 | PSC0001.2 | £1,903.50 | | 14/01/2005 | RIM/75/04 | £2,474.55 | | 14/01/2005 | RIM/126/04 | £2,245.43 | | 10/01/2005 | PSC0001.12 | £712.05 | | 10/01/2005 | PSC0001.13 | £573.40 | | 14/04/2005 | PSC0001.12 | £1,943.45 | | 14/04/2005 | PSC0001.13 | £1,043.40 | | 14/04/2005 | PSC0001.16 | £5,157.67 | | 14/04/2005 | PSC0001.17 | £536.98 | | 14/04/2005 | PSC0001.18 | £1,128.00 | | 18/04/2005 | SCO40173/2 | £1,762.50 | | Total | £26,667.21 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194729,"EventID":"S2W-22068","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the other running costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the other running costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.","AnswerText":"A breakdown of the other running costs referred to in table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standard’s 2004-05 Annual Report are as follows: | Other Running Costs | 2003-04 (£) | 2004-05 (£) | | Conferences/training | 320 | 745 | | Printing/translation | | 2,577 | | Travel and Expenses | 1,360 | 2,938 | | Capital Costs (Transcription equipment and printer) | 1,465 | | | Transcriptions | 437 | 989 | | Consumables (stationery, ink cartridges) | 130 | 320 | | Accounting adjustments | | -901 | | Total | 3,712 | 6,668 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194730,"EventID":"S2W-22069","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with the introduction of business learning accounts; how many companies have participated in the scheme, broken down into small, medium or large","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with the introduction of business learning accounts; how many companies have participated in the scheme, broken down into small, medium or large businesses; how many employees have participated in the scheme, broken down by size of company and Local Enterprise Company (LEC) area; whether it will provide a breakdown and overall totals of the grants awarded; what outcomes such grants have achieved or are expected to achieve; whether there have been any complaints about the design or delivery of the scheme; which LEC areas are covered by the scheme; what budget has been allocated to the scheme in each of the financial years in which it has been operating; how much has actually been spent in each financial year; what budget has been set aside for the scheme in 2006-07; how many consultants have been involved in the scheme in each LEC area; what the total cost of these consultants has been in each financial year; whether the scheme has been evaluated and, if so, what the outcome was; who undertook any such evaluation and at what cost, and what the Executive's plans are for the future of the scheme.","AnswerText":"Business learning accounts(BLAs) were piloted for a two year period from autumn 2003 to autumn 2005. The enterprisenetworks are not currently offering any new BLAs but those companies which havealready been awarded a BLA are able to continue implementing training plansuntil the end of March 2006.There were four BLA pilots, twosectoral and two geographic. The two geographic pilots covered the Ross andCromarty LEC area and the Clyde Valley area - including Renfrewshire, Glasgow andDunbartonshire LECs. The two sectoral pilots were open to businesses in the Manufacturingand Tourism industries and as such, were available across all LEC areas. InApril 2005 BLAs were extended to all LECs in the Highlands and Islands Enterprisearea. Five hundred and seventysmall businesses have participated in BLAs by undergoing a Training NeedsAnalysis (TNA). Three hundred and forty-four have gone on to be approved forBLA funding. BLAs are only available to small businesses with less than 50employees. The information requested onnumber of employees which have participated in BLAs is provided in thefollowing tables. It has not been possible to provide a breakdown by LEC area forScottish Enterprise (SE) pilots, however a breakdown by pilot has beenprovided. A breakdown by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) LEC area has been provided. | Pilot | Number of Individual Employees | | Tourism ( SE Network–wide) | 534 | | Geographic (SE Renfrewshire; Glasgow; Dunbartonshire) | 425 | | Manufacturing (SE Network – wide) | 625 | | Total | 1,584 | Number of IndividualEmployees Participating In Blas By HIE LEC Area | LEC | Number of Individuals | | Ross and Cromarty | 560 | | Caithness and Sutherland | 40 | | Orkney | 53 | | Shetland | 100 | | Lochaber | 52 | | Skye and Lochalsh | 26 | | Argyll and Islands | 29 | | Western Isles | 14 | | Moray | 4 | | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | 54 | | Total | 932 | The information requested onthe total funding awarded by pilot and by LEC area is provided in the followingtables. BLA Funding Awarded for OriginalFour BLA Pilots | Pilot | Funding Awarded | | Clyde Valley | £144,734 | | Ross and Cromarty | £230,000 | | Manufacturing | £179,353 | | Tourism | £75,414 | | Total | £629,501 | Funding Awarded by HIE LEC Areasince April 2005 Businesses are madeaware of BLAs through a number of means including direct targeting by LEC advisers,through general LEC marketing, through the Business Gateway, through talks givento organisations such as Chambers of Commerce and through discussions with learndirectScotland for Business. BLAs are available to small businesseswith less than 50 employees which have not received previous support for trainingfrom the Enterprise Networks and which are not public sector organisations. Eligibletraining activities are limited to training that contributes to business growth. Individual employees cannot applyfor a BLA, therefore there is no eligibility criteria for employees. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194732,"EventID":"S2W-22071","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with the re-introduction of individual learning accounts; how many delivery organisations are participating in the scheme; what the breakdown is","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with the re-introduction of individual learning accounts; how many delivery organisations are participating in the scheme; what the breakdown is of participating learners by delivery agent, area and subject; how many employees have participated in the scheme, broken down by size of company and Local Enterprise Company (LEC) area; whether it will provide a breakdown and overall totals of the grants awarded; what outcomes such grants have achieved or are expected to achieve; whether there have been any complaints about the design or delivery of the scheme; which LEC areas are covered by the scheme; what budget has been allocated to the scheme in each of the financial years in which it has been operating; how much has actually been spent in each financial year; what budget has been set aside for the scheme in 2006-07; how many consultants have been involved in the scheme in each LEC area; what the total cost of these consultants has been in each financial year; whether the scheme has been evaluated and, if so, what the outcome was; who undertook any such evaluation and at what cost, and what the Executive's plans are for the future of the scheme.","AnswerText":"Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) were re-introduced in December 2004 with the launch of the ILA Scotland scheme. The first phase of ILA Scotland has made available a funding offer of up to £200 per year (ILA200) to adult learners on low income or on benefits to fund a wide range of learning. A further ILA Scotland funding offer of up to £100 per year (ILA100) was rolled out in August 2005. This can be used to fund computer courses which are at or up to SCQF level 5 and which lead to a qualification or recognised certification. There are 208 delivery organisations (learning providers) registered to offer courses. This comprises 10 higher education institutions (HEIs), 44 further education colleges (FECs), 28 community-based providers and 126 private providers. Over 100,000 enquiries have been made to the ILA Scotland helpline since the scheme was launched. 24,200 people have opened an Individual Learning Account, 12,200 courses have been booked using ILA funding and nearly 9,000 account holders have already used their ILA funding to undertake learning. There have been 103 complaints in total since the start of the scheme, 45 regarding the design and 58 on delivery. However, there is currently only one opened complaint. Breakdown of number of learners by learning provider: | Learning Provider | Number of Learners | | @Ccess 2 | 4 | | Aberdeen City Council - Community Training Unit | 24 | | Aberdeen College | 417 | | Access North Ayr - Flexible Learning Centre | 22 | | Ad Services (Scotland) Ltd | 48 | | Adam Smith College – Fife College | 150 | | Adelphi Flexible Learning Unit | 15 | | Airhouse Studios | 11 | | Angus College | 122 | | Anniesland College | 165 | | Ardroy Outdoor Education Centre | 14 | | Argyll College | 73 | | Argyll Training (Dunoon) | 1 | | Argyll Training (Lochgilphead) | 2 | | Argyll Training Ltd (Oban) | 19 | | Auchincruive Enterprise Learning Centre | 6 | | Ayr College | 261 | | Badenoch Learning And Resource Centre | 5 | | Balloch Trust Enterprise Ltd | 54 | | Banff And Buchan College Of Further Education | 355 | | Barony College | 5 | | Bc Business Consultants - Hawick | 1 | | Bell College | 49 | | Bestworks Training Ltd | 1 | | Borders College | 126 | | Business Training Services ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194733,"EventID":"S2W-22072","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid by the NHS in Scotland in each of the last five years in respect of medical negligence, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid by the NHS in Scotland in each of the last five years in respect of medical negligence, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"The information held centrally on claim settlements made after April 2000 does not differentiate between clinical and non-clinical claims. The cost of settlements made in relation to clinical and, where appropriate, non-clinical claims against NHSScotland in each financial year since 2000-01, broken down by NHS board, is detailed in the table. | NHS Board | 2000-01 (£) | 2001-02 (£) | 2002-03 (£) | 2003-04 (£) | 2004-05 (£) | | Argyll and Clyde | 91,550 | 265,519 | 2,558,831 | 270,041 | 1,219,640 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 158,263 | 828,865 | 671,398 | 230,560 | 234,702 | | Borders | 12,500 | 5,000 | 20,111 | 13,650 | 157,580 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 407,500 | 701,116 | 362,018 | 219,096 | 65,927 | | Fife | 280,647 | 51,693 | 125,346 | 492,449 | 320,806 | | Forth Valley | 434,007 | 292,525 | 112,954 | 2,518,400 | 553,359 | | Grampian | 186,061 | 175,375 | 77,250 | 199,313 | 912,877 | | Greater Glasgow | 981,944 | 2,894,856 | 2,078,799 | 1,419,508 | 1,441,834 | | Highland | 40,600 | 220,276 | 197,581 | 1,324,739 | 159,490 | | Lanarkshire | 746,336 | 51,480 | 406,282 | 569,846 | 275,250 | | Lothian | 252,962 | 815,557 | 1,933,644 | 879,506 | 437,323 | | Orkney | 0 | 5,500 | 0 | 0 | 29,120 | | Shetland | 2,550 | 7,700 | The A1 between Old Craighall Roundabout and Newcraighall is not a trunk road and litter clearance is therefore a matter for the local roads authority. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194735,"EventID":"S2W-22074","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of stay of new mothers in maternity units has been following (a) normal delivery, (b) instrumental delivery and (c) operative delivery in each of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of stay of new mothers in maternity units has been following (a) normal delivery, (b) instrumental delivery and (c) operative delivery in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The information requested is shown in the following table: Table 1: Mean Length of Stay (in days) by Mode of Delivery1 | | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | | All Births | | | | | | | Total Maternities | 53,690 | 52,072 | 50,808 | 49,941 | 51,090 | | Normal Delivery | 3.00 | 2.82 | 2.74 | 2.63 | 2.55 | | Instrumental Delivery | 4.39 | 4.05 | 3.90 | 3.96 | 3.77 | | Operative Delivery | 6.47 | 6.04 | 5.75 | 5.65 | 5.35 | | Multiple births | | | | | | | Total maternities | 725 | 740 | 798 | 756 | 809 | | Normal Delivery | 6.18 | 6.03 | 6.30 | 5.34 | 7.40 | | Instrumental Delivery | 8.56 | 7.75 | 6.50 | 6.95 | 7.37 | | Operative Delivery | 9.61 | 9.39 | 8.28 | 8.51 | 7.81 | | Singleton Births | | | | | | | Total Maternities | 52,965 | 51,332 | 50,010 | 49,185 | 50,281 | | Normal Delivery | 2.98 | 2.80 | 2.71 | 2.62 | 2.51 | | Instrumental Delivery | 4.33 | 3.98 | 3.85 | 3.91 | 3.71 | | Operative Delivery | 6.36 | 5.92 | 5.66 | 5.54 | 5.25 | Sour","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194736,"EventID":"S2W-22075","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what breastfeeding rates have been in each (a) maternity unit and (b) NHS board area in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what breastfeeding rates have been in each (a) maternity unit and (b) NHS board area in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"This information is not centrally held. However, data is available for those NHS boards using the Child Health Surveillance Programme – Pre School and I attach this information in the following table: Table 1: Percentage of Mothers Recorded as Breastfeeding at the Six to Eight Week Review: Year of Birth 2000-04 | Year of Birth | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | | Argyll and Clyde | 31.4 | 32.6 | 32.7 | 31.6 | 31.7 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 31.9 | 28.7 | 29.8 | 27.5 | 29.4 | | Borders | 45.5 | 48.1 | 49.1 | 47.9 | 47.2 | | Dumfries and Galloway | .. | 37.1 | 35.9 | 38.1 | 36.0 | | Fife | 34.3 | 34.1 | 37.5 | 36.2 | 35.7 | | Forth Valley | 32.0 | 31.6 | 32.3 | 32.5 | 30.8 | | Greater Glasgow | 33.4 | 33.7 | 35.9 | 35.4 | 35.9 | | Lanarkshire | 24.5 | 24.3 | 26.1 | 26.1 | 25.8 | | Lothian | 47.0 | 46.1 | 47.1 | 47.7 | 47.0 | | Tayside | 39.2 | 38.4 | 39.6 | 38.1 | 37.0 | | All Health Boards on System | 35.4 | 35.1 | 36.4 | 36.1 | 35.7 | Source: CHSP-PS, ISD Scotland, November 2005. The system was not implemented until end of 2000 and therefore data are not available. Information on individual hospitals has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre at (Bib. number 38623). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194737,"EventID":"S2W-22076","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the breastfeeding duration rates have been in the last five years in the fullest and most detailed form available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the breastfeeding duration rates have been in the last five years in the fullest and most detailed form available.","AnswerText":"A table detailing breastfeeding duration rates has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38624). This covers those NHS boards using the Child Health Surveillance Programme – Pre School (CHSP-PS) and gives details for those children who have received an eight to nine month pre-school review. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194738,"EventID":"S2W-22077","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what additional activities the increase in the budget of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland between 2002-03 and 2007-08 has enabled,","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what additional activities the increase in the budget of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland between 2002-03 and 2007-08 has enabled, or will enable.","AnswerText":"As one of its core functions, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland maintains the National Monuments Record of Scotland, our national archive of the built environment. The rapid growth of this archive, and the improvement of public access to it, have necessitated continuing investment over this period which will culminate in capital funding of £2 million in 2006-07 and £10 million in 2007-08 for new accommodation for the archive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194739,"EventID":"S2W-22078","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there were in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A7 at all points for which figures are available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there were in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A7 at all points for which figures are available.","AnswerText":"There are eight permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A7 trunk road. Traffic data from these sites is collected and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database. | Location | 1996-97 Average Daily Flow | 2004-05 Average Daily Flow | | South of Canonbie | | 4,323 | | Langholm | 3,484 | 3,577** | | North of Langholm | 2,227* | 2,180 | | Linhope- south of Teviothead | | 2,022 | | Hawick High Street | | 6,339 | | South of Selkirk | | 5,571 | | North of Selkirk | | 8,455 | | Netherbarns | | 9,244 | Notes: 1. The data is for the A7 trunk road which runs from Kingsknowe Roundabout to the national border. 2. *10 months data. 3. ** 11 months data. 4. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 5. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194740,"EventID":"S2W-22079","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A68 at all points for which figures are available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A68 at all points for which figures are available.","AnswerText":"There are 14 permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A68 trunk road. Traffic data from these sites is collected and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database. | Location | 1996-97 Average Daily Flow | 2004-05 Average Daily Flow | | Carter Bar | | 3,067 | | Huntford | 2,577* | 2,521** | | Jedburgh | 6,463 | 6,173 | | Cliekimin | | 7,733 | | South of Ancrum | | 6,955 | | South of Newtown St Boswells | | 8,744 | | North of Newtown St Boswells | | 12,348 | | North of A6091 | | 8,866 | | South of Lauder | | 6,355 | | North of Oxton | | 8,648** | | East of Fala Tunnel | | 8,588*** | | Pathhead | 8,853 | 9,364 | | North of A6093 | | 11,826 | | North of Easterhouses | 16,860**** | 16,595***** | Notes: 1. *Three months data. 2. **10 months data. 3. ***One month data. 4. ****Two months data. 5. *****11 months data. 6. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 7. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194741,"EventID":"S2W-22080","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A701 at all points for which figures are available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A701 at all points for which figures are available.","AnswerText":"There are four permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A701 trunk road. Traffic data from these sites is collected and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database. | Location | 1996-97 Average Daily Flow | 2004-05 Average Daily Flow | | Northeast of A75 | 19,077 | 21,294 | | Locharbriggs | 6,065 | 8,791 | | North east of Jericho Bridge | | 6,103* | | North of B7020 | 4,166 | 4,720 | Notes: 1. The data is for the A701 trunk road which runs from Beattock to Dumfries 2. *Eight months data 3. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 4. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.< | Location | 1996-97 Average Daily Flow | 2004-05 Average Daily Flow | | Abington | 5,104 | 5,888 | | Wandel | 3,878* | 4,242 | | Biggar, south of A72 | | 5,271 | | Biggar, north of A72 | | 4,438 | | West Linton | | 6,470 | | Fulford | 7,837 | 10,191** | | South of Edinburgh City Bypass | 17,950*** | 20,436** | Notes: 1. *Four months data. 2. **11 months data. 3. ***10 months data. 4. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 5. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194743,"EventID":"S2W-22082","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A703 at all points for which figures are available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A703 at all points for which figures are available.","AnswerText":"The monitoring of traffic volumes on the A703 is a matter for Scottish Borders Council as the local roads authority. The information requested is not held centrally by the Executive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194744,"EventID":"S2W-22083","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A708 at all points for which figures are available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A708 at all points for which figures are available.","AnswerText":"The monitoring of traffic volumes on the A708 is a matter for Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries and Galloway Council as the local roads authorities. The information requested is not held centrally by the Executive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194745,"EventID":"S2W-22084","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average patients who have had a heart attack have waited for cardiac rehabilitation services in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average patients who have had a heart attack have waited for cardiac rehabilitation services in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board. ","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194746,"EventID":"S2W-22085","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) maximum, (b) average and (c) target waiting times were for (i) in-patient and (ii) first out-patient appointments for each NHS board in each quarter of the l","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) maximum, (b) average and (c) target waiting times were for (i) in-patient and (ii) first out-patient appointments for each NHS board in each quarter of the last eight years.","AnswerText":"Almost 54% of patients treated in NHSScotland hospitals are admitted immediately and never join a waiting list. Of those who do wait, over 40% are admitted within one month and almost 70% within three months. For those who have to wait longer, the maximum waiting time guarantee was reduced from 12 months to nine months at the end of 2003 with a further reduction to six months from 31 December 2005. On 30 September 2005, 1,249 patients with a guarantee had waited more than six months for in-patient and day case treatment - a reduction of 6,263 since 30 September 2004. This guaranteed waiting time will be further reduced to 18 weeks by the end of 2007. With regard to first out-patient waiting times, over 54% of patients are seen within nine weeks of referral and 66% within 13 weeks. For those who have to wait longer, we have set a national maximum waiting time target of 26 weeks from referral to consultation, from 31 December 2005. On 30 September 2005, 11,854 patients to whom the target applied had waited more than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment – a reduction of 41,725 since 30 September 2004. The target will be reduced to 18 weeks from the end of 2007 The NHS in Scotland has delivered a high standard of performance against the maximum waiting times commitments so far and is on track to meet the challenging waiting times we have set for the future. Information on waiting times for a first out-patient consultation and for in-patient and day case treatment for each quarter since 31 December 1997 is set out in the table. I have arranged for the information requested for NHS boards to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38641) as it runs to 30 pages. Waiting times information for 31 December 2005 will be published by NHS National Services Scotland on their website on 23 February 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194747,"EventID":"S2W-22086","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who had been placed in custody have reoffended in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who had been placed in custody have reoffended in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The available information is given in the following table. Persons Released from a Custodial Sentence in 1997-2001 by Approximate Local Authority Area1: Number Reconvicted Within Two Years2 | Approximate Local Authority Area | Number Reconvicted Within Two Years | | | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | | Aberdeen3 | 185 | 184 | 175 | 149 | 163 | | Angus | 54 | 55 | 41 | 57 | 53 | | Argyll and Bute | 45 | 38 | 29 | 25 | 28 | | Ayrshire4 | 323 | 305 | 402 | 394 | 435 | | Clackmannanshire | 26 | 21 | 25 | 23 | 21 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 97 | 81 | 98 | 88 | 117 | | Dundee City | 112 | 143 | 122 | 132 | 152 | | East Lothian | 24 | 28 | 22 | 15 | 22 | | Edinburgh5 | 327 | 305 | 307 | 319 | 326 | | Eilean Siar | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | | Falkirk | 83 | 85 | 96 | 59 | 92 | | Fife | 196 | 183 | 145 | 125 | 134 | | Glasgow6 | 1,166 | 1,071 | 1,049 | 909 | 914 | | Highland | 101 | 99 | 74 | 106 | 110 | | Inverclyde | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194748,"EventID":"S2W-22087","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the most common forms of crime committed against young people of school age were in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the most common forms of crime committed against young people of school age were in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The recorded crime statistics available centrally do not include any information on the circumstances of crimes, such as the age of the victim. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194749,"EventID":"S2W-22088","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists were admitting new NHS patients on 1 December 2005, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists were admitting new NHS patients on 1 December 2005, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is not collected centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194750,"EventID":"S2W-22089","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for obese patients to receive treatment at a weight management clinic was in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for obese patients to receive treatment at a weight management clinic was in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not collected centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194751,"EventID":"S2W-22090","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what comparative information it has on how many weight management clinics there were in England in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what comparative information it has on how many weight management clinics there were in England in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194752,"EventID":"S2W-22091","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many closure orders have been granted by Sheriff Courts under section 29 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by local authority area; wh","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many closure orders have been granted by Sheriff Courts under section 29 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by local authority area; what the reasons were for each order being granted, and what the conclusions were in each case. ","AnswerText":"The available data on closure orders granted by sheriff courts are presented in the following table and cover the period from October 2004 to September 2005. This is also available in the Standing up to Antisocial Behaviour First Anniversary Report: www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com. At present we can only provide information on the number of closures by police constabulary area. However, we will be able to provide the additional information required after 30 April 2006, when we receive the first annual reports on the use of the measures of the act. | Constabulary Area | October 2004 to September 2005 Number of Closure Orders Granted | | Fife | 4 | | Tayside | 3 | | Lothian and Borders | 1 | | Strathclyde | 1 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194753,"EventID":"S2W-22092","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive who the (a) current and (b) past board members are of the Local Government Improvement Service.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive who the (a) current and (b) past board members are of the Local Government Improvement Service.","AnswerText":"The Improvement Service was officially launched in April 2005. The current Board members are: Patrick Watters (COSLA) Roderick Ian Douglas Mair (COSLA) Tom McCabe (Minister for Finance and Public Services Reform) Keith Dunckley Yates (SOLACE) Colin Peter Caldwell Mair (Chief Executive, the Improvement Service for Scottish Local Government) Douglas Sinclair (SOLACE) re-signed from the Improvement Service at the last board meeting on 21 November 2005 due to the completion of his term as chair of SOLACE. Gavin Whitefield (SOLACE) is the nominated replacement for Douglas Sinclair, however the legal appointment process for Mr Whitefield has still to be finalised. Prior to the official launch of the Improvement Service, a Shadow Board was put in place in 2003 to pave the way for the establishment of the company. The Shadow Board Members were: - Patrick Watters (COSLA) Corrie McChord (COSLA) Andy Kerr (then Minister for Finance and Public Services Reform) Leslie Evans (Scottish Executive) Douglas Sinclair (SOLACE) Keith Dunckley Yates (SOLACE). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194754,"EventID":"S2W-22093","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the order of strategic priority is of current and proposed rail developments.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the order of strategic priority is of current and proposed rail developments.","AnswerText":"Our first priority is to implement the major rail infrastructure projects, as set out in the Partnership Agreement, i.e. the rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, the upgrade at Waverley station, opening the Stirling to Alloa line, the Airdrie to Bathgate line, and the Borders rail link. In addition, we are considering what the rail strategy for the next 15 to 20 years should be. We have consulted on the strategic priorities, commissioned a Scottish Planning Assessment and Network Rail are conducting a Route Utilisation Study. These will provide the building blocks for considering what further rail developments will make the most positive impacts on the economy, society and environment of Scotland in future. We expect to produce the rail strategy in the summer and this will guide the potential investments to be considered for future funding by the Executive in the subsequent Strategic Projects Review. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194755,"EventID":"S2W-22094","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10217 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 September 2004, how the £20 million was allocated to each NHS board; how the allocations were appli","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10217 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 September 2004, how the £20 million was allocated to each NHS board; how the allocations were applied, and what impact these had on waiting times for audiology appointments.","AnswerText":"The following table details the breakdown of the funds allocated to modernise and improve audiology services: | | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005-06 | Totals | | Argyll and Clyde | 226,000 | 587,000 | 633,000 | 1,446,000 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 201,000 | 357,000 | 324,000 | 882,000 | | Borders | 39,000 | 115,000 | 146,000 | 300,000 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 80,000 | 265,000 | 125,000 | 470,000 | | Fife | 39,000 | 147,000 | 309,000 | 495,000 | | Forth Valley | 111,000 | 125,000 | 234,000 | 470,000 | | Grampian | 181,000 | 771,000 | 458,000 | 1,410,000 | | Greater Glasgow | 699,000 | 1,177,000 | 1,064,000 | 2,940,000 | | Highland | 108,000 | 264,000 | 311,000 | 683,000 | | Lanarkshire | 336,000 | 395,000 | 478,000 | 1,209,000 | | Lothian | 451,000 | 329,000 | 378,000 | 1,158,000 | | Orkney | 7,000 | 0 | 97,000 | 104,000 | | Shetland | 5,000 | 0 | 75,000 | 80,000 | | Tayside | 246,000 | 623,000 | 344,000 | 1,213,000 | | Western Isles | 38,000 | 81,000 | 65,000 | 184,000 | | NHS Education for Scotland | 100,000 | 463,000 | 0 | 563,000 | | Totals | 2,867,000 | 5,699,000 | 5,041,000 | 13,607,","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194756,"EventID":"S2W-22095","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the audiology waiting times are in each NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the audiology waiting times are in each NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is not collected by the National Waiting Times Unit as audiology is not a consultant-led service. Information Services Division has developed a data collection system for audiology services which is currently being tested to ensure quality assurance. This will produce centrally collected, validated data for publication. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194757,"EventID":"S2W-22096","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support, financial or otherwise, it is giving to the RNID campaign, “Breaking the Sound Barrier”, and, in particular, to the telephone hearing test.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support, financial or otherwise, it is giving to the RNID campaign, “Breaking the Sound Barrier”, and, in particular, to the telephone hearing test.","AnswerText":"The Executive supports this campaign by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and is keen to work with the RNID to help those with, or who may have, a hearing loss. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194758,"EventID":"S2W-22097","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional audiologists it estimates will be required to meet any increasing demand following the introduction of a telephone hearing test by the RNID, which has","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional audiologists it estimates will be required to meet any increasing demand following the introduction of a telephone hearing test by the RNID, which has been based on a Dutch model and as a consequence of which it is estimated that two or three out of 10 people taking the test will thereafter contact their GP with regard to their hearing. ","AnswerText":"The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) has indicated to the Executive, based on the experience in the Netherlands, that they expect one in 10 people who take the telephone hearing test may then contact their general practitioner to be referred to an audiologist. There may, therefore, be an increase in referrals across NHSScotland. NHS boards currently have the option of using a private sector national contract to meet audiology needs, and this could be used to meet any increase in demand. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194759,"EventID":"S2W-22098","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to encourage individuals to have their hearing tested, given that there is typically a 15-year delay between the onset of hearing loss and seek","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to encourage individuals to have their hearing tested, given that there is typically a 15-year delay between the onset of hearing loss and seeking help, as compared to a four-year gap between sight deterioration and obtaining spectacles, and that hearing impairment can lead to social isolation.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22096 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194760,"EventID":"S2W-22099","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many suicides there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999, broken down by month and into age groupings.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many suicides there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999, broken down by month and into age groupings.","AnswerText":"Tables presenting the information requested have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38684). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194761,"EventID":"S2W-22100","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of self harm there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999, broken down by month and into age groupings.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of self harm there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999, broken down by month and into age groupings.","AnswerText":"The information requested is shown in the table, Hospital discharges from acute hospitals with a diagnosis of deliberate self-harm, year ending December 1999-2004 a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 38627). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194762,"EventID":"S2W-22101","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio has been of males to females who have gained qualifications in computing studies at (a) Standard grade, (b) Higher grade and (c) Certificate of Sixth Year ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio has been of males to females who have gained qualifications in computing studies at (a) Standard grade, (b) Higher grade and (c) Certificate of Sixth Year Studies level or equivalent in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"Information on the ratio of males to females who have gained National Qualifications at Standard Grade or equivalent; Higher Grade and Certificate of Sixth Year Studies/Advanced Higher from 1999 to 2005 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38616). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194763,"EventID":"S2W-22102","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio has been of males to females supported by the Student Awards Agency who have gained graduate or postgraduate qualifications in an information technology-re","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio has been of males to females supported by the Student Awards Agency who have gained graduate or postgraduate qualifications in an information technology-related discipline in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The following table showsthe proportion of males to females, who received tuition fee support from theStudent Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), graduating at first degree orpostgraduate level in an information technology-related discipline in each yearsince academic year 1999-2000. | Academic Year | Total Information Technology Graduates (at First Degree and Postgraduate Level) Receiving SAAS Support | Male Graduates | Female Graduates | Proportion of All Graduates who are Male | | 1999-2000 | 1,190 | 880 | 310 | 74.0% | | 2000-01 | 1,075 | 800 | 275 | 74.4% | | 2001-02 | 1,325 | 975 | 350 | 73.5% | | 2002-03 | 1,445 | 1,110 | 335 | 76.8% | | 2003-04 | 1,510 | 1,190 | 320 | 78.8% | Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency and Scottish Funding Councils. All numbers in this table(other than percentages) are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. This answer relates only tothose students who receive tuition fee support primarily from SAAS, as this isthe only available information that can be linked with graduate information. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194764,"EventID":"S2W-22103","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote information technology as a career choice for female pupils in schools and what plans it has for the future development of these mea","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote information technology as a career choice for female pupils in schools and what plans it has for the future development of these measures.","AnswerText":"Careers Scotland provide a wide range of high quality and impartial advice and guidance services to clients of all ages, including pupils in schools. They assist individuals to make well-informed career and learning choices which will enable them to take advantage of current and future labour market opportunities. Within schools, information technology is studied in the context of a broad curriculum where the Executive seeks to promote equal access to all curriculum subjects. National 5-14 Guidelines for information and communications technology (ICT) and the associated Guides for Teachers and Managers provide advice and assistance to education authorities and schools in developing all pupils’ skills, knowledge and informed attitudes to ICT. In addition, the Executive is continuing to implement a range of measures as part of its commitment to science engineering and technology outlined within A Science Strategy for Scotland. £10 million has been made available to education authorities over the past three years to enable teachers to undertake high quality professional updating as well as providing additional laboratory, ICT and other equipment for schools. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194765,"EventID":"S2W-22104","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many under 16-year-olds have received contraceptive implants or injections in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) age and (b) NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many under 16-year-olds have received contraceptive implants or injections in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) age and (b) NHS board.","AnswerText":"The information requestedis not available centrally. Data collected centrally relate to prescribed itemsdispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors and do not include itemsdispensed through hospitals or hospital-based services. In addition, the availabledata are not patient-specific and cannot be used as a proxy for the number of patientsreceiving treatment with any particular drug.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194766,"EventID":"S2W-22105","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been arrested for drug-driving offences in each of the last five years, including 2006, broken down by police force area and showing year-on-year per","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been arrested for drug-driving offences in each of the last five years, including 2006, broken down by police force area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The following tables give the number of drunk or drug-driving offences (including those involving the refusal to provide a test or sample) recorded by each police force over the last five financial years. The available data does not allow those offences where the individual concerned was under the influence of drugs to be separated from those where he or she was under the influence of alcohol. Also, the number of offences recorded by the police has been given, as information on arrests made by the police is not collected centrally. Number of Relevant Driving Offences1 Recorded by the Police, Broken Down by Police Force Area, 2000-01 to 2004-05 | Police Force | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Central | 165 | 199 | 189 | 156 | 146 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 83 | 58 | 78 | 55 | 84 | | Fife | 174 | 189 | 214 | 234 | 166 | | Grampian | 246 | 275 | 316 | 293 | 354 | | Lothian and Borders | 420 | 426 | 441 | 398 | 329 | | Northern | 188 | 230 | 227 | 217 | 222 | | Strathclyde | 1,692 | 1,617 | 1,700 | 1,614 | 1,484 | | Tayside | 280 | 311 | 293 | 260 | 263 | | All Scotland | 3,248 | 3,305 | 3,458 | 3,227 | 3,048 | Year-on-Year Percentage Changes in the Number of Relevant Driving Offences1 Recorded by the Police, Broken Down by Police Force Area, 2000-01 to 2004-05 | Police Force | 2000-01 to 2001-02 | 2001-02 to 2002-03 | 2002-03 to 2003-04 | 2003-04 to 2004-05 | | Central | 20.6 | -5.0 | -17.5 | -6.4 | | Dumfries and Galloway | -30.1 | 34.5 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194768,"EventID":"S2W-22107","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions have been made for drug driving in each of the last five years, including 2006, and how many of these convictions resulted in a (a) custodial sentenc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions have been made for drug driving in each of the last five years, including 2006, and how many of these convictions resulted in a (a) custodial sentence and (b) fine and/or loss of licence, broken down by police force area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"Figures for convictions involving drugs alone are not available. However, the total number of drink or drug driving offences resulting in a charge proved in the years 1999 to 2003, the latest five-year period for which information is currently available, is given in the following table. Figures for 2004-05 are currently planned for publication in April 2006. Drink or Drug Driving Offences1 with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Police Force Area, 1999-2003. | Police Force Area and Sentence | Number | Percentage Change On Previous Year | | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 20032 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 20032 | | Central | 101 | 136 | 122 | 213 | 199 | 22 | 35 | -10 | 75 | -7 | | Imprisonment | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | -67 | -50 | 400 | 0 | -40 | | Fine | 61 | 79 | 65 | 94 | 99 | 49 | 30 | -18 | 45 | 5 | | Other | 38 | 56 | 52 | 114 | 97 | 6 | 47 | -7 | 119 | -15 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 62 | 67 | 45 | 92 | 63 | -5 | 8 | -33 | 104 | -32 | | Imprisonment | 1 | 5 | 1 | - | 1 | -50 | 400 | -80 | -100 | na | | Fine | 42 | 42 | 34 | 51 | 41 | -2 | 0 | -19 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194769,"EventID":"S2W-22108","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many road deaths have been caused by drug driving in each of the last five years, including 2006, broken down by police force area and showing year-on-year percentage","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many road deaths have been caused by drug driving in each of the last five years, including 2006, broken down by police force area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available. Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the Stats 19 statistical report form. Prior to 2005, these returns did not record any information about the causes of the accidents. However, limited information for 2005 and later years will become available in due course, as a new set of questions about the factors which may have contributed to the occurrence of accidents has been added to the Stats 19 returns. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194770,"EventID":"S2W-22109","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated specifically to the education and training of adult black and minority ethnic groups in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated specifically to the education and training of adult black and minority ethnic groups in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"Information on the targetingof other Executive education and training programmes is not held centrally. Fundingfor programmes such as Skillseekers andModern Apprenticeship programmes isdemand led, and therefore not targeted at specific groups. Funding forCommunity Learning and Development (CLD), including Adult Literacy and Numeracyis allocated through local CLD Partnerships who make funding decisions based onlocal need.The Scottish Executive allocatedan additional £5.4 million (£1.4-£2 million to £2 million) to the ScottishFurther Education Funding Council (SFEFC) between 2001-04 to fund asylumseekers. This allowed the waiving of the three year residency rule for thesestudents so that they would be eligible for funding, fee waiver and hardshipfunds to attend college. £2 million was added to the SFEFC baseline in 2004-05as part of Spending Review 2004. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194771,"EventID":"S2W-22110","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers are from a black or minority ethnic background, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of teachers.\r\n","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers are from a black or minority ethnic background, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of teachers.\r\n","AnswerText":"Figures published in Teachers in Scotland 2004 ,available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 36291) show that there were 329 teachers from minority ethnic groups, from a total of 47,163 teachers with known ethnicities (0.7 per cent). In addition 4.8 per cent of teachers had unknown ethnicity through either non-disclosure or missing data. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194772,"EventID":"S2W-22111","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many head teachers are from a black or minority ethnic background, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of head teachers.\r\n","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many head teachers are from a black or minority ethnic background, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of head teachers.\r\n","AnswerText":"Figures published in Teachers in Scotland 2004, available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 36291) show that there were five head teachers from minority ethnic groups, from a total of 2,520 head teachers with known ethnicities (0.2 per cent). In addition, 2.5 per cent of head teachers had unknown ethnicity through either non-disclosure or missing data. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194773,"EventID":"S2W-22112","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many social workers were from a black or minority ethnic background in each year for which figures are available, expressed also as a percentage of the total number o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many social workers were from a black or minority ethnic background in each year for which figures are available, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of social workers.","AnswerText":"Of the 8,009 people registered as social workers with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) at 11 January 2006 (this includes people who have a social work qualification but are not practising as social workers), 6,237 had completed the equal opportunities form which is a voluntary part of the registration process. Of the 6,237, 123 declared themselves as being from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, representing 1.97% of the total who completed the form. Registration of social workers commenced in 2003 and this is the first year in which comprehensive data has been available. A report on registered social workers will be published by the SSSC in April 2006. In 2005, information on staff ethnicity was collected for the first time as part of the Annual Census of Staff of Scottish Local Authority Social Work Services. The results of this census will be published in April 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194774,"EventID":"S2W-22113","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of public sector workers were from a black or minority ethnic background in each year for which figures are available, expressed also as a percentage of t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of public sector workers were from a black or minority ethnic background in each year for which figures are available, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of public sector workers.","AnswerText":"This information is not collected centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194775,"EventID":"S2W-22114","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated specifically to reducing the 21% gap in employment between white women and women from a black or minority ethnic background.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated specifically to reducing the 21% gap in employment between white women and women from a black or minority ethnic background.","AnswerText":"The specific information requestedis not held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194776,"EventID":"S2W-22115","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned into the economic benefits of greater integration of races into the labour force and the impact that this would have on the economy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned into the economic benefits of greater integration of races into the labour force and the impact that this would have on the economy.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has commissioned the following research in this area: Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Scotland: a Skills and Aspirations Audit (March 2004) and Minority Ethnic Enterprise in Scotland: a National Scoping Study (June 2005). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194777,"EventID":"S2W-22116","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will measure whether the current barriers to achieving employment for black and minority ethnic groups have been removed by the UK Government's target date of 2013","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will measure whether the current barriers to achieving employment for black and minority ethnic groups have been removed by the UK Government's target date of 2013.","AnswerText":"We are establishing a Strategic Group on Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market, which is seeking to increase the number of people from ethnic minorities, including women from a black or ethnic minority background, in employment. A reduction in the employment gap between ethnic minorities and other groups will be a measure of whether barriers to employment are being removed. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194778,"EventID":"S2W-22117","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims of bullying or harassment were made against it by its employees in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims of bullying or harassment were made against it by its employees in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"There have been a total of 55 recorded cases of bullying and harassment raised by Scottish Executive employees since 1999. In line with its Dignity at Work policy, the Executive takes all complaints of this nature very seriously. It aims to ensure that all staff have the opportunity to work in an environment where they feel safe and secure and are not subject to unacceptable behaviour. | 1999 | 8 | | 2000 | 13 | | 2001 | 15 | | 2002 | 6 | | 2003 | 9 | | 2004 | 4 | Figures for 2005 are not yet available. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194779,"EventID":"S2W-22118","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of a racial nature have been made against it in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of a racial nature have been made against it in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"There is no central record held of complaints of a racial nature made against the Scottish Executive. In the period 1999-2004 there has been only one such recorded complaint made by a Scottish Executive member of staff, in 2002. Figures for 2005 are not available yet. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22117 on 20 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194780,"EventID":"S2W-22119","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees from a black or minority ethnic background have been awarded an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List or (b) New Year’s Honours List i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees from a black or minority ethnic background have been awarded an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List or (b) New Year’s Honours List in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not hold information on the number of employees from a black or minority ethnic background who have been awarded an honour in Her Majesty the Queen’s Honours Lists since 1999. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194781,"EventID":"S2W-22120","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many bonuses have been paid to its employees in each year since 1999 and what the total cost has been of such bonuses.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many bonuses have been paid to its employees in each year since 1999 and what the total cost has been of such bonuses.","AnswerText":"Bonus payments made to staff within the Scottish Executive Core Departments since 1999 are as follows: Special Bonus Scheme1 | Year | No. of Bonus Payments | Total Amount | | 1999 | 333 | £93,190 | | 2000 | 282 | £97,825 | | 2001 | 375 | £107,750 | | 2002 | 433 | £143,807 | | 2003 | 329 | £114,566 | | 2004 | 487 | £165,777 | Note: 1. The Special Bonus Scheme rewards staff for special contributions made over a relatively short period of time. The scheme operates independently from the performance pay arrangements and is not linked to annual appraisals. Performance Bonus2 | Year | No. of Bonus Payments | Total Amount | | 2003 | 597 | £1,318,250 | | 2004 | 670 | £1,701,884 | Notes: *Complete information on performance bonus payments prior to 2003 is not held centrally. 2. Performance bonus payments form part of the pay systems within which staff in Scottish Executive Core Departments and the Senior Civil Service are paid. Payments are made in line with performance management standards and are in recognition of performance during the appraisal year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194782,"EventID":"S2W-22121","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage difference has been between the average annual salary of its black and minority ethnic employees and their white colleagues in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage difference has been between the average annual salary of its black and minority ethnic employees and their white colleagues in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The following table shows the percentage of the average salary of staff in Scottish Executive core departments who have self declared themselves as being from an ethnic minority background compared to staff who have declared themselves as white. Self-declaration is the only method of recording this information, therefore the data is necessarily subjective. A figure below 100% indicates that ethnic minority staff have been paid less on average than white staff, whereas a figure above 100% indicates that they have been paid more. The information provided is as at 1 April each year and refers to permanent staff. | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | 94% | 88% | 94% | 93% | 93% | 101% | 97% | Note: 1. Care should be taken in making year-on-year comparisons of percentages due to the small number of staff in the ethnic minority category. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194783,"EventID":"S2W-22122","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many black and minority ethnic employees it has, expressed as a percentage of the total number of its employees and broken down by department.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many black and minority ethnic employees it has, expressed as a percentage of the total number of its employees and broken down by department.","AnswerText":"The number of black and minority ethnic employees, expressed as a percentage of the total number of permanent employees in the Scottish Executive core departments is given in the following table. Declaration of ethnicity by staff in the Scottish Executive is voluntary and 11.5% of staff have not provide information on their ethnic background. Permanent Staff from an Ethnic Minority at January 2006 | Department | Total | | Centrally Managed Staff | 0.00% | | Development Department | * | | Education Department | 0.11% | | Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department | 0.20% | | Environment and Rural Affairs Department | 0.15% | | Finance and Central Services Department | 0.15% | | Health Department | * | | Justice Department | 0.13% | | Legal and Parliamentary Services | * | | Office of The Permanent Secretary | 0.11% | | Grand Total | 1.06% | Note: *To prevent disclosure of sensitive personal information we do not report on those percentages which would reflect a figurer of less than five. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194784,"EventID":"S2W-22123","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many equal pay claims it has settled in each year since 1999, broken down by department.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many equal pay claims it has settled in each year since 1999, broken down by department.","AnswerText":"There have been no equal pay claim settlements within the Scottish Executive core departments since 1999. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194785,"EventID":"S2W-22124","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees have been recommended for an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Year Honours List in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees have been recommended for an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Year Honours List in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The number of Scottish Executive employees recommended for an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Years Honours List in each year since 1999 are detailed in the following table. | Honours List | Recommendations | | New Year 2006 | 6 | | Birthday 2005 | 7 | | New Year 2005 | 6 | | Birthday 2004 | 5 | | New Year 2004 | 5 | | Birthday 2003 | 8 | | New Year 2003 | 8 | | Birthday 2002 | 6 | | New Year 2002 | 7 | | Birthday 2001 | 7 | | New Year 2001 | 4 | | Birthday 2000 | 7 | | New Year 2000 | 10 | | Birthday 1999 | 5 | | New Year 1999 | 9 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194786,"EventID":"S2W-22125","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12029 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, how many psychologists have been employed by each NHS board in each year since 1999, bro","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12029 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, how many psychologists have been employed by each NHS board in each year since 1999, broken down by category and expressed also on a per capita basis.","AnswerText":"The following tables show thewhole-time equivalent (WTE) of NHS employed psychologists by NHS board 2001-04.WTE adjusts headcount to allow for part-time working. Information for the years1999 and 2000 is not available centrally.Table 1: Applied PsychologistsWTE by NHS Board at 30 September 2001 | | Clinical Psychologists Grade B | Clinical Psychologists Grade A | Other Applied Psychologists* | Total WTE of all Applied Psychologists | Ratio of per Capita Population to 1 WTE of all Applied Psychologists | | Argyll and Clyde | 10.60 | 9.30 | 3.00 | 22.90 | 18,371 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 9.10 | 12.30 | 1.80 | 23.20 | 15,875 | | Borders | 4.50 | 3.60 | 0.00 | 8.10 | 13,204 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 6.90 | 2.20 | 0.00 | 9.10 | 16,240 | | Fife | 9.90 | 18.30 | 1.00 | 29.20 | 11,976 | | Forth Valley | 7.80 | 10.60 | 0.00 | 18.40 | 15,176 | | Grampian | 10.30 | 21.20 | 1.50 | 33.00 | 15,935 | | Greater Glasgow | 33.00 | 35.50 | 1.10 | 69.60 | 12,474 | | Highland | 4.80 | 6.00 | 0.00 | 10.80 | 19,344 | | Lanarkshire | 7.50 | 11.60 | 4.00 | 23.10 | 23,949 | | Lothian | 20.10 | 26.80 | 1.80 | 48.70 | 15,996 | | Orkney | - | - | - | - | - | | Shetland | - | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194787,"EventID":"S2W-22126","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12029 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of people waiting to see a psychologis","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12029 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of people waiting to see a psychologist in each NHS board area on 31 December or another fixed date in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot available centrally. Waiting lists data is collected centrally only for firstout-patient appointments at a consultant-led out-patient clinic, following referralby a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, and for hospital in-patient and daycase treatment. Psychology services are provided by a range of health care professionals,and are carried out in a variety of settings.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194788,"EventID":"S2W-22127","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 74 devolution issues dealt with by the Advocate-General (Official Report, House of Commons, 15 November 2005; Vol 439, c 808) were referred to her by the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 74 devolution issues dealt with by the Advocate-General (Official Report, House of Commons, 15 November 2005; Vol 439, c 808) were referred to her by the Executive or have involved discussions with the Executive and to what these issues related.","AnswerText":"None were referred to the Advocate General by the Scottish Executive. Devolution issues are essentially questions which arise in court proceedings - predominantly in criminal cases - about whether legislation is within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or whether an act is within the legal competence of a member of the Executive - the precise definition is set out in Schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998. That schedule also prescribes the procedures to be followed in relation to such issues, the effect of paragraph five being that any devolution issue intimated to the Advocate General will also be intimated to the Lord Advocate. Thus, the Executive will be aware of the same devolution issues as the Advocate General. If appropriate, there may be discussion between the Executive and the Advocate General but, given the generally ad hoc and run-of-the-mill nature of those discussions, there is no central record of their number and nature. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194789,"EventID":"S2W-22128","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reached a decision on whether to suspend the additional council tax payments being made by residents of Abbeyfield and other such homes resulting from the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reached a decision on whether to suspend the additional council tax payments being made by residents of Abbeyfield and other such homes resulting from the decision by the Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire valuation boards to designate each resident’s space as being liable for full payment.","AnswerText":"We are currently considering the way forward and will make an announcement in due course. In the meantime, we are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities to ensure that individuals living in these homes are receiving the benefits and exemptions they are entitled to. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194790,"EventID":"S2W-22129","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of its review into a loophole in the law which allows valuation boards to designate each resident’s living space in Abbeyfield and other","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of its review into a loophole in the law which allows valuation boards to designate each resident’s living space in Abbeyfield and other such homes as being liable for payment of full council tax.","AnswerText":"We are currently considering the way forward and will make an announcement in due course. In the meantime, we are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities to ensure that individuals living in these homes are receiving the benefits and exemptions they are entitled to. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194791,"EventID":"S2W-22130","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce pamphlets for schools to provide parents with suggestions of healthy options for packed lunches.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce pamphlets for schools to provide parents with suggestions of healthy options for packed lunches.","AnswerText":"The recent report on the implementation of Hungry for Success confirmed that many schools and local authorities had already introduced positive initiatives to encourage parents to provide balanced selections of food in packed lunches, to ensure that they reflect the recommended Nutrient Standards. The Executive has no plans to introduce a leaflet for distribution at national level. I can also announce that we have commissioned the development of a toolkit to support the implementation of Hungry for Success. The Toolkit will be produced by The Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit and NHS Health Scotland in partnership with a range of agencies, including the Food Standards Agency, Learning Teaching Scotland and HM Inspectorate of Education. It will include national guidance on a range of healthy eating topics. It will also disseminate examples of good practice from across the country. The first sections of this guidance will be made available in spring this year, and will cover packed lunches and snacks, healthy vending and tuckshops. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194792,"EventID":"S2W-22131","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will launch an advertising campaign highlighting the benefits of healthy eating in schools.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will launch an advertising campaign highlighting the benefits of healthy eating in schools.","AnswerText":"Hungry for Success takes a whole school approach to promoting healthy eating. This means not only providing nutritionally balanced meals, but also promoting healthy eating at the point of sale, in the curriculum and through newsletters and other communication with pupils and parents. The Expert Panel’s Report on School Meals recommended that all marketing activity should be geared towards encouraging healthy choices, and that there should be no active marketing of high fat and high sugar products such as confectionery and crisps. HM Inspectorate of Education’s report on the implementation found that this was the case in the majority of dining rooms inspected. In addition, schools were using a range of different strategies to promote healthy eating, such as involving pupils in designing their own promotional material. In addition to this action at school level, NHS Scotland and the Food Standards Agency run a number of national campaigns to highlight the benefits of healthy eating. In particular, the Executive funds the healthyliving campaign which includes mass media advertising, brand marketing and PR, the healthyliving helpline, website development, support for NHS and other public sector providers and monitoring and evaluation of the campaign. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194793,"EventID":"S2W-22132","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it will publish details of the Parliament’s energy performance, as required by the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive which came into fo","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it will publish details of the Parliament’s energy performance, as required by the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive which came into force on 4 January 2006.","AnswerText":"The SPCB is awaiting full guidance from the Scottish Building Standards Agency on how the energy performance of the Parliament should be calculated and published. In the meantime, we will continue to implement our environmental policy which aims to use energy efficiently and work towards ISO 14001 certification. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Kenny MacAskill","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194794,"EventID":"S2W-22133","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the salary/employment costs for 2003-04 and 2004-05 referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliament","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the salary/employment costs for 2003-04 and 2004-05 referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.","AnswerText":"A breakdown of the salary costs referred to in table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standard Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report are as follows: | | 2003-04 Acting Commissioner (£) | 2003-04 Commissioner (£) | Total 2003-04 (£) | 2004-05 Commissioner | | Salary | 4,823 | 36,500 | 41,323 | 43,435* | | ERNIC | 376 | 3,138 | 3,514 | 3,987 | | Pension | | 6,752 | 6,752 | 8,035 | | Total | 5,199 | 46,390 | 51,589 | 55,457 | Note: *For two months of 2004-05 the commissioner was paid at the full-time rate rather than the usual half-time rate due to an increase in workload. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194795,"EventID":"S2W-22134","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many firms took part in any tendering process for the provision of legal services to the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many firms took part in any tendering process for the provision of legal services to the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.","AnswerText":"The commissioner has undertaken two competitive tendering exercises for the provision of legal services, one in 2003 and the other in 2005. On both occasions, the commissioner has invited six firms, from Edinburgh and Glasgow to tender for the provision of legal advice and support. On each occasion three firms have entered the tendering process and have been invited to make presentations to the commissioner. Their written bids and presentations have been judged against explicit criteria set by the commissioner and contained in the tendering documents.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194796,"EventID":"S2W-22135","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown and description of the services performed in 2003-04 but charged to the accounts for 2004-05, as referred to in par","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown and description of the services performed in 2003-04 but charged to the accounts for 2004-05, as referred to in paragraph 63 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.","AnswerText":"As advised by the commissioner, the breakdown and description of the services performed in 2003-04 but charged to the accounts for 2004-05 are as follows: | Services | Company | Invoice Date | Invoice Received | Period | Amount | | Legal Advice | Simpson and Marwick | 18/02/2004 | 20/01/2005 | October 2003 to January 2004 | £2,245.43 | | Legal Advice | Simpson and Marwick | 14/01/2005 | 20/01/2005 | 22/01/2004 to 21/12/2004 | £450 | | Legal Advice | Anderson Strathern | 05/11/2004 | 17/11/2004 | 01/01/2004 to 30/09/2004 | £437 | | Legal Advice | Anderson Strathern | 05/11/2004 | 17/11/2004 | 2/10/2003 to 30/09/2004 | £950 | | Total | | | | | £4,082.43 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194797,"EventID":"S2W-22136","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6045 by Mr Andy Kerr on 12 March 2005, which joint ministerial committee meetings it has attended since February 2004; where each j","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6045 by Mr Andy Kerr on 12 March 2005, which joint ministerial committee meetings it has attended since February 2004; where each joint ministerial committee meeting took place; which ministers attended, and what issues were discussed.","AnswerText":"There have been no meetings of the full joint ministerial committee (JMC) since 1 February 2004. The following table provides a complete list of Scottish Executive ministerial attendance at all joint ministerial sub-committee meetings that have taken place since 1 February 2004. | Subject | Date | Venue | Scottish Minister | | Europe | 3 February 2004 | London | Minister for Health and Community Care | | Europe | 24 February 2004 | London | No Scottish Minister was able to participate. Anne McGuire MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland represented Scotland’s interests | | Europe | 18 March 2004 | London | Minister for Justice | | Europe | 27 April 2004 | London | Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care | | Europe | 27 May 2004 | London | Minister for Finance and Public Services | | Europe | 23 June 2004 | London | No Executive Minister was able to participate | | Europe | 20 July 2004 | London | No Executive Minister was able to participate | | Europe | 14 September 2004 | London | Minister for Health and Community Care | | Europe | 20 October 2004 | London | Minister for Parliamentary Business | | Europe | 29 November 2004 | London | Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | | Europe | 24 January 2005 | London | Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning | | Europe | 15 March 2005 | London | Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | | Europe | 25 May 2005 | London | Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | | Europe | 14 June 2005 | London | Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | | Europe | 14 September 2005 | London | Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | | Europe | 11 October 2005 | London | Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning | | Europe | 14 November 2005 | London | Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | | Europe | 17 January 2006 | London | Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | The proceedings of joint ministerial committee or sub-committee meetings are published by the UK Government in the form of a communiqué on behalf of all parties. The issues discussed at each meeting are not necessarily disclosed. These can","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Margaret Curran","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194798,"EventID":"S2W-22137","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of all concordats that it has entered into with Her Majesty’s Government.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of all concordats that it has entered into with Her Majesty’s Government.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19786 on 31 October 2005, which lists current concordats between the Scottish Executive and UK Government. Since that date, one new concordat – on the Inquiries Act - has been agreed with the Department for Constitutional Affairs and a copy has been lodged with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38604). All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Margaret Curran","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194799,"EventID":"S2W-22138","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the fitting of speed governors to vehicles by manufacturers in order to reduce speeding.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the fitting of speed governors to vehicles by manufacturers in order to reduce speeding.","AnswerText":"The fitting of speed governers to vehicles is a matter for the UK Government. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194800,"EventID":"S2W-22139","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total revenue generated from speed cameras has been and how many deaths on roads have been caused as a direct result of speeding in each year since 1999, broken ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total revenue generated from speed cameras has been and how many deaths on roads have been caused as a direct result of speeding in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.","AnswerText":"The revenue generated from speedcameras within the Scottish Safety Camera Programme in each year since 1999 is providedin the following table.Information on the number ofdeaths on roads caused as a direct result of speeding is not available. However,since January 2005, the Executive has been collecting additional information onroad accidents to include the factors thought to have contributed to the occurrenceof the accident, for example, driver impairment by drugs or alcohol, fatigue and/orspeed. However, it will not generally be possible from the statistical data to attributeany individual factor as being the single cause of the accident. It is expectedthat this additional information will be included in Road Accidents Scotland 2005at the end of this year. | Partnership | 2000-01 (£000) | 2001-02 (£000) | 2002-03 (£000) | 2003-04 (£000) | 2004-05 (£000) | Total (£000) | | Strathclyde | 450 | 861 | 1,670 | 3,454 | 3,040 | 9,475 | | Fife | - | - | 422 | 619 | 468* | 1,508 | | North East | - | - | 278 | 1,013 | 728* | 2,019 | | Lothian and Borders | - | - | - | 1,617 | 2,483 | 4,100 | | Dumfries and Galloway | - | - | - | 545 | 989* | 1,534 | | Tayside | - | - | - | 388 | 621* | 1,010 | | Northern | - | - | - | - | 203 | 203 | | Total (£000) | 450 | 861 | 2,370 | 7,635 | 8,532 | 19,848 | *Un-audited figures (Totals maynot equal the sum of their parts due to rounding). Notes: 1. Figures given are for partnershipsfrom the date they joined the Safety Camera Programme. Central Scotland is not currently part of the programme. The partnerships in the table expandedor joined the programme as indicated below: 2. In 2001-02, Strathclyde includedonly Glasgow City Council area. 3. In 2002-03, Strathclyde expandedto cover four local authority areas; Fife joine","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194801,"EventID":"S2W-22140","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many gifts ministers have received from private sector firms or businesses (a) within and (b) outwith Scotland in each year since 2000, broken down by firm or busines","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many gifts ministers have received from private sector firms or businesses (a) within and (b) outwith Scotland in each year since 2000, broken down by firm or business.","AnswerText":"Details of all gifts received by ministers are published annually on the Scottish Executive website. These are currently shown from 1999 to 2004. We plan to issue the details for 2005 shortly. Details can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1066/0008094.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194802,"EventID":"S2W-22141","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been on the sex offenders’ register in each year since 2000.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been on the sex offenders’ register in each year since 2000.","AnswerText":"The number of sex offenders recordedby the Scottish Criminal Record Office as being registered with Scottish PoliceForces since 2000 is shown in the following table. | As at: | Number of Registrations | | March 2000 | 1,174 | | March 2001 | 1,480 | | March 2002 | 1,724 | | March 2003 | 1,926 | | March 2004 | 2,244 | | March 2005 | 2,677 | | January 2006 | 3,044 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194803,"EventID":"S2W-22142","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many exemptions under section 18 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 it has applied to freedom of information requests in each of the last 12 months.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many exemptions under section 18 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 it has applied to freedom of information requests in each of the last 12 months.","AnswerText":"Records show that a notice under section 18 of the act has been issued on two occasions, one in May and one in November. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Margaret Curran","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194804,"EventID":"S2W-22143","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-13 will have on regional development funding.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-13 will have on regional development funding.","AnswerText":"Under the agreement reached between member states on the EU budget 2007-13 on 16 December 2005 Structural Funds will continue to be available throughout Scotland. It is not yet possible to quantify the economic impact of this agreement on regional development funding. It has yet to be clarified how this funding will be divided between the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Executive is currently proposing four future programmes for Scotland: one ERDF and one ESF programme each for Highlands and Islands and for lowland and upland Scotland. Final funding figures are subject to agreement between the UK Government and Devolved Administrations and the Scottish Executive is actively involved in arguing Scotland’s case with partners in the UK Government and the devolved administrations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194805,"EventID":"S2W-22144","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-2013 will have on agricultural funding.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-2013 will have on agricultural funding.","AnswerText":"The new EU budget 2007-13 was agreed in December 2005. The total budget for EU expenditure 2007-13 has been set at €862.3 billion. Within this, provision for Pillar II of the CAP which funds agri-environment schemes and other rural development measures, was reduced during the budget negotiations and now stands at €69.75 billion for the seven year period. The UK share of Pillar II funds for 2007-13 is not yet known. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194806,"EventID":"S2W-22145","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-13 will have on Social Fund spending.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-13 will have on Social Fund spending.","AnswerText":"Under the agreement reached betweenmember states on the EU budget 2007-13 on 16 December 2005, Structural Funds will continue to be available throughout Scotland. However,this funding will be at levels reduced from what Scotland currently receives. Scotlandas a whole could receive approximately £475 million, or about 45% of what we currentlyreceive. These figures are estimates at this moment and are subject to agreementbetween the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on how to divide UK competitivenessfunding between the nations.It has yet to be clarified howthis funding will be divided between the European Social Fund (ESF) and the EuropeanRegional Development Fund (ERDF). The Executive is currently proposing four futureprogrammes for Scotland: one ERDF and one ESF programme each for Highlands andIslands and for Lowland and Upland Scotland. Despite the reduction in fundingit is important to remember that the vast majority of funding for economic developmentin Scotland comes from domestic sources. The Executive is committedto economic development in Scotland but is not reliant on Structural Funds to continue thisagenda. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194807,"EventID":"S2W-22146","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any Special Branch informants operating against democratic political parties in Scotland and, if so, which political parties and how long the Execu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any Special Branch informants operating against democratic political parties in Scotland and, if so, which political parties and how long the Executive has been aware of such operations.??","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21755 on 18 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194808,"EventID":"S2W-22147","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward proposals to amend the law to allow the appointment of councillors to the Chair of college boards.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward proposals to amend the law to allow the appointment of councillors to the Chair of college boards.","AnswerText":"The position is currentlyunder review, and an announcement on this and other measures relating to theconstitution of college boards of management is due by the spring.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194809,"EventID":"S2W-22148","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways police forces differ in their approach to recording crime. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways police forces differ in their approach to recording crime. ","AnswerText":"All police forces have appliedthe national Scottish Crime Recording Standard since April 2004.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194810,"EventID":"S2W-22149","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ensure that each police force uses a standard system to record crime.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ensure that each police force uses a standard system to record crime.","AnswerText":"All forces have applied the ScottishCrime Recording Standard since April 2004.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194811,"EventID":"S2W-22150","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the way in which police accidents are recorded.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the way in which police accidents are recorded.","AnswerText":"The Executive has no plans tochange the way in which police accidents are recorded.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194812,"EventID":"S2W-22151","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of secondary school teachers who have specific training in drug awareness and prevention to those who have no such training.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of secondary school teachers who have specific training in drug awareness and prevention to those who have no such training.","AnswerText":"Information is not held centrally on the number of secondary school teachers who have been given specific training in drug awareness and prevention beyond that which is given to all student teachers during initial teacher education and/or induction. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194813,"EventID":"S2W-22152","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to drug awareness and prevention in both primary and secondary education in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to drug awareness and prevention in both primary and secondary education in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"£1 million was made available annually over 2001-02 to 2003-04 to local authorities for work on drugs education and drug awareness in schools. Grant funding of £462,450 was also made available over 2002-03 and 2003-04 to Scotland Against Drugs for drugs education training for teachers in Primary and Secondary schools and £31,840 was made available to the Scottish Training Agency for Drugs and Alcohol for teachers to attend multi-agency training. In September 2005 a full range of Know the Score materials was made available, free of charge, to all schools and other educational establishments in Scotland. These materials provide information and advice on drugs misuse. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194814,"EventID":"S2W-22153","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) firefighters have reported sick with a stress-related illness in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) firefighters have reported sick with a stress-related illness in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194815,"EventID":"S2W-22154","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police and (b) fire stations have closed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police and (b) fire stations have closed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held in the format requested or for all of the time periods stipulated. I refer the member to the answers to questions, S2W-9973 on 9 September 2004, S2W-10733, on 29 September 2004, and S2W-17970 on 16 August 2005. All answers to written questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194816,"EventID":"S2W-22155","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensed debt collectors operate in Scotland and how many complaints have been made against them in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensed debt collectors operate in Scotland and how many complaints have been made against them in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to licensing of debt collectors. Licensing of debt collectors is a reserved matter dealt with by the Office of Fair Trading. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194817,"EventID":"S2W-22156","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensed money lenders there are.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensed money lenders there are.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to licensing of money lenders. Licensing of money lending is a reserved matter dealt with by the Office of Fair Trading. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194818,"EventID":"S2W-22157","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-licensed money lenders it estimates operate in Scotland and how many prosecutions there have been against them since 1999, broken down by local authority are","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-licensed money lenders it estimates operate in Scotland and how many prosecutions there have been against them since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no estimates of numbers of non-licensed money lenders. There were no proceedings in 1999 to 2001 in Scottish Courts for offences under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 s39(1), unlicensed trading, and one each in 2002 and 2003. It is not possible to break these figures down by local authority area. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194819,"EventID":"S2W-22158","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2364,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":11,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), what further meetings have taken place between the Executive ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), what further meetings have taken place between the Executive and the UK Government since the meeting between Executive and Home Office senior officials on 16 December 2005 regarding policies relating to the removal of failed asylum seeker families.","AnswerText":"The First Minister met the Home Secretary on 17 January 2006. A further meeting of officials took place on 16 January 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194820,"EventID":"S2W-22159","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2364,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":11,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), when the next meeting between officials or ministers of the E","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), when the next meeting between officials or ministers of the Executive and the UK Government will take place regarding policies relating to the removal of failed asylum seeker families.","AnswerText":"Discussions are positive and on-going. We expect further meetings of officials to take place in the next two weeks. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194821,"EventID":"S2W-22160","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2364,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":11,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), whether the issue of the length of time spent in Scotland by ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), whether the issue of the length of time spent in Scotland by the children of asylum seeker families will be discussed during any of the scheduled meetings between the Executive and the UK Government regarding the removal of failed asylum seeker families.","AnswerText":"A number of issues have been discussed in the meetings which have taken place between the Executive and the UK Government. We are seeking to agree improvements in a range of issues. We will report developments to Parliament as soon as we are able to. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194822,"EventID":"S2W-22161","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2364,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":11,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), when a statement will be made to the Parliament regarding any","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), when a statement will be made to the Parliament regarding any agreement reached as the result of the meetings which have taken place between the Executive and the UK Government regarding the removal of failed asylum seeker families.","AnswerText":"Discussions with the Home Office are progressing well. We are seeking to agree improvements in a range of issues and will report developments to Parliament as soon as we are able to. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194823,"EventID":"S2W-22162","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14332 by Peter Peacock on 2 March 2005, how many schools the Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have visit","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14332 by Peter Peacock on 2 March 2005, how many schools the Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have visited in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire since 25 August 2004, detailing each school visited and the date of, and reasons for, each visit.","AnswerText":"The Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have made the following visits to schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire since 25 August 2004. | Date | Minister | Authority | School | Reason | | 25-02-005 | Minister | Aberdeen City | Torry Academy | Meet staff and pupils. Discuss Ambitious Excellent Schools. | | 18-08-005 | Minister | Aberdeenshire | Kellands School, Inverurie | Presentation of the John Muir award | | 20-01-006 | Deputy | Aberdeen City | St Machar Primary | General Visit | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194824,"EventID":"S2W-22163","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister or Deputy Minister for Education and Young People has any plans to visit schools in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire and, if so, whether it will gi","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister or Deputy Minister for Education and Young People has any plans to visit schools in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire and, if so, whether it will give details of the schools to be visited and the reasons for each visit.","AnswerText":"The Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have no immediate plans to visit schools in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire. As recently as 20 January 2006, the Deputy Minister paid a general visit to St Machar Primary in Aberdeen. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194825,"EventID":"S2W-22164","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to sell alcohol have been withdrawn as a result of a breach of the licence in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area and show","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to sell alcohol have been withdrawn as a result of a breach of the licence in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not collect these statistics centrally. The Criminal Justice Statistics Unit within the Scottish Executive does, however, maintain and publish an annual series of Statistical Bulletins on Liquor Licences in Scotland. In 2003, statistics on the total number of licences that were suspended were collected for the first time.The figures for 2003 and 2004 are broken down into local authority areas as follows: | Local Authority | Number | | 2003 | 2004 | | Aberdeen City | 2 | - | | Aberdeenshire | 2 | 2 | | Angus | 1 | 1 | | Clackmannanshire | - | 2 | | Dundee City | 4 | - | | East Ayrshire | - | 2 | | East Renfrewshire | 1 | - | | Edinburgh, City of | 3 | 4 | | Falkirk | - | 2 | | Fife | - | 1 | | Glasgow City | - | 1 | | Highland | - | 1 | | North Ayrshire | 2 | - | | North Lanarkshire | 2 | 1 | | Orkney Islands | - | - | | Perth and Kinross | - | 1 | | Scottish Borders | 1 | - | | South Lanarkshire | 1 | 2 | | West Dunbartonshire | - | 1 | | Scotland | 19 | 21 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194826,"EventID":"S2W-22165","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been for the supply of alcohol to under-age customers in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area and showing year-o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been for the supply of alcohol to under-age customers in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database records details of the charges against each accused in terms of the specific common law or statutory offence that is alleged to have been committed. The following table shows the total number of charges reported in the last three financial years where procurators fiscal commenced court proceedings for contraventions of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, Section 68(1)&(7) which relate to a licensee or agent or employee selling alcohol to a person under 18 years. Court Proceedings Commenced: Contraventions of Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, Section 68(1)&(7) | Police Force Area | Financial Year 2002-03 | Financial Year 2003-04 | Financial Year 2004-05 | % Change 2002-03 to 2003-04 | % Change 2003-04 to 2004-05 | | Central Scotland Police | 6 | 17 | 13 | +183% | -24% | | Dumfries and Galloway Police | 2 | 5 | 11 | +150% | +120% | | Fife Constabulary | 25 | 4 | 4 | -84% | 0% | | Grampian Police | 14 | 1 | 2 | -93% | +100% | | Lothian and Borders Police | 16 | 14 | 21 | -13% | +50% | | Northern Constabulary | 0 | 4 | 11 | N/a | +175% | | Strathclyde Police | 46 | 70 | 81 | +52% | +16% | | Tayside Police | 6 | 7 | 3 | +17% | -57% | Notes: 1. The information in this table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges. 2. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service completed an upgrade of its electronic case management system in April 2002. Only case records created after that date contain complete data which is capable of electronic analysis. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194827,"EventID":"S2W-22166","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for rural home ownership grants were made in each local authority area in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05, showing year-on-year percentage ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for rural home ownership grants were made in each local authority area in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: The number of applications for rural home ownership grants (RHOGs) that have been made by local authority area in the period (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05, showing year-on-year percentage changes are as follows: Number of RHOG Applications Received by Unitary Authority (2002-03 to 2004-05) | | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | | Applications | Applications | % Change | Applications | % Change | | Aberdeenshire | 1 | 2 | 100% | 2 | 0% | | Argyll and Bute | 1 | 12 | 1,100% | 10 | -17% | | Highland | 32 | 39 | 22% | 45 | 15% | | North Ayrshire | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1 | 0% | | Orkney Islands | 26 | 29 | 12% | 39 | 34% | | Perth and Kinross | 8 | 1 | -88% | 25 | 2400% | | Shetland Islands | 3 | 4 | 33% | 4 | 0% | | The Scottish Borders | 2 | 3 | 50% | 6 | 100% | | Western Isles | 3 | 5 | 67% | 3 | -40%” | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194828,"EventID":"S2W-22167","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been admitted to each hospital in each NHS board area for (a) drug-related and (b) alcohol-related conditions in each of the last five years, showi","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been admitted to each hospital in each NHS board area for (a) drug-related and (b) alcohol-related conditions in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"Information showing the number of children (aged under 16) dischargedwith an alcohol related or drug misuse diagnosis has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 38666).","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194829,"EventID":"S2W-22168","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with an orthodontic consultant following referral by an NHS hospital have been in each of the last five ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with an orthodontic consultant following referral by an NHS hospital have been in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"NHSScotland has made excellent progress in reducing long waits for patients. On 30 September 2005, the number of patients waiting more than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment with consultant in dental specialties, including orthodontics, following referral, was 1,188 compared with 5,031 on 31 December 2004 - a reduction of 76%. Information on the median waiting times for a first outpatient appointment with an orthodontic consultant, following referral, by NHS dental or district general hospital or local community hospital, in the years ended 30 September 2001 to 2005, has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38745). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194830,"EventID":"S2W-22169","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies were born with a drug dependency in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area, showing year-on-year percentage changes and expressed also","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies were born with a drug dependency in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area, showing year-on-year percentage changes and expressed also as a percentage of all births.","AnswerText":"The information requested can be accessed via the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38634). This table includes analyses for the five year period up to 2002-03, the latest year for which data is available. ISD Scotland are currently collating the data for 2003-04 and these will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in due course. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194831,"EventID":"S2W-22170","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for anti-depressants have been dispensed in each NHS board area in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for anti-depressants have been dispensed in each NHS board area in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The information requested is provided in the following tables. The data given refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals and hospital-based clinics. Antidepressants Prescribed in Scotland - Financial Years 2000-01 to 2004-05 Number of Prescribed Items and Percentage Change (Year-on-Year) | NHS Board | 2000-01 | 2000-01* | 2001-02 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2002-03 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 221,504 | 7.14% | 243,336 | 9.86% | 257,624 | 5.87% | | Borders | 53,443 | 11.15% | 60,232 | 12.70% | 65,614 | 8.94% | | Argyll and Clyde | 271,526 | 8.56% | 298,310 | 9.86% | 322,404 | 8.08% | | Fife | 188,377 | 10.92% | 206,229 | 9.48% | 221,354 | 7.33% | | Greater Glasgow | 539,972 | 9.34% | 589,782 | 9.22% | 639,060 | 8.36% | | Highland | 101,523 | 10.20% | 110,881 | 9.22% | 117,976 | 6.40% | | Lanarkshire | 322,447 | 9.75% | 355,414 | 10.22% | 387,851 | 9.13% | | Grampian | 218,036 | 7.05% | 236,928 | 8.66% | 251,199 | 6.02% | | Orkney | 8,362 | 5.98% | 9,031 | 8.00% | 9,780 | 8.29% | | Lothian | 353,180 | 8.82% | 383,564 | 8.60% | 409,371 | 6.73% | | Tayside | 209,570 | 9.04% | 227,574 | 8.59% | 239,351 | 5.18% | | Forth Valley | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194833,"EventID":"S2W-22172","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) females and (b) males aged (i) under 16, (ii) 16 to 18 and (iii) 19 to 21 were identified as having a sexually transmitted infection in (1) total and (2) eac","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) females and (b) males aged (i) under 16, (ii) 16 to 18 and (iii) 19 to 21 were identified as having a sexually transmitted infection in (1) total and (2) each NHS board area in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The full range of information requested is not held centrally. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are treated in a number of locations, including genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, family planning clinics and primary care settings. Data from these locations are incomplete. The information which is available from GUM clinic attendances is given in Table 1 – Patients aged 21 and under diagnosed with an STI in Scottish GUM clinics by NHS Board of residence, gender, year and age group; 2000-2004, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38635). In addition, laboratory data on the four main STIs is routinely collected by Health Protection Scotland. The number of positive laboratory reports are very similar to diagnoses recorded at GUM clinics although chlamydia, which is the most frequent single diagnosis in this age group, is more likely to be diagnosed in other settings. The data in Table 2 - Laboratory reports of Chlamydia among persons aged 21 years and under by NHS Board of diagnosis, gender, year and age group; Scotland 2000-2004, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38636) contains the available data from laboratory reports, broken down by NHS board area. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194834,"EventID":"S2W-22173","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any local authorities have not developed a fuel poverty strategy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any local authorities have not developed a fuel poverty strategy.","AnswerText":"All Scottish local authorities have in place, or are in the process of drafting a fuel poverty strategy with the exception of North Ayrshire Council which intends to develop its strategy later this year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194835,"EventID":"S2W-22174","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to each NHS board in each of the last three years and how much funding has been allocated for each of the next three years, expressed also ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to each NHS board in each of the last three years and how much funding has been allocated for each of the next three years, expressed also on a per capita basis.","AnswerText":"Details are as follows: | NHS Board | 2002-03 Total Allocation (£ million) | 2002-03 Per Capita (£) | 2003-04 Total Allocation (£ million) | 2003-04 Per Capita (£) | 2004-05 Total Allocation (£ million) | 2004-05 Per Capita (£) | | Argyll and Clyde | 476.764 | 1,139 | 509.567 | 1,222 | 571.174 | 1,374 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 412.956 | 1,125 | 446.036 | 1,215 | 508.342 | 1,383 | | Borders | 117.690 | 1,096 | 127.071 | 1,174 | 145.324 | 1,330 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 173.251 | 1,176 | 185.178 | 1,258 | 209.764 | 1,418 | | Fife | 358.873 | 1,009 | 382.916 | 1,088 | 435.686 | 1,229 | | Forth Valley | 294.722 | 1,055 | 312.759 | 1,118 | 348.077 | 1,235 | | Grampian | 539.080 | 1,030 | 576.841 | 1,102 | 626.984 | 1,196 | | Greater Glasgow | 1,118.237 | 1,291 | 1,176.202 | 1,358 | 1,307.122 | 1,509 | | Highland | 246.927 | 1,186 | 266.721 | 1,276 | 307.357 | 1,454 | | Lanarkshire | 574.003 | 1,038 | 624.011 | 1,128 | 696.493 | 1,252 | | Lothian | 775.075 | 995 | 886.270 | 1,136 | 943.836 | 1,199 | | Orkney | they serve. Views on the proposal are sought by 28 February 2006, at which point all views will be considered. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194838,"EventID":"S2W-22177","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in (a) each NHS board area and (b) total were classified as clinically obese in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the populat","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in (a) each NHS board area and (b) total were classified as clinically obese in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the population and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The exact number of people diagnosed with clinical obesity in Scotland in each of the last five years, is not available centrally. However, there are two sources from which estimates can be derived regarding the prevalence of obesity: 1. National estimates of the numbers of people consulting for obesity can be given based on the number of patients seen for the condition in general practices participating in PTI (Practice Team Information). PTI data are obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices whose population covers the full range of age, sex, deprivation and urban/rural classes existing in Scotland. The number of participating practices is too small to allow estimates for individual NHS board areas. 2. National prevalence estimates can be obtained from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey. The Scottish Health Survey website (http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scottishhealthsurvey/) shows the percentage of respondents regarded as obese (body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) > 30) in each NHS board area, but does not give information on the underlying numbers. Information is also available from earlier surveys in 1998 and 1995. The estimated number of patients who consulted their general practices in Scotland for “obesity” based on PTI data over the financial years ending 31 March 2001 to 2005 is shown in the following table 1. Obesity in these consultations was not precisely defined in terms of height, weight or BMI. These figures are likely to considerably underestimate the true number of obese people in Scotland because many people with obesity do not consult their GP practice. In addition, these figures exclude people with obesity who did not consult their practice during the year of the analysis. Also, patients may visit the general practice for a condition e.g. diabetes, hypertension, related to their obesity without obesity itself being recorded. The numbers shown in table 1 are less than a tenth of the Scottish Health Survey estimates. Table 1. Estimated Number of Patients Contacting their GP or any Member of the Practice Team1 Regarding Obesity; Financial Years Ending 31 March 2001 to 2005 | Financial Year | Number of Patients Seen | | GP Only | Full Practice Team | | 2000-01 | 25,600 | | | 2001-02 | 41,300 | | | 2002-03 | 40,400 | | | 2003-04 | 35,300 | 45,000 | | 2004-05 | 28,800 | 36,700 | Note: 1. The Practice Team includes GPs, practice nurses, district nurses and health visitors. Before April 2003 data is available on GP visits only. Table 2 shows the percentage of respondents from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey who were obese (BMI > 30) in each NHS board area. Information on the underlying numbers is not provided on the Scottish Health Survey website. Table 2. Percentage Obese (Defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) >30), by NHS Board and Sex, Ages 16+1,2 | | Men3 | Women3 | | Argyll and Clyde | 23.2 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194839,"EventID":"S2W-22178","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates obtained a degree in chemistry from each of Scotland’s universities in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates obtained a degree in chemistry from each of Scotland’s universities in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The following tables showthe number of chemistry graduates from each of Scotland’s Higher EducationInstitutes (HEIs) in each of the last five years, as well as year-on-yearpercentage changes.Chemistrygraduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions, 1999-2000 to 2003-04 1999-2000 | | Total | Postgraduate | First Degree | Other HE | | Total | 690 | 225 | 430 | 35 | | University of Abertay Dundee | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | | The Robert Gordon University | 55 | 20 | 15 | 15 | | The University of Paisley | 25 | 5 | 25 | 0 | | Glasgow Caledonian University | 30 | 5 | 30 | 0 | | Napier University | 20 | 0 | 10 | 10 | | The University of Edinburgh | 140 | 45 | 95 | 0 | | The University of Glasgow | 55 | 5 | 50 | 0 | | The University of Strathclyde | 160 | 80 | 80 | 0 | | The University of Aberdeen | 70 | 35 | 35 | 0 | | Heriot-Watt University | 55 | 10 | 35 | 5 | | The University of Dundee | 20 | 10 | 10 | 5 | | The University of St Andrews | 50 | 10 | 40 | 0 | | The University of Stirling | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency (HESA). In this table 0, one and twoare rounded to 0. Numbers have beenrounded to the nearest five to protect confidentiality. Values may not sum to totaldue to rounding. 2000-01 | | Total | Postgraduate | First Degree | Other HE | % Change in the Total from 1999-2000 to 2000-01 | | Total | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194841,"EventID":"S2W-22180","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental practices have ceased providing NHS dental services in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental practices have ceased providing NHS dental services in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board and showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"In the requested period 133 practicesceased and 137 practices began providing NHS general dental services.The information requested forthe financial years 1999-2000 to 2004-05 is detailed in the tables: Number of DentalPractices that Ceased Providing NHS General Dental Services. For comparison detailsof the number of dental practices in Scotland that have commenced providing NHS general dental servicesover the same period are also provided in tables: Number of dental practicesthat began providing NHS general dental services. Copies of these tables havebeen placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers: 38690 and38691). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194842,"EventID":"S2W-22181","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many students sat exams at (a) standard, (b) higher and (c) advanced higher grade in (i) biology, (ii) chemistry, (iii) physics, (iv) French, (v) German and (vi) Span","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many students sat exams at (a) standard, (b) higher and (c) advanced higher grade in (i) biology, (ii) chemistry, (iii) physics, (iv) French, (v) German and (vi) Spanish in each local authority area in each of the last six years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"A table showing the number of entries and year-on-year percentage change for National Qualifications courses in biology, chemistry, physics, French, German and Spanish in each local authority area from 2000-05 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38630). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194843,"EventID":"S2W-22182","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, students graduating from dental schools left Scotland for their first post in each of the last three years, showing year-on-year percent","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, students graduating from dental schools left Scotland for their first post in each of the last three years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"The information held by the Scottish Executive on destinations of graduates from Scottish universitiescomes from a voluntary survey conducted six months after the student graduated.The following table shows the percentage of responding graduates of clinicaldentistry from Scottish universities who were employed in Scotland andelsewhere in the UK for the last three years. | Year of Graduation | % of Respondents Employed in Scotland2 | % of Respondents Employed Elsewhere in UK2 | % of Respondents Employed | Number of Graduates in Year1 | | 2002 | 83% | 14% | 96% | 135 | | 2003 | 89% | 9% | 98% | 85 | | 2004 | 71% | 23% | 94% | 180 | Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency. Notes: 1. Numbers have been roundedto the nearest five. 2. Percentages may not sumto fourth column exactly due to rounding. The following is a corrected answer(published on 28 September 2006);see below Nicol Stephen: The information held by the Scottish Executive on destinations of graduates from Scottish universitiescomes from a voluntary survey conducted six months after the student graduated.The following table shows the percentage of responding graduates of clinicaldentistry from Scottish universities who were employed in Scotland andelsewhere in the UK for the last three years. | Academic Year of Graduation | % of Respondents Employed in Scotland2 | % of Respondents Employed Elsewhere in UK2 | % of Respondents Employed | Number of Graduates in Year1 | | 2001-02 | 83% | 14% | 96% | 135 | | 2002-03 | 78% | 18% | 96% | 125 | | 2003-04 | 75% | 20% | 95% | 125 | Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency amended by Scottish Executive* Notes: 1. Numbers have been roundedto the nearest five. 2. Percentages may not sum tofourth column exactly due to rounding. *The number of graduatesreported by Dundee University to the Higher Education Statistics Agency has beenqueried with the Dental School at Dundee. For 2002-03 and 2003-04 the dental school recordsshow a substantially different number of graduates, caused by a timing","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194844,"EventID":"S2W-22183","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to revise the minimum and maximum payments available via home loss compensation in order to bring the payments into line with those available in ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to revise the minimum and maximum payments available via home loss compensation in order to bring the payments into line with those available in England.","AnswerText":"The Executive is considering the appropriate level of home loss payments for Scotland and will consider bringing forward proposals in due course, should a change in levels be required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194845,"EventID":"S2W-22184","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the central heating programme will continue beyond 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the central heating programme will continue beyond 2006.","AnswerText":"The central heating programmes in their current format will come to an end this year, however, new programmes will be announced shortly which will continue until at least 2008 and the next spending review. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194846,"EventID":"S2W-22185","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many rural home ownership grants have been awarded in each local authority area in each year since the scheme was created.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many rural home ownership grants have been awarded in each local authority area in each year since the scheme was created.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: Information in the form requested is only available since 1996-97. The number of rural home ownership grants (RHOGs) that have been awarded by local authority area in the period 1996-97 to 2004-05 is as follows: Number of RHOG Approvals by Unitary Authority (1996-97 to 2004-05) | | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Aberdeenshire | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Angus | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Argyll and Bute | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 9 | | Highland | 18 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 22 | 15 | 27 | 36 | 42 | | Moray | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Orkney Islands | 12 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 38 | | Perth and Kinross | 12 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 18 | | Shetland Islands | 5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | | Stirling | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194847,"EventID":"S2W-22186","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist the Borders textile industry and, in particular, cashmere production, in light of recent redundancies at Douglas of Scotland and John","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist the Borders textile industry and, in particular, cashmere production, in light of recent redundancies at Douglas of Scotland and John Laings of Hawick.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Textiles teamin Scottish Enterprise has a remit to assist the sustainable development andgrowth of the textile industry throughout Scotland, including the Borders. The team works with a numberof partners to deliver a wide range of support measures to address theindustry’s issues such as workforce development, image technical capability andoverseas development. In addition, Scottish Enterprise Borders has provided financialand administrative support to the Cashmere Club which represents 85% of theBorders based cashmere industry over a four year period. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194848,"EventID":"S2W-22187","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been lost in (a) textiles, (b) tourism, (c) electronics, (d) farming, (e) the public sector and (f) other sectors in the Scottish Borders in each year ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been lost in (a) textiles, (b) tourism, (c) electronics, (d) farming, (e) the public sector and (f) other sectors in the Scottish Borders in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"Statistics on the number ofjobs lost are not held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194849,"EventID":"S2W-22188","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12475 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 26 January 2001, how often and on what dates the Scottish Textiles Forum has met since its inception","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12475 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 26 January 2001, how often and on what dates the Scottish Textiles Forum has met since its inception.","AnswerText":"The Forum has met twice ayear since its inception. It met on 4 March 2002,2 September 2002, 7 March 2003, 5 September 2003, 13 February 2004, 10 September 2004, 28 January 2005 and 23 September 2005. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194850,"EventID":"S2W-22189","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what role there is for the Scottish Textiles Forum in respect of the redundancies in textile production in the Scottish Borders.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what role there is for the Scottish Textiles Forum in respect of the redundancies in textile production in the Scottish Borders.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Textiles Forumprovides a central coordinating body linking industry with government. The forumwill therefore continue to work with industry and key partner organisations todevelop strategic direction for the industry and appropriate measures ofsupport.Scottish Enterprise Bordersis working closely with other agencies such as Careers Scotland, ScottishBorders Council and JobCentre Plus through the PACE initiative to help thosemade redundant find suitable new employment. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194851,"EventID":"S2W-22190","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided to support textile production in the Scottish Borders in each of the last six years; where the funding has been allocated, and for what pur","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided to support textile production in the Scottish Borders in each of the last six years; where the funding has been allocated, and for what purpose.","AnswerText":"Since 2001 ScottishEnterprise has provided over £1.7 million through Scottish Textiles to supportthe Scottish textiles industry. A further breakdown to show specific figuresfor the Borders and purpose of the funding is not available asdisproportionately high costs would be attached to obtaining this information.Scottish Enterprise Bordershas provided a financial contribution of £419,000 over a four year period from2001-05 to the Borders based Cashmere Club. This is in addition to £130,000from Scottish Borders Council and up to £632,000 from the EU. This funding wasused for brand promotion and enhancing the brand image. In addition, localenterprise companies provide a range of business support services assistingtraining and business development. From 2000 the ScottishExecutive has provided some £538,000 in Regional Selective Assistance toScottish Textiles companies in the Borders to support capital investments of £2.4million creating or safeguarding 110 jobs. Scottish Development Internationalprovides £50,000 per annum to support and promote the industry internationally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194852,"EventID":"S2W-22191","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities are available for women’s drug rehabilitation services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities are available for women’s drug rehabilitation services.","AnswerText":"It is for local drug action teamsand partners to design and deliver services for drug misusers, tailored to meetlocal needs and priorities. Information provided by drug action teams through corporateaction plans for 2005-06 shows that there are 65 non-residential servicesacross Scotland which have facilities specifically for women. Residentialfacilities available for women’s drug rehabilitation include those providedthroughout Scotland by the Aberlour Child Care Trust for women and theirchildren who have a dependency on drugs or alcohol.Criminal Justice disposalssuch as Probation with a Condition of Treatment and Drug Treatment and TestingOrders are also available for women offenders with substance misuse problems. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194853,"EventID":"S2W-22192","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female drug addicts have been sent from Scotland to (a) England and (b) Wales for rehabilitation treatment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female drug addicts have been sent from Scotland to (a) England and (b) Wales for rehabilitation treatment.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194854,"EventID":"S2W-22193","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent in the current financial year on funding rehabilitation treatment for female drug addicts.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent in the current financial year on funding rehabilitation treatment for female drug addicts.","AnswerText":"It is not possible to disaggregatefunds spent on the basis of gender. However, in 2004-05, the most recent year forwhich figures are available, 33% of new individuals accessing drug treatment werewomen, according to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194855,"EventID":"S2W-22194","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any proposals to establish a national rehabilitation centre for female drug addicts in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any proposals to establish a national rehabilitation centre for female drug addicts in Scotland.","AnswerText":"There are no proposals to establisha national rehabilitation centre for female drug addicts in Scotland.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194856,"EventID":"S2W-22195","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on providing rehabilitation services for female drug users.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on providing rehabilitation services for female drug users.","AnswerText":"We are working towards improvementsin service quality and delivery to ensure that all drug misusers have access toa range of patient-centred services which can be tailored to meet individual needsand circumstances and that support service users to turn away from criminal activity.Action at local level to encourage women drug users to access treatment servicesis for Drug Action Teams.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194857,"EventID":"S2W-22196","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on providing rehabilitation services for female drug users who are pregnant.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on providing rehabilitation services for female drug users who are pregnant.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22195 on 19 January 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.Information provided by DrugAction Teams through Corporate Action Plans for 2005-06 shows that there are 57services across Scotland which have facilities specifically for pregnant women. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194858,"EventID":"S2W-22197","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Ayrshire and Arran regarding the availability of drug rehabilitation services in the area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Ayrshire and Arran regarding the availability of drug rehabilitation services in the area.","AnswerText":"NHS Ayrshire and Arran is a keypartner in Ayrshire and Arran’s Alcohol and Drug Action Team (ADAT). The ADAT submitsannual Corporate Action Plans to the Executive detailing past performance and plannedaction across a range of national priorities, including the availability of drugtreatment and rehabilitation services. The Executive provides written feedback backto the ADAT.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194859,"EventID":"S2W-22198","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has allocated in this parliamentary session to NHS Ayrshire and Arran for drug rehabilitation services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has allocated in this parliamentary session to NHS Ayrshire and Arran for drug rehabilitation services.","AnswerText":"In this parliamentarysession the following resources have been, or will be, allocated to NHSAyrshire and Arran for drug treatment and rehabilitation services. | Year | Allocation | | 2003-04 | 987,000 | | 2004-05 | 1,036,000 | | 2005-06 | 1,153,781 | | 2006-07 | 1,153,781 | | 2007-08 | 1,153,781 | Funding for 2007-8 is dependentupon performance. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194860,"EventID":"S2W-22199","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the funding available to NHS Ayrshire and Arran to tackle drugs misuse.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the funding available to NHS Ayrshire and Arran to tackle drugs misuse.","AnswerText":"Ayrshire and Arran NHS board receive £1,153,781 for drug treatment and rehabilitation services per annum. If additional resources are made available in the future the specific allocation to Ayrshire and Arran will be considered along with those for the rest of Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194861,"EventID":"S2W-22200","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have implemented the Agenda for Change pay package for nurses.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have implemented the Agenda for Change pay package for nurses.","AnswerText":"All NHS boards are in the process of assimilating nursing staff in NHS Scotland on to the Agenda for Change pay bands, and substantial progress has been made. It is expected that most nurses will be on the Agenda for Change scales by the end of May 2006. The implementation of Agenda for Change has been taken forward in partnership with staff side representatives to ensure proper application of the new arrangements. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194862,"EventID":"S2W-22201","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how its Volunteering Strategy will support established organisations in recruiting, training and retaining volunteers, in addition to supporting newer initiatives such as","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how its Volunteering Strategy will support established organisations in recruiting, training and retaining volunteers, in addition to supporting newer initiatives such as Volunteer Development Scotland.","AnswerText":"The objective of strand three of the Volunteering Strategy is to ensure that volunteers are welcomed and valued by organisations which engage volunteers, and that they are given guidance, training and support to develop through volunteering, according to their individual needs and aspirations. Developing the skills base of those who manage volunteers – in both new and established organisations - will be key to developing efficient recruitment practice and ensuring appropriate training and a high quality volunteering experience. The network of 32 local volunteer centres and Volunteer Development Scotland will play an important role here. For example, Volunteer Development Scotland and the Volunteer Centre network will be delivering the Introductory Programme in Volunteers Management comprising five one day courses covering: Increasing Volunteer Effectiveness through Training and Development; Effective Volunteer Recruitment; Planning Strategically for Volunteer Involvement; Matching Volunteers to Tasks and Roles, and Supporting and Supervising Skills. Between January and March this year 95 one day courses will have been offered through local volunteer centres. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194863,"EventID":"S2W-22202","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-11T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are available to enable voluntary youth organisations to train volunteers in the skills needed to provide good leadership in youth work.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are available to enable voluntary youth organisations to train volunteers in the skills needed to provide good leadership in youth work.","AnswerText":"The resources available tovoluntary youth organisations were outlined in my answer to question, S2W-21187on 13 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.Inaddition, training for volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations, includingyouth groups, is provided by infrastructure bodies funded by the ScottishExecutive, such as Volunteer Development Scotland (VDS), the Scottish Councilfor Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Volunteer Centre and Councils forVoluntary Service networks. Information about fundsavailable for such training from other organisations, such as local authoritiesor charitable trusts, is not collected centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194864,"EventID":"S2W-22203","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment it has made of the level of funding for mental health services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment it has made of the level of funding for mental health services.","AnswerText":"The overall level of health funding was assessed by ministers in Spending Review 2004. NHS boards are receiving record levels of funding to meet the health care needs, including mental health needs, of their resident populations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194865,"EventID":"S2W-22204","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle any discrimination against people with mental illness who are seeking work.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle any discrimination against people with mental illness who are seeking work.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has provided £2.178 million over the period 2002-05 to the See Me campaign to address stigma and discrimination. See Me has in process a dedicated strand of activity specifically aimed at the workplace. Scotland’s Health At Work programme includes the delivery of sustainable workplace training initiatives aimed at raising awareness of mental health and reducing stigma and discrimination in the general workforce. People with mental health problems are protected against discrimination by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) if they meet the DDA definition of disability. The area of employment and working life is one of six priority areas for action of the Scottish Executive’s National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-being with a focus on challenging attitudes and behaviours towards mental health and addressing discrimination. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194866,"EventID":"S2W-22205","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with mental illness have died in police custody in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with mental illness have died in police custody in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194867,"EventID":"S2W-22206","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in the last five years from interested parties in respect of the delivery of mental health services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in the last five years from interested parties in respect of the delivery of mental health services.","AnswerText":"There is on-going engagement with a range of stakeholders including the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. Service users, carers and other interests are also actively involved within formal and other arrangements including the mechanisms in place for public and patient involvement in the design of services and policy. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194868,"EventID":"S2W-22207","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been made against NHS boards in respect of mental health care in each year since 1999 and what level of involvement ministers had in response to ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been made against NHS boards in respect of mental health care in each year since 1999 and what level of involvement ministers had in response to each case.","AnswerText":"The NHS complaints procedure, which is independent of ministers and the Scottish Executive Health Department, was introduced in April 1996, and revised in April 2005, to provide a simple, flexible, impartial and easily accessible system for dealing with complaints. NHS boards and other NHS organisations submit information about the written complaints they receive to ISD Scotland. A summary of these complaints for 2002-05, is available by service area, including joint data on psychiatric and learning disabilities, at http://www.isdscotland.org/complaints. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194869,"EventID":"S2W-22208","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has allocated for the provision of mental health services in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has allocated for the provision of mental health services in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"No specific allocation is made to NHS boards for the provision of mental health services. The level of expenditure on mental health and all other care services is determined by each NHS board from within their share of the record resources made available to NHSScotland. In addition, grants of £20 million are paid to local authorities by the Scottish Executive under the Mental Health Specific Grant scheme. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194870,"EventID":"S2W-22209","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is to the economy arising from mental illness.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is to the economy arising from mental illness.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not made an estimate of the cost to the economy of mental illness. The direct costs of treatment services provided by NHS Scotland are £625,531,000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194871,"EventID":"S2W-22210","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff employed by NHS Scotland were aged 70 or over in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff employed by NHS Scotland were aged 70 or over in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The table shows the total number of staff aged 70 and over employed in NHS Scotland at 30 September in each year from 1999 to 2004. NHSScotland Workforce Statistics, All NHS Staff, Headcount at 30 September | | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | | Aged 70 or over | 6 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 24 | 28 | Source: ISD Scotland. NHSScotland values the diversity of its staff and where possible would support employees wishing to work beyond retirement age. We have introduced a range of work life balance policies to support this aim. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194872,"EventID":"S2W-22211","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on royal visits to Scotland, including security arrangements and hospitality, in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on royal visits to Scotland, including security arrangements and hospitality, in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive runs and pays for a small number of events most years where members of the Royal Family are in attendance. The information we hold on cost and location is set out below. Security arrangements are handled by the police force for the area the member of the Royal Family is visiting. | Year | Cost £000 | Location | | 1999 | 2 | Stirling | | 2000 | 1 | Edinburgh | | 2001 | 0 | | | 2002 | 0 | | | 2003 | 33 | Edinburgh | | 2004 | 1 | Edinburgh | | 2005 | 2 | Edinburgh | The 2003 figure of £33,000 relates to the Union of the Crowns Dinner, attended by Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of York and hosted by the First Minister. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194873,"EventID":"S2W-22212","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many recruits from the (a) police, (b) fire and (c) ambulance services have dropped out of training in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many recruits from the (a) police, (b) fire and (c) ambulance services have dropped out of training in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194874,"EventID":"S2W-22213","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state the selection criteria that it will apply in awarding the contract for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route and whether the successful bidder will gain","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state the selection criteria that it will apply in awarding the contract for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route and whether the successful bidder will gain any contractual advantages, such as exclusivity on the route and the option to offer a more frequent service.","AnswerText":"The service specification for the commercial service on the Gourock to Dunoon route is currently being developed. Part of this process will be to determine the selection criteria that the Executive will use to appoint the successful operator. Issues such as the frequency of service will be considered as the proposals for the route are developed. On the exclusivity issue, any ferry operator can operate any ferry service provided they do so in accordance with the regulatory standards. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194875,"EventID":"S2W-22214","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the next step will be in order to continue the process of providing Campbeltown with a regular and long-term ferry service.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the next step will be in order to continue the process of providing Campbeltown with a regular and long-term ferry service.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is currently exploring the reasons for the lack of response from the market to the tendering of a public service contract for a subsidy to operate a passenger and vehicle ferry service on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route. The Executive is also considering whether there are any feasible or practical options to pursue a contract within the terms of the current tendering process. It is too early to say whether this process will produce a regular and long-term ferry service, particularly when no tenders have been submitted from the invited bidders in the last two tendering exercises undertaken for the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route. This was despite a substantial subsidy being made available by the Executive and the Northern Ireland administration. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194876,"EventID":"S2W-22215","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the latest tender process in respect of the ferry route between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and whether it will meet ferry operators in order ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the latest tender process in respect of the ferry route between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and whether it will meet ferry operators in order to identify any inhibitors that resulted in a lack of bids and to develop a successful basis for tenders to be encouraged.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive was disappointed that no tenders were submitted from the four invited bidders for a public service contract for a subsidy to operate a passenger and vehicle on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route. The Executive has approached the companies involved to explore their reasons for not bidding and will consider this further, directly with the companies, if necessary. The Executive is also considering whether there are any feasible or practical options to pursue a contract within the terms of the current tendering process. It is too early to predict the outcome of these approaches. The Executive will also take into account that no tenders have been submitted from the invited bidders in the last two tendering exercises undertaken for the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route, despite the substantial subsidy available in relation to the potential benefits predicted. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194877,"EventID":"S2W-22216","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22011 by Peter Peacock on 11 January 2006, what categories of information on sickness absence from school it uses and what the data","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22011 by Peter Peacock on 11 January 2006, what categories of information on sickness absence from school it uses and what the data were for each of the last three years in respect of such information categories.","AnswerText":"Full definitions of the categories, together with data for the last two years, are published on the Scottish Executive website, available through the following links. Attendance and Absence in Scottish Schools 2004-05 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/0681732. Attendance and Absence in Scottish Schools 2003-04 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00382-00.asp. Prior to 2003-04 data on attendance and absence was restricted to the broad categories of attendance, authorised absence and unauthorised absence. Sickness absences were a component of authorised absence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194878,"EventID":"S2W-22217","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve the resilience of homes and the built environment in respect of the impacts of climate change.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve the resilience of homes and the built environment in respect of the impacts of climate change.","AnswerText":"I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows: The Scottish Building Standards Technical Handbooks include reference to The Design Guidance on Flood Damage to Dwellings and Preparing for Floods. Both documents describe the likely effects of flooding on materials and elements of the building and assess various forms of construction and measures to reduce the risk of flood damage in dwellings. The resilience of buildings at risk of flooding is addressed in Scottish Planning Policy 7 – Planning and Flooding, which says that water resistant materials and forms of construction should be used as appropriate and conditions may be attached to planning permissions. Planning Advice Note 69: Planning and Building Standards Advice on Flooding, published by the Scottish Executive in 2004, includes advice on flood resistant and resilient materials, and construction techniques. It has been referenced in replacement pages for the technical handbooks, due to be issued in February 2006. Additionally, the SBSA has also contributed to research presently being carried out by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) on Improving the Flood Resistance of Buildings Through Improved Materials, Methods and Details. New guidance will be issued by the SBSA on 1 February on greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting to reduce dependence on mains water. Guidance on sustainable urban drainage systems has been included in building regulations for several years. The agency also is soon to go to consultation on proposals to revise the guidance to the building regulations to take account of increased incidence of driving rain and wind loading and changed snow loadings. Together with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the other devolved administrations, the Scottish Executive is consulting on a National Adaptation Policy Framework that will develop a strategic approach to climate change adaptation and assist in identifying key risks and opportunities from the impacts of climate change. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194879,"EventID":"S2W-22218","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2188,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the removal, under certain circumstances, of the right to appeal against funding decisions under measure 2.4 of the European Social Fund Objective 3 Programme was","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the removal, under certain circumstances, of the right to appeal against funding decisions under measure 2.4 of the European Social Fund Objective 3 Programme was a decision of the Scottish ESF Objective 3 Partnership or the Executive. ","AnswerText":"The Objective 3 ESF Programme Monitoring Committee took the decision on the appeals process for the 6th Round of the Programme in 2005. In arriving at a decision on the procedure the Programme Monitoring Committee, which is broadly representative of the partner organisations, took into account the likelihood that insufficient resources would remain in certain measures such as 2.4 to fund all the projects recommended for approval. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194880,"EventID":"S2W-22219","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2188,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Objective 3 Programme Management Executive will be allowed to vire funding between measures of the European Social Fund Objective 3 Programme and, if so, when","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Objective 3 Programme Management Executive will be allowed to vire funding between measures of the European Social Fund Objective 3 Programme and, if so, when.","AnswerText":"Any decision on virement of funds between measures within Priorities in the Objective 3 ESF Programme is taken by the Programme Monitoring Committee which is broadly representative of the Partner organisations. The Committee’s next meeting when virement of funds will be discussed is on 30 March 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194881,"EventID":"S2W-22220","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2188,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any uncertainties concerning European Social Fund Objective 3 funding for voluntary organisations and, if so, what steps the Scottish ESF Objective","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any uncertainties concerning European Social Fund Objective 3 funding for voluntary organisations and, if so, what steps the Scottish ESF Objective 3 Partnership is taking to address these concerns.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is very aware of the importance of keeping partner organisations such as the voluntary sector informed about the reducing levels of funding available as the current ESF Objective 3 Programme nears its end, and about the lower amounts of money which will come to Scotland in future 2007-13 Structural Fund Programmes. Partners have been kept informed through a variety of methods ranging from articles in the Objective 3 Newsletter, updates on the Objective 3 website, stakeholder events on the future of the Structural Funds, and individual letters issued to all project contacts. Despite the reduction in funding post 2006 it is important to remember that the vast majority of funding for economic development in Scotland comes from domestic sources. The Executive is committed to economic development in Scotland but is not reliant on Structural Funds to continue this agenda. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194882,"EventID":"S2W-22221","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many units have been installed under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (a) in total and (b) for each of the technologies supported.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many units have been installed under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (a) in total and (b) for each of the technologies supported.","AnswerText":"From its establishment in 2002 to date the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative has supported the installation of 351 units under the householder stream and 184 units under the Community stream. The breakdown by technology is as follows: | Technology | Householder Stream No. of Installations | Community Stream No. of Installations | | Solar technologies | 216 | 55 | | Wind | 19 | 65 | | Hydro | 1 | 6 | | Ground Source Heat Pump | 67 | 26 | | Biomass | 11 | 27 | | Biofuels | | 2 | | District Heating | 37 | | | Combined Technologies | | 3 | | Total | 351 | 184 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194883,"EventID":"S2W-22222","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost has been of each unit installed under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative, also broken down for each of the technologies su","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost has been of each unit installed under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative, also broken down for each of the technologies supported.\r\n","AnswerText":"The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative funds both Householder and Community projects. The average cost (based on total project costs) per unit installed under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative Householder stream is £5,649 and under the Community stream is £98,826. However, given the significant variation in scale between projects funded under the Community Stream, average figures are not meaningful so we have instead provided the project cost ranges. | Technology | Householder Stream Average Cost Per Unit | Community Stream Cost Ranges | | Solar | £3,289 | £3,528 - £132,000 | | Wind | £16,610 | £16,950 - £45,514 | | Hydro | £10,876 | £12,908 - £23,216 | | Ground Source Heat Pump | £11,039 | £6,300 - £1,824,961 | | Biomass | £8,742 | £9,131 - £530,566 | | Biofuels | | £65,360 - £383,400 | | District Heating | £2,975 | £142,885 - £530,566 | | Combined Technologies | | £3,443 - £880,083 | The following is a corrected answer (published on 29 June 2006); see below Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative funds both Householder and Community projects. The average cost per unit installed under the Householder stream is £5,649 and under the Community stream is £77,515. However, given the significant variation in scale between projects funded under the Community stream, average figures are not meaningful so we have instead provided the project cost ranges. | Technology | Householder Stream – Average cost per unit | Community Stream – Cost Ranges | | Solar | £3,289 | £1,764 - £132,000 | | Wind | £16,610 | £8,625 - £45,514 | | Hydro | £10,876 | £10,108 - £35,050 | | Ground Source Heat Pump | £11,039 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00429. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194885,"EventID":"S2W-22224","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates from Scottish universities there were in (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) biology, (d) mathematics, (e) computing, (f) English and (g) business studies,","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates from Scottish universities there were in (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) biology, (d) mathematics, (e) computing, (f) English and (g) business studies, or related subjects, in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The numbers of graduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions in the seven specified subjects are shown in the following table. Graduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions by specified subject 1999-2000 to 2003-04 | Academic Year | Total | Postgraduate | First degree | Other HE | | (a) Physics | | | | | | 1999-2000 | 365 | 65 | 295 | 5 | | 2000-01 | 380 | 65 | 310 | 5 | | 2001-02 | 310 | 70 | 245 | 0 | | 2002-03 | 325 | 70 | 245 | 10 | | 2003-04 | 330 | 60 | 260 | 10 | | (b) Chemistry | | | | | | 1999-2000 | 690 | 225 | 430 | 35 | | 2000-01 | 620 | 150 | 450 | 15 | | 2001-02 | 590 | 155 | 410 | 25 | | 2002-03 | 560 | 150 | 380 | 35 | | 2003-04 | 525 | 200 | 305 | 20 | | (c) Biology | | | | | | 1999-2000 | 540 | 70 | 425 | 45 | | 2000-01 | 650 | 70 | 555 | 30 | | 2001-02 | 745 | 95 | 585 | 65 | | 2002-03 | 780 | 210 | 505 | 65 | | 2003-04 | 790 | 205 | 505 | 80 | | (d) Mathematics | | | | | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194886,"EventID":"S2W-22225","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people sat standard grade examinations in (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) biology, (d) mathematics, (e) computing, (f) English and (g) business studies in each o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people sat standard grade examinations in (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) biology, (d) mathematics, (e) computing, (f) English and (g) business studies in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"A table showing the number of entries for Standard Grade courses or equivalent in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computing, English and business studies from 2001–05 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38631). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194887,"EventID":"S2W-22226","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the ages of the female prison population in each of the last five years, broken down into (a) under 21, (b) 21 to 25, (c) 26 to 30,","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the ages of the female prison population in each of the last five years, broken down into (a) under 21, (b) 21 to 25, (c) 26 to 30, (d) 31 to 35, (e) 36 to 40, (f) 41 to 45 and (g) 46 and over.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: The available information is given in the following table: Number of Female Prisoners in Custody on 30 June in Each of the Last Five Years | | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | | Under 21 | 40 | 51 | 42 | 41 | 53 | | 21 - 25 | 48 | 61 | 86 | 79 | 88 | | 26 - 30 | 39 | 51 | 58 | 45 | 57 | | 31 - 35 | 33 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | | 36 - 40 | 23 | 34 | 40 | 48 | 54 | | 41 - 45 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 27 | | 46 and over | 12 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 19 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194888,"EventID":"S2W-22227","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of sentence has been of female prisoners in each of the last five years, broken down by age into (a) under 21, (b) 21 to 25, (c) 26 to 30, (d) 31 ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of sentence has been of female prisoners in each of the last five years, broken down by age into (a) under 21, (b) 21 to 25, (c) 26 to 30, (d) 31 to 35, (e) 36 to 40, (f) 41 to 45 and (g) 46 and over.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: The available information is given in the following table: Average Sentence Length in Days of Female Determinate Sentenced Prisoners in Custody on 30 June in Each of the Last Five Years | | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | | Under 21 | 627 | 532 | 345 | 436 | 501 | | 21 - 25 | 837 | 959 | 916 | 836 | 627 | | 26 - 30 | 438 | 621 | 691 | 633 | 660 | | 31 - 35 | 913 | 553 | 832 | 744 | 835 | | 36 - 40 | 705 | 933 | 1,109 | 1,194 | 1,091 | | 41 - 45 | 1,193 | 1,106 | 1,074 | 1,099 | 1,455 | | 46 and over | 1,552 | 1,005 | 1,317 | 1,708 | 1,382 | | All | 781 | 764 | 860 | 894 | 850” | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194889,"EventID":"S2W-22228","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what additional staffing and hours have been allocated to the Allowances Office since the implementation of the new procedure for publishing detailed i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what additional staffing and hours have been allocated to the Allowances Office since the implementation of the new procedure for publishing detailed information of members' allowances and expenses and the submission of expense claim forms.","AnswerText":"Two additional temporarymembers of staff, working 35 hours per week, have been employed within theAllowances Office to assist with the preparation of information in advance ofpublishing allowance expenditure data for the first two quarters of the 2005-06financial year. Support has also been provided, on an overtime basis, by two formermembers of Allowances Office staff now working in other offices of the SPCB. FromOctober 2005 to date these former Allowances Office staff have worked 97 hrs 40minutes while Allowances Office staff have worked 332 hours in overtime. In addition, one temporarymember of staff has been employed, working 35 hours per week, to assist withthe processing of travel and expenses claims following the introduction of the requirementto provide more detailed information when submitting travel claims. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nora Radcliffe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194890,"EventID":"S2W-22229","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the average number of hours worked per week is of staff employed in the Allowances Office.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the average number of hours worked per week is of staff employed in the Allowances Office.","AnswerText":"From October 2005 to date,the average number of hours worked per week by Allowances Office staff has been40 hours. Of those Allowances Office staff who have worked overtime during thisperiod, the average hours worked per week has been 42 hours 30 minutes.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nora Radcliffe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194891,"EventID":"S2W-22230","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the average length of time for dealing with expense claims for staff and members has been in each year since 1999, including 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the average length of time for dealing with expense claims for staff and members has been in each year since 1999, including 2006.","AnswerText":"A record of processing timesis only available for the period 1 April 2003 to date. Records show that allcorrectly completed travel claim forms were processed within seven days ofreceipt. For those claims were additional information was required records showthe following percentages of these claims were processed within 10 days ofreceipt:2003-04 - 96%; 2004-05 - 94%, and 2005-06 - 84%. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nora Radcliffe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194892,"EventID":"S2W-22231","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans are in place to improve the resources available to the Allowances Office to assist it to carry out its responsibilities efficiently.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans are in place to improve the resources available to the Allowances Office to assist it to carry out its responsibilities efficiently.","AnswerText":"The SPCB has established aMembers and Officials Joint Working Group to review allowance processes and tomake recommendations to the SPCB. The SPCB will consider any recommendationsand, in that context, will consider future staffing levels within the AllowancesOffice","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nora Radcliffe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194893,"EventID":"S2W-22232","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people sat higher grade exams in (a) mathematics, (b) computing, (c) English and (d) business studies in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people sat higher grade exams in (a) mathematics, (b) computing, (c) English and (d) business studies in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Information requested is as follows: Number of Entries for Selected National Qualifications Courses at Higher Grade in Scotland: 2001-05 | Level | Course | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 20051 | | Higher | Business Studies2 | 5,093 | 5,139 | 5,125 | 5,121 | 5,231 | | Computing3 | 4,268 | 4,127 | 4,435 | 4,724 | 4,291 | | English | 25,037 | 25,431 | 25,544 | 25,516 | 25,054 | | Mathematics | 18,536 | 17,632 | 17,783 | 17,654 | 17,396 | Notes: 1. 2005 results are pre-appeal. 2. Includes Business and Business Management. 3. Includes Computing and Computing Studies. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194894,"EventID":"S2W-22233","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrests have been made in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrests have been made in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194895,"EventID":"S2W-22234","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in the (a) public and (b) private sector in each year since 1950, broken down by industry.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in the (a) public and (b) private sector in each year since 1950, broken down by industry.","AnswerText":"The preferred source for public sector employment estimates is the public sector employment statistics series, which is based on the agreed National Accounts definition of the public sector. These estimates are constructed from administrative and survey data from public sector organisations. However, this only provides data on the public sector from 1999. The latest published public sector employment series for Scotland can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/12105647/0 Employment data are available for all industries in the public and private sector from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS is known to overestimate public sector employment due to the fact that individuals classify themselves as public or private sector workers. This means that individuals may classify themselves as public sector workers as they work in public sector buildings but are in fact employed by private sector companies. Agency workers, in particular, are typically employed by private sector firms, though they often provide a service within public sector buildings. This LFS data for 1994 to 2005 are given in the tables below. Data are not available prior to 1994. Table 1: Employment1 in the Private Sector, by Industry2, Scotland | Year | Agriculture and Fishing | Energy and Water | Manufac- turing | Construc- tion | Distribution, Hotels and Restaurants | Transport and Communication | Banking, Finance and Insurance etc. | Public Admin., Education and Health | Other Services | | 1994 | 70,000 | 41,000 | 369,000 | 161,000 | 414,000 | 89,000 | 232,000 | 101,000 | 84,000 | | 1995 | 54,000 | 49,000 | 358,000 | 138,000 | 431,000 | 100,000 | 232,000 | 109,000 | 92,000 | | 1996 | 57,000 | 47,000 | 381,000 | 147,000 | 426,000 | 110,000 | 223,000 | 108,000 | 85,000 | | 1997 | 58,000 | 47,000 | 374,000 | 140,000 | 456,000 | 121,000 | 233,000 | 112,000 | 82,000 | | 1998","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194896,"EventID":"S2W-22235","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Gross Value Added was in each year since 1950.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Gross Value Added was in each year since 1950.","AnswerText":"A consistent series of Scottish Gross Value Added is not available for the requested time period. Table 1 below presents Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Scotland based on factor incomes from 1971 to 1996. The factor incomes series of GDP was discontinued following the introduction of the 1993 System of National Accounts and replaced with GDP at basic prices (Gross Value Added). The principal difference between the two valuations is the inclusion of net taxes on production within basic price estimates. Table 2 below presents Scottish Gross Value Added at current basic prices for the period 1989 to 2004. These estimates of GDP/GVA are presented in cash terms in millions of pounds at current prices. The implied growth rates differ from those published in the Quarterly GDP for Scotland series as the latter is presented at constant prices to remove the effect of inflation. Table 1: Gross Domestic Product for Scotland 1971-96 by Factor Incomes at Current Basic Prices | Year | GDP (£ Million) | Year | GDP (£ Million) | Year | GDP (£ Million) | | 1971 | 4,350 | 1980 | 16,683 | 1989 | 36,253 | | 1972 | 4,906 | 1981 | 18,350 | 1990 | 40,231 | | 1973 | 5,815 | 1982 | 19,849 | 1991 | 42,232 | | 1974 | 6,642 | 1983 | 21,795 | 1992 | 44,589 | | 1975 | 8,520 | 1984 | 22,847 | 1993 | 46,840 | | 1976 | 10,084 | 1985 | 25,223 | 1994 | 49,720 | | 1977 | 11,445 | 1986 | 27,263 | 1995 | 52,518 | | 1978 | 12,780 | 1987 | 29,785 | 1996 | 54,430 | | 1979 | 14,578 | 1988 | 32,975 | | | Source: Office for National Statistics. Table 2: Gross Value Added for Scotland 1989-2004 at current basic prices | year | GDP (£m) | year | GDP (£m) | | 1989 Table 1 presents the value added in Scotland by the industry sectors most associated with the production of public services in Scotland – Public Administration, Defence, Health, Education and Social Work – in value terms and also as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These estimates are presented in terms of factor incomes at current prices and so include the effect of inflation. It is not possible to exclude the activities of the private and non-profit sector within these industry sectors or to include the contribution of public services to other industrial sectors. Table 1: Scottish GDP at Factor Cost, £ Millions at Current Prices, 1982-96 | Year | Total GDP at Factor Cost | Public Admin. and Defence | Education, Social Work and Health Services | Public Admin., Defence, Health, Education and Social Work as a percentage of total | | 1982 | 19,849 | 1,585 | 2,189 | 19% | | 1983 | 21,795 | 1,736 | 2,469 | 19% | | 1984 | 22,847 | 1,874 | 2,564 | 19% | | 1985 | 25,223 | 2,006 | 2,755 | 19% | | 1986 | 27,263 | 2,148 | 3,164 | 19% | | 1987 | 29,785 | 2,327 | 3,513 | 20% | | 1988 | 32,975 | 2,514 | 3,998 | 20% | | 1989 | 36,253 | 2,690 | 4,900 | 21% | | 1990 | 40,231 | 2,979 | 5,514 | 21% | | 1991 | 42,232 | 3,170 | 6,217 | 22% | | 1992 | 44,589 | 3,261 | 6,524 | 22% | | 1993 | 46,840 | 3,522 | 6,787 | 22% | | 1994 | 49,720 | 3,528","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194898,"EventID":"S2W-22237","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8020 by Mr Tom McCabe on 10 November 2005, what discussions it has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in respect of t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8020 by Mr Tom McCabe on 10 November 2005, what discussions it has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in respect of the Local Government Pension Scheme and what the outcome of these discussions has been. ","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22238 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194899,"EventID":"S2W-22238","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA in respect of the differences between the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom and wha","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA in respect of the differences between the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom and what the outcome has been.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) held separate discussions on proposals for changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in Scotland during 2005 with COSLA and with local government union representatives. A joint advisory group consisting of representatives from each of these three parties was established with a view to agreeing principles for a fair, sustainable and affordable LGPS in Scotland. As pensions policy is reserved, differences between the LGPS in Scotland from those in England and Wales will have to be justifiable within the overall UK pensions policy framework. SPPA officials have also kept in close touch with those from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that the advisory group may be informed of developments on the LGPS in England and Wales. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194900,"EventID":"S2W-22239","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with trade unions representing local government employees in respect of the Local Government Pension Scheme and what the outcome has been.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with trade unions representing local government employees in respect of the Local Government Pension Scheme and what the outcome has been.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22238 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194901,"EventID":"S2W-22240","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with HM Treasury in respect of the funding of pension schemes for teachers and NHS Scotland and civil service employees following the agreemen","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with HM Treasury in respect of the funding of pension schemes for teachers and NHS Scotland and civil service employees following the agreement of 18 October 2005 on reform of public sector pension schemes and what the outcome has been.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is represented by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) in discussions at the UK level on progress on the reform of the teachers’ and NHS pension schemes which were included under the framework principles agreed at the UK Public Services Forum on 18 October 2005. The agreed process is being followed, with cost envelopes being prepared for each scheme for approval by HM Treasury. Discussions on the cost envelopes for the England and Wales schemes are already underway. The SPPA has been discussing with HM Treasury the need to apply the general approach to establishing the cost envelopes in England and Wales to the equivalent schemes in Scotland. However, no cost envelopes have been finalised and those for the schemes in the devolved administrations have still to be discussed. The Scottish Executive has no involvement with the civil service pension scheme which is the responsibility of the UK Government. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194902,"EventID":"S2W-22241","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, whether it will provide a breakdown of the numbers of each species listed that were kil","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, whether it will provide a breakdown of the numbers of each species listed that were killed under the licences issued.","AnswerText":"With reference to S2W-21599, the number of mountain hares killed under Scottish Executive licences since the year 2000 is 258. These licences were issued to prevent the spread of disease. The Executive has no knowledge of any other species having been killed under the licences to which the question relates. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194903,"EventID":"S2W-22242","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, whether it is aware of any killing of mountain hare, other than under the licences spec","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, whether it is aware of any killing of mountain hare, other than under the licences specified.","AnswerText":"It is known that the shooting of mountain hares takes place in Scotland. In terms of Article 15 of the Habitats Directive, it is only an offence to kill a mountain hare using an indiscriminate means of killing capable of causing the local disappearance of, or serious disturbance to, the species. Shooting mountain hares does not constitute such an indiscriminate means. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194904,"EventID":"S2W-22243","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, what duties are placed on it by virtue of these species being listed on Annexes IV and ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, what duties are placed on it by virtue of these species being listed on Annexes IV and V of the Habitats Directive.","AnswerText":"Article 12 of the Habitats Directive requires that member states take the requisite measures to establish a system of strict protection for the animal species, in their natural range, that are listed in Annex IV (a) of the Directive. These measures must prohibit the capture, killing, disturbance and sale of those species. Article 15 of the Habitats Directive requires that, with regard to those species of wild fauna listed in Annex V (a) of the Directive, member states shall prohibit the use of all indiscriminate means capable of causing local disappearance of, or serious disturbance to, populations of such species. It prohibits in particular the means of capture and killing and modes of transport listed in Annex VI (a) and Annex VI (b) of the Directive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194905,"EventID":"S2W-22244","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, how its consideration of applications for licences, the issuing of licences for killing","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21559 by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005, how its consideration of applications for licences, the issuing of licences for killing mountain hares and pine martens and any other measures it has in place meet the requirements of the Habitats Directive.","AnswerText":"In its consideration of such licence applications, and the issuing of any such licences, the Executive takes account of the three tests outlined in Article 16 of the Directive. These tests are: That any licence issued is for a purpose outlined in Article 16 of the Directive; that there is no other satisfactory solution, and that the granting of a licence will not be detrimental to maintaining the population of the species concerned at a favourable conservation status in their natural range. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194906,"EventID":"S2W-22245","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W 21793 by Mr Tom McCabe on 10 January 2006, what information the Executive holds on the number of websites it has created, the numbe","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W 21793 by Mr Tom McCabe on 10 January 2006, what information the Executive holds on the number of websites it has created, the number of websites it operates, the number of visitors to its websites, and the costs it incurs, and has incurred since 1999, on websites.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194907,"EventID":"S2W-22246","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of Choosing Our Future: Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy were printed and what the total cost was of (a) printing and (b) distribution.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of Choosing Our Future: Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy were printed and what the total cost was of (a) printing and (b) distribution.","AnswerText":"Six thousand copies of Choosing our Future: Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy were printed at a total print production cost of £11,330. Pre-print design costs totalled £8,686.59 and associated project management costs were £464. Distribution costs, including public dissemination, amounted to £2,947.36 ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194908,"EventID":"S2W-22247","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made, and what steps it has taken, to address the dispute in respect of the future of the Local Government Pension Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made, and what steps it has taken, to address the dispute in respect of the future of the Local Government Pension Scheme.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21675 on 17 January 2006 relating to the rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland. Officials from the Scottish Public Pensions Agency, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and trade union representatives began discussions of possible protection or alternative provisions for existing members, at their meeting on 18 January. These discussions will continue at future meetings. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194909,"EventID":"S2W-22248","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Social Economy Advisory Board, proposed in 2004 as part of Futurebuilders Scotland and announced by the Deputy Minister for Communities on 19 May 2005 (Official ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Social Economy Advisory Board, proposed in 2004 as part of Futurebuilders Scotland and announced by the Deputy Minister for Communities on 19 May 2005 (Official Report c. 17079), will be operational and what the role and membership of the board will be.","AnswerText":"We expect the Social Economy Advisory Board to be operational by March 2006. The board will advise ministers on the future development of the social economy. This will include advising on the Social Enterprise Strategy and the future development of the Futurebuilders Scotland programme. I expect to announce membership of the board shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194910,"EventID":"S2W-22249","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for a review of the Futurebuilders Scotland strategy and whether any such review would be overseen by the proposed Social Economy Advisory Board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for a review of the Futurebuilders Scotland strategy and whether any such review would be overseen by the proposed Social Economy Advisory Board.","AnswerText":"In December 2005 we published our policy statement A Vision for the Voluntary Sector – The Next Phase of Our Relationship, a copy of which is available on the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38445) which noted that we will consider the next stages of Futurebuilders Scotland. The Social Economy Advisory Board will be asked to provide advice to ministers in relation to this. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194911,"EventID":"S2W-22250","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the provision of the additional secure accommodation places announced by the Minister for Education and Young People on 18 September 2002.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the provision of the additional secure accommodation places announced by the Minister for Education and Young People on 18 September 2002.","AnswerText":"Good progress is being made in the provision of the additional secure places announced in 2002. St Phillips, which will provide 24 new places at Plains, Airdrie, is due to open in March 2006. The Good Shepherd Centre which will provide 18, girls only places, at Bishopton will open in June 2006. Kibble, which will provide 18 new places is currently under construction and is likely to open in early 2007. Rossie School, which will provide 18 re-developed places is nearing the end of the planning phase and will come on stream in 2007. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194912,"EventID":"S2W-22251","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17684 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005 and taking into account the new method of publishing crime statistics, how many people have","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17684 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005 and taking into account the new method of publishing crime statistics, how many people have been found guilty of a crime by Scottish courts in each financial year since 1950-51.","AnswerText":"The available information on convictions in Scottish courts by financial year is given in the following table. Prior to 1988-89, figures are only available on a calendar year basis. Figures for 2004-05 are currently planned for publication in April 2006. Number of Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, 1988-89 to 2003-04 | Financial Year | Number | | 1988-89 | 175,412 | | 1989-90 | 176,031 | | 1990-91 | 176,263 | | 1991-92 | 177,401 | | 1992-93 | 176,217 | | 1993-94 | 159,958 | | 1994-95 | 160,078 | | 1995-96 | 155,031 | | 1996-97 | 151,565 | | 1997-98 | 149,334 | | 1998-99 | 137,174 | | 1999-00 | 128,102 | | 2000-01 | 113,196 | | 2001-02 | 121,539 | | 2002-03 | 135,474 | | 2003-041 | 119,994 | Note: 1. Includes estimated data; information for 2004 is provisional. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194913,"EventID":"S2W-22252","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17683 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005 and taking into account the new method of publishing crime statistics, what the prison popu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17683 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005 and taking into account the new method of publishing crime statistics, what the prison population has been in each financial year since 1950-51.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The requested information isgiven in the following table: Average Daily PrisonPopulation: | Year | Population | | Year | Population | | Year | Population | | 1950-51 | 1,765 | | 1969-70 | 4,848 | | 1988-89 | 5,168 | | 1951-52 | 1,917 | | 1970-71 | 5,237 | | 1989-90 | 4,886 | | 1952-53 | 2,102 | | 1971-72 | 5,409 | | 1990-91 | 4,738 | | 1953-54 | 2,135 | | 1972-73 | 5,190 | | 1991-92 | 4,897 | | 1954-55 | 2,170 | | 1973-74 | 4,707 | | 1992-93 | 5,395 | | 1955-56 | 2,169 | | 1974-75 | 4,668 | | 1993-94 | 5,588 | | 1956-57 | 2,330 | | 1975-76 | 4,766 | | 1994-95 | 5,630 | | 1957-58 | 2,463 | | 1976-77 | 4,832 | | 1995-96 | 5,632 | | 1958-59 | 2,763 | | 1977-78 | 4,892 | | 1996-97 | 5,992 | | 1959-60 | 2,838 | | 1978-79 | 5,038 | | 1997-98 | 6,059 | | 1960-61 | 2,820 | | 1979-80 | 4,616 | | 1998-99 | 6,029 | | 1961-62 | 3,081 | | 1980-81 | 4,822 | | 1999-2000 | 5,974 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194914,"EventID":"S2W-22253","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-12T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17682 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005 and taking into account the new method of publishing crime statistics, how many (a) crimes ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17682 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005 and taking into account the new method of publishing crime statistics, how many (a) crimes and (b) offences were recorded in each financial year since 1950-51.","AnswerText":"To convert the recorded crime data from calendar year to financial year requires quarterly data. This is only available centrally from the beginning of 1995. Prior to 1995 the data is stored in aggregate form for complete calendar years. The numbers of crimes and offences for financial year 1995-96 onwards are given in tables 1 and 2 of the statistical bulletin Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2004-05, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37835). This publication also analyses the impact upon the recorded crime figures of the Scottish Crime Recording Standard, introduced from 1 April 2004. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194915,"EventID":"S2W-22254","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that adequate care beds and hospital treatment are provided for geriatric patients. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that adequate care beds and hospital treatment are provided for geriatric patients. ","AnswerText":"Services are delivered locally and it is therefore the responsibility of individual local authorities and NHS boards to determine and provide appropriate service provision to meet local needs and priorities from within the substantial resources available to them. This includes provision in the current year for spending by local authorities of £1.6 billion on community care and funding in the current year of £8.8 billion to the NHS. Building a Health Service Fit for The Future (Bib. number 36608) and the Executive’s response Delivering for Health (Bib. number 37847) set a clear direction for the development of services in the future, including for older people. We expect NHS boards and Regional Planning Groups to use them to deliver services and to drive their service improvement. The Range and Capacity Review Group is also looking at future care services for older people and investigating how services can be used as an alternative to long-term residential care. They are considering a range of issues such as more flexible services, step-up and step-down, and preventative care of long-term conditions. The group’s findings are due in the spring. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194916,"EventID":"S2W-22255","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the 140-day rule has been extended since the enactment of the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the 140-day rule has been extended since the enactment of the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004.","AnswerText":"Since the enactment of theCriminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004 on 1 April 2005 there have been 109extensions granted by the High Court in respect of the 140 day time limit,relating to 66 indictments.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194917,"EventID":"S2W-22256","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what communication the Minister for Justice has had with the Home Office regarding the impact of the possible downgrading of cannabis.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what communication the Minister for Justice has had with the Home Office regarding the impact of the possible downgrading of cannabis.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including classification of drugs. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194918,"EventID":"S2W-22257","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many days have been lost as a result of sickness in the police in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many days have been lost as a result of sickness in the police in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.","AnswerText":"The available information isshown in the following tables.Number of Sick Days | Force | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | | Central | 6,947 | 6,961 | 9,205 | 11,101 | 8,673 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 1,868 | 1,947 | 3,364 | 2,713 | 3,413 | | Fife | 5,985 | 7,075 | 6,102 | 10,029 | 8,818 | | Grampian | 6,945 | 6,807 | 8,455 | 8,626 | 7,522 | | Lothian and Borders | 26,154 | 24,968 | 31,724 | 37,370 | 30,624 | | Northern | 6,550 | 5,941 | 6,128 | 6,282 | 6,234 | | Strathclyde * | | | | | | | Tayside | 10,920 | 10,459 | 9,392 | 7,074 | 16,246 | | Force | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Central | 9,869 | 8,944 | 9,654 | 9,807 | 7,596 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 3,687 | 3,052 | 2,598 | 4,532 | 3,952 | | Fife | 7,920 | 9,804 | 8,870 | 9,044 | 10,341 | | Grampian | 7,035 | 7,561 | 10,519 | 11,742 | 11,075 | | Lothian and Borders | 32,222 | 30,840 | 33,967 | 34,168 | 30,657 | | Northern | 5,436 | 6,095 | 6,213 | 6,789 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194919,"EventID":"S2W-22258","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions court proceedings have been disrupted or abandoned because an accused person in custody was not taken to the right court, on the right day, at the r","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions court proceedings have been disrupted or abandoned because an accused person in custody was not taken to the right court, on the right day, at the right time, in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. There is only one recorded instance of proceedings being deserted as a result of an accused person in custody not being brought before the court. Local monitoring reports in the Sheriff Court and High Court of Justiciary for the six month period, April to September 2005, indicate there were 15 instances of court business being delayed as a result of prisoners arriving late at court. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194920,"EventID":"S2W-22259","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive where Scotland would rank were it included in the European Innovation Scoreboard 2005 and what the value and rank for Scotland would be for each of the European Innovatio","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive where Scotland would rank were it included in the European Innovation Scoreboard 2005 and what the value and rank for Scotland would be for each of the European Innovation Scoreboard indicators.","AnswerText":"The European Innovation Scoreboard 2005 was published on 13 January 2006. At this time we are not in a position to benchmark Scotland relative to the 2005 index, as the 2005 UK Community Innovation Survey results, which include results for Scotland, are not yet published. A recent report by the Scottish Executive published 23 January 2006, Scottish Innovation System: Actors, Roles and Actions, benchmarks Scotland’s performance in innovation against other European regions. The report ranks Scotland’s innovation performance relative to the European Innovation Scorecard 2004 as follows: Scotland is above average (top quartile) in terms of the overall regional innovation index, and again in terms of those indicators dominated by public investment decisions. Scotland is below average (third quartile) in terms of the key measures of innovation outputs – the share of new-to-the-firm products in manufacturing. Business research and development expenditure in Scotland is below average (third quartile). Scotland has below average (third quartile) employment in medium or high-tech manufacturing although knowledge diffusion among Scottish manufacturing companies is still above average (second quartile). Employment in high-tech services is above average (second quartile), while knowledge diffusion among Scottish service companies are below average (third quartile). Full details of this benchmarking are available at the following web link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/15689/9743. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194921,"EventID":"S2W-22260","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will measure Scotland’s progress in innovation against the European Innovation Scoreboard and publish any such measurements.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will measure Scotland’s progress in innovation against the European Innovation Scoreboard and publish any such measurements.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive uses a range of measures to monitor Scotland’s progress in innovation relative to our European comparators. The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) (http://www.dti.gov.uk/iese/cis.htm) is the main innovation index for European comparisons and one which is monitored by the Executive. The CIS is also the main data source for the European Innovation Scoreboard. Scotland’s performance relative to the European Innovation Scoreboard is published in recent Executive research (Scottish Innovation System: Actors, Roles and Actions) and is available via the following link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/15689/9743. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194922,"EventID":"S2W-22261","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what international comparators it uses when assessing the performance of Scotland in respect of innovation and research and development.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what international comparators it uses when assessing the performance of Scotland in respect of innovation and research and development.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive uses a wide range of measures to monitor Scotland’s innovation and research and development (R&D) performance against international comparators. The key measure we use when assessing the performance of Scotland in respect to innovation, is the Community Innovation Survey (CIS). The CIS provides a range of indicators of innovative performance and allows comparisons to be made with other regions of the UK and European countries. Information on the CIS is available at the following link http://www.dti.gov.uk/iese/cis.htm. The Scottish Executive also monitors research and development expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product in our key OECD competitors, to benchmark Scotland’s relative R&D performance. These data are published annually by the Executive in Business Enterprise Research and Development in Scotland. This can be accessed via the following web link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/09/2991205/12064. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194923,"EventID":"S2W-22262","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is given to new parents to help avoid their babies developing deformational plagiocephaly.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is given to new parents to help avoid their babies developing deformational plagiocephaly.","AnswerText":"Although no specific advice is given to new parents on deformational plagiocephaly, the leaflet Reduce the Risk of Cot Death advises new parents that it is good for a baby’s development to experience different positions when awake. Officials of the Health Department are meeting with the Scottish Cot Death Trust later this month to review this leaflet. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194924,"EventID":"S2W-22263","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make corrective treatment for babies with deformational plagiocephaly available through the NHS.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make corrective treatment for babies with deformational plagiocephaly available through the NHS.","AnswerText":"The current treatment of babies with deformational plagiocephaly includes supervised “tummy time” and encouraging non-sleep patterns and activity, for example playing and being held. In nearly all cases of deformational plagiocephaly the child’s head returns to a normal shape without any treatment. If the condition worsens or shows no sign of improvement, then referral to a neurosurgeon would take place. There is little evidence to support the use of helmets and the current consensus view of paediatric neurosurgeons in Scotland is that these should not be used. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194925,"EventID":"S2W-22264","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a rise in the number of deformational plagiocephaly cases reported among newborn babies since the advent of the “Back to Sleep” campaign and how th","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a rise in the number of deformational plagiocephaly cases reported among newborn babies since the advent of the “Back to Sleep” campaign and how the prevention and treatment of such cases might be improved without jeopardising the message that cot death numbers are greatly reduced when babies sleep on their backs.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not centrally available for all years or all areas within Scotland. However, the following table details, for those 10 NHS board areas available, the number and recorded rates of plagiocephaly for children born between 1995 and 2004 I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22262 on 27 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. Recorded Cases of Plagiocephaly Within the Child Health Surveillance Pre-School System: Children Born Between 1995-2004 | Year of Birth | No of Children Seen at 6-8 Weeks1 | Number Identified with Plagiocephaly by 9 Months Old2 | Number per 10,000 Children Seen at 6-8 Weeks | | 1995 | 28,446 | 92 | 32.3 | | 1996 | 37,282 | 115 | 30.8 | | 1997 | 41,476 | 158 | 38.1 | | 1998 | 43,707 | 169 | 38.7 | | 1999 | 42,130 | 127 | 30.1 | | 2000 | 41,195 | 157 | 38.1 | | 2001 | 41,665 | 190 | 45.6 | | 2002 | 40,994 | 163 | 39.8 | | 2003 | 41,942 | 145 | 34.6 | | 2004 | 43,133 | 149 | 34.5 | Source: CHSP-PS, ISD Scotland, August 2005. Notes: The number of children who received a six to eight week review has been used to estimate the rate per 10,000 children 1. Includes children who received a first visit, six to eight week, eight to nine month, or an unscheduled review when the child was nine months old or less. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194926,"EventID":"S2W-22265","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to midwives, health visitors and GPs to enable them to recognise and treat cases of deformational plagiocephaly among newborn babies.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to midwives, health visitors and GPs to enable them to recognise and treat cases of deformational plagiocephaly among newborn babies.","AnswerText":"No specific guidance is currently given to midwives, health visitors and GPs on recognising and treating deformational plagiocephaly among newborn babies. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22262 on 27 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194927,"EventID":"S2W-22266","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that health professionals are aware of deformational plagiocephaly and provide appropriate advice to new parents.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that health professionals are aware of deformational plagiocephaly and provide appropriate advice to new parents.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22262 on 27 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194928,"EventID":"S2W-22267","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations have taken place with local business organisations, and specifically the local chambers of commerce network, in respect of any restructuring of local e","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations have taken place with local business organisations, and specifically the local chambers of commerce network, in respect of any restructuring of local enterprise companies.","AnswerText":"Ministers have made it clear that any proposals should have the support of business. They have discussed, and will continue to discuss, with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the nature and outcome of their discussions with business organisations and other interested parties. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194929,"EventID":"S2W-22268","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many points for testing marine renewable energy devices have been established at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many points for testing marine renewable energy devices have been established at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney.","AnswerText":"The European Marine Energy Centre has two test sites for marine devices; a wave test site and a tidal test site. Four berths have been established and are available for use at the wave site. Five cables have been installed at the tidal site. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194930,"EventID":"S2W-22269","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the testing points at the European Marine Energy Centre have been occupied in each month since the centre was opened.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the testing points at the European Marine Energy Centre have been occupied in each month since the centre was opened.","AnswerText":"One wave test berth has been reserved by a developer since 1 May 2004, in advance of the official opening in August that year. A number of other wave device developers have expressed a firm interest in testing at the site, and the centre is in regular contact with potential users. The tidal test site is due to become operational later this year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194931,"EventID":"S2W-22270","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the new arrangements to encourage investment in marine renewables, announced by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 7 Sept","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the new arrangements to encourage investment in marine renewables, announced by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 7 September 2005, will come into force.","AnswerText":"We have now commissioned a detailed study which will consider the form, extent and effectiveness of any changes which might be made to the Renewables Obligation (Scotland), the ROS, to deliver support aimed at accelerating the deployment of wave and tidal energy devices around Scotland. The conclusions and recommendations emerging from this study will form the basis of our forthcoming consultation on this and other aspects of the ROS. Any changes thus agreed upon will be implemented in April 2007. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194932,"EventID":"S2W-22271","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to my proposal that the enforcement of council tax liability should be suspended in very sheltered housing accommodation until a final dec","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to my proposal that the enforcement of council tax liability should be suspended in very sheltered housing accommodation until a final decision is reached, in light of the undertaking by the Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Service Reform and Parliamentary Business on 1 December 2005 to consider the proposal (Official Report c. 21456).","AnswerText":"We are currently considering the way forward and will make an announcement in due course. In the meantime, we are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities to ensure that individuals living in these homes are receiving the benefits and exemptions they are entitled to. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194933,"EventID":"S2W-22272","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to end the practice of slopping out for remand prisoners at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, given the view expressed by HM Chief Inspector of Pris","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to end the practice of slopping out for remand prisoners at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, given the view expressed by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in the preamble to his inspection report of March 2005, that “it is very upsetting that the only remand prisoners who are regularly slopping out are under 21 years of age”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows: Polmont is currently undergoing a refurbishment costing over £90 million which is due to be completed around 2007-08. As part of this redevelopment, most existing areas referred to in the Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) Report will be replaced. Young people on remand are no longer held in “slopping out” accommodation, Spey Hall has already been closed and a purpose built activity centre for programmes and work has been opened. A second activity area and further accommodation are planned for next year. As part of the development of the regime at Polmont, specialised training is provided for staff as required. The SPS responds formally to recommendations in HMCIP Reports. Responses are published on the SPS website at www.sps.gov.uk. In addition to these recommendations, HMCIP may also list some “Points of Note.” In responding, the SPS note these without commitment. They may be taken into account by local managers, and will be balanced against managers’ judgement about resources available, any savings which might be required, and the operational balance of the establishment.” ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194934,"EventID":"S2W-22273","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that the initiative of increasing portions of food available at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont was abandoned because it “caused such an incre","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that the initiative of increasing portions of food available at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont was abandoned because it “caused such an increase in cost”, as stated by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 2.4 of his inspection report of March 2005.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. There have been several local initiatives designed to change and improve the menus at Polmont, by providing both bulkier high calorific food and, by integrating vegetables in selected meals, to improve the nutritional value while remaining within the budget. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194935,"EventID":"S2W-22274","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that children under the age of 16 are not held in prison, as recommended by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 8.45 of his inspection report of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that children under the age of 16 are not held in prison, as recommended by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 8.45 of his inspection report of May 2004 on HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont.","AnswerText":"The Executive’s policy is to avoid, wherever possible, holding young people under the age of 16 in prison. In the exceptional circumstances where it is deemed necessary, it must be for the shortest appropriate period of time. Very occasionally, and only when the courts decide, would an under 16 be held in prison or young offenders institution for the shortest possible time until a suitable secure place is available. To ensure we meet the needs of this very vulnerable group of young people, we are investing £18 million to support the redevelopment of the secure estate. An additional 29 places will be provided. The overall estate will be 125 places when the redevelopment is complete in 2007. We have also developed a range of alternatives to secure care. The Intensive Support Fund, announced on 19 December 2003, was set up to improve the range of intensive support and supervision available in Scotland; to improve the quality of care in secure and to improve aftercare arrangements for young people leaving secure. The first phase of Intensive Support and Monitoring Services is being implemented. This intervention can offer a direct alternative to secure accommodation for some young people, in appropriate circumstances. Detaining young people is not a decision that is taken lightly, but we must balance the welfare of that young person with that of the community they live in. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194936,"EventID":"S2W-22275","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of available secure unit places for children under the age of 16, given the statement by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragra","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of available secure unit places for children under the age of 16, given the statement by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.1 of his inspection report of March 2005 on HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont that seven such people were held there between May 2004 and March 2005 as a result of there being no space in a secure unit.","AnswerText":"On 18 September 2002 ministers announced specific plans to reconfigure the secure estate with the creation of an additional 29 extra secure places. Distribution of the additional 29 places announced on 24 March 2003. These will be able to offer much needed facilities for girls only and, as far as possible, avoid under 16s being remanded to young offenders’ institutions. When complete by 2007 the secure estate will therefore consist of: 18 boys only at Kibble 24 mixed at St Philip’s 18 girls only at Good Shepherd 18 mixed at Rossie 31 mixed at St Mary’s 12 mixed in Edinburgh four mixed in The Elms. By 2007, Scotland will have an increase of 40 places since 2000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194937,"EventID":"S2W-22276","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will resolve the issue identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.1 of his inspection report of March 2005 on HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will resolve the issue identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.1 of his inspection report of March 2005 on HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont that children under the age of 16 are being held in that institution “as a result of their being deemed by Secure Units as too difficult to be held”, despite his earlier recommendation of May 2004 that children aged under 16 should not be held in a prison.","AnswerText":"The Executive’s policy is to avoid, wherever possible, holding young people under the age of 16 in prison. In the exceptional circumstances where it is deemed necessary, it must be for the shortest appropriate period of time. The normal expectation is that a child will remain in the same establishment until their release. Transfer to another secure unit or to a young offenders institute will only be considered if a child's behaviour becomes completely unmanageable within the current placement or where, for example, the child is convicted of further serious charges which suggest that the child would present an unacceptable risk to the safety of other residents or staff. Conversely, where a child makes suitable progress he or she will be considered for a move from a secure establishment to an open setting within the child care system. The majority of those children who are recorded as being held in adult prisons are children whose behaviour is so challenging that the courts have certified them as “unruly”. These special arrangements are in place in order to protect those children whose behaviour is so challenging that it would be inappropriate to place them in local authority secure accommodation at that point in time. Staff in secure units already have well developed skills for dealing with difficult behaviour in a secure setting. Further training and development which will enhance these skills is ongoing within each unit. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194938,"EventID":"S2W-22277","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve arrangements for access to sanitation and hygiene in Argyll Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, given HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ assessm","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve arrangements for access to sanitation and hygiene in Argyll Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, given HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ assessment in paragraph 11.2 of his inspection report of March 2005 that his earlier recommendation for improvement, detailed in paragraph 2.4 of his report of May 2004, has been only “partly achieved”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272,on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The hall is compliant with the SPS hygiene control circular. Argyle Hall is due to be emptied in early in 2007 when the new Houseblock is completed. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194939,"EventID":"S2W-22278","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out the procedures for infection control and monitoring in both Argyll and Spey Halls at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, referred to by HM Chief","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out the procedures for infection control and monitoring in both Argyll and Spey Halls at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, referred to by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraphs 11.2 and 11.3 of his inspection report of March 2005.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22277 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The information requested has been published on the SPS website at www.sps.gov.uk, and copies of which have been lodged in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 38686 and 38687). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194940,"EventID":"S2W-22279","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve conditions in Dunedin Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont which were described as “basic” by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.4 ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve conditions in Dunedin Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont which were described as “basic” by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.4 of his inspection report of March 2005.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. Since the time of the report significant improvements have been made to both the facilities and regime within Dunedin Hall. A new segregation unit will replace Dunedin as part of the development currently being carried out a Polmont. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194941,"EventID":"S2W-22280","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve the situation in Dunedin Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont which was identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.4 of his i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve the situation in Dunedin Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont which was identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.4 of his inspection report of March 2005 as having seen “little improvement in what is a very limited regime”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22279 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194942,"EventID":"S2W-22281","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve the reliability of the emergency cell intercom system in Iona Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont which was identified as being “problematic”","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve the reliability of the emergency cell intercom system in Iona Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont which was identified as being “problematic” by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.5 of his inspection report of March 2005.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The problem identified has now been fixed. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194943,"EventID":"S2W-22282","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how far advanced plans are for the new reception in HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, referred to by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.6 of his inspection","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how far advanced plans are for the new reception in HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, referred to by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 11.6 of his inspection report of March 2005.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: New reception facilities are planned as part of Phase III of the development at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194944,"EventID":"S2W-22283","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the situation in HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraphs 11.8 and 12.1 of his inspection report","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the situation in HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraphs 11.8 and 12.1 of his inspection report of March 2005 as having insufficient work places for the convicted population.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194945,"EventID":"S2W-22284","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in respect of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ recommendation in paragraph 11.10 of his inspection report of March 2005 into HM Young Offenders Ins","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in respect of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ recommendation in paragraph 11.10 of his inspection report of March 2005 into HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont that “the system needs to be reviewed to ensure that young adults do attend” their health centre, dental, psychology and social work appointments and “that there are adequate interview rooms available”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. A new system has been introduced to facilitate young offenders attending the health centre. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194946,"EventID":"S2W-22285","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to improve conditions in Argyll Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, as recommended by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 2.5 of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to improve conditions in Argyll Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, as recommended by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 2.5 of his inspection report of May 2004 but assessed as “not achieved” in his report of March 2005.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. In addition, a cleaning routine and audit system are now being introduced into Argyle Hall. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194947,"EventID":"S2W-22286","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to improve the situation identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 12.7 of his March 2005 inspection report into HM Young Offenders","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to improve the situation identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 12.7 of his March 2005 inspection report into HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont where no alternative recreation is offered if a young adult refuses exercise when it is raining because “staff resources would be stretched to have exercise and recreation operating simultaneously”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The Governor does not regard this as a priority for action. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194948,"EventID":"S2W-22287","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the reasons for not allowing individuals in Iona Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont have not been examined, as recommended by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the reasons for not allowing individuals in Iona Hall at HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont have not been examined, as recommended by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 2.35 of his May 2004 inspection report but identified in paragraph 12.12 of his March 2005 report as “not achieved”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The SPS do not consider this to be a priority. Prisoners dining in-cell is common across the SPS estate. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194949,"EventID":"S2W-22288","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to comply with the recommendation of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 5.32 of his inspection report of May 2004 that HM Young Offenders","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to comply with the recommendation of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 5.32 of his inspection report of May 2004 that HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont “needs to provide training for staff specific to the needs of working with their unique population” but identified as being only “partly achieved” in paragraph 12.28 of his March 2005 report.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. It should also be noted that the staff at Polmont have been praised on many occasions for the innovative approach they take to working with young people and the quality of the service they provide. Polmont recently won the first ever competition for best practice in health care in prisons, run by the World Health Organization for overall excellence of its health service. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194950,"EventID":"S2W-22289","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the situation in HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 12.38 of his inspection report of Marc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the situation in HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont, identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 12.38 of his inspection report of March 2005, that accommodation used for educational programmes “is still insufficient”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. A new facility is being constructed and should be available by early 2007. It should also be noted that Polmont is fully meeting its education targets. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194951,"EventID":"S2W-22290","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any sections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will be constructed as single carriageway and, if so, which sections will be single carriageway; approximate","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any sections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will be constructed as single carriageway and, if so, which sections will be single carriageway; approximately what distance such sections will cover, and whether any of these sections will be reconsidered before construction to ensure that the effectiveness of the route is not undermined.","AnswerText":"At present we believe that nosections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will be single carriageway, but thata wide single carriageway with overtaking sections would be sufficient for the trafficpredicted to use the 13km Stonehaven to Milltimber spur. The final solution willdepend on the detailed traffic modelling and design work currently being undertaken.We will also be discussing this with our project partners.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194952,"EventID":"S2W-22291","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2947,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what communications and discussions it has had, and plans to have, with the Student Loans Company Ltd in respect of the interest payable on student loans.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what communications and discussions it has had, and plans to have, with the Student Loans Company Ltd in respect of the interest payable on student loans.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Student Loans Company on a range of issues, including the interest payable on student loans. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194953,"EventID":"S2W-22292","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2947,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what communications and discussions it has had, and plans to have, with the Student Loans Company Ltd in respect of freezing the interest on student loans for those who a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what communications and discussions it has had, and plans to have, with the Student Loans Company Ltd in respect of freezing the interest on student loans for those who are not able to repay them due to disability, illness or a medical condition which prevents the recipient from taking up paid employment.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Student Loans Company on a range of issues including issues relating to students prevented from taking up employment due to disability, illness or medical condition. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194954,"EventID":"S2W-22293","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2947,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to introducing a mechanism for freezing the interest on student loans for those who are not able to repay them due to disability, illness ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to introducing a mechanism for freezing the interest on student loans for those who are not able to repay them due to disability, illness or a medical condition which prevents the recipient from taking up paid employment, and what plans it has to introduce such a mechanism.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to introduce such a mechanism. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194955,"EventID":"S2W-22294","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have been (a) skilled, (b) unskilled and (","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have been (a) skilled, (b) unskilled and (c) semi-skilled, broken down by month.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available. Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent initiative. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194956,"EventID":"S2W-22295","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have entered employment, broken down by se","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have entered employment, broken down by sector and month.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available. Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent initiative. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194957,"EventID":"S2W-22296","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have not held degrees or qualifications ga","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have not held degrees or qualifications gained from Scottish institutions.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available. Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent initiative. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194958,"EventID":"S2W-22297","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its records and those of the Scottish Office have been destroyed in the last ten years, broken down by (a) year (b) topic and (c) name.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its records and those of the Scottish Office have been destroyed in the last ten years, broken down by (a) year (b) topic and (c) name.","AnswerText":"The numbers of Scottish Office/Scottish Executive files destroyed each year for the last 10 years is given below. It is not possible to break these figures down by topic or name, as this information either does not exist or could be provided only at disproportionate cost. | Year | Files Destroyed | | 1996 | 40,154 | | 1997 | 56,850 | | 1998 | 59,482 | | 1999 | 96,654 | | 2000 | 77,600 | | 2001 | 70,676 | | 2002 | 42,938 | | 2003 | 34,239 | | 2004 | 37,192 | | 2005 | 16,222 | These file deletions followed the normal practices of the Executive whereby files are recommended for destruction in accordance with retention and disposal schedules agreed with the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) and only after reviewing officers are satisfied that they contain no papers that are likely to be of continuing or historic interest. No files are destroyed without the agreement of NAS, whose staff work alongside Executive staff to ensure that the proper procedures are followed. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194959,"EventID":"S2W-22298","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the destruction or retention of its records.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the destruction or retention of its records.","AnswerText":"The Executive reviews and disposes of its records in accordance with the Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967. Although these acts have no legal force in Scotland, they have been applied by the Executive in reviewing and disposing of its records by agreement with the UK Cabinet Office. Records are recommended for destruction in accordance with retention and disposal schedules and only when reviewing staff are satisfied that they contain no papers that are likely to be of continuing or historic interest. No Scottish Executive record is destroyed without the agreement of the National Archives of Scotland, whose staff work alongside Executive reviewing staff to ensure that proper procedures are followed. The Executive’s Records Management Manual sets out the policies and procedures which staff and records managers follow, and is available for inspection on its website. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194960,"EventID":"S2W-22299","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rationale is for its records management process.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rationale is for its records management process.","AnswerText":"The Executive manages its records in accordance with the UK Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967. Although these acts have no legal force in Scotland, they have been applied by the Executive in managing its records by agreement with the UK Cabinet Office, in the absence of modern Scottish public records legislation. The Executive takes the management of its records very seriously and has produced guidance for all staff regarding best practice, in consultation with the National Archives of Scotland. The Executive’s Records Management Manual sets out the policies and procedures which staff and records managers follow, and is available for inspection on its website. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194961,"EventID":"S2W-22300","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21616, S2W-21617, S2W-21619, S2W-21620 and S2W-21628 by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2006 and in light of the recent explosion at th","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21616, S2W-21617, S2W-21619, S2W-21620 and S2W-21628 by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2006 and in light of the recent explosion at the Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire, what discussions the Executive has had with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in respect of the potential risk of radioactive contamination from by-products associated with the oil industry in the event of a similar explosion at a Scottish oil installation.","AnswerText":"The Executive has regular discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on all matters relating to the regulation of radioactivity in Scotland. Guidance on the management of radioactive contamination can be found in the UK Recovery Handbook for Radiation Incidents: 2005. This publication was produced by a partnership between the Scottish Executive, SEPA, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environment and Heritage Services, Environment Agency and Food Standards Agency. A link to the document is attached below. http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/2005/hpa_rpd_002.htm. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194962,"EventID":"S2W-22301","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers that the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill for England and Wales will have on Scottish publishers, writers and broadcasters.\r\n","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers that the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill for England and Wales will have on Scottish publishers, writers and broadcasters.\r\n","AnswerText":"The Racial and Religious Hatred Bill will not apply to material published and distributed in Scotland. The bill will, however, apply to material published or distributed in England and Wales by Scottish publishers, writers and broadcasters.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194963,"EventID":"S2W-22302","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in relation to the impact that the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill may have on Scottish publishers, writers and","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in relation to the impact that the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill may have on Scottish publishers, writers and broadcasters.","AnswerText":"Scottish Executive officials discussed the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill with Home Office counterparts during its preparatory stages. The subject matter of the bill falls within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. The issues raised in the bill had already been examined by the Cross Party Working Group on Religious Hatred. In light of their recommendations and the existing provisions in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, it was decided that there was no need to extend this bill to Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194964,"EventID":"S2W-22303","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical academics there are in each medical school and how many there were in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical academics there are in each medical school and how many there were in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"Information on the number of clinical academics in each medical school is not held centrally. Clinical academics employed by higher education institutions or other organisations in a research and/or teaching capacity and who also provide services for NHS patients, at consultant level, in NHS facilities are classified by ISD Scotland as having honorary contracts. ISD Scotland holds data on the number of medical and dental staff within Hospital, Community and Health Services (HCHS) with honorary contracts. The number of HCHS staff with honorary contracts within NHS Scotland for the last five years is shown in the table. This table includes figures from the 2005 Census, released by ISD Scotland on 26 January 2006. | Year | Number of Honorary Contracts | | 2001 | 495 | | 2002 | 468 | | 2003 | 438 | | 2004 | 432 | | 2005 | 421 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194965,"EventID":"S2W-22304","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what structures are in place to train clinical academics.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what structures are in place to train clinical academics.","AnswerText":"There are many routes to a clinical academic career, which reflect the diversity of research, teaching and clinical practice across the different medical specialties. In general, however, doctors wishing to pursue an academic career will usually apply in open competition to a postgraduate medical training position leading to a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) within their chosen specialty, and will then seek to take time-out of their clinical training programme to undertake research and/or to develop their teaching skills in an academic setting. Following completion of this period of research, the trainee will then complete their clinical training. I also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22305 on 31 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194966,"EventID":"S2W-22305","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve training for clinical academics. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve training for clinical academics. ","AnswerText":"The Executive is committed to ensuring that clinical academics have access to high quality training and integrated career pathways which enable them to pursue their research interests alongside their clinical commitments. The Executive has recently established a committee to consider how best to take forward recommendations contained within the Walport Report for the introduction of high quality integrated career pathways. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194967,"EventID":"S2W-22306","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the provisions of the Family Law (Scotland) Bill will come into effect.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the provisions of the Family Law (Scotland) Bill will come into effect.","AnswerText":"The provisions of the Family Law (Scotland) Bill will come into effect in the late spring or early summer of 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194968,"EventID":"S2W-22307","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the community of Ewes, near Langholm, will be broadband-enabled by Spring 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the community of Ewes, near Langholm, will be broadband-enabled by Spring 2006.","AnswerText":"We are aware there are still households within some communities that are out of reach of broadband, such as those in Ewes. With the help of independent technical advice, we are currently considering potential solutions. We will first outline our approach to this problem, with delivery of individual solutions following later in 2006-07. In the meantime, I would encourage anyone in the Ewes area who is affected to contact the Executive’s telecommunications policy team to ensure their needs are recorded. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194969,"EventID":"S2W-22308","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many warning letters have been issued by procurators fiscal in each of the last five years, broken down by category of alleged crime.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many warning letters have been issued by procurators fiscal in each of the last five years, broken down by category of alleged crime.","AnswerText":"The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database records all the charges against each accused person in terms of the specific common law or statutory offence that is alleged to have been committed. Charge information is held at this detailed level in order to meet the Department’s business needs in relation to the processing of criminal reports. It is not grouped into categories of crimes/offences. The total number of cases closed by Procurators Fiscal by the issue of a warning in each year since 2000-01 was as set out in the table below. Cases Closed By Issue Of Warning | Year | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | No. of Cases | 18,641 | 19,339 | 15,928 | 21,920 | 32,150 | While it is not possible to provide information in relation to broad categories of offence, the table below lists the more common charges reported in the last 3 financial years for persons issued with a warning. Charge Frequencies: Warnings | Crime/Offence | Description of Offence | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Breach of the Peace | Breach of the peace | 7,050 | 8,884 | 11,295 | | Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, S201,202&203 | Consuming alcohol in a designated public place | 2,856 | 3,899 | 5,628 | | Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, S5(2) | Possession of controlled drug | 2,101 | 2,842 | 3,804 | | Assault | Assault | 1,644 | 2,042 | 3,069 | | Theft by shoplifting | Theft by shoplifting | 1,547 | 1,893 | 2,409 | | Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, S47 | Urinating/Defecating | 1,071 | 1,671 | 1,874 | | Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995, S52(1)&(3) | Vandalism | 554 | 746 | 1,066 | | Communications Act 2003, S363(2)&(4) | Using/installing TV receiver without licence | 0 | 0 | 687 | | Theft | Theft | 399 | 504 | 679 | | Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, S50(1) | Drunk and incapable | 471 | 670 | 495 | | Road Traffic Act 1988, S14(3) | Driver failure to wear seatbelt | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194970,"EventID":"S2W-22309","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were prosecuted in Scotland for a crime as a result of Operation Ore.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were prosecuted in Scotland for a crime as a result of Operation Ore.","AnswerText":"Charges relating toOperation Ore cannot be identified separately on the Crown Officeand Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database from other chargesrelating to the making of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs ofchildren and other related offences.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194971,"EventID":"S2W-22310","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were found guilty in a Scottish court of a crime as a result of Operation Ore.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were found guilty in a Scottish court of a crime as a result of Operation Ore.","AnswerText":"The information requested cannot be identified separately in the statistical data held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194972,"EventID":"S2W-22311","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were issued with a fiscal warning as a result of Operation Ore.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were issued with a fiscal warning as a result of Operation Ore.","AnswerText":"While charges relating to Operation Ore cannot be identified separately on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database from other charges relating to the making of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children and other related offences, analysis of the figures relating to all charges reported in relation to the most relevant statutory offences under Sections 51 or 52 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 shows that very few such charges have been dealt with by the issue of a fiscal warning. Of the 461 accused persons reported for such charges in the period April 2002 – March 2005, only five were dealt with by means of a warning and none were dealt with by way of fiscal warning in 2004-05. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194973,"EventID":"S2W-22312","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were placed on the sex offenders' register as a result of Operation Ore.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were placed on the sex offenders' register as a result of Operation Ore.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. The Criminal History System (CHS) provides a central record of convictions in Scotland with a flagging system to indicate whether somebody is on the register. The CHS cannot be searched by reference to individual police operations. It is therefore not possible to cross match people targeted under Operation Ore against people on the register. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194974,"EventID":"S2W-22313","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20698 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 November 2005, whether all the senior managers from the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) are qu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20698 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 November 2005, whether all the senior managers from the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) are qualified fingerprint experts; how many are involved in providing advice to the Executive; what positions each official holds; whether any of these officials have been involved in any cases where the fingerprint evidence provided by the SCRO has been disputed, and, if so, what positions these particular individuals hold.","AnswerText":"The director, deputy director and business support manager provide advice to the Scottish Executive in respect of parliamentary questions about SCRO’s work. Where appropriate they first consult experts in the relevant business area, including fingerprints. None of these three are qualified fingerprint experts and none of them has been involved in any cases of disputed fingerprint evidence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194975,"EventID":"S2W-22314","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify and publish all the reports that it or the Lord Advocate have commissioned in the last 10 years in respect of the veracity or reliability of fing","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify and publish all the reports that it or the Lord Advocate have commissioned in the last 10 years in respect of the veracity or reliability of fingerprint identifications provided by the Scottish Criminal Record Office.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23155 on 20 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.In relation to reports publishedby the Lord Advocate, I have asked the Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC to respond. Hisresponse is as follows: I do not hold a central recordof reports commissioned in response to challenges to fingerprint evidence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194976,"EventID":"S2W-22315","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20694 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 November 2005, how the Minister for Justice reconciles her reply that the Scottish Fingerprint Servic","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20694 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 November 2005, how the Minister for Justice reconciles her reply that the Scottish Fingerprint Service has a “consistent approach to fingerprint identification which is followed by all fingerprint officers” with her reply to question S2W-20244 on 9 November 2005 which confirms the existence of disagreements between the Aberdeen Fingerprint Bureau and the Scottish Criminal Record Office.","AnswerText":"The fact that there is a disagreementover a single specific historical fingerprint identification does not imply an inconsistentapproach to fingerprint identification. There is no disagreement in the ScottishFingerprint Service (SFS) about the basis of fingerprint identification and allfingerprint identifications are carried out using the Assess, Compare, Evaluation and Verify (ACE-V) process, and are subject to internal quality assurance and to external independent auditunder the ISO 9001:2000 Certificate to which the SFS is accredited.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194977,"EventID":"S2W-22316","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20694 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 November 2005, whether the Assess, Compare, Evaluation and Verify (ACE-V) process is fallible and wha","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20694 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 November 2005, whether the Assess, Compare, Evaluation and Verify (ACE-V) process is fallible and what evidence it has to justify its reply.","AnswerText":"The process of Assess, Compare,Evaluation and Verify (ACE-V) is the description of the scientific approach to fingerprintanalysis adopted by fingerprint professionals and criminal justice agencies world-wide.It is a qualitative approach rather than an arbitrary quantitative approach wherebythe likelihood of error is minimised because the quality of the mark is the basisfrom which the identification is made.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194978,"EventID":"S2W-22317","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many current or former employees of the Scottish Criminal Record Office have complained about the internal workings of the office since January 2000; what the nature ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many current or former employees of the Scottish Criminal Record Office have complained about the internal workings of the office since January 2000; what the nature of such complaints was; what follow-up action was taken to deal with them; who took this action, and what progress has been made in assessing the effectiveness of the action taken.","AnswerText":"We are not aware of any recorded incidents of current or former employees of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) raising formal complaints under the grievance procedures to senior managers in SCRO about the internal workings of the office. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194979,"EventID":"S2W-22318","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals’ fingerprint identifications and how many identifications at the scene of the Marion Ross murder case provided by the Scottish Criminal Record Office","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals’ fingerprint identifications and how many identifications at the scene of the Marion Ross murder case provided by the Scottish Criminal Record Office have been the subject of dispute to date.","AnswerText":"Fingerprint identifications were made in respect of three individuals at the scene of the Marion Ross murder case. Two of these were relied on in evidence at subsequent criminal trials and have been subject to dispute. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194980,"EventID":"S2W-22319","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Road Works Commissioner will be appointed.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Road Works Commissioner will be appointed.","AnswerText":"It is intended that the ScottishRoad Works Commissioner should be appointed by the summer of 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194981,"EventID":"S2W-22320","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the Scottish Road Works Commissioner will have to ensure that East Dunbartonshire Council expedites any local road maintenance works that are long overdue.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the Scottish Road Works Commissioner will have to ensure that East Dunbartonshire Council expedites any local road maintenance works that are long overdue.","AnswerText":"The prioritisation andprogramming of local road maintenance works is the responsibility of EastDunbartonshire Council as the roads authority for the area. It will not be withinthe remit of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner to intervene in such matters.The commissioner will,however, seek to ensure that all road works are carried out in a well plannedand co-ordinated manner in order to minimise the inconvenience to thetravelling public and local residents and businesses. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194982,"EventID":"S2W-22321","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, following the £400,000 allocated from the Cities Growth Fund to West Dunbartonshire Council to resource the design and environmental appraisal of the Yoker relief road, ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, following the £400,000 allocated from the Cities Growth Fund to West Dunbartonshire Council to resource the design and environmental appraisal of the Yoker relief road, what the expected timescale is for construction of the road.","AnswerText":"The design and constructiontimetable of the Yoker relief road is a matter for West Dunbartonshire Council andthe City of Glasgow Council as the local roads authorities.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194983,"EventID":"S2W-22322","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance would be available to West Dunbartonshire Council and Glasgow City Council to construct the Yoker relief road following a successful appraisal of the proj","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance would be available to West Dunbartonshire Council and Glasgow City Council to construct the Yoker relief road following a successful appraisal of the project.","AnswerText":"The Executive has madeavailable additional funding of £60 million per annum to Scottish localauthorities for improving local roads in 2006-07 and 2007-08 as part of SpendingReview 2004.The establishment of the newstatutory Regional Transport Partnerships provides an opportunity to considerprojects, such as the Yoker relief road, through the development of theRegional Transport Strategy. This provides a means of prioritising projects andidentifying funding which can be allocated from local and regional resources.The West of Scotland Transport Partnership will receive £14.227 million perannum for the next two years for the development of transport projects in thewest of Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194984,"EventID":"S2W-22323","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been conducted concerning the economic and social benefits which would accrue to West Dunbartonshire following the construction of the Yoker relief road","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been conducted concerning the economic and social benefits which would accrue to West Dunbartonshire following the construction of the Yoker relief road.","AnswerText":"Any studies conducted inconnection with the construction of the Yoker relief road are a matter for West Dunbartonshire and City of Glasgow Council as the local roads authorities.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194985,"EventID":"S2W-22324","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21597 by Tavish Scott on 13 January 2006, what the precise dates were on which discussions in respect of a Users Charter relating t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21597 by Tavish Scott on 13 January 2006, what the precise dates were on which discussions in respect of a Users Charter relating to the services provided by Western Ferries between Inverclyde and Cowal took place and which parties were present.","AnswerText":"Western Ferries proposals fora Users’ Charter were discussed at meetings on the dates detailed below. The partiespresent at each meeting are also indicated below:8 June 2004 – Scottish Executive officials and representatives fromWestern Ferries. 19 July 2004 – Scottish Executive officials and representatives fromWestern Ferries. 11 August 2004 – Minister for Transport, Scottish Executive officialsand representatives from Western Ferries. 9 November 2004 – Scottish Executive officials, representatives fromWestern Ferries and representatives from Argyll and Bute Council. 15 December 2004 – Scottish Executive officials and representatives fromWestern Ferries. 22 September 2005 – Minister for Transport, Scottish Executive officialsand representatives from Western Ferries. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194986,"EventID":"S2W-22325","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21597 by Tavish Scott on 13 January 2006 and acknowledging that the “decisions, actions or conclusions” in respect of a Users Chart","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21597 by Tavish Scott on 13 January 2006 and acknowledging that the “decisions, actions or conclusions” in respect of a Users Charter relating to the services provided by Western Ferries between Inverclyde and Cowal that were referred to in that answer were overtaken by the December 2004 announcement, what the precise details were of these “decisions, actions or conclusions”.","AnswerText":"At the meetings in June, Julyand August, Western Ferries outlined their proposals for a Users’ Charter. Discussionsat that stage were exploratory in nature as the Executive sought clarity on thecompany’s proposals. At the meeting in November, Western Ferries provided furtherinformation on the detail of their proposals. However, the proposals were not consideredany further by the Executive as they were overtaken by the Executive’s proposalsfor the Gourock to Dunoon service as announced on 8 December 2004. The Executivedid not therefore reach a stage where it was required to take any decisions or actionsor form any conclusions on Western Ferries’ proposals for a Users’ Charter.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194987,"EventID":"S2W-22326","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21597 by Tavish Scott on 13 January 2006, what was deemed to be the relevance of the minister’s meeting with Western Ferries in Sep","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21597 by Tavish Scott on 13 January 2006, what was deemed to be the relevance of the minister’s meeting with Western Ferries in September 2005; what precise objectives were set for that meeting, and what was achieved.","AnswerText":"The Managing Director of WesternFerries wrote to me shortly after my appointment as Minister for Transport requestinga meeting to discuss issues related to ferry services in Scotland, particularlythe Gourock to Dunoon service. I agreed to meet the company as part of a seriesof meetings in which I engaged with stakeholders across the transport industry.Given that the meeting was initiated by Western Ferries, the Executive did not setany specific objectives for the meeting. However, as a consequence of the meeting,I gained more of an understanding of the company’s views.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194988,"EventID":"S2W-22327","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Parliament has powers under the Scotland Act to remove the powers of the Crown Estate Commission to control and generate income from the use of inshore waters","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Parliament has powers under the Scotland Act to remove the powers of the Crown Estate Commission to control and generate income from the use of inshore waters and the seabed and, if so, by what mechanism this could occur so that such powers are devolved to local authorities.","AnswerText":"Schedule 5.2(3) of theScotland Act 1998 reserves the management of the Crown Estate to the UK Parliamentand UK Government. The control of, and generation of income from, those areasof inshore waters and seabed vested in the Crown Estate is therefore a reservedmatter. Accordingly, the Scottish Parliament has no general power to remove thosefunctions of the Crown Estate Commissioners.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194989,"EventID":"S2W-22328","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it desirable that school pupils use past exam papers to prepare for national examinations.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it desirable that school pupils use past exam papers to prepare for national examinations.","AnswerText":"Past exam papers are one of a range of useful study aids which school pupils may wish to use to prepare for examinations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194990,"EventID":"S2W-22329","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider supplying past national exam papers to school pupils, either in paper form or via the internet, without charging a fee.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider supplying past national exam papers to school pupils, either in paper form or via the internet, without charging a fee.","AnswerText":"The production and distribution of exam papers is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). I have asked Anton Colella, the Chief Executive of SQA, to reply directly to you. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194991,"EventID":"S2W-22330","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of supplying past national exam papers free of charge to exam candidates.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of supplying past national exam papers free of charge to exam candidates.","AnswerText":"The production and distribution of exam papers is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). I have asked Anton Colella, the chief executive of SQA, to reply directly to you. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194992,"EventID":"S2W-22331","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the possibility of establishing an interactive past exam papers website to aid school students preparing for national examinations.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the possibility of establishing an interactive past exam papers website to aid school students preparing for national examinations.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). I have asked Anton Colella, the Chief Executive of SQA, to reply directly to you. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194993,"EventID":"S2W-22332","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the information in respect of registration categories in paragraph 1.4 of Registering the Risk: Review of Notification Requirements, Risk Assessment and Risk ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the information in respect of registration categories in paragraph 1.4 of Registering the Risk: Review of Notification Requirements, Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Sex Offenders, published in October 2005, whether it will (a) specify those police authorities who maintain the lists of “unregistered” and “non-registered” cases and “un-convicted” persons referred to in that paragraph and (b) publish the number of cases and/or persons registered under each of these three categories, broken down by police authority.","AnswerText":"Every Scottish force maintains force-wide intelligence systems and has access to national databases such as the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR). ViSOR allows forces to share information and will help them to assess and manage the risk posed by sex offenders and individuals, without convictions or a relevant offence, who are demonstrating behaviour that the police deem to pose a significant risk of harm to the public. Access to this information is restricted to law enforcement agencies. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194994,"EventID":"S2W-22333","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21577 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether it has given specific consideration to the opinions expressed by Lord Steyn.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21577 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether it has given specific consideration to the opinions expressed by Lord Steyn.","AnswerText":"The opinions expressed by LordSteyn have been noted.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194995,"EventID":"S2W-22334","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21579 and S2W-21580 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether these indicate that the Executive’s position is that it would ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21579 and S2W-21580 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether these indicate that the Executive’s position is that it would expect the police to take action in the circumstances referred to in the questions.","AnswerText":"The investigation of crime isa matter for the police. The police will act if there is specific, credible informationto justify such action.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194996,"EventID":"S2W-22335","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S2W-21582 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, why there have been no discussions with representatives of the US Government, given t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S2W-21582 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, why there have been no discussions with representatives of the US Government, given that the allegations involved pertain to their agencies. ","AnswerText":"No reliable and credible information has been provided to any Scottish law enforcement agency to support the allegations that US flights carrying alleged terrorist detainees overseas to be tortured have stopped to refuel at Scottish airports. In light of this, the Scottish Executive has not discussed such allegations with representatives of the US government. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194997,"EventID":"S2W-22336","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21585 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether it will now discuss the allegations made by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty Int","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21585 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether it will now discuss the allegations made by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, given the ongoing media reports that US agencies have used Scottish airports to refuel flights carrying individuals suspected of being involved in acts of terrorism to countries that practice torture.","AnswerText":"As we have made clear on numerousoccasions, torture is a crime under Scots law and anyone who claims to have informationto suggest that a crime has been committed in Scotland should take that informationto the police.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194998,"EventID":"S2W-22337","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21666 by Tavish Scott on 22 December 2005, whether the police have any responsibility for adherence to the Chicago Convention on In","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21666 by Tavish Scott on 22 December 2005, whether the police have any responsibility for adherence to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The provisions of the Chicago Convention are applied by the United Kingdom through the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and the Air Navigation Order 2005. Apparent breaches of the law may be investigated by the police. The convention does not prevent investigation of aircraft by the police, immigration or customs services, should they consider it necessary. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":194999,"EventID":"S2W-22338","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the Scottish Prison Service not accepting the point of note identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 7.6 of his May 2004 inspecti","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the Scottish Prison Service not accepting the point of note identified by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in paragraph 7.6 of his May 2004 inspection report into HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont that “some non-accredited classes in the learning centre would benefit from a clearer focus on achievement”.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22272 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. These comments refer to the previous education contract. A new contract was put in place in April 2005. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195000,"EventID":"S2W-22339","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21529 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, how it assesses whether there is sufficient capacity within the open prison estate if ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21529 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, how it assesses whether there is sufficient capacity within the open prison estate if it does not keep historical data in respect of prisoners held in a regular prison who should be held in an open prison.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:The likelyfuture number of prisoners we wish to hold in open conditions is one factortaken into account when we periodically assess the future size and shape of theprison estate. Prisoners are only considered eligible for the open estate aftera rigorous individual assessment of their suitability for open conditions. Irefer the member to the answer to S2W-20543 answered on 21 November 2005, for details. Places in the open estate are restricted andtherefore a prisoner who meets the criteria set out in S2W-20543 must wait foran available place before he can transfer. The prospect of a transfer, oncethe person has met the relevant criteria, acts as an incentive to goodbehaviour. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, thesearch facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195001,"EventID":"S2W-22340","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2077,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":25,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the potential cost of extending the young person’s national concessionary travel scheme to (a) full-time mature students and (b) all mature s","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the potential cost of extending the young person’s national concessionary travel scheme to (a) full-time mature students and (b) all mature students.","AnswerText":"The Executive is currently focusingon planning and implementing the Partnership Agreement commitment to progressivelyintroduce a scheme of national bus, rail and ferry concessionary travel for youngpeople. No estimates have been made of the cost of extending the scheme to full-timemature students or all mature students. Such estimates would require detailed analysisof bus, rail and ferry usage by mature students, and discussions with key stakeholdersin local transport authorities and the bus, rail and ferry industries.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195002,"EventID":"S2W-22341","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it hopes to appoint a Chair, Director and Board of the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it hopes to appoint a Chair, Director and Board of the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service.","AnswerText":"This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. A Chair has now been identified and an announcement will be made shortly. Second stage interviews for the Director are scheduled for early February. In the meantime the SMAS team now operating within Scottish Enterprise will continue to report to Terry Currie, Director, Growing Business, as announced in November. The remainder of the advisory board will be appointed shortly after the chair and director. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195003,"EventID":"S2W-22342","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the monies it, or any of its agencies, have paid to the (a) Confederation of British Industry, (b) Institute of Directors, (c) Scottish ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the monies it, or any of its agencies, have paid to the (a) Confederation of British Industry, (b) Institute of Directors, (c) Scottish Council (Development and Industry), (d) Federation of Small Businesses, (e) Forum for Private Business and (f) Scottish Chambers of Commerce in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05 and (iii) 2005-06, showing the purposes for which the funds were paid.","AnswerText":"On the basis of information held on the Scottish Executive Accounting System (SEAS), I can confirm that no monies were paid by the Executive or its agencies to the Institute of Directors, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Forum of Private Business during the financial years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 (to date). The information requested for The Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Business and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry is provided in the document entitled SEAS record of monies paid by the Scottish Executive and its agencies to business organisations for the financial years 2003-04, 2004 - 05, and 2005-06 (to date). A copy of this document has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38674). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195004,"EventID":"S2W-22343","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 whether it can confirm that expenditure in England on the operation of the prison s","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 whether it can confirm that expenditure in England on the operation of the prison system, the Court Service Agency, judicial salaries for England, the Valuation Office Agency, and non-domestic rate collection for England fall within the non-identifiable category of expenditure in GERS, while expenditure on the corresponding functions in Scotland fall within the identifiable category.","AnswerText":"I can confirm this is the case. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195005,"EventID":"S2W-22344","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04, what its estimate is of the aggregate of expenditure in 2003-04 in the non-identif","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04, what its estimate is of the aggregate of expenditure in 2003-04 in the non-identifiable category on functions in England, or England and Wales, where expenditure on the corresponding functions in Scotland is identifiable.","AnswerText":"As made clear in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 2003-04 (p.18), some programmes included in UK non-identifiable expenditure benefit England (or England and Wales) only but could not be allocated to any English region in particular. HM Treasury is planning to consult with UK departments and the devolved administrations to provide further, more disaggregated, data. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195006,"EventID":"S2W-22345","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS), why a proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable category on fun","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS), why a proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable category on functions in England, or England and Wales, where expenditure on the corresponding functions in Scotland is identifiable, was allocated to Scotland when calculating the estimates of Scottish expenditure referred to GERS.","AnswerText":"I refer to my answer to question S2W-22344, answered on 9 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195007,"EventID":"S2W-22346","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS), what proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable category on func","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS), what proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable category on functions in England, or England and Wales, where expenditure on the corresponding functions in Scotland is identifiable, was allocated to Scotland when calculating the estimates of Scottish expenditure referred to in GERS.","AnswerText":"I refer to my answer to question S2W-22344, answered on 9 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195008,"EventID":"S2W-22347","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the approach in Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS) of allocating to Scotland a proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable c","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the approach in Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS) of allocating to Scotland a proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable category on functions in England, or England and Wales, where expenditure on the corresponding functions in Scotland is identifiable, is consistent with the new status of GERS as a National Statistics publication.","AnswerText":"Yes, it is consistent with this new status. Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland has National Statistics status because it is produced and published under the scope of the principles of the National Statistics Code of Practice. The code seeks to ensure that National Statistics will be valued for their relevance, integrity, quality and accessibility. HM Treasury’s Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses is the best available source of regional expenditure data and is itself a National Statistics publication. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195009,"EventID":"S2W-22348","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish revised Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland (GERS) figures to take account of any mistaken allocation to Scotland of a proportion of the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish revised Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland (GERS) figures to take account of any mistaken allocation to Scotland of a proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable category on functions in England, or England and Wales, where expenditure on the corresponding functions in Scotland is identifiable.","AnswerText":"Treasury is consulting with UK departments and the devolved administrations to discuss methods for further breaking down non-identifiable expenditure, where this expenditure is not for the benefit of all UK residents. Greater precision in these source data will also lead to improvements in future estimates of expenditure in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195010,"EventID":"S2W-22349","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will liaise with HM Treasury to correct the figures for Enterprise and Employment, published in December 2005 in Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotlan","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will liaise with HM Treasury to correct the figures for Enterprise and Employment, published in December 2005 in Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04, given that in private correspondence, dated 23 August 2005, the Treasury indicated that there was a mistake in the classification of expenditure by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise between the “Employment” and “Enterprise and Economic Development” categories in the Treasury’s public expenditure database and, if so, when it will publish corrected figures.","AnswerText":"The Executive is working to establish the best functional classification for expenditure by the Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Any change in the classification will be reflected in Treasury’s Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses and therefore in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195011,"EventID":"S2W-22350","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the statement in Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS) that unidentifiable expenditure outside the United Kingdom was allocated to S","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the statement in Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS) that unidentifiable expenditure outside the United Kingdom was allocated to Scotland on the same basis as non-identifiable expenditure, in line with the principle that “expenditure outside the UK is non-identifiable from the perspective of the UK’s constituent countries, as the benefits are shared between them”, how much of the expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2003-04 was classified in HM Treasury’s public expenditure database as being outside the UK and, of this, what proportion the Executive allocated to Scotland in GERS; how much of the expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2003-04 was identifiable within the UK and, of this, what proportion was identifiable to Scotland, and whether the Executive considers the differences in proportions allocated to Scotland to be justifiable.","AnswerText":"Expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail link in 2003-04 that is included in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses in identifiable expenditure outside the UK amounted to £166 million (43 per cent of all expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail link, corresponding to the share of foreign passengers using the service) and the estimate of the Scottish share of this is calculated using its population share. £224 million (57 per cent of all expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail link) was identified within the UK and of this £1.2 million (0.3 per cent of all expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail link) was allocated to Scotland, based on information of passenger origin. This methodology is used because expenditure outside the UK cannot be identified to any specific UK region and the estimated Scottish share of identifiable expenditure outside the UK is based on the assumption that the Scottish population benefits from the enhanced travel opportunities from outside the UK. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195012,"EventID":"S2W-22351","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21768 by Colin Boyd QC on 13 January 2006, what it considers would be a “credible allegation” in respect of the ongoing allegations","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21768 by Colin Boyd QC on 13 January 2006, what it considers would be a “credible allegation” in respect of the ongoing allegations that US agencies have been using the process of “extraordinary rendition”, unlawfully facilitated through various Scottish airports.","AnswerText":"It is unhelpful to speculate as to information which would constitute a credible allegation. This will vary depending upon the circumstances of the alleged offence. The police will carefully consider any information provided to them and will commence an investigation if there is specific information which justifies a criminal investigation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195013,"EventID":"S2W-22352","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21768 by Colin Boyd QC on 13 January 2006, whether it would consider any flight which was found to be involved in the process of “e","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21768 by Colin Boyd QC on 13 January 2006, whether it would consider any flight which was found to be involved in the process of “extraordinary rendition” as a civil aircraft.","AnswerText":"The question whether an aircraft is a civil aircraft will depend on the application of domestic and, so far as relevant, international law to the particular facts. The Chicago Convention of 1944 on International Civil Aviation applies only to civil and not to state aircraft, which are described as aircraft used in military, customs and police services. Section 92 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 defines “military aircraft” as an aircraft of the naval, military or air forces of any country, or any other aircraft in respect of which there is in force a certificate issued by the Secretary of State in accordance with any Order in Council in force under the act that the aircraft is to be treated for the purposes of that Order in Council as a military aircraft. Civil aviation is a reserved matter. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195014,"EventID":"S2W-22353","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21304 and S2W-21305 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005, whether it will confirm that the number of bidders for the A68 Dalkeith ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21304 and S2W-21305 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005, whether it will confirm that the number of bidders for the A68 Dalkeith Bypass tender is now reduced to two and that the tenders for the third generation term contracts for management and maintenance of the Scottish trunk network for the north west and south west units let on 8 December 2005 had only two bidders each, and whether these developments might lead the Executive to reconsider these answers.","AnswerText":"We can confirm that there arenow two bidders for the A68 Dalkeith Bypass and that there were two bidders foreach of the recently awarded trunk road maintenance contracts. The answers providedto the earlier questions are still applicable.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195015,"EventID":"S2W-22354","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21638 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006 and if, in the event of a successful bid by Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21638 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006 and if, in the event of a successful bid by Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games it does become apparent “that the UK will accrue similar benefits on a smaller scale” to those that the Executive and Her Majesty’s Government expect the 2012 London Olympics to accrue for the United Kingdom, whether the Executive will seek similar financial support for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games from Her Majesty’s Government to that which Scotland has committed, and will commit, to the London Olympics.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to seek additional financial support from Her Majesty’s Government although its help in areas such as security and visas will be most important. The only financial support that Scotland has committed to the London Olympics is £25 million of sports lottery funding all of which is to be spent in Scotland, on Scottish athletes. The Scottish Executive is exploring the possibilities of lottery monies being available to help fund the 2014 Commonwealth Games. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195016,"EventID":"S2W-22355","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-21638 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, whether the Executive plans to undertake an analysis of whether the United Kingdom as a whole","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-21638 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, whether the Executive plans to undertake an analysis of whether the United Kingdom as a whole is likely to accrue benefits from Glasgow hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no plans to undertake such analysis at this time. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195017,"EventID":"S2W-22356","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities on the appropriate level of financial reserves which they should maintain.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities on the appropriate level of financial reserves which they should maintain.","AnswerText":"There is currently no guidance issued to councils by the Executive on the appropriate level of financial reserves which they should maintain. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195018,"EventID":"S2W-22357","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to influence or set levels of financial reserves in local authorities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to influence or set levels of financial reserves in local authorities.","AnswerText":"The Executive currently has no specific powers to influence or set levels of financial reserves in local authorities. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195019,"EventID":"S2W-22358","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the report, Care 21: Exploring the Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the report, Care 21: Exploring the Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland.","AnswerText":"We are currently carefully considering the report and its recommendations. I will respond formally to the report in the spring, as I indicated I would do at the time of publication. As part of our consideration we are engaging with key stakeholders in order to inform our response and also to identify priorities for action. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195020,"EventID":"S2W-22359","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists or dental surgeries have closed their lists to NHS patients in (a) Tayside, (b) Fife and (c) the Highlands in 2005-06.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists or dental surgeries have closed their lists to NHS patients in (a) Tayside, (b) Fife and (c) the Highlands in 2005-06.","AnswerText":"This information is not collected centrally. Dentists are not obliged to advise NHS boards if they are accepting or have stopped accepting new NHS patients. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195021,"EventID":"S2W-22360","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists or dental surgeries in (a) Tayside, (b) Fife and (c) the Highlands (i) still have NHS patients on their lists and (ii) operate on a private or Denpl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists or dental surgeries in (a) Tayside, (b) Fife and (c) the Highlands (i) still have NHS patients on their lists and (ii) operate on a private or Denplan basis only.","AnswerText":"Information on the number of dental practices with NHS patients registered is provided in the table. Information on dental practices that operate exclusively on a private or Denplan basis only is not available. Number of Dental Practices with NHS Patients Registered at 31 March 2005 | NHS Board Area | Number of Practices1 | | Tayside | 81 | | Fife | 57 | | Highland | 54 | Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System). Note: 1. This analysis excludes NHS general dental practices that limit their practice to orthodontics and emergency practices, as these practices do not register patients. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195022,"EventID":"S2W-22361","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are registered with a dentist or dental surgery, on a private or NHS basis, in (a) Tayside, (b) Fife and (c) the Highlands, expressed as a percentage of t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are registered with a dentist or dental surgery, on a private or NHS basis, in (a) Tayside, (b) Fife and (c) the Highlands, expressed as a percentage of the population in each of these areas.","AnswerText":"Information on the number of patients registered with an NHS dentist is provided in the table. Information on patients registered with a dentist on a private basis is not available. Number of Patients Registered with an NHS General Dentist at 31 March 2005 | NHS Board Area | Number of Patients Registered | Percentage of Population Registered1 | | Tayside | 227,083 | 59% | | Fife | 178,336 | 50% | | Highland | 72,313 | 34% | Sources: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System), GROS (General Register Office for Scotland). Note: 1. Based on mid-year 2004 population figures. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195023,"EventID":"S2W-22362","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive where the dental records of patients previously, but no longer, registered with an NHS dentist or dental surgery are held and for how long.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive where the dental records of patients previously, but no longer, registered with an NHS dentist or dental surgery are held and for how long.","AnswerText":"Dental records are the property of the dentist. The dental records of patients previously, but no longer, registered with a dentist under NHS will therefore remain in the dentist’s possession. Under their NHS terms of service dentists are required to retain records for a period of two years after completion of any course of treatment. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195024,"EventID":"S2W-22363","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-20860 and S2W-21634 by Cathy Jamieson on 29 November 2005 and 16 January 2006, why the Scottish Prison Service holds information ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-20860 and S2W-21634 by Cathy Jamieson on 29 November 2005 and 16 January 2006, why the Scottish Prison Service holds information on staff turnover for prison service staff across the United Kingdom but not in OECD nations or EU member states.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service holds detailed turnover information only for its own staff. The UK average referred to in my answer to question S2W-20860 on 29 November 2005 is taken from The Annual Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) survey on recruitment, retention and turnover. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195025,"EventID":"S2W-22364","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21634 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 January 2006, whether any of its departments or agencies outwith the Scottish Prison Service hold inf","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21634 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 January 2006, whether any of its departments or agencies outwith the Scottish Prison Service hold information on comparative prison staff turnover in each (a) OECD nation and (b) EU member state.","AnswerText":"Scottish Executive departmentsand agencies outwith the Scottish Prison Service do not hold any information oncomparative prison staff turnover.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195026,"EventID":"S2W-22365","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21634 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 January 2006, how the level of staff turnover in the Scottish Prison Service has compared with the UK","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21634 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 January 2006, how the level of staff turnover in the Scottish Prison Service has compared with the UK average in each of the last 10 years.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: | | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | SPS Turnover % | 4.1 | 6.6 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | | National Turnover | 26.6 | 18.2 | 16.1 | 16.1 | 15.7 | Comparable figures are not available before 2000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195027,"EventID":"S2W-22366","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the report on commencement of sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 will be published, in light of the Minister for Just","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the report on commencement of sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 will be published, in light of the Minister for Justice’s statement on 29 September 2005 that it was due “shortly” (Official Report c. 19663).","AnswerText":"The final report of the Research Working Group on the Legal Services Market in Scotland, which covers a range of issues including the possible commencement of sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990, will be published as soon as possible. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195028,"EventID":"S2W-22367","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 since 1999.","AnswerText":"The Executive decided to review this matter in 2003 and referred it to the Research Working Group on the Legal Services Market in Scotland which was established in March 2004. It would not be appropriate to comment on the reasons for non-implementation by previous administrations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195029,"EventID":"S2W-22368","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans now are for implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans now are for implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.","AnswerText":"We shall consider the case for commencement of sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 on receipt of the report of the Research Working Group on the Legal Services Market in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195030,"EventID":"S2W-22369","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.","AnswerText":"We have from time to time consulted the Department of Constitutional Affairs on their experience of implementing the equivalent rights of audience in England and Wales. In addition, the Office of Fair Trading was represented on the Scottish Executive’s Research Working Group on the Legal Services Market in Scotland and has been fully involved in the group’s discussions of this issue. The minutes of the Research Working Group’s meetings are available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Civil/17822/19316. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195031,"EventID":"S2W-22370","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Law Society of Scotland in respect of implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Law Society of Scotland in respect of implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.","AnswerText":"The Law Society of Scotland is a member of the Scottish Executive’s Research Working Group on the Legal Services Market in Scotland and has been fully involved in the group’s discussions of this issue. The minutes of the Research Working Group’s meetings are available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Civil/17822/19316. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195032,"EventID":"S2W-22371","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving support to, and services for, young carers since the parliamentary debate on 27 October 2004.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving support to, and services for, young carers since the parliamentary debate on 27 October 2004.","AnswerText":"We have made good progress in various ways since October 2004. The introduction of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and the involvement of carer organisations in the associated guidance has helped to improve support to young carers. The Executive commissioned a Mori poll to help identify the number of young carers and their level of caring. That poll was undertaken in schools early in 2005, and the report was published on 7 September. Last year, the Executive commissioned a major study on the future of unpaid care in Scotland. I announced the publication of the results of that study in September and subsequently discussed it with carers organisations. The report looked specifically at young carers and includes a recommendation relating to the development of a national young carers strategy and the creation of a national forum for young carers. We are presently liaising with key stakeholders to scope the report’s 22 recommendations, including those on young carers, and I will respond to the report in the spring. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195033,"EventID":"S2W-22372","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving support to, and services for, young carers since the current Deputy Minister for Education and Young People and Deputy Minister f","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving support to, and services for, young carers since the current Deputy Minister for Education and Young People and Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care were appointed.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22371 on 30 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195034,"EventID":"S2W-22373","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing the issues raised in the Review of Scotland's Cities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing the issues raised in the Review of Scotland's Cities.","AnswerText":"The Executive recognises the critical role played by successful and dynamic city-regions as engines of growth for the national economy and the contribution that cities make to national competitiveness. This is reflected in a number of recent policy statements, including the National Planning Framework for Scotland, the Framework for Economic Development in Scotland, the Infrastructure Investment Plan and the refreshed A Smart, Successful Scotland, which emphasise both the connections between cities and city-regions and the importance of collaborating to compete effectively on the international stage. In line with the conclusions of the Cities Review, we recognise that the regeneration of particular places and communities is key to the overall success of each city and to each of the city-regions that surrounds them. Our programmes of investment in skills, transport and infrastructure are bringing clear benefits to all our city-regions. Specific investment programmes include the Cities Growth Fund and the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund. The Executive is also supporting pathfinder Urban Regeneration Companies in Craigmillar, Raploch and Clydebank. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195035,"EventID":"S2W-22374","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been allocated to address the issues raised in the Review of Scotland's Cities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been allocated to address the issues raised in the Review of Scotland's Cities.","AnswerText":"As part of its response to the Cities Review, the Executive approved the creation of the Cities Growth Fund, the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund and announced consultation on Urban Regeneration Companies. The Cities Growth Fund provides a dedicated source of infrastructure investment funding for our six city-based local authorities to deliver sustainable economic growth and regeneration in each city-region. It will provide £173 million over the five years 2003-08. The Scottish Executive allocated £20 million to the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund for financial years 2004-06 and a further £24.3 million has been made available through Spending Review 2004 for 2006-08. The Executive is also supporting innovative delivery vehicles such as Urban Regeneration Companies (URCs). This is backed by £20 million from the Scottish Executive over the period 2004-06. To date three Urban Regeneration Companies have been granted “pathfinder” URC status in Scotland. A further £22 million has been allocated through Spending Review 2004 for the period 2006-08. The Scottish Budget also includes funding for a wide range of other measures which benefit our cities and their surrounding city-regions. These include addressing the skills gap, tackling unemployment and supporting business growth and jobs. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195036,"EventID":"S2W-22375","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that chambers of commerce and other local organisations will be properly consulted before any decisions are reached on the future structure of enterpri","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that chambers of commerce and other local organisations will be properly consulted before any decisions are reached on the future structure of enterprise promotion in Scotland.","AnswerText":"Ministers have made it clear that any proposals should have the support of business. They have discussed, and will continue to discuss, with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the nature of their developing proposals and in particular the level of support from business organisations and other interested parties. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195037,"EventID":"S2W-22376","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government in respect of documents associated with the contamination of blood products.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government in respect of documents associated with the contamination of blood products.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is in regular discussion with the UK Government on a wide range of matters including the specific issue raised. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195038,"EventID":"S2W-22377","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what role or input the UK Government had in respect of documents associated with the contamination of blood products recently released by the Executive under the Freedom ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what role or input the UK Government had in respect of documents associated with the contamination of blood products recently released by the Executive under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.","AnswerText":"These documents were released in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. There was no involvement from the UK Government. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195039,"EventID":"S2W-22378","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UK Government has advised the Executive (a) which documents associated with the contamination of blood products have been destroyed, (b) in what format such d","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UK Government has advised the Executive (a) which documents associated with the contamination of blood products have been destroyed, (b) in what format such documents were held, (c) where they were held and (d) by what process or mechanism they were destroyed and what explanation the UK Government has offered for the destruction of the documents.","AnswerText":"The UK Government has not provided the Executive with any information beyond the explanation released publicly that files were destroyed due to being incorrectly archived after the HIV litigation process in the early 1990s. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195040,"EventID":"S2W-22379","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people between 16 and 25 years old have contacted Project Scotland since it was launched.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people between 16 and 25 years old have contacted Project Scotland since it was launched.","AnswerText":"There has been exceptional interest from young people in Project Scotland. As of 13 January 2006, and since its launch in May 2005, Project Scotland has had over 6,500 enquiries leading to 1,100 applications and 324 volunteers in placements. 298 individuals have had a Project Scotland subsistence allowance approved. Post-placement assistance for Project Scotland Volunteers takes the form of the personal development fund, which was allocated up to £337,000 within the 2005-06 business plan. Of the 75 volunteers eligible to apply for the personal development fund, having completed their placement and volunteered for a minimum of six months, nine have applied and so far five personal development funds have been awarded. The remainder will be considered at the end of January. The initial focus for Project Scotland is to provide opportunities within Scotland, therefore no placements are currently located outside of Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195041,"EventID":"S2W-22380","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scots have become volunteers as a result of Project Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scots have become volunteers as a result of Project Scotland.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195042,"EventID":"S2W-22381","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many subsistence allowances have been approved since the launch of Project Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many subsistence allowances have been approved since the launch of Project Scotland.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195043,"EventID":"S2W-22382","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young Scots have taken advantage of post-placement assistance from Project Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young Scots have taken advantage of post-placement assistance from Project Scotland.","AnswerText":"http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195044,"EventID":"S2W-22383","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent since 1999 on projects which have not achieved their stated objectives.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent since 1999 on projects which have not achieved their stated objectives.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive strives at all times to ensure that the stated objectives and targets of our spending plans are met. We have published progress against targets set by each portfolio in the Annual Evaluation Reports. We also published a report of progress against the Programme for Government for 1999 to 2003, and are monitoring progress against A Partnership Agreement for a Better Scotland. We monitor progress against objectives, aiming for continuous improvement in value for money. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195045,"EventID":"S2W-22384","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any of its spending since 1999 has been wasteful and, if so, how much.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any of its spending since 1999 has been wasteful and, if so, how much.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive strives at all times to ensure that the Scottish Budget is spent as effectively as possible. We monitor and review expenditure to ensure economy, efficiency and effectiveness, and with regard to propriety and good financial management. Independent scrutiny of the Executive is carried out by the Auditor General of Scotland. Past expenditure was, and published spending plans are, set to meet our commitments to the Scottish people under the Programme for Government and A Partnership Agreement for a Better Scotland. Spending plans are approved annually by the Scottish Parliament through a Budget Act. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195046,"EventID":"S2W-22385","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21510 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, why it considers that there was no requirement for the statutory identification statemen","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21510 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, why it considers that there was no requirement for the statutory identification statement publicising the assignation of ministerial rights in relation to the Skye Bridge Toll Order to be signed or dated.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16388 on 20 May 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195047,"EventID":"S2W-22386","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21512 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, whether there is any need for the Skye Bridge concessionaire to be in possession of an a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21512 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, whether there is any need for the Skye Bridge concessionaire to be in possession of an assignation statement identifying the concessionaire, regardless of when such a document is handed over.","AnswerText":"Yes. Copies of both the Skye Bridge Assignation Statement and the subsequent Concession Agreement assigning the then Secretary of State’s right to charge and collect tolls at the bridge, were held by the concessionaire. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195048,"EventID":"S2W-22387","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21512 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, whether the Permit to Use incorporates the transfer of entitled rights from the Secretar","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21512 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, whether the Permit to Use incorporates the transfer of entitled rights from the Secretary of State to the Skye Bridge concessionaire in order to operate the tolling regime in respect of charging and collecting tolls.","AnswerText":"No. The assignation of the thenSecretary of States right to charge and collect tolls was contained in theconcession agreement relating to the Skye crossing.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195049,"EventID":"S2W-22388","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21513 by Colin Boyd QC on 19 December 2005, in what legal capacity Crown Production 16 was a “relevant document in establishing the","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21513 by Colin Boyd QC on 19 December 2005, in what legal capacity Crown Production 16 was a “relevant document in establishing the legality of the tolling regime” at the Skye Bridge.","AnswerText":"Production number 16 was relevant, as it made clear that the Secretary of State was aware of the existence of the Operations and Maintenance Agreement. I also refer to the answer to question S2W-22390 on 30 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195050,"EventID":"S2W-22389","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21513 by Colin Boyd QC on 19 December 2005, whether Crown Production 16 in respect of the Skye Bridge was an official document issu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21513 by Colin Boyd QC on 19 December 2005, whether Crown Production 16 in respect of the Skye Bridge was an official document issued by an Executive department and, if so, which department.","AnswerText":"Crown Production 16 was provided to the Crown by Skye Bridge Limited. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195051,"EventID":"S2W-22390","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21513 by Colin Boyd QC on 19 December 2005 and if Crown Production 16 was a “relevant document in establishing the legality of the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21513 by Colin Boyd QC on 19 December 2005 and if Crown Production 16 was a “relevant document in establishing the legality of the tolling regime” at the Skye Bridge, whether it is satisfied that the convictions secured in the 20 months prior to its production in Dingwall Sheriff Court are safe and, if so, what its reasons are for taking this view.","AnswerText":"I am satisfied that convictions secured prior to the introduction of Crown Production 16 are safe. The Appeal Court made clear in their decision of 16 December 1999 that while Production 16 was a relevant document, what was subcontracted under the Operations and Maintenance Agreement was not something for which the Secretary of State’s consent was required. The Appeal Court also made clear that while the Crown had seen fit to produce a large amount of documentation including some lengthy documents of a contractual nature, it should not be assumed that this was strictly necessary. I also refer to the answer to question S2W-22388 on 30 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195052,"EventID":"S2W-22391","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21512 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, by what method the identities of the concessionaire company and those of its principal s","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21512 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, by what method the identities of the concessionaire company and those of its principal shareholders were officially published in 1995 when tolling at the Skye Bridge first commenced.","AnswerText":"These details were not published when tolling began. There was no statutory requirement to do so. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195053,"EventID":"S2W-22392","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an offence relating to fishing without a licence to fish in that part of the Solway Firth defined as “Scottish waters” can be prosecuted through the English court","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an offence relating to fishing without a licence to fish in that part of the Solway Firth defined as “Scottish waters” can be prosecuted through the English courts and, if so, why this is permissible.","AnswerText":"It would be possible to prosecute an offence relating to fishing without a licence in the Scottish side of the Solway Estuary in an English Court. Fishing licensing arrangements are set up on a UK basis. The only licensing regime that applies exclusively at present on the Scottish side of the Solway is that established for fishing vessels throughout UK waters by an Order under section 4 of the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967. Section 14 of that act states that an offence can be treated as having been committed in any part of the United Kingdom. The relevant Order is the Sea Fish Licencing Order 1992 (SI.1992 2633) (as amended) which has UK extent and proceedings for a breach of which can be applied anywhere in the UK. There have, however, been no instances of such an offence committed in Scotland being prosecuted in England or vice versa since devolution. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195054,"EventID":"S2W-22393","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that Her Majesty’s Government will bring forward the new grant programmes intended to replace the PowerShift scheme and on what date applications for ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that Her Majesty’s Government will bring forward the new grant programmes intended to replace the PowerShift scheme and on what date applications for grants under the new programmes will be considered.","AnswerText":"The UK Government Department for Transport (DfT) is developing a new scheme. The timescale for introduction is dependent on clearance by the European Commission. The Energy Saving Trust (EST), which administers transport programmes on behalf of the Department, will continue to keep the public informed of developments via its website www.est.org.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195055,"EventID":"S2W-22394","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many community schemes in areas of multiple deprivation specifically target children aged under three and their parents and what those schemes are.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many community schemes in areas of multiple deprivation specifically target children aged under three and their parents and what those schemes are.","AnswerText":"There are a range of schemes supporting families with children under three, including the Sure Start Scotland programme which provides targeted support for families who are vulnerable for whatever reason. These families are not, however, always located in areas of multiple deprivation. Mapping Sure Start Scotland indicated that there has continued to be a year on year increase in the numbers of children and parents supported. In 2003-04 these were 15,400 and 9,600 respectively. Phase 1 of the National Demonstration Project for Child and Family Health in Scotland, Starting Well, targeted children aged 0 to three and their parents from two specific areas of multiple deprivation. Phase 2 of the project works with vulnerable children aged 0 to five across Glasgow. Although the £318 million Community Regeneration Fund does not target 0 to threes directly, it supports a range of activities in areas of multiple deprivation. This includes some which may be of indirect benefit to 0 to threes such as child care and health support. There are over 100 Working for Families (WFF) projects currently operating in 10 local authority areas which support parents in disadvantaged areas or groups to progress towards or into employment by removing childcare barriers. Support is provided to parents of children in the 0 to 16 age group, which includes parents of children under three, although these parents are not specifically targeted as a separate sub-group. WFF projects include key workers who provide focussed adult support for employment related activity and a range of childcare projects aimed at improving accessibility to services and building capacity where necessary. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195056,"EventID":"S2W-22395","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out into intervention schemes for children aged under three and their parents and whether it has introduced programmes as a result of that re","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out into intervention schemes for children aged under three and their parents and whether it has introduced programmes as a result of that research.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive commissioned a long-term independent evaluation of the Glasgow-based child health demonstration project, Starting Well, leading to implementation of Phase 2 of this programme. The “Growing Up in Scotland” research programme now underway, will provide information about the impact of existing services for families with children, including those under three years of age, and inform future policy development. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195057,"EventID":"S2W-22396","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce early intervention programmes for children under three.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce early intervention programmes for children under three.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has a range of early intervention programmes for children under three years and keeps all of these under review. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195058,"EventID":"S2W-22397","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been to the Project Scotland personal development fund.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been to the Project Scotland personal development fund.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195059,"EventID":"S2W-22398","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many awards there have been from the Project Scotland personal development fund.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many awards there have been from the Project Scotland personal development fund.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195060,"EventID":"S2W-22399","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for the Project Scotland personal development fund.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for the Project Scotland personal development fund.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195061,"EventID":"S2W-22400","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Project Scotland opportunities are located furth of Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Project Scotland opportunities are located furth of Scotland.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195062,"EventID":"S2W-22401","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the monies it, or any of its agencies, have given Scottish Financial Enterprises in each of the last three financial years and for what ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the monies it, or any of its agencies, have given Scottish Financial Enterprises in each of the last three financial years and for what purposes these monies were given.","AnswerText":"On the basis of information held on the Scottish Executive accounting system (SEAS), I can confirm that no monies were paid by the Executive or its agencies to Scottish Financial Enterprise during the financial years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 (to date). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195063,"EventID":"S2W-22402","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the terms of reference are for its review of local economic forums; who is conducting the review; what the cost is; whether consultants are involved, and when will i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the terms of reference are for its review of local economic forums; who is conducting the review; what the cost is; whether consultants are involved, and when will it be completed.","AnswerText":"Local economic forums are not under review but the Executive is committed to ensuring their effectiveness. This does not involve consultants. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195064,"EventID":"S2W-22403","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dwellings lack a loft space, thus preventing occupiers from benefiting from the loft insulation initiatives supported by energy suppliers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dwellings lack a loft space, thus preventing occupiers from benefiting from the loft insulation initiatives supported by energy suppliers.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows:The 2002 Scottish HouseCondition Survey estimates that approximately 605,000 dwellings (28% of thetotal housing stock) do not have a loft space. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195065,"EventID":"S2W-22404","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dwellings lack cavity walls, thus preventing occupiers from benefiting from the cavity wall insulation initiatives supported by energy suppliers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dwellings lack cavity walls, thus preventing occupiers from benefiting from the cavity wall insulation initiatives supported by energy suppliers.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows:The 2002 Scottish HouseCondition Survey estimates that approximately 577,000 (26% of the total housingstock) dwellings in Scotland do not have a cavity wall. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195066,"EventID":"S2W-22405","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are available to assist the occupiers of dwellings without loft spaces or cavity walls to improve standards of insulation in their homes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are available to assist the occupiers of dwellings without loft spaces or cavity walls to improve standards of insulation in their homes.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows:Under both the ScottishExecutive’s Central Heating and Warm Deal Programmes, occupiers of dwellingswithout a loft space or cavity walls can benefit from pipe and tank insulation,draughtproofing and low energy lightbulbs. Householders also receive energyadvice. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195067,"EventID":"S2W-22406","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that there are employment opportunities for physiotherapy graduates within NHS Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that there are employment opportunities for physiotherapy graduates within NHS Scotland.","AnswerText":"The planning of the NHS Scotland workforce to deliver a first class health service, that includes junior physiotherapy posts, is primarily a matter for each of the individual health boards in Scotland to determine, depending on the health needs of their local population. The number of physiotherapists employed by health boards has been in increasing steadily by 22% since 1997 reflecting service need and additional investment in the health service in Scotland. We are currently addressing employment opportunities for all Allied Health Professions (AHPs) in NHS Scotland, which includes junior physiotherapy posts, through a support and development scheme launched last year to assist health boards locally with the recruitment and retention of this part of the health service workforce. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195068,"EventID":"S2W-22407","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what risk assessment was carried out before the withdrawal of the schools BCG immunisation programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what risk assessment was carried out before the withdrawal of the schools BCG immunisation programme.","AnswerText":"The decision to withdraw the schools BCG immunisation programme was recommended by the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). This advice was based on the latest scientific and epidemiological data. Evidence indicates that those at high-risk will be identified and targeted by a selective programme. The change to the immunisation programme brings us into line with the World Health Organisation’s international guidelines, and we have met the criteria set by the World Health Organisation to make the change. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195069,"EventID":"S2W-22408","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been put in place to check for tuberculosis since the withdrawal of the schools BCG immunisation programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been put in place to check for tuberculosis since the withdrawal of the schools BCG immunisation programme.","AnswerText":"Measures to identify and reach children who are at risk of TB are outlined in the report produced by the short life working group convened by Health Protection Scotland available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38681). These measures will be delivered through health visiting services, practice nurses, school nursing services and initiatives determined by local co-ordinators. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195070,"EventID":"S2W-22409","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether further guidance will be issued to NHS boards in respect of arrangements for preventing tuberculosis, in light of the withdrawal of the schools BCG immunisation p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether further guidance will be issued to NHS boards in respect of arrangements for preventing tuberculosis, in light of the withdrawal of the schools BCG immunisation programme.","AnswerText":"There are no plans to issue further guidance at this stage. To support NHS Boards in adapting to the changes in the schools BCG immunisation programme, Health Protection Scotland convened a short life working group which included Health Scotland, clinicians, TB liaison nurses and Schools Medical Service. The group considered the operational issues and what support staff would need. As a result further guidance from the working group giving practical operational advice on implementation of policy locally was issued and is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38681). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195071,"EventID":"S2W-22410","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Auditor General for Scotland's comments to the Audit Committee on 13 December 2005 (Official Report c. 1367) and the findings in his report, Overview of t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Auditor General for Scotland's comments to the Audit Committee on 13 December 2005 (Official Report c. 1367) and the findings in his report, Overview of the performance of the NHS in Scotland 2004/05, how many consultant vacancies there were in NHS Western Isles on (a) 1 January 2005 and (b) 1 January 2006.","AnswerText":"Information on staff in post in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce. Section B gives details of medical staff employed in NHS Scotland. In particular, tables B11 and B12 show the whole-time equivalent (WTE) and headcount number of consultant vacancies in NHS Western Isles, broken down by specialty. WTE adjusts headcount staff figures to take account of part-time staff. These vacancy figures are as at 30 September as part of the annual census. Figures for 1 January are not available centrally. The latest consultant vacancy figures for NHS Western Isles at 30 September 2005 show a total of 6.7 WTE. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195072,"EventID":"S2W-22411","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on building the A9 trunk road from Inverness to Thurso from April 1975 to April 2005, showing also the costs of building the (a) Kessock,","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on building the A9 trunk road from Inverness to Thurso from April 1975 to April 2005, showing also the costs of building the (a) Kessock, (b) Ardullie and (c) Dornoch bridges.","AnswerText":"Records are not available for most construction work undertaken such a long time ago. The details that are available are shown in the following table. These costs have been adjusted to their 2005 equivalent value. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more information if required. | Construction Project | Cost Projected To 2005 Values (£ millions) | | Kessock Bridge | £83.90 | | Cromarty Bridge | £19.91 | | Dornoch Bridge | £21.79 | | Longman to Charlestown | £4.96 | | Charlestown to Tore | £19.58 | | Tore to Duncanston | £7.72 | | Duncanston to Ardullie | £15.81 | | Dunbeath | £8.31 | | Garrick Bridge to Logie Easter | £6.95 | | Helmsdale to Ord of Caithness | £7.00 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195073,"EventID":"S2W-22412","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on maintaining the A9 trunk road from Inverness to Thurso from April 1975 to April 2005, showing also the costs of maintaining the (a) Ke","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on maintaining the A9 trunk road from Inverness to Thurso from April 1975 to April 2005, showing also the costs of maintaining the (a) Kessock, (b) Ardullie and (c) Dornoch bridges.","AnswerText":"Prior to April 2001 the information requested was not collected by the Scottish Executive, and is therefore unavailable on a route by route basis. From April 2001, to date the cost of maintaining the A9 between Inverness and Thurso was £7,980,042. The costs for maintaining the Kessock, Ardullie and Dornoch bridges was £2,180,572, £114,841, £26,582 respectively. It should be noted that these figures do not include cyclic maintenance activities (such as grass cutting) and other lump sum costs which are priced for the North West Unit as a whole. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195074,"EventID":"S2W-22413","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on maintaining the Inverness to Wick and Thurso rail line from April 1975 to April 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on maintaining the Inverness to Wick and Thurso rail line from April 1975 to April 2005.","AnswerText":"Network Rail organise and manage its network maintenance activities on a geographic, not on a line of route basis. The three geographic areas in Scotland are East, West and Highlands. The Highland area includes the: Inverness to Aberdeen via Nairn, Elgin and Inverurie; Inverness to Perth via Aviemore, Blair Atholl and Pitlochry; The West Highland Line, Glasgow to Oban, Fort William and Mallaig, and, The “Far North Line” from Inverness to the towns of Wick and Thurso, as well as the branch to Kyle of Lochalsh in the west. The maintenance of the network requires the use of many specialist types of machinery. This specialist equipment is treated as a common resource for large sections of the network. Similarly, some network maintenance activities affect large areas of the network. Finally, Network Rail award maintenance contracts for some activities on a Scotland wide basis. Network Rail’s financial reporting is organised to reflect this method of working. Therefore the information in the form requested is not recorded. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195075,"EventID":"S2W-22414","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on installing and maintaining the radio signalling system on the Inverness to Wick and Thurso rail line from April 1975 to April 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on installing and maintaining the radio signalling system on the Inverness to Wick and Thurso rail line from April 1975 to April 2005.","AnswerText":"This information has not been collected/held centrally. Network Rail have responsibility for this expenditure, but do not have access to records disaggregated in this form for the period requested. Devolution of rail powers to Scotland allows Transport Scotland to request information from Network Rail under the terms of an agreed Reporting Requirement which will come into full effect from 1 April 2006. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195076,"EventID":"S2W-22415","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental prescriptions for fluoride were issued in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) deprivation category.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental prescriptions for fluoride were issued in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) deprivation category.","AnswerText":"Information on the number of prescription items for sodium fluoride preparations issued by dentists in Scotland during the financial years ending 31 March 2001 to 2005 inclusive broken down by NHS board is given in the following table. The data given refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics. Data on prescribing by deprivation category is not held centrally. Number of Prescription Items Sodium Fluoride | NHS Board | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Argyll and Clyde | 1,051 | 1,129 | 874 | 588 | 509 | | Ayr and Arran | 455 | 370 | 399 | 453 | 559 | | Borders | 6 | 9 | 16 | 11 | 12 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 289 | 233 | 241 | 187 | 174 | | Fife | 291 | 159 | 231 | 187 | 159 | | Forth Valley | 119 | 122 | 165 | 103 | 118 | | Grampian | 104 | 86 | 117 | 128 | 158 | | Greater Glasgow | 1,988 | 1,826 | 2,230 | 1,745 | 1,761 | | Highland | 342 | 284 | 240 | 193 | 187 | | Lanarkshire | 800 | 956 | 1,156 | 961 | 795 | | Lothian | 636 | 572 | 589 | 544 | 476 | | Orkney | - | - | 1 | - | - | | Shetland | - | - | - | - | 1 | <","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195077,"EventID":"S2W-22416","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged (a) five and under, (b) six to 12 and (c) 13 to 18 have had teeth extracted in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged (a) five and under, (b) six to 12 and (c) 13 to 18 have had teeth extracted in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) deprivation category, expressed also as a percentage of all children of these ages.","AnswerText":"The information requested is detailed in the table: Number and percentage of children who have had teeth extracted; 2001 to 2005; by NHS board area and deprivation category; years ending 31 March a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38761). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195078,"EventID":"S2W-22417","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have had fissure sealants in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) deprivation category, expressed also as a percentage","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have had fissure sealants in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) deprivation category, expressed also as a percentage of all children of these ages.","AnswerText":"Under NHS general dental services, dentists are paid enhanced monthly fees according to the Deprivation Category of their practice postcode to provide registered child patients aged six and seven years with an appropriate preventive treatment programme. This may include the application of fissure sealants to first molar teeth which would be a clinical decision for the dentist, based on evidence of dental decay. Separate figures are not kept on the number of patients in this age group whose molar teeth have been fissure sealed. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195079,"EventID":"S2W-22418","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5654 by Mr Tom McCabe on 2 February 2004, how many calls there have been to the healthyliving line in each month since January 2004","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5654 by Mr Tom McCabe on 2 February 2004, how many calls there have been to the healthyliving line in each month since January 2004.","AnswerText":"The number of calls to the healthy living advice line between 1 February 2004 and 31 December 2005 are as follows: | 2004 | 2005 | | | | January | 231 | | February | 491 | February | 226 | | March | 351 | March | 265 | | April | 255 | April | 237 | | May | 308 | May | 225 | | June | 303 | June | 200 | | July | 588 | July | 163 | | August | 917 | August | 230 | | September | 658 | September | 249 | | October | 393 | October | 196 | | November | 292 | November | 170 | | December | 136 | December | 105 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195080,"EventID":"S2W-22419","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for (a) hearing tests and (b) appointments for hearing aids in each NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for (a) hearing tests and (b) appointments for hearing aids in each NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is not collected centrally at present. The Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland has developed a data collection system for audiology services which is currently being tested and validated prior to publication. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195081,"EventID":"S2W-22420","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14562 by Mr Andy Kerr on 16 March 2005, what the most recent average waiting times are for a first out-patient appointment with a n","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14562 by Mr Andy Kerr on 16 March 2005, what the most recent average waiting times are for a first out-patient appointment with a neurology consultant following referral by a GP, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"NHSScotland has made excellent progress in reducing long waits for patients. On 30 September 2005, the number of patients waiting more than 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant in neurology, following referral, was 986 compared with 1,841 on 30 September 2004 - a reduction of 46%. The number of first out-patient neurology appointments and the median waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the specialty of neurology, following referral by a general medical practitioner, by NHS board of residence, in the year ended 30 September 2005, is given in the table. NHSScotland: Number of First Out-Patient Appointments and Median Waiting Times for a First Out-Patient Appointment with a Consultant in the Specialty of Neurology, Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS Board Area of Residence, Year Ended 30 September 2005P | NHS Board | Number of Appointments | Median Waits (Days) | | Argyll and Clyde | 1,226 | 101 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 547 | 95 | | Borders | 323 | 100 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 264 | 85 | | Fife | 1,197 | 118 | | Forth Valley | 671 | 74 | | Grampian | 1,924 | 54 | | Greater Glasgow | 3,750 | 92 | | Highland | 395 | 130 | | Lanarkshire | 1,067 | 127 | | Lothian | 4,758 | 36 | | Orkney | 16 | 60* | | Shetland | 22 | 74* | | Tayside | 1,401 | 188 | | Western Isles | 55 | 168 | | | | | | Scotland | 17,616 | 83 | Source: SMR00, ISD Scotland. pProvisional. Notes: *Figures should be treated with caution as they are derived from a possible unrepresentatively small number of appointments (more than 14 but less than 50). Excludes patients with an Availability Status Code. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195082,"EventID":"S2W-22421","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19911 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 November 2005, how many neurologists and specialist registrars working in neurology there have been in e","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19911 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 November 2005, how many neurologists and specialist registrars working in neurology there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"The information requested is contained in five tables entitled Medical Staff in Neurology by grade and NHS Board 2001-2005 a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38692). ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195083,"EventID":"S2W-22422","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average percentage employment rates of the working age population were in each parliamentary constituency in the (a) 12 months to June 1997, or closest equivalen","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average percentage employment rates of the working age population were in each parliamentary constituency in the (a) 12 months to June 1997, or closest equivalent period, and (b) last 12-month period for which figures are available.","AnswerText":"The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the official source of employment rates. Data from the LFS are not available for the 12 months to June 1997. However, employment rates are available for the periods March 1996 to February 1997 and March 1997 to February 1998. The latest annual data available are for January 2004 to December 2004. All these employment rates are given in table 1. Table 1: Employment Rates1 by Constituency, Scotland | Parliamentary Constituency | March 1996 to February 1997 | March 1997 to February 1998 | January 2004 to December 2004 | | Aberdeen Central | 74.3 | 74.0 | 71.8 | | Aberdeen North | 82.0 | 81.7 | 78.3 | | Aberdeen South | 77.7 | 81.0 | 78.4 | | Airdrie and Shotts | 65.5 | 65.8 | 72.1 | | Angus | 81.8 | 78.7 | 75.9 | | Argyll and Bute | 76.1 | 70.6 | 79.8 | | Ayr | 71.8 | 77.0 | 72.5 | | Banff and Buchan | 69.3 | 72.6 | 76.1 | | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | 68.5 | 66.2 | 83.7 | | Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley | 64.1 | 64.7 | 73.4 | | Central Fife | 64.3 | 66.6 | 74.8 | | Clydebank and Milngavie | 63.9 | 67.8 | 76.0 | | Clydesdale | 72.0 | 70.3 | 74.6 | | Coatbridge and Chryston | 64.7 | 62.1 | 67.3 | | Cumbernauld and Kilsyth | 69.5 | 70.2 | 76.8 | | Cunninghame North | 63.1 | 66.3 | 69.1 | | Cunninghame South | 70.1 | 64.2 | 66.4 | | Dumbarton | 63.8 | 73.1 | 72.0 | | Dumfries | 73.1 | 71.4 | 80.3 | | Dundee East <","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195084,"EventID":"S2W-22423","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each parliamentary constituency earn (a) £3.60, (b) £3.61 to £3.80, (c) £3.81 to £4 and (d) £4.01 to £4.50 per hour, expressed also as a percentage of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each parliamentary constituency earn (a) £3.60, (b) £3.61 to £3.80, (c) £3.81 to £4 and (d) £4.01 to £4.50 per hour, expressed also as a percentage of total employees in each constituency.","AnswerText":"The preferred source for earnings estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics. The latest ASHE estimates available by Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC) are for 2003. However, as ASHE is a sample survey we cannot provide data for the requested pay bands as there are too few people in each pay band to produce reliable and non-disclosive estimates. Table 1 shows the estimated number and proportion of employee jobs that are paid £4.50 or below by SPC. Table 2 shows a more detailed breakdown of low pay bands for Scotland. These estimates are based on employee jobs rather than people in employment. One person in employment can have more than one job. Those who are self employed are not included. Table 1: Number and Proportion of Jobs Paid £4.50 or Below by Constituency, 2003 | Parliamentary Constituency | Number of Employee Jobs1 | Proportion of All Employee Jobs1 | | Aberdeen Central | 2,000 | 7.8% | | Aberdeen North | 2,000 | 6.4% | | Aberdeen South | 2,000 | 4.9% | | Airdrie and Shotts | 1,000 | 2.2% | | Angus | 2,000 | 5.4% | | Argyll and Bute | * | * | | Ayr | 1,000 | 5.6% | | Banff and Buchan | 2,000 | 8.3% | | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | 1,000 | 7.8% | | Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley | 2,000 | 8.2% | | Central Fife | 2,000 | 5.6% | | Clydebank and Milngavie | 1,000 | 5.4% | | Clydesdale | 2,000 | 4.7% | | Coatbridge and Chryston | 1,000 | 3.5% | | Cumbernauld and Kilsyth | 2,000 | 6.8% | | Cunninghame North | 2,000 | 7.1% | | Cunninghame South | 1,000 | 3.2% | | Dumbarton | 2,000 | 6.1% | | Dumfries | 2,000 | 7.8% | | Dundee East | 2,000 | 5.4% | | Dundee West | 2,000 | 6.1% | | Dunfermline East Information is only available in respect of the number of new-build affordable housing units funded by the Communities Scotland Affordable Housing Investment Programme. This information is not held at parliamentary constituency level. The following table provides the information by local authorities. | Local Authority | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | | Units | Units | Units | Units | Units | Units | | Aberdeen City | 154 | 158 | 107 | 79 | 225 | 145 | | Aberdeenshire | 204 | 206 | 193 | 302 | 221 | 147 | | Angus | 123 | 112 | 107 | 93 | 69 | 46 | | Argyll and Bute | 130 | 57 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 127 | | City of Edinburgh | 699 | 347 | 319 | 234 | 453 | 396 | | Clackmannanshire | 0 | 72 | 28 | 50 | 27 | 33 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 120 | 162 | 96 | 98 | 154 | 188 | | Dundee City | 172 | 406 | 312 | 87 | 358 | 281 | | East Ayrshire | 63 | 72 | 36 | 0 | 36 | 10 | | East Dunbartonshire | 81 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 142 | | East Lothian | 33 | 18 | 30 | 0 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195086,"EventID":"S2W-22425","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many childcare places have closed in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many childcare places have closed in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not collect information on the number of childcare places that have closed each year. Statistics are collected each year on pre-school education and childcare, which are available on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/statistics/children. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195087,"EventID":"S2W-22426","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been registered with a GP in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been registered with a GP in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The table shows the number of patients registered with a GP1 for all Scotland; 1999-2005. | Year | Patients Registered with a GP | | 1999 | 5,365,480 | | 2000 | 5,347,041 | | 2001 | 5,352,543 | | 2002 | 5,345,042 | | 2003 | 5,347,881 | | 2004 | 5,373,797 | | 2005 | 5,389,979 | Source: Community Health Index (CHI) extract, Practitioner Services Division (PSD), NHS National Services Scotland. Note: 1. Figures are as at 1 October each year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195088,"EventID":"S2W-22427","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many diagnoses of high cholesterol there have been in each year since 1999 and how many of these diagnoses were made of people under the age of 18, broken down by NHS","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many diagnoses of high cholesterol there have been in each year since 1999 and how many of these diagnoses were made of people under the age of 18, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195089,"EventID":"S2W-22428","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which private finance initiative schemes (a) have reached financial close and are completed and operational, (b) have reached financial close and work has started on site","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which private finance initiative schemes (a) have reached financial close and are completed and operational, (b) have reached financial close and work has started on site, (c) are in negotiation but have not yet reached financial close and (d) have not yet placed advertisements in the Official Journal of the European Union, broken down by (i) capital value and (ii) completion or anticipated completion date.","AnswerText":"The information requested is already within the public domain and can be accessed from the Scottish Executive’s website. PPP projects in Scotland that are either operational or signed can be found on www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/18232/donedeals. PPP projects in Scotland that are in procurement or have yet to be advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union can be found on: www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/18232/futuredeals. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195090,"EventID":"S2W-22429","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Fresh Talent initiative was first considered; when it was first made public and promoted; when the Executive acquired the rights to the domain name \"fresh talent","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Fresh Talent initiative was first considered; when it was first made public and promoted; when the Executive acquired the rights to the domain name \"fresh talent\"; how much this acquisition cost, and why the Executive did not register the name at the outset of the initiative.","AnswerText":"In February 2003, the First Minister announced his intention to take action to increase Scotland’s population by attracting people to live and work in Scotland. Following this announcement, a project team was set up in the Executive to develop proposals to encourage and facilitate the managed migration of people to Scotland. This team was supported by a steering group, comprising external interests as well as government officials. The team’s work contributed towards the policy statement, New Scots: Attracting Fresh Talent to Meet the Challenge of Growth, which was published on 25 February 2004. Negotiations to acquire the Fresh Talent uniform resource locators (urls) began in March 2004 – as these domain names were owned by a private company - before the launch of the scotlandistheplace.com website. Negotiations to procure the domain names with the company were not successful at that point. The names Fresh Talent.com, Fresh Talent Scotland.com and Fresh Talent.co.uk were finally acquired for £3,000 in February 2005. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195091,"EventID":"S2W-22430","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20069 by Hugh Henry on 8 November 2005, whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of approved money advisers to the Debt Ar","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20069 by Hugh Henry on 8 November 2005, whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of approved money advisers to the Debt Arrangement Scheme by local authority area.","AnswerText":" | Aberdeen | 1 | | Aberdeenshire | Nil | | Angus | 1 | | Argyll and Bute | 1 | | Clackmannanshire | 2 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 3 | | Dundee City | Nil | | East Ayrshire | Nil | | East Dunbartonshire | 1 | | East Lothian | 1 | | East Renfrewshire | 2 | | Edinburgh City | 6 | | Eilean Siar (Western Isles) | 1 | | Falkirk | 5 | | Fife | 6 | | Glasgow City | 2 | | Highland | 3 | | Inverclyde | Nil | | Midlothian | Nil | | Moray | 1 | | North Ayrshire | 4 | | North Lanarkshire | 4 | | Orkney | Nil | | Perth | 1 | | Renfrewshire | Nil | | Scottish Borders | Nil | | Shetland | Nil | | South Ayrshire | 1 | | South Lanarkshire | 3 | | Stirling | Nil | | West Dunbartonshire | 1 | | West Lothian | Nil | | Total | 50 | Figures correct at 24 January 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195092,"EventID":"S2W-22431","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding the Debt Arrangement Scheme has received in each year since its inception, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding the Debt Arrangement Scheme has received in each year since its inception, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"There was no direct funding for local authorities to deliver the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) at its inception in November 2004. The Scottish Executive has given the local authorities funding of £2 million in 2005-06 to support the development of money advice services. The table breaks down that figure by local authority. The decision on how to spend the allocated funding is for each local authority to make, but the Executive set out in guidance their expectation that at least £40,000 of each allocation (£1.28 million pounds) was to be spend on providing or enabling DAS approved money advisers. £2 Million Allocation(p.a.) - DAS | Authority | Allocation | | Aberdeen City | £52,001.14 | | Aberdeenshire | £45,163.67 | | Angus | £40,000.00 | | Argyll and Bute | £40,000.00 | | Clackmannanshire | £40,000.00 | | Dumfries and Galloway | £43,440.01 | | Dundee City | £62,114.83 | | East Ayrshire | £52,508.90 | | East Dunbartonshire | £40,000.00 | | East Lothian | £40,000.00 | | East Renfrewshire | £40,000.00 | | Edinburgh, City of | £104,483.11 | | Eilean Siar | £60,000.00 | | Falkirk | £50,582.11 | | Fife | £100,345.60 | | Glasgow City | £286,383.12 | | Highland | £57,966.86 | | Inverclyde | £42,815.40 | | Midlothian | £40,000.00 | | Moray | £40,000.00 | | North Ayrshire | £57,588.72 | | North Lanarkshire | £122,460.49 | | Orkney Islands | £60,000.00 | | Perth and Kinross | £40,000.00 | | Renfrewshire | £62,603.09 | | Scottish Borders | £40,000.00 | | Shetland Islands | £60,000.00 | | South Ayrshire | £40,000.00 | | South Lanarkshire | £98,050.88 | | Stirling | £40,000.00 | | West Dunbartonshire | £45,167.28 | | West Lothian | £56,324.77 | | Total | £2,000,000 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195093,"EventID":"S2W-22432","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been placed on a debt payment programme since the Debt Arrangement Scheme was created, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been placed on a debt payment programme since the Debt Arrangement Scheme was created, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The following table outlines the number of Debt Arrangement Scheme debt payment programmes broken down by local authority as at 24 January 2006. | Argyll and Bute | 2 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 17 | | East Renfrewshire | 4 | | Edinburgh City | 2 | | Fife | 2 | | Glasgow | 2 | | Moray | 1 | | North Ayrshire | 2 | | North Lanarkshire Council | 88 | | Total | 120 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195094,"EventID":"S2W-22433","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have defaulted on a debt payment programme since the Debt Arrangement Scheme was created, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have defaulted on a debt payment programme since the Debt Arrangement Scheme was created, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"Since the inception of the Debt Arrangement Scheme one debt payment programme has been revoked due to debtor default. This programme was in Dumfries and Galloway. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195095,"EventID":"S2W-22434","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what level of debt (a) in total and (b) on average people using the Debt Arrangement Scheme have had since it came into force, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what level of debt (a) in total and (b) on average people using the Debt Arrangement Scheme have had since it came into force, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The total debt covered by the Debt Arrangement Scheme is £1,039,947.83. The table outlines total debt and average debt broken down by local authority. | Authority | Average | Total | | Argyle and Bute | £9,272.10 | £18,544.20 | | Dumfries and Galloway | £8,880.55 | £150,969.44 | | Eat Renfrewshire | £29,793.24 | £119,172.98 | | Edinburgh City | £7,291.83 | £14,583.66 | | Fife | £21,603.25 | £43,206.50 | | Glasgow City | £6,869.68 | £13,739.37 | | Moray | £19,736.00 | £19,736.00 | | North Ayrshire | £41,526.83 | £83,053.66 | | North Lanarkshire | £6,556.16 | £576,942.02 | | Scotland | £8,666.23 | £1,039,947.83 | Figures correct at 24 January 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195096,"EventID":"S2W-22435","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on levels of (a) consumer and (b) overall debt in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on levels of (a) consumer and (b) overall debt in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The Executive does not currently collect information on (a) consumer debt and (b) overall debt. A recent report from the Department for Trade and Industry contains some information on debt for Great Britain, however we do not have this information at Scotland level. The report can be accessed via the following link http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/pdf1/debtdtionmori.pdf. From July 2006 the Office for National Statistics survey on wealth and assets will collect information on household debt. The first annual results should be available at the end of 2007. There will be results for Scotland as a whole, but not for individual local authority areas. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195097,"EventID":"S2W-22436","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2148,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland will publish the full report, commissioned by the Executive, on the proposed A737 Dalry bypass.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland will publish the full report, commissioned by the Executive, on the proposed A737 Dalry bypass.","AnswerText":"Enterprise, Transport and LifelongLearning Department Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whetherTransport Scotland will publish the full report, commissioned by the Executive,on the proposed A737 Dalry bypass. (S2W-22436)
TavishScott A draft report on the A737 Dalry STAG study is currentlybeing reviewed. Once the report is finalised, I would expect it to be made publiclyavailable. Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195098,"EventID":"S2W-22437","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on maintaining the A9 trunk road from Brora to Helmsdale from April 1975 to April 2005, showing also the costs of (a) maintaining the car","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much in real terms was spent on maintaining the A9 trunk road from Brora to Helmsdale from April 1975 to April 2005, showing also the costs of (a) maintaining the carriageway, (b) improving access and (c) providing footpaths.","AnswerText":"Prior to April 2001 the information requested was not collected by the Scottish Executive, and is therefore unavailable on a route by route basis. From April 2001, to date the cost of maintaining the A9 between Brora and Helmsdale was £303,573. The costs for maintaining the carriageway. improving accesses and providing footpaths was £43,961, £22,381, £3,829 respectively. It should be noted that these figures do not include cyclic maintenance activities (such as grass cutting) and other lump sum costs which are priced for the North West Unit as a whole. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195099,"EventID":"S2W-22438","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many cubic metres of (a) soft wood and (b) hardwood timber it estimates will be economically recoverable from Scottish forests in each of the next 30 years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many cubic metres of (a) soft wood and (b) hardwood timber it estimates will be economically recoverable from Scottish forests in each of the next 30 years.","AnswerText":"The tables provide the information requested. National Forest Estate Average Annual Volumes (Thousands of Cubic Metres, Overbark, Standing) | Period | Softwood | Hardwood | Total | | 2006 | 3,678 | 3 | 3,681 | | 2007-11 | 3,233 | 3 | 3,236 | | 2012-16 | 3,769 | 6 | 3,775 | | 2017-21 | 4,103 | 3 | 4,106 | | 2022-26 | 3,698 | 3 | 3,701 | | 2027-36 | 3,147 | 5 | 3,152 | Notes:1. The figures up to 2021 are derived from the recently compiled Scotland 2005 Production Forecast, which is to be published later this year, and they assume that the size of the national forest estate will remain static and that the forest design planning system remains unchanged. 2. The information is provided in quinquennial tranches (apart from 2006 and the final period from 2027-36). The figures are average annual volumes, which include clearfell and thinning. 3. The 2027-36 figures are derived from an extrapolation of the current Forestry Commission Scotland forest design plan programme. The figures and the softwood/hardwood split must be treated as highly indicative because the detail is subject to refinement. 4. The broadleaf volume includes productive broadleaves only i.e. the volume will come from areas where timber production is amongst the main forest management objectives. Private Woodlands Average Annual Volumes (Thousands of Cubic Metres, Overbark, Standing) | Period | Softwood | Hardwood | Total | | 2006 | 3,415 | 101 | 3,506 | | 2007-11 | 4,443 | 99 | 4,542 | | 2012-16 | 5,351 | 84 | 5,435 | | 2017-21 | 5,713 | 87 | 5,800 | | 2022-26 | 6,108 | 94 | 6,202 | | 2027-31 | 6,164 | 97 | 6,261 | | 2032-36 | 5,650 | 112 | 5,762 | Notes: 1. The private woodland figures are not forecasts of volumes that will be offered to the market – they are forecasts of the optimum volume that could be produced from the resource. The amount that is offered to the market will depend on economic conditions an","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195100,"EventID":"S2W-22439","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) soft wood and (b) hardwood trees have been, or will be, planted by (i) Forest Enterprise and (ii) private forestry estates in each year from 2000 to 2030.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) soft wood and (b) hardwood trees have been, or will be, planted by (i) Forest Enterprise and (ii) private forestry estates in each year from 2000 to 2030.","AnswerText":"The tables provide the information requested plus the area in hectares. The information is provided in quinquennial tranches (apart from 2000-06 and 2027-30) and the figures are average annual planting statistics. The figures cover new planting and restocking, and the basis for the calculation of the number of trees is the target stocking density. For conifers this is currently 2,700 plants per hectare and 1,700 plants per hectare for broadleaves. Forest Enterprise | Period | Conifers | Broadleaves | | | Hectares | Number of Trees | Hectares | Number of Trees | | 2000-06 | 4,600 | 12,420,000 | 500 | 850,000 | | 2007-11 | 4,700 | 12,690,000 | 600 | 1,020,000 | | 2012-16 | 5,600 | 15,120,000 | 600 | 1,020,000 | | 2017-21 | 6,200 | 16,740,000 | 700 | 1,190,000 | | 2022-26 | 5,500 | 14,850,000 | 600 | 1,020,000 | | 2027-30 | 4,500 | 12,150,000 | 1,100 | 1,870,000 | Private Sector | Period | Conifers | Broadleaves | | | Hectares | Number of Trees | Hectares | Number of Trees | | 2000-06 | 5,400 | 14,580,000 | 5,500 | 9,350,000 | | 2007-11 | 7,000 | 18,900,000 | 7,000 | 12,750,000 | | 2012-16 | 7,000 | 18,900,000 | 7,000 | 11,900,000 | | 2017-21 | 7,000 | 18,900,000 | 7,000 | 11,900,000 | | 2022-26 | 7,000 | 18,900,000 | 7,000 | 11,900,000 | | 2027-30 | 7,000 | 18,900,000 | 7,000 | 11,900,000 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195101,"EventID":"S2W-22440","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much social landlords have paid to CORGI in registration fees since the introduction of the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much social landlords have paid to CORGI in registration fees since the introduction of the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is asfollows:The information requested isnot held centrally. Communities Scotland does not require registered social landlords toprovide it with this information. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195102,"EventID":"S2W-22441","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what formal mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account by UK-wide quangos dealing with UK departments with responsibility for Englis","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what formal mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account by UK-wide quangos dealing with UK departments with responsibility for English issues.","AnswerText":"Individual bodies may have their own specific arrangements, but the overall requirement for ensuring that devolved Scottish interests are taken into account are founded on the Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government and associated agreements. An order under section 88 of the Scotland Act has designated a range of bodies as being cross-border public authorities, which confers obligations on those authorities and on Ministers of the Crown with reference to devolved Scottish interests. Appropriate arrangements are put in place when new bodies, not covered by the order, are created. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195103,"EventID":"S2W-22442","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what informal mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account by UK-wide quangos dealing with UK departments with responsibility for Engl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what informal mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account by UK-wide quangos dealing with UK departments with responsibility for English issues.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22441 on 31 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195104,"EventID":"S2W-22443","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what contact its officials have had with the Health and Safety Executive with regard to gas safety or the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what contact its officials have had with the Health and Safety Executive with regard to gas safety or the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","AnswerText":"Executive officials have been in contact with the Health and Safety Executive on at least six occasions with regard to the Gas Work Notification scheme but no formal record of how many calls or e-mails is maintained. All the contact has been as a result of the previous questions put down on this subject and the external communications received relating to it. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195105,"EventID":"S2W-22444","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds regarding the rate of resale of homes in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds regarding the rate of resale of homes in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The following table provides an estimate of the number of resales of homes in each year in the five years to 2004-05, together with its derivation, which is described in more detail below. Information on the total number of sales of residential properties is taken from a database of sales compiled by Registers of Scotland. The analysis excludes sales with a value of less than £20,000 and over £1 million, and also aims to exclude non-market sales. Analyses from the Registers of Scotland database cannot distinguish sales of newly constructed properties. The table also shows the number of private sector new houses completed in each year. While not all private sector houses completed in a year will be sold in that year, subtracting the total number of private sector houses completed from the total number of sales will give a reasonable estimate of the number of resales in the year. | Year | Number of sales (000) | Number of Private Sector Houses Completed | Estimated Number of Resales | | 2000-011 | 115.5 | 18.0 | 97.5 | | 2001-02 | 119.8 | 18.0 | 101.8 | | 2002-03 | 126.6 | 18.5 | 108.1 | | 2003-04 | 130.3 | 20.0 | 110.3 | | 2004-05 | 128.9 | 22.1 | 106.8 | Source: Number of sales – Registers of Scotland. Notes: 1. Includes an estimate for April 2000. New private sector houses completed - Housing statistics returns from councils. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195106,"EventID":"S2W-22445","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the notification that local authorities have been given by CORGI in respect of gasworks in their jurisdictions since the introduction of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the notification that local authorities have been given by CORGI in respect of gasworks in their jurisdictions since the introduction of the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","AnswerText":"The Executive holds no such information.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195107,"EventID":"S2W-22446","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many improper or illegal gas fittings have been reported in Scotland since the introduction of the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many improper or illegal gas fittings have been reported in Scotland since the introduction of the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","AnswerText":"The Executive does not hold information on improper or illegal gas fittings. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has information on the number of dangerous gas fittings which have been reported. In the period 1 April 2005 to 31 December 2005, the number reported in Scotland was 166. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195108,"EventID":"S2W-22447","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many improper or illegal gas fittings had been reported in each year from 1995 to the introduction of the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many improper or illegal gas fittings had been reported in each year from 1995 to the introduction of the Gaswork Notification Scheme.","AnswerText":"The Executive does not hold information on improper or illegal gas fittings. However, the Health and Safety Executive has managed to provide information on the number of dangerous gas fittings which have been reported in Scotland for the years 2001-02 to 2004-05 as follows: | 2001-02 | 462 | | 2002-03 | 399 | | 2003-04 | 273 | | 2004-05 | 294 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195109,"EventID":"S2W-22448","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence has taken place in the last five years between the Minister or Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and CORGI, the Health and Safety E","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence has taken place in the last five years between the Minister or Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and CORGI, the Health and Safety Executive and gas installers in Scotland.","AnswerText":"I spoke by phone to Lord Hunt prior to the recent debate in the Scottish Parliament on the Gas Work Notification Scheme. I have since written to him mentioning some of the points made during the debate and giving him the link to the official report and I am scheduled to meet him again on 31 January 2006 to discuss the matter. My officials, at my instruction, have also ensured that CORGI was notified that the debate had taken place and also provide it with the link to the official report. I am not aware of any previous correspondence between Enterprise Minister(s) or Deputies and CORGI, the Health and Safety Executive and gas installers in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195110,"EventID":"S2W-22449","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21675 by Mr Tom McCabe on 17 January 2006, what other changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme it has decided to approve.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21675 by Mr Tom McCabe on 17 January 2006, what other changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme it has decided to approve.","AnswerText":"No further changes have been approved at present. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195111,"EventID":"S2W-22450","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of individuals convicted of a child sex offence since 1999 have reoffended within one year of their release.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of individuals convicted of a child sex offence since 1999 have reoffended within one year of their release.","AnswerText":"The following table provides information on the percentage of offenders convicted of a crime of indecency who were reconvicted for any crime within one year. Offenders Released from a Custodial Sentence or Given A Non-Custodial Sentence, 1999-2002, Whose Index Conviction1 was for a Crime of Indecency: Percentage Reconvicted2 Within One Year. | | Percentage Reconvicted2 within 1 year: | | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | | All crimes of indecency3 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | | Crimes of indecency with a child victim4 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | | Other crimes of indecency3,5 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | Notes: 1. For each offender in the cohort, this is the conviction which resulted in a non-custodial sentence being served or the one which had originally led to a custodial sentence being served. 2. Reconvictions for any crime or offence in the Scottish Offenders Index. 3. Excluding prostitution offences. 4. Only those crimes of indecency which by definition had child victim(s): defilement of a girl under 13, defilement of a girl under 16, person with custody and care of girl and causing her seduction; lewd and libidinous practices. 5. The Scottish Offenders Index does not otherwise hold information on victim characteristics so no data are available on how many persons were convicted of other types of crime, e.g. rape or indecent assault, which involved child victims. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195112,"EventID":"S2W-22451","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of individuals convicted of violent assault since 1999 have reoffended within one year of their release.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of individuals convicted of violent assault since 1999 have reoffended within one year of their release.","AnswerText":"The available information is given in the following table. Persons Released from a Custodial Sentence or Given a Non-Custodial Sentence in 1999-2002 Whose Index Conviction1 was for a Violent Crime: Percentage Reconvicted Within One Year | | Percentage Reconvicted Within 1 Year | | | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | | All Violent Crime | 22 | 24 | 23 | 24 | | Serious assault and homicide 2 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 19 | | Robbery | 36 | 37 | 35 | 39 | | Simple assault | 22 | 24 | 23 | 24 | | Other Violence | 17 | 18 | 22 | 21 | Notes: 1. For each offender in the cohort, this is the conviction which resulted in a non-custodial sentence being served or the one which had originally led to a custodial sentence being served. 2. Includes murder, culpable homicide, attempted murder and serious assault. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195113,"EventID":"S2W-22452","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of convicted sex offenders were recorded as having a mental health problem in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of convicted sex offenders were recorded as having a mental health problem in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195114,"EventID":"S2W-22453","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prisoners who have been convicted of a sexual offence have been assessed as (a) posing a definite risk, (b) posing an uncertain risk and (c) unlikely t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prisoners who have been convicted of a sexual offence have been assessed as (a) posing a definite risk, (b) posing an uncertain risk and (c) unlikely to pose a risk of reoffending, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of prisoners convicted of a sexual offence.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows: The information is not available in the format requested. A recent Sex Offenders Audit conducted by SPS and local authorities identified that there were 459 offenders who had been convicted of a sexual offence and held in custody on the 18 May 2005. Of these, 10 were on remand, 444 had been assessed for the risk of re-offending and the remaining five were subsequently risk assessed. These risk assessments were conducted over a period of time, as some offenders had been in custody for a number of years. Following risk assessments, the SPS, in partnership with local authority criminal justice social work services, formulate a plan to manage the risk posed by the individual offender. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195115,"EventID":"S2W-22454","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1986,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":69,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it has allocated to the Inverclyde area under the Community Safety Award Programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it has allocated to the Inverclyde area under the Community Safety Award Programme.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive made available a total of £346,704 to Inverclyde over the period 2002-05 under the Community Safety Partnership Award programme. A further £312,033 has been allocated to Inverclyde under the revised Community Safety Partnership Award programme over the period 2005-08. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195116,"EventID":"S2W-22455","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1986,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":69,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive to what projects in the Inverclyde area it has allocated funds under the Community Safety Award Programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive to what projects in the Inverclyde area it has allocated funds under the Community Safety Award Programme.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive allocates Community Safety Award Programme funding under a three-year action plan. In the period 2005-08 Inverclyde Community Safety Partnership (ICSP) is using the funding to contribute to a problem solving unit, improve and develop services to meet the demands of people who are likely to be victims of incidents and accidents, and provide services for families experiencing violence within the home. In the period 2002-05 ICSP used Community Safety Award Programme to fund initiatives such as: employing a New Start development worker to work with young people in the earliest stages of antisocial behaviour and substance misuse; employing a domestic abuse co‑ordinator, and expanding the Living Safely initiative to all vulnerable residents in Inverclyde through the provision of additional home security information and advice. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195117,"EventID":"S2W-22456","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21465 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, how much it will commit to the cost of Phase 2 of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waver","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21465 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, how much it will commit to the cost of Phase 2 of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverley Station.","AnswerText":"We have made no commitment to support or fund any work beyond the current Phase 1. Funding for future rail projects such as Waverley Phase 2 would be subject to detailed feasibility analysis, the outcome of the Strategic Projects Review and future spending reviews. The costs and benefits of any proposal would need to be considered and seen in the context of other transport and economic regeneration projects that might also be looking for funding. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for further information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195118,"EventID":"S2W-22457","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21465 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, what options have been considered for Phase 2 of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21465 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, what options have been considered for Phase 2 of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverley Station.","AnswerText":"City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian (SEEL) are currently working on a number of options to further develop Waverley station beyond Phase 1. Along with Network Rail, we are advising in this process. As yet, no decision has been made about the future of Waverley as this work is at a preliminary stage. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for further information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195119,"EventID":"S2W-22458","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21465 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, whether it considers that other organisations, such as the City of Edinburgh Council, sh","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21465 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, whether it considers that other organisations, such as the City of Edinburgh Council, should contribute to the costs of Phase 2 of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverley Station and, if so, which organisations. ","AnswerText":"Whilst a number of options are being considered, further work is required and no decisions have been taken on Waverley Phase 2. Therefore, we would not expect any organisations, including our own to commit funding at this early stage. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195120,"EventID":"S2W-22459","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether paracetamol co-formulations, such as Paradote™, which contain methionine antidote are available in Scotland on NHS prescription.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether paracetamol co-formulations, such as Paradote™, which contain methionine antidote are available in Scotland on NHS prescription.","AnswerText":"The licensing and safety of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA has advised that a methionine containing paracetamol product (co-methiamol) is authorised in the UK as a pharmacy only product under the brand name Paradote. The addition of methionine may be helpful as an antidote if an overdose is taken. Methionine, however, has been associated with side effects of nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and irritability, and it may be harmful in the presence of liver disease. Furthermore, there is some evidence of a link between dietary methionine and risk of development of heart disease. The risk of such side effects is considered acceptable when balanced against the possible benefit of preventing the consequences of paracetamol overdose in patients at risk of exceeding the recommended dose. However incorporation of an antidote in all paracetamol products is considered inappropriate as the millions of people, who take paracetamol safely, as recommended, would be exposed to the possible side effects of methionine without any benefit. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195121,"EventID":"S2W-22460","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost would be to NHS Scotland of prescribing paracetamol co-formulations containing methionine, rather than formulations without any antidote.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost would be to NHS Scotland of prescribing paracetamol co-formulations containing methionine, rather than formulations without any antidote.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22459 on 26 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195122,"EventID":"S2W-22461","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-18526 and S2W-21639 by Patricia Ferguson on 5 September 2005 and 12 January 2006, whether these indicate that it has ruled out ma","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-18526 and S2W-21639 by Patricia Ferguson on 5 September 2005 and 12 January 2006, whether these indicate that it has ruled out making representations to Her Majesty’s Government to either (a) create a Commonwealth Games lottery or (b) make the newly-created Olympic Games lottery a joint Olympic-Commonwealth Games lottery, in the event that Glasgow secures the 2014 Commonwealth Games.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is still exploring the possibilities of lottery monies being available to help fund the 2014 Commonwealth Games. However, no dedicated National Lottery games were introduced to fund the staging of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002. The Manchester Games received National Lottery funding through the existing framework of Lottery games and good causes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195123,"EventID":"S2W-22462","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-21639 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates its considered position as to whether it would be equitable for Her Majest","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-21639 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates its considered position as to whether it would be equitable for Her Majesty’s Government to either (a) create a Commonwealth Games lottery or (b) make the newly-created Olympic Games lottery a joint Olympic-Commonwealth Games lottery, in the event that Glasgow secures the 2014 Commonwealth Games.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22461 on 31 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195124,"EventID":"S2W-22463","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012; who selected these individuals, and whether there was an opportunity for all parties interested in ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012; who selected these individuals, and whether there was an opportunity for all parties interested in being a member to apply.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 comprises senior-level representatives from key national public sector organisations including Scottish Enterprise, VisitScotland, sportscotland, EventScotland, the Scottish Arts Council, COSLA and BBC Scotland, Volunteer Development Scotland, CBI Scotland, Scottish Chambers of Commerce and ADES. These organisations were selected by the Scottish Executive and each was invited to nominate a candidate best placed to make a valuable contribution to the work of the steering group. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195125,"EventID":"S2W-22464","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21640 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006 which refers to the “benefits to a nation from hosting the Olympic Games” as being “w","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21640 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006 which refers to the “benefits to a nation from hosting the Olympic Games” as being “well established”, how this relates to the Executive’s responsibility to represent the national interest of Scotland, given that no future Olympic Games assigned a host city is within Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive believes that the London Olympic Games are in the national interest of both the UK and Scotland and will work hard to ensure Scotland’s interests are taken into account in the planning for the 2012 games. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195126,"EventID":"S2W-22465","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21640 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, to which nation the answer refers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21640 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, to which nation the answer refers.","AnswerText":"The answer refers to the United Kingdom. The Scottish Executive also believes Scotland will benefit from London 2012 for the reasons given in answers to S2W-21640 on 12 January 2006, S2W-17564 on18 July 2005, and S2W-17561 on 18 July 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195127,"EventID":"S2W-22466","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what is meant by the term “world city” and whether any such cities are located in Sc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what is meant by the term “world city” and whether any such cities are located in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The IOC have published no definition of a world city. The Scottish Executive is aware, however, that a number of our cities have world-class facilities capable of attracting premier cultural and sporting events. EventScotland works in partnership with a number of organisations to attract such events and this work is building on our reputation as a premier events destination. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195128,"EventID":"S2W-22467","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what plans it has to improve the infrastructure and transport and travel links to ma","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what plans it has to improve the infrastructure and transport and travel links to make Scotland more competitive in bids to host events of international significance.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is investing £1 billion in transport in Scotland in 2005-06, and this will rise to £1.4 billion by 2007-08. We are confident that this investment will bring significant economic benefits and competitive advantage to Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195129,"EventID":"S2W-22468","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21643 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates whether it will be making estimates at any stage as to how much a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21643 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates whether it will be making estimates at any stage as to how much additional growth the Scottish economy will accrue as a direct result of London hosting the 2012 Olympic Games.","AnswerText":"As noted in S2W-21643, it is part of the remit of the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 to consider the potential beneficial effects on the Scottish economy of the 2012 Games. However, that group will not estimate the effects on Scotland’s rate of economic growth: the Scottish Executive does not forecast Scotland’s economic growth rate. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195130,"EventID":"S2W-22469","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21643 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 will be equipped to monitor the pote","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21643 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 will be equipped to monitor the potential beneficial effects on the Scottish economy of London hosting the Olympic Games in 2012.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 has members from Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and CBI Scotland. These organisations have significant contact with the Scottish business community and are well placed to ensure that Scottish businesses are aware of all opportunities created by London 2012 and monitor the benefits occasioned by this. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195131,"EventID":"S2W-22470","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21644 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates whether it has ruled out undertaking an independent and detailed ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21644 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates whether it has ruled out undertaking an independent and detailed assessment of the costs and benefits to Scotland of the London 2012 Olympic Games.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not ruled out the possibility of undertaking an independent and detailed assessment of the costs and benefits to Scotland of the London 2012 Olympic Games. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195132,"EventID":"S2W-22471","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive who appointed Julia Bracewell as the Scottish representative on the Nations and Regions Group for the London 2012 Olympic Games.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive who appointed Julia Bracewell as the Scottish representative on the Nations and Regions Group for the London 2012 Olympic Games.","AnswerText":"I appointed Julia Bracewell as the Scottish representative on the Nations and Regions Group for the London 2012 Olympic Games. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195133,"EventID":"S2W-22472","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21876 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 relates to the Nations and Regions G","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21876 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 relates to the Nations and Regions Group.","AnswerText":"The Nations and Regions Group is a UK level group which has been established to ensure that the London Olympic Games provide benefits to all nations and regions within the UK. Each nation and region represented on the Nations and Regions Group has been asked to form its own committee to consider how that particular nation or region will contribute to and benefit from London 2012. The Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 is the relevant committee for Scotland. Julia Bracewell, chair of sportscotland, chairs the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 and is Scotland’s representative on the Nations and Regions Group. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195134,"EventID":"S2W-22473","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21876 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what action it sees as necessary to ensure “that the benefits of London 2012 are spr","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21876 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what action it sees as necessary to ensure “that the benefits of London 2012 are spread across the UK”, particularly to Scotland, and to avoid the findings of the PricewaterhouseCoopers report that the UK economy outwith London will be £2.8 billion worse off if no action is taken.","AnswerText":"It is the remit of the Scottish Steering Group for London 2012 to ensure that Scotland contributes effectively to and benefits from London 2012 and that these benefits are spread across the whole of Scotland. The Scottish Executive is working with the Scottish Steering Group to achieve this. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195135,"EventID":"S2W-22474","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21642 by Patricia Ferguson on 13 January 2006, whether this indicates that it has been given no indication that the decision of the","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21642 by Patricia Ferguson on 13 January 2006, whether this indicates that it has been given no indication that the decision of the Scottish Football Association not to participate in a British football team will lead to the withdrawal of Hampden Park as a venue for the 2012 Olympic Games.","AnswerText":"The decision not to participate in a British football team is a matter for the SFA and the other home country football associations. The Scottish Executive has been informed by LOCOG that there is no change to the football venues outlined in the 2012 Candidate File which was submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195136,"EventID":"S2W-22475","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-18T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to the organisers of the London 2012 Olympics to assess the veracity of the statement allegedly made by a “senior figure” in the organ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to the organisers of the London 2012 Olympics to assess the veracity of the statement allegedly made by a “senior figure” in the organisation team for that event in respect of the Scottish Football Association’s decision not to participate in a British football team, “Does this make us more inclined to forget about Hampden Park and consider other options? Sure it does, of course it does”, as reported in The Scotsman on 12 November 2005.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has sought and received assurance that Hampden will be an Olympic venue as originally laid out in the bid document. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195137,"EventID":"S2W-22476","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that diabetes managed clinical networks remain key to the modernisation and improvement of diabetes services in NHS Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that diabetes managed clinical networks remain key to the modernisation and improvement of diabetes services in NHS Scotland.","AnswerText":"Yes, diabetes managed clinical networks remain central to the modernisation and improvement of diabetes services in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195138,"EventID":"S2W-22477","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the current diabetes managed clinical networks have managers in post.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the current diabetes managed clinical networks have managers in post.","AnswerText":"Twelve areas currently have a manager with responsibility for their diabetes managed clinical network in post. The remaining three areas are taking active steps to fill the vacancy. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195139,"EventID":"S2W-22478","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many managers of diabetes managed clinical networks also have responsibility for CHD and stroke managed clinical networks.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many managers of diabetes managed clinical networks also have responsibility for CHD and stroke managed clinical networks.","AnswerText":"Four managers with responsibility for a diabetes managed clinical network also have responsibility for CHD and stroke managed clinical networks. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195140,"EventID":"S2W-22479","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects NHS boards to continue funding diabetes managed clinical network manager posts after the initial two-year funding has ended.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects NHS boards to continue funding diabetes managed clinical network manager posts after the initial two-year funding has ended.","AnswerText":"The Executive expects NHS boards to provide appropriate management and administrative support to enable diabetes managed clinical networks to function effectively. This would include a manager funded to support the network. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195141,"EventID":"S2W-22480","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the likely impact will be on local service planning if a local diabetes managed clinical network is operated on a mainly voluntary basis.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the likely impact will be on local service planning if a local diabetes managed clinical network is operated on a mainly voluntary basis.","AnswerText":"The Executive expects NHS boards to provide appropriate management and administrative support to enable diabetes managed clinical networks to function effectively. Managed clinical networks by their nature seek to involve all those with an interest in the condition or patient group. Most of these people will not expect to receive additional payment for their involvement in the managed clinical network. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195142,"EventID":"S2W-22481","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what national leadership is provided for local diabetes managed clinical networks.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what national leadership is provided for local diabetes managed clinical networks.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Diabetes Group, the Executive’s advisory group on diabetes, is the body responsible for supporting the implementation of the Scottish Diabetes Framework including local diabetes managed clinical networks. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195143,"EventID":"S2W-22482","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what role it expects diabetes managed clinical networks to play in the continued implementation of the Scottish Diabetes Framework.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what role it expects diabetes managed clinical networks to play in the continued implementation of the Scottish Diabetes Framework.","AnswerText":"The Executive expects that managed clinical networks will continue to provide strategic leadership and a collaborative framework to support the improvement of diabetes services and the implementation of national initiatives in diabetes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195144,"EventID":"S2W-22483","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many offices and establishments under its jurisdiction have in place a process enabling emergency calls to NHS 24 similar to that for Bute House and, where these proc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many offices and establishments under its jurisdiction have in place a process enabling emergency calls to NHS 24 similar to that for Bute House and, where these processes exist, how many calls have been made to NHS 24 since its inception.","AnswerText":"Bute House is the only Scottish Executive building which has such a process in place supporting access to NHS 24. This reflects the fact that Bute House is the only Scottish Executive building which is categorised as a residence and is used for overnight stays as well as for regular Scottish Executive business. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195145,"EventID":"S2W-22484","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS 24 staff have made complaints or reported problems in respect of the running or operating procedures of NHS 24 since its inception.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS 24 staff have made complaints or reported problems in respect of the running or operating procedures of NHS 24 since its inception.","AnswerText":"NHS 24 staff are involved in, and informed of service delivery, development and process change within NHS 24 on an on-going basis. The opportunity is always available to provide useful feedback relating to their experience of using systems and procedures to help refine them in the interests of the continuous development of the service for patients. NHS 24 is committed to the highest possible standards of openness, honesty and accountability. In line with that commitment the board has a whistleblowing policy which encourages employees and others with serious concerns about any aspect of NHS 24’s work to come forward and voice those concerns. No such representations have been raised under the policy. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195146,"EventID":"S2W-22485","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many communications it has had with the Chief Executive of NHS 24 and what topics were raised during those communications.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many communications it has had with the Chief Executive of NHS 24 and what topics were raised during those communications.","AnswerText":"As is the case with all NHS boards, Scottish Executive Health Department officials have regular meetings, conversations and other communications with the Chief Executive of NHS 24 and other board officers. The most recent topics discussed include the progress being made against the recommendations in the Clarke report, the development of its Local Delivery Plan and the improved performance of NHS 24 and its NHS partners over the festive period. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195147,"EventID":"S2W-22486","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS 24 call handler staff have not undergone the mandatory three-week training programme since its inception and what the reasons were in each case.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS 24 call handler staff have not undergone the mandatory three-week training programme since its inception and what the reasons were in each case.","AnswerText":"All of NHS 24’s call handler staff have undergone the mandatory training programme. In addition, all staff must be assessed and signed-off as competent in their role by a practitioner educator and senior nurse (team leader) before they are allowed to answer calls from patients. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195148,"EventID":"S2W-22487","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many routinely monitored calls highlighted the need for further training for NHS 24 staff in each year since the inception of NHS 24.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many routinely monitored calls highlighted the need for further training for NHS 24 staff in each year since the inception of NHS 24.","AnswerText":"NHS 24 has a robust and thorough quality improvement and performance management programme which secures on-going training and development for all staff. All frontline staff are supported by an individual professional development plan, regular call consultation reviews and robust support and supervision from their team leader. All learning, including that from patient comments, complaints and compliments, is fed back both to the individual and into the organisation. This includes examples of best practice that are routinely highlighted by call and consultation review. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195149,"EventID":"S2W-22488","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to create local NHS 24 call centres.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to create local NHS 24 call centres.","AnswerText":"There are currently five NHS 24 satellite centres based in Ayr, Dumfries, Dundee, East Kilbride and Inverness which were established towards the end of 2005 and which supported the response to the increased call demand over the traditionally busy festive period. The benefits of having these centres will be evaluated over the coming months. The evaluation will help inform the further considerations of NHS 24 and NHS area boards about the need for any further call centre development. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195150,"EventID":"S2W-22489","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1892,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":62,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to cease the annual briefing with members of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists which it has traditionally held to mark the publication of the farm in","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to cease the annual briefing with members of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists which it has traditionally held to mark the publication of the farm income figures and, if so, for what reasons. ","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive will be holding its annual briefing with the members of the Guild of Agricultural journalists on Tuesday 31 January at 9.30am. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195151,"EventID":"S2W-22490","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, what funding was made available to each of the local authorities cited as making success","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, what funding was made available to each of the local authorities cited as making successful applications for flood prevention schemes.","AnswerText":"Further to my answer to your question S2W-21968 answered on 18 January 2006, the following funding was made available to each local authority for flood prevention schemes. | Local Authority | (£000) | | Aberdeenshire | 231 | | Aberdeen City | 270 | | Argyll and Bute | 1269 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 638 | | City of Edinburgh | 3134 | | East Ayrshire | 5,294 | | East Dunbartonshire | 7,063 | | Inverclyde | 116 | | Moray | 677 | | North Ayrshire | 472 | | Perth and Kinross | 1382 | | Renfrewshire | 1326 | | West Lothian | 629 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195152,"EventID":"S2W-22491","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, during which financial year funding was made available to each of the local authorities ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, during which financial year funding was made available to each of the local authorities cited as making successful applications for flood prevention schemes.","AnswerText":"Further to my answer to question S2W-21968 on 18 January 2006, the funding made available each financial year to each local authority for flood prevention schemes is tabulated below. | Local Authority | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | | (£000) | (£000) | (£000) | (£000) | (£000) | | Aberdeenshire | | 231 | | | | | Aberdeen City | | | 270 | | | | Argyll and Bute | | | 850 | | 419 | | Dumfries and Galloway | | | | 483 | 155 | | City of Edinburgh | | | | | 3,134 | | East Ayrshire | | | 3,728 | | 1,566 | | East Dunbartonshire | 5,238 | | | | 1,825 | | Inverclyde | 116 | | | | | | Moray | | | | 677 | | | North Ayrshire | | | 472 | | | | Perth and Kinross | 315 | | | | 1,067 | | Renfrewshire | 543 | 783 | | | | | West Lothian | | | 629 | | | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195153,"EventID":"S2W-22492","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, what information it has in respect of the successful application for flood prevention me","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, what information it has in respect of the successful application for flood prevention measures from Dumfries and Galloway Council.","AnswerText":"Further to my answer to question S2W-21968 on 18 January 2006, an offer of flood prevention grant funding to Dumfries and Galloway Council was made in June 2004 for the Portpatrick Flood Prevention Scheme amounting to some £638,000. This was spread over the years 2004-06 to match the estimated expenditure profile provided by the council in their application. So far some £596,000 has been paid and a further request for payment is expected from the council. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195154,"EventID":"S2W-22493","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21668 by Cathy Jamieson on 18 January 2006, whether this answer indicates that it would view any plane carrying suspected terrorist","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21668 by Cathy Jamieson on 18 January 2006, whether this answer indicates that it would view any plane carrying suspected terrorists to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of investigation as a civil aircraft.","AnswerText":"The allegations which have been made relate to civil aircraft. Therefore, the Scottish Executive referred to the Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation in its reply of 18 January to question S2W-21668. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195155,"EventID":"S2W-22494","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21290 and S2W-21851 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005 and 18 January 2006, whether these answers indicate that the only rationa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21290 and S2W-21851 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005 and 18 January 2006, whether these answers indicate that the only rationale for bypassing Muirhead, Chryston and Moodiesburn with the upgraded A80 is for the practical purpose that the route at these sites does not facilitate online upgrade; if not, whether there are other reasons for bypassing these towns and, if so, what these reasons are.","AnswerText":"A road to motorway standards can only be provided with a bypass of Muirhead, Chryston and Moodiesburn. The appropriate standards could not be achieved by an online upgrade without significant demolition of property, and major disruption to traffic and public utilities for an extended period. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195156,"EventID":"S2W-22495","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has been contacted with information regarding the existence of rendition flights by US agencies landing at Scottish airports to refuel, either en route ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has been contacted with information regarding the existence of rendition flights by US agencies landing at Scottish airports to refuel, either en route to their destination or returning from it, and by whom this information has been provided.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has received a number of communications expressing concern that flights using Scottish airports may have involved unlawful activity. Ministers have consistently made it clear to these correspondents that if anyone has any credible and reliable information regarding alleged criminal activity it should be passed to the police. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195157,"EventID":"S2W-22496","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has allocated to land reclamation and the cleaning of contaminated land in each local authority area in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has allocated to land reclamation and the cleaning of contaminated land in each local authority area in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The resources distributed to local authorities over the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 to carry out activities, including site remediation work, associated with implementation of the contaminated land regime are set out in the following table. In addition, the Scottish Executive allocated £8 million, aimed at tackling problems of vacant and derelict land, to the following local authorities in 2004‑05: Dundee: £2 million. Glasgow: £4 million. North Lanarkshire: £2 million. | Local Authority (£000) | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Aberdeen City Council | 17 | 62 | 83* | 69 | 69 | | Aberdeenshire Council | 19 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 502* | | Angus Council | 32 | 79 | 430* | 98 | 98 | | Argyll and Bute Council | 20 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | | Clackmannanshire Council | 15 | 37 | 280* | 50 | 111* | | Dumfries and Galloway Council | 46 | 112 | 155 | 163 | 163 | | Dundee City Council | 41 | 102 | 357* | 142 | 582* | | East Ayrshire Council | 54 | 128 | 421* | 181 | 490* | | East Dunbartonshire Council | 15 | 37 | 45 | 61 | 61 | | East Lothian Council | 15 | 37 | 57 | 57 | 107* | | East Renfrewshire Council | 15 | 37 | 75* | 50 | 50 | | City Of Edinburgh Council | 45 | 181 | 181 | 181 | 406* | | Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | 20 | 72 | 72 | 72 | Area of Derelict Land Reclaimed Since the Previous Survey (Hectares), by Local Authority, 1999-20051-5 | Local Authority | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Aberdeen City | 10 | 2 | 0 | - | 10 | * | 5 | | Aberdeenshire | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 68 | | Angus | 24 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 34 | 0 | 2 | | Argyll and Bute | - | 0 | 0 | 3 | - | - | 3 | | Clackmannanshire | 0 | 6 | 1 | * | 8 | 7 | 0 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 0 | * | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 89 | | Dundee City | 16 | - | 6 | * | 5 | 1 | 7 | | East Ayrshire | 54 | 38 | 73 | 71 | 9 | 8 | 1 | | East Dunbartonshire | 8 | 0 | * | 0 | * | * | 0 | | East Lothian | 139 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | East Renfrewshire | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | * <","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195159,"EventID":"S2W-22498","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much land it expects to be reclaimed and cleaned in the next five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much land it expects to be reclaimed and cleaned in the next five years.","AnswerText":"Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 empowers local authorities to carry out inspections within their areas for the purpose of identifying contaminated land and to secure its remediation. At the time the contaminated land regime came into force in 2000, little was known about the true extent and nature of contaminated land and it was not possible to set targets for overall progress. The Executive has, therefore, provided resources for the purpose of supporting local authorities in carrying out their statutory responsibilities for identifying and investigating contaminated land within their areas. In addition, funding has been provided for remediating approximately 144 hectares of contaminated land on specific sites. It is also likely that additional contaminated land will be remediated by developers in compliance with conditions in planning consents. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195160,"EventID":"S2W-22499","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has identified a route, or routes, for a possible replacement Forth Road Bridge and, if so, whether any such routes have been safeguarded for future developmen","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has identified a route, or routes, for a possible replacement Forth Road Bridge and, if so, whether any such routes have been safeguarded for future development.","AnswerText":"No proposals or routes for a possible replacement crossing have been identified. The Scottish Executive owns land in North and South Queensferry which was purchased in the 1990s when proposals for a second Forth Road Bridge were being considered at that time. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195161,"EventID":"S2W-22500","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money each local authority will have to pay to settle any retrospective pay claims.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money each local authority will have to pay to settle any retrospective pay claims.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally by the Executive. Local authority retrospective pay claims are a matter for the relevant local authorities themselves. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195162,"EventID":"S2W-22501","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA and local authorities regarding retrospective pay claims and what the outcomes were of any talks held.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA and local authorities regarding retrospective pay claims and what the outcomes were of any talks held.","AnswerText":"I met COSLA leaders on 23 January to discuss a number of funding issues for local authorities, including the cost implications of the Single Status Pay agreement and retrospective pay claims. These discussions will continue, however, I have already made clear that the Single Status Pay agreement was a matter between local authorities and unions in which the Executive played no part and therefore it is for local authorities themselves to consider the implications of agreements that they have negotiated with other parties. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195163,"EventID":"S2W-22502","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to help local authorities meet the costs of any retrospective pay claims.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to help local authorities meet the costs of any retrospective pay claims.","AnswerText":"Local authority pay claims as a result of the Single Status Pay agreement are a matter for local authorities. Discussions between the Executive and COSLA on a number of funding issues, including the impact of retrospective pay claims are continuing. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195164,"EventID":"S2W-22503","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council and the Scottish Agricultural College regarding the future of Mackie Hall on the Craibstone Estate which is current","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council and the Scottish Agricultural College regarding the future of Mackie Hall on the Craibstone Estate which is currently used as a hostel for boarders from Aberdeen City Music School.","AnswerText":"There have been no such discussions, either with the council or college. It is for the council, who manage the Music School at Dyce Academy, to arrange for the accommodation of boarders. A significant proportion of the Executive’s annual grant of £0.7 million to the council to support the running of the school is currently used for such purposes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195165,"EventID":"S2W-22504","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council regarding funding for a new hostel for boarders from Aberdeen City Music School.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council regarding funding for a new hostel for boarders from Aberdeen City Music School.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has indicated, in response to correspondence from the council, that it should not look to the Executive for a specific capital contribution to fund such a facility. Our response also made it clear to the council that it should address capital requirements within the context of their overall school estate management plan, utilising whatever funding streams and permissions we make available through prudential borrowing, Schools Fund and PPP funding. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195166,"EventID":"S2W-22505","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have a policy of restricting access to school playgrounds and playing fields outwith school hours.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have a policy of restricting access to school playgrounds and playing fields outwith school hours.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not collect information centrally on such detailed aspects of local school management. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195167,"EventID":"S2W-22506","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals have inadequate changing facilities for staff, requiring staff to change in toilets.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals have inadequate changing facilities for staff, requiring staff to change in toilets.","AnswerText":"The provision of changing facilities is a matter of local policy and no central monitoring is undertaken of the level of such provision. Scottish Health Planning Notes 03 and 04 provide general guidance on the provision of changing facilities recommending that where accommodation is located outwith a department it is necessary to provide a cloakroom, small lockers, showers and WC for staff working within that department. More recently Scottish Health Facilities Note 30 has reinforced the need for staff changing facilities in the context of infection prevention and control. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195168,"EventID":"S2W-22507","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has issued to hospitals and NHS boards regarding the provision of proper changing facilities for staff to combat the possibilities of cross infection.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has issued to hospitals and NHS boards regarding the provision of proper changing facilities for staff to combat the possibilities of cross infection.","AnswerText":"Scottish Health Facilities Note (SHFN) 30: Infection Control in the Built Environment provides guidance on infection prevention and control in relation to the built environment. This includes guidance on the provision of staff changing facilities. The Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force commissioned the NHSScotland Property and Environment Forum to review SHFN 30, and revised guidance was issued to all NHS boards in September 2005. SHFN 30 should be used in conjunction with the HAI System for the Control of Infection in the Built Environment – a questionnaire that helps to identify and manage infection control hazards in the built environment. It is for boards to decide how these guidelines are implemented locally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195169,"EventID":"S2W-22508","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the procedure in place in respect of the arrangements between the First Minister’s residence and NHS 24.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the procedure in place in respect of the arrangements between the First Minister’s residence and NHS 24.","AnswerText":"Arrangements have been in place prior to devolution to ensure the provision of appropriate medical assistance where necessary for people attending Bute House, which is used for overnight stays as well as for regular Scottish Executive business. These arrangements are kept under close and constant review. The arrangements apply to all persons using Bute House, including staff, visitors, contractors and ministers, including the First Minister. Standing instructions are that where someone falls ill or sustains an injury and appears to need medical attention, a call is made to the Scottish Ambulance Service. The ambulance service operator will decide, using standard procedures and on the basis of information provided by the person calling from Bute House, whether it is necessary to send an ambulance. Where this action is not considered necessary, the Bute House caller will be advised to call NHS 24. NHS 24 has put in place a standard procedure for dealing appropriately with calls from Bute House, to ensure confidentiality and consistency. Where, following assessment of information provided by the Bute House caller, NHS 24 decides that medical attention is required NHS 24 will (in line with the standard procedure) either provide advice to the caller about how best to obtain this attention, or arrange for a healthcare worker from NHS Lothian to make a home visit to Bute House. The precise arrangements will depend on whether the call has been made during or outwith working hours, as well as on the symptoms and other circumstances. These arrangements help to ensure that any person who falls ill or sustains an injury in Bute House receives appropriate medical care. Bute House is the only Scottish Executive building which is categorised as a residence, and procedures to ensure that residents, including visiting dignitaries etc, have access to medical advice or assistance have been in place for some time. These procedures support the day-to-day management and security of the building. They do not in any way affect the services provided by NHS 24 to the general public. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195170,"EventID":"S2W-22509","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what clinical basis the arrangements that are in place between the First Minister’s residence and NHS 24 were introduced.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what clinical basis the arrangements that are in place between the First Minister’s residence and NHS 24 were introduced.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the question S2W-22508 answered on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195171,"EventID":"S2W-22510","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it was determined that special arrangements for access to NHS services were required by the First Minister’s residence.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it was determined that special arrangements for access to NHS services were required by the First Minister’s residence.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22508 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195172,"EventID":"S2W-22511","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the services provided by NHS 24 to the general population.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the services provided by NHS 24 to the general population.","AnswerText":"Since the publication of the independent review team’s report in October 2005, NHS 24 has been working very hard to implement the recommendations. In the last few months this work has begun to pay off - performance in relation to access to the service has been improving and there has been a reduction in the reliance of call back. This improvement in performance continues to be monitored closely by the Health Department. Over the traditionally busy festive period, NHS 24 and its NHS partners endeavoured to ensure that patients in Scotland continued to receive a responsive and high quality service. It is evident from the early performance information for primary care out of hours services that the whole system performed well despite sustained pressure over the two four day holiday periods, and that responsive services were maintained overall. Additional NHS 24 call handlers and nurse advisers played a significant part in delivering this improved performance. In addition, NHS boards, as agreed, accepted and managed untriaged calls from NHS 24 over the period, dealing with nearly 10% of the total call volume – 81,563 calls were received by NHS 24 over the two four day periods, with 7,691 passing directly to NHS boards for triage. These successes are down to real partnership working, and delivered improved services for patients at a time when high levels of peak demand placed considerable pressures on resources. The service standards are significantly better than those achieved across the 2004 festive period and owe much to both the strength of planning and to the sheer dedication and professionalism of front line staff. Clearly much of the winter remains ahead of us, and the test of the robustness of overall winter planning continues. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195173,"EventID":"S2W-22512","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will cease the special arrangements the First Minister’s residence has with NHS 24.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will cease the special arrangements the First Minister’s residence has with NHS 24.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22508 on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195174,"EventID":"S2W-22513","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many independent (a) butchers, (b) bakers, (c) greengrocers and (d) convenience stores there have been in each local authority area in each year since 1999, showing y","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many independent (a) butchers, (b) bakers, (c) greengrocers and (d) convenience stores there have been in each local authority area in each year since 1999, showing year-on-year percentage changes.","AnswerText":"Official data on the stock of Scottish businesses is obtained from the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) which is maintained by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There is no indicator for independent companies in the IDBR database and there is no standard definition that would allow them to be separately identified. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195175,"EventID":"S2W-22514","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many supermarket planning applications were (a) accepted and (b) rejected in each local authority area in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many supermarket planning applications were (a) accepted and (b) rejected in each local authority area in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The tables show planning applications for supermarkets and superstores approved and refused in the period 1999-2003. Figures for 2004 and 2005 are not available. Table1: Convenience Supermarket Developments (over 1,000sq metres in size but less than 2,500 sq metres) | Planning Authority | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | | | Granted | Refused | Granted | Refused | Granted | Refused | Granted | Refused | Granted | Refused | | Aberdeen | 2 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | | | | Aberdeenshire | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | 2 | | | Angus | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | Dumfries and Galloway | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | East Renfrewshire | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | Edinburgh | 1 | | | | 2 | | 1 | | 2 | 2 | | Fife | | | 1 | | | | | | | | ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195176,"EventID":"S2W-22515","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) target and (b) average period of time is to process an application for a visa under the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland scheme and what the longest period o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) target and (b) average period of time is to process an application for a visa under the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland scheme and what the longest period of time taken to do so has been, expressed in weeks.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no function in relation to the administration of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme. The Scottish Executive does not consider applications for the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme, although it can provide advice on the requirements. All applications are made to, and considered by, either UKvisas (for those applying from abroad) or the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (for those applying within Scotland). Processing times are a matter for them. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195177,"EventID":"S2W-22516","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1841,"Party":"","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18139 by Rhona Brankin on 26 August 2005, whether any review of the effect of measures introduced under its land reform agenda will","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18139 by Rhona Brankin on 26 August 2005, whether any review of the effect of measures introduced under its land reform agenda will be undertaken in a spirit of openness and transparency, involving public consultation, and whether it will also welcome views on the terms, timescale and scope of such a review.","AnswerText":"As I indicated in the answer to the earlier question on 26 August 2005, the Scottish Executive intends to report to Parliament later this year on implementation of existing land reform measures. At the same time, we will consider the need for, and scope of, any further measures, which would be subject to consultation on an open and transparent basis in the usual way. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195178,"EventID":"S2W-22517","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding or other means of communication, it has been advised by the Foreign Office that it should now be admitted that","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding or other means of communication, it has been advised by the Foreign Office that it should now be admitted that an unknown number of rendition flights have used facilities at UK airports but that Her Majesty’s Government will refer to the US Secretary of State’s assurance that such flights are not used to carry prisoners to be tortured in sovereign regimes and, if investigations currently being pursued in other countries indicate that the US Secretary of State has been mistaken, what measures will be instigated in Scotland to prevent any complicity in the illegal transport of prisoners.","AnswerText":"No such advice has been received by the Scottish Executive from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195179,"EventID":"S2W-22518","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to update its 2002 publication, A Guide to Public Bodies in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to update its 2002 publication, A Guide to Public Bodies in Scotland.","AnswerText":"There are no plans to update this publication at this time. The Public Bodies and Appointment pages of the Scottish Executive website provide a wide range of current information on all non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) in Scotland, including details of the various classification of bodies, financial and staffing data and a comprehensive list of current NDPBs. The site is regularly updated and is the main source of publicly available information on NDPBs in Scotland. The site’s address is http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies/. Prior to the website’s establishment, information on NDPBs was published in the annual Cabinet Office document Public Bodies. Copies of this document are available at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/the_future_of_the_civil_service/agencies_and_public_bodies/index.asp. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195180,"EventID":"S2W-22519","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies there have been in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies there have been in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22518 on 31 January 2006 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195181,"EventID":"S2W-22520","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget has been for all non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget has been for all non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22518 on 31 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195182,"EventID":"S2W-22521","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of full-time equivalent staff was in all non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of full-time equivalent staff was in all non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22518 on 31 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195183,"EventID":"S2W-22522","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of all non-departmental public bodies, broken down by (a) budget and (b) full-time equivalent staff numbers, in each year from 1999-2000 to","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of all non-departmental public bodies, broken down by (a) budget and (b) full-time equivalent staff numbers, in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22518 on 31 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195184,"EventID":"S2W-22523","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the proceeds of landfill tax are distributed within Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the proceeds of landfill tax are distributed within Scotland.","AnswerText":"Landfill Tax is a reservedmatter.At the last Spending Review,the Scottish Executive received consequentials arising from increases in theLandfill Tax. We agreed to use these resources to support initiativesbenefiting business and local authorities and have allocated the resources asfollows: | Initiative | Purpose of initiative | 2005-06 (£ million) | 2006-07 (£ million) | 2007-08 (£ million) | | Waste and Resources Action Programme | To develop markets for recycled products and to work on household waste prevention. | 2.8 | 5.2 | 3.5 | | Envirowise | To provide advice to business on waste prevention | 1.5 | 1.6 | 2.3 | | Energy Efficiency | To promote energy efficiency | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | | Strategic Waste Fund | To support local authorities prevent waste arsing; recycle and compost waste and divert waste away from landfill | | | 9.5 | | Local government finance settlement | See separate table below. | 2.2 | 5.7 | 1.2 | | Local authority contaminated land | To support local authorities carry out their statutory duties in relation to contaminated land | | | 5.0 | | Total | | 8.0 | 15.0 | 23.0 | The resources allocated tothe core local government finance settlement were intended for the purposesoutlined as follows. These resources are not ring-fenced and local authoritiesare free to spend them as they see fit, based on local needs and priorities. | | 2005-06 (£ million) | 2006-07 (£ million) | 2007-08 (£ million) | | Landfill costs | 1.0 | 2.5 | | | Flytipping officers | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | | Abandoned vehicles | | 2.0 | | | Total | 2.2 | 5.7 | 1.2 | In addition, the LandfillTax Credit Scheme operates in Scotland. This scheme is a reserved matter. Moreinformation can be found on the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme website www.ltcs.org.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195185,"EventID":"S2W-22524","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities in respect of reducing the amount of material going to landfill.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities in respect of reducing the amount of material going to landfill.","AnswerText":"There have been extensive discussions with local authorities on this issue and waste management generally is frequently discussed at my regular meetings with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. We have provided authorities with significant resources through the Strategic Waste Fund to prevent waste arising, improve recycling and composting facilities and divert residual waste away from landfill and we have also asked local authorities to submit Strategic Outline Cases by the end of January on further proposals to divert waste away from landfill. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195186,"EventID":"S2W-22525","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been killed in accidents in the construction industry in each of the last five years and in how many of these accidents the ensuing safety investigat","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been killed in accidents in the construction industry in each of the last five years and in how many of these accidents the ensuing safety investigation has led to criminal proceedings.","AnswerText":"The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service does not hold the information requested. Information about the number of people killed in accidents in the construction industry can, however, be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive (www.hse.gov.uk). Charges relating to deaths in the construction industry cannot be identified separately on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database from other health and safety charges relating to workers in any other industry. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195187,"EventID":"S2W-22526","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it took separate legal advice in respect of the removal of the Rule of 85 from the Local Government Pension Scheme; if so, whether it will to publish such advice ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it took separate legal advice in respect of the removal of the Rule of 85 from the Local Government Pension Scheme; if so, whether it will to publish such advice and, if not, what its reasons were for not doing so.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the question S2W-21675 answered on 17 January 2006. That reply referred to the statement by the Minister for Local Government on 2 December 2006 in the House of Commons which confirmed that the UK Government had concluded that the Rule of 85 is to be removed from the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales from 1 October 2006, and that this was necessary to comply with the terms of Directive 2000/78/EC. In considering the legal opinion presented by COSLA on the removal of the Rule from the scheme in Scotland, the Executive took separate legal advice. It would not be appropriate to divulge the individual or individuals who gave that advice. That advice was given in confidence and I do not intend to publish it. It is a well-established principle that there is strong public interest in maintaining the right to confidentiality of communications between legal adviser and client. The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) has also received actuarial advice in respect of the affordability of the Rule of 85. That advice has been shared with COSLA and the trade unions and will inform the on-going discussions with them about possible transitional protection for existing staff. It is available on the SPPA website. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195188,"EventID":"S2W-22527","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has chosen to accept the legal advice of the UK Government in respect of the removal of the Rule of 85 from the Local Government Pension Scheme and, if so, wha","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has chosen to accept the legal advice of the UK Government in respect of the removal of the Rule of 85 from the Local Government Pension Scheme and, if so, what advice within the Executive informed that decision.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the question S2W-22526 answered on 2 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195189,"EventID":"S2W-22528","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-19T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which legal expert it consulted when considering the legal advice obtained by COSLA in respect of the removal of the Rule of 85 from the Local Government Pension Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which legal expert it consulted when considering the legal advice obtained by COSLA in respect of the removal of the Rule of 85 from the Local Government Pension Scheme.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the question S2W-22526 answered on 2 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195190,"EventID":"S2W-22529","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, whether this answer indicates that it accepts the opinion of the International Olymp","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, whether this answer indicates that it accepts the opinion of the International Olympics Committee that London’s infrastructure and transport and travel links are such that it is the only city in the United Kingdom capable of staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games and, if not, whether it would rule out the possibility of a future bid from Glasgow for such events, given that Strathclyde has the largest suburban rail network in the UK outwith London and well-developed transport and travel links.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is aware that our major cities have world-class facilities capable of attracting premier cultural and sporting events. EventScotland works in partnership with a number of organisations to attract such events and this work is building on our reputation as a premier events destination. The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to support a Glasgow Olympic bid but would not rule out such a bid in the future. At present efforts are focused on bringing the Commonwealth Games to Scotland in 2014. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195191,"EventID":"S2W-22530","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006 and if this answer indicates that it accepts the opinion of the International Olympic","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006 and if this answer indicates that it accepts the opinion of the International Olympics Committee that London’s infrastructure and transport and travel links are such that it is the only city in the United Kingdom capable of staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, why in its opinion additional outlay on infrastructure, transport and travel links is being made in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games.","AnswerText":"Following the unsuccessful Olympic Games and Paralympic Games bids from Manchester and Birmingham, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave clear guidance to the British Olympic Association (BOA) that London would stand the best chance of winning a future UK bid. Whilst London was seen to be the best placed candidate city to host the 2012 Olympic Games it was recognised that improvements to London’s infrastructure and travel links were still needed to cope with the influx of athletes and visitors caused by the games. The majority of these improvements were already planned, irrespective of the 2012 Games and reflected the London bid team’s realistic and achievable plans in their efforts to host the best games ever. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195192,"EventID":"S2W-22531","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, whether this indicates that it shares the view of the International Olympics Committ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, whether this indicates that it shares the view of the International Olympics Committee that being a world city is a prerequisite to hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games and, if so, whether it considers that Atlanta, which hosted the 1996 games, is more of a “world city” than Glasgow or Edinburgh.","AnswerText":"The consideration of whether Atlanta was a “world city” was a matter for the International Olympic Committee. The Scottish Executive is aware that our major cities have world-class facilities capable of attracting premier cultural and sporting events. EventScotland works in partnership with a number of organisations to attract such events and this work is building on our reputation as a premier events destination. The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to support an Olympic bid but would not rule out such a bid in the future. At present efforts are focused on bringing the Commonwealth Games to Scotland in 2014. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195193,"EventID":"S2W-22532","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, pregnant smokers have been prescribed nicotine replacement therapy in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, pregnant smokers have been prescribed nicotine replacement therapy in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195194,"EventID":"S2W-22533","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its 2006 target date to achieve 25% recycling rates refers to the beginning or the end of 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its 2006 target date to achieve 25% recycling rates refers to the beginning or the end of 2006.","AnswerText":"The target in the National WastePlan is to achieve 25% recycling/composting of municipal solid waste by 2006. Weintend to measure this by taking the average of the recycling/composting ratesachieved throughout 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195195,"EventID":"S2W-22534","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what tests or reports have been undertaken or prepared regarding the effect of new 3G technology phone masts.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what tests or reports have been undertaken or prepared regarding the effect of new 3G technology phone masts.","AnswerText":"Ofcom measures the levels of public exposure to emissions from both 3G and 2G communications systems as part of its on-going audit of base station emissions. For both the 2G and 3G transmitters audited to date, the exposure levels are measured in hundredths, or more typically in thousandths, of the relevant RF public exposure guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection. Radio waves used to deliver 3G services are transmitted at a slightly higher frequency than for 2G but there are no differences between the two emissions that suggest differing physiological effects. There is therefore no particular reason to regard the possible health effects of 3G emissions as a case for special investigation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195196,"EventID":"S2W-22535","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether 3G mobile phone masts differ from 2G mobile phone masts and, if so, what new guidance it has issued regarding this difference in respect of planning and health.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether 3G mobile phone masts differ from 2G mobile phone masts and, if so, what new guidance it has issued regarding this difference in respect of planning and health.","AnswerText":"3G networks use a different technology from 2G networks. This technology is Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS), which enables data to be transferred at much higher rates than 2G mobile phone systems and allows, for example, access to the internet on the move. The area covered by 3G base stations is not as great as 2G, which is why there is a need for additional masts to fill in the gaps where existing 2G base stations have been converted to 3G. The Health Protection Agency has not advised that there is a need for any additional safety measures in relation to 3G exposures compared to those for 2G. The current advice from the Health Protection Agency on limiting exposure to radiofrequency radiation applies both to 2G and 3G emissions. As a result, the Scottish Executive’s planning guidance, National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 19: Radio Telecommunications, which includes the issue of health concerns and precautionary measures, applies to both 2G and 3G network infrastructure. A copy of NPPG 19 is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 15218). As part of these precautionary measures, Ofcom has been carrying out audits of the level of public exposure to emissions from masts. The measured exposure levels are at most hundreds, and usually thousands, of times below the relevant exposure guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) on limiting exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields. Ofcom’s audit methodology has recently been updated to include 3G in all its measurement audits and measurement of emissions from 3G masts continue to be substantially less than the public exposure guidelines published by ICNIRP. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195197,"EventID":"S2W-22536","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any non-thermal studies and, if so, what the findings were.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any non-thermal studies and, if so, what the findings were.","AnswerText":"The Executive has not undertaken any studies of the non-thermal effects of non-ionising radiation. However, the Executive funds, along with UK Government Departments and industry, the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195198,"EventID":"S2W-22537","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has had from the medical profession regarding mobile phone masts.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has had from the medical profession regarding mobile phone masts.","AnswerText":"No formal representations have been received from bodies representing the medical profession in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195199,"EventID":"S2W-22538","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the capacity is of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the capacity is of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works.","AnswerText":"This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to you directly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195200,"EventID":"S2W-22539","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what capacity of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is not utilised.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what capacity of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is not utilised.","AnswerText":"This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to you directly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195201,"EventID":"S2W-22540","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the unutilised capacity of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is accounted for by unused or derelict properties.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the unutilised capacity of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is accounted for by unused or derelict properties.","AnswerText":"This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to you directly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195202,"EventID":"S2W-22541","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the utilisation of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is industrial.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the utilisation of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is industrial.","AnswerText":"This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to you directly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195203,"EventID":"S2W-22542","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the utilisation of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is domestic.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the utilisation of the Coupar Angus wastewater treatment works is domestic.","AnswerText":"This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to you directly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195204,"EventID":"S2W-22543","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care’s letter of 22 January 2005 to me in respect of the Scottish Executive Health Department’s representation on","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care’s letter of 22 January 2005 to me in respect of the Scottish Executive Health Department’s representation on the UK Government Stakeholder Advisory Group on Electric and Magnetic Fields (SAGE), what issues of particular concern to Scotland have been brought to the attention of SAGE.","AnswerText":"The aim of the SAGE process is to allow stakeholders to consider implications for a precautionary approach to power frequency electric and magnetic fields and make practical recommendations for precautionary measures. While issues of current public concern feature in these considerations, there is no intention that the work of the main SAGE group or of its current Working Groups should include specific focus on issues of particular concern to Scotland or any other particular part of the UK. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195205,"EventID":"S2W-22544","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was aware that the charity Independent Special Education Advice obtained funding from Comic Relief to monitor the implementation of the Additional Support for ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was aware that the charity Independent Special Education Advice obtained funding from Comic Relief to monitor the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004 in every local authority area before the Executive commissioned the National Autistic Society to fulfil the same role.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not commissioned the National Autistic Society to monitor the implementation of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. The implementation of the act is being monitored by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195206,"EventID":"S2W-22545","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on a liability regime for contamination by genetically modified crops.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on a liability regime for contamination by genetically modified crops.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive will be issuing a consultation on proposals for managing the coexistence of GM, conventional and organic crops in the spring. Included as part of this consultation will be options for providing compensation to non-GM farmers who suffer financial loss. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195207,"EventID":"S2W-22546","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) firefighters have worked extra hours in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) firefighters have worked extra hours in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. The operational requirement for overtime is a matter in the first instance for the Chief Constable or the Chief Fire Officer ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195208,"EventID":"S2W-22547","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra hours have been worked by (a) police officers and (b) firefighters in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra hours have been worked by (a) police officers and (b) firefighters in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. The operational requirement for overtime is a matter in the first instance for the Chief Constable or the Chief Fire Officer. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195209,"EventID":"S2W-22548","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) firefighters are due to retire in each of the next three years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) firefighters are due to retire in each of the next three years.","AnswerText":"The estimated numbers of officers expected by the eight Scottish police forces to retire over the next three years (excluding any retirements on the grounds of ill-health) are as follows: 2006-07: 489 2007-08: 451 2008-09: 637. Information on the number of firefighters due to retire in the next three years is not held centrally and is a matter for individual Fire and Rescue Services. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195210,"EventID":"S2W-22549","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1769,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":2,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish a cross-cutting office for disability issues, similar to that recently established by the UK Government.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish a cross-cutting office for disability issues, similar to that recently established by the UK Government.","AnswerText":"We have no plans to establish an office for disability issues similar to that recently established by the UK Government. The Scottish Executive Equality Unit already co-ordinates cross-cutting activity on disability within the Executive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195211,"EventID":"S2W-22550","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when negotiations relating to the buyout of the Inverness Airport Terminal PFI contract by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd will be completed.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when negotiations relating to the buyout of the Inverness Airport Terminal PFI contract by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd will be completed.","AnswerText":"I am pleased to announce that negotiations between Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) and the PFI owners have now been completed and Inverness Airport Terminal Ltd has been acquired by HIAL with effect from 20 January 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195212,"EventID":"S2W-22551","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the dossier detailing evidence of rendition flights from the United States landing at various Scottish airports that was sent to the Fi","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the dossier detailing evidence of rendition flights from the United States landing at various Scottish airports that was sent to the First Minister by Angus Robertson MP, as reported in The Herald on 18 January 2006.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has received the document sent to the First Minister and a reply will be issued. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195213,"EventID":"S2W-22552","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21582 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether, during discussions with Her Majesty’s Government on the issue of US agencies ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21582 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether, during discussions with Her Majesty’s Government on the issue of US agencies using Scottish airports for refuelling for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation, it was made aware at any stage of the opinion expressed in a written memorandum to the Prime Minister that the papers found by those compiling the memorandum suggest the existence of more cases of US agencies requesting to use UK territory to facilitate rendition flights than those acknowledged by the Home Secretary, as reported by the BBC on 19 January 2006.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not comment on the status or handling of leaked documents. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195214,"EventID":"S2W-22553","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what forecasts it has made of the number of people employed in the textile sector in each year from 2006 to 2010.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what forecasts it has made of the number of people employed in the textile sector in each year from 2006 to 2010.","AnswerText":"The Executive has not made any forecasts of employment within the textile sector. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195215,"EventID":"S2W-22554","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21779 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 January 2006, who will represent the Scottish Executive at the meeting on 31 January 2006 between Her M","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21779 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 January 2006, who will represent the Scottish Executive at the meeting on 31 January 2006 between Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, UK Health Departments, the Department for Education and Skills, NHS Employers and the University and Colleges Employers Association to discuss contractual solutions and other potential ways forward in respect of the Court of the University of Glasgow ruling on the form of contract for clinical academic posts.","AnswerText":"The head of the financial performance management and accounting division of the Health Department Finance Directorate, Jane Davidson, and the technical accounting finance manager responsible for health VAT issues, Lee Shedden, will represent the Scottish Executive at this meeting. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195216,"EventID":"S2W-22555","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21779 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 January 2006, whether it will fund in full any additional costs which have arisen, or will arise, for e","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21779 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 January 2006, whether it will fund in full any additional costs which have arisen, or will arise, for either academic institutions or the National Health Service as a result of the Court of the University of Glasgow ruling on the form of contract for clinical academic posts.","AnswerText":"The decision as to whether additional funding is required will depend on the outcome of the meeting on 31 January 2006 with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, referred to the answer to question S2W-22554 on 30 January 2006. The Scottish Executive hopes that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will accept that the supply of academic staff for NHS research can be zero rated and will not therefore incur any additional expenditure for the NHS. Should the outcome of the meeting not prove favourable and require that NHS bodies suffer the VAT consequences the issue of funding will require to be addressed, with possible recourse by Scottish Executive Finance to HM Treasury. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195217,"EventID":"S2W-22556","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the report commissioned by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency in respect of the affordability of the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension S","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the report commissioned by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency in respect of the affordability of the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme; if so, what consideration it has given to this report, what conclusions it has drawn, whether it will publish the report and whether it will publish advice in relation to the report.","AnswerText":"refer the member to the question S2W-22526 answered on 2 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195218,"EventID":"S2W-22557","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether affordability issues influenced its decision to support abolition of the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme and, if so, whether it will publish the","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether affordability issues influenced its decision to support abolition of the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme and, if so, whether it will publish the rationale.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the question S2W-22526 answered on 2 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195219,"EventID":"S2W-22558","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it imposes any conditions on local authorities regarding the provision of grants for roof repairs for privately owned houses and, if so, what these conditions are","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it imposes any conditions on local authorities regarding the provision of grants for roof repairs for privately owned houses and, if so, what these conditions are.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not impose on local authorities any conditions that are specifically concerned with the provision of repairs or improvement grants for roof repairs. It is for the local authority to decide whether to make such a grant, except where it has chosen to serve a statutory repairs notice, when it must approve an application for grant for works in the notice. The link between such a notice and grant will be removed as part of the package of changes to local authority enforcement and assistance powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 which will be implemented over the next two years. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195220,"EventID":"S2W-22559","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement ministers will have in the decision on the 2006 pay award for NHS Scotland staff.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement ministers will have in the decision on the 2006 pay award for NHS Scotland staff.","AnswerText":"The process for determining NHS pay awards is that independent pay review bodies covering doctors and dentists (DDRB) and nurses and other health professionals (NOHPRB) receive written and oral evidence from Health Departments, NHS employers, and trades unions and professional organisations. The 2006 pay award for NHS staff across the UK will be determined by ministers, following recommendations from these independent health pay review bodies. Scottish ministers, in common with those in England and Wales, submitted recommendations on NHS pay to the independent pay review bodies in the form of both written and oral evidence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195221,"EventID":"S2W-22560","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s position that the 2006 pay award for healthcare staff should be in the region of 2%.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s position that the 2006 pay award for healthcare staff should be in the region of 2%.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive agrees with the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s position that the pay review bodies should base their 2006 pay settlements on the achievement of the Government inflation target of 2%. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195222,"EventID":"S2W-22561","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1751,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":3,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget is for providing public information on access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, broken down by form of publicity.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget is for providing public information on access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, broken down by form of publicity.","AnswerText":"Providing public information on access rights is a shared responsibility under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which places duties upon Scottish Natural Heritage and on the access authorities. Scottish Natural Heritage has responsibility for publicising and promoting understanding of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and the following table shows the budgets which SNH is applying to this work over three years. Access authorities have a duty to publicise the Access Code. That forms part of their access responsibilities for which GAE support is provided, and is not ring-fenced or separately budgeted. | Budget Year | 2004–05 (£) | 2005–06 (£) | 2006–07 (£) | | Access Code production and distribution | 57,000 | 28,000 | 65,000 | | TV and radio | 411,000 | 485,000 | 354,000 | | Leaflets | 120,000 | 10,000 | 22,000 | | Displays, events | 99,000 | 10,000 | 35,000 | | Signage | 4,000 | 35,000 | 5,000 | | Website | 4,000 | 7,000 | 20,000 | | Training | 26,000 | 6,000 | 35,000 | | Research, monitoring | 14,000 | 20,000 | 80,000 | | Total | 735,000 | 601,000 | 616,000 | Source – Scottish Natural Heritage. Note: Budget amounts are rounded to the nearest thousand. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195223,"EventID":"S2W-22562","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1751,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":3,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to publicise the statutory requirement for all non-residential landlords to register with local authorities from 31 March 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to publicise the statutory requirement for all non-residential landlords to register with local authorities from 31 March 2006.","AnswerText":"We are working closely with local authorities to support them in their promotional work at local level. We are also cooperating with a range of national level organisations to ensure that landlords and professionals linked to the private rented sector are fully informed. It is our intention to work with the media to raise general awareness of the requirement to register. An information leaflet template has been provided to local authorities for use in local publicity targeting landlords. The Scottish Executive website www.betterrentingscotland.com has pages on private landlord registration, including a comprehensive overview and detailed “frequently asked questions”. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195224,"EventID":"S2W-22563","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1988,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps Forestry Commission Scotland is taking to further the conservation of black grouse, following recent survey results which indicated a significant decline in th","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps Forestry Commission Scotland is taking to further the conservation of black grouse, following recent survey results which indicated a significant decline in their numbers.","AnswerText":"Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) is working closely with partners such as Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB and the Game Conservancy Trust in a co-ordinated approach to conserving black grouse, a wide ranging species that needs a balance of moorland and young woodland habitats. Within the national forest estate, FCS carries out a range of operations to conserve black grouse, including lek counts, enhancing habitat by thinning and felling woodland to create more open and edge habitat, cutting vegetation to improve habitat for young chicks, and incorporating suitable long-term habitat structures in forest design plans. FCS also offers grants and guidance under its Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme for similar conservation measures in private woodland, as well as marking or removing fences in areas where black grouse or capercaillie may fly into them. The grants cover 90% of costs in priority areas for black grouse, near to known lek sites. In conjunction with its partners, FCS is analysing the results of the recent survey to determine options for further conservation work. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195225,"EventID":"S2W-22564","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1988,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the last biodiversity audit was conducted on the state forest and what action Forestry Commission Scotland is taking to address the needs of priority species found o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the last biodiversity audit was conducted on the state forest and what action Forestry Commission Scotland is taking to address the needs of priority species found on the estate as identified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.","AnswerText":"The biodiversity work undertaken on Scotland’s national forest estate has recently been subjected to three types of audit procedure. The first is the annual external audit undertaken to satisfy the requirements of the United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Standard. The other two were Forestry Commission Scotland’s internal audits of their Forest Design Planning process; which is an annual rolling programme, and a Forest Operations Environment audit in 2003. In addition, Forestry Commission Scotland set up an external biodiversity peer review group in 2005. This group was formed to consider Forestry Commission Scotland’s delivery of the Scottish Forestry Strategy's environmental agenda on the national forest estate; to examine the effectiveness of past and current action and to make recommendations on what additional or more ambitious steps Forestry Commission Scotland should be taking. The review group’s recently completed final report is currently being carefully considered by Forestry Commission Scotland and a response to the 74 recommendations is expected by the summer. Addressing the needs of priority species found on the national forest estate, as identified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, forms part of the overall consideration being given to the peer review group’s report. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195226,"EventID":"S2W-22565","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of written evidence in respect of the safety implications of siting wind farms under air traffic routes from National Air Traffic Services Ltd to the Enterprise","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of written evidence in respect of the safety implications of siting wind farms under air traffic routes from National Air Traffic Services Ltd to the Enterprise and Culture Committee’s Renewable Energy in Scotland inquiry, whether the Executive’s strategy to increase wind farms across Scotland, particularly in the central belt, may reach a point that compromises air passenger safety.","AnswerText":"The safeguarding arrangements in the planning system in respect of aviation are there to ensure that no wind farm will be approved that would compromise air passengers. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195227,"EventID":"S2W-22566","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the elevation of Baroness Clark of Calton to the Scottish bench, it will instigate discussions with HM Government in respect of any adjustment needed t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the elevation of Baroness Clark of Calton to the Scottish bench, it will instigate discussions with HM Government in respect of any adjustment needed to the position and responsibilities of the Advocate General.","AnswerText":"The Advocate General for Scotland is a member of the UK Government. The Office is established under the Scotland Act 1998. It is for the UK Government to determine whether any adjustment is required to the position and responsibilities. Any alteration in the position would require to be consistent with the Scotland Act. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195228,"EventID":"S2W-22567","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what Glasgow Housing Association’s (GHA) capital expenditure has been on its housing stock from the date of transfer of the stock to GHA.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what Glasgow Housing Association’s (GHA) capital expenditure has been on its housing stock from the date of transfer of the stock to GHA.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: Since transfer, GHA has directly invested over £262 million on modernising and improving tenants’ homes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195229,"EventID":"S2W-22568","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much private finance has been drawn down to facilitate Glasgow Housing Association’s capital expenditure on its housing stock.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much private finance has been drawn down to facilitate Glasgow Housing Association’s capital expenditure on its housing stock.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: GHA, in its statutory accounts to 31 March 2005, records no loans drawn from private lenders. GHA’S business plan dated November 2004 shows no requirement for private finance to the year ending March 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195230,"EventID":"S2W-22569","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much private finance it is estimated will be drawn down by Glasgow Housing Assocation in 2006-07 and 2007-08.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much private finance it is estimated will be drawn down by Glasgow Housing Assocation in 2006-07 and 2007-08.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: GHA’s Consultative Draft Business Plan 2006-07, identifies private funding levels of £33.356 million in 2006-07 and £101.554 million in 2007-08. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195231,"EventID":"S2W-22570","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what Glasgow Housing Association’s expenditure on external (a) consultants and (b) advisers has been since the stock transfer date on its (i) capital investment programme","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what Glasgow Housing Association’s expenditure on external (a) consultants and (b) advisers has been since the stock transfer date on its (i) capital investment programme, (ii) business planning, (iii) second stage transfer and (iv) organisational development.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: This is a matter for GHA, the information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195232,"EventID":"S2W-22571","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) permanent and (b) temporary or seconded staff Glasgow Housing Association employs on (i) investment and regeneration, (ii) support services, (iii) local hous","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) permanent and (b) temporary or seconded staff Glasgow Housing Association employs on (i) investment and regeneration, (ii) support services, (iii) local housing organisation staffing and (iv) concierge staffing, showing how these figures compare with the numbers employed in March 2003.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: Information on registered social landlords is collected through the Annual Performance Statistical Return (APSR) maintained by Communities Scotland. Information that we hold for GHA in the APSR, records the total number of staff employed by GHA in 2002-03 as 1,827, and in 2003-04 as 2,062. No further breakdown of these figures is held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195233,"EventID":"S2W-22572","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what standards in respect of document creation and retention it requires of external bodies undertaking audit work in the public sector.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what standards in respect of document creation and retention it requires of external bodies undertaking audit work in the public sector.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for Audit Scotland. Audit Scotland was established under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 to provide audit services on behalf of the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission. Audit Scotland is therefore responsible to them for the performance of these duties. Section 69 of the Scotland Act 1998 provides for the appointment of an Auditor General for Scotland. Section 69 (4) provides that the Auditor General for Scotland shall not, in the exercise of any of his functions, be subject to the direction or control of any member of the Scottish Executive or of the Parliament. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195234,"EventID":"S2W-22573","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, dental practices are currently eligible for commitment payments in each NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, dental practices are currently eligible for commitment payments in each NHS board area.","AnswerText":"Commitment payments were introduced in 2000 and are paid to individual general dental practitioners and not to practices. The conditions of entitlement for payment of a commitment payment are set down in Determination IX of the Statement of Dental Remuneration. In 2004-05 a total of 1,300 dentists received such a payment per quarter as follows: | NHS Board Area | Number of Dentists Receiving Commitment Payments | Number of Principal Dentists1 | | Argyll and Clyde | 111 | 159 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 107 | 137 | | Borders | 22 | 28 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 28 | 36 | | Fife | 93 | 127 | | Forth Valley | 70 | 100 | | Grampian | 76 | 161 | | Greater Glasgow | 295 | 463 | | Highland | 37 | 65 | | Lanarkshire | 143 | 211 | | Lothian | 208 | 344 | | Orkney | 0 | 1 | | Shetland | 3 | 2 | | Tayside | 104 | 164 | | Western Isles | 3 | 2 | | Scotland | 1,300 | 1,900 | Source: Scottish Dental Practice Board Annual Report 2004-05. Note: 1. Number of principal dentists (excluding salaried principal dentists) at 31 March 2005. A number of principal dentists are on the lists of more than one NHS board area, which results in double counting, and for this reason it is not possible to provide the percentage of dentists currently eligible for commitment payments. Commitment payments are different to payments which have been introduced for NHS committed practices. Those dental practices which meet the definition of NHS committed are entitled to certain new payments, eg an additional 6% in respect of the general dental practice allowance. These payments are made to the practice. A total of 566 practices are NHS committed which represents 68% of all practices. This figure excludes specialist practices, such as orthodontic practices, as the criteria for determining the NHS commitment of such practices are currently being developed. The number and percentage of practices regarded as NHS committed in each NHS board area are not yet available. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and will arrange for a copy of my reply to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38797). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195235,"EventID":"S2W-22574","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1771,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce legislation that would make the current voluntary system, whereby the Crown Estate accepts the recommendation of relevant planning authorities i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce legislation that would make the current voluntary system, whereby the Crown Estate accepts the recommendation of relevant planning authorities in respect of fish farm applications, legally binding.","AnswerText":"The consultation paper Extending Planning Controls to Marine Fish Farming was issued in October 2004. We are still finalising the details but our intention at this stage is to bring, as appropriate, marine fish farming under the control of the statutory planning system by summer 2006. A copy of the consultation paper is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 34210). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195236,"EventID":"S2W-22575","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1771,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can guarantee that Communities Scotland’s funding constraints do not lead to housing standards in island communities, such as Mull, being lower than on the mai","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can guarantee that Communities Scotland’s funding constraints do not lead to housing standards in island communities, such as Mull, being lower than on the mainland as a result of the increased costs associated with house building on islands. ","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: Communities Scotland’s published Indicative Costs, which guide the assessment of individual scheme costs, formally recognise the relatively high cost of building in the Argyll and Bute local authority area generally. In addition, the specific factors which lead to additional costs on the islands are recognised by the Communities Scotland area office, and a flexible approach is taken to ensure that these factors are properly recognised. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195237,"EventID":"S2W-22576","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005 and noting that Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has no statutory duty to record or pub","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005 and noting that Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has no statutory duty to record or publish passenger or crew details of chartered or private flights, whether, in its capacity as sole shareholder or otherwise, it has concerns regarding two alleged CIA-operated flights which landed at Wick and five at Inverness since September 2001.","AnswerText":"Neither the Scottish Executive nor Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has any information which supports allegations that Wick or Inverness Airports have been used by CIA-operated flights. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195238,"EventID":"S2W-22577","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, what approaches Scottish Ministers or officials have made to the management of Highlands","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, what approaches Scottish Ministers or officials have made to the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd asking it to check whether it holds any information or related documents suggesting that US Government officials or their proxies have operated flights through Wick and Inverness airports since September 2001.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has requested information from Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) regarding any flights operated on behalf of the US Government and its agencies. HIAL has no evidence that such flights have operated to or from its airports. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195239,"EventID":"S2W-22578","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, whether it has instructed the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to invest","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, whether it has instructed the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to investigate reports of two alleged CIA-operated flights into Wick and five such flights into Inverness since September 2001 and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has requested and received information from Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) about the procedures that are in place for handling and recording information regarding international flights to and from its airports. We are satisfied that HIAL is fulfilling its legal and regulatory obligations as a licensed airport operator in respect of international flights. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195240,"EventID":"S2W-22579","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information is normally recorded in cases where the cause of death is recorded as being alcohol-related.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information is normally recorded in cases where the cause of death is recorded as being alcohol-related.","AnswerText":"Every death that occurs in Scotland is registered under the civil registration system which is operated by local councils on behalf of the Registrar General. The information collected and processed through the registration system creates the death registers of Scotland and these can be viewed by any member of the public. A computerised statistical record of the death registration is also created. This is used to answer customer and other enquiries and to produce the statistics that appear in the publications of the Registrar General. The statistical database can provide information at an individual level or data can be grouped together to provide counts for many different demographic or personal variables. The registration process and the nature of the information that is required to register a death is the same for every death irrespective of the cause (or causes) of death. All causes of death that are recorded by the certifying doctor are coded according to the rules and regulations of the World Health Organization as defined in their publication The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems – Tenth Revision (ICD10). There is no definitive methodology for deciding if a particular death was alcohol-related. The staff of the Registrar General normally use a pre-determined list of ICD10 codes to identify those causes of death regarded as being most directly the result of alcohol consumption. The list is not exhaustive and indeed the Office for National Statistics have just completed a consultation exercise seeking views or comments on an expansion of the list that they presently use to identify alcohol-related deaths. Depending on the outcome it is likely that Scotland will follow their recommendations for purposes of comparability. The ICD10 codes that are normally used to answer questions about alcohol-related deaths cover key causes of death that are known to be associated with alcohol and comprise: F10: Mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of alcohol. I42.6: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy. K70: Alcoholic liver disease. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195241,"EventID":"S2W-22580","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive in how many deaths recorded as being alcohol-related in the last five years haemochromatosis was noted as a possible cause of death.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive in how many deaths recorded as being alcohol-related in the last five years haemochromatosis was noted as a possible cause of death.","AnswerText":"In the five years, between 2000 and 2004, there were 15 deaths where the underlying cause of death was alcohol related and haemochromatosis was mentioned on the death certificate. In the same period there were a further 13 deaths where the underlying cause of death was haemochromatosis and alcohol related diseases were mentioned on the death certificate. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195242,"EventID":"S2W-22581","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instigate a study into the prevalence of haemochromatosis, given the recognition of the condition as a cause for concern.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instigate a study into the prevalence of haemochromatosis, given the recognition of the condition as a cause for concern.","AnswerText":"The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. It supports research projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated by the research community in Scotland. This role is well known and advertised throughout the healthcare and academic community. The CSO has no plans to instigate a study on haemochromatosis, but would be pleased to consider research proposals into its prevalence. These would be subject to the usual peer and committee review. The National Research Register (NRR), a UK wide research database, records two on-going projects and 10 completed projects on the prevalence of haemochromatosis. Details of these projects are available from the NRR, this can be found at the website www.update-software.com/national/. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195243,"EventID":"S2W-22582","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1857,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":15,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21897 by Hugh Henry on 18 January 2006, whether it will be making a submission to the UK Government’s review of the Criminal Injuri","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21897 by Hugh Henry on 18 January 2006, whether it will be making a submission to the UK Government’s review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and, if so, whether it will undertake consultation to inform its submission.","AnswerText":"As I made clear in my answer to question S2W-21897, we have urged Scottish stakeholders to respond to the Home Office consultation, and we also intend to give stakeholders the opportunity to express their views directly to Home Office and Scottish Executive officials. We do not plan to make a submission to the UK Government as part of the current consultation on the review. The Home Secretary is required to consult Scottish ministers on any changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and our stance in response to this will be informed by the submissions of Scottish stakeholders to the consultation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195244,"EventID":"S2W-22583","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what inquiries it has made in respect of alleged rendition flights through airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, following the publication of documents","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what inquiries it has made in respect of alleged rendition flights through airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, following the publication of documents obtained by Amnesty International and by the Danish Government.","AnswerText":"We have made no inquiries. Ministers have consistently made clear that if anyone has credible and reliable information regarding alleged criminal activity, it should be passed to the police. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195245,"EventID":"S2W-22584","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what duties it has in respect of flights through airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what duties it has in respect of flights through airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.","AnswerText":"Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), as the licensed operator of its 10 airports, is responsible for meeting UK Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport regulatory, and all statutory, requirements relating to its duties as the licensee of these airports. HIAL is also accountable via its Board of Directors to the Scottish ministers for the operation and management of its business. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195246,"EventID":"S2W-22585","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken legal advice in respect of allegations that airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd may have provided facilities to rendition flights","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken legal advice in respect of allegations that airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd may have provided facilities to rendition flights.","AnswerText":"In the absence of credible and reliable information, the Scottish Executive has no reason to take legal advice on these allegations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195247,"EventID":"S2W-22586","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the consequences would be for Scottish Ministers if it were subsequently proved that rendition flights had used airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports L","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the consequences would be for Scottish Ministers if it were subsequently proved that rendition flights had used airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.","AnswerText":"It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to speculate on this matter without credible and reliable information. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195248,"EventID":"S2W-22587","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, if it is successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, whether it will ensure that sporting competitions are located around Scotland, such as equestrian eve","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, if it is successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, whether it will ensure that sporting competitions are located around Scotland, such as equestrian events in the Scottish Borders.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive and Glasgow City Council have received advice from the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland indicating that the prospects for Scotland’s bid to be successful are maximised if the events venues are as close together as possible and if the use of these facilities is maximised where possible. Therefore it is likely that, should Scotland be successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the majority of sporting events would be based within or close to Glasgow. All of the bid partners are, however, committed to ensuring the bid is one that involves and benefits the whole of Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195249,"EventID":"S2W-22588","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, if it is successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, whether Scotland, as the host nation, can nominate sports for inclusion in the Games and, if so, whet","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, if it is successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, whether Scotland, as the host nation, can nominate sports for inclusion in the Games and, if so, whether it will nominate rugby union for inclusion and locate the competition in the Scottish Borders.","AnswerText":"The information requested on the Commonwealth Games Sports Programme can be found at the following URL as at 26 January 2006 http://www.thecgf.com/faq/faq12.asp Men’s rugby 7’s is one of the compulsory sports in the Commonwealth Games Sports Programme. The Scottish Executive and Glasgow City Council have received advice from the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland indicating that the prospects for Scotland’s bid to be successful are maximised if the events venues are as close together as possible and if the use of these facilities is maximised where possible. Therefore it is likely that, should Scotland be successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the majority of sporting events would be based within or close to Glasgow and this includes the rugby 7’s event. All of the bid partners are committed to ensuring the games, if awarded to Glasgow, involve and benefit the whole of Scotland. Benefits will accrue not just from the particular location of an event but also from the siting of training camps and holding camps. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195250,"EventID":"S2W-22589","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, what the timeta","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, what the timetable is for finalising the agreement with the UK Government.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22161 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195251,"EventID":"S2W-22590","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Par","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Parliament will be given the opportunity to consider and scrutinise the agreement with the UK Government.","AnswerText":"We have made clear on many occasions that we are seeking to agree improvements in a range of issues and that we will report to Parliament once our discussions with the Home Office are concluded. It will be for Parliament to determine whether any parliamentary consideration is appropriate in due course. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195252,"EventID":"S2W-22591","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Com","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Commissioner for Children and Young People is being consulted on the nature of the agreement with the UK Government.","AnswerText":"Officials have had a number of recent meetings with the Children’s Commissioner’s office to discuss children of asylum seekers amongst other things. There will be further meetings in the coming weeks. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195253,"EventID":"S2W-22592","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers and in light of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers and in light of the statement by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration that children can be deported while under investigation by it, whether this issue will be specifically addressed in the agreement with the UK Government.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22160 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195254,"EventID":"S2W-22593","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of implementing an anti-social behaviour order is in each local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of implementing an anti-social behaviour order is in each local authority area.","AnswerText":"There is no centrally-held current information on the average cost for granting an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) available for Scotland. Research published in 2003 on the use of mediation to tackle antisocial behaviour collected some cost data on ASBOs in Scotland. (The Role of Mediation in Tackling Neighbour Disputes and Antisocial Behaviour, Scottish Executive 2003 www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/mitn-08.asp). However, this research was based on a very limited number of ASBOs and the estimates will now be out of date. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195255,"EventID":"S2W-22594","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the highest recorded cost has been of implementing an anti-social behaviour order.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the highest recorded cost has been of implementing an anti-social behaviour order.","AnswerText":"There is no centrally-held current information on the cost for granting an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) available for Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195256,"EventID":"S2W-22595","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of implementing an anti-social behaviour order where the recipient is removed from home is in each local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of implementing an anti-social behaviour order where the recipient is removed from home is in each local authority area.","AnswerText":"There is no centrally-held current information on the cost of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) available for Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195257,"EventID":"S2W-22596","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the highest recorded cost has been of implementing an anti-social behaviour order where the recipient has been removed from home.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the highest recorded cost has been of implementing an anti-social behaviour order where the recipient has been removed from home.","AnswerText":"There is no centrally-held current information on the cost of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) available for Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195258,"EventID":"S2W-22597","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded crimes there have been in each police force area in each of the last three years and this year to date, expressed on a per capita basis, showing nationa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded crimes there have been in each police force area in each of the last three years and this year to date, expressed on a per capita basis, showing national totals and year-on-year increases in each case.","AnswerText":"Data on the numbers of recorded crimes and offences for the last three financial years are given in the following tables. Data for the year 2005-06 will be published in September 2006. The Number of Recorded Crimes1 per 10,000 Population by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2004-05, and Annual Percentage Change | Police Force | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | Percentage change 2002-03 to 2003-04 | 2004-05 | Percentage change 2003-04 to 2004-05 | | Central | 658 | 705 | 7.2 | 703 | -0.4 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 698 | 712 | 2.1 | 722 | 1.3 | | Fife | 846 | 925 | 9.3 | 983 | 6.3 | | Grampian | 764 | 743 | -2.7 | 782 | 5.3 | | Lothian and Borders | 891 | 910 | 2.1 | 938 | 3.1 | | Northern | 511 | 526 | 2.9 | 561 | 6.7 | | Strathclyde | 889 | 849 | -4.5 | 907 | 6.9 | | Tayside | 800 | 779 | -2.6 | 821 | 5.4 | | All Scotland | 827 | 819 | -1.0 | 863 | 5.3 | The Number of Recorded Offences1 per 10,000 Population by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2004-05, and Annual Percentage Change | | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | Percentage change 2002-03 to 2003-04 | 2004-05 | Percentage change 2003-04 to 2004-05 | | Central | 1,152 | 1,243 | 7.9 | 1,084 | -12.8 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 1,117 | 1,638 | 46.6 | 2,087 | 27.4 | | Fife | 1,089 | Number of Police Officers (Whole-Time Equivalent) Per 1,000 Population | Force | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Central Scotland Police | 2.61 | 2.71 | 2.95 | | Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary | 3.25 | 3.32 | 3.25 | | Fife Constabulary | 2.64 | 2.78 | 2.81 | | Grampian Police | 2.42 | 2.56 | 2.62 | | Lothian and Borders Police | 3.02 | 3.09 | 3.13 | | Northern Constabulary | 2.50 | 2.47 | 2.52 | | Strathclyde Police | 3.37 | 3.37 | 3.48 | | Tayside Police | 3.00 | 2.99 | 3.01 | | Total | 3.04 | 3.08 | 3.15 | Year-on-Year Percentage Change | Force | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Central Scotland Police | +2.35% | +3.83% | +8.86% | | Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary | +0.93% | +2.15% | -2.11% | | Fife Constabulary | +1.93% | +5.30% | +1.08% | | Grampian Police | +2.54% | +5.79% | +2.34% | | Lothian and Borders Police | +0.33% | +2.32% | +1.29% | | Northern Constabulary | +1.63% | -1.20% | +2.02% | | Strathclyde Police | +2.12% | 0.00% | +3.26% | | Tayside Police | +0.33% | -0.33% | +0.67% | | Scotland | +1.67% | +1.32% | +2.27% | Notes: Police Officer Numbers (whole-time equivalent) from Quarterly Strength Returns from forces. Population figures are mid-year estimate. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195260,"EventID":"S2W-22599","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any discussions have taken place with the energy sector or the UK Government in connection with potential energy shortages and relevant contingency plans and, if ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any discussions have taken place with the energy sector or the UK Government in connection with potential energy shortages and relevant contingency plans and, if so, whether it will give details of such discussions.","AnswerText":"Energy policy, including security of supply, is mainly a reserved matter. However, there is regular contact between the Department of Trade and Industry and Scottish Executive officials on a wide range of energy matters. The DTI lead the Energy Emergencies Executive Committee (E3C), and the Executive sits on this committee. In this role, the Executive liaises regularly with both the energy sector; Ofgem, the gas and electricity industry regulator, and the UK government on energy emergencies and contingency arrangements. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195261,"EventID":"S2W-22600","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22245 by Mr Tom McCabe on 20 January 2006, whether it monitors the cost effectiveness of its expenditure on websites and, if so, wh","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22245 by Mr Tom McCabe on 20 January 2006, whether it monitors the cost effectiveness of its expenditure on websites and, if so, what measures it uses.","AnswerText":"The purpose of the Executive’s main website – www.scotland.gov.uk – is to provide an online presence which fulfils the ministerial commitment of open and accountable government. The increase in web traffic since 2003, confirmed by independent audit, shows visits per month up from 585,123 to 752,865. This is regarded as an indication that the site is operating efficiently as a principal source of information about the Executive. Executive marketing campaigns are supported by a number of websites which are located under the separate URL www.infoscotland.com. These sites are continually monitored and evaluated as part of the on-going measurement of campaign effectiveness. Used mainly as a repository of information the infoscotland sites also provide access to linked sites and on occasion act as a response mechanism. Regular statistics are produced and the sites use search engine optimisation techniques to ensure they can be found easily. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195262,"EventID":"S2W-22601","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much ABC Electronic was paid to conduct the audit of visits to www.scotland.gov.uk referred to in an Executive news release dated 2 January 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much ABC Electronic was paid to conduct the audit of visits to www.scotland.gov.uk referred to in an Executive news release dated 2 January 2006.","AnswerText":"ABCe received a fee of £6,408 (exc VAT) for conducting the audit referred to in the news release dated 2 January, 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195263,"EventID":"S2W-22602","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it held on visits to www.scotland.gov.uk prior to the audit conducted by ABC Electronic referred to in an Executive news release dated 2 January 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it held on visits to www.scotland.gov.uk prior to the audit conducted by ABC Electronic referred to in an Executive news release dated 2 January 2006.","AnswerText":"Information on the number of visits to www.scotland.gov.uk prior to the audit referred to in a news release date 2 January, 2006, shows: November 2004 – 585,123 November 2003 – 493,997 Source: ABCe. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195264,"EventID":"S2W-22603","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22213 by Tavish Scott on 23 January 2006, which “regulatory standards” are referred to in the answer.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22213 by Tavish Scott on 23 January 2006, which “regulatory standards” are referred to in the answer.","AnswerText":"A comprehensive set of “regulatory standards” control the operation of ferry services in the UK. These international and domestic regulations cover matters such as safety, the classification and maintenance of vessels, security and impact on the environment. All companies providing ferry services in UK waters are bound to comply with all relevant regulatory standards. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195265,"EventID":"S2W-22604","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursery schools and early years centres do not have a qualified nursery teacher.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursery schools and early years centres do not have a qualified nursery teacher.","AnswerText":"At January 2005 there were 2,836 pre-school education centres, of which 1,222 did not have any General Teaching Council registered teachers. The Executive has issued guidance on the involvement of teachers in pre-school education which recognises the distinctive contribution that teachers can make, but which provides for considerable flexibility at local level in the way they are deployed. Providers are not required to have a teacher to deliver pre-school education. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195266,"EventID":"S2W-22605","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out a race impact assessment of the action referred to in Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out a race impact assessment of the action referred to in Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy.","AnswerText":"The potential impacts on race equality of the actions referred to in Choosing Our Future will be assessed as the strategy implementation plan is developed and put into effect. An annual summary assessment will be included in public reports on progress in delivering the strategy. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195267,"EventID":"S2W-22606","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the formal remit is of the strategic group on ethnic minority employment and whether the group will be action and outcome oriented.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the formal remit is of the strategic group on ethnic minority employment and whether the group will be action and outcome oriented.","AnswerText":"As stated in response to the answer to question S2W-19177 on 3 October 2005, the group’s formal remit will be agreed at its first meeting on 20 February 2006. The short-term outcome of the strategic group will be to produce an action plan to address the current inequalities that exist for minority ethnic communities in the labour market in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195268,"EventID":"S2W-22607","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the strategic group on ethnic minority employment will be led by the Minister or Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the strategic group on ethnic minority employment will be led by the Minister or Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning.","AnswerText":"The group is to be chaired by Dr Charan Gill MBE. The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and I will also sit on the group. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195269,"EventID":"S2W-22608","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the strategic group on ethnic minority employment will set specific targets to address racial inequalities in the labour market and, if so, who will be responsibl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the strategic group on ethnic minority employment will set specific targets to address racial inequalities in the labour market and, if so, who will be responsible for monitoring these targets.","AnswerText":"These are matters which members of the strategic group will wish to consider in developing its action plan. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195270,"EventID":"S2W-22609","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it shares the Prime Minister's goal of eradicating racial inequalities from the labour market by 2013 and, if so, how it will contribute to achieving this goal.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it shares the Prime Minister's goal of eradicating racial inequalities from the labour market by 2013 and, if so, how it will contribute to achieving this goal.","AnswerText":"The Executive shares this goal. To develop our response to it we have set up the Strategic Group on Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market, as detailed in my replies to the associated question S2W-22608 about the group on 1 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195271,"EventID":"S2W-22610","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the terms of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill, proposals for nuclear power stations could be included in a future national planning framework.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the terms of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill, proposals for nuclear power stations could be included in a future national planning framework.","AnswerText":"The Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill does not prescribe the type of development which may be included in a future national planning framework. Any application by a power generation company for a nuclear power station would be determined by ministers under the terms of the Electricity Act 1989. The Executive’s position on the development of new nuclear power stations is stated in the Partnership Agreement – we will not support the further development of nuclear power stations while waste management issues remain unresolved. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195272,"EventID":"S2W-22611","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the terms of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill, proposals for nuclear waste disposal facilities could be included in a future national planning framework.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the terms of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill, proposals for nuclear waste disposal facilities could be included in a future national planning framework.","AnswerText":"The Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill does not prescribe the type of development which may be included in a future national planning framework. Any application for a new radioactive waste disposal facility would be determined under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act (Scotland) 1997, as amended. Such determination would be in accordance with the procedures appropriate for the category of development into which the proposed facility fell, as assessed against any criteria set out in secondary legislation to define the thresholds for the hierarchy of developments. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195273,"EventID":"S2W-22612","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which category of the hierarchy of developments set out in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill would be used to deal with applications for a (a) nuclear power station and (","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which category of the hierarchy of developments set out in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill would be used to deal with applications for a (a) nuclear power station and (b) nuclear waste disposal facility.","AnswerText":"The Partnership Agreement makes the position on the development of new nuclear power stations clear – it states that we will not support the further development of nuclear power stations while waste management issues remain unresolved. Any application by a power generation company for a nuclear power station would be determined by ministers under the terms of the Electricity Act 1989, rather than Town and Country Planning legislation. Any application for a new radioactive waste disposal facility would be assessed against any criteria set out in secondary legislation to define the thresholds for the hierarchy of developments. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195274,"EventID":"S2W-22613","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities would exist under the terms of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill for individuals to object to specific proposals contained in a future national plannin","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities would exist under the terms of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill for individuals to object to specific proposals contained in a future national planning framework.","AnswerText":"National Developments set out in the National Planning Framework will be subject to public consultation at four stages. First, there will be extensive consultation around the drafting of the National Planning Framework, involving seminars across Scotland and a full public consultation on a draft document. Second, there will be extensive scrutiny by Parliament, including a new procedure to allow Parliament to express its views at the end of the process, with MSPs accountable to the electorate in the normal ways. Third, national developments which need to go through the planning system will need to be included in development plans, with all the existing and proposed new opportunities for public involvement available. Fourth, individual planning applications for projects identified as national developments will also be subject to all the existing and proposed new opportunities for public participation. The issue of whether an individual development is required will be settled in a national debate, focused on the Executive and Parliament: all other issues, including specific location and design will remain to be settled by processes at a local level. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195275,"EventID":"S2W-22614","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the provision of Gaelic-medium education continues to expand.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the provision of Gaelic-medium education continues to expand.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is taking a range of measures to ensure the expansion of Gaelic-medium education including the provision of guidance, measures to address teacher shortage, expansion of the secondary curriculum, increased support for pupils and teachers and additional funding for Gaelic-medium education. There is at present one Gaelic-medium school, which is in the City of Glasgow. There are, however, sixty other schools which provide Gaelic-medium classes in a number of Scottish local authority areas. The Scottish Executive relies on the Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education to evaluate education provision in Scottish schools, including Gaelic-medium classes, and to advise Scottish ministers. In 2005, HMIE published a report on Gaelic-medium education entitled, Improving Achievement in Gaelic. In Gaelic-medium education, Gaelic teachers have a key role in developing the language skills of young people. In order to assist with this Storlann, the National Gaelic Resource Centre, provides materials for pupils and support materials for teachers. In particular, Storlann published Facal is Fuaim, (word and sound) last year. This is a phonics scheme to assist with the development of Gaelic phonics for young people in Gaelic-medium classes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195276,"EventID":"S2W-22615","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that Gaelic medium education units and schools remain Gaelic medium and do not become Anglophonic.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that Gaelic medium education units and schools remain Gaelic medium and do not become Anglophonic.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer question S2W-22614 on 3 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195277,"EventID":"S2W-22616","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the provision of Gaelic medium education and able to publish details of provision across the country.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the provision of Gaelic medium education and able to publish details of provision across the country.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22614 on 3 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at :http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195278,"EventID":"S2W-22617","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Gaelic-medium schools there have been in each local authority area in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Gaelic-medium schools there have been in each local authority area in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22614 on 3 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195279,"EventID":"S2W-22618","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have established childcare voucher schemes for their employees.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have established childcare voucher schemes for their employees.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. Childcare Vouchers is a taxation measure and therefore a reserved matter. Use of the scheme by Scottish local authorities is an operational matter for individual local authorities to consider. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195280,"EventID":"S2W-22619","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies have established childcare voucher schemes for their employees.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies have established childcare voucher schemes for their employees.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. Childcare Vouchers is a taxation measure and therefore a reserved matter. Use of the scheme by non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is an operational matter for individual NDPBs to consider. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195281,"EventID":"S2W-22620","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has established a childcare voucher scheme for its employees.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has established a childcare voucher scheme for its employees.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is in the process of introducing a child care voucher scheme for all staff. A procurement exercise for a voucher supplier has been undertaken and the contractual agreement for the preferred supplier is currently being finalised. It is expected that the scheme will be in place from April 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195282,"EventID":"S2W-22621","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what duty the Lord Advocate has, in his capacity as a member of the Executive, to investigate allegations that rendition flights may have landed at Wick and Inverness air","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what duty the Lord Advocate has, in his capacity as a member of the Executive, to investigate allegations that rendition flights may have landed at Wick and Inverness airports, given the Executive’s position as owner and sole shareholder of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.","AnswerText":"The investigation and prosecution of crime is a matter for the police, the Procurator Fiscal and the Lord Advocate. Section 48 of the Scotland Act provides that any decision of the Lord Advocate in his capacity as head of the systems of criminal prosecution and investigation of deaths shall continue to be taken by him independently of any other person. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195283,"EventID":"S2W-22622","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a conflict of interest between the Lord Advocate’s role as a member of the Executive and his legal capacity as Scotland’s senior law officer with respons","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a conflict of interest between the Lord Advocate’s role as a member of the Executive and his legal capacity as Scotland’s senior law officer with responsibility for legal advice to the Executive, in view of the Executive’s position as owner and sole shareholder of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and the allegations that rendition flights may have landed at Wick and Inverness airports.","AnswerText":"No. There is no conflict of interest. Law Officers have always been members of either the UK Government or, following devolution by virtue of s44 of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Executive. Where consulted they give impartial and professional advice. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195284,"EventID":"S2W-22623","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1892,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":62,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why only non-condensing boilers can be fitted under the central heating scheme managed by the Eaga Partnership on its behalf when condensing boilers are around 15 to 20% ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why only non-condensing boilers can be fitted under the central heating scheme managed by the Eaga Partnership on its behalf when condensing boilers are around 15 to 20% more fuel efficient and therefore cheaper to operate.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: The efficiency of boilers used in the central heating programme is set out in the Technical Specifications covering the installation of central heating systems. The specifications were approved by a working group, which included all the major power companies and other experts in the field and complies with Part J of the Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards Scotland Regulations. While more efficient boilers are available, the decision to select the boilers used in the programme was made after careful consideration of boiler efficiency, environmental impact and cost. It is the intention of Communities Scotland to review the technical specification covering the installation of central heating systems before announcing the type of boiler that can be fitted under the extended programme between 2006 and 2008. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195285,"EventID":"S2W-22624","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of the newsletter Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour: Issue 1a - December 2005 were printed; to what groups they were distributed, and what the cost was","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of the newsletter Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour: Issue 1a - December 2005 were printed; to what groups they were distributed, and what the cost was of (a) printing and production and (b) distribution.","AnswerText":"Issue 1a of the newsletter Standing up to Antisocial Behaviour was distributed to named individuals from organisations and groups such as local authorities, the police, the fire service, registered social landlords and education organisations as well as MSPs. All recipients of the newsletter were encouraged to make additional copies of it - or to download a copy from the antisocial behaviour website - and distribute it onward to a wider audience. One thousand, two hundred copies of the newsletter were printed. Production and distribution costs were £930 and £1,023 respectively. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195286,"EventID":"S2W-22625","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the \"regular intervals\" referred to in the newsletter Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour: Issue 1a - December 2005, at which the newsletter is to be published, will","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the \"regular intervals\" referred to in the newsletter Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour: Issue 1a - December 2005, at which the newsletter is to be published, will be.","AnswerText":"We intend to produce the newsletter at least quarterly. The newsletter forms one element of our awareness raising campaign about the positive action being taken to tackle antisocial behaviour. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195287,"EventID":"S2W-22626","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors the website www.standinguptoasbawards.com has had since its creation.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors the website www.standinguptoasbawards.com has had since its creation.","AnswerText":"The site www.standinguptoasbawards.com has received more than 2,300 visits since being launched in November 2004. This site is a subsection of www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com which has received more than 15,500 visitors to date. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195288,"EventID":"S2W-22627","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much the website www.standinguptoasbawards.com cost to create and how much it costs to maintain.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much the website www.standinguptoasbawards.com cost to create and how much it costs to maintain.","AnswerText":"The site www.standinguptoasbawards.com cost £900 to create and maintain in the period November 2004 to January 2006. The awards site is a sub-site of a larger website, www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195289,"EventID":"S2W-22628","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has contributed to the Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour Awards Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has contributed to the Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour Awards Scheme.","AnswerText":"To date Scottish Executive expenditure on the Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour Awards Scheme has been £59,099. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195290,"EventID":"S2W-22629","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding the Co-operative Group contributed to the Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour Awards Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding the Co-operative Group contributed to the Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour Awards Scheme.","AnswerText":"The Co-operative Group did not contribute financially to the Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour Awards Scheme. The group contributed by promoting the awards through advertisements in their local stores, supplying material and information through their business and community networks, and distributing application forms. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195291,"EventID":"S2W-22630","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2345,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":56,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the targets have been for loans approved under the Loan Action Scotland scheme in each year since the scheme was established.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the targets have been for loans approved under the Loan Action Scotland scheme in each year since the scheme was established.","AnswerText":"The targets set for 2000-01 (the first full year of the scheme) and for each subsequent year are set out below: | 2000-01 | 15 | | 2001-02 | 20 | | 2002-03 | 20 | | 2003-04 | 20 | | 2004-05 | 24 | | 2005-06 | 30 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195292,"EventID":"S2W-22631","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2345,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":56,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many loans have been approved under the Loan Action Scotland scheme in each year since the scheme was established.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many loans have been approved under the Loan Action Scotland scheme in each year since the scheme was established.","AnswerText":"Loan Action Scotland was launchedin October 1999. The number of loans approved in each year since then is given below. | 1999-2000 (part year) | 7 | | 2000-01 | 13 | | 2001-02 | 18 | | 2002-03 | 11 | | 2003-04 | 20 | | 2004-05 | 25 | | 2005-06 (to 31 December) | 23 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195293,"EventID":"S2W-22632","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2345,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":56,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what carbon savings the Loan Action Scotland scheme has delivered in each year since the scheme was established.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what carbon savings the Loan Action Scotland scheme has delivered in each year since the scheme was established.","AnswerText":"Lifetime carbon savings (in tonnes)for each year of the scheme are detailed in the table below. Lifetime is definedas the period of time over which the energy efficiency asset is in place beforea further replacement is required. | 1999-2000 (part year) | 582 | | 2000-01 | 855 | | 2001-02 | 2,913 | | 2002-03 | 1,582 | | 2003-04 | 5,051 | | 2004-05 | 5,856 | | 2005-06 (to 31 December) | 9,531 | | Total | 26,370 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195294,"EventID":"S2W-22633","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2345,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":56,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of promoting and publicising the Loan Action Scotland scheme has been in each year since the scheme was established.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of promoting and publicising the Loan Action Scotland scheme has been in each year since the scheme was established.","AnswerText":"The primary means of promotion and marketing of the LAS scheme is through the Scottish Executive’s Business Adviser Network and the Business Environment Partnership. This is carried out as an integral part of their wider roles, to inform and assist business and the public sector on resource efficiency issues, and is not included in the costs given below. The costs detailed therefore cover printing, publication of brochures, and the design and publication of the annual report. | 1999-2000 (part year) | £8,783 | | 2000-01 | £277 | | 2001-02 | £13,377 | | 2002-03 | £19,446 | | 2003-04 | £15,551 | | 0204-05 | £3,046 | | 2005-06 (to 31 December) | £2,462 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195295,"EventID":"S2W-22634","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2345,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":56,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost per tonne of carbon saved under the Loan Action Scotland scheme has been since the scheme was established.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost per tonne of carbon saved under the Loan Action Scotland scheme has been since the scheme was established.","AnswerText":"The average lifetime cost per tonne of carbon for the scheme is estimated at £39. Lifetime is defined as the period of time over which the energy efficiency asset is in place before a further replacement is required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195296,"EventID":"S2W-22635","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2345,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":56,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out into awareness of the Loan Action Scotland scheme among small and medium-sized companies.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out into awareness of the Loan Action Scotland scheme among small and medium-sized companies.","AnswerText":"No research has been carried out into awareness of this scheme. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195297,"EventID":"S2W-22636","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many multi-national companies have established (a) offices and (b) headquarters in Scotland in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many multi-national companies have established (a) offices and (b) headquarters in Scotland in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority. ","AnswerText":"It is not possible to answer this question from the data held centrally. The Office for National Statistics’ firm-level database (Inter-Departmental Business Register) contains data on employment and turnover for all enterprises located in Scotland, but does not record systematically whether the enterprise unit has a headquarter or office function. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195298,"EventID":"S2W-22637","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to deliver its commitment to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development to increase the area of forestry certified to the UK Woodland Assura","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to deliver its commitment to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development to increase the area of forestry certified to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard. ","AnswerText":"Under the current Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme, support is provided to woodland owners and managers to carry out survey, planning and monitoring work on, for example, landscape design, low-impact silviculture, recreational management and archaeology. In addition, plan preparation grants are available for owners wishing to produce long-term forest plans. These measures assist owners who wish to gain UK Woodland Assurance Standard certification. A replacement to the Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme, which is linked to the 2007-11 rural development regulation and land management contracts, is currently being devised. It is anticipated that under this new scheme there will be more emphasis on the need for owners to produce a forest plan, and again, this will assist owners who wish to gain certification. The Forestry Commission has also funded studies to help determine ways of making certification more accessible to small woodlands and woodlands with low intensity management. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195299,"EventID":"S2W-22638","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were detained under the (a) Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 and (b) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 in 2004-05, broken down by local authority ar","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were detained under the (a) Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 and (b) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 in 2004-05, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"Details on detention numbers for Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 and Criminal Procedures (Scotland) Act 1995 in 2004-05, broken down by Health Board area and local authority can be found in the tables entitled Mental Health Detentions 2004-2005, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38771). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195300,"EventID":"S2W-22639","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to people with Alzheimer’s disease.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to people with Alzheimer’s disease.","AnswerText":"Decisions on care and support are matters for clinicians in consultation with the individual and the relevant multi-agency professional staff. Care arrangements should be based on individually assessed needs involving carers and family members as appropriate. A range of clinical, organisational and other guidance for agencies, users of services and carers has been published. The most recent guidance from the Scottish Executive was published in November 2004 (Bib. number 37332). The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network will publish updated clinical guidelines on the management of patients with dementia in March. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195301,"EventID":"S2W-22640","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities neighbouring Glasgow might benefit from a successful bid by Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities neighbouring Glasgow might benefit from a successful bid by Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.","AnswerText":"It is likely that there would be a number of benefits. These include: increased tourism and other associated business benefits; the opportunity to host training and preparation camps for competing countries; increased elite sporting success for Scottish athletes; complementing existing Executive plans to increase participation in sport at all levels and achieving an associated improvement in general health and well-being; the opportunity to shape and take part in the complementary cultural programme that would be developed, and providing some of the thousands of volunteers that will be required to deliver the games and then utilising their experience in helping to run a world class event. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195302,"EventID":"S2W-22641","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to using sporting facilities in West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire should Glasgow’s bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games be succes","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to using sporting facilities in West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire should Glasgow’s bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games be successful.","AnswerText":"Should Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealth Games bid be successful the consideration of which facilities host events will be made by the venues planning sub-group. No firm decision on venues has yet been made. However, the Scottish Executive and Glasgow City Council have received advice from the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland which shows that Scotland’s bid is more likely to be successful if venues are as close together as possible and if the use of these facilities is maximised where possible. All of the bid partners are committed to ensuring the games, if awarded to Glasgow, involve and benefit the whole of Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195303,"EventID":"S2W-22642","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many watercraft have made use of the Falkirk Wheel since it opened.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many watercraft have made use of the Falkirk Wheel since it opened.","AnswerText":"The following number of watercraft journeys have been made through the Falkirk Wheel since it opened: | Year | Number of Craft | | 2002 | 2,511 | | 2003 | 3,587 | | 2004 | 4,562 | | 2005 | 4,697 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195304,"EventID":"S2W-22643","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people used the Forth and Clyde Canal in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people used the Forth and Clyde Canal in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"British Waterways hold the following information: | Year | Towpath Visits | | 2002 | 7,619,000 | | 2003 | 8,039,000 | | 2004 | 6,768,000 | | 2005 | 8,543,000 | British Waterways do not hold data for 2001 as this was the year in which the canal re-opened and counting methods were still being established. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195305,"EventID":"S2W-22644","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people make regular use of the Forth and Clyde Canal.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people make regular use of the Forth and Clyde Canal.","AnswerText":"British Waterways do not collect data on how many people make regular use of the Forth and Clyde canal. Information on the total number of visits is given in the answer to question S2W-22643 on 3 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195306,"EventID":"S2W-22645","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is of maintaining the Forth and Clyde Canal.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is of maintaining the Forth and Clyde Canal.","AnswerText":"Basic maintenance costs of the Forth and Clyde canal total approximately £1.85 million per annum. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195307,"EventID":"S2W-22646","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which water treatment works in the United Kingdom and abroad use similar membrane filtration technology to that employed at Scottish Water’s Invercannie water treatment w","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which water treatment works in the United Kingdom and abroad use similar membrane filtration technology to that employed at Scottish Water’s Invercannie water treatment works.","AnswerText":"Detailed information about the application of individual treatment processes in Scotland and elsewhere is not held centrally. Scottish Water will be able to provide you with information about such technology in Scotland, and I will ask the Chief Executive to write to you directly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195308,"EventID":"S2W-22647","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1970,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":65,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21295 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, how much of the £360 million per annum provided for roads in 2006-07 and 2007-08 will be","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21295 by Tavish Scott on 19 December 2005, how much of the £360 million per annum provided for roads in 2006-07 and 2007-08 will be made available to East Dunbartonshire Council.","AnswerText":"A total of £5.468 million will be made available to East Dunbartonshire Council in both 2006-07 and 2007-08. This represents an increase of 25% over the 2005-06 allocation of £4.390 million to East Dunbartonshire Council. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195309,"EventID":"S2W-22648","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the drive to improve the co-ordination and delivery of diabetes services will be undermined if diabetes managed clinical networks operate without paid staff.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the drive to improve the co-ordination and delivery of diabetes services will be undermined if diabetes managed clinical networks operate without paid staff.","AnswerText":"The principles for managed clinical networks were set out in HDL (2002) 69, which made it clear that networks must be supported by paid administrative and managerial staff, whether working exclusively for a single network or as part of a team supporting a range of networks. The question of a network operating without paid staff should not arise. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195310,"EventID":"S2W-22649","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it, or any of its agencies, made to the Office of Fair Trading’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of Ottakar’s book stores by HMV/Watersto","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it, or any of its agencies, made to the Office of Fair Trading’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of Ottakar’s book stores by HMV/Waterstones.","AnswerText":"As I advised during the Ottaker’s takeover debate on 9 November 2005, competition policy, including that on mergers and takeovers, is a reserved issue. Not only is it reserved, but the United Kingdom Government has ceded mergers and takeover policy to the equally independent competition authorities: the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the Competition Commission, which operate free from Government interference. The Enterprise Act 2002 means that ministers, both in Westminster and in Holyrood, are removed from competition decisions. We have no power to intervene in any takeover or merger, even if we were minded to do so. Mergers and takeovers are matters for the competition authorities to consider and make recommendations on—it is for them and them alone to decide. Notwithstanding the constitutional position, my officials, at my instruction, notified OFT of the debate in the Scottish Parliament and also provide them with the link to the official report ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195311,"EventID":"S2W-22650","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it, or any of its agencies, made to the Competition Commission’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of Ottakar’s book stores by HMV/Watersto","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it, or any of its agencies, made to the Competition Commission’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of Ottakar’s book stores by HMV/Waterstones.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22649 on 3 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195312,"EventID":"S2W-22651","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the statement by the Office of Fair Trading in paragraph 26 of its decision on the proposed acquisition of Ottakar’s book stores, published in Dece","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the statement by the Office of Fair Trading in paragraph 26 of its decision on the proposed acquisition of Ottakar’s book stores, published in December 2005, that there is “no evidence to suggest that Scotland should be looked at as a distinct geographic market” and, if so, what the reasons are for its position on the matter.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22649 on 3 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195313,"EventID":"S2W-22652","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action it has taken to use the Tartan Day celebrations in New York to attract people, particularly expatriate Scots, to live and work in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action it has taken to use the Tartan Day celebrations in New York to attract people, particularly expatriate Scots, to live and work in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The 2006 Tartan Day programme will include a large number of events that will showcase Scotland as a place to visit, live and work. The Executive works with private, public and voluntary sector bodies in Scotland and in the USA to co-ordinate the programme. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195314,"EventID":"S2W-22653","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2947,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Reporter has reached a decision following the public inquiry into the proposed wind farm at Corlic Hill, if so, what the decision is and when the report will ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Reporter has reached a decision following the public inquiry into the proposed wind farm at Corlic Hill, if so, what the decision is and when the report will be published.","AnswerText":"Consideration is still being given to this proposal, but I expect that a decision will be announced shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195315,"EventID":"S2W-22654","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire fatalities there have been in each year since 1999 and how many of these resulted from fires identified as having been caused by cigarettes, broken down by ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire fatalities there have been in each year since 1999 and how many of these resulted from fires identified as having been caused by cigarettes, broken down by (a) fire brigade area and (b) deprivation category.","AnswerText":"Fire fatalities caused by cigarettes or other tobacco products by brigade area are shown in the table. Information on fire fatalities by deprivation category is not held centrally. Fatal Casualties in Primary Fires Started by Cigarettes or other Tobacco Products | | Scotland | Central | Dumfries and Galloway | Fife | Grampian | Highland and Islands | Lothian and Borders | Strathclyde | Tayside | | 1999 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | - | 6 | 15 | 3 | | 2000 | 24 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 1 | | 2001 | 27 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 5 | | 20021 | 31 | 2 | - | 5 | 1 | - | 3 | 20 | - | | 2003 | 17 | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 11 | 1 | | 20042 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 1 | Notes: 1. Excluding a period of 10 days of industrial action in November 2002. 2. Provisional. 3. Excluding periods of industrial action in January and February 2003. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195316,"EventID":"S2W-22655","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be provided in the school year 2006-07 to support the education of the children of asylum seekers in (a) Glasgow and (b) the rest of Scotland. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be provided in the school year 2006-07 to support the education of the children of asylum seekers in (a) Glasgow and (b) the rest of Scotland. ","AnswerText":"For 2006-07, Glasgow City Council is due to receive a total Education Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) of £448.3 million. For all local authorities in Scotland, the Education Grant Aided Expenditure for 2006-07 will be £4091.1 million. There is no specific GAE line for “the education of children of asylum seekers”, however, there are a number of other GAE lines that authorities could use to support the education of children of asylum seekers, for example the line “teachers for minority ethnic pupils”. In addition to this, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 requires education authorities to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all pupils, including children of asylum seekers. For 2006-07, the Scottish Executive will provide £12.5 million to support implementation of the act, £25 million to support the inclusion of pupils with additional support needs in mainstream schools and £7.2 million for specific staff training around additional support needs. The Scottish Executive Education Department’s 2006-07 budget to promote equality in education is £600,000. As in 2005-06, a proportion of these funds will be used to assist in the education of the children of asylum seekers and refugees. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195317,"EventID":"S2W-22656","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whose responsibility it is to ensure that additional funding to support the education of the children of asylum seekers is provided. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whose responsibility it is to ensure that additional funding to support the education of the children of asylum seekers is provided. ","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive pay an annual block grant to local authorities, who in turn then decide how much of the grant will be allocated to each of their service areas, including education. Local authorities’ education requirements are mainly met from this grant. There are also various other education specific grants paid directly by the Executive to local authorities. These specific grants have a range of policy objectives and will contribute towards the overall funding that local authorities receive. In addition to the annual block grant and specific grants, the Scottish Executive provides a number of funding streams to further support the education of the children of asylum seekers. Such streams include the Education Department’s Equal Opportunities budget, funding to support the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and to support the inclusion of pupils with additional support needs, and funds allocated through the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195318,"EventID":"S2W-22657","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what provision there is in each NHS board for needle exchange facilities for drug misusers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what provision there is in each NHS board for needle exchange facilities for drug misusers.","AnswerText":"Information provided by drug action teams through Corporate Action Plans for 2005-06 shows that there are 219 needle exchange facilities across Scotland. The number of facilities in each NHS board area is shown in the table below. | NHS Board | Needle Exchange Facilities | | Argyll and Clyde | 15 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 9 | | Borders | 7 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 6 | | Fife | 20 | | Forth Valley | 25 | | Grampian | 29 | | Greater Glasgow | 30 | | Highland | 7 | | Lanarkshire | 25 | | Lothian | 25 | | Orkney | 2 | | Shetland | 2 | | Tayside | 17 | | Western Isles | 0 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195319,"EventID":"S2W-22658","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-25T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to develop harm-reduction and needle exchange facilities for drug misusers in communities without such services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to develop harm-reduction and needle exchange facilities for drug misusers in communities without such services.","AnswerText":"Funds of over £8.4 million for the prevention of blood borne virus infections are currently allocated to NHS boards, by means of a formula based on population and HIV and hepatitis C prevalence and incidence. £23.7 million was allocated to NHS boards in 2005-06 for drug treatment services to be spent according to local needs and circumstances. In addition to these specific allocations, NHS boards are given a unified budget to meet the health care needs of their resident population. It is for boards to decide how best to utilise this funding to meet local and national priorities. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195320,"EventID":"S2W-22659","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what practical steps are being taken to ensure the mainstreaming of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental health services by NHS bo","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what practical steps are being taken to ensure the mainstreaming of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental health services by NHS boards.","AnswerText":"The response to the Kerr Report, Delivering for Health (Bib. number 37847) is explicit on work underway with all concerned to involve patients, carers and the wider public in the consideration of options for change. This applies for all services, including mental health. The aim is to ensure the interests of patients and carers are both gathered and considered in the design of services. The establishment of Community Health Partnerships and their Public Partnership Forums from April this year will provide further opportunities for public influence in the design of services. All NHS boards should demonstrate year-on-year improvements in involving the public in service delivery and in individual decisions about personal health care including mental health care. The Scottish Health Council has a central role in holding the NHS to account for its performance in this regard. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195321,"EventID":"S2W-22660","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been allocated to NHS boards to ensure the mainstreaming of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental health servic","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been allocated to NHS boards to ensure the mainstreaming of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental health services.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22659 on 6 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. There are no specific funds allocated for this purpose. NHS boards will fund attention to this priority from the record resources available to them. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195322,"EventID":"S2W-22661","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive against what criteria NHS boards will be required to demonstrate the success of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental health servic","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive against what criteria NHS boards will be required to demonstrate the success of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental health services.","AnswerText":"All NHS boards should demonstrate year-on-year improvements in involving the public in service delivery, including mental health care, and in individual decisions about personal health care. The Scottish Health Council has a central role in holding the NHS to account for its performance in this regard. The Scottish Health Council is applying the frameworks within Informing, Engaging and Consulting the Public in Developing Health and Community Care Policies and Services (Bib. number 38769) and the National Standards for Community Engagement developed by Communities Scotland (Bib. number 38770) for measuring local progress. Their assessments are informed by Local Advisory Council members who engage with local people and networks. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195323,"EventID":"S2W-22662","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to address any failure of NHS boards to deliver mainstreaming of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental h","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to address any failure of NHS boards to deliver mainstreaming of user and carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of mental health services.","AnswerText":"We will continue to work with the designated Director for Patient Focus and Public Involvement in each NHS board to ensure appropriate progress with this priority activity. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195324,"EventID":"S2W-22663","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2866,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":63,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of possession of a firearm were considered by summary trial in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of possession of a firearm were considered by summary trial in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.","AnswerText":"The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2004-05 are planned for publication in April 2006. Persons Proceeded Against for Possession of a Firearm1, by Summary Trial in Scottish Courts, 20032 | Sheriffdom | Possess a Firearm with Intent to Endanger life, Commit Crime etc. | Reckless Conduct with Firearms | Firearms Miscellaneous Offences | Total | | Glasgow | 1 | 7 | 9 | 17 | | Grampian, Highland and Islands | - | 6 | 15 | 21 | | Lothian and Borders | 4 | 12 | 21 | 37 | | North Strathclyde | 2 | 2 | 9 | 13 | | South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway | 1 | 7 | 17 | 25 | | Tayside, Central and Fife | 3 | 8 | 22 | 33 | | Scotland | 11 | 42 | 93 | 146 | Notes: 1. Where main offence. 2. Includes estimated data. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195325,"EventID":"S2W-22664","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2866,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":63,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of possession of a firearm were considered by trial on indictment in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of possession of a firearm were considered by trial on indictment in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.","AnswerText":"The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2004-05 are planned for publication in April 2006. Persons Proceeded Against for Possession of a Firearm1, by Trial on Indictment in Scottish Courts, 20032 | Sheriffdom | Possess a Firearm with Intent to Endanger life, Commit Crime etc. | Reckless Conduct with Firearms | Firearms Miscellaneous Offences | Total | | High court | 5 | 1 | 7 | 13 | | Glasgow | 5 | - | 9 | 14 | | Lothian and Borders | 2 | - | 2 | 4 | | North Strathclyde | - | - | 2 | 2 | | South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | | Tayside, Central and Fife | 4 | - | 2 | 6 | | Scotland | 17 | 1 | 23 | 41 | Notes: 1. Where main offence. 2. Includes estimated data. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195326,"EventID":"S2W-22665","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2866,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":63,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there were for possession of a firearm in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there were for possession of a firearm in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.","AnswerText":"The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2004-05 are planned for publication in April 2006. Persons with a Charge Proved for Possession of a Firearm1 in Scottish Courts, 20032 | Sheriffdom | Possess a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life, Commit Crime etc. | Reckless Conduct with Firearms | Firearms Miscellaneous Offences | Total | | High court | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | | Glasgow | 6 | 7 | 17 | 30 | | Grampian, Highland and Islands | - | 6 | 13 | 19 | | Lothian and Borders | 3 | 8 | 22 | 33 | | North Strathclyde | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 | | South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway | 2 | 5 | 14 | 21 | | Tayside, Central and Fife | 5 | 8 | 21 | 34 | | Scotland | 19 | 37 | 101 | 157 | Notes: 1. Where main offence. 2. Includes estimated data. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195327,"EventID":"S2W-22666","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to parliamentary question S2W-21186 which received a holding reply on 13 December 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to parliamentary question S2W-21186 which received a holding reply on 13 December 2005.","AnswerText":"The parliamentary question was answered on 27 January 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Margaret Curran","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195328,"EventID":"S2W-22667","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the duties placed on Volunteer Development Scotland include specifically helping youth organisations to recruit, support and train volunteers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the duties placed on Volunteer Development Scotland include specifically helping youth organisations to recruit, support and train volunteers.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22201 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195329,"EventID":"S2W-22668","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways Volunteer Development Scotland assists youth organisations in recruiting, supporting and training volunteers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways Volunteer Development Scotland assists youth organisations in recruiting, supporting and training volunteers.","AnswerText":"Volunteer Development Scotland (VDS) is an independent voluntary organisation. Accordingly, there are no duties that can be imposed on it by the Scottish Executive and its work is not directed by statute. However, in 2003‑04, the Scottish Executive negotiated a three year funding package for VDS to deliver a range of activities designed to implement the Volunteering Strategy. These activities support organisations, including youth organisations, to recruit, support and train volunteers and includes: delivery of the Millennium Volunteers programme; skills development and training for those who manage volunteers; making best use of ICT through working with the Volunteer Centre network to operate the www.volunteerscotland.org.uk website which allows organisations to publicise their volunteer opportunities, and improving Quality Standards, for example through delivering the Investors in Volunteering UK quality standard which aims to recognise organisations which provide high quality volunteer opportunities. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195330,"EventID":"S2W-22669","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2133,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the operation of its Home Computer Initiative Framework Contract and whether it will provide a list of computer suppliers under the contract ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the operation of its Home Computer Initiative Framework Contract and whether it will provide a list of computer suppliers under the contract that failed to deliver equipment before the agreed date of 25 December 2005.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is encouraged that over 40 public authorities have participated in the framework which is helping achieve the overall aim of increasing home computer ownership in Scotland. The three framework suppliers compete on price for preferred supplier status on a four-monthly basis. BT won the first e-auction and as such were the main supplier in the pre-Christmas period. BT have told us that it was due to the unexpected high demand, along with supplier and courier problems, that they were unable to meet some pre-Christmas deliveries. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195331,"EventID":"S2W-22670","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2133,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that public authority employees who purchase computers under its Home Computer Initiative receive the equipment from their chosen suppl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that public authority employees who purchase computers under its Home Computer Initiative receive the equipment from their chosen supplier within the agreed delivery period.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive monitors the overall performance of the Home Computer Initiative Framework with each of the suppliers. Participating public authorities enter into individual contractual arrangements with their chosen supplier and performance of a contract is ordinarily a matter for the relevant public authority. However, following delays in pre-Christmas deliveries from BT, the Scottish Executive has been working with BT to address the problem. As a result, performance has significantly improved and we are continuing to work with BT to resolve outstanding issues. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195332,"EventID":"S2W-22671","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its full report on the 21st Century Social Work Review and its response to the review.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its full report on the 21st Century Social Work Review and its response to the review.","AnswerText":"The review’s report Changing Lives- Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review (Bib. number 38763), Changing Lives- Summary Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review’ (Bib. number 38764) and Changing Lives- Scottish Executive Response to the 21st Century Social Work Review (Bib. number 38765) will be published on Tuesday 7 February 2006. A detailed implementation plan will be published later in the year. Copies of all three are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.The report provides a historic opportunity to modernise social work practice and gives focus for the work of social workers to do the things that they are best equipped and trained to do. Social work services must be designed and delivered around the needs of people who use them, their carers and communities. The Executive intends to take a series of actions to move forward issues highlighted in the report. These will be detailed in the forthcoming implementation plan. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195333,"EventID":"S2W-22672","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what education is given, and in which years, to nursery and primary schoolchildren on the importance of hand washing to prevent the spread of infection.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what education is given, and in which years, to nursery and primary schoolchildren on the importance of hand washing to prevent the spread of infection.","AnswerText":"Education on the importance of hand washing to prevent the spread of infection is given to both nursery and primary school children. The Care Commission regularly inspects all registered nursery providers against the National Care Standards – Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16. The Care Standards require that staff take measures to control the spread of infection and that children and young people have opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles and hygiene. Promotion of hand washing before snack and meal times and after toilet visits to prevent the spread of infection is examined as part of inspection against the relevant Care Standards. Understanding and knowledge of personal hygiene forms part of the emotional, personal and social development strand of the Curriculum Framework for Children 3 to 5. Pre-school education providers are inspected on their delivery of the curriculum by HM Inspectorate of Education. The Hungry for Success initiative recognises the importance of promoting personal hygiene, and hand washing in particular, as part of work on health promotion in schools. The Executive has worked with the Food Standards Agency, NHS Health Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive to prepare appropriate promotional material. Schools should also ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to promote routine hand washing prior to meals, particularly for primary school children. Hand washing is also one of the key messages in the Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Campaign. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195334,"EventID":"S2W-22673","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing section 9 of the UK Electoral Administration Bill.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing section 9 of the UK Electoral Administration Bill.","AnswerText":"Section 9 of the UK Electoral Administration Bill places a duty on electoral registration officers to take all necessary steps to register eligible electors. The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to electoral registration. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195335,"EventID":"S2W-22674","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether specifications for the next generation of roads maintenance contracts will enhance the standards of landscaping on and around the trunk routes in Aberdeen.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether specifications for the next generation of roads maintenance contracts will enhance the standards of landscaping on and around the trunk routes in Aberdeen.","AnswerText":"Enhanced standards of landscaping at locations on and around trunk routes in Aberdeen are being considered for inclusion in the specification details for the next generation of roads maintenance contracts. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195336,"EventID":"S2W-22675","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote the inclusion of young people with learning disabilities in their own communities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote the inclusion of young people with learning disabilities in their own communities.","AnswerText":"The same as you? national implementation group is preparing a children’s report, which illustrates how the principles of The same as you? apply to people of all ages including children and young people. Whilst education and the transition to adult life are major features of the report, it also has a strong focus on the importance of health, play and leisure. The report, due for publication in spring 2006, emphasises the responsibilities of all organisations and individuals in ensuring young people with learning disabilities are included and given the same opportunities as everybody else. The Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act (2000) strengthened the rights of parents of children with special educational needs to have their children educated in mainstream schools, providing children with the opportunity to play, learn and socialise together. Furthermore the further education sector has made great efforts in recent years to make college provision accessible and inclusive to all those who wish to study and participation by students with disabilities or additional support needs has increased year on year. For details of further work to promote the inclusion of young people with learning disabilities in their own communities, I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-22677, S2W-22678, S2W-22679, S2W-22680, S2W-22681, S2W-22682 and S2W-22683 on 13, 9, 21, 10, 7, 2 and 9 February respectively. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195337,"EventID":"S2W-22676","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that young people with learning disabilities have access to the same opportunities and choices as any other young person.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that young people with learning disabilities have access to the same opportunities and choices as any other young person.","AnswerText":"The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 introduces a new framework to ensure that all children and young people with additional support needs, including those with learning disabilities, benefit from education. The act also places new duties on education authorities and appropriate agencies to ensure early planning and preparation and effective exchange of information. This supports children and young people with additional support needs to make a smooth and successful transition to post-school life. Our widening access policy is helping to break down barriers to participation in further education faced by all groups including students with learning disabilities. Further education colleges receive additional funding in respect of students who either require to attend a special programme or who require additional support to undertake a mainstream course. The forthcoming Children’s Report, from The same as you? implementation group, aims to raise awareness that it is the responsibility of every organisation and individual involved in service provision to give children and young people the opportunity to access mainstream services. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195338,"EventID":"S2W-22677","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what further education is provided for young people with learning disabilities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what further education is provided for young people with learning disabilities.","AnswerText":"The Executive is committed toensuring that everyone has the chance tolearn irrespective of their background or personal circumstances. Our widening accesspolicy is helping to break down barriers to participation faced by all groups includingstudents with learning disabilities.The further education sectorhas made great efforts in recent years to make college provision accessible andinclusive to all those who wish to study and participation by students with disabilitiesor additional support needs has increased year on year. Scotland’s colleges receive additional funding in respect of studentswho either attend a special programme or who require additional support to undertakea mainstream course. In addition to mainstream courses,Scottish colleges provide a range of programmes and courses which allow young peoplewith learning disabilities to access further education and develop and improve theircore skills. We recognise that for some studentswith the most complex needs, there is limited or no suitable provision in Scotland. Lastyear, we undertook a consultation to find out more about current provision; fundingpolicies and experiences of young people with additional support needs. The consultationclosed on 31 October 2005. We are currently considering options on how to bestmeet the needs of students with complex needs and will announce the next steps shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195339,"EventID":"S2W-22678","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent in 2004-05 on education for young people with learning disabilities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent in 2004-05 on education for young people with learning disabilities.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20528 on 21 November 2005 which gives a breakdown of funding allocated for additional support needs. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. In addition, funding allocated through GAE for provision for special educational needs in 2004-05 was £256 million. Funding allocated specifically for the education of young people with learning disabilities is not held centrally. It is for local authorities to allocate funding based on the needs of the young people in their area. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195340,"EventID":"S2W-22679","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to spend in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07 on further education for young people with learning disabilities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to spend in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07 on further education for young people with learning disabilities.","AnswerText":"Information on funding allocated for spend on further education for young people with learning disabilities is not held centrally. The core funding which further education colleges receive from the Scottish Funding Council goes towards meeting the needs of all students, however some students have additional support needs which may require additional funding. The Scottish Funding Council make two additional allocations which are bursary allocations and inclusiveness funding. Bursary allocations are paid to colleges to enable them to implement the National Policy for further education bursaries. In 2005-06 this allocation was £52.2 million. Part of the policy enables colleges to pay an additional learning needs allowance, which may be offered to a disabled student towards study or travel-related expenses. This allowance is not means-tested as it is intended to help meet the additional costs that students have due to their disability. Inclusiveness formula funding is paid to colleges to enable them to take forward the inclusiveness agenda as defined by the Beattie report in 1999. In 2005-06, this allocation was £1.6 million. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195341,"EventID":"S2W-22680","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people with learning disabilities are currently using the further education system.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people with learning disabilities are currently using the further education system.","AnswerText":"Data on numbers of young people with learning disabilities in further education is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195342,"EventID":"S2W-22681","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for young people with learning disabilities to help them to transfer from further education to employment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for young people with learning disabilities to help them to transfer from further education to employment.","AnswerText":"Careers Scotland, in partnership with further education (FE) college guidance and support services, provides a range of employability services including key worker support for those young people who need additional help. This helps prepare young people, including those with learning disabilities, to move from further education into employment. FE colleges offer programmes and courses designed to develop the skills required to help disabled students progress into vocational training or employment. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195343,"EventID":"S2W-22682","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it advertises any support available to facilitate the transition from (a) school to further education and (b) further education to employment to make young people wit","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it advertises any support available to facilitate the transition from (a) school to further education and (b) further education to employment to make young people with learning disabilities aware of the availability of such support.","AnswerText":"The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 requires education authorities to publish information about a range of specified matters such as their policy in relation to provision for additional support needs. This could include provision available to assist in the post-school transition process. They must also provide details of any other persons the authority think appropriate who could provide advice and further information and support in relation to provision for additional support needs. Enquire, the national advice service for additional support for learning, is funded by the Scottish Executive to provide information and advice to parents and young people on a range of matters relating to additional support needs. These include: a new online factsheet for young people on getting ready to leave school; the Have your say video which includes advice and suggestions from young people about the process of making choices for the future; links on the young person’s website at www.enquire.org.uk to Skill Scotland and Careers Scotland. In addition, the Parents’ Guide to Additional Support for Learning contains a section on leaving school and information and advice is also available from the helpline. Careers Scotland provide key worker and other employability services to give tailored support to those young people who face the most complex barriers to entering and sustaining training, post-school education and employment. Careers Scotland advertise their services through a wide range of media. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195344,"EventID":"S2W-22683","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available for young people with learning disabilities (a) entering and (b) during employment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available for young people with learning disabilities (a) entering and (b) during employment.","AnswerText":"Careers Scotland provides a range of employability services, including key worker support, which help young people to access and sustain employment. The enterprise networks deliver Get Ready for Work, a programme for 16/17 year olds who, with additional support, would be able to move into further education training or employment. The UK Government also provides support through a range of programmes, including New Deal for Disabled People where job brokers can offer in-work support for up to the first six months. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195345,"EventID":"S2W-22684","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2077,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":25,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, whether Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd records the passenger/crew details of charter","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, whether Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd records the passenger/crew details of chartered or private flights arriving from outwith EC countries, notwithstanding the absence of any requirement to do so.","AnswerText":"Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd may in certain circumstances, for example in the event of a health and safety incident or disorderly behaviour on the part of a disembarking or embarking passenger, record information on passengers/crew of chartered or private flights arriving from outwith EC countries. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195346,"EventID":"S2W-22685","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2077,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":25,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, whether Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has any record of planes with aircraft regist","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, whether Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has any record of planes with aircraft registration numbers N187D, N168BF, N1HC, N8183J, N2189M, N221SG, N33NJ, N315CR, N470JF, N212AZ, N1016M, N581GA, N822US, N379P, N8068V, N44982, N4476S or N313P arriving from outwith EC countries since 2000 and, where it has any such record, what the (a) date of arrival, (b) point of original departure, (c) onward destination and (d) date and time of departure was of each aircraft.","AnswerText":"Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has no record of these aircraft having used its airports since 2000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195347,"EventID":"S2W-22686","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has provided to football supporters’ trusts in each year since 1999-2000.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has provided to football supporters’ trusts in each year since 1999-2000.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not provide funding or support directly to football supporters’ trusts. Funding was made available by the Executive to support the establishment of Supporters Direct in Scotland in 2002 to work with responsible groups of supporters looking to set up a supporters’ trust at their football club. Funding was initially provided at the level of £75,000 each year for the two years to 31 March 2004. Funding was continued at the increased level of £90,000 each year to 31 March 2006 to enable Supporters Direct in Scotland to continue and develop its work of supporting new and existing trusts. I am currently considering a business case from Supporters Direct in Scotland for continued financial support from 1 April 2006 and hope to be in a position to make an announcement shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195348,"EventID":"S2W-22687","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to football supporters’ trusts.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to football supporters’ trusts.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the question S2W-22686 answered on 2 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195349,"EventID":"S2W-22688","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage children to become more physically active during their school lives.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage children to become more physically active during their school lives.","AnswerText":"A comprehensive programme of action is in place to encourage physical activity in and around the school day. Following the recommendations of the World Health Organization, Scotland is one of the few countries to have put in place a national physical activity strategy including national activity targets for children. In the school curriculum, we are taking forward a programme of work aimed at providing more time for, more teachers of and more choice in physical education. This was followed up recently with a commitment to provide Local Authorities with an additional £18 million in 2006 and £44 million in 2007 to support the recruitment of additional teachers, including PE teachers. In taking forward A Curriculum for Excellence we are looking at ways in which to ensure that the curriculum is flexible enough to allow schools to provide sufficient time for high quality PE. As regards physical activity in the wider school environment, since 2003 we have invested £24 million in the Active Schools Programme and currently have more than 600 Active School Co-ordinators in post. We are committed also to ensuring that every school in Scotland is a Health Promoting School by the end of 2007, developing a whole school approach to promoting the physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotional well-being of all pupils and staff. In addition, the Scottish Executive Transport Group has invested £110 million to support safe, walking and cycling to school, including the creation of 20 miles-per-hour zones around schools. School Travel Co-ordinators in local authorities oversee and enable progress making clear links to the importance of physical activity for health. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195350,"EventID":"S2W-22689","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1783,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":67,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-26T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how its investment in new and refurbished schools will improve opportunities for children and young people.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how its investment in new and refurbished schools will improve opportunities for children and young people.","AnswerText":"As part of the school estate strategy we have initiated the largest school building programme of modern times which will deliver 300 new or substantially refurbished schools by 2009 along with widespread improvements in many other schools. We are supporting school building through public private partnership projects with a capital value of some £2.5 billion, the schools fund capital grant of some £100 million per year and the general capital resources available to local authorities under the prudential framework. This investment is transforming the learning and teaching environment for many young people and teachers, with well designed, well built schools that have modern facilities that inspire young people, teachers and communities, and meet their aspirations and evolving needs. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195351,"EventID":"S2W-22690","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the results of its Finding Practical Solutions to Complex Needs consultation. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the results of its Finding Practical Solutions to Complex Needs consultation. ","AnswerText":"The consultation exercise onFinding Practical Solutions to Complex Needs closed on 31 October 2005 anda summary of responses was published on the Scottish Executive website on 27 January 2006.We are currently consideringoptions on how best to meet the needs of students with the most complex needs. Wewill announce the next steps shortly and plan to consult on the proposals over thenext few months. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195352,"EventID":"S2W-22691","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications on 26 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22751) in respect of the safeguarding of the route fo","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications on 26 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22751) in respect of the safeguarding of the route for a second Forth road crossing, whether land is currently set aside for the construction of a second bridge; if so, by whom the land is owned and when it was purchased and whether ownership of the land, or part of it, by the Executive amounts in practice to the safeguarding of the route for the possible purpose of building a second bridge.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22499 on 7 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliamentary website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.Scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195353,"EventID":"S2W-22692","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1832,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":42,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue has been generated annually by tolls on the Forth Road Bridge since 1999","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue has been generated annually by tolls on the Forth Road Bridge since 1999","AnswerText":"This is a matter for the Forth Estuary Transport Authority which owns and operates the bridge. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195354,"EventID":"S2W-22693","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy position is in respect of oversight of the use of DNA profiles exported from Scotland to the National DNA Database.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy position is in respect of oversight of the use of DNA profiles exported from Scotland to the National DNA Database.","AnswerText":"Management and oversight of the National DNA Database is a matter for the UK Government.Scottish interests arerepresented on the National DNA Database Board by the Deputy Chief Constable ofTayside Police, Willie Bald, who is a member of the board. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195355,"EventID":"S2W-22694","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of research projects which have been approved by the National DNA Database Board using DNA profiles or DNA samples collected in Scot","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of research projects which have been approved by the National DNA Database Board using DNA profiles or DNA samples collected in Scotland since 1995.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive isaware of nine research projects that have been approved by the National DNADatabase Board. None of these will have used DNA samples collected by Scottishpolice forces as the National DNA Database does not hold such samples.Information is not held regarding how many of the projects used DNA profilescollected by Scottish police forces.","AnswerDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195356,"EventID":"S2W-22695","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of research projects involving behavioural genetics which have been approved by the National DNA Database Board using DNA profiles o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of research projects involving behavioural genetics which have been approved by the National DNA Database Board using DNA profiles or DNA samples collected in Scotland since 1995.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is not aware of any such research projects. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195357,"EventID":"S2W-22696","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2201,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on capital investment in the construction of new trunk roads infrastructure in each year since 1999 and what estimates are available for future years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on capital investment in the construction of new trunk roads infrastructure in each year since 1999 and what estimates are available for future years.","AnswerText":"Details of capital investment in the construction of new trunk roads are shown in the following table. | 1999-2000 (£ Million) | 2000-01 (£ Million) | 2001-02 (£ Million) | 2002-03 (£ Million) | 2003-04 (£ Million) | 2004-05 (£ Million) | | 16.244 | 8.716 | 8.606 | 38.099 | 46.080 | 50.108 | Details of schemes that are under construction this financial year and programmed for future years can be found at the Scottish Executive’s website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/05/TrunkRoads#a2. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195358,"EventID":"S2W-22697","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2201,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital funding it allocated for investment in the construction of new rail lines and stations in each year since 1999 and what estimates are available for futur","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital funding it allocated for investment in the construction of new rail lines and stations in each year since 1999 and what estimates are available for future years.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has a capital investment programme in transport over 2003‑13 of £3 billion. Of this, an estimated £1.7 billion (including £375 million for trams) will be invested in rail in Scotland. Since 1999, the Scottish Executive has allocated capital awards for specific projects. Those involving the construction of new rail lines and stations include: | Year of Award | Total Amount of Award (Million) | Project | | 1999-2000 | £0.5 | Edinburgh CrossRail - £0.500m | | 2000-01 | £4.28 | Edinburgh CrossRail - £3m. Gartcosh station - £1.26m. Re-location of Stranraer station - £0.02m. | | 2001-02 | £7.076 | Edinburgh CrossRail - £5.001m. Re-location of Stranraer station - £1m. Borders rail line £975k. Re-location of Gourock Interchange - £0.1m. | | 2002-03 | £3.52 | Borders rail line £740k. Re-location of Gourock Interchange - £1.45m. Re-location of Stranraer station- £1.33m. | | 2003-041 | £2.7 | Stirling Alloa Kincardine - £2.3m. Borders rail link £400k. | | 2004-05 | £28.2 | Larkhall Milngavie re-opening of lines - £25m. Gartcosh station - £0.5m. Stirling Alloa Kincardine rail line - £2.7m. | | 2005-06 | £12.8 | Stirling Alloa Kincardine rail line - £12.8m. | Note: 1. A further £1.95 million was allocated towards the relocation of Gourock interchange, but it was agreed to re-allocate this to a future financial year once the full funding package is secured. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195359,"EventID":"S2W-22698","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2201,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it provided to local authorities for capital investment in projects designed to improve or enhance local bus networks in each year since 1999 and what es","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it provided to local authorities for capital investment in projects designed to improve or enhance local bus networks in each year since 1999 and what estimates are available for future years.","AnswerText":"Local authorities have been awardedcapital funding for bus improvement and enhancement measures under both the PublicTransport and Integrated Transport Funds, as set out in the following table. Manyof these projects also contain elements involving rail, cycling and pedestrian measures.Due to the integrated nature of the awards, the costs for these measures cannotbe separated out from the total amounts shown.Projects which were predominantlyaimed at transport modes other than bus, but which contained bus improvement andenhancement elements, have been excluded on the same basis. | Local Authority | Name of Project | Year of Award | Total Award (£ Million) | | Aberdeen City | A96/A956 Bus Priority and Park and Ride | 1999 | £4.000 | | Bus Priority and Park and Ride | 1999 | £3.300 | | Modal Shift Package Project | 2001 | £1.805 | | Aberdeenshire | Ellon Park and Ride | 1999 | £0.600 | | Park and Ride | 1999 | £0.745 | | Aberdeenshire Towns Interchange1 | 2005 | £4.416 | | Argyll and Bute | HITRANS Rural Interchange and Waiting Improvements | 2001 | £2.850 | | Dunoon ferry and bus interchange improvements | 2002 | £0.135 | | Clackmannanshire | Alloa Bus Interchange | 1999 | £0.300 | | Dumfries and Galloway | Dumfries Transport Initiative2 | 2000 | £1.063 | | Dumfries Southern Sector Access Strategy | 2001 | £1.785 | | Dundee City | Bus priority measures on Carnoustie to Ninewells Hospital corridor | 1999 | £0.475 | | North East Arterial Corridor | 1999 | £1.325 | | North West Arterial Corridor ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195360,"EventID":"S2W-22699","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2201,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many PPP or PFI transport projects it has funded since 1999; how many it intends to fund in future years, and whether it will provide details of the nature of each pr","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many PPP or PFI transport projects it has funded since 1999; how many it intends to fund in future years, and whether it will provide details of the nature of each project, its capital cost and the expected annual payment to the provider of the infrastructure.","AnswerText":"Information on PPP projects in Scotland, including transport projects, can be found on the Scottish Executive Financial Partnerships Unit’s website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ppp. All Scottish Executive major infrastructure projects requiring significant long term investment, including transport projects, will undergo a Value for Money assessment in order to identify those suitable for the PPP procurement route. Information on the estimated annual unitary payment to the PPP consortium for each of the transport PPP projects from 1999-2000 to 2005-06 is given in the following table: Estimated Annual Unitary Charge (£ Million) | Project | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | M6 | 21.3 | 22.1 | 20.0 | 21.9 | 20.7 | 20.5 | 19.5 | | M77/Glasgow Southern Orbital | - | - | - | - | 0.6 | 0.7 | 10.2 | | A92 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2.6 | | Inverness Airport | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.5 | | Skye Bridge | - | - | - | - | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195361,"EventID":"S2W-22700","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2201,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the transport infrastructure projects valued at £5 million or more which have commenced since 1999, and those which are planned to comm","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the transport infrastructure projects valued at £5 million or more which have commenced since 1999, and those which are planned to commence, including when the projects were, or are scheduled to be, completed.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has had a number of transport infrastructure projects valued at £5 million or more which have been completed since 1999. Seventeen Capital Roads Projects which meet this description have been completed. One major rail project over £5 million pounds has been completed. Three Freight Facilities Grant have contributed to completed infrastructure projects. Piers and Harbours projects have had four infrastructure projects completed and four vessels constructed since 1999. A further three public transport infrastructure projects costing over £5 million have been completed since 1999. The current major transport flagship projects being supported by Scottish Executive and taken forward by Transport Scotland were outlined in the Scottish Executive Investment Infrastructure Plan that was published in February 2005. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195362,"EventID":"S2W-22701","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consideration has been given to the impact on the recruitment and retention of student and qualified nurses in NHS Fife and the future staffing requirements ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consideration has been given to the impact on the recruitment and retention of student and qualified nurses in NHS Fife and the future staffing requirements of the board of the proposal to relocate all nurse teaching currently provided in Kirkcaldy to Dundee.","AnswerText":"Decisions about where, and how, pre-registration nursing and midwifery programmes are provided, are a matter for the higher education institutions who deliver them, in consultation with all other stakeholders including NHSScotland. I have sought assurance that, before any decisions are reached, Dundee University will undertake a demonstrably robust and comprehensive consultation with staff, students and key stakeholders and discuss the outcome with the Chief Nursing Officer. Any discussions should include the effect of this proposal on recruitment and retention of students and nurses in NHS Fife. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195363,"EventID":"S2W-22702","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2345,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":56,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the (a) 110-day rule and (b) 140-day rule have been extended in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriff court area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the (a) 110-day rule and (b) 140-day rule have been extended in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriff court area.","AnswerText":"The information requested as it applies to sheriff court cases is not held centrally. High Court figures cannot be broken down by sheriff court area. The number of High Court custody time bar extensions per year was not routinely collected until the introduction of an electronic case management system in April 2004. No data are held centrally for 1999 and 2000. The total number of custody time bar extensions from 2001-03 is not known, but research undertaken during Lord Bonomy’s review established that during 2001 in 32 of a sample of 141 custody indictments the 110-day period was extended at least once. An interim report of the evaluation of the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004 showed that between the start of January 2002 and the end of April 2004 there were 369 custody indictments in which the 110-day period was extended at least once, resulting in at least 709 extensions over the 28 month period. For the period from April 2004 to end March 2005, there have been 274 extensions granted by the High Court in respect of the 110-day time limit, relating to 144 custody indictments. For extensions to the 140-day time limit in High Court cases in the period since the enactment of the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004, I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22255 on 25 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195364,"EventID":"S2W-22703","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22552 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 January 2006, what the reason is for its position not to comment on the status or handling of leaked ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22552 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 January 2006, what the reason is for its position not to comment on the status or handling of leaked documents.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has an active publication scheme for documents and a commitment to inform Parliament and the Scottish people about relevant issues, in accordance with legislation and convention. The UK Government has its own procedures for the release of documents and information. It would not be appropriate to either encourage or assist those who would seek to circumvent or undermine those proper arrangements by commenting on the status or handling of allegedly leaked documents. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Margaret Curran","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195365,"EventID":"S2W-22704","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22335 by Cathy Jamieson on 23 January 2006, whether it considers it appropriate to now engage in discussions with the US Government","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22335 by Cathy Jamieson on 23 January 2006, whether it considers it appropriate to now engage in discussions with the US Government in respect of the allegations that US agencies used Scottish airports as refuelling points for aircraft engaged in acts of “extraordinary rendition”, given the ongoing media reports on the issue and the opinions expressed by Senator Dick Marty in the interim report of his investigation into the existence of rendition flights.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has nothing to add to its answer to question S2W-22335 of 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195366,"EventID":"S2W-22705","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22351 by Colin Boyd QC on 24 January 2006, who would find it unhelpful to speculate as to information which would constitute a cred","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22351 by Colin Boyd QC on 24 January 2006, who would find it unhelpful to speculate as to information which would constitute a credible allegation in respect of the ongoing allegations that US agencies have been using the process of “extraordinary rendition”, unlawfully facilitated through various Scottish airports.","AnswerText":"I would reiterate that speculation, meaning as it does, reasoning based on inconclusive evidence, conjecture or supposition, is not helpful. As has been stated previously in my answer to S2W-22351, no specific, credible or reliable information has, to date, been brought to the attention of the police that the “extraordinary rendition” of any individual has been unlawfully facilitated through a Scottish airport. The police will carefully consider any information provided to them and will commence an investigation if there is specific information which justifies a criminal investigation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195367,"EventID":"S2W-22706","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21753 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2006, in what way the answer indicates the Executive's opinion of the claims made by Senator ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21753 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2006, in what way the answer indicates the Executive's opinion of the claims made by Senator Dick Marty.","AnswerText":"The answer to S2W-21753 set out the Scottish Executive’s position in relation to Senator Dick Marty’s report. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to give an opinion on claims made by Senator Marty. The UK government will respond to the report, as required, when it is published. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195368,"EventID":"S2W-22707","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22333 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2006, whether the Executive has reached a position on the opinions expressed by Lord Steyn.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22333 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2006, whether the Executive has reached a position on the opinions expressed by Lord Steyn.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not intend to take a position on the opinions expressed by Lord Steyn. Ministers have consistently made clear that if anyone has credible and reliable information regarding alleged criminal activity, it should be passed to the police. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195369,"EventID":"S2W-22708","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21829 by Mr Tom McCabe on 24 January 2006, whether the £70,866 cost of engaging the services of SQW Economic Consultants to investi","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21829 by Mr Tom McCabe on 24 January 2006, whether the £70,866 cost of engaging the services of SQW Economic Consultants to investigate the economic impact of hosting the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles includes the cost of employing TNS Media Intelligence to analyse media coverage of the same event.","AnswerText":"The £70,866 figure given in the answer to question S2W-21829 includes the cost of employing TNS Media Intelligence to analyse media coverage. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195370,"EventID":"S2W-22709","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it commissioned TNS Media Intelligence to analyse media coverage of the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles and, if not, who engaged TNS for this purpose.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it commissioned TNS Media Intelligence to analyse media coverage of the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles and, if not, who engaged TNS for this purpose.","AnswerText":"TNS Media Intelligence were engaged by SQW Economic Consultants to analyse media coverage of the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles. The Scottish Executive subsequently contracted TNS Media Intelligence directly for this analysis to be extended to some additional countries. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195371,"EventID":"S2W-22710","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much TNS Media Intelligence was paid to analyse media coverage of the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much TNS Media Intelligence was paid to analyse media coverage of the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles.","AnswerText":"TNS Media Intelligence were paid £10,845.25 by SQW Economic Consultants to analyse media coverage of the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles. The Scottish Executive subsequently contracted TNS directly for this analysis to be extended to some additional countries and paid them £12,116.48. Both these figures include VAT. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195372,"EventID":"S2W-22711","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2172,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for a delay in advising west coast fishermen of their revised prawn catch allocation.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for a delay in advising west coast fishermen of their revised prawn catch allocation.","AnswerText":"In the wake of significant uplift in the quotas for North Sea and West Coast nephrops, the Executive, in discussion with other UK fisheries administrations, is considering whether there is a case to look at a methodology other than the normal fixed quota allocation basis for distribution of the increased quotas. There are a number of complex issues arising which require detailed consideration. We appreciate the need for an early decision and an announcement will be made shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195373,"EventID":"S2W-22712","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2172,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an ongoing review of apportionment of quota between the sector and non-sector parts of the prawn fishing fleet and, if so, what the reason is for such a ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an ongoing review of apportionment of quota between the sector and non-sector parts of the prawn fishing fleet and, if so, what the reason is for such a review.","AnswerText":"In the wake of significant uplift in the quotas for North sea and West Coast nephrops, the Executive, in discussion with other UK fisheries administrations, is considering whether there is a case to look at a methodology other than the normal fixed quota allocation basis for distribution of the increased quotas. A decision will be made shortly, but any change would be the subject of full consultation and is unlikely to affect the interests of different sectors significantly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195374,"EventID":"S2W-22713","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any shortage of initial teacher training placements in schools has had on the quality of teacher training.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any shortage of initial teacher training placements in schools has had on the quality of teacher training.","AnswerText":"While a very small proportion of student teachers have been inconvenienced by revised and/or rescheduled school placements, the Faculties of Education have confirmed that rescheduling of dates will not adversely affect any teaching qualification gained at the end of the course and that the quality of teacher training has not suffered. Furthermore, the General Teaching Council for Scotland has confirmed that no student will be penalised for having started their school placement slightly late or having it rescheduled. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195375,"EventID":"S2W-22714","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any shortage of initial teacher training placements in nursery classes has had on the quality of teacher training.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any shortage of initial teacher training placements in nursery classes has had on the quality of teacher training.","AnswerText":"While a very small proportion of placements in nursery classes have been shared and/or rescheduled as a consequence of the significant increase we are making to the teacher workforce in Scotland, all such changes have been approved by the General Teaching Council for Scotland on the basis that they will have no significant impact on the overall quality of initial teacher education. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195376,"EventID":"S2W-22715","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking a course in education have had practical teaching experience (a) reduced or (b) cancelled due to a ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking a course in education have had practical teaching experience (a) reduced or (b) cancelled due to a shortage of placements.","AnswerText":"While a very small proportion of student teachers have been inconvenienced by having their planned school placement revised and/or rescheduled, no student has had a placement cancelled. Comprehensive details of the numbers involved are not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195377,"EventID":"S2W-22716","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in implementing changes based on the findings of the 1996 review of educational provision for children with autistic spectrum disorder.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in implementing changes based on the findings of the 1996 review of educational provision for children with autistic spectrum disorder.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department commissioned the University of Birmingham to carry out research, between 1995 and 1996, to scope the educational opportunities for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Scotland. Interchange No. 46: Educational Provision for Children with Autism in Scotland, which reports the findings of the research, did not contain any specific recommendations for the Scottish Office to take forward. It did, however, contain several points for reflection for policy makers, teachers, parents and other professionals to consider when making decisions relating to the provision of education for children and young people with ASD. In the last 10 years there have been significant legislative changes as well as changes in policies and practices in meeting the needs of children and young people with ASD, many of which address the points made in the research. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) is currently conducting a review of educational provision for ASD which is due to report in late summer. The report will highlight current good practice, identify gaps in provision and will make recommendations for the way forward. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195378,"EventID":"S2W-22717","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many autism-specific inspections of (a) schools and (b) other education units have been carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in each of the last fiv","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many autism-specific inspections of (a) schools and (b) other education units have been carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"Details of autism-specific inspections of early education centres, schools and units over the last five years are as follows. | Year | Autism-Specific Schools | Autism-Specific Units Within Schools | Pre-School Centres and Schools (Mainstream and Special) Attended by Pupils with Autistic-Spectrum Disorders | | 2006 | 1 | 2 | | | 2005 | 3 | 8 | 16 | | 2004 | 1 | 2 | | | 2003 | 1 | 1 | | | 2002 | | 1 | | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195379,"EventID":"S2W-22718","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in carrying out autism-specific inspections of schools and other education units.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in carrying out autism-specific inspections of schools and other education units.","AnswerText":"HMIE has, for a number of years, applied the criteria described in published quality indicators when evaluating the quality of service provided by schools and education authorities in the area of services for children with autistic spectrum disorders. Schools and education authorities use the same criteria themselves in their self-evaluation approaches when evaluating the quality of service. The quality indicators in question are contained in How good is our School? and Quality Management in Education. Both publications are available on the HMIE website www.hmie.gov.uk. The approach whereby the criteria are publicly available and are used by both providers and external evaluators is internationally renowned and respected. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195380,"EventID":"S2W-22719","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the materials collected in Scotland for recycling is exported for processing.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the materials collected in Scotland for recycling is exported for processing.","AnswerText":"We do not hold this information centrally. However, we sponsor two bodies to help develop markets for recycled products: REMADE Scotland and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). REMADE Scotland, working with WRAP, are preparing a report on Markets for Recyclable Materials and Recycled Products in Scotland. This will provide some information on the capacity to reprocess recyclable materials in Scotland and on exports of some materials from the United Kingdom and I will arrange for a copy to be forwarded to you once this has been finalised. However, obtaining full information on the proportion of the materials collected in Scotland for recycling which are then exported is difficult. There is a wide range of materials involved and materials are collected for recycling from commercial and industrial premises as well as from households. In addition, materials that have been collected may be transported from Scotland to other parts of the United Kingdom and may then be reprocessed in other parts of the UK or may be exported from other parts of the UK. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195381,"EventID":"S2W-22720","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities operate (a) source-segregated and (b) co-mingled recycling schemes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities operate (a) source-segregated and (b) co-mingled recycling schemes.","AnswerText":"For the purposes of this question,we have assumed that “source-segregated” is a system where materials are separatedinto individual types before collection or at the kerbside. We have assumed that“co-mingled” is a system where different material types are collected together mixedand then separated at a materials recycling facility.Information held by the ScottishWaste Awareness Group (SWAG) indicates that there are 19 local authorities operatingsource-segregated recycling schemes; 10 local authorities operating both source-segregatedrecycling schemes and co-mingled recycling schemes, and three local authoritiesoperating co-mingled schemes. Authorities operate a number of collection schemesand SWAG’s Information indicates that, across Scotland, there are 83 source segregatedschemes operated by local authorities and 22 co-mingled schemes operated by authorities. Information on recycling facilitiesacross Scotland can be found by using “Sort It” on SWAG’s website http://www.wascot.org.uk/sort_it_website/html/frame_scot.htm. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195382,"EventID":"S2W-22721","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the sorting under co-mingled recycling schemes takes place in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the sorting under co-mingled recycling schemes takes place in Scotland.","AnswerText":"Information held by the Scottish Waste Awareness Group indicates that of the 13 local authorities operating co-mingled recycling schemes, 12 of these local authorities are arranging for the materials to be sorted in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195383,"EventID":"S2W-22722","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9007 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 July 2004, what the response has been from NHS boards and local authorities in respect of the impleme","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9007 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 July 2004, what the response has been from NHS boards and local authorities in respect of the implementation and effectiveness of the National Guidance on Managing Head Lice Infection in Children.","AnswerText":"Officials in the Health Department wrote to NHS boards, local authorities, schools, pre-school establishments, school nurse managers and others, in October 2005 to raise awareness of the National Guidance on Managing Head Lice Infection in Children. Whilst we did not request a response from NHS boards and local authorities, officials in the Health Department have received encouraging feedback from many schools and pre-school establishments of local awareness activity. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195384,"EventID":"S2W-22723","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of serving police officers have voluntarily provided DNA samples for DNA profiles to be held in the Police Elimination Database","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of serving police officers have voluntarily provided DNA samples for DNA profiles to be held in the Police Elimination Database","AnswerText":"As at 31 January 2006, there are a total of 1,574 personnel currently listed on the Scottish Police Elimination Database. 1,458 of these are police officers which is approximately 9% of serving police officers. The majority of these are thought to have provided their DNA sample voluntarily but precise figures are not available. The Police Elimination Database does not distinguish between samples from volunteers and samples from new recruits, who may be required to provide a sample for elimination purposes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195385,"EventID":"S2W-22724","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive who owns the DNA profiles and DNA samples collected by the police","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive who owns the DNA profiles and DNA samples collected by the police","AnswerText":"Profiles and the data derived from them have always been considered the property of the police force obtaining the original mouth swabs. One mouth swab is used to develop the personal profile. The DNA extracted from this swab is converted into a numerical sequence and entered onto the database, this data is considered the property of the police. The original swab and the cellular material contained on it are destroyed as part of this process. The second swab taken from the suspect is placed in long-term storage and is currently used for purposes such as confirming DNA Intelligence matches. The stored swabs are considered to be the property of the force submitting them. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195386,"EventID":"S2W-22725","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the Information Commissioner's response to the Executive's consultation on the retention of DNA profiles of persons arrested","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the Information Commissioner's response to the Executive's consultation on the retention of DNA profiles of persons arrested but not convicted of any offence.","AnswerText":"We can confirm that we haveconsidered the UK Information Commissioner’s consultation response and it isnot thought that the policy proposals set out in the consultation paper PoliceRetention of Prints and Samples: Proposals for legislation would be inbreach of the fairness requirement of the Data Protection Act 1998.","AnswerDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195387,"EventID":"S2W-22726","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22354 by Patricia Ferguson on 24 January 2006, whether, in its assessment of the financial support that Scotland has committed to t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22354 by Patricia Ferguson on 24 January 2006, whether, in its assessment of the financial support that Scotland has committed to the London Olympics, it has included an assessment of the lost lottery monies to Scottish recipients that could result as part of the expected displacement effect caused by the new Olympic lottery game.","AnswerText":"The UK Government is hopeful that introduction of Olympic lottery games will continue to raise lottery ticket sales, and projections for existing good causes remain close to predicted levels until 2009 (the end of the current lottery license period). The lottery share for existing good causes is guaranteed to 2009. The UK Government is currently consulting widely on the shape of lottery funds for arts, film, sport and heritage, with their decisions to be announced in June 2006. The Scottish Executive has secured that the Scottish share of sports lottery funding (£25 million) will be spent in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195388,"EventID":"S2W-22727","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22355 by Patricia Ferguson on 24 January 2006, why it has no plans at this time to undertake an analysis of whether the United King","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22355 by Patricia Ferguson on 24 January 2006, why it has no plans at this time to undertake an analysis of whether the United Kingdom as a whole is likely to accrue benefits from Glasgow hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games.","AnswerText":"The bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games is in its initial stages. A decision on analysis of the impact on the United kingdom as a whole will be made at a later stage. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195389,"EventID":"S2W-22728","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21629 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006, how it can state that placing prisoners in open prisons saves taxpayers more money than","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21629 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006, how it can state that placing prisoners in open prisons saves taxpayers more money than if they were placed in a regular prison, as it did in the answer to question S2W-21073 by Cathy Jamieson on 5 December 2005, if it does not have any figures to indicate that this is the case.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21629. The lower security requirements in an open prison mean that staffing levels are for example generally lower and our open prisons do not have the same infrastructure costs associated with establishing perimeter security such as high walls or fences or with maintaining high level internal security systems required in closed establishments. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195390,"EventID":"S2W-22729","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21858 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006 and whilst question S2W-20863 did relate directly to the contract between the Scottish P","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21858 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006 and whilst question S2W-20863 did relate directly to the contract between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, why questions S2W-21260 and S2W-21858, which did not, were answered by the Chief Executive of the SPS.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: Question S2W-21858 asked why the Chief Executive of the Prison Service had replied to S2W-21260. It was appropriate therefore for me to respond. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195391,"EventID":"S2W-22730","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any of its agencies have signed any contracts with other individuals, agencies or organisations in which failure to meet a particular contractual commitment","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any of its agencies have signed any contracts with other individuals, agencies or organisations in which failure to meet a particular contractual commitment is not defined as a breach of contract.","AnswerText":"As information on particular contractual commitments relating to every contract signed by the Executive and its agencies is not held centrally by the Executive, the answer to the question could only be provided at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195392,"EventID":"S2W-22731","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21860 and S2W-21861 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006 and without making specific reference to the terms of the contract betwe","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21860 and S2W-21861 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006 and without making specific reference to the terms of the contract between the Scottish Prison Service and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, what distinction it makes between “failure to meet a particular contractual commitment” and “a breach of contract”, which it defined as being distinct from one another in the answer to question S2W-20863 by Cathy Jamieson on 29 November 2005.","AnswerText":"The distinction betweena failure to meet particular contractual commitments and breaches of contract generallyis one that relates to the remedies that may be available against a contractor,and is determined by the terms of individual contracts. For example, the impositionof costs or actions on contractors for failure to meet specific commitments (e.g.required service levels) is a common feature of many contracts. This approach canensure that there are direct and effective consequences against a contractor whichfails to meet the commitments agreed in the contract. In other words, failure tomeet specific contractual commitments can have consequences that are not treatedas a breach of contract. Failure to comply with terms of the contract where no specificconsequences are provided for, where penalties exceed specified levels or the appropriateremedial action has not been taken within a specified time, would be treated asbeing a breach of contract in relation to which the remedies normally availableat law may be pursued.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-24T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195393,"EventID":"S2W-22733","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland have been exported to the National DNA Database in England in each year since 1995.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland have been exported to the National DNA Database in England in each year since 1995.","AnswerText":"Full statistics are only available for the last seven years and are as follows: | Year | Number of Profiles | | 1999 | 26,487 | | 2000 | 21,728 | | 2001 | 18,681 | | 2002 | 38,930 | | 2003 | 39,047 | | 2004 | 42,645 | | 2005 | 49,641 | Totals shown are for the years commencing 1 January to 31 December. The Scottish DNA Database exports copies of all DNA profiles it holds to the National DNA Database but does not export the DNA samples. A DNA sample is the sample that contains the individual’s full DNA which is taken from the individual by means such as a mouth swab. A DNA profile is the numerical sequence derived from a DNA sample by a process which destroys the original sample. It is based on a number of markers from the short-tandem repeat areas of DNA which do not contain genetically significant information but vary markedly between different people, which is why DNA profiles are effective at distinguishing between different people. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195394,"EventID":"S2W-22734","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland and exported to the National DNA Database in England in eac","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland and exported to the National DNA Database in England in each year since 1995 have been subsequently removed.","AnswerText":"Full statistics are only available for the last seven years and are as follows: | Year | Number of Profiles | | 1999 | 5,420 | | 2000 | 9,185 | | 2001 | 7,058 | | 2002 | 20,269 | | 2003 | 18,075 | | 2004 | 21,173 | | 2005 | 29,334 | Totals shown are for the years commencing 1 January to 31 December. The Scottish DNA Database exports copies of all DNA profiles it holds to the National DNA Database but does not export the DNA samples. A DNA sample is the sample that contains the individual’s full DNA which is taken from the individual by means such as a mouth swab. A DNA profile is the numerical sequence derived from a DNA sample by a process which destroys the original sample. It is based on a number of markers from the short-tandem repeat (STR) areas of DNA which do not contain genetically significant information but vary markedly between different people, which is why DNA profiles are effective at distinguishing between different people. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195395,"EventID":"S2W-22735","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples taken from juveniles and collected by the police in Scotland have been exported to the National DNA Database in England in","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples taken from juveniles and collected by the police in Scotland have been exported to the National DNA Database in England in each year since 1995.","AnswerText":"This information is not held. All DNA profiles taken from persons who are arrested or detained in Scotland are removed from both the Scottish DNA Database and the National DNA Database unless the case for which they were taken result in a court conviction. As well as the DNA profiles, any information relating to the person, such as their age, is also removed from database records. It is therefore not possible to identify the age of the persons concerned. The majority of cases involving juveniles do not result in court proceedings. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195396,"EventID":"S2W-22736","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples taken from juveniles and collected by the police in Scotland and exported to the National DNA D","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples taken from juveniles and collected by the police in Scotland and exported to the National DNA Database in England in each year since 1995 have been subsequently removed.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22735 on 9 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195397,"EventID":"S2W-22737","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which companies, in addition to the Police Forensic Science Laboratories in Dundee and Glasgow, now act as suppliers of DNA profiles from DNA samples taken in Scotland to","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which companies, in addition to the Police Forensic Science Laboratories in Dundee and Glasgow, now act as suppliers of DNA profiles from DNA samples taken in Scotland to the National DNA Database.","AnswerText":"There are no companies in Scotland which are accredited as suppliers of Police DNA services to the National DNA Database. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195398,"EventID":"S2W-22738","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1828,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what DNA profiles have been exported to the National DNA Database from Scotland, broken down by ethnic category.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what DNA profiles have been exported to the National DNA Database from Scotland, broken down by ethnic category.","AnswerText":"The Scottish DNA Database does not record the ethnic origin of persons arrested or detained and consequently this information is not held. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195399,"EventID":"S2W-22739","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow the retention of DNA samples taken from an accused person if they are subsequently cleared of any offence.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow the retention of DNA samples taken from an accused person if they are subsequently cleared of any offence.","AnswerText":"The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland raised with the Executive the issue of retaining DNA samples that are taken from persons who are arrested but not subsequently convicted as a potentially valuable tool in solving crimes and catching criminals. The Executive is committed to helping the police in the fight against crime and we take the views of senior police officers very seriously. Ministers consulted widely and are carefully considering all of the implications around this issue. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195400,"EventID":"S2W-22740","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow the retention of DNA samples taken from an accused person aged under 18 if they are subsequently cleared of any offence.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow the retention of DNA samples taken from an accused person aged under 18 if they are subsequently cleared of any offence.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22739 on 6 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195401,"EventID":"S2W-22741","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow the retention of DNA samples taken from people who voluntarily give samples for elimination purposes to assist in a police investigation","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow the retention of DNA samples taken from people who voluntarily give samples for elimination purposes to assist in a police investigation.","AnswerText":"The police can already retain DNA samples from people who voluntarily provide them to the police, provided they have the written consent of the person who provided the sample. That consent may be withdrawn in writing at any time. The Executive has no plans to change this position. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195402,"EventID":"S2W-22742","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any flights into airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom services have bee","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any flights into airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom services have been outsourced by the CIA, and, if so, when it became aware of such flights and how frequent they have been.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no evidence that airports anywhere in Scotland, including those operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, have been used by aircraft by or on behalf of the CIA. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195403,"EventID":"S2W-22743","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its permission, or that of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) management, was requested for flights by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to who","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its permission, or that of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) management, was requested for flights by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, to land at airports operated by HIAL, and, if so, what response was given.","AnswerText":"Neither the Scottish Executive nor Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) has received any requests for flights operated by or on behalf of the CIA to land at airports operated by HIAL. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195404,"EventID":"S2W-22744","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information must be provided in support of requests for flights by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, to land at ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information must be provided in support of requests for flights by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, to land at airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and, specifically, whether a list of passenger names is required.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer question S2W-21090 on 20 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.In addition to theinformation contained in S2W-21090, an aircraft operator using any airportoperated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) must also obtain orprovide: prior permission to land, and a flight plan. There is no requirement toprovide HIAL with a list of passengers’ names. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195405,"EventID":"S2W-22745","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedures for requesting permission to land at airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, in particular in respect of flights by the CIA or by ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedures for requesting permission to land at airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, in particular in respect of flights by the CIA or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, are affected by NATO accords or other similar agreements and whether these procedures apply equally to military and civilian flights.","AnswerText":"This is a reserved matter. The UK Department for Transport grants permission, under the Chicago Convention through the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and the Air Navigation Order 2005, for foreign aircraft to operate commercial civil flights in the UK where they land and take on board or discharge passengers or cargo and where payment is given or promised in respect of that carriage. Prior permission is not required where payment is not given for carriage or where no passengers are taken on board or discharged. NATO accords do not affect the routine use of national airspace or airports. Permission for foreign military flights is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence. No prior clearance is required for US military aircraft or civil aircraft on US Government business to land in the UK. Aircraft carrying dangerous air cargo or VIPs (e.g. senior Government officials, senior politicians and Heads of State) must be notified to the Ministry of Defence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195406,"EventID":"S2W-22746","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any illegal transportation of prisoners on flights by the CIA, or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, landing at airports operated","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any illegal transportation of prisoners on flights by the CIA, or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, landing at airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and, if so, when it became aware of such transportation.","AnswerText":"I would refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-22495 on 2 February 2006, S2W-22576 and S2W-22577 on 10 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found on http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195407,"EventID":"S2W-22747","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal basis there is for any Executive involvement in whether prisoners were transported via Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd operated airports to a third country.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal basis there is for any Executive involvement in whether prisoners were transported via Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd operated airports to a third country.","AnswerText":"Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), as the licensedoperator of its 10 airports, is responsible for meeting UK Civil AviationAuthority and Department for Transport regulatory, and all statutory,requirements relating to its duties as the licensee of these airports. HIAL isalso accountable via its Board of Directors to the Scottish ministers for theoperation and management of its business.The Scottish Executiverequested information from HIAL regarding any flights operated on behalf of theUS Government and its agencies. As S2W-22577 answered on 10 February 2006makes clear, HIAL has no information that such flights have operated to or fromits airports. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available onthe Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195408,"EventID":"S2W-22748","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ever authorised the transportation of prisoners via airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to a third country and, if so, whether, where a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ever authorised the transportation of prisoners via airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to a third country and, if so, whether, where appropriate for it to do so, it has sought assurances regarding the conditions under which such prisoners are held.\r\n","AnswerText":"I would refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22577 on 10 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195409,"EventID":"S2W-22749","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of, or has been involved in, the carrying out of abductions in Scotland by foreign secret services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of, or has been involved in, the carrying out of abductions in Scotland by foreign secret services.","AnswerText":"No.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195410,"EventID":"S2W-22750","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when NHS Scotland Information Services Division’s data collection system for audiology services will be operational.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when NHS Scotland Information Services Division’s data collection system for audiology services will be operational.","AnswerText":"The data collection system is currently being piloted by Information Services Division in the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow. The pilot will be completed by the end of February 2006. We expect that thereafter the new system will be rolled out nationally during 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195411,"EventID":"S2W-22751","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Scotland Information Services Division’s data collection system for audiology services will provide a detailed breakdown of waiting times for each NHS board a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Scotland Information Services Division’s data collection system for audiology services will provide a detailed breakdown of waiting times for each NHS board and, if so, over what period of time.","AnswerText":"The data collection system developed by Information Services Division will collect information on the maximum waiting time from referral to assessment, and from assessment to fitting of hearing aids. The data will be available on a quarterly basis. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195412,"EventID":"S2W-22752","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using the database since 1995.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using the database since 1995.","AnswerText":"No suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using the database. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195413,"EventID":"S2W-22753","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland. ","AnswerText":"No suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195414,"EventID":"S2W-22754","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which universities have undertaken research projects using DNA profiles or samples collected by the police in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which universities have undertaken research projects using DNA profiles or samples collected by the police in Scotland.","AnswerText":"No universities have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland. No research is carried out on the profiles and samples which are held by the Scottish DNA Database and it does not export samples to the National DNA Database. Information is not held on whether DNA profiles collected by the police in Scotland have been used in research projects by the National DNA Database. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195415,"EventID":"S2W-22755","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which companies have undertaken research projects using DNA profiles or samples collected by the police in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which companies have undertaken research projects using DNA profiles or samples collected by the police in Scotland.","AnswerText":"No companies have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland. No research is carried out on the profiles and samples which are held by the Scottish DNA Database and it does not export samples to the National DNA Database. Information is not held on whether DNA profiles collected by the police in Scotland have been used in research projects by the National DNA Database. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195416,"EventID":"S2W-22756","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the intellectual property rights are assigned in respect of DNA sequences in samples collected by the police in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the intellectual property rights are assigned in respect of DNA sequences in samples collected by the police in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive understands that there are no intellectual property rights relating to DNA sequences in samples collected by the police in Scotland. Intellectual property rights are associated with the techniques used to process the samples when generating DNA profiles. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195417,"EventID":"S2W-22757","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the farm income figures for 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the farm income figures for 2005.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is today publishing the Scottish farm income figures. The estimated figures show that Total Income From Farming (TIFF) is forecast to fall by 8.4% in 2005 to £436 million. Finished cattle has continue to improve, as evidenced by a 6% increase when removal of subsidies is taken into account. However, the sheep sector has fallen by 12%. Cereals are down due to a reduction in both prices and area grown. Some input costs to farmers have increased with interest and fuel costs increasing by 8.5% and 23% respectively. Due to its method of construction, TIFF figures cannot be broken down into different types of farming. The second data series known as Net Farm Income is designed to enable comparisons to be made across different farm types. Net Farm Income captures movements in prices and costs that are different to those in TIFF because of the differing time periods accounted for by the two measures. For these reasons the two series should not be directly compared with each other. Average net farm income (NFI) for all farm types fell by 34% between 2003-04 and 2004-05, from £19,800 to £13,100. There was a fall for most farm types, with cereal and general cropping farms showing significant decreases. Only dairy farms saw a small increase in net farm income, due mainly to the receipt of dairy premium. Summary estimates of the outputs, inputs and income for 2005 at both aggregate level and by farm type will be published this morning. A copy of which will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38751). More detailed analyses will be published on 30 March 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195418,"EventID":"S2W-22758","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on research projects which have been (a) approved and (b) refused by the National DNA Database, broken down by (i) title of project, (ii) types of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on research projects which have been (a) approved and (b) refused by the National DNA Database, broken down by (i) title of project, (ii) types of data sought and used and (iii) institution and investigators conducting the research. ","AnswerText":"The Executive is aware of nine research requests that have been approved by the National DNA Database. Information is not held on the title of these projects or about which institution and investigators conducted the research. Some information, which was supplied to the Executive by the National DNA Database, is held on the types of data sought by these research requests. One requested a copy of the database, with all personal identifiers removed, to assist with the development of a system to designate the markers in profiles added to the database. Another was for database information to help evaluate a project on best practice in the collection and analysis of DNA samples in burglary and vehicle crime cases. A third was to help identify persons on a force’s dangerous offenders register who did not have profiles on the National DNA Database. The remaining six requests that were approved were to inform research in areas that may assist in future investigations. One of these sought anonymised samples, one sought profiles and four sought anonymised profiles held by the database. The Executive holds no information on research requests which have been refused by the National DNA Database. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195419,"EventID":"S2W-22759","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which body or bodies provide ethical oversight of decisions taken in respect of research uses of DNA samples and profiles obtained by the police in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which body or bodies provide ethical oversight of decisions taken in respect of research uses of DNA samples and profiles obtained by the police in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Scottish DNA Database does not allow any research to be carried out on the DNA samples and profiles it holds that are collected by the police in Scotland. The National DNA Database does not hold any DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland, although it does hold DNA profiles collected by the police in Scotland. As such, no DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland are subject to any research use. Information is not held as to whether DNA profiles collected by the police in Scotland have been or are the subject of any research approved by the National DNA Database. Decisions taken in respect of research projects using DNA samples and profiles held by the National DNA Database are made by the National DNA Database Board, which includes Willie Bald, Deputy Chief Constable of Tayside Police, and a representative of the Human Genetics Commission. The Executive is also aware that the National DNA Database has made approaches to the Central Office for Research Ethics Committee with a view to their providing a further level of independent ethical oversight of research projects. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195420,"EventID":"S2W-22760","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 6.8 of the report of the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee's Review of Remuneration Arrangements for Local Authority Councill","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 6.8 of the report of the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee's Review of Remuneration Arrangements for Local Authority Councillors, whether the Committee’s understanding “that tax and national insurance will be payable at the appropriate statutory rates” is based on an assumption that the whole amount of a severance payment is taxable as income in the year of payment or whether it is the Committee’s understanding that the taxation rules applicable to termination payments will apply to such severance payments.","AnswerText":"The SLARC report notes that HM Revenue and Customs are not able to give a view on the taxation rules that may apply to the scheme until the details are set out in regulations. HM Revenue and Customs has indicated that it will consider the taxation consequences of the severance scheme as soon as the details have been set out in regulations. Ministers are presently considering the recommendations made by SLARC in respect of the severance scheme, and all other aspects of remuneration for councillors. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195421,"EventID":"S2W-22761","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many secure accommodation places are available for young offenders.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many secure accommodation places are available for young offenders.","AnswerText":"There are currently 92 secureaccommodation places available in Scotland. The distribution is as follows:St Mary’sKenmure (Glasgow):31 secure places Kerelaw,(North Ayrshire), runby Glasgow Council: 20 places Rossie(Montrose): 25 places Howdenhall/StKatherine’s (Edinburgh):12 places The Elms,(Dundee): four places. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195422,"EventID":"S2W-22762","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what audit has been conducted to estimate the need for secure accommodation for young offenders.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what audit has been conducted to estimate the need for secure accommodation for young offenders.","AnswerText":"The Secure Accommodation Advisory Group published their recommendations and audit of need in 2003. These can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/secureaccom.pdf. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/secureaccomint.pdf. On the basis of this report and based on objective measurement criteria, there was decision that we extend the secure estate by 29 places. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195423,"EventID":"S2W-22763","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional secure accommodation places for young offenders are proposed to meet (a) current need and (b) future demand.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional secure accommodation places for young offenders are proposed to meet (a) current need and (b) future demand.","AnswerText":"The currentsecure estate consists of 92 places. These are distributed as follows:St Mary’sKenmure (Glasgow):31 secure places Kerelaw,(North Ayrshire), runby Glasgow Council: 20 places Rossie(Montrose): 25 places Howdenhall/StKatherine’s (Edinburgh):12 places The Elms,(Dundee): four places. An additional29 places were announced on 24 March 2003 to meet future demand. These will also be able to offer much needed facilitiesfor girls only. When completeby 2007 the secure estate will therefore consist of 125 places: 18 boysonly at Kibble (Paisley) 24 mixedat St Philip’s (Airdrie) 18 girlsonly at Good Shepherd (Bishopton) 18 mixedat Rossie (Montrose) 31 mixedat St Mary’s (Glasgow) 12 mixedat Howdenhall/St Katherines (Edinburgh) four mixedin The Elms (Dundee). ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195424,"EventID":"S2W-22764","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people from Scotland have been placed in secure accommodation in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last five years. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people from Scotland have been placed in secure accommodation in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last five years. ","AnswerText":"This information is not gathered centrally. Local authorities make decisions regarding the placement of young people. If it is the case that a child’s needs are best met by a placement outwith Scotland then we would expect local authorities to act on this. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195425,"EventID":"S2W-22765","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the weekly cost is of all secure accommodation placements in (a) England and (b) Wales for young offenders from Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the weekly cost is of all secure accommodation placements in (a) England and (b) Wales for young offenders from Scotland.","AnswerText":"In response to decisions madeat Children’s Hearings, local authorities purchase placements for young people whorequire secure accommodation.The number of secure accommodationplacements made by Scottish Local Authorities in England and Wales is notgathered centrally. The average cost of placement within a secure children’s homein England and Wales is currently £3,560 per week. In terms of service levels, asecure children’s home is the best comparator for Scottish secure care accommodation,where the average cost per bed per week was£3,458 in 2004-05. The information on secure accommodation in Scotland is detailedin the 2004-05 Scottish secure accommodation census which can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/10/2791127/11278. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195426,"EventID":"S2W-22766","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for drug detoxification services, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for drug detoxification services, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"Average waiting times are not regarded as a particularly effective measure of the availability and efficiency of drug services. Rather, the information compiled by drug action teams and submitted to Information Services Division specifies the number of people who wait for less than a week, less than two weeks and so forth, for different types of intervention. Table 1 presents information on the length of time waited, by drug action team area, for (a) clients who have received drug intervention, which includes detoxification and (b) clients who are still waiting for prescribed drug intervention for the period July September 2005, the most recent period for which comprehensive data is available. Table 1a: Prescribed Drug Treatment Number of Clients Seen, July to September 2005 | Time Waited Drug Action Team | <7 d | 8-14d | 15-21d | 22-28d | 5-8 wks | 9-12 wks | 13-26 wks | 27-52 wks | 52+ wks | Total | | Aberdeen City | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | | Aberdeenshire | 28 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | | Angus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Argyll and Clyde | 53 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 77 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Borders | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0<","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195427,"EventID":"S2W-22767","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is provided to registered cocaine users.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is provided to registered cocaine users.","AnswerText":"There is no register of cocaine users in Scotland. Information provided by drug action teams through corporate action plans for 2005-06 shows that there are 30 facilities across Scotland which target psychostimulant users. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195428,"EventID":"S2W-22768","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation services, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation services, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is not collected centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195429,"EventID":"S2W-22770","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2108,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":68,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards issuing statutory guidance to local authorities to improve services for people with sensory impairments, including deafblind people. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards issuing statutory guidance to local authorities to improve services for people with sensory impairments, including deafblind people. ","AnswerText":"This guidance, to be issued under Section 5(1) of the Social work (Scotland) Act 1968, is being developed as part of implementation of the Sensory Impairment Action Plan, which is designed to improve community care services for all adults with a sensory impairment in Scotland. A small group of representative interests consisting of local authorities, service users and other professionals is currently undertaking this work, and it is anticipated that it will be issued by summer 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195430,"EventID":"S2W-22771","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2108,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":68,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish guidance in respect of community care services for deafblind people.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish guidance in respect of community care services for deafblind people.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22770, answered on 21 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195431,"EventID":"S2W-22772","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of growth of manufacturing productivity has been in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of growth of manufacturing productivity has been in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"Manufacturing productivity ismeasured by calculating the output generated per worker in the industry. The rate of growth of manufacturing productivity is givenin the following table. This is derived from data from the Office for National Statistics(ONS) Annual Business Inquiry. The latest figures are for 2003.Productivity growth in real terms(2002 prices) | | 1999* | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | | Productivity growth | -8.5% | 2.2% | 1.0% | 8.2% | 2.6% | Source: ONS Annual Business Inquiry Note: *This figure should beviewed with caution as it is based on data collected in the first year of the AnnualBusiness Inquiry. This data appears less reliable than that reported in subsequentyears of the survey. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195432,"EventID":"S2W-22773","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of its central administration in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of its central administration in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The information requested is given in the following Scottish Executive Accounts: Page 19 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2000 published by The Stationery Office Limited in 2001, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 12591). Page 22 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2001 published by the Scottish Executive in 2001, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 18347). Page 22 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2002 published by the Scottish Executive in 2002, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 25810). Page 23 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2003 published by the Scottish Executive in 2003, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 30395). Page 28 of the Scottish Executive Consolidated Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2004 published by the Scottish Executive in 2004, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 34776). Page 30 of the Scottish Executive Consolidated Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2005 published by the Scottish Executive in 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38261). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195433,"EventID":"S2W-22774","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital admissions associated with heroin use there were in each year since 1999, broken down by age and NHS board, and provided in table form.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital admissions associated with heroin use there were in each year since 1999, broken down by age and NHS board, and provided in table form.","AnswerText":"Information showing hospital discharges with a diagnosis of disorders due to misuse of opioids, broken down by age and NHS board has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 38883). It is not possible to provide data linked specifically to heroin use. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195434,"EventID":"S2W-22775","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the Scottish Borders Housing Association’s statement that it is seeking £4 million from Scottish Borders Council to address the associa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the Scottish Borders Housing Association’s statement that it is seeking £4 million from Scottish Borders Council to address the association’s financial deficit and the impact of such action on Scottish Borders Council’s reserves and its council tax payers. ","AnswerText":"Claims under the indemnities contained in the sale and purchase agreement are primarily a matter between Scottish Borders Council and Scottish Borders Housing Association. It would be inappropriate for the Executive to comment on any action currently being taken by the association. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195435,"EventID":"S2W-22776","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that any attempt by Scottish Borders Housing Association to recover the deficit resulting from its stock transfer agreement in March 2003 with Scottis","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that any attempt by Scottish Borders Housing Association to recover the deficit resulting from its stock transfer agreement in March 2003 with Scottish Borders Council will undermine public confidence in housing stock transfers.","AnswerText":"As previously stated, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the detail of the claim currently being pursued by Scottish Borders Housing Association. However, I do not believe that it will undermine public confidence in the stock transfer process. It is clear that across Scotland transfers to community ownership are now delivering substantial new housing investment, rent guarantees and much more say for tenants in the management of their homes and estates. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195436,"EventID":"S2W-22777","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial visits to local authorities took place in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) minister.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial visits to local authorities took place in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) minister.","AnswerText":"The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195437,"EventID":"S2W-22778","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many invitations to visit local authorities were declined by ministers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many invitations to visit local authorities were declined by ministers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.","AnswerText":"The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195438,"EventID":"S2W-22779","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits the First Minister made to local authorities in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits the First Minister made to local authorities in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.","AnswerText":"The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195439,"EventID":"S2W-22780","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits ministers made to each local enterprise company in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits ministers made to each local enterprise company in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195440,"EventID":"S2W-22781","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many new business openings ministers attended in each year since 1999, broken down by company and location.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many new business openings ministers attended in each year since 1999, broken down by company and location.","AnswerText":"The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195441,"EventID":"S2W-22782","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Borders Council in respect of the council’s plans to remove the flexibility staffing allowance for secondary schools which i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Borders Council in respect of the council’s plans to remove the flexibility staffing allowance for secondary schools which is expected to result in the loss of 11 full-time teaching posts.","AnswerText":"None. The staffing of individual schools is a matter for local education authorities as employers and consequently the Scottish Executive has not engaged in discussions with Scottish Borders Council about this issue. However, officials wrote to all local authorities on 19 December 2005 notifying them of the funding that will be available for additional teachers in 2006-07 and 2007-08, as well as clarifying that expenditure on teachers’ salaries was exempt from the efficiency savings identified in the 2004 Spending Review. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195442,"EventID":"S2W-22783","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Borders Council in respect of the council’s plan to remove an £85,000 minibus subsidy and whether this will impact on school","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Borders Council in respect of the council’s plan to remove an £85,000 minibus subsidy and whether this will impact on school pupils’ extra-curricular sporting and learning activities.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is committed to encouraging more out of school hours opportunities for all pupils across a wide range of activities. We have had no discussions with Scottish Borders Council on the role of minibuses in school activities as it is for each local authority to decide on the detailed allocation of the resources they have at their disposal. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195443,"EventID":"S2W-22784","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected economic growth figures for the Scottish Borders over the next 10 years compare with the Scottish average.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected economic growth figures for the Scottish Borders over the next 10 years compare with the Scottish average.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not produce forecasts of economic growth. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195444,"EventID":"S2W-22785","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected economic growth figures for East Lothian over the next 10 years compare with the Scottish average.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected economic growth figures for East Lothian over the next 10 years compare with the Scottish average.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not produce forecasts of economic growth. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195445,"EventID":"S2W-22786","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-30T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for licences to disturb badger setts have been received since 2000; what the average time taken to process such applications was, and how long it to","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for licences to disturb badger setts have been received since 2000; what the average time taken to process such applications was, and how long it took to process the application to disturb a badger sett on the route of the Dalkeith northern bypass.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have separate responsibilities and powers under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 for licensing the disturbance to badgers or their setts, determined by the nature of the works to be undertaken. Both organisations record the number of licences issued but not the number of applications received. Since 2000, the Scottish Executive and SNH have issued 175 and 76 such licences respectively. The time for consideration of individual licence applications varies depending on a range of factors including the circumstances and complexity of each case and no records of individual processing times are generally recorded. The licence to disturb a badger sett on the route of the Dalkeith northern bypass was issued by SNH, and I understand was issued within 24 hours from receipt of the application. As this is an operational matter for SNH, further information can be obtained from its Chief Executive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195446,"EventID":"S2W-22787","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2W-12593 by George Reid on 19 January 2005, what information it has on how many Sewel motions have been passed by t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2W-12593 by George Reid on 19 January 2005, what information it has on how many Sewel motions have been passed by the Parliament in each parliamentary year since 1999.","AnswerText":"Figures are given in the following table: Numbers of Sewel/Legislative Consent Motions Passed | Session 1 | | 12 May 1999 – 11 May 2000 | 7 | | 12 May 2000 – 11 May 2001 | 16 | | 12 May 2001 – 11 May 2002 | 7 | | 12 May 2002 – 31 March 2003 | 9 | | Total Session 1 | 39 | | Session 2 | | 7 May 2003 -6 May 2004 | 13 | | 7 May 2004– 6 May 2005 | 9 | | 7 May 2005 – to date | 6 | | Total Session 2 | 28 | | Total to date | 67 | Further information can be found in these SPICe Factsheets, which are available on the Parliament’s website: Sewel Motions: Session 1: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/factsheets/documents/SewelMotionsSession1.pdf. Sewel Motions/LCM: Session 2: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/factsheets/documents/SewelMotionsandLegislativeConsentMotionsSession2.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Reid","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195447,"EventID":"S2W-22788","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in publishing volumes 3 to 5 of its report on energy generation commissioned from AEA Technology and when these volumes will be publish","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in publishing volumes 3 to 5 of its report on energy generation commissioned from AEA Technology and when these volumes will be published.","AnswerText":"Forward energy demand projections contained in the remainder of the study require updated economic data, which has only recently become available to our consultants. Volumes 3 to 5 should be published later this year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195448,"EventID":"S2W-22789","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether all complaint reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner are subjected to legal scrutiny before publication and, if so, by wh","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether all complaint reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner are subjected to legal scrutiny before publication and, if so, by whom.","AnswerText":"This is not a matter for the SPCB. The Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner operates independently of the SPCB in the exercise of his statutory functions. The member may wish to contact the Commissioner directly on this matter by writing to The Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195449,"EventID":"S2W-22790","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many draft reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner have been made available to complainers, expressed also as a percentage of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many draft reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner have been made available to complainers, expressed also as a percentage of all complaint reports drafted.","AnswerText":"The member may wish to contact the Commissioner directly on this matter by writing to The Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP or the member may also wish to contact the Standards and Appointments Committee who may hold such information. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195450,"EventID":"S2W-22791","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information it has on how many draft reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner have been leaked to the media, expressed also as","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information it has on how many draft reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner have been leaked to the media, expressed also as a percentage of all reports drafted.","AnswerText":"The member may wish to contact the Commissioner directly on this matter by writing to The Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP or by contacting the Standards and Public Appointments Committee. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195451,"EventID":"S2W-22792","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the lack of an appeal process in respect of procedures for reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner breaches the European C","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the lack of an appeal process in respect of procedures for reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner breaches the European Convention on Human Rights or Scots Law. ","AnswerText":"The remit of the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner as set out in the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Act 2002 (the 2002 Act) is to determine the admissibility of complaints against members, to investigate complaints and to report on the outcome of these investigations to the Parliament. The Commissioner’s role under the 2002 Act is confined to initial investigation. It is for the Standards and Public Appointments Committee in terms of the Standing Orders of the Parliament and the Code of Conduct for Members to determine whether a complaint should be upheld and to recommend sanctions. The Parliament ultimately decides whether those sanctions should be imposed. While every effort is made to check factual matters in determining whether a complaint is admissible, no rights are conferred on a complainer to have a particular complaint investigated. Questions about the lack of appeal procedures are only therefore relevant in connection with members. However, the lack of an appeal in respect of the Commissioner’s report cannot be said of itself to be determinative of a Member’s civil rights and obligations. Article 6 ECHR rights are not directly engaged with regard to these procedures. The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is satisfied therefore that the lack of an appeal procedure for reports by the Commissioner does not breach the European convention on Human Rights or Scots Law. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195452,"EventID":"S2W-22793","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the lack of any mechanism to correct factual errors in draft reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner breaches the European","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the lack of any mechanism to correct factual errors in draft reports by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner breaches the European Convention on Human Rights or Scots Law. ","AnswerText":"The member is referred to the answer to question S2W-22792. In terms of section 9(3) of the 2002 act where the Commissioner concludes that a member has breached a provision, before sending the report to the Standards and Public Appointments Committee, a member must be given a copy of the Commissioner’s draft and may make representations which, if the are not given effect to in the report, will be annexed to it. The Standards and Public Appointments Committee cannot alter or amend a Commissioner’s report after it is received but in terms of the Code of Conduct (paragraph10.2.31) it will ask the member who is subject to the complaint to confirm in writing whether he/she agrees with the Commissioner’s findings in fact or conclusion. It will also ask if the member wishes to make representations to the committee. The committee considers the report provided and any representation from the member before deciding if it agrees with the Commissioner’s findings in fact and conclusion. It can also carry out its own investigation or refer matters back to the Commissioner for further investigation. Further, Section 10 of the 2002 act specifically provides that the Parliament is not bound by the facts found or the conclusions reached by the Commissioner. There are ample opportunities for factual errors to be brought to the attention of the Committee before it concludes its deliberations. To that extent, the ability to comment on factual errors in an initial draft adds little to the overall process. For the reasons set out in relation to the earlier linked question number S2W-22792, we are satisfied that there is no breach of the European Convention on Human Rights or Scots Law. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195453,"EventID":"S2W-22794","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22332 by Cathy Jamieson on 30 January 2006, (a) whether it will confirm that all eight police forces maintain the three types of li","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22332 by Cathy Jamieson on 30 January 2006, (a) whether it will confirm that all eight police forces maintain the three types of list referred to in paragraph 1.4 of Registering the Risk: Review of Notification Requirements, Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Sex Offenders and (b) why access to information on the number of people on each list is restricted to law enforcement agencies.","AnswerText":"I can confirm that all eight police forces gather and maintain intelligence on registered sex offenders, non-registered sex offenders, violent offenders, dangerous offenders, and potentially dangerous persons. These are the agreed common definition of terms, defined with reference to the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register, in the National Concordat on sharing information on sex offenders, found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/77843/0018811.pdf. The police use the intelligence information they gather in preventing and investigating crime and for the purposes of risk assessment. As such this intelligence information is generally restricted to law enforcement agencies. The Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) now publish numbers of registered sex offenders for each force on SCRO’s Publication Scheme, found at http://www.scro.police.uk/foi/?id=28. Release of information on the other categories of offender and dangerous persons held by the police would be a matter for individual forces to consider. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195454,"EventID":"S2W-22795","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what treatment it provides in the community to help people who (a) show inappropriate sexual behaviour which may develop into offending and (b) have committed sexual offe","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what treatment it provides in the community to help people who (a) show inappropriate sexual behaviour which may develop into offending and (b) have committed sexual offences and how widespread the provision is.","AnswerText":"Whilst the support provided forpeople showing inappropriate behaviour which may develop into offending is limitedat present, we are committed to addressing their needs as part of the National Strategyfor Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. We have identified additional resourcesin 2006-07 and 2007-08 to help improve services, some of which will be spent onprogrammes targeted at changing the behaviour of perpetrators and potential perpetratorsand also on other strands and behaviours that can be linked to abuse. The NationalReference Group set up to help implement the strategy is currently working on thecriteria for demonstration projects which will go beyond education to include developmentsthat give perpetrators as well as survivors better access to more sensitive andresponsive support services.For those convicted of sexualoffences, there is a range of community based programmes on offer across Scotland. Forexample, the Community Sex Offender Groupwork Programme (CSOGP) is a cognitive-behaviouralgroupwork programme designed to reduce re-offending by adult male sex offenders.It is the first programme accredited by the Scottish Community Justice AccreditationPanel and is currently being delivered in 10 local authority areas. It is anticipatedit will be adopted by other local authorities over the coming months. In the currentfinancial year the Executive has provided funding in excess of £1.6 million to localauthorities for the delivery of these type of programmes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195455,"EventID":"S2W-22796","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reach a decision on the criteria which will apply when determining whether a person should be banned from working with children and, if so, whether it wil","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reach a decision on the criteria which will apply when determining whether a person should be banned from working with children and, if so, whether it will publish such criteria.","AnswerText":"The List of Those Disqualified from Working With Children was established by the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003. In accordance with the provisions of that act an individual can be placed on the list either when the courts have deemed this should be the case at the time of a conviction or when an organisation has referred them for consideration. The tests applied to referrals by organisations are that the person was working in a child care position, the referral is not frivolous or vexatious, the person harmed a child or put them at risk of harm and has been dismissed, moved away from working with children or left before that action could be taken. If these criteria are met, a Determination Panel considers the information provided by both the referring organisation and the individual as to whether they are unsuitable to work with children. The full determination process is set out in the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 Determination Regulations 2004 (SI 2004 No. 523). As part of the work to be done in taking forward our proposals for a new vetting and barring scheme outlined in the consultation paper Protecting Vulnerable Groups: Scottish Vetting and Barring Scheme published on 8 February 2006, we will be considering the criteria for barring under the new scheme and will make clear the process and criteria upon which decisions will be made. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195456,"EventID":"S2W-22797","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what particular measures it is taking, or ensuring are taken, to increase vigilance and raise awareness in organisations and among the general public that child protectio","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what particular measures it is taking, or ensuring are taken, to increase vigilance and raise awareness in organisations and among the general public that child protection is the responsibility of everybody.\r\n\r\n","AnswerText":"Through the child protection reform programme, we have undertaken a pilot awareness raising media campaign in the north east of Scotland and are considering the evaluation from this. We have also issued almost 240,000 leaflets, “Protecting Children and Young People: What you can do to help if you are worried about a child or young person” for distribution across Scotland through Child Protection Committees (CPCs). In strengthening the role of Child Protection Committees through guidance issued in February 2005, we have made clear that a key function is the provision and dissemination of public information about protecting children and young people through developing, implementing and regularly reviewing a communications strategy. Protecting Children and Young People: Framework for Standards also requires agencies to work in partnership with members of the community to protect children. Before commencing the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003, we issued some 6,500 leaflets to approximately 360 organisations across the country reminding them of the need to safeguard children and the duty they have under the act if someone harms, or risks harm, to a child and is dismissed, moved away from working with children or leave before this can happen. This was supplemented for the voluntary sector by the production of additional guidance, a training pack and the running of a series of workshops. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195457,"EventID":"S2W-22798","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what average price per house has been paid by housing associations for local authority properties in each year since the inception of the Scottish Borders Housing Associa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what average price per house has been paid by housing associations for local authority properties in each year since the inception of the Scottish Borders Housing Association.","AnswerText":"There have been only two whole stock transfers in Scotland since the transfer of Scottish Borders Council’s stock to Scottish Borders Housing Association. The price paid for Dumfries and Galloway Council’s housing stock was an average of £2,767 per unit and the price paid for Glasgow City Council’s housing, before grant, was £310 per unit. A small number of partial transfers have taken place at nil price mainly because of the high element of demolition and new build involved in these estate based regeneration projects. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195458,"EventID":"S2W-22799","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the average price of £3,061 per house paid by Scottish Borders Housing Association to Scottish Borders Council as part of the stock transfer pro","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the average price of £3,061 per house paid by Scottish Borders Housing Association to Scottish Borders Council as part of the stock transfer programme in 2003 represented value for money.","AnswerText":"The valuation prepared by the independent valuer sought to achieve a price which delivered fair value to the public purse and which would enable the purchaser to prepare a fundable business plan. On this basis, the Executive was satisfied that the purchase price of £23.3 million represented value for money. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195459,"EventID":"S2W-22800","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what contractual conditions are in place with regard to writing off the housing debt of housing associations.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what contractual conditions are in place with regard to writing off the housing debt of housing associations.","AnswerText":"There are no contractual arrangements in place with regard to writing off the housing debt of housing associations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195460,"EventID":"S2W-22801","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor Scottish Borders Housing Association’s performance in meeting its proposed £70 million programme of investment in its 6,728 properties over the next 1","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor Scottish Borders Housing Association’s performance in meeting its proposed £70 million programme of investment in its 6,728 properties over the next 10 years.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA)’s performance in investing in its stock is being monitored on ministers’ behalf by Communities Scotland within a regulatory framework that puts tenants’ interests at its heart. This includes: frequent liaison meetings; inspection; monitoring of SBHA’s business plan, and assessment of its capacity to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. SBHA is due to be inspected by the regulation and inspection division of Communities Scotland this year with the on-site period scheduled for mid-summer. Its performance against business plan assumptions, the physical quality of housing and areas, progress in delivering planned maintenance and area renewal and arrangements for meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard will be examined as part of this inspection. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195461,"EventID":"S2W-22802","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the decision by the Planning Inspectorate to order the removal of polytunnels and temporary worker accommodation at Tuesley Farm in Surrey and whet","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the decision by the Planning Inspectorate to order the removal of polytunnels and temporary worker accommodation at Tuesley Farm in Surrey and whether the Executive has any plans to introduce a requirement for planning permission to erect polytunnels on agricultural land with permitted development rights.","AnswerText":"I am aware of the decision in question. The Executive is currently reviewing the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, including permitted development rights in relation to agriculture and has commissioned research on this from Heriot Watt University. The research is due to report towards the end of the year. We will consult on any proposed changes arising from the report in due course. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195462,"EventID":"S2W-22803","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20459 by Rhona Brankin on 17 November 2005, whether it will provide an update on the consultation concerning the proposed 300% rise","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20459 by Rhona Brankin on 17 November 2005, whether it will provide an update on the consultation concerning the proposed 300% rise in the cost of sheep dip disposal registration and what representations it has made to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in respect of this matter.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s consultation on the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Fees and Charges (Scotland) Scheme 2006 closed at the end of December 2005. The Executive is currently considering all responses to the consultation, including those concerning the disposal of spent sheep dip and a decision on the final charging scheme will be made shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195463,"EventID":"S2W-22804","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of providing a long-term solution to any ongoing competitive disadvantage associated with high fuel p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of providing a long-term solution to any ongoing competitive disadvantage associated with high fuel prices in rural areas.","AnswerText":"The cost of fuel is a matter reserved to the UK Government. However, Scottish ministers have regular dialogue with Treasury Ministers and will continue to ensure that the Scottish interest on this issue is fully understood by the UK Government. Ministers last met in January. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195464,"EventID":"S2W-22805","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12394 by Ms Patricia Ferguson on 9 December 2004, what stage the evaluation of the Youth Music Initiative has reached.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12394 by Ms Patricia Ferguson on 9 December 2004, what stage the evaluation of the Youth Music Initiative has reached.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Arts Council has recently commissioned an independent evaluation of the Youth Music Initiative from 2003 to 2006. The evaluation is being carried out by the Centre for Public Policy, Northumbria University. This is expected to be completed by the end of December 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195465,"EventID":"S2W-22806","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been reached to roll out the Youth Music Initiative to all school students throughout their school years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been reached to roll out the Youth Music Initiative to all school students throughout their school years.","AnswerText":"The Youth Music Initiative (YMI) “P6 target” stated that, by 2006, all schoolchildren should have had access to a year’s free music tuition by the time they reached P6. In addition, during the initial target period, funds have been made available to develop projects for age-groups other than those within the immediate P6 target group. YMI funding has been divided into three strands: “formula”, “strategic development”, and “informal sector”. The last two strands have been used to benefit projects aimed specifically at the early years (0 to five years) and teenagers (14 to 18 years). In 2005-06, £1.9 million of YMI funding has been applied in this way. Details of the funding strands and a full list of these projects are available from the Scottish Arts Council. The Scottish Executive is continuing to provide £10 million per annum to help ensure that the “P6 target’’ is sustained by local authorities and that YMI funding is made available to develop youth music provision for the wider age-group. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195466,"EventID":"S2W-22807","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3004,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the (a) jobs and (b) employment sectors which the 3,000 former employees of Motorola entered following the closure of the electronics manufactu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the (a) jobs and (b) employment sectors which the 3,000 former employees of Motorola entered following the closure of the electronics manufacturing plant in Bathgate.","AnswerText":"The latest information that the Scottish Executive has on the employment outcomes for those made redundant by theMotorola closure at Bathgate was produced by the Motorola Task Force (MTF) and wasvalid as of 31 October 2002. Details for the 2,584 redundant employees that the MTFwas in contact with at that date are provided in the following table. | Employed – full-time, permanent | 1,143 | | Employed – full-time, temporary | 348 | | Employed – part-time, permanent | 76 | | Employed – part-time, temporary | 58 | | Employed – unspecified | 481 | | Self-employed | 55 | | Subtotal -employed | 2,161 | | Education | 145 | | Sick | 71 | | Taking a break | 69 | | Retired | 18 | | Seeking work | 120 | | Total known status | 2,584 | A breakdown of employment bysector for the 1,972 former employees who provided this information to the MTF isgiven below. | Automotive | 24 | | Bank and financial | 250 | | Business support services | 81 | | Charities | 3 | | Construction | 46 | | Drinks | 36 | | Education | 11 | | Engineering metal | 110 | | Food manufacturing and processing | 130 | | Health care | 76 | | Hotel and leisure | 26 | | Household goods | 13 | | Inland revenue/customs | 4 | | Local/central government | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195468,"EventID":"S2W-22809","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government in respect of pension provisions for people who are carers of elderly or disabled family members.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government in respect of pension provisions for people who are carers of elderly or disabled family members.","AnswerText":"The recent report The future of unpaid care in Scotland arose out of a wide ranging study commissioned by the Scottish Executive to help us plan for the support needs of unpaid carers over the next 10 years. The study looked at a wide range of issues, including the financial implications of caring and financial support for carers. This led to a specific recommendation that the UK Government review benefit entitlements, tax credit and pensions for carers. On 30 September 2005, I wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, as well as other relevant UK Ministers, to draw their attention to the report and that recommendation. We do not otherwise monitor incomes or savings of family carers. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195469,"EventID":"S2W-22810","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the standard of living of people who are carers of elderly or disabled family members.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the standard of living of people who are carers of elderly or disabled family members.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22809 on 21 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195470,"EventID":"S2W-22811","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned on the impact on personal savings of providing care for elderly or disabled family members.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned on the impact on personal savings of providing care for elderly or disabled family members.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22809 on 21 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195471,"EventID":"S2W-22812","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish planning advice in respect of micro-renewable energy technologies.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish planning advice in respect of micro-renewable energy technologies.","AnswerText":"An Annex to Planning Advice Note 45: Renewable Energy Technologies covering micro-renewables will be published in the spring. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195472,"EventID":"S2W-22813","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 January 2006, whether it (a) intends to collect this information and (b) ha","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 January 2006, whether it (a) intends to collect this information and (b) has asked the Home Office for any of this information and, if so, what specific information it has requested and when it will be able to make any information on the skill levels, employment sectors and qualification status of migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative publically available.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 on 23 January 2006. This information is not available. Due to the variety of ways in which individuals move to Scotland, this information would be very difficult to collect, and we have no current plans to do so. We are, however, issuing a questionnaire to all successful applicants to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme, asking such questions, and we intend to publish the information collected from these questionnaires on a regular basis. I expect to be able to publish the first of these reports in the coming months. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195473,"EventID":"S2W-22814","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 January 2006, what information it currently holds on the skill levels, empl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 January 2006, what information it currently holds on the skill levels, employment sectors and qualifications of migrants to Scotland under the Fresh Talent initiative.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 on 23 January 2006. This information is not available. Due to the variety of ways in which individuals move to Scotland, this information would be very difficult to collect, and we have no current plans to do so. We are, however, issuing a questionnaire to all successful applicants to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme, asking such questions, and we intend to publish the information collected from these questionnaires on a regular basis. I expect to be able to publish the first of these reports in the coming months. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195474,"EventID":"S2W-22815","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 January 2006, when it expects to be able to provide the information request","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 January 2006, when it expects to be able to provide the information requested on migrants to Scotland under the Fresh Talent initiative.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-22294, S2W-22295 and S2W-22296 on 23 January 2006. This information is not available. Due to the variety of ways in which individuals move to Scotland, this information would be very difficult to collect, and we have no current plans to do so. We are, however, issuing a questionnaire to all successful applicants to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme, asking such questions, and we intend to publish the information collected from these questionnaires on a regular basis. I expect to be able to publish the first of these reports in the coming months. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195475,"EventID":"S2W-22816","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it maintains the position that the Fresh Talent initiative is not restricted to attracting university or further education graduates as migrants to Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it maintains the position that the Fresh Talent initiative is not restricted to attracting university or further education graduates as migrants to Scotland.","AnswerText":"When we published New Scots: Attracting Fresh Talent to Meet the Challenge of Growth in February 2004, we identified five target groups for the Fresh Talent Initiative. These are international students, those looking for employment, entrepreneurs interested in setting up businesses, Scots living outwith Scotland who may consider returning to Scotland, and businesses who might benefit from the recruitment of workers from outwith Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195476,"EventID":"S2W-22817","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can review the underwriting of a £38 million residual loan debt in respect of former Scottish Borders Council houses in the event that Scottish Borders Housing","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can review the underwriting of a £38 million residual loan debt in respect of former Scottish Borders Council houses in the event that Scottish Borders Housing Association attempts to recover the deficit resulting from its stock transfer agreement in March 2003.","AnswerText":"Treasury has undertaken to provide funding to redeem residual housing debt remaining with a council on the transfer of its housing to community ownership. In the case of Scottish Borders Council, Treasury met this commitment in March 2003 when the council received £80.6 million to redeem its residual debt and associated breakage costs. Any borrowings currently held by Scottish Borders Housing Association are a matter for the association. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195477,"EventID":"S2W-22818","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what trends it has identified from measuring progress against the 24 sustainability indicators introduced in April 2002.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what trends it has identified from measuring progress against the 24 sustainability indicators introduced in April 2002.","AnswerText":"Information on the trends in the current set of sustainable development indicators is published in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland: Progress Report 2005 published in August 2005, ISBN 0-7559-2695-1. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195478,"EventID":"S2W-22819","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to use the revised set of sustainability indicators announced in paragraph 14.16 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to use the revised set of sustainability indicators announced in paragraph 14.16 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy.","AnswerText":"The revised set of sustainable development indicators will be used to measure progress across the different dimensions of sustainable development. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195479,"EventID":"S2W-22820","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether differences between the initial set of sustainability indicators introduced in April 2002 and those announced in December 2005 will affect comparison between the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether differences between the initial set of sustainability indicators introduced in April 2002 and those announced in December 2005 will affect comparison between the two.","AnswerText":"A revised set of sustainable development indicators will be published at the end of March 2006. Any changes in comparability between the two sets will be clearly set out. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195480,"EventID":"S2W-22821","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish data in respect of sustainability indicators on a quarterly basis, as is the case for GDP.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish data in respect of sustainability indicators on a quarterly basis, as is the case for GDP.","AnswerText":"A revised set of sustainable development indicators will be published at the end of March 2006. The frequency of reporting is based on what is appropriate for each individual indicator. For the majority of indicators data are collated on an annual basis. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195481,"EventID":"S2W-22822","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to review the options for additional and improved ways of measuring progress in respect of sustainability announced in paragraph 14.18 of Choosing","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to review the options for additional and improved ways of measuring progress in respect of sustainability announced in paragraph 14.18 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy. ","AnswerText":"The Executive will review the options for additional and improved ways of measuring progress to reflect a broad view of progress - capturing well-being, quality of life and environmental issues. The findings will be reported publicly by the end 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195482,"EventID":"S2W-22823","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the baseline report on NHS Scotland’s sustainable development performance, announced in paragraph 15.13 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the baseline report on NHS Scotland’s sustainable development performance, announced in paragraph 15.13 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy, will include a measure of national well-being.","AnswerText":"There will be no specific measure of national well-being included in the proposed baseline report on NHSScotland’s performance. The proposal is to produce a report similar in scope to the English NHS report Claiming the Health Dividend, produced by the King’s Fund which assessed performance across a range of critical areas. By adopting this approach it is hoped to gain an insight into how NHSScotland’s activities help underpin the sustainable development agenda and contribute to the national well-being. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195483,"EventID":"S2W-22824","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the baseline report on NHS Scotland’s sustainable development performance, announced in paragraph 15.13 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the baseline report on NHS Scotland’s sustainable development performance, announced in paragraph 15.13 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy, will be made available to the public.","AnswerText":"Yes.","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195484,"EventID":"S2W-22825","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase Scottish representation abroad, other than through Foreign and Commonwealth office establishments.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase Scottish representation abroad, other than through Foreign and Commonwealth office establishments.","AnswerText":"Scotland is represented overseas through the Scottish Affairs Offices in Washington DC, Brussels and Beijing. We are also represented by as many as 484 British embassies, high commissions, consulates and honorary consulates overseas. We have no current plans to open any further offices, although we will consider opportunities to do so where this could be of value. Scottish Development International (SDI) is currently completing the worldwide expansion of staff announced in March 2005. This involves the appointment of 32 additional representatives across SDI’s 20 existing bases and in the new locations of New York, Toronto and Bangalore. SDI will continue to explore opportunities to extend overseas representation on an effective and cost-effective basis. A pilot project is currently under development to establish shared SDI representation in Estonia, and full details will be announced as soon as arrangements are confirmed. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195485,"EventID":"S2W-22826","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-01-31T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been approached by Quebec and/or Catalonia with a view to joining their network of shared representative offices overseas and, if so, whether the Executive","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been approached by Quebec and/or Catalonia with a view to joining their network of shared representative offices overseas and, if so, whether the Executive will join that network.","AnswerText":"Scottish Development International (SDI) has discussed the proposal for a trade promotion co-operation initiative with the International Cooperation office of Catalonia. The idea is at an early stage and it is not clear at this point that the industries and regions involved will be a sufficiently good match for Scottish interests to make this the best use of the limited resources available for Scotland’s overseas trade promotion. However, SDI will stay in contact with the organisers to see whether a good case emerges to become an active member of the initiative. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195486,"EventID":"S2W-22827","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22327 by Ross Finnie on 25 January 2006, whether there is any mechanism by which it could introduce legislation to take over owners","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22327 by Ross Finnie on 25 January 2006, whether there is any mechanism by which it could introduce legislation to take over ownership of any of “those areas of inshore waters and seabed vested in the Crown Estate”.","AnswerText":"Whilst it may be possible, in some circumstances, for part of the Crown Estate to be made subject to powers of compulsory acquisition incidental to, and so far as necessary for, a devolved purpose, legislation to appropriate areas of inshore waters and seabed vested in the Crown Estate for the purposes of taking over its management would be outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195487,"EventID":"S2W-22828","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22327 by Ross Finnie on 25 January 2006, whether there is any mechanism by which it could purchase “those areas of inshore waters a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22327 by Ross Finnie on 25 January 2006, whether there is any mechanism by which it could purchase “those areas of inshore waters and seabed vested in the Crown Estate” on behalf of local communities.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22827 on 28 February 2006. The Scottish ministers may only act in a way consonant with the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament in this respect. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195488,"EventID":"S2W-22829","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that weekly PE targets for schoolchildren in Glasgow are met.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that weekly PE targets for schoolchildren in Glasgow are met.","AnswerText":"Local authorities have been informed they will receive, in total, an additional £18 million in 2006 and £44 million in 2007 to support the recruitment of additional teachers, including PE teachers, to meet the uplift in teacher numbers to 53,000 by 2007. Of this, Glasgow City Council is to receive £2.6 million in 2006-07 and £6.5 million in 2007-08. Support will also be given to help existing primary teachers to gain professional recognition for specialisms in PE. In addition Glasgow University, in conjunction with Glasgow City Council, is running a course for existing primary teachers to develop PE specialisms which will help to ensure that weekly physical education targets for schoolchildren in Glasgow are met. 23 teachers with PE specialisms are expected to qualify from this course in July 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195489,"EventID":"S2W-22830","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crown Estate has a separate legal identity in Scotland and, if so, what the extent of Scottish Ministers’ powers is in that respect.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crown Estate has a separate legal identity in Scotland and, if so, what the extent of Scottish Ministers’ powers is in that respect.","AnswerText":"The Crown Estate does not have a separate legal identity in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195490,"EventID":"S2W-22832","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances the Crown Estate is exempt from (a) legislation and (b) regulations passed by the Parliament in respect of the (i) use and (ii) ownership of land in","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances the Crown Estate is exempt from (a) legislation and (b) regulations passed by the Parliament in respect of the (i) use and (ii) ownership of land in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Crown Estate is not generally exempt from legislation or regulations passed by the Scottish Parliament. For example Scottish planning law can be applied to the Estate. However, the management of the Crown Estate remains a reserved matter. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195491,"EventID":"S2W-22833","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) legal and (b) constitutional status is of the (i) Crown Estate and (ii) Crown Estate Commissioners under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) legal and (b) constitutional status is of the (i) Crown Estate and (ii) Crown Estate Commissioners under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998.","AnswerText":"The Scotland Act 1998 did not alter the legal or constitutional status of either the Crown Estate or the Crown Estate Commissioners, which continue to be subject to the provisions of the Crown Estate Act 1961. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195492,"EventID":"S2W-22835","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on police officers were reported in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on police officers were reported in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the total percentage change over the five-year period.","AnswerText":"I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195493,"EventID":"S2W-22836","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on paramedics were reported in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the to","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on paramedics were reported in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the total percentage change over the five-year period.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not collected centrally in the form requested. The data available on violence and aggression related incidents can be seen on the Scottish Health Statistics website under workforce statistics, www.isdscotland.org/workforce. The Scottish Ambulance Service have, however, provided their own locally collected data from 2004 and 2005, which shows the total incidents reported for all ambulance staff including verbal and physical incidents and threats: Number of Incidents | Health Board | 20041 | Estimated 20042 | 2005 | Variance | Percentage Variance3 | | Argyll and Clyde | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | N/A | | Ayrshire and Arran | 3 | 8 | 7 | -1 | -12.5 | | Borders | 2 | 5 | 2 | -3 | -60 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 2 | 5 | 1 | -4 | -80 | | Fife | 5 | 12 | 8 | -4 | -33.3 | | Forth Valley | 2 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 20 | | Grampian | 17 | 41 | 30 | -11 | -36.9 | | Greater Glasgow | 26 | 63 | 74 | 11 | 17.5 | | Highland | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 233.3 | | Lanarkshire | 6 | 15 | 30 | 15 | 100 | | Lothian | 19 | 46 | 42 | -4 | -8.7 | | Tayside | 4 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 40 | | Total | 87 | 213 | 232 | 19 | 8.9 | Notes: 1. Data for 2004 only from Aug onwards. 2. Estimated full year fi","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195494,"EventID":"S2W-22837","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers reported being assaulted in each of the last five years, broken down by school and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the total percent","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers reported being assaulted in each of the last five years, broken down by school and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the total percentage change over the five-year period.","AnswerText":"School level information has never been collected centrally. Authority level data, which was collected between 1998-99 and 2002-03, was found not to be reliable and this collection was discontinued. Education authorities are responsible for local reporting and recording of incidents. Local authority information for years 2000-01 to 2002-03 was provided in response to question S2W-14364 on 8 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195495,"EventID":"S2W-22838","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding supplied to local authorities for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme is ring-fenced.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding supplied to local authorities for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme is ring-fenced.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: Funding supplied for Care and Repair schemes through the Private Sector Housing Grant Scheme is currently ring fenced. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195496,"EventID":"S2W-22839","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has received from the Executive for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme in each of the last three years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has received from the Executive for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme in each of the last three years.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: In the current year approx £2.335 million Care and Repair funding has been provided to local authorities through Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG). Prior to this year, Care and Repair funding was provided to Local Authorities as part of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). This is summarised in the following table: Communities Scotland’s Care and Repair Contribution | Council | 2003-04 Spend AHIP | 2004-05 Spend AHIP | 2005-06 Allocation PSHG | | Aberdeen City | £77,451.00 | £85,000.00 | £83,000.00 | | Aberdeenshire | £48,879.00 | £80,000.00 | £105,000.00 | | Angus | £81,000.00 | £87,000.00 | £88,000.00 | | Argyll and Bute | £85,446.90 | £105,000.00 | £110,000.00 | | Clackmannanshire | £39,798.00 | £43,000.00 | £57,225.00 | | Dumfries and Galloway | £91,473.00 | £110,000.00 | £125,000.00 | | Dundee City | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | | East Ayrshire | £20,558.00 | £28,000.00 | £43,000.00 | | East Dunbartonshire | £0.00 | £29,000.00 | £48,000.00 | | East Lothian | £75,476.50 | £80,000.00 | £93,000.00 | | East Renfrewshire | £0.00 | £0.00 | £30,000.00 | | Edinburgh, City of | £90,190.38 | £75,000.00 | £128,000.00 | | Eilean Siar | £130,000.00 | £135,000.00 | £147,000.00 | | Falkirk | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | | Fife | £56,214.00 | £74,000.00 | £81,223.00 | | Glasgow City | £53,349.00 | £62,000.00 | £134,250.00 | | Highland | £179,880.00 | £189,000.00 | £226,259.00 | | Inverclyde | £35,914.00 | £58,000.00 | £64,300.00 | | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195497,"EventID":"S2W-22840","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what budget each local authority will receive from the Executive for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme in this and the next financial year.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what budget each local authority will receive from the Executive for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme in this and the next financial year.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: In the current year approx £2.335 million Care and Repair funding has been provided to local authorities through Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG). In 2006-07, £2.335 million will be provided through Private Sector Housing Grant. This is summarised in the following table: Community Scotland’s Care and Repair Contribution | Council | 2005-06 Funding PSHG | 2006-07 Funding PSHG | | Aberdeen City | £83,000.00 | £83,000.00 | | Aberdeenshire | £105,000.00 | £105,000.00 | | Angus | £88,000.00 | £88,000.00 | | Argyll and Bute | £110,000.00 | £110,000.00 | | Clackmannanshire | £57,225.00 | £57,225.00 | | Dumfries and Galloway | £125,000.00 | £125,000.00 | | Dundee City | £0.00 | £0.00 | | East Ayrshire | £43,000.00 | £43,000.00 | | East Dunbartonshire | £48,000.00 | £48,000.00 | | East Lothian | £93,000.00 | £93,000.00 | | East Renfrewshire | £30,000.00 | £30,000.00 | | Edinburgh, City of | £128,000.00 | £128,000.00 | | Eilean Siar | £147,000.00 | £147,000.00 | | Falkirk | £0.00 | £0.00 | | Fife | £81,223.00 | £81,223.00 | | Glasgow City | £134,250.00 | £134,250.00 | | Highland | £226,259.00 | £226,259.00 | | Inverclyde | £64,300.00 | £64,300.00 | | Midlothian | £0.00 | £0.00 | | Moray | £26,558.00 | £26,558.00 | | North Ayrshire | £95,650.00 | £95,650.00 | | North Lanarkshire | £126,000.00 | £126,000.00 | | Orkney Islands | £51,450.00 | £51,450.00 | | Perth and Kinross | £99,000.00 | £99,000.00 | | Renfrewshire | £38,000.00 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195499,"EventID":"S2W-22842","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the strategic management of investment in affordable housing.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the strategic management of investment in affordable housing.","AnswerText":"We will consult soon on a new strategic framework for the affordable housing investment programme. We have allocated more than £1.2 billion over this and the next two years for affordable housing, and set a target of 21,500 new and improved affordable homes to be approved over that period. It is vital that we target and manage this investment effectively. We need to ensure that decisions about where we invest take account of both national and local perspectives. The new arrangements will strengthen the role of councils and ensure that their Local Housing Strategies are the primary basis for housing investment decisions at the local level. We also need to ensure that budgets are managed in the most efficient way. Having considered carefully the views of local authorities, housing associations and others, I have concluded that this can best be achieved by retaining the current arrangements with no further transfers of budget responsibility. Communities Scotland will therefore keep the direct responsibility for managing the budget for housing association developments in all areas except Glasgow and Edinburgh where the budgets are large enough to justify separate administration by the councils. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195500,"EventID":"S2W-22843","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21863 and S2W-21858 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006, why the answers are identical, given that they were answered respective","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21863 and S2W-21858 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006, why the answers are identical, given that they were answered respectively by the Minister for Justice and by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service on the minister’s behalf.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: The answer to S2W-21858 contained a typographical error in line three where “him” should have read “me”. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195501,"EventID":"S2W-22844","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Scottish Ministers have under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998 over property held in Scotland in right of the Crown.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Scottish Ministers have under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998 over property held in Scotland in right of the Crown.","AnswerText":"The Scottish ministers hold and administer property in right of the Crown in Scotland in their own right and pursuant to the Transfer of Property etc (Scottish Ministers) Order 1999 and the Transfer of Property etc (Lord Advocate) Order 1999. Other property held in right of the Crown in Scotland is held and administered by Ministers of the Crown, government departments or other public bodies. That property is capable of being made subject to legislation which is within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195502,"EventID":"S2W-22845","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many crack cocaine users currently receive community-based treatment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many crack cocaine users currently receive community-based treatment.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) collects information on problem drug users at the point of their coming into contact with drug treatment services. In thefinancial year 2004-05, the number of clients who accessed services (including community based treatment) and reported use of crack cocaine was 348. Of these, 48 people reported that crack cocaine was their main drug of use. Detailed information is published in the ISD Scotland publication Drug Misuse in Scotland 2005 which is available on the National Drug Misuse website. http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/05dmss/05dmss.htm. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195503,"EventID":"S2W-22846","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have successfully completed a drug treatment programme in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have successfully completed a drug treatment programme in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. The expanded Scottish Drug Misuse Database will, in time, provide information on the total number of people receiving treatment, the type of treatment they are receiving and the number of people successfully completing treatment. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195504,"EventID":"S2W-22847","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug users have participated in drug treatment programes in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug users have participated in drug treatment programes in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) collects information on problem drug users at the point of their coming into contact with drug treatment services. The information from the SDMD is provided in the following table. New Individual Patients/Clients Reported1: 2000-01 –to 2004-05 | Number of Individuals | | 2000-01r | 2001-02r | 2002-03r | 2003-04r | 2004-05r | | 10,581 | 11,685 | 11,718 | 13,086 | 14,332 | Source: Scottish Drug Misuse Database. Age group analysis1,2: year ending 31 March 2005 Source: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/05dmss/05dmss-011.htm. Note: 1 All figures in this table exclude penal establishment inmates and information received from needle exchanges. rRevised. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195505,"EventID":"S2W-22848","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many places providing treatment for abusers of drugs were available in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many places providing treatment for abusers of drugs were available in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"Information provided by drug action teams through corporate action plans shows the services providing treatment for drug misusers in each of the years for which figures are available. Services are often offered to people with problems with drugs or alcohol or both and it is not always possible to separate the different treatment pathways. The following figures include services treating only drug misusers and those providing treatment for both drug and alcohol problems. | Year | Non-Residential Services | Residential Services | | 2001-02 | 214 | 22 | | 2002-03 | 211 | 28 | | 2003-04 | 238 | 29 | | 2004-05 | 308 | 33 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195506,"EventID":"S2W-22849","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees are involved in delivering treatment for the abuse of drugs.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees are involved in delivering treatment for the abuse of drugs.","AnswerText":"Scottish Executive employees are not directly involved in treatment delivery. Alcohol and drug action teams (ADATs) are responsible for the planning and delivery of the full range of local substance misuse services in line with both identified need and local and national priorities. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195507,"EventID":"S2W-22850","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have waited for prosthetic (a) fitting and (b) replacement operations in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) length of wait and (ii) NHS board","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have waited for prosthetic (a) fitting and (b) replacement operations in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) length of wait and (ii) NHS board area.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally but some or all may be available from individual NHS boards. The Rehabilitation Technology Information Service (ReTIS) collates and analyses data from NHS rehabilitation services in Scotland, including the prosthetics service. Details on the ReTIS work carried out in the prosthetics service are available on their website at www.retis.scot.nhs.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195508,"EventID":"S2W-22851","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many experienced allied health practitioners have applied for travel scholarships of up to £5,000, broken down by NHS board area. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many experienced allied health practitioners have applied for travel scholarships of up to £5,000, broken down by NHS board area. ","AnswerText":"The number of Allied Health Professionals who have applied for the first round of the travel scholarship scheme is shown in the table: | NHS Board | Applications | | Ayrshire and Arran | 1 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 1 | | Grampian | 3 | | Greater Glasgow | 9 | | Forth Valley | 1 | | Lanarkshire | 2 | | Tayside | 1 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195509,"EventID":"S2W-22852","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21186 by Robert Brown on 27 January 2006, what the wider criteria referred to are for the Children, Young People and Families Unifi","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21186 by Robert Brown on 27 January 2006, what the wider criteria referred to are for the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund. ","AnswerText":"The current criteria are: to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable and deprived children and young people; to protect children – through effective early intervention with children and families and/or support when they need protection; to improve the health, education and care of children and young people who are affected by disability and/or who have special educational needs/additional support needs; to assist in meeting the health needs of children and young people by engaging in health initiatives complementary to those required by statute; to deliver better outcomes for children, young people and families from ethnic minorities; to promote the rights and reflect the views of all children and young people – especially those who are vulnerable or deprived; to enhance the physical, mental and emotional development and well-being of all children and young people by promoting healthier, more positive lifestyles through social inclusion, lifelong learning and active citizenship, and to provide mediation and counselling services for families/couples experiencing stress or in transition. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195510,"EventID":"S2W-22853","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have received Anti-D immunoglobulin that has carried risk of infection with blood-borne viruses.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have received Anti-D immunoglobulin that has carried risk of infection with blood-borne viruses.","AnswerText":"All blood products carry a risk of infection from blood-borne viruses, however small. It is estimated that about 200,000 women in Scotland will have been treated with anti-D immunoglobulin since its introducion in 1968. Anti-D immunoglobulin, which is administered to women who are rhesus D negative, is generally considered safe from blood-borne viruses when prepared by a method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) has always prepared anti-D immunoglobulin in accordance with WHO advice and its product has therefore always been considered safe from transmission of blood-born viruses. The SNBTS have confirmed there have been no cases of blood-borne virus transmission by anti-D, and there has been no evidence of any hepatitis C transmission. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195511,"EventID":"S2W-22854","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive over what period there was a risk of contracting blood-borne viruses from Anti-D immunoglobulin and when it became free from blood-borne viruses.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive over what period there was a risk of contracting blood-borne viruses from Anti-D immunoglobulin and when it became free from blood-borne viruses.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22853 on 23 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195512,"EventID":"S2W-22855","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make renewed contact with all women who are at risk of having contracted blood-borne viruses from Anti-D immunoglobulin.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make renewed contact with all women who are at risk of having contracted blood-borne viruses from Anti-D immunoglobulin.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is not aware of any evidence which suggests that women in Scotland have contracted blood-borne viruses from anti-D immunoglobulin. It is, therefore, not necessary to make contact with women who have received this product. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195513,"EventID":"S2W-22856","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that everyone who received a blood transfusion before 1991, when there was a higher risk of transmitting the hepatitis C virus, will be traced and ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that everyone who received a blood transfusion before 1991, when there was a higher risk of transmitting the hepatitis C virus, will be traced and given an opportunity to receive viral screening and health checks.","AnswerText":"Following the introduction of testing in 1991, considerable work was carried out to trace any links between blood donors infected with hepatitis C and patients who had received infected blood. A lookback exercise was undertaken by UK blood services from 1995 and completed in 1997. The look back exercise was based on tracing the past donations of blood donors found to be infected with hepatitis C. Where this was the case, a thorough search of records was carried out with the aim of identifying recipients of the blood and offering them counselling and testing for the virus. Where currently SNBTS is informed of any patient who is discovered to be infected with hepatitis C - and transfusion may have been the route of infection - a full investigation is carried out. Where returning blood donors from pre-1991 test positive for hepatitis C, or where patients present with hepatitis C infection which may be linked to blood transfusion, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) will investigate thoroughly the background and circumstances to these cases and will initiate lookback procedures so that any patients potentially affected can be offered counselling and testing. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195514,"EventID":"S2W-22857","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has learned any lessons from the fact that NHS Scotland has not implemented the Council of Europe Recommendation No. R (83) 8 on the prevention of possible tra","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has learned any lessons from the fact that NHS Scotland has not implemented the Council of Europe Recommendation No. R (83) 8 on the prevention of possible transmission of AIDS to patients receiving blood or blood products.","AnswerText":"Council of Europe recommendation R (83) 8 makes a number of recommendations in relation to AIDS. The recommendations dealt with the use of coagulation factor products prepared from large plasma pools; informing patients and recipients of the risks of blood products, and providing blood donors with information. Policy in Scotland in relation to blood products fully reflected these principles and recommendations. The risks of large plasma pools were recognised and appropriate warnings were provided on products. Clear warnings were also provided to blood donors by Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) in 1983, specifically in relation to AIDS. An earlier Council of Europe Recommendation No. R (80) 5, concerning blood products for the treatment of haemophiliacs, was discussed with Scottish Haemophilia Directors and Directors of The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service at a meeting organised by the Scottish Health Department in 1981, at which it was agreed that “policy and practice in Scotland were consistent with this document, subject to further consideration of the recommendation on the setting up of a haemophilia register”. It is believed that policy and practice in Scotland were also consistent with the subsequent Recommendation No. R (83) 8 concerning AIDS. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195515,"EventID":"S2W-22858","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what explanation it has for any delays by previous governments in implementing an agreed compensation scheme for people participating in clinical trials of blood products","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what explanation it has for any delays by previous governments in implementing an agreed compensation scheme for people participating in clinical trials of blood products, such as factor VIII.","AnswerText":"The involvement of patients in clinical trials took place around the introduction of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) heat-treated Factor VIII product in 1987. Papers already released include correspondence in relation to eligibility for compensation for patients taking part in clinical trials. Although there were concerns expressed by clinicians about compensation arrangements, these issues were resolved and did not delay the introduction of a heat-treated Factor VIII product which was safe in terms of the transmission of hepatitis C. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195516,"EventID":"S2W-22859","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have read and directly reviewed all the papers and evidence from primary sources in their consideration and judgement on the need for an independent pub","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have read and directly reviewed all the papers and evidence from primary sources in their consideration and judgement on the need for an independent public inquiry into the infection of patients contracting hepatitis C from contaminated blood products.","AnswerText":"Ministers have fully considered all the relevant information and issues. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195517,"EventID":"S2W-22860","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many documents it has not released into the public domain in respect of the need for an independent public inquiry into the infection of patients contracting hepatiti","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many documents it has not released into the public domain in respect of the need for an independent public inquiry into the infection of patients contracting hepatitis C from contaminated blood products; why these documents have been withheld, and whether it will review its decision to withhold these documents.","AnswerText":"This was the subject of a Freedom of Information Review request from the member. A copy of this response has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38917). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195518,"EventID":"S2W-22861","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been admitted into the care of the NHS following the development of complications arising from treatment, procedures or care provided by private he","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been admitted into the care of the NHS following the development of complications arising from treatment, procedures or care provided by private health care providers.","AnswerText":"Information on the numbers of patients admitted to NHS hospitals due to complications in treatment received in the independent sector is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195519,"EventID":"S2W-22862","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the details of contracts with private providers for clinical care such as cataract operations and, specifically, whether the contracts enable the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the details of contracts with private providers for clinical care such as cataract operations and, specifically, whether the contracts enable the Executive to recover any costs associated with the NHS having to provide care to patients who have developed complications arising from treatment under such contracts.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not hold this information as contracts with independent sector providers are held by individual NHS boards. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195520,"EventID":"S2W-22863","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the Executive has to review all contracts with private health care providers, in light of reports of infections following cataract surgery carried out by the A","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the Executive has to review all contracts with private health care providers, in light of reports of infections following cataract surgery carried out by the Advanced Centre for Eye Care under contract to NHS Glasgow in The Herald on 31 January 2006.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no such plans. Explicit guidance has been issued to NHS boards underlining their responsibilities to ensure services provided to NHS patients by the independent health care sector meet the quality standards that apply in the NHS in Scotland. It is for NHS boards to satisfy themselves, in contracting with an independent sector provider, that appropriate governance and monitoring arrangements are in place. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195521,"EventID":"S2W-22864","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its policies in respect of contracting the private sector to provide clinical care.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its policies in respect of contracting the private sector to provide clinical care.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive will not be reconsidering its policies at present in respect of contracting with the independent sector to provide clinical care. Thousands of patients across Scotland have benefited already from our use of the independent sector, and we have been able to use the extra capacity provided to drive down waiting times across Scotland. However, we expect the same high standards for our patients wherever they are treated. It is for NHS boards to satisfy themselves that, in contracting with an independent sector provider, appropriate governance and monitoring arrangements are in place. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195522,"EventID":"S2W-22865","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would welcome having seven legal Scottish cities with legal status instead of the current six cities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would welcome having seven legal Scottish cities with legal status instead of the current six cities.","AnswerText":"Whilst cities provide a focal point, they must also interact with their surrounding areas. Scotland’s economic strength depends not only on the economic success of its cities but also on the wider city-regions. This is reflected in a number of policy statements such as the: National Planning Framework for Scotland1, Framework for Economic Development in Scotland2, the revised Smart Successful Scotland3, and the Infrastructure Investment Plan4. It is also reflected in Scottish Enterprise’s Operating Plan 2005-08. All of these take an explicitly spatial approach to economic development. Links: 1. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/planning/npf04-00.asp. 2. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/feds-00.asp. 3 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/enterprise/sssen.pd.f 4 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/iipifs-00.asp. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195523,"EventID":"S2W-22866","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact a seventh Scottish city with legal status would have on its (a) current Cities Growth Fund, (b) Building a Better Scotland programme and (c) future planning f","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact a seventh Scottish city with legal status would have on its (a) current Cities Growth Fund, (b) Building a Better Scotland programme and (c) future planning for the Building a Better Scotland and City Region programmes.","AnswerText":"The monies assigned to the Cities Growth Fund 2003-08 have been fully allocated to Scotland’s six cities. Decisions on funding allocations after 2007-08 will be taken in due course following the next spending review. Building a Better Scotland is not a city specific programme; rather it is a spending strategy which sets out how the devolved administration in Scotland will allocate resources to meet its objectives of: growing the economy for the benefit of all in Scotland; delivering excellent public services for all; supporting stronger safer communities, and developing a confident, democratic Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195524,"EventID":"S2W-22867","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would give its endorsement to an official bid by Perth and Kinross Council for Perth to gain legal city status.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would give its endorsement to an official bid by Perth and Kinross Council for Perth to gain legal city status.","AnswerText":"City status is a reserved matter for the UK Government. Should there be a further city status competition, the Scottish Executive would be given the opportunity to comment on any applications submitted by local authorities in Scotland. It would be premature to speculate on what future applications might be submitted, or their respective merits, in advance of any such future competition. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195525,"EventID":"S2W-22868","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on providing Gaelic signage on Highland trunk roads under completed contracts; how much is to be spent under contracts not yet completed, and what","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on providing Gaelic signage on Highland trunk roads under completed contracts; how much is to be spent under contracts not yet completed, and what estimates have been made in respect of future contracts.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has made good progress in implementing the policy, announced in January 2003, to provide bilingual signs on the A82 trunk road between Tarbet and Inverness and on those west coast trunk roads that pass through mainland communities where Gaelic is spoken and lead to the Western Isles ferry ports of Kennacraig, Oban, Uig and Ullapool. Almost £1 million has already been invested in providing signs on the A87, A887, A830 and the A835. Work on the A828 at an estimated cost of £230,000 is scheduled to be undertaken within financial year 2006-07. Work on the A85, A82 and the A83 at an estimated cost of £1,600,000 is scheduled to be undertaken from 2007-08 onwards. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195526,"EventID":"S2W-22869","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1968,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":6,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority paid to private sector companies as a result of PFI/PPP school building contracts in each year since 1999-2000.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority paid to private sector companies as a result of PFI/PPP school building contracts in each year since 1999-2000.","AnswerText":"The estimated annual unitary payment paid by local authorities to the PPP consortium in respect of schools PPP projects from 1999-2000 to 2005-06 is given in the following table: Estimated annual unitary charge (£ million) | Council Project | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | Stirling (Balfron) | | | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.2 | | East Renfrewshire | | | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | | City of Glasgow | | | 7.0 | 35.8 | 41.3 | 42.1 | 42.9 | | Falkirk | | 11.7 | 11.8 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.3 | 12.4 | | Fife | | | | | 4.2 | 6.5 | 6.5 | | Highland | | | | 1.8 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | | West Lothian | | | | 4.6 | 6.2 | 6.4 | 6.4 | | Aberdeenshire | | | 0.2 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.2 | | City of Edinburgh | | | | 13.4 | 18.0 | 18.6 | 18.6 | | Midlothian | | | | | 2.0 | 4.4 | 4.4 | | East Lothian | | | | | | Where returning blood donors from pre-1991 test positive for hepatitis C, or where patients present with hepatitis C infection which may be linked to blood transfusion, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) investigates thoroughly the background and circumstances and initiates lookback procedures so that patients potentially affected can be offered counselling and testing. This allows SNBTS to trace archived specimens of blood from the original donations which can be tested and, if it is confirmed that those were the cause of the hepatitis C transmission, the patient’s doctor is informed. Other donations from the implicated donor are then traced, tested and any positive results found lead to a search for the recipient of those positive donations so that those individuals can be informed. Since the introduction of testing for hepatitis C, traceability is closely monitored. During the period 1998-2004, SNBTS investigated 32 potential transfusion-transmitted infections related to hepatitis C and the results indicted that the number of cases arising from blood transfusions before 1991 is very small. SNBTS therefore have effective arrangements in place for tracing donors and recipients where there is a suspected link between hepatitis C and blood transfusions. The NHS is committed to becoming a better learning organisation, to using experiences and views of patients and staff to learn and build a culture of continuous quality improvement. A key element of this is developing a patient-centred approach which involves the sharing of information and decisions about treatment with patients in line with best professional practice. We are also aware that GMC guidance issued in October 1997 addresses the issues raised. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195528,"EventID":"S2W-22871","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which of its core departmental functions are carried out in (a) each region and (b) Edinburgh and what the (i) administration costs, (ii) staff numbers and (iii) total sa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which of its core departmental functions are carried out in (a) each region and (b) Edinburgh and what the (i) administration costs, (ii) staff numbers and (iii) total salary bill associated with each function has been in each of these areas in the last year.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive’s Consolidated Resource Accounts for year ending 31 March 2005 published by the Scottish Executive in 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38261) sets out by core departmental aims the expenditure, income and share of the central administration costs (salaries and administration expenditure). Page 55 of the Accounts also provides an analysis of staff numbers by core departments. Information on salaries and administration costs is not available by region, but I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22874 on 27 February 2006, which provides a list of Scottish Executive departments (and agencies) by local authority as at 1 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195529,"EventID":"S2W-22872","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it paid in non-domestic rates to each local authority in 2004-05 in respect of its core functions, broken down by department and agency.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it paid in non-domestic rates to each local authority in 2004-05 in respect of its core functions, broken down by department and agency.","AnswerText":"In 2004-05 the amount of non-domestic rates paid by the Scottish Executive to each local authority in respect of its core functions, broken down by Department and agency is as set out below. Where no local authority area is mentioned no payments were made to that authority in 2004-05. | Local Authority | Department/Agency | Payment | | Aberdeen City Council | Total Payments | £540,503.19 | | | Scottish Courts Service | £78,271 | | | Scottish Prison Service | £61,375 | | | Justice Department | £37,316 | | | Fisheries Research Service | £311,800 | | | Core Estate | £20,472.19 | | | Communities Scotland | £31,269 | | Aberdeenshire Council | Total Payments | £240,328.42 | | | Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency | £5,918 | | | Scottish Courts Service | £64,989 | | | Scottish Prison Service | £113,912 | | | Historic Scotland | £1,599.42 | | | Core Estate | £54,010 | | Angus Council | Total Payments | £139,930.85 | | | Scottish Courts Service | £46,056 | | | Scottish Prison Service | £49,443.70 | | | Historic Scotland | £413.15 | | | Fisheries Research Service | £44,000 | | Argyll and Bute Council | Total Payments | £84,069,66 | | | Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency | £4,255.64 | | | Scottish Courts Service | £41.142 | | | Historic Scotland | £9,413.40 | | | Core Estate | £29,258.62 | | City of Edinburgh Council | Total Payments | £7,950,086.14 | | | SEERAD | £3,721 | | | Scottish Court Service | £1,834,376 | | | Scottish Prison Service | £663,095.50 | | | Scottish Agricultural Scien","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195530,"EventID":"S2W-22873","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it paid in rent in 2004-05 for properties in (a) total, (b) each region of Scotland, (c) Edinburgh and (d) Glasgow, broken down by department and agency.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it paid in rent in 2004-05 for properties in (a) total, (b) each region of Scotland, (c) Edinburgh and (d) Glasgow, broken down by department and agency.","AnswerText":"In 2004-05, the total paid in rent by the Scottish Executive was £12,148,993.46. This figure includes any VAT levied on rental payment as under Government Accounting rules, any VAT levied on rent is irrecoverable. This figure is broken down by department and agency for each local authority area below. The Scottish Executive also has a number of properties where it makes “licence payments”. These “licence payments” are all encompassing payments inclusive of rent, rates, VAT, utilities, service and facilities charges. No allocation is made by the provider to individual items. In 2004-05, the total licence payments made by the Scottish Executive was £242,490.41. These costs are shown separately on individual tables broken down by local authority area, department and agency. In addition, the Scottish Executive occupies space in buildings controlled by other UK Government Departments for which it pays a facility charge to the controlling department. The facilities charge comprises all property costs except for rates and utilities. No specific allocation to rent is possible therefore this figure is reported separately. In 2004-05 the total facilities charges paid by the Scottish Executive was £723,167.88. These costs are again shown separately on individual tables by local authority area broken down by department and agencies. Where no local authority area is shown no rental is payable in respect of property within this local authority area. Rent by Local Authority Area | Local Authority | Department/Agency | Payment | | Aberdeen City Council | Total Payments | £383,074.26 | | | Scottish Court Service | £45,000 | | | Justice Department | £125,725 | | | Fisheries Research Service | £90,000 | | | Communities Scotland | £122,349.26 | | Aberdeenshire Council | Total Payments | £7,793 | | | Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency | £7,793 | | Angus Council | Total Payments | £12,635 | | | Fisheries Research Service | £7,335 | | | Historic Scotland | £5,300 | | Argyll and Bute Council | Total Payments | £29,100 | | | Historic Scotland | £29,100 | | City of Edinburgh Council | Total Payments | £5,788,849.65 | | | SEERAD | £3,574.35 | | | Scottish Court Service | £419,779 | | | Scottish Prison Service | £958,969.20 | | | Registers of Scotland | £274,645 | | | Justice Department<","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195531,"EventID":"S2W-22874","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-01T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its (a) salary bill was and (b) administration costs were in 2004-05 in (i) each region and (ii) Edinburgh, broken down by department and agency.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its (a) salary bill was and (b) administration costs were in 2004-05 in (i) each region and (ii) Edinburgh, broken down by department and agency.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive’s administration costs (covering salaries and administration expenditure) are detailed in the Administration outturn statement shown on page 30 of the Scottish Executive’s Consolidated Resource Accounts for year ending 31 March 2005 published by the Scottish Executive in 2005. A copy of the Accounts is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38261). A share of the administration costs is allocated and shown in the Note for each core department in the accounts. The Scottish Executive Agencies produce and publish their own annual accounts, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. | Title | Publisher | Year of Publication | Bib. Number | | Scottish Agricultural Science Agency annual report and accounts 2004-05 | Scottish Agricultural Science Agency | 2005 | 37827 | | SFPA annual report and accounts 2004-2005 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 37336 | | Fisheries Research Services report and accounts 2004-2005 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 37506 | | Communities Scotland annual report and accounts 2004-05 | Communities Scotland | 2005 | 37480 | | The Scottish Building Standards Agency: annual report 2004-2005 | Scottish Building Standards Agency | 2005 | 38159 | | The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2005 | Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator | 2005 | 38375 | | HM Inspectorate of Education in Scotland annual accounts 2004-05 | HMIE | 2005 | 38483 | | Annual accounts 2004-2005 | Historic Scotland | 2005 | 37699 | | SAAS annual report and accounts 2004-2005 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 38498 | | Scottish Public Pensions Agency annual report and accounts 2004-2005 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 38266 | | Scottish Prison Service annual report and accounts 2004-05 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 37154 | | Scottish Court Service annual report and accounts 2004-2005 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 38420 | | Accountant in Bankruptcy annual report and accounts 2004-2005 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 38497 | | National Archives of Scotland accounts for the year ended 31 March 2005 | Stationery Office | 2005 | 38422 | | Re","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195532,"EventID":"S2W-22875","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each date on which the First Minister has met the Prime Minister since June 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each date on which the First Minister has met the Prime Minister since June 1999.","AnswerText":"The First Minister and the PrimeMinister have met regularly to discuss awide range of issues. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195533,"EventID":"S2W-22876","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1741,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each date on which the First Minister has met the Secretary of State for Scotland since June 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each date on which the First Minister has met the Secretary of State for Scotland since June 1999.","AnswerText":"The First Minister and the Secretaryof State for Scotland have met regularlyto discuss a wide range of issues.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195534,"EventID":"S2W-22877","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2077,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":25,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many air ambulance flights originating in Orkney have been classified as “emergency” in each year since 1998.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many air ambulance flights originating in Orkney have been classified as “emergency” in each year since 1998.","AnswerText":"Between 1998 and 2003, the Scottish Ambulance Service categorised its air ambulance flights into four sections – emergency, very urgent, urgent and planned. The criteria for these four categories were: Emergency – 999 calls or doctors’ emergencies which require an aircraft to be activated as soon as possible. Very urgent – Time for air ambulance to be with patient up to six hours. Urgent – Time for air ambulance to be with patient up to nine hours. Planned – This category applied when ordering doctors considered it necessary, because of the patient’s medical condition, that he/she was transported to hospital by air ambulance, but where it was not required to get the patient to hospital within the nine hour period. This category applied to most inter-hospital transfers. In January 2004, the categories were reduced to two – emergency and planned. The criteria for these two categories are: Emergency – Immediate threat to life or limb – a time factor can be agreed with the clinician ordering the air ambulance if they feel that is appropriate. Planned – For all cases where there is a time factor agreed with the clinician ordering the air ambulance. The following table shows the number of air ambulance flights from Orkney by case type in each calendar year since 1998. | Year | Emergency | Very Urgent | Urgent | Planned | Total | | 1998 | 76 | 97 | 70 | 46 | 289 | | 1999 | 46 | 73 | 72 | 34 | 225 | | 2000 | 59 | 97 | 92 | 49 | 297 | | 2001 | 62 | 83 | 69 | 38 | 252 | | 2002 | 85 | 99 | 92 | 70 | 346 | | 2003 | 114 | 71 | 71 | 191 | 447 | | 2004 | 101 | - | - | 276 | 377 | | 2005 | 30 | - | - | 310 | 340 | Of the 30 missions categorised as emergencies, 27 had a timescale which had been agreed with the requesting clinician. The ambulance service met the timescale in all but one of those cases – a performance of 96% against a target of 95%. There have been fluctuations in the number of calls classified as “emergency” in the past eight years and over the last year the ambulance service has been trying to ensure that the definitions for ordering air ambulance services - across the whole of Scotland - are foll","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195535,"EventID":"S2W-22878","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in delivering its commitment to undertake research to determine whether there is a need for routine sight-screening for schoolchildren which it ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in delivering its commitment to undertake research to determine whether there is a need for routine sight-screening for schoolchildren which it has indicated will also include an investigation of the optimal intervals for testing, who should undertake the tests and which tests should be used.","AnswerText":"Officials of the Health Department are seeking advice from the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) in relation to vision screening and are currently awaiting its response. The NSC advises UK Ministers on screening policy based on the latest research evidence and the advice of specially convened multi-disciplinary expert groups. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195536,"EventID":"S2W-22879","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2077,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":25,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the terms of any agreement or protocol between the Scottish Ambulance Service and the (a) Ministry of Defence or (b) Maritime and Coastguard Agenc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the terms of any agreement or protocol between the Scottish Ambulance Service and the (a) Ministry of Defence or (b) Maritime and Coastguard Agency in respect of the use of helicopters to supplement the aircraft and helicopter resources of the Scottish Ambulance Service.","AnswerText":"There is a protocol between the Scottish Ambulance Service and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for tasking MoD to carry out air ambulance missions. The MoD decides on the most appropriate response, one of which may be the deployment of the Coastguard. This is an operational matter for the ambulance service and MoD and it would be for those organisations to consider whether or not the protocol is published. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195537,"EventID":"S2W-22880","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2077,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":25,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the available capacity for shipping livestock from Orkney, in light of the decision by the Rural Payments Agency not to provide or support ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the available capacity for shipping livestock from Orkney, in light of the decision by the Rural Payments Agency not to provide or support on-island facilities on Orkney for the procesing of cattle under the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme.","AnswerText":"We have been in discussions with Northlink about the impact of the Rural Payments Agency decision not to award a contract to Orkney Islands Council for the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme. We have been advised by the company, following liaison by them with the industry in Orkney, that they would have no major difficulties with handling the anticipated additional cattle. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195538,"EventID":"S2W-22881","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2077,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":25,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the animal welfare implications of the decision by the Rural Payments Agency not to provide or support on-island facilities on Orkney for t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the animal welfare implications of the decision by the Rural Payments Agency not to provide or support on-island facilities on Orkney for the processing of cattle under the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme.","AnswerText":"The Rural Payments Agencytook account of the relevant legislation governing the welfare of animals inreaching its decision. The transportation of farm animals must meet therequirements of the Welfare of Animals (Transportation) Order 1997. Similarlythe slaughter of farm animals must be carried out in compliance with theWelfare of Animals (Slaughter & Killing) Regulations 1995 as amended.","AnswerDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195539,"EventID":"S2W-22882","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the current freeze on new applications to the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund, when it will review the fund in order to ens","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the current freeze on new applications to the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund, when it will review the fund in order to ensure that it is able to meet growing demand for services provided by the voluntary sector.","AnswerText":"A review of the fund, including its aims and objectives, is at an early stage. We will involve the voluntary sector in this review and will announce the outcome in good time for voluntary organisations to prepare for the 2007-08 funding round. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195540,"EventID":"S2W-22883","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1930,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 7 April 2005, what progress has been made in the relocation of Registers of Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 7 April 2005, what progress has been made in the relocation of Registers of Scotland.","AnswerText":"Registers of Scotland havecompleted Stage 2 of their Location Review which is currently with Relocation Ministersfor their consideration.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195541,"EventID":"S2W-22884","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1930,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in order to meet its commitment to halve the gap between the Scottish and English non-domestic rate poundage from 1 April 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in order to meet its commitment to halve the gap between the Scottish and English non-domestic rate poundage from 1 April 2006.","AnswerText":"From 1 April 2006 we are making an estimated £90 million available to meet our commitment to reduce the existing poundage gap by half. We have committed to close the gap fully in April 2007. The Scottish non‑domestic rate poundage for 2006-07 will be 44.9p. In 2005-06, the Scottish poundage rate was 46.1p and the English poundage rate was 41.5p. This is a difference of 4.6p. In 2006-07 the Scottish poundage rate will be 44.9p and the English poundage rate will be 42.6p. This is a difference of 2.3p, which is half of 4.6p. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195542,"EventID":"S2W-22885","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2108,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":68,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects agreement to be reached in the ongoing negotiations between Scottish Enterprise and trade unions in respect of the pay dispute at Careers Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects agreement to be reached in the ongoing negotiations between Scottish Enterprise and trade unions in respect of the pay dispute at Careers Scotland.","AnswerText":"I understand that a revised formaloffer was made to the trade unions on 15 December 2005. Following a ballot process the offer has been accepted by members of thePublic and Commercial Services (PCS). However, the majority of Unison members formallyrejected the proposal on 23 February 2006. Further discussions with Unison are currently takingplace.Under the delegated pay arrangementsit is for Scottish Enterprise, as the employer, to conduct its own pay negotiationswith staff. I will continue to encourage Scottish Enterprise and the unions to negotiatewith a view to reaching a settlement. ","AnswerDate":"2006-05-04T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195543,"EventID":"S2W-22886","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will complete its review of the current national planning guidance for the siting of onshore wind farms.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will complete its review of the current national planning guidance for the siting of onshore wind farms.","AnswerText":"The intention is to consult on revised draft policies in the spring and to have finalised guidance in place by the end of the year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195544,"EventID":"S2W-22887","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it is conducting its review of the current national planning guidance for the siting of onshore wind farms.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it is conducting its review of the current national planning guidance for the siting of onshore wind farms.","AnswerText":"The Executive is considering, with the Environmental Advisory Forum for Renewable Energy, the appropriateness of a number of options for inclusion in consultative draft revised guidance. Each option is being assessed through the strategic environmental assessment process. Progress on this work can be followed on the Executive’s website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Planning-Building/Planning/15243/9609. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195545,"EventID":"S2W-22888","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whom it is consulting on its review of the current national planning guidance for the siting of onshore wind farms.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whom it is consulting on its review of the current national planning guidance for the siting of onshore wind farms.","AnswerText":"An Environmental Advisory Forum For Renewable Energy has been established to assist with the review. The forum includes representatives from Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environmental Link, VisitScotland, Historic Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Association of Scottish Community Councils, Highland and Island Enterprise, Scottish Renewables Forum, Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy and the Royal Town Planning Institute. Full public consultation will take place on draft revised policies in due course. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195546,"EventID":"S2W-22889","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15019 by Peter Peacock on 18 March 2005 and to information provided in Exclusions from Schools 2004-05, how many appeals against (a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15019 by Peter Peacock on 18 March 2005 and to information provided in Exclusions from Schools 2004-05, how many appeals against (a) temporary exclusions and (b) removals from the register were (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful in each year since 1997.","AnswerText":"The following table shows appeals against exclusion in 2004-05 by exclusion type and the outcome of the appeal. Appeals Against Exclusion from School, 2004-05 | | Temporary Exclusion | Removal from Register | Total | | Unsuccessful appeals | 21 | 5 | 26 | | Appeal decision pending | 3 | - | 3 | | Successful appeals | split not available | 18 | Information on successful appeals cannot be broken down by type of exclusion as once an appeal has succeeded the data relating to the exclusion is removed from the school record. This detail was not available prior to 2004-05. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195547,"EventID":"S2W-22890","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it does not keep central records in respect of Justice of the Peace appointments and, if so, how it records the number of Secretary of State-","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it does not keep central records in respect of Justice of the Peace appointments and, if so, how it records the number of Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does keepcentral records in respect of Justice of the Peace appointments.The information is recorded ona database which is held by the Secretary of Commissions for Scotland in theJustice Department. This database records personal details such as date of birthand address as well as information relating to the type of Justice of the Peaceand when and how they were appointed. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195548,"EventID":"S2W-22891","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace there are, broken down by parliamentary constituency.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace there are, broken down by parliamentary constituency.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does nothold records on how many Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace thereare, broken down by parliamentary constituency. The Executive does hold recordson how many Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace there are by localauthority. These are in the following table:Justices of thePeace in Scotland | Commission Area | Secretary of State Appointed Justices | Appointed by Ministers | | Full 1,399 | | Signing 1,372 | | Full 27 | | Signing 2 | | | F | M | Total | F | M | Total | F | M | Total | F | M | Total | | Aberdeen City | 23 | 21 | 44 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Aberdeenshire | 28 | 74 | 102 | 12 | 57 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Angus | 10 | 13 | 23 | 3 | 25 | 28 | 0 | 0 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195550,"EventID":"S2W-22893","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a gender breakdown of Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a gender breakdown of Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace.","AnswerText":"The gender breakdown as follows: | Full Justices | Men | 897 | Women | 502 | Total | 1,399 | | Signing Justices | Men | 1,011 | Women | 361 | Total | 1,372 | | Total | Men | 1,908 | Women | 863 | Total | 2,771 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195551,"EventID":"S2W-22894","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace are from ethnic minorities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Secretary of State-appointed Justices of the Peace are from ethnic minorities.","AnswerText":"At present, the Scottish Executive does not hold this information. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195552,"EventID":"S2W-22895","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how long each Secretary of State-appointed Justice of the Peace is expected to serve.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how long each Secretary of State-appointed Justice of the Peace is expected to serve.","AnswerText":"At present, full Justices of the Peace are eligible to serve until their 70th birthday, after which they are transferred to the supplemental list and become Signing Justices. Signing Justices can serve for as long as they wish to continue. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195553,"EventID":"S2W-22896","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme during the period since the Commission made it cl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme during the period since the Commission made it clear that the actions proposed by the Executive on the rule were not as a result of decisions of the European Union.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has beenin touch with the Commission through UK authorities to make clear its view, basedon legal advice, that the Rule of 85 is not compatible with the age provisions of the Equal Treatment directive. The Scottish Executive is not aware that the reportedcomments of the Commission have addressed that precise point.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195554,"EventID":"S2W-22897","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the service to users will be of the reductions in 2005-06 and 2006-07 in Supporting People funding to local authorities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the service to users will be of the reductions in 2005-06 and 2006-07 in Supporting People funding to local authorities.","AnswerText":"Local authorities in Scotland are performing service reviews of all services provided under the Supporting People programme and all services reviews are to be completed by March 2007. The Scottish Executive believes that significant efficiencies are achievable in the programme and will expect to see evidence of that for the next spending review, but monitoring arrangements will also allow local authorities to record any adverse impact of budget changes on services and service users. The information in the monitoring returns will be made available to the Supporting People Service Review Impact Group to inform their report to ministers on the impact of the service review process. Monitoring returns will be twice a year and started in October 2005. At present, there is no strong evidence that particular services or client groups are being disproportionately affected and local authorities have already shown they are free to shift funding across from other sources to support services. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195555,"EventID":"S2W-22898","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified social workers have been employed in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified social workers have been employed in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for individual employers. The information requested is not collected centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195556,"EventID":"S2W-22899","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to continue to support the most vulnerable people in our communities following the reduction in Supporting People funding.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to continue to support the most vulnerable people in our communities following the reduction in Supporting People funding.","AnswerText":"Investment of £1.2 billion over three years in Supporting People funding confirms the Scottish Executive’s continuing commitment to help vulnerable people sustain tenancies and maintain independent living. However, evidence from reviews of Supporting People in England and Scotland in 2004 indicated the scope for significant efficiency improvements and the need to redistribute funding more fairly across Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195557,"EventID":"S2W-22900","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be given to local authorities to continue employing social workers whose jobs may be lost as a result of the reduction in Supporting People funding.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be given to local authorities to continue employing social workers whose jobs may be lost as a result of the reduction in Supporting People funding.","AnswerText":"It is up to local authorities to decide what housing support services they provide and how many staff are employed, but they are free to draw in resources from other budgets locally as they judge best. Local authorities have been asked to review all housing support services to improve efficiencies in a fair way across all providers. Supporting People funding in Scotland remains double that in England on a per capita basis. Currently, local authorities are reporting an average national vacancy rate of 9.2% for social workers and this indicates scope for authorities to absorb any job losses that may arise directly or indirectly from any reduction in supporting People funding. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195558,"EventID":"S2W-22901","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out on the cost and staffing implications of the proposal in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill to transfer responsibility for neighbour notif","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out on the cost and staffing implications of the proposal in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill to transfer responsibility for neighbour notification from applicants to planning authorities.","AnswerText":"In July 2004, the Executive convened the Neighbour Notification Working Party to examine the detailed implications of transferring responsibility for neighbour notification to planning authorities. The issues examined by the working party included the cost and staff resource implications of the proposals contained in the White Paper, Modernising the Planning System. The working party is finalising its report which will be published later this spring. In addition, the Executive commissioned the consultants Ove Arup and Partners in April 2005 to assess comprehensively the impact of the white paper proposals for reform of the planning system. That report also examined the cost and staff resource implications of transferring responsibility for neighbour notification to planning authorities. The report Planning Reforms: An Impact Assessment was published in December 2005. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195559,"EventID":"S2W-22902","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether good neighbour agreements will be an integral part of any new planning legislation.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether good neighbour agreements will be an integral part of any new planning legislation.","AnswerText":"Provisions for Good Neighbour Agreements are contained in s23 of the Planning Etc (Scotland) Bill. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195560,"EventID":"S2W-22903","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether good neighbour agreements will be enforceable and, if so, by whom.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether good neighbour agreements will be enforceable and, if so, by whom.","AnswerText":"Good Neighbour Agreements will be enforceable by any of the parties entering into the agreement. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195561,"EventID":"S2W-22904","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a notification procedure for good neighbour agreements.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a notification procedure for good neighbour agreements.","AnswerText":"There are no proposals for a notification procedure for entering into good neighbour agreements. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195562,"EventID":"S2W-22905","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for maintaining any form of community land use negotiated under a good neighbour agreement.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for maintaining any form of community land use negotiated under a good neighbour agreement.","AnswerText":"The agreement should set out the responsibilities of all parties to the agreement. The key land use issues associated with a development will continue to be addressed under the terms of the planning permission, and enforced by the planning authority. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195563,"EventID":"S2W-22906","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the position if the provisions of any good neighbour agreement conflict with the aims of a local authority.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the position if the provisions of any good neighbour agreement conflict with the aims of a local authority.","AnswerText":"The scope of good neighbour agreements will be as set out in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill, however guidance on the preparation of such agreements will be issued before the commencement of the new provisions. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195564,"EventID":"S2W-22907","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the position if there is a dispute or objection to a land use matter arising from a good neighbour agreement.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the position if there is a dispute or objection to a land use matter arising from a good neighbour agreement.","AnswerText":"Scottish ministers would only become involved in individual good neighbour agreements in the event of one party appealing to them following a failure to agree modifications to an agreement locally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195565,"EventID":"S2W-22908","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive to which elected body the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is accountable.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive to which elected body the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is accountable.","AnswerText":"The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is the collective organisation of Chief Constables, Deputy Chief Constables and Assistant Chief Constables serving in Scotland. Formally a staff association, ACPOS is not accountable to any elected body. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195566,"EventID":"S2W-22909","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will have formal input into the gender equality consultation being undertaken by the Equal Opportunities Commission.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will have formal input into the gender equality consultation being undertaken by the Equal Opportunities Commission.","AnswerText":"An official from the Scottish Executive’s Equality Unit will be making a presentation on the Gender Duty to attendees at the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Code of Practice consultation events being held across Scotland in February and March. Officials from across the Executive are represented on the Equal Opportunities Commission (Scotland) Gender Duty Advisory Group and an Executive official also attends the EOC (GB) Gender Duty Advisory Group. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195567,"EventID":"S2W-22910","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recent pilot scheme for sign video relay service (SIGNVRS) technology launched in London whereby a small device attached to a videophone can enab","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recent pilot scheme for sign video relay service (SIGNVRS) technology launched in London whereby a small device attached to a videophone can enable deaf people to make phone calls using British sign language, it will consider launching such a pilot scheme in Glasgow.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is committed to linguistic access for Deaf people in Scotland and has noted the development of the SIGNVRS scheme. We have no plans at present to launch such a pilot scheme in Scotland. However, we are aware of the interest in the use of sign video relay technology and will explore with our BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group how we might learn from this development. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195568,"EventID":"S2W-22911","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in The Herald in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in The Herald in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Executive advertising spend with The Herald is as follows: | Financial Year | Spend | | 2002-03 (1 January to 31 March 2003) | £33,300 | | 2003-04 | £35,700 | | 2004-05 | £66,076 | | 2005-06 (to 31 January 2006) | £24,673 | | Total | £159,749 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195569,"EventID":"S2W-22912","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Evening Times in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Evening Times in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Executive advertising spend with the Evening Times is as follows: | Financial Year | Spend | | 2002-03 (1 January to 31 March 2003) | £37,620 | | 2003-04 | £45,054 | | 2004-05 | £27,855 | | 2005-06 (to 31 January 2006) | £12,791 | | Total | £123,320 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195570,"EventID":"S2W-22913","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Herald in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Herald in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Executive advertising spend with the Sunday Herald is as follows: | Financial Year | Spend | | 20023-03 (1 January to 31 March 2003) | £11,988 | | 2003-04 | £19,558 | | 2004-05 | £13,277 | | 2005-06 (to 31 January 2006) | £9,206 | | Total | £54,029 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195571,"EventID":"S2W-22914","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising through the Newsquest group in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising through the Newsquest group in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Executive advertising spend with the Newsquest Group is as follows: | Financial Year | Spend | | 2003-04 | £107,512 | | 2004-05 | £107,208 | | 2005-06 (to 31 January 2006) | £49,550 | | Total | £264,270 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195572,"EventID":"S2W-22915","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what stage Scottish Enterprise has reached in its proposal to restructure.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what stage Scottish Enterprise has reached in its proposal to restructure.","AnswerText":"Scottish Enterprise have been taking soundings from a wide range of industry representatives and partners as they consider a new structure. There have also been discussions with the Enterprise and Culture Committee. Ministers will consider Scottish Enterprise’s proposals in the near future, once they are ready to be put to us. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195573,"EventID":"S2W-22916","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has given to Scottish Enterprise to continue to implement the Executive’s social inclusion policies.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has given to Scottish Enterprise to continue to implement the Executive’s social inclusion policies.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive’sstrategic direction for the Enterprise Networks, A Smart, Successful Scotland, requires ScottishEnterprise to promote economic growth in a way that supports closing theopportunity gap.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195574,"EventID":"S2W-22917","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Scottish Enterprise has to choose which Executive policies it will implement and what impact any such choices could have on Executive policy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Scottish Enterprise has to choose which Executive policies it will implement and what impact any such choices could have on Executive policy.","AnswerText":"Smart Successful Scotlandsets out the Executive’s strategic direction to the Enterprise Networks. ScottishEnterprise is required to follow this in drawing up its Operating Plan and in amanner so as to achieve progress against the measures set out in MeasuringProgress towards a Smart, Successful Scotland.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195575,"EventID":"S2W-22918","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had in respect of the possibility of Careers Scotland becoming part of Learn Direct Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had in respect of the possibility of Careers Scotland becoming part of Learn Direct Scotland.","AnswerText":"On 30 March, I announced in Parliamentthat Careers Scotland will be moving out of Scottish Enterprise. I intend, overthe coming months, to seek the views of all interested parties, including CareersScotland staff, users of Careers Scotland’s services, the education and trainingcommunity, local authorities, trade unions and others, on how the services deliveredby Careers Scotland can most effectively be delivered.","AnswerDate":"2006-05-04T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195576,"EventID":"S2W-22919","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when MSPs will be consulted by Scottish Enterprise on the impact of proposed changes on the areas that MSPs represent.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when MSPs will be consulted by Scottish Enterprise on the impact of proposed changes on the areas that MSPs represent.","AnswerText":"Scottish Enterprise met the Enterprise and Culture Committee on 17 January 2006 and presented details of their developing proposals. Further to this the committee met again on 24 January, and then wrote to Scottish Enterprise offering comments. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195577,"EventID":"S2W-22920","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1930,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 7 April 2005, what progress has been made in the relocation of Registers of Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 7 April 2005, what progress has been made in the relocation of Registers of Scotland.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answergiven to that question. The Scottish Executive has no function in relation to electoralregistration matters and no role in determining funding for them.","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195578,"EventID":"S2W-22921","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the value was of (a) illegal drugs seized, (b) property recovered through the powers of civil recovery under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) and (c) cash ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the value was of (a) illegal drugs seized, (b) property recovered through the powers of civil recovery under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) and (c) cash seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002), in the area where Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary is the reporting force, in 2003-04 and 2004-05.","AnswerText":"(a) This information is not held centrally. (b) The value of property recovered under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, using civil recovery powers in the Court of Session, in the area where Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary is the reporting force in 2003-04 was £170,000. No property was recovered in the year 2004-05. (c) Using the cash forfeiture powers under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the value of cash seized in the same area was £186,690 in the calendar year 2003, £310,406 in 2004 and £137,085 in 2005. Of the total cash seized during those periods, nearly £335,000 has been forfeited. There are on-going forfeiture proceedings in respect of nearly £300,000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195579,"EventID":"S2W-22922","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the monetary value of the assets confiscated from drug dealers in Scotland under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) was redistributed to communities and ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the monetary value of the assets confiscated from drug dealers in Scotland under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) was redistributed to communities and community projects in 2003-04 and 2004-05.","AnswerText":"None of the Scottish Recovered Assets Fund was reinvested in community projects in 2003-04 and 2004-05. The funding available in 2003-04 and 2004-05 was used for a national campaign in early 2005 to encourage communities to report drug dealers to the police through the Crimestoppers Scotland confidential helpline. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195580,"EventID":"S2W-22923","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding redistributed from the confiscated assets of drug dealers under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) was allocated to projects in Dumfries and Gallowa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding redistributed from the confiscated assets of drug dealers under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) was allocated to projects in Dumfries and Galloway in 2003-04 and 2004-05.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22922 on 23 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195581,"EventID":"S2W-22924","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a shortage of neo-natal nurses and, if so, what plans it has to increase recruitment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a shortage of neo-natal nurses and, if so, what plans it has to increase recruitment.","AnswerText":"We are on track to achieve thePartnership Agreement target of attracting 12,000 nurses and midwives into NHSScotlandby 2007. This target is associated with all qualified nurses and midwives, includingneonatal nurses. Information on neonatal nurses is not collected separately.The Scottish Executive publishedthe National Workforce Planning Framework 2005 in August 2005 which setsout a workforce planning cycle at national, regional and NHS board level. This planningcycle allows for a bottom up evidence based approach to future staffing numbersacross all staff groups, including nurses and midwives. Workforce forecasts containedwithin NHS board workforce plans will help inform national decisions on future trainingnumbers and supply. A Paediatric and Neonatal Nursingsubgroup of the Nursing and Midwifery Workload and Workforce Planning Steering Grouphas been established to consider appropriate workload measurement tools to be pilotedacross NHSScotland. This will assist with overall action for workforce planningpurposes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195582,"EventID":"S2W-22925","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage career development for staff involved in the nursing of babies requiring intensive or special care by improving entry and professional developme","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage career development for staff involved in the nursing of babies requiring intensive or special care by improving entry and professional development training and reviewing current gradings.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is committedto ensuring that professionals in the NHS have the necessary experience, skillsand competencies to provide skilled care. We are determined to ensure a clear careerstructure which places nurses and midwives at the centre of neonatal care. To thisend we are funding 18 nurses and midwives to complete the two year advanced neonatalnurse practitioner course.Health boards, as NHS employers,are required by the mandatory Staff Governance Standard to ensure that all theirstaff, which includes their nursing and midwifery staff, are appropriately trainedfor the environment they work in. The Staff Governance Standard is monitored bythe Scottish Partnership Forum and in that way the performance of each individualhealth board is monitored. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195583,"EventID":"S2W-22926","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all intensive and special care baby units, broken down by NHS board, and what the ratio of nurses to babies is in both types of unit.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all intensive and special care baby units, broken down by NHS board, and what the ratio of nurses to babies is in both types of unit.","AnswerText":"Below is a list of each of theintensive care baby units by NHS board area. Information supplied to ISD Scotlanddoes not differentiate between the different types of care (i.e. Intensive care,special care and high dependency care). | Health Board | Location | | Ayrshire and Arran | Ayrshire Central Hospital | | Borders | Borders General Hospital | | Argyll and Clyde | Royal Alexandra Hospital | | Fife | Forth Park Hospital | | Greater Glasgow | Queen Mother’s Hospital | | | Southern General Hospital | | | The Princess Royal Maternity Unit | | Highland | Raigmore Hospital | | Lanarkshire | Wishaw General Hospital | | Grampian | Aberdeen Maternity Hospital | | Lothian | Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion | | | St John’s Hospital At Howden | | Tayside | Ninewells Hospital | | Forth Valley | Stirling Royal Infirmary | | Dumfries and Galloway | Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary | The information regarding theratio of nurses to babies is not held centrally. This is a matter for individualNHS boards. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195584,"EventID":"S2W-22927","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-02T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies have been cared for in each intensive and special care unit in each of the last two years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies have been cared for in each intensive and special care unit in each of the last two years.","AnswerText":"The data in table 1 shows the number of babies who have been cared for within each intensive and special care unit in 2003 and 2004. Table 1. Babies Cared for Within Intensive and Special Care Units1,2 | Health Board | Location | 2003 3 | 2004 | | Ayrshire and Arran | Ayrshire Central Hospital | 342 | 379 | | Borders | Borders General Hospital | 102 | 98 | | Argyll and Clyde | Inverclyde Royal Hospital | 143 | - | | | Royal Alexandra Hospital | 353 | 543 | | Fife | Forth Park Hospital | 321 | 338 | | Greater Glasgow | Queen Mother’s Hospital | 135 | 83 | | | Southern General Hospital | 248 | 281 | | | The Princess Royal Maternity Unit | 539 | 550 | | Highland | Raigmore Hospital | 302 | 265 | | Lanarkshire | Wishaw General Hospital | 869 | 875 | | Grampian | Aberdeen Maternity Hospital | 792 | 832 | | Lothian | Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion | 603 | 659 | | | St John’s Hospital At Howden | 246 | 264 | | Tayside | Ninewells Hospital | 412 | 466 | | Forth Valley | Stirling Royal Infirmary | 336 | 176 | | Dumfries and Galloway | Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary | 182 | 165 | | All | | 5,925 | 5,974 | Source: SMR11 and SBR for 2003 and SBR episode table for 2004. Notes: 1. Includes special care baby units, high dependancy units and intensive care units. There is known to be variation in admission criteria and recording practice. 2. It is not possible to distinguish between intensive and special care units. 3. There may be some inaccuracy in the results as two data were used. The information for 2005 is not yet available. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195585,"EventID":"S2W-22928","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1873,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":46,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Enterprise will make a public statement regarding its reorganisation and the future role of local enterprise companies, such as Scottish Enterprise Forth Va","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Enterprise will make a public statement regarding its reorganisation and the future role of local enterprise companies, such as Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley.","AnswerText":"Scottish Enterprise have been taking soundings from a wide range of industry representatives and partners as they consider a new structure. There have also been discussions with the Enterprise and Culture Committee. Ministers will consider Scottish Enterprise’s proposals in the near future, once they are ready to be put to us. We will want to be assured that any new structure continues to provide local responsiveness. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195586,"EventID":"S2W-22929","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is of SEPA View, the magazine of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency; whether it considers that the magazine is necessary, and how many statem","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is of SEPA View, the magazine of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency; whether it considers that the magazine is necessary, and how many statements or articles it has carried in any of its 28 issues from MSPs outwith the Scottish Executive parties.","AnswerText":"I believe that SEPA View provides a useful means for SEPA to communicate with its stakeholders, schools, NGOs, other interested parties and the general public about the agency’s activities and wider environmental issues. It is, however, for the agency to decide whether the publication represents value for money. Information on the content and cost of SEPA View are operational matters for SEPA itself. I have asked Dr Campbell Gemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respond to these issues direct. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195587,"EventID":"S2W-22930","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking as a result of a letter, dated 5 December 2005, to it from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in respect of the Electricity Act 1989 and an applicat","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking as a result of a letter, dated 5 December 2005, to it from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in respect of the Electricity Act 1989 and an application for the development of the Muaitheabhal Windfarm in the Western Isles, in which SNH states that the methodology employed in the collusion risk assessment of the impact of the development on golden eagles and white-tailed eagles was flawed; whether the Executive considers that the methodology in other assessments may also have been flawed; whether it has asked SNH for any further information in respect of the methodology, and how much the assessment cost.","AnswerText":"The letter from SNH referred to by Fergus Ewing, was a revision of the advice in its earlier response to this application and arose from the error identified in the original collision risk assessment, which was undertaken as part of the Environmental Assessment prepared on behalf of the applicant. This was, I understand, not an error in the methodology, but in the way in which it was applied. The error has been acknowledged by the applicant. It has no particular bearing on other proposals. The revised advice from SNH will inform the eventual determination of this application by the Scottish ministers. The Executive conducts a statutory consultation exercise for all Electricity Act consent applications, which seeks the views of SNH, as advisers to the Executive on these matters, to help assess the likely impacts of individual developments on wildlife species and their habitats. As this incident demonstrates, this is a robust procedure. The cost of the collision risk assessment, undertaken on behalf of the developer, is not known to the Executive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195588,"EventID":"S2W-22931","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what public transport links there are between Scotland’s airports.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what public transport links there are between Scotland’s airports.","AnswerText":"There are no direct bus or raillinks between any of Scotland’s airports. Indirect links are, however, provided bya combination of bus and rail between Glasgow International, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, GlasgowPrestwick, Inverness and Campbeltown Airports.Although there are no air servicesbetween the four main Scottish airports, there are links from Glasgow International,Edinburgh and Aberdeen Airports to the Highlands and Islands, and between airports in the Highlands andIslands. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195589,"EventID":"S2W-22932","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote direct flights to Germany from Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote direct flights to Germany from Scotland.","AnswerText":"Three direct air links have alreadybeen established through investment from the Route Development Fund between Edinburgh andCologne, Glasgow Prestwick and Niederrhein (Düsseldorf), and Glasgow Prestwickand Lübeck (Hamburg). A direct link between Glasgow International Airport and Berlin Schönefeld will commence in May 2006. Any approach by an airlineto commence direct scheduled services from Scotland to German destinations not alreadyserved will be considered.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195590,"EventID":"S2W-22933","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2126,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions exist to ensure that staff and passengers on public transport will be protected by the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005, particularly o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions exist to ensure that staff and passengers on public transport will be protected by the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005, particularly on modes of transport where the driver has responsibility for the vehicle and is the only member of staff in the enclosed driving space.","AnswerText":"Transport operators will needto display “no-smoking” notices as required under the Smoking, Health and SocialCare (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Premises(Scotland) Regulations 2006. These must state that the vehicle is no-smoking; thatit is an offence to smoke there or knowingly to permit smoking there, and name anindividual to whom a complaint may be made if someone is observed smoking on thebus. This need not necessarily be the driver of the bus.A defence under the legislationis that the person took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence.In order to establish any “due diligence” defence in relation to their statutoryobligations under the 2005 Act, transport operators would require to show that theyhad instituted systems for ensuring compliance and that they had put in place allnecessary systems or procedures reasonably available to them. In relation thereforeto the offence of permitting others to smoke on public transportation, transportoperators could be required to show, for example, that they have procedures in placeto remove passengers who refuse to stop smoking. They also need to satisfy themselvesthat any complaints made to the named person will be followed up and appropriateaction taken. Complaints may also be made to a national compliance line which willoperate when the legislation comes into effect on 26 March. All complaints willbe followed up by the relevant Environmental Health Department, who will decideon the appropriate level of enforcement action to be taken. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195591,"EventID":"S2W-22934","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1944,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-03T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been given to each local authority in the South of Scotland region to support recycling and waste minimisation.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been given to each local authority in the South of Scotland region to support recycling and waste minimisation.","AnswerText":"The following table provides details of how much funding has been awarded to each local authority in the South of Scotland to support recycling, waste prevention and diversion of waste from landfill through the Strategic Waste Fund. | Local Authority | Amount Awarded (£) 2000-07-08 | Future Funding (£) | Total Award (£) | | Dumfries and Galloway | 17,091,900 | 84,204,000 (to 2030) | 101,295,900 | | East Ayrshire | 6,379,771 | 8,884,000 (to 2020) | 15,263,771 | | East Lothian | 5,835,871 | 13,743,000 (to 2020) | 19,578,871 | | Scottish Borders | 12,110,596 | 4,753,226 (to 2009-10) | 16,863,822 | | South Ayrshire | 7,514,407 | 12,488,000 (to 2020) | 20,002,407 | | South Lanarkshire | 17,198,884 | 50,137,000 (to 2020) | 67,335,884 | Amounts awarded from 2008-09 onwards are indicative, and depend on the outcome of future spending reviews. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195592,"EventID":"S2W-22935","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist neonatal nurses there are, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist neonatal nurses there are, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"Information on specialist neonatalnurses is not held centrally. Informationon the number of nurses and midwives in NHSScotland, broken down by NHS board, ispublished on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics,at www.isdscotland.org/workforce.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195593,"EventID":"S2W-22936","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2090,"Party":"","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) perinatal and (b) infant mortality rate has been in each year since 1995.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) perinatal and (b) infant mortality rate has been in each year since 1995.","AnswerText":"The information is availableon the General Register Office of Scotland website at:http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/vital-events/vital-events-reference-tables-2004/index.html. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195594,"EventID":"S2W-22937","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether neonatal units issue the free information packs provided by the charity, BLISS.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether neonatal units issue the free information packs provided by the charity, BLISS.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for individualNHS boards. The information requested is not held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195595,"EventID":"S2W-22938","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many neonatal units have a specialist counsellor in breastfeeding.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many neonatal units have a specialist counsellor in breastfeeding.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for individualNHS boards. The information requested is not held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195596,"EventID":"S2W-22939","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the number of specialist neonatal nurses.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the number of specialist neonatal nurses.","AnswerText":"We are on track to achieve thePartnership Agreement target of attracting 12,000 nurses and midwives into NHSScotlandby 2007. This target is associated with all qualified nurses and midwives, includingneonatal nurses. Information on specialist neonatal nurses is not collected separately.The Scottish Executive publishedthe National Workforce Planning Framework 2005 in August 2005 which setsout a workforce planning cycle at national, regional and NHS board level. This planningcycle allows for a bottom up evidence based approach to future staffing numbersacross all staff groups, including nurses and midwives. Workforce forecasts containedwithin NHS board workforce plans will help inform national decisions on future trainingnumbers and supply. In addition, the Scottish Executivehas funded 18 experienced nurses and midwives from across NHSScotland to completethe Advanced Neonatal Intensive Care course (NNIC) at Napier University. Thiscourse will take two years (part-time) and includes eight modules at Masters Level. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195597,"EventID":"S2W-22940","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Improving Regulation Unit’s annual report for 2004-05.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Improving Regulation Unit’s annual report for 2004-05.","AnswerText":"The Improving RegulationUnit’s report for the period to December 2005 will be published in spring 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195598,"EventID":"S2W-22941","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations the Improving Regulation Unit received from non-governmental bodies or individuals in 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations the Improving Regulation Unit received from non-governmental bodies or individuals in 2005.","AnswerText":"The majority of concerns frombusiness are raised and addressed through the work of the Regulatory Sub Group of the Small Business Consultative Group.The Improving Regulation in ScotlandUnit (IRIS) itself received few direct representations, either via correspondenceor through the IRIS hotline, from non-governmental bodies or the public in 2005. The unit concentrates its effortson improving regulations by encouraging greater use of the Regulatory Impact assessmentprocess by policy makers. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195599,"EventID":"S2W-22942","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive by how much in cash terms the Improving Regulation Unit reduced the assessed regulatory impact of the regulations which it reviewed compared with the assessed cost prior ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive by how much in cash terms the Improving Regulation Unit reduced the assessed regulatory impact of the regulations which it reviewed compared with the assessed cost prior to review by the unit in each year since it was established.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot available.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195600,"EventID":"S2W-22943","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Improving Regulation Unit cost to run in 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Improving Regulation Unit cost to run in 2005.","AnswerText":"The Improving Regulation inScotland Unit currently employs the equivalent of 2.5 full time members ofstaff, with additional support being given where necessary. The running costsof the unit are contained within those of the Enterprise and Industry Divisionand cannot be disaggregated.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195601,"EventID":"S2W-22944","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2947,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the (a) dates and (b) locations of any meetings it has had with the Student Loans Company Ltd since 1999 in respect of (i) interest payable on loa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the (a) dates and (b) locations of any meetings it has had with the Student Loans Company Ltd since 1999 in respect of (i) interest payable on loans and (ii) issues relating to students prevented from taking up employment due to disability, illness or medical conditions and whether it will publish the agendas and minutes of such meetings.","AnswerText":"The Executive has not met withthe Student Loans Company Ltd (SLC) on these specific issues. We contacted SLC inNovember 2005 and also sought legal advice from the Scottish Executive solicitorson these matters. The advice was that the Government Regulations do not permit thefreezing or cancelling of interest in any circumstances. However, the SLC can cancelloans altogether in three situations:-When the borrower reaches the age of 65; -Upon the death of the borrower, and -Where the borrower is disabled and permanentlyunfit to work. All borrowers make repaymentsat a fixed rate (currently set at 9%) on the marginal income above the £15,000 incomerepayment threshold. The interest applied to the loan is fixed at the annual rateof inflation as defined by the Retail Price Index. This ensures that, regardlessof the length of time the student takes to repay their loan, they will repay nomore, in real terms, than they actually borrowed. An official from the Executiveattends the monthly SLC Board meetings and has the opportunity to discuss a widerange of issues. Further details of these meetings can be obtained by contactingthe SLC on www.slc.co.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195602,"EventID":"S2W-22945","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22553 by Nicol Stephen on 3 February 2006, whether it uses any forecasts of employment in the textile sector and, if so, what these","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22553 by Nicol Stephen on 3 February 2006, whether it uses any forecasts of employment in the textile sector and, if so, what these are.","AnswerText":"There is no centrally held informationon how specific employment forecasts have been used within the Executive. However,Futureskills Scotland reports are publicly available and data taken from these reportsmay occasionally be used in reports and analysis within the Executive. These reportsmay also be used for policy formulation and development.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195603,"EventID":"S2W-22946","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21779 and S2W-22555 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 and 30 January 2006, what the outcome was of the meeting between Her Majesty’s Revenue ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21779 and S2W-22555 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 and 30 January 2006, what the outcome was of the meeting between Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, UK Health Departments, the Department for Education and Skills, NHS Employers and the University and Colleges Employers Association on 31 January 2006 in respect of the Court of the University of Glasgow ruling on the form of contract for clinical academic posts and when and where the minutes of that meeting will be published.","AnswerText":"Health Department officials representingthe Executive attended the meeting. The outcome was that a Memorandum of Understandingis to be written to clarify the employment arrangements that exist between NHS bodiesand Universities, with a view to confirming that they constitute joint employmentarrangements that are outwith the scope of VAT.The group is aiming to preparethe Memorandum of Understanding and negotiate with the unions by the end of March. Minutes of such meetings arenot usually published but the following are the action notes that were circulatedto attendees and guidance to NHS bodies will follow agreement of the Memorandumof Understanding. Action Notes of Meeting to DiscussVAT on Clinical Academic Salaries 31 January 2006 Mezzanine Room, Woburn House,Tavistock Square, London Present: Nic Greenfield, DH (Chair) Martin Shaw, Guy’s and St ThomasKatie Petty-Saphon, CHMS Steve Large, BUFDG Eve Jagusiewicz, UUK Sharron Powley, UCEA Diane Gillhooley, Eversheds Chris Cardwell, NHS Employers Amerjit Basi, DfES Phil Sears, HMRC Cathy Smith, HMRC Paul Tuckett, HMRC Vicky Cave, DH Anne Rylatt, DH Anita James, SOL Employment Jane Davidson, Scotland Lee Sheddon, Scotland. Apologies: David Ogilvie, HMRC, Prof JanetFinch, UUK, Sir Jonathan Michael, AUKUH. 5. The meeting opened with introductions.It was agreed that the purpose of the meeting was to seek a practical and legalsolution to the VAT implications of the Glasgow tribunal case. 6. Vicky Cave brieflyoutlined the University of Glasgow Tribunal case and the financial pressures this had created forthe NHS. Paul Tuckett provided further detail on the definitions of supplies ofstaff and services and how these related to the contractual status of clinical academics. 7. Paul Tuckett outlined thekey criteria which had to be met in contracts if they were to be considered jointfor VAT purposes (and therefore outside the scope of VAT). i. Each employer must recognisethe status, rights and responsibilities of the other employer. ii. Each employer must fulfilits obligations and rights as an employer. iii. Employees must acknowledgeand observe their rights and responsibilities to both employers. iv. The number of contracts isirrelevant. v. Substance takes precedenceover legal form. vi. It does not matter if oneemployer acts as sole paymaster, pensions administrator etc. provided broadly appropriatecosts are recharged to the other. 8. It was asserted that mostof these points were clear within the current contractual framework, and that anEmployment Tribunal would have found that there were two employers. 9. Discussion followed on thepaymaster function. The following issues were important: There would be one salary slipand one payroll. It is irrelevant who administersthe pay as long as there is an appropriate recharge for the other employer’s share. The contributions of the individualemployers need not be shown on the salary slip. The recharge could be agreedat organisational level, built up from individual level data. Membership of a single pensionscheme is permissible although the recharge would include appropriate pension contributions. 10. Discussion followed on thepractical difficulties of addressing the paymaster issue within contracts. 11. All agreed that joint jobplanning formed a reasonable basis for agreeing the level of recharge. It wouldbe impractical to monitor beyond this. A global assessment of recharge which was“broadly appropriate” would follow. This approach was acceptable to HMRC. 12. The meeting went on to discussin detail the wording in the substantive and honorary contracts for Senior AcademicGPs as a model for types of contract in place. 13. Difficulties which requiredclarification were identified around: <","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195604,"EventID":"S2W-22947","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what grant assistance Forscot has received from (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and (b) other public bodies in respect of a proposed integrated pulp mill, pape","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what grant assistance Forscot has received from (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and (b) other public bodies in respect of a proposed integrated pulp mill, paper mill, chemical plant, bio-energy scheme, rail heads and sawmill in Invergordon; whether the Executive will consult HIE and Forestry Commission Scotland before any further grant is paid to Forscot and, if not, whether it is satisfied that a proposed consumption by the project of nearly 4 million tonnes of timber per annum can be achieved without any significant displacement of jobs and businesses in the sawmill and timber processing sectors; whether the Executive will seek a detailed report from HIE and Forestry Commission Scotland about the proposed project, and whether it will consult existing businesses in the sawmill and processing sectors in respect of the impact of the project on their businesses.","AnswerText":"Forestry Commission Scotlandhas granted Forscot £10,000 towards studies of the pulping properties of Scotspine and Sitka spruce. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise(SEn) have contributed towards Phase 1 of the project’s feasibility study.Any future grant assistancefrom HIE and other public bodies to Forscot is a matter for the fundingorganisations concerned. It is for HIE to assess any application to them from thecompany for further support in accordance with the requirements of the managementstatement between them and the Scottish Executive. Consideration of the impacton existing businesses would form part of any such assessment. The Executive has no plansto seek a report on the Forscot proposal from Highlands and Islands Enterpriseor The Forestry Commission Scotland, and no plans to consult with existingsawmill and processing businesses regarding the company’s project. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195605,"EventID":"S2W-22948","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, although audiology does not fall formally with the National Waiting Times guidelines, many local audiology services operate to the standards specified in the gui","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, although audiology does not fall formally with the National Waiting Times guidelines, many local audiology services operate to the standards specified in the guidelines.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to thequestion S2W-22949 answered on 6 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195606,"EventID":"S2W-22949","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that audiology should join consultant-led services in falling within the remit of the National Waiting Times Unit to ensure that standards of service","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that audiology should join consultant-led services in falling within the remit of the National Waiting Times Unit to ensure that standards of service delivery remain at a level which minimises any disruption or discomfort to patients and maintains consistency across regions.","AnswerText":"Audiology services do notfall under the current remit of the National Waiting Times Unit as audiology isnot a consultant-led service or defined as a speciality. The AudiologyModernisation Project Board, however, set its own national targets for waitingtimes as a tool to measure NHS boards’ progress towards modernisation of theservice and identify regional variations in service delivery and standards. Itis the aim of the Modernisation Project Board that all NHS boards shouldachieve a high quality service with a maximum waiting time of 26 weeks fromreferral to fitting.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195607,"EventID":"S2W-22950","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2247,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the review of the Rural Challenge Fund.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the review of the Rural Challenge Fund.","AnswerText":"The Executive has no plans at present to extend or replace the Rural Challenge Fund. We are considering the outcome of the review process and the fit of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund in the context of our wider rural policy and range of support mechanisms. An announcement about future arrangements will be made in due course. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195608,"EventID":"S2W-22951","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what monitoring is in place with regard to the operation of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what monitoring is in place with regard to the operation of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman was established under The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002. Paragraph 2(2) of schedule 1 of this act provides that the ombudsman, in the exercise of her functions is not subject to the direction or control of any member of Parliament, any member of the Scottish Executive or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Separate provision does, however, require the ombudsman to lay an annual report before Parliament and the Parliament may give directions as to the form and content of an annual report. Copies of the annual report are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The ombudsman must also keep accounts and prepare annual accounts for each financial year in accordance with such directions as Scottish ministers may give. In terms of the Act, the SPCB has to pay any expenses incurred by the ombudsman in the exercise of her functions. As part of this process, the SPCB invites the ombudsman on an annual basis to prepare a budget submission which is scrutinised by the SPCB and which scrutiny may include discussions between the SPCB and the Ombudsman prior to the bid being reported to the Finance Committee as part of the SPCB’s overall budget submission. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195609,"EventID":"S2W-22952","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the operating cost of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman has been in each year since the office’s inception.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the operating cost of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman has been in each year since the office’s inception.","AnswerText":"The operating costs of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman since the office’s inception on 23 October 2002 are as follows: | | 2002-03 (part year) | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Operating costs | £163,000* | £2,779,228* | £2,169,000 | Note: *These figures include costs associated with the setting up of the new office. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"John Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195610,"EventID":"S2W-22953","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many households would return to fuel poverty as a result of a 25% increase in the price of gas.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many households would return to fuel poverty as a result of a 25% increase in the price of gas.","AnswerText":"The 2002 Scottish House ConditionSurvey (SHCS) is currently the most up-to-date source of information on fuel povertyin Scotland. It does not permit us to establish how many householdswould return to fuel poverty as a result of a 25% increase in the price of gas asthe survey is not longitudinal in design and does not therefore track householdsover an extended period.However, analysis of the 2002SHCS data shows that, had mains gas prices been 25% higher in 2002-03, an additional64,000 households would have been in fuel poverty. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195611,"EventID":"S2W-22954","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste was sent to landfill in the second quarter of 2005-06.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste was sent to landfill in the second quarter of 2005-06.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) quarterly returns on waste data can be found at SEPA’s website at http://www.sepa.org.uk/nws/data/returns.htm. In the quarter from July to September 2005, the SEPA data shows that 405,558 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste were landfilled. This is a decrease when compared with the quarter for April to June 2005, when the SEPA data shows that 422,302 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste were landfilled. It is also a decrease when compared with the equivalent quarter in the previous year: the SEPA data shows that 444,344 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste were landfilled in the quarter from July to September 2004. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195612,"EventID":"S2W-22955","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20812 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 November 2005, when an announcement on its position in respect of maternity pay for student nurses will","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20812 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 November 2005, when an announcement on its position in respect of maternity pay for student nurses will be made.","AnswerText":"Following consideration of the support available for these students, I decided that, with effect from September 2005, the Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary Scheme should be amended to include a concession that will allow nursing and midwifery students to continue to receive support if they have to suspend their studies in certain circumstances. These circumstances can include where they have caring duties, long term illness or illness or other issues arising from pregnancy and childbirth. This approach is consistent with the current arrangements in Scotland for all other undergraduates including allied health professions, medical and dental students. The Higher Education Institutions and the Students Awards Agency for Scotland have been notified of this change to the bursary scheme. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195613,"EventID":"S2W-22956","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentistry students worked with an NHS dentist for their compulsory year’s training in each year between 1997 and 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentistry students worked with an NHS dentist for their compulsory year’s training in each year between 1997 and 2005.","AnswerText":"The number of dentists who undertooktheir vocational training year with an NHS dentist in Scotland in therequested years is provided in the following table.Numberof vocational dental practitioners(VDPs) who worked with an NHS dentist for their compulsory year’s training; 1997to 2005: | Year | No. of VDPs1 | | 1997 | 89 | | 1998 | 94 | | 1999 | 83 | | 2000 | 101 | | 2001 | 94 | | 2002 | 101 | | 2003 | 101 | | 2004 | 114 | | 2005 | 126 | Sources:MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System). NES (NHS Education for Scotland). Note: 1. Some VDPs may trainover a two-year period. For counting purposes, VDPs who train for two years areonly included in the count for the year of intake corresponding to their first yearof training. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195614,"EventID":"S2W-22957","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrests for drug-related offences have been made in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrests for drug-related offences have been made in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.","AnswerText":"No data on arrests is collected by the Scottish Executive, however the following tables show the available information on the number of drug crimes recorded. Number of Drug Crimes Recorded by Police Force Area, 1995-96 to 2004-05 | Police Force | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | | Central | 1,099 | 1,054 | 1,128 | 1,486 | 1,119 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 764 | 758 | 910 | 869 | 615 | | Fife | 1,742 | 1,848 | 1,817 | 2,095 | 1,203 | | Grampian | 2,558 | 2,465 | 2,959 | 2,880 | 2,331 | | Lothian and Borders | 3,447 | 3,358 | 3,828 | 4,046 | 4,854 | | Northern | 1,345 | 1,302 | 1,511 | 1,229 | 1,452 | | Strathclyde | 13,404 | 13,335 | 15,217 | 18,083 | 17,080 | | Tayside | 1,380 | 1,634 | 2,065 | 2,131 | 1,720 | | All Scotland | 25,739 | 25,754 | 29,435 | 32,819 | 30,374 | | Police Force | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Central | 1,481 | 1,863 | 2,027 | 2,100 | 1,951 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 498 | 589 | 779 | 1002 | 935 | | Fife | 1,359 | 1,715 | 1,960 | 1,924 | 2,024 | | Grampian | 2,186 | 2,786 | 3,258 | 2,791 | 3,037 | <","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195615,"EventID":"S2W-22958","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1871,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":31,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people took up employment in its main departments in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 under the New Deal.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people took up employment in its main departments in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 under the New Deal.","AnswerText":"The number of people who tookup employment under a New Deal programme in a Scottish Executive core departmentin each of the years requested is shown in the following table. | Year | No. of People | | 2003 | 34 | | 2004 | 30 | | 2005 | 15 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195616,"EventID":"S2W-22959","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1871,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":31,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people gained permanent employment in its main departments in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 following a period of employment with it under one of the New Deal ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people gained permanent employment in its main departments in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 following a period of employment with it under one of the New Deal programmes.","AnswerText":"The number of people who gainedpermanent employment following a period of employment under a New Deal programmein Scottish Executive core departments in each of the years requested is shown inthe following table. | Year | No. of People | | 2003 | 16 | | 2004 | 3 | | 2005 | 1 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195617,"EventID":"S2W-22960","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the prevalence of malnutrition in people aged (a) under 15, (b) 16 to 35, (c) 36 to 50, (d) 51 to 75 and (e) 76 and over in each year since 199","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the prevalence of malnutrition in people aged (a) under 15, (b) 16 to 35, (c) 36 to 50, (d) 51 to 75 and (e) 76 and over in each year since 1999, broken down by (i) NHS board area and (ii) parliamentary constituency.","AnswerText":"Centrally held information can provide details for patients where malnutrition is identified on their hospital records. These figures may represent an undercount of the true number of cases because malnutrition could be an underlying reason for admission to hospital and, as such, will not always be recorded. The Scottish Parliament Information Centre holds tables (Bib. number 38937) which present the number of patients discharged from acute hospitals in Scotland with a diagnosis of malnutrition broken down by NHS board of residence (table 1) and Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (table 2). Patients with more than one discharge in a year are only counted once. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195618,"EventID":"S2W-22961","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has funded into malnutrition in the general population in each year since 1999 and how much funding was allocated in each case.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has funded into malnutrition in the general population in each year since 1999 and how much funding was allocated in each case.","AnswerText":"The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. Since 1999, the CSO has funded one research project in 2002 on the impact of malnutrition in Scottish school children and adolescents at a cost of £16,748. In this time, the CSO has also funded a number of research projects on nutrition and nutrient deficiencies in groups of people at risk from malnourishment. In particular, the CSO has funded four research projects on nutrition in older people at a total cost of £424,502 including a recently funded trial on whether oral nutritional supplements to malnourished older people after hospital discharge can reduce disability. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195619,"EventID":"S2W-22962","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were classified as undernourished in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area and expressed both in real terms and as a percentage of t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were classified as undernourished in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area and expressed both in real terms and as a percentage of the child population.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available centrally for all years or for all local authority areas. The Scottish Parliament Information Centre holds tables (Bib. number 38938) which show, those local authority areas available: Tables 1a, 1b & 1c: Children identified as undernourished (the 2% of the population with the lowest BMI) for those who have received a 39 to 42 month pre-school review, by local authority area and year of birth. Tables 2a, 2b & 2c: Children identified as undernourished (the 2% of the population with the lowest BMI) for those who have received a primary 1, 7 and secondary 3 review (aged approximately four to five, 11 to 12 and 14 to 15 years respectively), by local authority area and year of birth. It should be noted that there is no set international definition for undernourished children, hence the tables offer an indication only. Although underweight for their age, such children do not necessarily suffer from any health problems. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195620,"EventID":"S2W-22963","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many undernourished patients admitted to hospital continued to lose weight whilst in hospital in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many undernourished patients admitted to hospital continued to lose weight whilst in hospital in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. However, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland published Clinical Standards on Food, Fluid and Nutritional Care in Hospitals in September 2003. These were developed in response to research which showed that patients in hospital could be at risk of malnutrition. The standards cover patient assessment on admission to hospital; the delivery of food and nutrition, and education and training of staff. The standards are published at: www.qualityimprovementscotland.com/nhsqis/files/Food,%20Fluid%20Nutrition.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195621,"EventID":"S2W-22964","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients who were not undernourished when admitted to hospital were undernourished when they left hospital in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients who were not undernourished when admitted to hospital were undernourished when they left hospital in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) age group.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. However, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland published Clinical Standards on Food, Fluid and Nutritional Care in Hospitals in September 2003. These were developed in response to research which showed that patients in hospital could be at risk of malnutrition. The standards cover patient assessment on admission to hospital; the delivery of food and nutrition, and education and training of staff. The standards are published at: www.qualityimprovementscotland.com/nhsqis/files/Food,%20Fluid%20Nutrition.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195622,"EventID":"S2W-22965","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that training in child protection is being adequately delivered and, if not, what plans it has to address the issue.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that training in child protection is being adequately delivered and, if not, what plans it has to address the issue.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22967 on 1 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195623,"EventID":"S2W-22966","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the scope and content of training in child protection is adequate and, if not, what plans it has to address the issue.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the scope and content of training in child protection is adequate and, if not, what plans it has to address the issue.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22967 on 1 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195624,"EventID":"S2W-22967","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested advice or a report from the Social Work Inspection Agency in respect of levels of participation in, and the quality of, child protection training","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested advice or a report from the Social Work Inspection Agency in respect of levels of participation in, and the quality of, child protection training and, if so, what the agency’s findings were.","AnswerText":"No report of the specific naturereferred to has been commissioned from the Social Work Inspection Agency. However,work begun by the Inspectorate in 2003 on a training framework for social work hasbeen taken forward by the Scottish Executive on a multi-agency basis. We have establisheda working group to create a child protection training framework, including a nationalsuite of training materials, to be used across disciplines.The Executive also issued newguidance for child protection committees (CPCs) in January 2005, which makes clearthat CPCs are responsible for promoting, commissioning and assuring the qualityand delivery of inter-agency training. The Joint Inspection Servicesfor Children Unit undertook in 2005 pilot inspections of services for protectingchildren in two authorities, which included their child protection training activity.These have been published and are available at http://www.hmie.gov.uk/services/default.asp.Joint inspections of child protection services in all 32 local authority areas areto be concluded by 2008. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195625,"EventID":"S2W-22968","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to amend the list of fundable bodies referred to in schedule 2 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to amend the list of fundable bodies referred to in schedule 2 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005.","AnswerText":"As a result of collegemergers I hope to be in a position in due course to approve the laying of an Orderbefore the Parliament which will remove the following six fundable bodies from schedule2 to the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005: Glasgow College of Buildingand Printing; Glasgow College of Food Technology; Fife College of Further and HigherEducation; Glenrothes College; Clackmannan College of Further Education, and FalkirkCollege of Further and Higher Education.Oatridge Agricultural College has signalledits wish to have its name changed to Oatridge College to better reflect its range of provision. The Order should providethe necessary vehicle to facilitate this change. Discussions have started betweenthe Scottish Executive, the Scottish Agricultural College and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) over a possibletransfer of funding from the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Departmentto the SFC. If Scottish ministers decide that such a transfer should take placethen an amendment to schedule 2 would be made by a further Order. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195626,"EventID":"S2W-22969","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times special advisers have travelled (a) in the UK and (b) abroad since 1999 and how many of these visits took place without a minister being present, broken do","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times special advisers have travelled (a) in the UK and (b) abroad since 1999 and how many of these visits took place without a minister being present, broken down by place of visit and cost.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to answerto question S2W-18239 on 26 August 2005 and the corrected answer to question S2W-13347 on 13 June 2005. For theperiod between 1 April and 31 December 2005 Scottish Executive special advisers made 80 journeyswithin the UK and 11 journeys abroad in an official capacity. Detailsof these journeys are provided in the following table. Where dates in column 1 of the table are marked with an asterisk, this indicates that a minister was not presenton the visit recorded.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. | Period | Place Visited in UK | Cost | Place Visited Abroad | Cost | | (£) | (£) | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | | 31-03-05-06-04-05 | | | New York and Washington, USA | £3,106.04 | | 06/04/2005 | London | £266.40 | | | | 12/04/2005 | Stornoway/Benbecula | £24.00 | | | | 06/05/2005 | Glasgow | £9.40 | | | | 07-05-05-09-05-05 | London | £334.30 | | | | 08-05-05-09-05-05 | London | £343.50 | | | | *12-05-2005 | London | £266.40 | | | | 16/05/2005 | London | | Brussels | £971.60 | | 22-05-05-28-05-05 | | | Malawi | £3,474.88 | | 22-05-05-27-05-05 | | | Malawi | £3,398.58 | | 23-05-05-24-05-05 | London | £541.20 | | | | 24/05/2005 | Aberdeen | £46.10 | | | | *10-06-2005 | London | £306.10 | | | | 19/06/2005 | London | £75.00 | | | | 19-06-05-20-06-05 | Cardiff | £219.10 | | | | *22-06-2005 | Prestwick | £33.59 | | | | *24-06-2005 | Prestwick | £38.00 | | | | *27-06-05- 29-06-05 | Prestwick/Gleneagles | £123.79 | | <","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195627,"EventID":"S2W-22970","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated since 1999, broken down by (a) place relocated to and (b) cost of relocation.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated since 1999, broken down by (a) place relocated to and (b) cost of relocation.","AnswerText":"The numbers of public sector posts located or relocated under the relocation policy, and the known costs to date are set out in the relocation website, at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Relocation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195628,"EventID":"S2W-22971","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many special constables there have been in each police force since 1999, provided in table form, and how many of these special constables later joined the police on a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many special constables there have been in each police force since 1999, provided in table form, and how many of these special constables later joined the police on a full-time basis.","AnswerText":"The available information is shown in the following table. Number of Special Constables at 31 December | Force | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Central | 60 | 53 | 49 | 69 | 75 | 57 | 129 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 162 | 135 | 109 | 97 | 102 | 105 | 89 | | Fife | 90 | 101 | 96 | 93 | 105 | 117 | 119 | | Grampian | 125 | 120 | 117 | 99 | 104 | 131 | 151 | | Lothian and Borders | 139 | 148 | 126 | 101 | 50 | 86 | 74 | | Northern | 229 | 233 | 213 | 212 | 198 | 246 | 239 | | Strathclyde | 338 | 340 | 315 | 302 | 249 | 261 | 261 | | Tayside | 162 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195630,"EventID":"S2W-22973","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-06T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many kidnappings there have been since 1999, broken down by police force area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many kidnappings there have been since 1999, broken down by police force area.","AnswerText":"There is no crime of “kidnapping”in Scotland. The availableinformation is given in the following table. Number of Crimes ofAbduction and Plagium* Recorded by Police Force Area, 1999-2000 to 2004-05 | Police Force Area | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Central | 22 | 24 | 30 | 15 | 26 | 40 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | Fife | 26 | 21 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 38 | | Grampian | 30 | 26 | 38 | 22 | 25 | 29 | | Lothian and Borders | 59 | 68 | 66 | 59 | 51 | 53 | | Northern | 1 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 9 | | Strathclyde | 185 | 143 | 155 | 167 | 156 | 188 | | Tayside | 33 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 36 | 33 | | All Scotland | 358 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195632,"EventID":"S2W-22975","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20414 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 November 2005, how many NHS boards have implemented Agenda for Change and what actions the Executive ha","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20414 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 November 2005, how many NHS boards have implemented Agenda for Change and what actions the Executive has taken, or representations it has received, regarding this matter.","AnswerText":"Agenda for Change is being implemented in partnership with trade unions and professional organisations in NHSScotland, and significant progress has been made. Over 85% of posts which have been submitted to matching panels have been matched against national profiles. Around 53,000 staff in the nursing, midwifery, ancillary and Allied Health Professional staff groups have been approved for assimilation. In January, the first groups of staff were paid on the new Agenda for Change paybands. A plan for 2006 has been drawn up and agreed in partnership, which health boards are committed to delivering. Based on the plan it is anticipated that Agenda for Change will be introduced and operational by the end of 2006. The Pay Modernisation Team, alongside the Scottish Executive Health Department, will monitor progress towards the plan for 2006, providing health boards with support and advice as necessary. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195633,"EventID":"S2W-22976","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have claimed compensation from tenants as a result of the abolition of feudal tenure.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have claimed compensation from tenants as a result of the abolition of feudal tenure.","AnswerText":"We have no information on this matter. The act applies only to owners of property and their former feudal superiors, rather than to tenants. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195634,"EventID":"S2W-22977","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from interested parties since the abolition of feudal tenure.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from interested parties since the abolition of feudal tenure.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not received anything which it regards as representations since the abolition of the feudal system, although it has received a small amount of correspondence on individual cases. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195635,"EventID":"S2W-22978","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has offered money to local authorities to avoid the need for them to seek compensation from tenants as a result of the abolition of feudal tenure.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has offered money to local authorities to avoid the need for them to seek compensation from tenants as a result of the abolition of feudal tenure.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not offered money to local authorities as a result of the abolition of the feudal system. The legislation does not permit them to seek compensation from tenants, but only from property owners who had the status before the act was commenced of “vassals” in relation to whose property the local authority was feudal superior. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195636,"EventID":"S2W-22979","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme should be carried out by a body independent of sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme should be carried out by a body independent of sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association.","AnswerText":"No. The review of Sport 21 will build on the established vision for the development of Scottish sport but take into account the need to secure legacies from the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and if successful, the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for the review to exclude the key delivery partners. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195637,"EventID":"S2W-22980","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme can be regarded as independent if sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association are appointed to the group which","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme can be regarded as independent if sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association are appointed to the group which conducts the review.","AnswerText":"The review of Sport 21 has been established to produce recommendations on how the key partners in Scottish sport might better support the delivery of the Sport 21 aims and objectives. I believe it would be inappropriate for the review to exclude any of the key delivery partners such as sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195638,"EventID":"S2W-22981","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme will cost.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme will cost.","AnswerText":"The review of Sport 21 will cost in the region of £30,000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195639,"EventID":"S2W-22982","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many research projects involving ethnic or racial profiling have been approved by the National DNA Database Board using DNA profiles or sam","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many research projects involving ethnic or racial profiling have been approved by the National DNA Database Board using DNA profiles or samples collected in Scotland since 1995.","AnswerText":"No research projects involving ethnic or racial profiling have been approved by the National DNA Database Board using profiles or samples collected in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195640,"EventID":"S2W-22983","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many research projects using DNA profiles obtained from Scots and loaded on the National DNA Database have sought the informed consent of p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many research projects using DNA profiles obtained from Scots and loaded on the National DNA Database have sought the informed consent of participants since 1995.","AnswerText":"As noted in the answer to questionS2W-22758 on 28 February 2006, the Scottish Executive is aware of nine researchrequests which have been approved by the National DNA Database.No information is held on whetherthese projects used DNA profiles collected from Scots (although three could nothave done as they only used DNA samples) or on whether consent was sought from theparticipants. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195641,"EventID":"S2W-22984","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected from individuals arrested in Scotland which has been used for ge","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected from individuals arrested in Scotland which has been used for genetic research without consent.","AnswerText":"It is not possible to use DNAprofiles for genetic research as DNA profiles do not contain genetically significantinformation.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195642,"EventID":"S2W-22985","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA samples collected from individuals arrested in Scotland which has been used for genetic research without cons","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA samples collected from individuals arrested in Scotland which has been used for genetic research without consent.","AnswerText":"DNA samples collected from individuals arrested in Scotland are not used for research. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195643,"EventID":"S2W-22986","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected from volunteers in Scotland for genetic research without consent","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA profiles obtained from DNA samples collected from volunteers in Scotland for genetic research without consent.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22984 on 10 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195644,"EventID":"S2W-22987","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA samples collected from volunteers in Scotland for genetic research without consent.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the use of DNA samples collected from volunteers in Scotland for genetic research without consent.","AnswerText":"DNA samples collected from volunteers in Scotland are not used for research. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195645,"EventID":"S2W-22988","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the ministerial consideration of the application to buy the Orbost Estate has reached and when it anticipates that a decision will be announced.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the ministerial consideration of the application to buy the Orbost Estate has reached and when it anticipates that a decision will be announced.","AnswerText":"There has been no applicationto Scottish ministers by any community body wishing to register an interest in purchasingthe Orbost Estate under the provisions of Part 2 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.The Orbost Estate is owned byHighlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) who have indicated that they are willing tosell the property to the local community, if they wish to buy it, without recourseto the Land Reform legislation. However, the terms of the sale proposed by HIE requireministerial agreement. I expect to discuss this with HIE shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195646,"EventID":"S2W-22989","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care's speech to the conference on autism held in Aviemore in November 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care's speech to the conference on autism held in Aviemore in November 2005.","AnswerText":"The Deputy Minister for Healthand Community Care’s speech to the conference on Health and Autism has been publishedin the conference report. The report will be widely disseminated to health professionalsand is available on the Scottish Executive website at the following link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/VAUnit/ASD.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195647,"EventID":"S2W-22990","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made to the proposals set out in Supporting People: a view from Scotland's voluntary sector.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made to the proposals set out in Supporting People: a view from Scotland's voluntary sector.","AnswerText":"Community Care Providers Scotlandand the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, who helped produce the materialset out in Supporting people: a view from Scotland’s voluntary sector,are both represented on the group which is helping the Scottish Executive monitorthe impact of the Supporting People budget changes made in the last Spending Reviewand the impact of the local reviews of services funded by the programme.We have indicated to CommunityCare Providers Scotland that the material they have provided will be taken intoaccount in decision making on future funding, alongside the research currently beingconducted on the cost/benefits of the programme as a whole and the monitoring exercisementioned above. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195648,"EventID":"S2W-22991","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities in relation to managing funding cuts to the Supporting People programme and what steps it is taking to monitor compliance","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities in relation to managing funding cuts to the Supporting People programme and what steps it is taking to monitor compliance with such guidance.","AnswerText":"Comprehensive guidance has beenissued to local authorities on the review of local services, through which the efficiencyimprovements will be delivered. The guidance sets out the key principles and processesfor assessing the strategic relevance, quality and value for money of each service.It emphasises the importance of fairness and objectivity, with local authoritiesseeking efficiency improvements in a similar way internal and externally for allservices and all providers, with transparency in decision making. Funding reductionsshouldn’t be passed on in a pro-rata way across all providers without evaluationof the strategic appropriateness of the services or the scope for improved efficiencies.The Scottish Executive believessignificant efficiencies are achievable in the programme and will expect to seeevidence of that for the next spending review, but monitoring arrangements willalso allow local authorities to record any adverse impact of budget changes on servicesand service users to inform future funding decisions. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195649,"EventID":"S2W-22992","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that voluntary sector services are not disproportionately affected by funding cuts to the Supporting People programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that voluntary sector services are not disproportionately affected by funding cuts to the Supporting People programme.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive believessignificant efficiency improvements are achievable through local reviews of thestrategic relevance, quality and value for money offered by all services fundedthrough the Supporting People programme. It is vital that local authorities retainthe freedom to secure maximum efficiency improvements where they judge best. Imposingthe same level of savings on all providers doesn’t offer any incentive to providersto improve efficiencies.However, the Scottish Executivehas issued guidance that all services and service providers must be treated fairlyand objectively, with transparency in decision making and recording of decisions,and efficiency improvements sought by local authorities internally and externally. As part of the monitoring arrangements,agreed with stakeholders, local authorities will have to submit statements froma representative range of providers confirming they agree the process has been fair.If providers are unwilling to sign such a statement the local authority has to explainthe circumstances and the Scottish Executive will investigate further. Analysisof the first monitoring returns does not appear to indicate that external providershave been disproportionately affected so far, but we will continue to monitor thisaspect very carefully. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195650,"EventID":"S2W-22993","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in establishing a national youth work strategy and when it expects to issue a consultation document on the subject.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in establishing a national youth work strategy and when it expects to issue a consultation document on the subject.","AnswerText":"A consultation paper will be published in the spring. A national strategy for youth work will be developed following the consultation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195651,"EventID":"S2W-22994","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what circumstances caused the shutdown of the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what circumstances caused the shutdown of the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh.","AnswerText":"There is a statutory requirementfor pharmaceutical producers to be inspected by the Medicines and Healthcare ProductsRegulatory Agency (MHRA) within a two year period. In 2004 MHRA highlighted a needto upgrade systems and procedures at the ProteinFractionation Centre (PFC) to ensure continuedcompliance with current EU Good Manufacturing Practice regulations, and follow-upaction was taken to implement improvements. An inspection by MHRA in January identifiedfurther areas where improvement is needed. As a result PFC has suspended the productionof plasma products to allow the development and introduction of these upgrades.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195652,"EventID":"S2W-22995","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what risks to the safe production of products have been identified at the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what risks to the safe production of products have been identified at the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh.","AnswerText":"An inspection by the Medicinesand Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in January 2006 identified a needto upgrade systems and procedures at the Protein Fractionation Centre (PFC), andaction is being taken forward to implement these upgrades. Risk assessments on productsmanufactured by PFC have been carried out and communicated to the MHRA. These assessmentshave not identified any significant risks to product safety.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195653,"EventID":"S2W-22996","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what will happen to the products produced in the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh in the period preceding the shutdown of the plant.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what will happen to the products produced in the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh in the period preceding the shutdown of the plant.","AnswerText":"The Scottish National Blood TransfusionService are continuing to issue products from the Protein Fractionation Centre inconsultation with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195654,"EventID":"S2W-22997","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any products produced in the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh have been recalled.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any products produced in the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh have been recalled.","AnswerText":"There has been no recall of productsfrom the Protein Fractionation Centre (PFC)following the recent Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)inspection.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195655,"EventID":"S2W-22998","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether products issued by the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh at a time when production conditions were considered to be unacceptable will be administered to p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether products issued by the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh at a time when production conditions were considered to be unacceptable will be administered to patients.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-22996 on 2 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195656,"EventID":"S2W-22999","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of the publicity surrounding the recent proposal by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that infants be vaccinated against flu, what information ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of the publicity surrounding the recent proposal by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that infants be vaccinated against flu, what information the Executive can provide regarding the ingredients, including all adjuvants, of the proposed vaccine.","AnswerText":"The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has not recommended the vaccination of children under two years of age against influenza. At their meeting on the 19 October 2005, JCVI agreed that more work was required before influenza immunisation in children could be considered. As such, the ingredients of any proposed vaccine to improve the child’s immune response have not been determined. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195657,"EventID":"S2W-23000","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its rationale for not endorsing the legal advice obtained by COSLA in respect of the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its rationale for not endorsing the legal advice obtained by COSLA in respect of the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme.","AnswerText":"Discussions with TradeUnions on the plan to remove the rule of 85 from the Local Government Pensionscheme are continuing and the Executive is considering options for a solutionto this issue in Scotland. The draftRegulations proposed to implement the changes will be published forconsultation once discussions have concluded. However, the recent action initiated by UNISON to seek a Judicial Reviewof the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s decision to remove the rule of 85in England and Wales is likely to delay matters. Against this background it would therefore beinappropriate to publish the rationale at this time.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195658,"EventID":"S2W-23001","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the potential for local authorities to be subject to legal challenge as a result of breach of contract if the Rule of 85 in the Local G","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the potential for local authorities to be subject to legal challenge as a result of breach of contract if the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme is abolished and to the capacity of local authorities to defend such a challenge, given that the Executive has decided not to publish the legal advice it has obtained on the abolition of the rule.\r\n","AnswerText":"Assuming the current rule of85 provisions are removed, as planned, from the Local Government Pension Schemeby amendments made to the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations(Scotland) 1998 (as amended) then it is likely that a local authority, as an employercomplying with the legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament, would respondto such a legal challenge from an employee, by claiming that it is obliged toact in the way it had done by virtue of the regulations.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195659,"EventID":"S2W-23002","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is for its position that classroom assistants, cleaners and janitors should not have the same pension rights and entitlements as teachers working in the sa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is for its position that classroom assistants, cleaners and janitors should not have the same pension rights and entitlements as teachers working in the same school.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme provides a specific pension scheme designed for the teaching profession. The Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland provides a pension scheme for a variety of local government (and similar) employees where they are not entitled to be members of another statutory public service pension scheme. It is therefore common for employees working in the same establishment to belong to different public pension schemes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195660,"EventID":"S2W-23003","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it operates a policy of flexible working hours in respect of its own employees.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it operates a policy of flexible working hours in respect of its own employees.","AnswerText":"In line with its aim of helping staff to achieve a satisfactory work life balance, the Scottish Executive offers flexible working hours to all of it’s employees, in it’s core departments, including part-time staff and senior civil servants. A small number of employees who work shifts are excluded. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195661,"EventID":"S2W-23004","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether legislation will be forthcoming to extend the new gender equality duty to the private sector.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether legislation will be forthcoming to extend the new gender equality duty to the private sector.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive currently has no information as to whether legislation will be forthcoming to extend the new gender duty to the private sector. However, where a private contractor delivers a service on behalf of the public sector, the contractor will be performing a “public function” and therefore will be subject to the duty and be responsible for complying with it. This is a complex matter and guidance will be issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) in due course. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195662,"EventID":"S2W-23005","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will agree to meet representatives of the Fire Brigades Union to discuss pensions.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will agree to meet representatives of the Fire Brigades Union to discuss pensions.","AnswerText":"I have no plans to meet withthe Fire Brigades Union to discuss pensions.These matters are being activelyconsidered by the Firefighters’ Pension Committee, membership of which includesboth the Fire Brigades Union and the Scottish Executive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195663,"EventID":"S2W-23006","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that educational premises, including schools, are re-categorised as “designated premises” as defined in the Fire Precautions Act 1971.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that educational premises, including schools, are re-categorised as “designated premises” as defined in the Fire Precautions Act 1971.","AnswerText":"The Fire Precautions Act 1971 will be repealed in Scotland later this year when Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 is commenced. There are therefore no plans to designate any premises under the 1971 Act in addition to those already designated. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195664,"EventID":"S2W-23007","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why educational premises are excluded from the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why educational premises are excluded from the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971.","AnswerText":"To date, there have been only two designation orders made under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 to designate particular uses of premises. These orders have been in respect of hotels and boarding houses, factories, offices, shops and railway premises. However, educational premises are not fully excluded from the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971. The local fire and rescue authority/joint fire and rescue board may take enforcement action where they consider that use of the premises involves a risk to persons on the premises in case of fire, so serious that use of the premises should be prohibited or restricted. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195665,"EventID":"S2W-23008","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that all technical guidance in respect of escape from school classrooms includes diagrams of escape routes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that all technical guidance in respect of escape from school classrooms includes diagrams of escape routes.","AnswerText":"Work is currently underway on a series of sector-specific guides to complement the new fire safety legislation for non-domestic premises which is due to come into force in October this year. Each guide will be the subject of consultation and consultation on the first guide (which is in respect of residential care premises) has recently concluded. It is the intention to use this first guide as a template for the other guides in the series which will include a guide in respect of fire safety in educational premises. Stakeholders will be invited in due course to comment on the content of the educational premises guide and the use of diagrams where considered appropriate. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195666,"EventID":"S2W-23009","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a full list of public buildings, in addition to educational premises, which are exempt from designated status as defined in the Fire Precautions A","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a full list of public buildings, in addition to educational premises, which are exempt from designated status as defined in the Fire Precautions Act 1971.","AnswerText":"Section 1 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 lists those premises which may be the subject of a designation order. To date, only two designation orders have been made: the Fire Precautions (Hotels and Boarding Houses) (Scotland) Order 1972 and the Fire Precautions (Factories, Offices, Shops and Railway Premises) Order 1989. Therefore any buildings which fall within the list at section 1(2) of the 1971 Act but which have not been included in either of the designation orders are exempt from designated status. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195667,"EventID":"S2W-23010","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 will come into force and what requirements are currently placed on educational premises to comply with fire safety r","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 will come into force and what requirements are currently placed on educational premises to comply with fire safety regulations.","AnswerText":"Parts 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 commenced on 1 August 2005. Part 3 (which introduces a new fire safety regime for non-domestic premises and licensed houses in multiple occupation in Scotland) is due to come into force in October this year. At present, fire safety requirements are spread across a large number of different pieces of primary and subordinate legislation, ranging from health and safety to licensing legislation. One of the key pieces of legislation which all workplaces (including educational premises) is subject to is the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (as amended) and it is the responsibility of the employer to comply with this legislation. The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and related subordinate legislation will, however, streamline the current fragmented situation replacing the majority of existing general fire safety legislation such as the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195668,"EventID":"S2W-23011","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why, for the purposes of calculating the number of households in fuel poverty, households with children under five are no longer considered by the Scottish Household Surv","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why, for the purposes of calculating the number of households in fuel poverty, households with children under five are no longer considered by the Scottish Household Survey to require a higher heating regime.","AnswerText":"the Scottish House Condition Survey used the definitions of satisfactory heatingused in the Fuel Poverty Statement. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195669,"EventID":"S2W-23012","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey, how many households with children under five would be considered to be in fuel poverty if (a) the higher heating ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey, how many households with children under five would be considered to be in fuel poverty if (a) the higher heating regime defined in the 1996 survey report was applied and (b) fuel prices rose by (i) 5%, (ii) 10%, (iii) 15%, (iv) 20% and (v) 25%.","AnswerText":"If the higher heating regimeused in the 1996 Scottish House Condition Survey report had been used tocalculate fuel poverty for the 2002 report the number of households withchildren under five considered to be in fuel poverty would be 11,000. Theeffects on this figure of additional fuel cost increases of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%and 25% are demonstrated in table 1.Table 1: Effect Of Inclusionof Under Five Heating Regime and Additional Costs on Number and % of Householdswith Children Under Five in Fuel Poverty | | Number of Households with Children Under Five in Fuel Poverty | % of Households with Children Under Five in Fuel Poverty | | 2002 Fuel Poverty Statement (FPS) Heating regime | 9,000 | 4 | | FPS regime with under 5 heating regime | 11,000 | 5 | | FPS regime with under 5 heating regime and fuel costs increased by 5% | 12,000 | 5 | | FPS regime with under 5 heating regime and fuel costs increased by 10% | 16,000 | 7 | | FPS regime with under 5 heating regime and fuel costs increased by 15% | 18,000 | 8 | | FPS regime with under 5 heating regime and fuel costs increased by 20% | 20,000 | 9 | | FPS regime with under 5 heating regime and fuel costs increased by 25% | 23,000 | 10 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195670,"EventID":"S2W-23013","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey, how many households would be considered to be in fuel poverty if council tax benefit was not included in the calc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey, how many households would be considered to be in fuel poverty if council tax benefit was not included in the calculation of income.","AnswerText":"Analysis of the 2002Scottish House Condition Survey shows that, in 2002-03, 305,000 households wouldbe considered as being in fuel poverty if council tax benefit was not includedin the calculation of income. That is an additional 19,000 households bycomparison with the figure of 286,000 households when council tax benefit isincluded.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195671,"EventID":"S2W-23014","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for social workers, broken down by grade and local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for social workers, broken down by grade and local authority area.","AnswerText":"The latest vacancy figures for local authority social workers, broken down by grade and local authority area, are published on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/06165620/0. Information on vacancy levels in the independent sector is not collected centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195672,"EventID":"S2W-23015","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on its staff attending external conferences in each of the last seven years, broken down by department.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on its staff attending external conferences in each of the last seven years, broken down by department.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195673,"EventID":"S2W-23016","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many external conferences its staff have attended in each of the last seven years, broken down by department.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many external conferences its staff have attended in each of the last seven years, broken down by department.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195674,"EventID":"S2W-23017","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged between six and nine were prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate hydrochloride) for the first time in each year since 2000, broken down by NHS board a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged between six and nine were prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate hydrochloride) for the first time in each year since 2000, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"The informationrequested is not available centrally. Data collected centrally relate toprescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors anddo not include items dispensed through hospitals or hospital-based services. Inaddition, the available data are not patient-specific and cannot be used as aproxy for the number of patients receiving treatment with any particular drug.The website of InformationServices Division of NHS National Services Scotland provides an InformedComment on drugs used in mental health including drugs used for attention deficithyperactivity disorder. A link is attached. http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?ContentID=3588&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195675,"EventID":"S2W-23018","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged between 10 and 14 were prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate hydrochloride) for the first time in each year since 2000, broken down by NHS board area","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged between 10 and 14 were prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate hydrochloride) for the first time in each year since 2000, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to thequestion S2W-23017 answered on 6 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195676,"EventID":"S2W-23019","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what incidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was recorded by NHS Scotland in each year since 2000, broken down by NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what incidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was recorded by NHS Scotland in each year since 2000, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195677,"EventID":"S2W-23020","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 14 were recorded as having a mental health problem by NHS Scotland in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 14 were recorded as having a mental health problem by NHS Scotland in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195678,"EventID":"S2W-23021","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-07T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of average income was spent on prescription drugs by patients with a mental health problem in each year since 1999 for which figures are available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of average income was spent on prescription drugs by patients with a mental health problem in each year since 1999 for which figures are available.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot available.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195679,"EventID":"S2W-23022","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of early intervention programmes for children under three.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of early intervention programmes for children under three.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive carries out a regular programme of monitoring for early intervention programmes for children under three. Though several extensive mapping reports have been undertaken, no formal evaluation of Sure Start Scotland has yet taken place; we are currently seeking to learn transferable lessons from the evaluation of Sure Start in England in order to inform any potential evaluation process in Scotland. The final report of the independent evaluation of Phase One of the National Demonstration Project, Starting Well, was published in April 2005, and an independent evaluation of Phase Two is planned. Evaluation of Working for Families (which while not strictly an early intervention programme incorporates significant support for children under three) is currently being carried out independently by the Employment Research Initiative at Napier University. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195680,"EventID":"S2W-23023","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22396 by Robert Brown on 27 January 2006, whether it will publish an update on the range of early intervention programmes which it ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22396 by Robert Brown on 27 January 2006, whether it will publish an update on the range of early intervention programmes which it keeps under review in relation to children under three.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is not currently planning to issue an update on the range of early intervention programmes for children under three. However, we are actively engaged with a wide range of stakeholders in these areas and will ensure all key stakeholders are updated on progress. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195681,"EventID":"S2W-23024","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish an independent working group to monitor and evaluate early intervention programmes for children under three.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish an independent working group to monitor and evaluate early intervention programmes for children under three.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no current plans to establish an independent working group to monitor and evaluate early intervention programmes for children under three. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195682,"EventID":"S2W-23025","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many early intervention programmes it operates for children under three and whether it will list such programmes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many early intervention programmes it operates for children under three and whether it will list such programmes.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive operates a range of early intervention programmes for children under three, including Sure Start Scotland, Starting Well, the National Demonstration Project for Child and Family Health in Scotland, and over 100 Working for Families projects (which though not strictly an early intervention programme, incorporates significant support for children under three). ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195683,"EventID":"S2W-23026","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to early intervention programmes for children under three in each year since 1999, broken down by programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to early intervention programmes for children under three in each year since 1999, broken down by programme.","AnswerText":"Funding for early intervention programmes for children under three, broken down by programme, is as follows: Sure Start Scotland | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | £9 million | £14 million | £19 million | £19 million | £23.1 million | £35 million | £52.9 million | Starting Well | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | Phase 1-2 Transition (2003-04) | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | £1 million | £1 million | £1 million | £1.7 million | £0.8 million | £0.8 million | Working for Families | 2003-04 (Piloting) | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | £0.57 million | £10 million | £10 million | Note: Working for Families, while not strictly an early intervention programme, incorporates significant support for children under three; figures relate to the overall programme. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195684,"EventID":"S2W-23027","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the professionals whom it consulted prior to the introduction of early intervention programmes for children under three, broken down by programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the professionals whom it consulted prior to the introduction of early intervention programmes for children under three, broken down by programme.","AnswerText":"In the development of early intervention programmes for children under three such as Sure Start Scotland and the national demonstration project Starting Well, as well as Working for Families which incorporates significant support for children under three, the Executive consulted a wide range of relevant professionals across several sectors. In the case of Sure Start, these included social work, health and voluntary sector professionals; in regard to Starting Well, a wide range of health and related sector professionals, as well as the voluntary sector, and in relation to Working for Families, professionals from the education, child care, employability and poverty, development and regeneration sectors were consulted. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195685,"EventID":"S2W-23028","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which early intervention programme for children under three has been evaluated as being the (a) most and (b) least successful.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which early intervention programme for children under three has been evaluated as being the (a) most and (b) least successful.","AnswerText":"The objectives of early intervention programmes for children under three, such as Sure Start Scotland, the national demonstration project Starting Well and Working for Families (which while not strictly an early intervention programme incorporates significant support for children under three) differ significantly and it is therefore not possible to compare degrees of success across programmes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195686,"EventID":"S2W-23029","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of early intervention strategies in schools in local authorities across Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of early intervention strategies in schools in local authorities across Scotland.","AnswerText":"The quality of early education in schools and pre-school settings is monitored and evaluated through regular inspections by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education (HMIE). Pre-school inspections are integrated, being carried out by HMIE and the Care Commission together. As well as undertaking evaluations of individual schools and pre-school settings, HMIE also report on wider aspects of education provision. Specific programmes are monitored and evaluated on an individual basis. For example the Early Intervention Programme, aimed at raising literacy and numeracy standards, was evaluated by external consultants and the results are available on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/education/ic71-00.asp. The Executive takes a close interest in external published research into the effectiveness of early education programmes, such as the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195687,"EventID":"S2W-23030","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive over what period crown immunity applied to premises owned by NHS boards and bodies and to which individual premises such immunity applied.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive over what period crown immunity applied to premises owned by NHS boards and bodies and to which individual premises such immunity applied.","AnswerText":"Crown immunity applied to all NHS bodies from the date of the creation of the NHS, 5 July 1948, until its removal by means of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 which came into force on 1 April 1991. Immunity therefore applied to all NHS premises during this period. In 1986, however, the NHS (Amendment) Act 1986 removed Crown immunity from the NHS in respect of food hygiene and health and safety legislation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195688,"EventID":"S2W-23031","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when job evaluations will be completed in respect of Agenda for Change.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when job evaluations will be completed in respect of Agenda for Change.","AnswerText":"Job evaluation in NHSScotland is carried out in partnership with trades unions and professional organisations, and significant progress has been made. Over 85% of posts which have been submitted to matching panels have been matched against national profiles. Health boards are also making progress with local evaluations. A plan for 2006, which health boards are committed to delivering, has been drawn up and agreed in partnership. Based on the plan all staff, either by way of job matching or local evaluation, will be paid on Agenda for Change pay bands by October 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195689,"EventID":"S2W-23032","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how long it takes on average for its Health Department to carry out quality assurance checks and to ratify evaluations conducted under Agenda for Change.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how long it takes on average for its Health Department to carry out quality assurance checks and to ratify evaluations conducted under Agenda for Change.","AnswerText":"The Job Evaluation Monitoring Group (JEMG) operates in partnership between employers and trade unions/professional organisations to ensure that the outcomes of job matching and local evaluation are consistent and accurate across NHSScotland. All outcomes must pass through this monitoring process before staff can be notified and assimilated to the new Agenda for Change paybands. Monitoring requests from health boards would normally be turned around by JEMG within two weeks of the date of receipt. Requests must be of a sufficient standard and contain the necessary information to allow the process to be undertaken satisfactorily. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195690,"EventID":"S2W-23033","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any specific issues which are causing delays in finalising the ratification of job evaluation outcomes for paramedic and ambulance staff.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any specific issues which are causing delays in finalising the ratification of job evaluation outcomes for paramedic and ambulance staff.","AnswerText":"We are not aware of any specific issues which are causing delays in finalising the ratification of job evaluation outcomes for paramedic and ambulance staff. In common with NHSScotland generally, Agenda for Change is being implemented in the Scottish Ambulance Service in partnership with trades unions and professional organisations. The majority of staff have now been job matched, with progress being made with those staff who require local evaluation. The National Monitoring Group are currently monitoring job matching outcomes. The process of notifying staff of job matching outcomes commenced on 17 February 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195691,"EventID":"S2W-23034","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the previous agreed target deadlines for completion of Agenda for Change were and what the reasons are for each specific delay.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the previous agreed target deadlines for completion of Agenda for Change were and what the reasons are for each specific delay.","AnswerText":"An original target date of endSeptember 2005 for the assimilation of staff onto the new Agenda for Change paybandswas set in partnership with trades unions and professional organisations as partof the overall UK Agenda for Change agreement. It soon became evident that thistarget was overly ambitious for all UK health services, who subsequently set their own timeframesfor full implementation.Agenda for Change is being implementedin partnership in NHSScotland, and significant progress has been made. Over 85%of posts which have been submitted to matching panels have been matched againstnational profiles. Around 53,000 staff in the nursing, midwifery, ancillary and allied health professionals staff groupshave been approved for assimilation. In January, the first groups of staffwere paid on the new Agenda for Change paybands. A plan for 2006, whichhealth boards are committed to delivering, has been drawn up and agreed in partnership.Based on the plan it is anticipated that Agenda for Change will be introduced andoperational by the end of 2006. The Pay Modernisation Team, alongsidethe Scottish Executive Health Department, will monitor progress towards the planfor 2006, providing health boards with support and advice as necessary. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195692,"EventID":"S2W-23035","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the research on improving council tax collection rates in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the research on improving council tax collection rates in Scotland.","AnswerText":"We are currently awaiting the finalised version of this report, which is being revised in line with our social research guidelines. In particular, an edited summary of the findings has been requested in order to promote wider dissemination and increase the accessibility of the findings. On receipt of the final report, and subject to normal quality procedures, we will put in place a timescale for publishing this research, which we envisage will be published later this spring. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195693,"EventID":"S2W-23036","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1892,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":62,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that facilities for all non-motorised road users are included in trunk road upgrading schemes to enable such facilities to fit the surr","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that facilities for all non-motorised road users are included in trunk road upgrading schemes to enable such facilities to fit the surrounding network and be suitable for inclusion in forthcoming core path plans.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executivepublished Cycling by Design in December 1999. This representedinternational best practice in providing for cyclists through a system ofdesign guidance and audit, and implemented undertakings given in the earliertrunk road cycling initiative.Transport Scotland nowhas the operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195694,"EventID":"S2W-23037","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1892,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":62,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to increase the provision of routes for non-motorised road users in trunk road corridors outwith current schemes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to increase the provision of routes for non-motorised road users in trunk road corridors outwith current schemes.","AnswerText":"As part of the Trunk Road CyclingInitiative Transport Scotland is increasing the provision of routes for non-motorisedroad users in trunk road corridors outwith current schemes by taking forward a numberof projects. These include re-determination of suitable existing rural footwaysfor joint use and the following longer distance routes: | A82 Corridor | Great Glen Cycleway from Fort William to Inverness | | A82 Corridor | Torlundy to Fort William Link for the 2007 MB World Championships | | A7 Corridor | Selkirk – Galashiels Link | | A1 Corridor | Bilsdean Link for the North Sea Cycleway | | A86-A889 Corridor | Laggan Community Links | | A82 Corridor | West Loch Lomond Cycleway between Balloch and Arrochar Rail Stations | | A828 Corridor | Oban to Fort William Cycleway | The above projects are in additionto the work carried out by the Executive over recent years to NMU routes outwithroad improvement schemes such as the A9 and A75 Cycleways. Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195695,"EventID":"S2W-23038","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures exist for monitoring radiation levels in Dumfries and Galloway.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures exist for monitoring radiation levels in Dumfries and Galloway.","AnswerText":"Environmental monitoring forradioactivity is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency(SEPA). The results of this monitoring are published annually in the Radioactivityin Food and the Environment reports (RIFE). Copies of the RIFE report for 2004 ison the SEPA website http://www.sepa.org.uk/pdf/publications/rife/rife10.pdf.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195696,"EventID":"S2W-23039","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the total cost of the Waverley phase one works to increase the capacity of Waverley Station, broken down into the main components of the work, inc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the total cost of the Waverley phase one works to increase the capacity of Waverley Station, broken down into the main components of the work, including the work on the Waverley Steps, and also allowing for any optimism bias.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is fullyfunding the redevelopment of Waverley Station at an estimated cost of £150 million,broken down into the following components: | Item | Total Cost | | Signalling and Telecoms | £34 million | | Infrastructure | £32 million | | Waverley Steps | £8 million | | Network Rail | £13 million | | Contingency and Optimism Bias | £63 million | | Total | £150 million | Source of data: Network Rail. Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195697,"EventID":"S2W-23040","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of utilities was per head of its staff in each year from 2003 to 2005 and what the cost is estimated to be in (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and (c) 2008.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of utilities was per head of its staff in each year from 2003 to 2005 and what the cost is estimated to be in (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and (c) 2008.","AnswerText":"The costs for utilities per head of staff incurred by the Scottish Executive between 2003 to 2005 are as follows: | Financial Year | £/Per Capita | | 2002-03 | 238.25 | | 2003-04 | 233.27 | | 2004-05 | 280.25 | The Executive’s contracts for utilities are to be renewed this year (2006); therefore, the rates are yet to be agreed. These rates will be dependent upon prevailing market circumstances, particularly the gas and electricity wholesale markets. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide the estimates requested at this time. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195698,"EventID":"S2W-23041","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to establishing a process for the resolution of claims for negligence without the need to go to court.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to establishing a process for the resolution of claims for negligence without the need to go to court.","AnswerText":"We support and encourage the use of alternative methods of dispute resolution where appropriate. We have published guidance for the public on resolving disputes without going to court and we are providing support and funding for a range of mediation and advice services. The Scottish Executive Health Department launched a three year pilot in conjunction with NHS Scotland’s Central Legal Office in April 2005 to encourage settlement of clinical negligence disputes through the use of mediation as an alternative to litigation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195699,"EventID":"S2W-23042","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2100,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":61,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants have been employed in its Rural Affairs Department in respect of Common Agricultural Policy subsidies to farmers; how many are required to adminis","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants have been employed in its Rural Affairs Department in respect of Common Agricultural Policy subsidies to farmers; how many are required to administer the Single Farm Payments Scheme, and what savings are anticipated in (a) manpower and (b) cost.","AnswerText":"CAP subsidies cover bothproduction-related and agri-environmental measures and together provide some£500 million of support to Scottish farmers each year. For the financial year2004-2005, the last full year for which statistics are available, 539.5full-time equivalent civil servants were employed on the administration ofthese measures or around half of SEERAD’s overall staffing.Itis not possible to give a figure of those working exclusively on the SingleFarm Payment Scheme with complete accuracy because many of SEERAD’s staff dealwith a number of support measures. For example, local office and professionalagricultural staff service a number of different farm inspections, not just forthe Single Farm Payment Scheme. As at 31 March 2005,however, there were 98 full-time equivalent civil servants in SEERAD’Sheadquarters dedicated to the management of CAP direct measures which includesthe Single Farm Payment Scheme. In terms of savings, thedevelopment phase of CAP reform will continue until March 2006. From April2006, when the new schemes should be fully established, my officials haveestimated the result of implementing the all CAP reform measures (includingSingle Farm Payment Scheme) will be a reduction of the order of 70 full-timeequivalent posts across Scotland. In cost terms, again from April 2006, my officialshave estimated the result will be in savings of about £2.4 million. Thesesavings are split between reduced IT costs and reduced SEERAD running costs.These savings will be available to fund other Executive Partnership agreementcommitments, such as the introduction of land management contracts. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195700,"EventID":"S2W-23043","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive in which European Council meetings its ministers have led the UK delegation since May 1999, broken down by (a) minister, (b) subject discussed and (c) decisions taken.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive in which European Council meetings its ministers have led the UK delegation since May 1999, broken down by (a) minister, (b) subject discussed and (c) decisions taken.","AnswerText":"The following table providesthe information requested: | Date, Council and Lead Minister | Subjects Discussed | Decisions Taken | | 8-06-2000: Education Council: | 1. The future challenges and training objectives of education systems in the learning society. | 1. To establish the European Year of Languages 2001. | | Nicol Stephen | 2. Report of education ministers to the Stockholm European Council in spring 2001. | 2. That education and training policies would play a key part in follow up of Lisbon European Council. | | | 3. The e-learning initiative. | 3. Need for education ministers to feed into the Luxembourg Employment Process. | | | Also Considered: | | | | 4. Quality indicators and evaluation in school education. | | | | 5. Recommendation on Mobility within the Community. | | | 12-02-2001: | 1. Strategies for lifelong learning. | To adopt a report on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems, and to discuss the work programme arising from the report at the next Education Council meeting. | | Employment and Youth Council: | Also considered: | | Nicol Stephen | 2. Community Action Programme. | | | 3. Leonardo da Vinci. | | | 4. European Year of Languages 2001. | | | 5.Trans-European co-operation scheme for higher education. | | 5-06-2001: | 1. The EU public health framework programme. | To include certain rare diseases in the scope of the public health framework programme, and to call on member states to build on existing work on surveillance and prevention of all Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies as they affect human health. | | Health Council: Susan Deacon | 2. Misuse of alcohol by children and young people. | | | 3. Proposals for a tobacco Advertising Directive. | | | 4. Research and information exchange on vCJD. | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195701,"EventID":"S2W-23044","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when phase one of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverley Station will be completed; whether this will increase the capacity of the station from 24 to 28 trains per hou","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when phase one of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverley Station will be completed; whether this will increase the capacity of the station from 24 to 28 trains per hour, and, if so, when the station will be operating at this new increased capacity.","AnswerText":"The target date forcompletion of the re-development of Waverley Station is November 2007. Thiswill increase the number of trains which Waverley can accommodate from 24 per hour to 28.The station will have thecapacity for four more train paths. Operationally, this will facilitate futureplanned rail projects such as the new Airdrie to Bathgate services. Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195702,"EventID":"S2W-23045","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1996,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":19,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what level of resources it provides to Glasgow City Council to deal with children in families with drug addiction.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what level of resources it provides to Glasgow City Council to deal with children in families with drug addiction.","AnswerText":"There are several Executive fundingprogrammes which benefit children and families with drugs problems.GlasgowCity Council will receive almost £10 million in 2006-07 from the Changing Children’sServices Fund which is intended to improve integration of services for the mostvulnerable children and young people, including those who are affected by substancemisuse problems. The Sure Start programme supports vulnerable families with veryyoung children in areas of greatest need and resources allocated to the Councilamount to £8.8 million in 2006-07. I also refer the member tothe answer to question S2W-23047 on 9 March, which details the resources providedto Glasgow City Council for drug misuse, and to Greater Glasgow NHS Board for drugtreatment and care services. At the discretion of the council and the board, someof this funding will be used to address the needs of children and young people affectedby their own or their parents’ drug problems. Children and families with substancemisuse problems will also be supported from wider education and social work programmeswhich are incorporated within the core local government settlement. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195703,"EventID":"S2W-23046","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1996,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":19,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of drug misuse in Scotland is located within the Glasgow City Council area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of drug misuse in Scotland is located within the Glasgow City Council area.","AnswerText":"A study by the Centre for DrugMisuse research at the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Centre for Infection and EnvironmentalHealth estimated the prevalence of problematic (opiate and benzodiazapine) druguse in Scotland in 2003. Of the estimated 51,582 problem drug users,about 22% were estimated to have been resident in Glasgow. Fulldetails are available at http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/local/prevreport2004.pdf.Information from the ScottishDrug Misuse Database shows that in 2004/2005, 19% of those coming into drug treatmentin Scotland were resident in Glasgow. Full details are availableat: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/05dmss/05dmss.htm. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195704,"EventID":"S2W-23047","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1996,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":19,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of funding to address drug misuse has been allocated to Glasgow City Council and what plans it has to increase this share.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of funding to address drug misuse has been allocated to Glasgow City Council and what plans it has to increase this share.","AnswerText":"The following funding was allocatedto Glasgow City Council in 2005-06 to tackle drug misuse directly.£253,175for arrest referral, this is 44% of the total arrest referral allocation of £581,176. £350,733for Drug Treatment and Testing Orders which is 5.5% of the total of £6,320,422. £1,347,408for drug courts which is 64.9% of the total of £2,074,869 £1,736,863for the Timeout Centre which represents 100% funding for this one off project. Inaddition to the above Greater Glasgow NHS Board receives £6,392,277 per annum fordrug treatment and care services. This represents 27% of the total £23.7 millionper annum allocated in Scotland. It also receives £135,570 to support the work of theDrug Action Team. This represents 9% of the £1.5 million per annum provided nationally. In addition to these earmarkedresources, considerable funding is allocated from other Executive funding streams,including Changing Children’s Services Fund, Surestart, etc for drug related activitiesreferred to the answer to question S2W-23045 on 9 March. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195705,"EventID":"S2W-23048","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1996,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":19,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that sheriffs are aware of their responsibilities when determining the future of children with parents who are drug addicts.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that sheriffs are aware of their responsibilities when determining the future of children with parents who are drug addicts.","AnswerText":"Sheriffs are independent of the Executive and I have no doubt they take seriously their responsibilities for determiningthe future of children of inadequate parents. The Judicial Studies Committee, whichis funded by my department, offers training on these matters to newly appointedand experienced sheriffs.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195706,"EventID":"S2W-23049","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1996,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":19,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to assist schools and agencies to deal with pupils involved in serious drug misuse.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to assist schools and agencies to deal with pupils involved in serious drug misuse.","AnswerText":"In schools the Guidelinesfor the Management of Incidents of Drug Misuse provides headteachers andother school staff with guidance on responding to information, allegation orevidence that children are misusing drugs within the school premises orgrounds. The guidelines also suggest that all schools should have writtenprocedures in place for dealing with drug related incidents.Getting Our Priorities Right,guidance issued in 2003 to all agencies sets out detailed advice topractitioners on helping them decide, in relation to drug abuse, when a childneeds help. It also includes information on supporting parenting skills,assessment, inter agency working and information sharing, thresholds andprocedures for deciding when to remove children, and guidance on care plans. TheSafe and Well handbook on child protection in school identifies signs ofdrug misuse and sets out clear steps to take where there are concerns over thewelfare of a child. All school staff have a role in ensuring children’s safetyand the designated child protection co-ordinator in school co-ordinatesinformation and action about concerns raised, including liaison with otheragencies to support investigations and child welfare. Education authorities andschools follow local child protection procedures, for which Safe and Wellprovides a benchmark. All children andyoung people at risk who appear to need compulsory measures of supervision mustbe referred to the Principal Reporter under section 52 (2) of the Children (S)Act 1995. The main sources of referrals are the police and social work, butother agencies such as health or education can make a referral, as well as anymember of the public or even the child him/herself. The reporter willdecide either to take no further action; to convene a children’s hearing; or torefer to the authority for advice,guidance or assistance as appropriate. If a children’shearing decides that compulsory supervision is necessary, the local authorityis then responsible for giving effect to any supervision requirement. A wide range of conditions may be attached to asupervision requirement in the best interests of the child. The Executive intends topublish, within the next few months, an action plan which will address theneeds of children affected by problem substance misuse within the family. The actionplan will look at ways of encouraging better multi-agency working andcommunication, a process in which the schools sector will be a key player. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-05T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195707,"EventID":"S2W-23050","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1996,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":19,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review inter-agency procedures to ensure that all agencies share information and minimise any future risk to children, following recent reports of a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review inter-agency procedures to ensure that all agencies share information and minimise any future risk to children, following recent reports of an 11-year-old girl involved in serious drug misuse.","AnswerText":"GettingOur Priorities Right - Good Practice Guidance for working with Children and Familiesaffected by Substance Misuse published by the Executive in 2003 provided a clear framework for practitionersand service providers on working with families where there is substance misuse.This makes it clear that if a child may beat risk of harm this will always override a professional or agency requirement tokeep information confidential. Professionals have a responsibility to act to makesure that a child whose safety or welfare may be at risk is protected from harm.Protecting Children and Young People: Frameworkfor Standards published in 2004 reinforcedthis requiring agencies and professionals to share information about children wherethis is necessary to protect them. The Getting it Right for Every Child (Bib. number 37081) proposed that all agencies involvedwith children work to a single assessment, record and plan for each child. Basedon this shared information, agencies will be expected to take action which is appropriate,proportionate and timely to address the needs of the child. We will also shortlybe publishing an action plan in response to the issues raised in Hidden Harm,responding to the needs of children of problem drug users. However, recognising the needto strengthen guidance still further, the First Minister announced on 25 Februarythat legislation requiring agencies to share information will be introduced andthat all social workers and otherfrontline professionals will be retrained in child protection over the next twoyears. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195708,"EventID":"S2W-23051","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have developed models of practice to ensure that every patient receives their medicines, and has any medication issues, addressed in advance of discha","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have developed models of practice to ensure that every patient receives their medicines, and has any medication issues, addressed in advance of discharge from hospital, as set out in The Right Medicine: A Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland.","AnswerText":"A practice model has been developed together with a capacity plan to enable clinical pharmacy services identify the resources and systems of work required to achieve the practice model standard. The practice model and capacity plan are currently being validated by practitioners before issue to NHSScotland for local implementation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195709,"EventID":"S2W-23052","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1990,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":64,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to permit the dispensing of patient packs across primary, secondary and tertiary care, including the implementation of suitable medication sel","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to permit the dispensing of patient packs across primary, secondary and tertiary care, including the implementation of suitable medication self-administration schemes in hospital.","AnswerText":"A self-administration ofmedicines “toolkit” has been developed which describes the key components requiredto implement self-administration schemes locally. The toolkit is being validatedby pharmacists and other relevant health care groups before it is issued to NHSScotlandfor local application.No special permission is requiredto allow community pharmacists to dispense patient packs. Arrangements are in placefor pharmacists to dispense drugs in quantities which do not match the quantitiessupplied by manufacturers in patient packs. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195710,"EventID":"S2W-23053","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many school pupils passed history at (a) standard grade, (b) higher grade and (c) advanced higher grade in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many school pupils passed history at (a) standard grade, (b) higher grade and (c) advanced higher grade in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"A table detailing the awards gained by school pupils in history at Standard Grade, and the number of passes gained at Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, CSYS, Higher and Advanced Higher in each year since 1999 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38957). ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195711,"EventID":"S2W-23054","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many history teachers were employed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area and expressed also as a ratio of teachers to pupils in each local aut","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many history teachers were employed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area and expressed also as a ratio of teachers to pupils in each local authority area.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","AnswerText":"The available information on how many history teachers have been employed and total secondary pupils broken down by local authority area is provided in the following table. A meaningful pupil: teacher ratio cannot be calculated as there is no information available on the time individual teachers teach history or the number of pupils taking history. There is no evidence to suggest that there are insufficient numbers of history teachers to deliver the subject. | Local Authority | History Teachers | Total Secondary Pupils | | Teaching as Main Subject | Teaching as Main or Other Subject | | | | 20031 | 2004 | 2003 | 2004 | 2003 | 2004 | | Aberdeen City | 24 | 24 | 35 | 35 | 10,552 | 10,457 | | Aberdeenshire | 37 | 40 | 44 | 53 | 15,670 | 15,881 | | Angus | 22 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 7,104 | 7,082 | | Argyll and Bute | 18 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 5,739 | 5,853 | | Clackmannanshire | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 2,991 | 3,074 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 32 | 34 | 49 | 53 | 9,564 | 9,585 | | Dundee City | 24 | 28 | 28 | 37 | 8,585 | 8,501 | | East Ayrshire | 22 | 25 | 28 | 33 | 8,181 | 8,255 | | East Dunbartonshire | 18 | 19 | 21 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195712,"EventID":"S2W-23055","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering any proposals to remove the history syllabus from the existing S1 and S2 structure and, if so, whether it will publish such proposals.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering any proposals to remove the history syllabus from the existing S1 and S2 structure and, if so, whether it will publish such proposals.","AnswerText":"As I have made clear on a number of occasions, I consider history to be a subject that has a huge contribution to make to the purposes of education. There are no plans to remove history from the curriculum. A report on progress made and views to date of the programme board taking forward A Curriculum for Excellence will be published in the spring. This report will be designed to promote further and deeper discussion on the principles for determining the future shape of the curriculum as a whole, including history. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195713,"EventID":"S2W-23056","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Minister for Education and Young People met relevant officials to discuss proposals to remove history as a “time-tabled slot” in schools and on ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Minister for Education and Young People met relevant officials to discuss proposals to remove history as a “time-tabled slot” in schools and on what dates such meetings occurred.","AnswerText":"I have not met with officials to discuss proposals to remove history as a ‘time-tabled slot’ in schools as there never have been any such proposals. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195714,"EventID":"S2W-23057","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the teaching of history in schools by properly trained and qualified teachers only.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the teaching of history in schools by properly trained and qualified teachers only.","AnswerText":"All teachers are required to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. Teachers of all subjects should have the appropriate professional skills and knowledge to carry out their duties. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195715,"EventID":"S2W-23058","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the teaching of history in schools to levels in line with European averages.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the teaching of history in schools to levels in line with European averages.","AnswerText":"The curriculum in Scotland is based on guidance, not statute. The Scottish Executive has no plans to prescribe time allocations for the teaching of history in schools to levels in line with European averages. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195716,"EventID":"S2W-23059","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees that the teaching of history as a distinct school syllabus reflects each of the capacities for “successful learners”, “responsible citizens” and “effect","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees that the teaching of history as a distinct school syllabus reflects each of the capacities for “successful learners”, “responsible citizens” and “effective contributors” laid out in the Executive’s proposed Curriculum for Excellence.","AnswerText":"The teaching and learning of history in school is well placed to help enable our young people to develop as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. The curriculum in Scotland is not based on statutory prescription. It is for schools, in the light of the curriculum framework within which they operate, to determine how best they organise the syllabus for all subjects, including history, in schools. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195717,"EventID":"S2W-23060","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Brix briefing notes it holds in respect of removing history as a distinct subject from the school curriculum and whether it will publish these.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Brix briefing notes it holds in respect of removing history as a distinct subject from the school curriculum and whether it will publish these.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive do not hold any Brix briefing notes concerning the removal of history from the curriculum. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195718,"EventID":"S2W-23061","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out since 1999 which specifically examines the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out since 1999 which specifically examines the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not carried out any research since 1999 which specifically examines the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum. We have, in relation to the current Curriculum Review, commissioned a review of research literature about learning and teaching in the social subjects. The results of this research are available on the Curriculum for Excellence website at: http://www.acurriculumforexcellencescotland.gov.uk/about/research.asp. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195719,"EventID":"S2W-23062","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research in the next 12 months to specifically examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research in the next 12 months to specifically examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has no plans over the next 12 months to commission research to examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195720,"EventID":"S2W-23063","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research in the next 12 months to specifically examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research in the next 12 months to specifically examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not undertaken any comparative European studies to examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195721,"EventID":"S2W-23064","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-08T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the Scottish Qualifications Authority in respect of the teaching of history in schools and possible proposals to end the teachin","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the Scottish Qualifications Authority in respect of the teaching of history in schools and possible proposals to end the teaching of history as a distinct subject.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has not received any representations from the Scottish Qualifications Authority in respect of the teaching of history in schools. There are no proposals to end the teaching of history as a distinct subject. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195722,"EventID":"S2W-23065","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2O-8978 by Kenny McAskill on 1 February 2006, why no specific mechanism exists to monitor the income, service level","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2O-8978 by Kenny McAskill on 1 February 2006, why no specific mechanism exists to monitor the income, service levels, costs, level of subsidy and value for money of the Members’ Restaurant as distinct from other catering outlets at the Parliament and whether it will change its practice in this respect. ","AnswerText":"The income from the Members’ Restaurant is recorded separately from the other catering outlets. As I indicated in the answer to question S2O-8978, some costs are generic. For example, some roles cover all areas: general manager, executive chef, accountant, kitchen porters and other roles such as food service assistants are often located by demand. It would be extremely difficult accurately to split costs amongst all catering outlets. We have no current plans to make major changes and subsidy is likely to continue to be presented as a total for all catering outlets. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Kenny MacAskill","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195723,"EventID":"S2W-23066","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will ensure that the Members’ Restaurant does not receive disproportionate subsidies relative to other catering outlets in the Parliament.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will ensure that the Members’ Restaurant does not receive disproportionate subsidies relative to other catering outlets in the Parliament.","AnswerText":"Future subsidy will be determined by usage, service level and tariff policy. It is not possible to ensure that the catering outlets operate at the same subsidy level, as usage is one of the main factors and can vary from week to week. While the SPCB will keep the catering policy under review, we have no current plans to make major changes and the total subsidy level across all catering outlets will continue broadly at the same level. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Kenny MacAskill","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195724,"EventID":"S2W-23067","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will give access to the currently named Members’ Restaurant to all pass holders every day of the week.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will give access to the currently named Members’ Restaurant to all pass holders every day of the week.","AnswerText":"Access to the Members' Restaurant was re-considered by SPCB in November 2004, and it was agreed that the members and their guests only rule, on business days, would continue. It was also agreed that all pass holders could access the bar at any time. The SPCB has no current plans to change the access arrangements. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Kenny MacAskill","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195725,"EventID":"S2W-23068","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider making the Members’ Restaurant accessible to the public.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider making the Members’ Restaurant accessible to the public.","AnswerText":"As the Members' Restaurant is within the private part of the building, it would not be possible, within the current security arrangements, to give the public unescorted access. Members can of course invite guests into the Members’ Restaurant but non-pass holders must be accompanied by a pass holder at all times in the private area. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Kenny MacAskill","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195726,"EventID":"S2W-23069","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed the financial implications of addressing unequal pay with local authorities, COSLA and trade unions; what cognisance it has taken of such discuss","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed the financial implications of addressing unequal pay with local authorities, COSLA and trade unions; what cognisance it has taken of such discussions, and what specific responses and actions it has taken as a result.","AnswerText":"The Executive has had contactwith a number of local authorities, COSLA and trade unions about the financial implicationsof the equal pay negotiations taking place at council level. The views expressedhave been noted and are being taken into account. However, it is for councils, asemployers, to conclude arrangements relating to their employees and the Executivehas made clear its expectation that this will be done in a way that strikes a balancebetween what is fair and equitable to the people whom councils employ and also totax payers. There are regular discussions between the Executive and COSLA and councilsrelating to finance issues generally and those discussions will continue. In particular,we have made clear we are keen to engage with councils to assist them to deliverservice transformation, and on what mightbe achieved through a radical re-design of the way local services are deliveredand supported, with a view to providing better and more efficient services for thepeople of Scotland.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195727,"EventID":"S2W-23070","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22559 by Mr Andy Kerr on 30 January 2006, whether it will publish its written and oral evidence to the independent pay review bodie","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22559 by Mr Andy Kerr on 30 January 2006, whether it will publish its written and oral evidence to the independent pay review bodies covering doctors and dentists (DDRB) and nurses and other health professionals (NOHPRB) in respect of the 2006 pay award for NHS staff.","AnswerText":"Written evidence from the HealthDepartments for Great Britain is published on the Department of Health website. Evidencefrom the Scottish Executive Health Department is contained in Chapter 7 of the Nursingand Other Health Professions (NOHPRB) document and at Chapter 8 of the Doctors’and Dentists document. The evidence can be accessed through the following weblink:http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HumanResourcesAndTraining/ModernisingPay/AgendaForChange/AgendaForChangeArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4120934&chk=kIsZnp. Oral evidence is not published. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195728,"EventID":"S2W-23071","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22512 and S2W-22508 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 February 2006, whether it will confirm that there is no clinical basis for the special a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22512 and S2W-22508 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 February 2006, whether it will confirm that there is no clinical basis for the special arrangements between the First Minister’s residence and NHS 24.","AnswerText":"The arrangements are entirelyconcerned with supporting access to clinical advice and to an assessment processthat will help determine the medical attention most appropriate to the needs of the individual. NHS 24 put in place this standard process in the interests of confidentialityand consistency.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195729,"EventID":"S2W-23072","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22512 and S2W-22508 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 February 2006, why special arrangements between the First Minister’s residence and NHS 2","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22512 and S2W-22508 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 February 2006, why special arrangements between the First Minister’s residence and NHS 24 are necessary to achieve confidentiality, consistency and appropriate medical care and whether it considers that this would not be achievable if there were no such special arrangements.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23071 on 2 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195730,"EventID":"S2W-23073","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages the police using their powers of dispersal under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 to move on any group of people who are smoking out","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages the police using their powers of dispersal under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 to move on any group of people who are smoking outside a public place, after the implementation of the ban on smoking in public places.","AnswerText":"A decision about whether to designatean area as a dispersal zone is for the police in consultation with the local authorityand local people. Dispersal Orders are intended to give respite to people whoselives have been blighted by serious, persistent and serious antisocial behaviour.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195731,"EventID":"S2W-23074","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22411 by Tavish Scott on 30 January 2006, what the completion dates were of the 10 projects listed.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22411 by Tavish Scott on 30 January 2006, what the completion dates were of the 10 projects listed.","AnswerText":"The completion dates for the10 projects referred to are listed: | Kessock Bridge | 1982 | | Cromarty Bridge | 1979 | | Dornoch Bridge | 1991 | | Longman to Charlestown | 1982 | | Charleston to Tore | 1981 | | Tore to Duncanston | 1978 | | Duncanston to Ardullie | 1975 | | Dunbeath | 1990 | | Garrick Bridge to Logie Easter | 1982 | | Helmsdale to Ord of Caithness | 2005 | Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195732,"EventID":"S2W-23075","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22411 by Tavish Scott on 30 January 2006, what the costs were of the improvements to the A99 from Latheron to John O’ Groats and to","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22411 by Tavish Scott on 30 January 2006, what the costs were of the improvements to the A99 from Latheron to John O’ Groats and to the A9 from (a) Ardullie to Logie Easter and (b) Garrick Bridge to Dornoch junction.","AnswerText":"Records of some of theseconstruction schemes are no longer available. Records that are available showthat the improvement between Broomhill and Logie Easter opened in 1993, cost£9.43 million at 2005 equivalent value.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195733,"EventID":"S2W-23076","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how effective monitoring of concessionary travel will be carried out in the absence of an operational smart card system in order to ensure prompt and accurate reimburseme","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how effective monitoring of concessionary travel will be carried out in the absence of an operational smart card system in order to ensure prompt and accurate reimbursement of bus operators and the prevention of fraudulent claims being made by any rogue operators.","AnswerText":"Prior to the introduction ofa fully smart system, Transport Scotland will use reimbursement and verificationsystems based on current best practice in local schemes, including data analysis,compliance system audits and surveys of bus services and passengers, to ensure thataccurate and proper concessionary travel reimbursement is made in accordance withthe provisions of The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and DisabledPersons (Scotland) Order 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195734,"EventID":"S2W-23077","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the capping powers integral to the new concessionary travel scheme will operate in practice in order to prevent any misuse of the system by any rogue bus operators.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the capping powers integral to the new concessionary travel scheme will operate in practice in order to prevent any misuse of the system by any rogue bus operators.","AnswerText":"The financial cap which is afeature of the Scotland-wide free bus scheme for older and disabled people was introducedwith the agreement of the Confederation for Passenger Transport to provide an enhancedlevel of budgetary prediction and security. The capping mechanism will be implementedby means of a graduated capping deflator if it appears that the cap will be exceededin any financial year. Claims will be monitored monthly so that action can be takenin-year to smooth the effects if the cap is likely to be exceeded.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195735,"EventID":"S2W-23078","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency measures will be put in place in the event of an individual bus operator who is the only provider of bus services to an isolated community being subject ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency measures will be put in place in the event of an individual bus operator who is the only provider of bus services to an isolated community being subject to capping measures under the new concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"The levels of reimbursementfor the Scotland-wide free bus scheme for older and disabled persons have beenset to ensure that bus operators are financially no better and no worse off asa result of their participation in the scheme and takes account of revenueforgone and the costs of providing additional capacity. The provision of £159million in 2006-07 and £163 million for the national scheme in 2007-08 is a significantincrease on the estimated £102 million cost of local bus concessions in 2004-05.In addition, local transport authorities have the resources and powers to identifyand provide socially necessary bus services which would not be viable withoutsubsidy.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195736,"EventID":"S2W-23079","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the smart card system to be employed as part of the new concessionary travel scheme will be used solely for travel purposes or whether it will be a multifunctiona","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the smart card system to be employed as part of the new concessionary travel scheme will be used solely for travel purposes or whether it will be a multifunctional card. ","AnswerText":"The National Entitlement Card(smartcard) currently being developed by the Improvement Service, which includesa transport application for the new concessionary scheme, is a multifunctional card.Each local authority can decide which multi applications can be used with the card.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195737,"EventID":"S2W-23080","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what protection will be put in place to ensure that data used as part of the smart card system for the concessionary travel scheme is used only for that purpose.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what protection will be put in place to ensure that data used as part of the smart card system for the concessionary travel scheme is used only for that purpose.","AnswerText":"The data used by the transportapplication on the National Entitlement Card (smartcard) is handled within the ITSOtechnology standard environment. This is a secure encrypted environment similarto that used for credit cards. Data relating to travel will only be used to reimbursethe transport operator who carried the concession holder and to provide statisticson use of the concessionary travel scheme. All this data will be processed anonymously,and within all requirements of Data Protection legislation. The application formsfor the cards have a data consent request which allows data to be used for any localauthority purpose.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195738,"EventID":"S2W-23081","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will employ an outside agency to monitor data gathering and evaluation services on a pro tem basis until a smart card system is operational within the new conc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will employ an outside agency to monitor data gathering and evaluation services on a pro tem basis until a smart card system is operational within the new concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"Transport Scotlandwill be responsible for the management of the Scotland-wide free bus scheme forolder and disabled persons. The concessionary travel unit of Transport Scotlandwill employ reimbursement and compliance staff with responsibility formonitoring the frequency and quality of data received from bus operators. TransportScotland will also determine the extent and nature of external survey activityas part of their responsibility to ensure that concessionary reimbursement is accurateand proper.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195739,"EventID":"S2W-23082","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the understanding that operators will be reimbursed at the rate of £0.736 per pound of the average adult fare within the new concessionary travel scheme, how","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the understanding that operators will be reimbursed at the rate of £0.736 per pound of the average adult fare within the new concessionary travel scheme, how that average fare will be calculated given the number of different types of tickets available to bus passengers.","AnswerText":"Reimbursement for the Scotland-widefree bus scheme for older and disabled persons will be on the basis of adult singlefare. An operator may determine that this can be calculated in one of three ways:the “shadow fare” forgone for the eligible journey as derived from the operator’sfare table; the average commercial fare for the service(s) concerned, and a surveyderived fare for the service(s) concerned.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195740,"EventID":"S2W-23083","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how often, and by what means, participant bus operators will be reimbursed under the new concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how often, and by what means, participant bus operators will be reimbursed under the new concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"There will be 13 payment periodsat regular intervals in the financial year. Payment will be made by Bank AutomatedClearing System transfer.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195741,"EventID":"S2W-23084","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities exist to use concessionary travel data for wider transport planning purposes whilst simultaneously protecting the commercial interest of bus operators.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities exist to use concessionary travel data for wider transport planning purposes whilst simultaneously protecting the commercial interest of bus operators.","AnswerText":"Commercially sensitive informationwill only be used specifically for the purpose of concessionary travel reimbursement.Transport Scotland will decide in due course whether non-commercially sensitivedata can be used for the wider purpose of transport planning.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195742,"EventID":"S2W-23085","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects rail travel within Scotland to be brought within the ambit of the concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects rail travel within Scotland to be brought within the ambit of the concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"The Scotland-wide free bus schemefor older and disabled persons delivers the Partnership Agreement commitment toa national free bus scheme. Local transport authorities will retain responsibilityto offer local concessions on other forms of transport, including rail travel, attheir discretion.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195743,"EventID":"S2W-23086","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the smart card system to be employed under the concessionary travel scheme will be a dual interface system or a contactless card system.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the smart card system to be employed under the concessionary travel scheme will be a dual interface system or a contactless card system.","AnswerText":"The transport application onthe National Entitlement Card (smartcard) uses the ITSO technology environmentwhich means it can operate as a secure contactless card system. The NationalEntitlement Card is currently a contactless system but may be enhanced in thefuture with a dual interface card.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195744,"EventID":"S2W-23087","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost will be of the procurement, installation and maintenance of the smart card system within the concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost will be of the procurement, installation and maintenance of the smart card system within the concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"Two key contracts have beenlet as a result of the national concessionary travel scheme being introduced. Oneis for fleet equipment for transport operators and the cost of equipping the Scottish bus and ferry fleet is expected to be in the region of £13 million.The second is for back office systems and data processing for Transport Scotland.The cost of this managed services contract over seven years is £5.8 million(excluding communications networks).As part of the widerentitlement card initiative, there is a contract in place to supply 1.6 milliontransport operator accredited smartcards at the costs of 56p per card. However,these cards are multi-application and will also support a wide range of publicservices as well as concessionary fares. The processing cost per card(including distribution) is 80p or £1.25 per card depending on the applicationmethod used. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195745,"EventID":"S2W-23088","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1996,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":19,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available for drug education in schools and, of these, what percentage is provided to Glasgow City Council.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available for drug education in schools and, of these, what percentage is provided to Glasgow City Council.","AnswerText":"There is a range of teachingresources and training opportunities available for drugs education in schools, providedby local authorities and other providers.The provision of training ondrugs education for practising teachers is, as for all in-service training, at thediscretion of the school and local authority according to their priorities. Fundingfor local authorities for teacher Continuing Professional Development (CPD) overa range of subjects is funded through the National Priorities Action Fund. In 2005-06,£1,498,194 was made available to Glasgow City Council for teacher CPD, and a similarlevel of funding will be made available in 2006-07. In September 2005, the Executivewrote individually to all directors of education, the independent schools sectorand higher and further education colleges in Scotland advising of the aims of theKnow the Score campaign. A full range of information materials, all of which areavailable free of charge, were included with the letter which aimed to encouragethe use of the materials in schools and other educational establishments. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195746,"EventID":"S2W-23089","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1961,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":33,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the general members of the Mental Health Tribunal fell into each of the six sub-categories for the appointment of general members.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the general members of the Mental Health Tribunal fell into each of the six sub-categories for the appointment of general members.","AnswerText":"Information showing the number of general members falling into the six sub-categories is available on the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland website www.mhtscot.gov.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195747,"EventID":"S2W-23090","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies (NDBP) it has set up in each year since 1999, listing each such NDBP.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies (NDBP) it has set up in each year since 1999, listing each such NDBP.","AnswerText":"A list of new NDPBs set upsince 1999 is provided below: | Non-Departmental Public Body | Year Established | | Criminal Review Cases Commission | 1999 | | Scottish Ambulance Service Board | 1999 | | NHS 24 | 2001 | | Scottish Social Services Council | 2001 | | Bord Gaidhlihg na h-alba | 2002 | | Bus Users Complaints Tribunal | 2002 | | Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority | 2002 | | Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland | 2002 | | National Waiting Times Board | 2002 | | Scottish Commission on the Regulation of Care | 2002 | | Cairngorms National Pak Authority | 2003 | | Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland | 2003 | | Risk Management Authority | 2003 | | Additional Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland | 2005 | | Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland | 2005 | | Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee | 2005 | | Scottish University for Industry | 2005 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195748,"EventID":"S2W-23091","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive where the headquarters of each non-departmental public body set up since 1999 have been located, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive where the headquarters of each non-departmental public body set up since 1999 have been located, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"Information on the location ofNDPB headquarters is provided on the public bodies and appointments pages of the Scottish Executive website at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/directory. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195749,"EventID":"S2W-23092","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budgets of all non-departmental public bodies have been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budgets of all non-departmental public bodies have been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"Financial information on allNDPBs is provided on the public bodies and appointment pages of the Scottish Executivewebsite. Prior to the website’s establishment, financial information was publishedin the annual Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies. Copies of these documentsare available at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/other/agencies/index.asp.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195750,"EventID":"S2W-23093","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22442 by Mr Tom McCabe on 31 January 2006, whether it can confirm that there are no informal mechanisms to ensure that Scottish int","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22442 by Mr Tom McCabe on 31 January 2006, whether it can confirm that there are no informal mechanisms to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account by UK-wide quangos dealing with UK departments with responsibility for English issues, given that question S2W-22441 referred to in the answer to S2W-22442 related to formal mechanisms.","AnswerText":"Contact of whatever degree of formality or informality with the UK Government, its departments and agencies takes place in accordance with the overall scheme for ensuring that devolved Scottish interests are taken into account, which allows scope for the development of appropriate approaches for particular issues or organisations, including particular “quangos”. As noted in answer to question S2W-22441, this is founded on the Memorandum of Understanding and associated agreements (which have been made available at www.scotland.gov.uk/concordats). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195751,"EventID":"S2W-23094","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have modernised their school estates using public private partnerships in each of the last five years and how many schools each authority has rebu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have modernised their school estates using public private partnerships in each of the last five years and how many schools each authority has rebuilt or refurbished.","AnswerText":"Ten local authorities entered into school public private partnership (PPP) projects following Scottish Office offers of financial support in 1998. The number of schools involved is set out in the table. Work on the schools was completed over the period 2000 to 2005. Twenty nine local authorities are currently taking forward school PPP projects following Executive offers of financial support made in 2002 and 2003. These projects are at different stages of procurement and construction, and building work is expected to span the rest of this decade. A few schools have been completed under this programme, with the bulk expected to come on stream in the years 2006 to 2009. School PPP projects offered Scottish Office Financial Support in 1998 | Local Authority | Number of New and Refurbished Schools | | Aberdeenshire | 3 | | East Renfrewshire | 2 | | Edinburgh | 17 | | Falkirk | 5 | | Fife | 3 | | Glasgow | 30 | | Highland | 4 | | Midlothian | 3 | | Stirling | 1 | | West Lothian | 6 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195752,"EventID":"S2W-23095","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in progressing Dumfries and Galloway Council's PPP application for the improvement of its schools estate.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in progressing Dumfries and Galloway Council's PPP application for the improvement of its schools estate.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive made an offer of financial support in June 2002 to Dumfries and Galloway Council for a schools PPP project. The council took a decision in May 2005 to rescope their project, following which the Executive confirmed that its offer of financial support remained in place. I understand that the council advertised their rescoped project in January in order to establish market interest. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195753,"EventID":"S2W-23096","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been, or will be, made available to each NHS board from 2005-06 to 2007-08 to improve sexual health and to tackle sexual health problems.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been, or will be, made available to each NHS board from 2005-06 to 2007-08 to improve sexual health and to tackle sexual health problems.","AnswerText":"The Executive is making available an additional £15 million over the next three years to help implement the national sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility. Most of the extra resources, £4.5 million per year will be spent on front line services. The funding for each NHS board has been calculated using the Arbuthnott formula. NHS board allocations for 2005-06 are set out in the following table. The boards have been informed that they will also receive the same allocation of resources in 2006-07 and 2007-08. | NHS Board | Allocation 2005-06 (£) | | Argyll and Clyde | 388,512 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 351,118 | | Borders | 102,216 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 147,235 | | Fife | 303,257 | | Forth Valley | 237,349 | | Grampian | 407,454 | | Greater Glasgow | 827,452 | | Highland | 210,811 | | Lanarkshire | 482,890 | | Lothian | 606,067 | | Orkney | 19,247 | | Shetland | 20,433 | | Tayside | 360,691 | | Western Isles | 35,268 | | Total | 4,500,000 | These are extra resources over and above what NHS boards currently spend to fund sexual health services in their area. In the current financial year 2005-06, the Executive has allocated £9 million to NHS boards for action to prevent the spread of blood borne viruses, including HIV/AIDS. The funds allocated for this purpose will rise to £9.3 million in 2006-07 and £9.5 million in 2007-08. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195754,"EventID":"S2W-23097","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how the funding available to NHS boards to improve sexual health compares with that available to health authorities in England.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how the funding available to NHS boards to improve sexual health compares with that available to health authorities in England.","AnswerText":"The Executive is making available an extra £15 million over the next three financial years, 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 to help implement the national sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility. This money is additional to the resources already being spent by NHS boards and other agencies taking forward sexual health initiatives on behalf of the Executive. These extra resources have been costed to reflect what will be needed to implement the Strategy in Scotland to suit Scottish circumstance, and not by comparison with the approach adopted in England. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195755,"EventID":"S2W-23098","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2390,"Party":"Independent","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":73,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the plans are for teaching history as a discrete subject at S1 and S2.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the plans are for teaching history as a discrete subject at S1 and S2.","AnswerText":"The on-going curriculum review,A Curriculum for Excellence, is considering all aspects of the curriculumto ensure that they contribute to enabling young people to develop the four capacitiesof successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effectivecontributors. I envisage history will always be taught in SI and S2.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195756,"EventID":"S2W-23099","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for reappointing the Chair of NHS Western Isles without advertising the post.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for reappointing the Chair of NHS Western Isles without advertising the post.","AnswerText":"In accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (OCPAS) Code of Practice an individual may be re-appointed to their position, without going to a public advertisement, subject to a satisfactory performance assessment. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195757,"EventID":"S2W-23100","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what quality assurance checks it is carrying out in respect of the job evaluation aspect of the Agenda for Change and when it expects to ratify the evaluations, with part","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what quality assurance checks it is carrying out in respect of the job evaluation aspect of the Agenda for Change and when it expects to ratify the evaluations, with particular reference to the Scottish Ambulance Service.","AnswerText":"It was agreed in partnership with trades unions and professional organisations at a UK level as part of the overall Agenda for Change agreement that the outcomes of the job evaluation scheme would be checked for consistency and accuracy. There are two strands to this process in NHSScotland, both performed in partnership. Local systems ensure that there is consistency in outcome across the individual matching panels within their area. A national monitoring group ensures that job evaluation outcomes are accurate and consistent across the whole of NHSScotland. Approval from the national monitoring group is required before staff groups can be assimilated to the new Agenda for Change paybands. NHSScotland has made significant progress in the implementation of Agenda for Change. In terms of job evaluation, over 85% of posts which have been submitted to matching panels have been matched against national profiles, with around 53,000 staff having passed through the local consistency and national monitoring process in readiness for assimilation. Health boards have also made progress in locally evaluating those posts which do not fit national job profiles. It is anticipated that all staff, either job matched or locally evaluated, will be paid on the Agenda for Change paybands by October 2006. In common with NHSScotland generally, significant progress has been made in implementing Agenda for Change in the Scottish Ambulance Service. The majority of staff within the Scottish Ambulance Service have now been through the job matching process and the National Monitoring Group are currently monitoring outcomes. The process of notifying staff of job matching outcomes commenced on 17 February 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195758,"EventID":"S2W-23101","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the job evaluation aspect of the Agenda for Change to be implemented, with particular reference to the Scottish Ambulance Service.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the job evaluation aspect of the Agenda for Change to be implemented, with particular reference to the Scottish Ambulance Service.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23100 on 28 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195759,"EventID":"S2W-23102","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1973,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or has asked the NHS to take, to support staff and keep them informed during the job evaluation aspect of the Agenda for Change.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or has asked the NHS to take, to support staff and keep them informed during the job evaluation aspect of the Agenda for Change.","AnswerText":"It is the responsibility of individualhealth boards to support staff during the implementation of Agenda for Change, andto keep them up to date with progress.Health boards are achieving thisin a number of ways, such as presentations with Q & A, drop in sessions, postercampaigns, updates in staff newsletters and regularly updated internet and intranetsites. Staff will be notified individually as to the outcome of job matching/localevaluation in their particular case, and will be advised and supported should theyseek a review of that outcome. Developments with Agenda forChange at a national level are intimated to health boards by way of bulletins fromthe Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group (SPRIG), who are the partnershipbody overseeing implementation of Agenda for Change in NHSScotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195760,"EventID":"S2W-23103","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the average life expectancy for (a) men and (b) women has increased in each year since 1979, and by how much it estimates it will increase in each of the next","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the average life expectancy for (a) men and (b) women has increased in each year since 1979, and by how much it estimates it will increase in each of the next 10 years.","AnswerText":"Actual life expectancy at birth (LE) for males and females in Scotland for 1979 to 2004 and projected for 2005 to 2014 is shown in the following table: | Year | Males | Females | Year | Male | Female | | LE | Change | LE | Change | LE | Change | LE | Change | | 1979 | 68.4 | - | 74.5 | - | 1997 | 72.6 | 0.6 | 78.1 | 0.3 | | 1980 | 69.0 | 0.6 | 75.2 | 0.7 | 1998 | 72.6 | 0.0 | 78.2 | 0.1 | | 1981 | 69.1 | 0.1 | 75.4 | 0.2 | 1999 | 72.7 | 0.1 | 78.2 | 0.0 | | 1982 | 69.3 | 0.2 | 75.3 | -0.1 | 2000 | 73.2 | 0.5 | 78.6 | 0.4 | | 1983 | 69.7 | 0.4 | 75.7 | 0.4 | 2001 | 73.4 | 0.2 | 78.8 | 0.2 | | 1984 | 69.9 | 0.2 | 75.9 | 0.2 | 2002 | 73.4 | 0.0 | 78.9 | 0.1 | | 1985 | 70.1 | 0.2 | 75.8 | -0.1 | 2003 | 73.8 | 0.4 | 78.9 | 0.0 | | 1986 | 70.1 | 0.0 | 76.3 | 0.5 | 2004 | 74.3 | 0.5 | 79.4 | 0.5 | | 1987 | 70.5 | 0.4 | 76.5 | Future trends in home ownershipwill be influenced by a range of factors including general economic trends, thelevels of new building for ownership and social renting, numbers of sales to sittingtenants and demolitions. Estimated Percentage of the HousingStock which was Owner Occupied | Year | Percentage Owner Occupied at 31 December | | 1979 | 35 | | 1980 | 36 | | 1981 | 36 | | 1982 | 38 | | 1983 | 39 | | 1984 | 40 | | 1985 | 42 | | 1986 | 43 | | 1987 | 45 | | 1988 | 47 | | 1989 | 49 | | 1990 | 51 | | 1991 | 52 | | 1992 | 54 | | 1993 | 55 | | 1994 | 57 | | 1995 | 58 | | 1996 | 59 | | 1997 | 60 | | 1998 | 61 | | 1999 | 62 | | 2000 | 63 | | 2001 | 63 | | 2002 | 64 | | 2003 | 65 | | 2004 | 66 | Note:1. Estimates from 2001 revisedfollowing 2001 Census. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195762,"EventID":"S2W-23105","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all children who have been abused have access to abuse recovery services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all children who have been abused have access to abuse recovery services.","AnswerText":"The aim of the three yearchild protection reform programme, now in its final year, is that children andyoung people get the help they need when they need it. It is for local agenciesto identify the specific services required to meet the needs of children intheir area and, through mechanisms such as integrated children’s servicesplanning, ensure these are secured and delivered.Funding is also available toagencies and the voluntary sector through the Changing Children’s ServicesFund, the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund andthe Survivors Fund to provide services required locally. In addition, in September2005 the National Strategy for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse wasannounced. The aim of this work is to effect a step change in servicesresponses to survivors in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195763,"EventID":"S2W-23106","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many abuse recovery services exist for children who have been abused.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many abuse recovery services exist for children who have been abused.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195764,"EventID":"S2W-23107","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has committed in each of the last three financial years to support the development and delivery of abuse recovery services to children who have been a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has committed in each of the last three financial years to support the development and delivery of abuse recovery services to children who have been abused.","AnswerText":"A number of funding streamsare available to agencies and voluntary sector organisations to support thedevelopment and delivery of local services.One of the priorities of theChildren, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund is to protectchildren through effective early intervention with children and families and/orsupport when they need protection. The Unified Fund has been in existence since2004-05. The fund total for 2004-05 was £6.5 million and £7.2 million for 2005-06. In addition one of thepriorities for the Changing Children’s Services Fund is to support packages forvulnerable children and young. Over the last three years the following havebeen spent specifically on child protection activities; 2002-03 £1,420,426 froma total fund of £27 million, 2003-04 £1,537,557 from a total fund of £41.5million, and 2004-05 £5,389,793 from a total fund of £60.5 million. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195765,"EventID":"S2W-23108","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21935 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006, how many deaths where cancer has been cited as other than the primary cause there were in","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21935 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006, how many deaths where cancer has been cited as other than the primary cause there were in each NHS board area in each of the 10 years prior to the Chernobyl incident.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21936 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The following tables provide the absolute number of deaths in Scotland where malignant neoplasms were mentioned on the death certificate but were not the underlying cause of death. Data for 1986 is for the part year up to and including 25 April. | | Year of Registration | | NHS Board Area | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | | Scotland | 1,535 | 1,537 | 1,614 | 1,632 | 1,623 | 1,713 | | Argyll and Clyde | 120 | 121 | 138 | 129 | 140 | 131 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 101 | 125 | 122 | 112 | 101 | 118 | | Borders | 40 | 33 | 33 | 39 | 43 | 35 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 38 | 55 | 37 | 32 | 49 | 50 | | Fife | 86 | 88 | 115 | 128 | 92 | 120 | | Forth Valley | 80 | 87 | 73 | 55 | 73 | 101 | | Grampian | 151 | 154 | 153 | 152 | 167 | 159 | | Greater Glasgow | 341 | 303 | 340 | 316 | 355 | 348 | | Highland | 52 | 50 | 56 | 59 | 68 | 52 | | Lanarkshire | 107 | 98 | 139 | 143 | 100 | 143 | | Lothian | 255","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195766,"EventID":"S2W-23109","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21935 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006, how many deaths where cancer has been cited as other than the primary cause there were in","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21935 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006, how many deaths where cancer has been cited as other than the primary cause there were in each NHS board area in each year since the Chernobyl incident.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21936 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The following tables provide the absolute number of deaths in Scotland where malignant neoplasms were mentioned on the death certificate but were not the underlying cause of death. Data for 1986 is for the part year 26 April to 31 December. | | Year of Registration | | NHS Board Area | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | | Scotland | 1,195 | 1,878 | 1,839 | 1,875 | 1,900 | 1,911 | 1,944 | | Argyll and Clyde | 86 | 149 | 140 | 142 | 168 | 151 | 157 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 81 | 155 | 117 | 139 | 152 | 152 | 127 | | Borders | 19 | 30 | 40 | 61 | 57 | 49 | 48 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 31 | 61 | 51 | 53 | 72 | 41 | 50 | | Fife | 73 | 137 | 118 | 135 | 125 | 148 | 149 | | Forth Valley | 69 | 90 | 109 | 80 | 93 | 81 | 104 | | Grampian | 118 | 167 | 167 | 171 | 155 | 170 | 191 | | Greater Glasgow | 222 | 364 | 371 | 363 | 384 | 349 | 397 | | Highland | 35 | 75 | 65 | 60 | 59 | Staff Of Scottish Local Authority Social Work Services publications. Between 1999 and 2004 (the latest year for which information is available) the number of social work assistants were as follows: | Year | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | | SW Assistants (Number) | 247 | 912 | 1,039 | 1,226 | 1,482 | 2,162 | | SW Assistants (Whole-Time Equivalent) | 225 | 799 | 889 | 1,049 | 1,303 | 1,917 | As a result of changes in the classifications used on census forms, figures are not strictly comparable across years. Fuller information is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/16135/7725. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195768,"EventID":"S2W-23111","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners categorised as predatory paedophiles and given a determinant sentence were released in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners categorised as predatory paedophiles and given a determinant sentence were released in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:“Predatory paedophiles” is nota term used to disguise either Schedule 1 offenders or sex offenders and thereforenot identified by the Scottish Prison Service as a separate category of offender. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195769,"EventID":"S2W-23112","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders currently serving a determinant sentence have been assessed as being at (a) high risk and (b) medium risk of (i) reoffending and (ii) repeat offend","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders currently serving a determinant sentence have been assessed as being at (a) high risk and (b) medium risk of (i) reoffending and (ii) repeat offending upon release.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:A Sex Offender Audit took a snapshotof prisoners in custody on 18 May 2005. It indicated that there were 402 determinate sentenceprisoners identified as sex offenders. The audit made no assessment of the levelsof risk these individuals might represent upon release. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195770,"EventID":"S2W-23113","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many child sex offenders currently held in prison have been assessed as being at high risk of repeat offending upon release. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many child sex offenders currently held in prison have been assessed as being at high risk of repeat offending upon release. ","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:A Sex Offender Audit took a snapshotof prisoners in custody on 18 May 2005. It indicated that of 321 prisoners identified as Schedule1 sex offenders 280 had been assessed for the risk posed to children and 41 werestill to be assessed at that date. The audit made no assessment of the levels ofrisk these individual might represent upon release. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195771,"EventID":"S2W-23114","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many child sex offenders currently held in prison have been assessed as being at medium risk of repeat offending upon release.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many child sex offenders currently held in prison have been assessed as being at medium risk of repeat offending upon release.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23113 on 15 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195772,"EventID":"S2W-23115","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many passenger ferry companies have sought to tender for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service and whether it will list (a) the names of such companies and (b) the loca","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many passenger ferry companies have sought to tender for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service and whether it will list (a) the names of such companies and (b) the locations of their headquarters.","AnswerText":"Three companies remain in the bidding process for operating the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service on an unsubsidised basis. The three companies submitted Pre-Qualification Questionnaires to the Executive in December last year and these are currently being evaluated. However, the Executive’s policy in procurement exercises such as this is not to reveal the identities of the companies submitting Pre-Qualification Questionnaires. When the current stage of the process has been completed, and a suitable tender list has been identified, the names of the companies that have been selected for the tender list will be revealed. This is likely to be in the spring. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195773,"EventID":"S2W-23116","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information has been given by Eaga Partnership Ltd anent the number of private sector pensioners’ homes in the PA14 postcode area which have had central heating syst","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information has been given by Eaga Partnership Ltd anent the number of private sector pensioners’ homes in the PA14 postcode area which have had central heating systems installed in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05 and how many such homes will have installations carried out in (d) 2005-06 and (e) 2006-07.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: Communities Scotland has contacted Eaga Partnership which has indicated that it has not provided information on the number of private sector pensioners’ homes in the PA14 postcode area. The information relating to numbers is provided by main postcode area only. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195774,"EventID":"S2W-23117","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals there are to enhance or improve the financial and social circumstances of older people living in poverty in (a) West Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals there are to enhance or improve the financial and social circumstances of older people living in poverty in (a) West Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is tacklingpensioner poverty in Scotland in partnership with the UK Government.Measures by the UK Government to reduce the proportion of olderpeople on low incomes include Pension Credit, Council Tax and Housing Benefit, theWinter Fuel Payment, the £200 Council Tax refund, and free TV licences. The Executiveis taking a number of actions including our central heating programme, free localoff-peak bus travel (extending to a national scheme), and free personal and nursingcare. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195775,"EventID":"S2W-23118","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 65 and over have received intensive home care in (a) West Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 65 and over have received intensive home care in (a) West Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of all older people in these areas.","AnswerText":"This information is not collected centrally for the whole year. However, the number and percentage of older people in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde local authority areas receiving intensive home care in the week ending 31 March each year since 1999 is: | | Year | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Renfrewshire | Number | 310 | 426 | 471 | 442 | 486 | 433 | 440 | | Percentage | 1.2% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.6% | | Inverclyde | Number | 110 | 106 | 133 | 163 | 180 | 277 | 320 | | Percentage | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 2.0% | 2.3% | Notes: 1. Older people means people aged 65 or over. 2. Intensive home care means 10 or more hours per week. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195776,"EventID":"S2W-23119","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates are available anent the number of (a) older people and (b) disabled people living in (i) West Renfrewshire and (ii) Inverclyde who will be eligible for fre","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates are available anent the number of (a) older people and (b) disabled people living in (i) West Renfrewshire and (ii) Inverclyde who will be eligible for free travel under the national concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"People aged 60 and over and eligibledisabled people will be able to use the new Scotland-wide free bus travel schemefor older and disabled people.Information for older peopleis based on the 2001 census which holds data based on local authority areas. AsWest Renfrewshire is a parliamentary constituency which is composed ofparts of local authorities it is not possible to provide a figure for this area. The number of people aged 60based on information from the 2001 census for Inverclyde is 18,521 and we estimatethat the number of eligible disabled people will increase these totals by about10%. ","AnswerDate":"2006-05-12T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195777,"EventID":"S2W-23120","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the Fuel Poverty Forum has met since its inception.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the Fuel Poverty Forum has met since its inception.","AnswerText":"The Fuel Poverty Forum met on 24 February 2003, 17 June 2003, 17 September 2003, 16 December 2003, 30 March 2004, 15 June 2004, 15 September 2004, 7 July 2005 and 4 October 2005. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195778,"EventID":"S2W-23121","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it has had met, and what discussions it has had with, the Fuel Poverty Forum regarding fuel price rises.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it has had met, and what discussions it has had with, the Fuel Poverty Forum regarding fuel price rises.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive Fuel Poverty Forum meets quarterly to work collectively towards delivering the Scottish Executive fuel poverty target. Fuel prices are reserved to the UK Government and as such have not constituted a formal agenda item. However the Forum regularly discusses what can be done to protect those most vulnerable to price increases. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195779,"EventID":"S2W-23122","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2133,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22669 by George Lyon on 9 February 2006, how many pre-Christmas deliveries BT was unable to meet under the Home Computer Initiative","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22669 by George Lyon on 9 February 2006, how many pre-Christmas deliveries BT was unable to meet under the Home Computer Initiative Framework Contract and what compensation will be provided to those whom it failed to supply on time.","AnswerText":"BT have advised that approximately 20,000 orders were delayed. Many of these were due for pre-Christmas delivery and others were scheduled for delivery in 2006. As a goodwill gesture, BT have offered a £50 voucher for use in their online shop for those customers whose orders were not shipped by BT for delivery between 12 and 31 December. BT have also offered a 25 per cent discount voucher, also for use in their online shop, to all other customers. This however does not preclude individual public authorities from further pursuing specific cases with BT as they deem appropriate. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195780,"EventID":"S2W-23123","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a Scotland-wide rail, bus and ferry concessionary travel scheme for young people and what the definition will be of a young person under the scheme","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a Scotland-wide rail, bus and ferry concessionary travel scheme for young people and what the definition will be of a young person under the scheme.","AnswerText":"The Partnership Agreement commitsthe Executive to the progressive introduction of a national scheme of bus, railand ferry concessionary travel for young people. We are currently developing detailedproposals to implement this commitment and an announcement will be made shortly.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195781,"EventID":"S2W-23124","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it uses to assess the efficacy of methadone in reducing infections of hepatitis B and C and HIV among injecting heroin addicts and the population at large.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it uses to assess the efficacy of methadone in reducing infections of hepatitis B and C and HIV among injecting heroin addicts and the population at large.","AnswerText":"Health Protection Scotland (HPS) runs a surveillance initiative to measure the prevalence of infection by hepatitis C among injecting drug users and others and receives information on the number of new hepatitis B diagnoses among persons for whom injecting drug use was indicated as a risk factor. HPS also monitors the prevalence of HIV infection among injecting drug users and others through the surveillance of persons undergoing voluntary confidential HIV testing in Scotland. It is impossible to separate the different strands of the harm reduction intervention programme, such as needle/syringe exchange and methadone maintenance therapy, in terms of specific effectiveness. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195782,"EventID":"S2W-23125","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of any monitoring of the efficacy of methadone in reducing infections of hepatitis B and C and HIV among injecting heroin addicts and the population ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of any monitoring of the efficacy of methadone in reducing infections of hepatitis B and C and HIV among injecting heroin addicts and the population at large.","AnswerText":"In 1990, prevalence of hepatitis C among injecting drug users from Lothian and Glasgow aged under 25 was around 70-90%; these injectors would have commenced their injecting prior to the introduction of harm reduction interventions. By the mid-1990s, rates among under 25 year old injecting drug users had decreased to 20-40%. This rate has remained generally constant to 2002. In 1985, the number of new hepatitis B virus diagnoses in injecting drug users was 157, compared to 38 in 2002. The prevalence of HIV was 0.5% among 2,115 injecting drug users during 2004; this rate compares with prevalence of 1.4% to 3.2% in the early to mid-1990s and 0.5% to 0.8% during the period 1998 to 2003. It is impossible to separate the different strands of the harm reduction intervention programme, such as needle/syringe exchange and methadone maintenance therapy, in terms of specific effectiveness. Further information can be obtained from the Health Protection Scotland website at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195783,"EventID":"S2W-23126","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of any monitoring of the efficacy of methadone in reducing crime among those addicted to illicit substances.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of any monitoring of the efficacy of methadone in reducing crime among those addicted to illicit substances.","AnswerText":"Local research in Glasgow in 1999 suggested that injecting drug users in the city committed 26 crimes per month, compared to four per month when prescribed methadone and when ceased injecting. Findings in 2005 from the much larger National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS) in England and Wales showed that, for drug misusers who sought treatment voluntarily, there were substantial reductions both in the number of crimes committed and the percentage of clients engaged in crime. Similar reductions were found among clients from methadone and from residential programmes. Reports on NTORS can be found at http://www.dh.gov.uk/Publications. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195784,"EventID":"S2W-23127","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of any monitoring of the efficacy of providing clean injecting equipment in reducing infections of hepatitis B and C and HIV among injecting heroin a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of any monitoring of the efficacy of providing clean injecting equipment in reducing infections of hepatitis B and C and HIV among injecting heroin addicts and the population at large.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23124 on 8 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195785,"EventID":"S2W-23128","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the provision of clean pipes as part of a harm reduction programme for users of crack cocaine.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the provision of clean pipes as part of a harm reduction programme for users of crack cocaine.","AnswerText":"Provision of paraphernalia such as clean pipes for users of crack cocaine would require amendment of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. No such amendment is planned at present. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195786,"EventID":"S2W-23129","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review its support for harm reduction measures as part of its approach to tackling illicit drug use.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review its support for harm reduction measures as part of its approach to tackling illicit drug use.","AnswerText":"Our strategy for tackling drug misuse is focused on outcomes such as the drug-free life, the crime-free life and a journey back into education, family life or employment. That means offering a wide range of options to those seeking help, tailored to individual needs and circumstance. A variety of approaches which are all effective, when used appropriately, can contribute to recovery – abstinence approaches, residential approaches, detoxification approaches and harm reduction approaches. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195787,"EventID":"S2W-23130","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much social inclusion partnership funding has been allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde in each year since 1999-2000 and what proportion of the sum alloca","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much social inclusion partnership funding has been allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde in each year since 1999-2000 and what proportion of the sum allocated to Inverclyde was specifically designated for the regeneration of Port Glasgow. ","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:(a) SIP funding allocated toRenfrewshire (Paisley Partnership) is as follows: | | £ | | 1999-2000 | 2,749,276 | | 2000-01 | 2,748,176 | | 2001-02 | 2,707,953 | | 2002-03 | 3,127,927 | | 2003-04 | 3,509,751 | | 2004-05 | 3,566,991 | (b) SIP funding allocated toInverclyde (Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership) is as follows: | | £ | | 1999-2000 | 2,991,245 | | 2000-01 | 2,423,735 | | 2001-02 | 2,546,173 | | 2002-03 | 2,464,011 | | 2003-04 | 2,919,446 | | 2004-05 | 3,958,903 | Information regarding the amountspecifically designated to Port Glasgow cannot be determined accurately since mostprojects funded by the Partnership operated on an Inverclyde SIP-wide basis. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195788,"EventID":"S2W-23131","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde through the Community Voices Programme in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde through the Community Voices Programme in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07. ","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: The funding allocated to Renfrewshire and Inverclyde through the Community Voices programme in 2005-06 and 2006-07 is as follows: | | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | | Renfrewshire | £60,000 | £122,000 | | Inverclyde | £60,000 | £122,000 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195789,"EventID":"S2W-23132","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to modify the Community Voices Programme. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to modify the Community Voices Programme. ","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: The Community Voices Programme has been in existence for less than a year. The first round of monitoring information on the programme will be available in summer 2006. We are always willing to consider the lessons learned from practice and to see how we can improve the programme. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195790,"EventID":"S2W-23133","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations have been made anent the (a) funding, (b) local administration and (c) accessibility of the Community Voices Programme. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations have been made anent the (a) funding, (b) local administration and (c) accessibility of the Community Voices Programme. ","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows: No recent representations have been received about the funding, local administration or accessibility of the Community Voices Programme. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195791,"EventID":"S2W-23134","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money from the Community Regeneration Fund has been allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde in 2005-06; how much will be allocated in 2006-07, and wheth","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money from the Community Regeneration Fund has been allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde in 2005-06; how much will be allocated in 2006-07, and whether a specific amount of the money given to Inverclyde will be for the regeneration of Port Glasgow.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:(a) The CRF allocations to RenfrewshireCommunity Planning Partnership are as follows: | | £ | | 2005-06 | 4,527,000 | | 2006-07 | 4,554,000 | (b) The CRF allocations to InverclydeCommunity Planning Partnership are as follows: | | £ | | 2005-06 | 5,381,000 | | 2006-07 | 4,881,000 | The allocation of CRF fundingto projects is determined locally by the respective Partnerships. Expenditure plansare contained in the Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Regeneration Outcome Agreements2005-08. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195792,"EventID":"S2W-23135","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund in each year since 2000-01 and whether any specific amounts","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to (a) Renfrewshire and (b) Inverclyde from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund in each year since 2000-01 and whether any specific amounts awarded to Inverclyde were designated for the regeneration of Port Glasgow.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:(a) BNSF allocated to Renfrewshireis as follows: | | (£ Million) | | 2001-02 | 1.0 | | 2002-03 | 1.5 | | 2003-04 | 2.0 | | 2004-05 | 1.5 | (b) BNSF allocated to Inverclydeis as follows: | | (£ Million) | | 2001-02 | 2.0 | | 2002-03 | 3.0 | | 2003-04 | 4.0 | | 2004-05 | 3.0 | Information regarding the amountspecifically designated to Port Glasgow cannot be determined accurately as Inverclyde’sBNSF programme was delivered on a thematic basis, mostly in social inclusionpartnership areas, focusing on employability, neighbourhood services and healthand drugs. Three specific target areas were identified for the neighbourhood serviceselement of the programme and these included Robert Street in Port Glasgow. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195793,"EventID":"S2W-23136","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to fulfil the Partnership Agreement commitment to free dental checks.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to fulfil the Partnership Agreement commitment to free dental checks.","AnswerText":"Free NHS dental checks will be introduced from 1 April 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195794,"EventID":"S2W-23137","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients have been removed from general dental practitioner lists as a result of dentists moving to full private practice in each of the last three years, br","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients have been removed from general dental practitioner lists as a result of dentists moving to full private practice in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195795,"EventID":"S2W-23138","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-09T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of adults were registered with NHS dentists in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of adults were registered with NHS dentists in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is contained in Appendix 1, table A6 of the Scottish Dental Practice Board Annual Report 2004/05. This can be found at: http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sdpb/Annual%20Report%20and%20Executive%20Summaries/SDPB_annual_report_2004-05.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195796,"EventID":"S2W-23139","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it carried out an impact assessment prior to the introduction of national budget reductions and local reallocation of resources in relation to the Supporting Peop","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it carried out an impact assessment prior to the introduction of national budget reductions and local reallocation of resources in relation to the Supporting People programme.","AnswerText":"Evidence from reviews of theSupporting People programme in England and Scotland confirmed the scope for significant efficiencysavings with the price Waterhouse Coopers report indication wide variation inthe cost of services across Scotland and the way they were configured. Unit costs in Scotlandappeared considerably higher than England where similar levels of efficiency saving have beensought. The Scottish Executive put in £60 million of additional funding beyondthat provided by Treasury to protect services and some authorities gain fromthe new distribution system.Local authorities in Scotland areperforming service reviews of all services provided under the Supporting People programme and all service reviews are to be completed by March 2007.The Scottish Executive believes that significant efficiencies are achievable inthe programme and will expect to see evidence of that for the next spending review,but monitoring arrangements will also allow local authorities to record anyadverse impact of budget changes on services and service users. The informationin the monitoring returns will be made available to the Supporting People Service Review Impact Group to inform their report to ministers on theimpact of the service review process. Monitoring returns will be twice a year andstarted in October 2005. Initial indications are that services are generallybeing maintained in the current year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195797,"EventID":"S2W-23140","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it carried out an impact assessment, specifically in respect of voluntary sector services, prior to the introduction of national budget reductions and local reall","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it carried out an impact assessment, specifically in respect of voluntary sector services, prior to the introduction of national budget reductions and local reallocation of resources in relation to the Supporting People programme.","AnswerText":"No impact assessmentspecifically in respect of voluntary sector services was carried out, butevidence from reviews of the Supporting People programme in England and Scotlandindicated scope for significant efficiency savings. Monitoring arrangementsallow local authorities to record any adverse impact on services to informfuture funding decisions. Initial indications are that services are generallybeing maintained and no type of provider is being disproportionately affected.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195798,"EventID":"S2W-23141","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how budget reductions of up to 25% to the Supporting People programme can be achieved through efficiency savings without any reduction in services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how budget reductions of up to 25% to the Supporting People programme can be achieved through efficiency savings without any reduction in services.","AnswerText":"Funding is now distributed ona fairer basis against a new formula and although some councils lose funding ofup to 18% over three years others gain significant increases in resources.Evidence from reviews of theSupporting People programme in England and Scotland confirmed the scope for significant efficiency savings,and unit costs in Scotland appear higher. We expect councils wherever possible todrive out inefficiencies rather than cut services. Services should only be cut asa last resort and after a review of the strategic relevance, quality and value formoney of all services and a rigorous review of the scope for efficiency improvementson management and administrative overheads. However, the monitoring and evaluationarrangements, agreed with COSLA and other external stakeholders, will ensure thefull impact of the budget changes is properly assessed to inform decision makingon future funding in the next spending review. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195799,"EventID":"S2W-23142","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals in receipt of the Employment and Support Allowance, proposed by the UK Government’s Green Paper on welfare reform, will be entitled to free prescripti","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals in receipt of the Employment and Support Allowance, proposed by the UK Government’s Green Paper on welfare reform, will be entitled to free prescriptions.","AnswerText":"No decisions have been takenon the possible passporting of exemption from prescription charges as a consequenceof the welfare reforms proposed by the UK Government. We will await the outcomeof both the consultation on those proposals and the currently on-going consultationon the review of prescription charges in Scotland.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195800,"EventID":"S2W-23143","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals in receipt of the holding benefit prior to a Personal Capability Assessment for the Employment and Support Allowance, proposed by the UK Government’s ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals in receipt of the holding benefit prior to a Personal Capability Assessment for the Employment and Support Allowance, proposed by the UK Government’s Green Paper on welfare reform, will be entitled to free prescriptions.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23142 on 10 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195801,"EventID":"S2W-23144","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with UK ministers in respect of the procedures for investigating deaths of Scottish soldiers serving with Scottish regiments outwith th","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with UK ministers in respect of the procedures for investigating deaths of Scottish soldiers serving with Scottish regiments outwith the United Kingdom.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has notheld any discussions with the UK Government regarding the deaths of Scottish soldiersserving in Scottish regiments outwith the United Kingdom.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195802,"EventID":"S2W-23145","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has offered access to the Scottish legal system and forensic pathology services to investigate the circumstances in respect of the deaths of Scottish soldiers ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has offered access to the Scottish legal system and forensic pathology services to investigate the circumstances in respect of the deaths of Scottish soldiers serving with Scottish regiments outwith the United Kingdom.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has notoffered access to the Scottish legal and forensic pathology services in relationto the deaths of Scottish soldiers overseas.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195803,"EventID":"S2W-23146","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21904 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2006, which organisations or institutions carry out bespoke rail safety training for British ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21904 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2006, which organisations or institutions carry out bespoke rail safety training for British Transport Police based in Scotland and at which locations this training is carried out.","AnswerText":"First Engineering carry out bespoke rail safety training for British Transport Police based in Scotland. Training takes place at First Engineering’s training centre in Rutherglen, Glasgow. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195804,"EventID":"S2W-23147","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21902 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2006, whether it has examined the impact on funding the operation of railway policing in Scot","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21902 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2006, whether it has examined the impact on funding the operation of railway policing in Scotland if the British Transport Police was to be partially absorbed by the Metropolitan Police Service and, if so, what the impact would be.","AnswerText":"The impact on funding arrangementsfor railway policing in Scotland would depend on the nature of any decision about thefuture structure of British Transport Police. Officials remain in touch with theDepartment of Transport on progress with their review of British Transport Police.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195805,"EventID":"S2W-23148","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when its Health Department commenced the ratification of the job evaluation process for paramedic and ambulance staff.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when its Health Department commenced the ratification of the job evaluation process for paramedic and ambulance staff.","AnswerText":"It was agreed in partnership with trades unions and professional organisations at a UK level as part of the overall Agenda for Change agreement that the outcomes of the job evaluation scheme would be checked for consistency and accuracy. There are two strands to this process in NHSScotland, both performed in partnership. Local systems ensure that there is consistency in outcome across the individual matching panels within their area. A national monitoring group (JEMG) ensures that job evaluation outcomes are accurate and consistent across the whole of NHSScotland. Approval from JEMG is required before staff groups can be assimilated to the new Agenda for Change paybands. The Scottish Ambulance Service began submitting outcomes to JEMG in early January 2006. A number of these have been processed and the notifying of staff commenced on 17 February 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195806,"EventID":"S2W-23149","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the ratification of the job evaluation process for paramedic and ambulance staff will be complete.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the ratification of the job evaluation process for paramedic and ambulance staff will be complete.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23100 on 28 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195807,"EventID":"S2W-23150","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether conveners and members of Additional Support Needs Tribunals are required to provide their biographical details prior to appointment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether conveners and members of Additional Support Needs Tribunals are required to provide their biographical details prior to appointment.","AnswerText":"All conveners and members of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals are required to provide their biographical details prior to appointment and all have met this requirement. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195808,"EventID":"S2W-23151","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the biographical details, qualifications and registered interests of conveners and members of Additional Support Needs Tribunals and, if so, by wh","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the biographical details, qualifications and registered interests of conveners and members of Additional Support Needs Tribunals and, if so, by what date the information will be published.","AnswerText":"The names of all the conveners and members of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals can be found on the Additional Support Needs Tribunals website at www.asntscotland.gov.uk. The Scottish Executive does not intend to publish their biographical details, qualifications and registered interests. A Scottish Executive news release dated 21 October 2005, provided the biographical and other details of the President of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195809,"EventID":"S2W-23152","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether each and all conveners and members of Additional Support Needs Tribunals have been subject to a disclosure check by the Scottish Criminal Record Office and have r","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether each and all conveners and members of Additional Support Needs Tribunals have been subject to a disclosure check by the Scottish Criminal Record Office and have received clearance.","AnswerText":"All conveners and members of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals have been subject to a disclosure check by the Scottish Criminal Record Office and have received clearance. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195810,"EventID":"S2W-23153","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the members of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals have been or are currently employed by a local education authority, or have been contracted to a ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the members of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals have been or are currently employed by a local education authority, or have been contracted to a local authority in some capacity.","AnswerText":"Seventy-three percent (11 out of 15) of the members of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals have been or are currently employed by a local authority, or have been contracted to a local authority in some capacity. Only three are currently employed by local authorities. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195811,"EventID":"S2W-23154","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to amend regulations in respect of Additional Support Needs Tribunals.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to amend regulations in respect of Additional Support Needs Tribunals.","AnswerText":"The Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland (Practice and Procedure) Rules 2006 were laid in Parliament on 1 March 2006 (Scottish Statutory Instrument 2006-88. These rules re-enact the previous rules (Scottish Statutory Instrument 2005-05-14) with minor amendments and points of clarification as requested by the Subordinate Legislation Committee, Education Committee and Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals. Any further amendments to the regulations will be considered as and when necessary. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195812,"EventID":"S2W-23155","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, whether the reports by John McLeod in respect of his investigations into the Shirley Mc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, whether the reports by John McLeod in respect of his investigations into the Shirley McKie fingerprint case will now be made public and, if so, when they will be published; if not, what the reasons are for not publishing the reports and whether it will publish the terms of reference and the conclusions arising from these reports; whether the Executive or the Lord Advocate has commissioned any other reports into this case, and, if so, when these will be published, what the terms of reference were and what conclusions were reached. ","AnswerText":"It is not my intention tomake the MacLeod reports public. They were commissioned by the Executive aspart of its defence of the civil action brought by Shirley McKie. Publicationof the MacLeod reports would undermine the basic principle of Scots law thatneither party to a litigation is obliged to disclose reports commissioned forthe purpose of the litigation. The Scottish Executive has commissioned onefurther report as part of its defence of the civil action which will not bepublished for the same reason. The Lord Advocate also commissioned reports inthe course of criminal investigations linked to the Shirley McKie case. The Lord Advocatedoes not intend to publish these reports as they were prepared for the purposesof criminal investigations and as such are confidential.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195813,"EventID":"S2W-23156","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, whether the dispute on the identification of certain fingerprints between the Aberdeen ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, whether the dispute on the identification of certain fingerprints between the Aberdeen Fingerprint Bureau and the Scottish Criminal Records Office has been resolved; if not, who has responsibility for deciding how and when it is resolved; what criteria will be used for resolving it, and what action will be taken to ensure that future fingerprint identifications will be reliable and accurate.","AnswerText":"The disagreement concerns identificationof a fingerprint in a criminal case which has been concluded.The answer to question S2W-23158on 17 February 2006 set out the detailed programme of work that has beenput in place since the HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Inspection report in September2000 of the SCRO Fingerprint Bureau. I also announced on 22 February 2006 thatI had asked the Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Police Services Authority(SPSA), Deputy Chief Constable David Mulhern, to submit, by the end of March, anaction plan for the migration of the Scottish Fingerprint Service into the new ScottishForensic Science Service from 1 April 2007. Implementing that action plan will ensure we have aworld class fingerprint service, with independentoversight, scientific excellence and transparent adherence to standards. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195814,"EventID":"S2W-23157","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, whether the material which is the subject of the dispute between the Aberdeen Fingerpri","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, whether the material which is the subject of the dispute between the Aberdeen Fingerprint Bureau and the Scottish Criminal Records Office has been peer reviewed or independently assessed at any time; if so, what the outcome was, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.","AnswerText":"The fingerprint mark which was the subject of the report by three members of the Aberdeen Bureau of the Scottish Fingerprint Service has been reviewed and independently assessed by a number of people over the last nine years. Experts have reached different conclusions about the ownership of the mark. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195815,"EventID":"S2W-23158","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement made by the then Minister for Justice on 22 June 2000 on the Scottish Criminal Records Office (Official Report, c. 681) what the conclusions and","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement made by the then Minister for Justice on 22 June 2000 on the Scottish Criminal Records Office (Official Report, c. 681) what the conclusions and outcome were of the report commissioned.","AnswerText":"The then Deputy FirstMinister and Minister for Justice’s statement concerned an inspection of the ScottishCriminal Record Office (SCRO) Fingerprint Bureau by Her Majesty’s ChiefInspector of Constabulary (HMIC). The inspection began on 20 March 2000. On 22 June 2000 HMICpublished an interim report in which he explained that expert advice given tohim by Independent fingerprint experts was to the effect that the latent markin the case was not that of Shirley McKie and that in his view the SCRO FingerprintBureau was “not fully effective and efficient”.In his statement the Deputy First Ministermade clear that the Scottish Executive would support the ACPOS PresidentialReview which took responsibility for implementing HMIC’s recommendations. Healso indicated that the ACPOS Presidential Review would consider the positionof the four fingerprint officers concerned. In a statement on the sameday the Lord Advocate indicated that an independent external check wouldbe carried out in all current and future cases where fingerprint evidence wassubmitted by SCRO. In July 2001 the Lord Advocate decided that independentverification of SCRO fingerprint evidence was no longer required. In theprevious 13 months over 1,700 cases were reviewed and in each case the accuracyof the identification was confirmed. In August 2000, thePresident of ACPOS and the Chairman of SCRO’s Executive Committee concludedthat the four members of staff should be suspended on a precautionary basis. Anad hoc investigation and disciplinary procedure was carried out and inMarch 2002 the SCRO Scrutiny Committee announced that no disciplinary actionwould be taken. The four officers returned to work in on 9 April 2002 on aphased return basis, moving to full-time working from March 2003. The full HMIC report ScottishCriminal Record Office: The Fingerprint Bureau Primary Inspection 2000 (availableon the Scottish Executive website) contained 25 recommendations and 20suggestions and was published on 14 September 2000. The recommendationscovered a range of issues including the need for improvements in training,testing and quality assurance measures, consideration of a national fingerprintservice, move towards the introduction of a different evidential standard forfingerprints in Scotland, strengthening the administrative support for thefingerprint service and setting up a task force to take forward the changesrecommended. All of the recommendations and suggestions have been successfully implemented. Following therecommendations in this report and the ACPOS Presidential Review, the SCROExecutive Committee, senior management at SCRO and the Scottish Executive haveput in place an extensive programme of change management. This has included: Appointing a Head ofScottish Fingerprint Service in April 2001 to lead the work to establish the Scottish Fingerprint Service (SFS) based on 4 bureaux in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.The model was approved in principle by the SCRO Executive Committee in June2001 and rationalisation of the existing structure commenced. This work wascompleted in early 2002; Relocating SCRO and the Glasgowfingerprint bureau from Strathclyde Police Headquarters to Pacific Quay. Thiswas intended to help create a distinct and independent corporate identity forSCRO and the SFS; The SFS uses theinternationally accepted process of identification which conforms to thescientific principles of analyse, compare, evaluate, verify (ACE V) withverification by two fingerprint experts following the initial expertidentification. Enhanced independent verification was introduced. Only afterthe independent verification procedure is complete will an identification beintimated to the police investigating officer and the Procurator Fiscal Servicefor their consideration in any court proceedings; Quality assurance andtraining officers have been in post at Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh bureaux since 2002","AnswerDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195816,"EventID":"S2W-23159","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times for accident and emergency cases in hospitals have been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board and hospital. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times for accident and emergency cases in hospitals have been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board and hospital. ","AnswerText":"Between 1999 and 2002, information on waiting times at accident and emergency (A&E) departments was recorded centrally via a series of annual week-long surveys. The survey was reduced to three days duration in 2003 to minimise the workload of busy A&E Departments, as many departments completed the survey manually. The surveys specifically measured the waiting times from arrival in A&E to: time to triage; time to be seen by a doctor, and time to completion of treatment. The survey in April 2002 was undertaken during a seven-day period specifically identified by the Health Department. The surveys in the years 1999, 2000 and 2001 were undertaken during a four week period identified by the Health Department, with each hospital deciding on the specific seven-day period of the survey. The 3-day survey period for 2003, 2004 and 2005 was set by the Health Department. Average A&E attendances per survey day increased from 3,007 in 1999 to 3,636 in 2005 – a rise of 21%. Median waiting times from arrival to completion of treatment for individual NHSScotland accident and emergency departments in each of the years requested are set out in the table. Due to the changes in the timing and duration of the surveys from which the information is derived, year on year results may not be directly comparable. The Executive gave a commitment, in Fair to All, Personal to Each, published in December 2004, that from the end of 2007, patients will wait no longer than 4 hours between arriving at A&E and admission, transfer or discharge. The Health Department is working with NHS boards to ensure that they are able to meet this target for the benefit of patients throughout Scotland. NHSScotland: Accident And Emergency Waiting Times Surveys 1999–2005. Median Wait Times from Arrival at A&E Reception to Completion of Treatment | | Median Waiting Time (Minutes) | | 19991 | 20001 | 20011 | 20022 | 20033 | 20043 | 20053 | | NHS Argyll and Clyde | 61 | 62 | 73 | 76 | 79 | 94 | 79 | | Inverclyde Royal Hospital | 51 | 68 | 68 | 84 | 75 | 133 | 78 | | Lorn & Islands District Gen Hospital | x | x | x | 45 | 45 | 55 | 40 | | Royal Alexandra Hospital | 70 | 64 | 84 | 81 | 96 | 94 | 106 | | Vale of Leven District General Hospital - Medical Assessment Unit | x | x | x | x | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195818,"EventID":"S2W-23161","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1773,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8958 by Tavish Scott on 9 February 2006, whether it will provide the details of any agreement reached with Network Rail in respect ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8958 by Tavish Scott on 9 February 2006, whether it will provide the details of any agreement reached with Network Rail in respect of the early double tracking of the Edinburgh to Bathgate line and when such agreement was reached","AnswerText":"Network Rail are continuing todevelop a programme for the early delivery of the double tracking for diesel serviceseast of Bathgate and they have regular discussions with Transport Scotland overthis issue. As indicated in my statementon 16 March we have reached agreement with Network Rail for the delivery of theearly works. The final details of the agreement are still being developed. Oncethese details are finalised we aim to sign an implementation agreement by the endof 2006. Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195819,"EventID":"S2W-23162","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female remand prisoners have been housed at (a) Craiginches Prison and (b) Cornton Vale Prison in each of the last three years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female remand prisoners have been housed at (a) Craiginches Prison and (b) Cornton Vale Prison in each of the last three years.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:This information is notreadily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195820,"EventID":"S2W-23163","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female remand prisoners have been transferred to Cornton Vale Prison as a result of the women's unit at Craiginches Prison being closed.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many female remand prisoners have been transferred to Cornton Vale Prison as a result of the women's unit at Craiginches Prison being closed.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: Seven female remand prisoners arrived at Cornton Vale following the closure of the women’s unit at Aberdeen Prison. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195821,"EventID":"S2W-23164","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young offenders aged (a) 16 and (b) 17 have been housed in adult prisons in each of the last five years, broken down by individual prison and showing year on yea","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young offenders aged (a) 16 and (b) 17 have been housed in adult prisons in each of the last five years, broken down by individual prison and showing year on year percentage changes and percentage change for the five year period. ","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:This information is not available. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195822,"EventID":"S2W-23165","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the options being considered as part of the review of neurosurgery across Scotland include neurosurgeons continuing to be based in Aberdeen and providing a range ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the options being considered as part of the review of neurosurgery across Scotland include neurosurgeons continuing to be based in Aberdeen and providing a range of neurosurgical procedures in that area.","AnswerText":"The model being developedaccepts that neurosurgical activity will continue in Aberdeen, asan integral part of the Scotland-wide neurosurgery and neurology service setout in Delivering for Health.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195823,"EventID":"S2W-23166","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of children were registered with NHS dentists in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of children were registered with NHS dentists in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is containedin Appendix 1, table A3 of the Scottish Dental Practice Board Annual Report2004/05. This can be accessed at:http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sdpb/Annual%20Report%20and%20Executive%20Summaries/SDPB_annual_report_2004-05.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195824,"EventID":"S2W-23167","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid by each NHS board to general dental practitioners in the year before they moved to private practice since 1999 and how the boards have reallocated ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid by each NHS board to general dental practitioners in the year before they moved to private practice since 1999 and how the boards have reallocated the funds saved by such moves.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195825,"EventID":"S2W-23168","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the progress it has made in discussions with the British Dental Association in respect of a new dental contract for NHS dentists.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the progress it has made in discussions with the British Dental Association in respect of a new dental contract for NHS dentists.","AnswerText":"Executive officials meet withrepresentatives from the British Dental Association (BDA) on a regular basis totake forward the implementation of the Action Plan for Improving Oral Healthand Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland. I confirmed the basis for additionalfunding for dentists committed to treating all categories of patient on the NHSat the time of the debate on dentistry in the Parliament on 17 November 2005. TheBDA does not support our requirement that all categories of patient be treated onthe NHS. That principle is not negotiable.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195826,"EventID":"S2W-23169","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-10T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental practitioners offered NHS dentistry in 2005, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental practitioners offered NHS dentistry in 2005, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"The information requested canbe found on the Scottish Health Statistics website at:http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=3446&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195827,"EventID":"S2W-23170","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2148,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19671 by Malcolm Chisholm, with which other public bodies, including UK Government departments, it is negotiating to develop framew","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19671 by Malcolm Chisholm, with which other public bodies, including UK Government departments, it is negotiating to develop framework agreements with a view to securing transfers of surplus land for affordable housing in areas where particular need has been identified; what stage negotiations have reached with each such body, and whether any body, including UK Government departments, approached in this connection has declined to conclude any framework agreement.","AnswerText":"The Executive andCommunities Scotland are engaged in discussion with a number of public bodies andagencies about the use of surplus public sector land across Scotland foraffordable housing. A national agreement is in place with Forestry CommissionScotland and we are currently pursuing discussions that seek to extend to Scotland anagreement that exists between English Partnerships and Defence Estates. Localagreements are also proving successful in some areas in delivering suitable land,such as the arrangement I announced on 13 March which sees former Ministry ofDefence properties in Elgin being acquired for affordable housing. We intend to buildon such arrangements and extend them to other areas wherever possible. We are,for instance, looking at ways to facilitate local agreements between localauthorities and health boards. Our Regeneration Statement published earlierthis month commits us to maximise the regeneration potential of public sectorland and we will continue to examine all opportunities to secure more land foraffordable housing in our most pressured areas. We are also streamlining thesystem that identifies surplus public sector sites and encouraging its use by awider range of public bodies.No public bodies havedeclined to conclude framework agreements. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195828,"EventID":"S2W-23171","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2148,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19671 by Malcolm Chisholm, what advice it gives to public bodies on attaching title conditions or other legal agreements to land tr","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19671 by Malcolm Chisholm, what advice it gives to public bodies on attaching title conditions or other legal agreements to land transferred on favourable terms for affordable housing to ensure that the housing developed is protected as affordable housing for subsequent occupants.","AnswerText":"A number of options exist to ensure that affordable units which are built for low-cost home ownership remain affordable in the future. In order to control subsequent sales, conditions can be placed in sale missives, or public bodies may consider transferring land to Rural Housing Bodies which can then attach Rural Housing Burdens to properties. In the case of Homestake, the scheme includes provision for a “golden share”, which can be retained by the RSL upon sale. Forestry Commission Scotland, for instance, ensures that its sites sold for low-cost home ownership are covered by either the Homestake golden share or a Rural Housing Burden. Planning Advice Note 74 “Affordable Housing” contains general advice on planning conditions and planning agreements to safeguard land identified for affordable housing and to retain affordable units. The PAN includes a case example outlining City of Edinburgh Council’s use of planning agreements to regulate the sale of discounted dwellings for affordable housing. In order to ensure that housing for social rent stays in the affordable sector, and is not sold to a sitting tenant through the Right to Buy (RtB), a public body would need to transfer its land to a charitable housing association as defined in the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990) or the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (Registered Social Landlords) Order 2002. Transfers of land to housing associations which do not comply with the above criteria, may mean that rented units could in future be subject to the RtB. Future RtB sales could be prevented by a RtB pressured area designation, for tenancies which commenced on or after 30 September 2002. It is for local authorities to apply to Scottish ministers for pressured area designations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195829,"EventID":"S2W-23172","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional financial support is made available to the Highland Council as a result of the number of rural primary schools for which it is responsible.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional financial support is made available to the Highland Council as a result of the number of rural primary schools for which it is responsible.","AnswerText":"Highland Council receivesadditional support of £4.755 million in 2005-06 as a result of a redistributionof the Primary School Teaching Staff Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) allocationwhich is based on the 18% of Highland pupils who are educated in small schoolsi.e. where the pupil roll is 70 or less. In 2006‑07 and 2007-08, thisredistribution reallocates £5.442 million and £5.555 million respectively,based on a percentage of 17.2%. Any current or future changes to thispercentage will not now be made until the next Spending Review, currentlyscheduled for 2007.TheseGAE allocations are neither budgets nor spending targets. They are a componentof the more complex local government funding formula which is used to calculatea single revenue grant figure for each council. It is then a matter for eachindividual council to decide how best to deploy these resources based on localneeds and priorities. In addition, the Executive’sGaelic Specific Grant and an element of the National Priorities Action Fundrelating to the Executive’s commitment to having 53,000 additional teachers by2007 may have some bearing on financial support of rural schools. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195830,"EventID":"S2W-23173","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21547 by Mr Tom McCabe on 19 December 2005, in which of its departments the vacancies in Inverness arose in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 200","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21547 by Mr Tom McCabe on 19 December 2005, in which of its departments the vacancies in Inverness arose in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05.","AnswerText":"The information is as follows:in 2003-04, five of the vacancieswere in the Deer Commission for Scotland and the remaining four vacancies were in the Animal HealthOffice in Inverness, in 2004-05, three of the vacancieswere in the Agricultural area office in Inverness and three vacancies were in the Animal Health Officein Inverness. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195831,"EventID":"S2W-23174","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21547 by Mr Tom McCabe on 19 December 2005, whether the information provided applied to the periods from (a) 1 April 2003 to 31 Mar","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21547 by Mr Tom McCabe on 19 December 2005, whether the information provided applied to the periods from (a) 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 and (b) 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 and, if not, to what dates the information applied.","AnswerText":"Yes.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195832,"EventID":"S2W-23175","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21547 by Mr Tom McCabe on 19 December 2005, whether applicants for the vacancies were required to have any specific professional qu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21547 by Mr Tom McCabe on 19 December 2005, whether applicants for the vacancies were required to have any specific professional qualifications and/or experience and, if so, what professional qualifications and/or experience were required in respect of each vacancy.","AnswerText":"As noted in my answer to questionS2W-21547, there were 15 vacancies in the Scottish Executive, excluding the CroftersCommission, in Inverness in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Of those, nine vacancies werefor posts in Band A and, therefore, no professional qualifications or experiencewere required. The six vacancies in Bands B and C in that period were professionalposts and required qualifications, knowledge and experience specific to the posts.For example, four of the posts were in the Deer Commission for Scotland so requiredspecific knowledge and experience of the deer industry and deer management. Theother two posts required a professional qualification in agriculture and knowledgeand experience of agriculture at the appropriate level.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195833,"EventID":"S2W-23176","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of landowners to land area, and what information it has on how this compares with other EU countries.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of landowners to land area, and what information it has on how this compares with other EU countries.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195834,"EventID":"S2W-23177","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many targets for ambulance response times have not been met in (a) total and (b) in each NHS board area in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) category o","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many targets for ambulance response times have not been met in (a) total and (b) in each NHS board area in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) category of call and (ii) response times in (A) urban and (B) rural areas. ","AnswerText":"Under the priority based dispatch system, which is used in all mainland board areas, 999 emergency calls are processed using a well proven, clinically approved, screen based software (called Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch System). Based on the responses of the caller, the software assigns the call a response category. The categories and standards applied, as well as the performance of the Scottish Ambulance Service broken down by NHS board area is set out in the following table. Category A calls are clinically defined as “immediately life-threatening”. The target is that by March 2008, 75% of such calls should be responded to within eight minutes across mainland Scotland. The ambulance service has phased the introduction of priority based dispatch and is progressing towards this target. Category B calls are clinically defined as “not life-threatening but still serious”. The target for this category of calls is that 95% should be responded to within either 14, 19 or 21 minutes depending on the population density of the health board (urban, rural or sparse respectively). The ambulance service’s performance over the last three years for this category of call, broken down by health board area is listed in the following table. | Health Board | Rurality Classification | 2003-04 Percentage Performance Against Category B Target | 2004-05 Percentage Performance Against Category B Target | 2005-January 2006 Percentage Performance Against Category B Target | | Argyll and Clyde | Sparse | n/a | 94.7 | 94.9 | | Ayrshire and Arran | Sparse | n/a | 96.2 | 96.4 | | Borders | Sparse | 93.5 | 93.7 | 92.3 | | Dumfries and Galloway | Sparse | n/a | 90.2 | 90.6 | | Fife | Rural | 96.5 | 97.0 | 97.2 | | Forth Valley | Sparse | 96.6 | 96.6 | 95.6 | | Grampian | Sparse | 96.2 | 96.5 | 97.0 | | Greater Glasgow | Urban | 89.9 | 85.6 | 86.6 | | Highland | Sparse | 92.9 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195835,"EventID":"S2W-23178","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made, and by whom, in respect of the future of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Scotland and whether it will provide details, and pu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made, and by whom, in respect of the future of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Scotland and whether it will provide details, and publish copies, of any replies received to such representations. ","AnswerText":"Representations made by the Scottish Executive to the Natural Environment Research Council’s (NERC)consultation on the future of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and a responsereceived from NERC have been published on the Scottish Executive website at:www.scotland.gov.uk/srg. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195836,"EventID":"S2W-23179","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the Aberdeen Crossrail project. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the Aberdeen Crossrail project. ","AnswerText":"In line with our PartnershipAgreement Commitment, we continue to support the development of feasibility workfor the Aberdeen Crossrail scheme. The proposal is being led by NESTRANS who areresponsible for ensuring delivery of the completed feasibility work by end 2006.Transport Scotland Officialscontinue to work closely with NESTRANS and rail industry partners on maintainingproject progress and momentum. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195837,"EventID":"S2W-23180","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assessments it has made of current drug treatment programmes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assessments it has made of current drug treatment programmes.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has commissioned a range of research to assess current drug treatment programmes. All relevant research reports published over the last five years are listed. Copies of these reports can be found on the Drug Misuse Information Scotland Website www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications or the Chief Scientist Office website, www.show.scot.nhs.uk/cso/publications: Evaluation of the Scottish Prison Service Transitional Care Initiative (2006) Evaluation of the Lord Advocates Guidance on Needle Exchange (2005) Rural and remote areas: Effective approaches to delivering integrated care for drug users (2005) Service Provision for Drug Users in Rural and Remote Areas of Scotland: a Qualitative Study (2005) Impact of Methadone Maintenance Therapy, Five Years after Initial Entry into Treatment (2004) Reconviction Following Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (2004) Examining the Injecting Practices of Injecting Drug Users in Scotland (2004) Residential detoxification and rehabilitation services for drug users: A review (2004) An exploration of the role of substance misuse nurses in Scotland (2004) Evaluation of The Provision of Single Use Citric Acid Sachets (2003) ‘Moving On’: Update - Employability & Employment (2003) The Life Skills Training Drug Education Programme: Review of Research (2003) Hepatitis C: Risks and Prevention Strategies in Injecting Drug Users (2002) Supporting Families and Carers of Drug Users: A Review (2002) Support for the Families of Drug Users - A Review of the Literature (2002) Drug Treatment Services for Young People: A Systematic Review (2002) Drug Treatment Services for Young People - A Research Review (2002) Evaluation of the Greater Glasgow Pharmacy Needle Exchange Scheme (2002) ‘Moving On’: Education, Training and Employment (2001). ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195838,"EventID":"S2W-23181","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what different drug treatment programmes there are; what alternative treatments it considered, and who provided the information upon which any choices were based.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what different drug treatment programmes there are; what alternative treatments it considered, and who provided the information upon which any choices were based.","AnswerText":"During the stakeholder consultationto develop the National Waiting Times Information Framework, a series of definitionswas agreed for different treatment types, shown below. Clients may experience morethan one type of intervention at a time and combinations of interventions more thanonce during the recovery process. | Code | Treatment Type | Definition | | 1. | Structured preparatory and motivational intervention. | Planned intervention that stabilises the client or prepares them for further interventions. It must be structured and have agreed goal(s). | | 2. | Prescribed drug treatment (including detoxification, maintenance or reduction programme). | The prescribing of a substitute drug, (e.g. methadone, lofexidine, subutex) for facilitating the complete cessation of the use of illicit drugs, controlling withdrawal symptoms or reducing illicit drug use. | | 3. | Community based support and/or rehabilitation. | Interventions that have the purpose of tackling the social and psychological problems faced by the client (such as debt /relationship and family problems, relapse prevention or employability and training issues) e.g. structured day programmes, counselling, group work. Clients may be in receipt of other treatment interventions in parallel with community based support and rehabilitation (e.g. substitute prescribing). | | 4. | Residential detoxification and rehabilitation. | Detoxification and/or rehabilitation that involves the client being admitted to a residential facility or hospital. | Decisions on treatment interventionsand options are for individual patients and their medical and social care professionals. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195839,"EventID":"S2W-23182","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug addicts have re-entered drug treatment in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug addicts have re-entered drug treatment in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Drug Misuse Database(SDMD) records new clients coming into treatment for drug misuse. The followingtable shows the total number of new clients treated each year and the percentagewho had at least one previous entry in the SDMD in the previous five years.Clients may occur more than oncein the database if (a) they enter treatment at anagency, leave, and re-enter treatment at least six months later, or (b) they are referred from oneagency to another. Consequently, the estimate of“clients previously treated” presented in the following table includes both clientswho move within the system and those who re-enter it. | Year | Total Clients | First Ever Attendance of Clients1,2 | Clients Previously Treated in Last 5 Years | | Number | % of All Clients | Number | % of All Clients | | 1999 | 10,426 | 6,998 | 67.1 | N/A3 | - | | 2000 | 10,581 | 6,367 | 60.2 | 4,100 | 38.7 | | 2001 | 11,685 | 6,864 | 58.7 | 4,505 | 38.6 | | 2002 | 11,718 | 6,169 | 52.6 | 5,008 | 42.7 | | 2003 | 13,086 | 6,664 | 50.9 | 5,646 | 43.1 | | 2004 | 14,332 | 7,215 | 50.3 | 6,097 | 42.5 | Notes: 1 New clients: The informationheld on the Scottish Drug Misuse Database relates to new patients/clients.The definition of “new”’ is (a) the person is attending the particular service forthe first time ever, or (b) the person has attended before but not within the previoussix months. Thus, the statistics do not reflect the total number of drug misusersseen by services during any period. 2 The first time ever that theseclients ha","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195840,"EventID":"S2W-23183","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has allocated to drug treatment programmes in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has allocated to drug treatment programmes in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The following table shows funding allocations to NHS boards for drug treatment and care services since 1999. | Year | Total (£000) | | 1999-2000 | 11,352 | | 2000-01 | 12,352 | | 2001-02 | 14,973 | | 2002-03 | 16,951 | | 2003-04 | 16,951 | | 2004-05 | 19,750 | | 2005-06 | 23,700 | In addition, local authorities received the following GAE allocations which were ring-fenced for drug services. | Year | Total | | 1999-2000 | 0 | | 2000-01 | 6,800,000 | | 2001-02 | 6,800,000 | | 2002-03 | 6,800,000 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195841,"EventID":"S2W-23184","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what trials it has undertaken in the last five years in respect of different drug treatment programmes; what the findings of such trials were, and what action was taken a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what trials it has undertaken in the last five years in respect of different drug treatment programmes; what the findings of such trials were, and what action was taken as a result of these findings.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has funded the following clinical trial of a drug treatment programme: Randomised Controlled Trial of Dihydrocodeine and Methadone in the Treatment of Opiate Dependence Syndrome (2005). The trial was funded from 2000 to 2004 by the Chief Scientist Office. It found that dihydrocodeine was as good as methadone in terms of outcomes such as survival, retention in treatment and continued drug use. An executive summary of the final report is available on the Chief Scientist Office website www.show.scot.nhs.uk/cso. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195842,"EventID":"S2W-23185","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in the last five years in respect of the length of sentences for differing drug related offences.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in the last five years in respect of the length of sentences for differing drug related offences.","AnswerText":"Our records do not allow us todistinguish representations about sentencing for drug-related offences from otheroffences without examining each item of correspondence individually. An examinationof correspondence from 2005 identified only one such representation.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195843,"EventID":"S2W-23186","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people referred to drug treatment programmes in each of the last five years actually entered such a programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people referred to drug treatment programmes in each of the last five years actually entered such a programme.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195844,"EventID":"S2W-23187","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much land has been taken into community ownership under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and what percentage of total land in Scotland this represents.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much land has been taken into community ownership under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and what percentage of total land in Scotland this represents.","AnswerText":"The Community Right to Buyin Part 2 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 provides real rights to purchase land whenit comes to be sold. The Crofting Community Right to Buy in part 3 of the actprovides a right to buy at any time. Both rights came into force on 14 June 2004.The Register of CommunityInterests in Land, which is available publicly through the Scottish Executiveand Registers of Scotland websites, presently contains 32 applications toregister community interests in land under part 2 of the act. Theseapplications cover a total of 25,297 hectares (62,484 acres) of land, equatingto 0.32% of the 7.9 million hectares in the whole of Scotland.Registrable land forms 98.6% of all land in Scotland. Of the 32 applications sofar submitted to the department, 15 have secured a registered interest, ninehave been rejected, four were withdrawn and four await a decision of the Scottish ministers. Nine cases have proceeded to the right to buy stage, fiveof which have concluded the transfer of ownership to the local community. This hasresulted in 19,827 hectares (48,973 acres) of land being transferred tocommunity ownership under part 2 of the legislation. One case is presentlyproceeding through the right to buy process and a further five registeredcommunity interests have been approved and are awaiting notification from thelandowner of the intention to sell the land. This provides the opportunity fora further 43.5 hectares (107 acres) of land to be transferred to localcommunity ownership when it comes to be sold. Part 3 of the act has also resultedin two applications so far, involving a further 28,140 hectares (69,505 acres) ofland. These cases are presently being considered. Thelegislative approach, whilst providing a right to purchase land (in the case ofpart 2, when it comes to be sold), is not the only way for communities topurchase land, but its very existence may, in some cases, inspire a negotiatedsale to a local community. This is already the case at South Uist and Galson. TheForestry Commission Scotland’s National Forest Land Scheme, launched on 20 June 2005, alsoprovides an opportunity for communities to purchase forestry land. Twocommunity based applications, totalling 861 hectares (2,127 acres) have been received,and can be viewed on their website at www.forestry.gov.uk/nfls.Three further communities are at the pre-application phase of the NFLS and afurther five communities are presently considering their options. Also, voluntarydiscussion between a willing seller and willing buyer may provide an easieroption for communities wishing to acquire land. More generally, lateststatistics from highlands and islands enterprise suggest that over 87,400hectares (216,000 acres) - just over 1% - of land in Scotland iscurrently under community ownership. In addition, over 13,000 hectares (over32,700 acres) of land is being leased to, or managed by, communities. Thisprovides over 100,700 hectares (almost one quarter of a million acres) undercommunity control in Scotland. Furthermore, over 130,400 hectares (over 322,000acres) of land is presently subject to aspiring community land initiatives,which may result in community ownership or communities leasing land in thefuture. There has been a high levelof interest in the right to buy legislation and the Scottish Executive iscontinuing to encourage rural communities to consider all available options toassist with delivering benefits to local communities. It is for communities todetermine for themselves whether land ownership is the preferred option in eachcase. Local benefit may be delivered through other options, such as leasingland. Scottish Executive officials are available to discuss options with anyindividual or community representative on the Land Reform Helpdesk on0131 244 6003, and we would encourage prospective community bodies to makecontact with officials at the earliest opportunity. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195845,"EventID":"S2W-23188","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of land is in community or public ownership. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of land is in community or public ownership. ","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195846,"EventID":"S2W-23189","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much rent each local authority has lost in each year since 1999 as a result of council house voids.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much rent each local authority has lost in each year since 1999 as a result of council house voids.","AnswerText":"The following table providesthe information requested for each financial year since 1999-2000.Rent Lost as a Result ofUnlet Houses | Local Authority Area | 1999-2000 (£ Million) | 2000-01 (£ Million) | 2001-02 (£ Million) | 2002-03 (£ Million) | 2003-04 (£ Million) | 2004-05 (£ Million) | 2005-06 (estimate2) (£ Million) | | Scotland | 33.6 | 36.5 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 28.6 | 25.8 | 25.4 | | Aberdeen City | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.2 | | Aberdeenshire | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | | Angus | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | | Argyll and Bute | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | | Clackmannanshire | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | | Dumfries and Galloway 1 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | na | na | na | | Dundee City | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.9 | | East Ayrshire | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.6 | | East Dunbartonshire | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | | East Lothian | 0.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195847,"EventID":"S2W-23190","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much council tax each local authority has lost in each year since 1999 as a result of council house voids.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much council tax each local authority has lost in each year since 1999 as a result of council house voids.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195848,"EventID":"S2W-23191","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has ring fenced to tackle drug-related issues in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) department and (b) budget heading.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has ring fenced to tackle drug-related issues in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) department and (b) budget heading.","AnswerText":"The following table details ring-fenced funding for drug-related activities broken down by department and budget heading since 2003. | Department | Budget Heading | 2003-04 (£000) | 2004-05 (£000) | 2005-06 (£000) | | Justice | Arrest Referral | 720 | 590 | 500 | | Drugs Courts | 1,200 | 1,900 | 1,900 | | Drug Treatment and Testing Orders | 4,200 | 5,300 | 7,200 | | Time Out Centre | 150 | 1,700 | 1,700 | | Drug Association Team Support* | 1,600 | 1,600 | 1,600 | | Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency | 19,470 | 16,690 | 25,540 | | Scottish Drug Forum* | 90 | 190 | 210 | | Scotland Against Drugs* | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1,500 | | Treatment Programmes* | 16,900 | 19,750 | 23,700 | | GP Training* | nil | nil | 350 | | Drug Misuse Research Programme* | 540 | 540 | 446 | | ISD – Drug Information Strategy* | 551.5 | 944.5 | 703.5 | | Health | Scottish Drug Forum | 205 | 212 | 219 | | Crew 2000 | 25 | 25 | nil | | Education | Scottish Network for Families Against Drug | 180 | 10 | 23 | | Scottish Drug Forum | Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Selected Offences1 as a Percentage of Total Persons Proceeded Against, 1999-2003. | Offence | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 20024 | 20034,5 | | Supply, possession with intent to supply drugs | 71 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | | Possession of drugs | 88 | 87 | 89 | 89 | 89 | | Drug trafficking2 | 71 | 74 | 73 | 73 | 73 | | Living off immoral earnings3 | 100 | - | 100 | 100 | 100 | Notes: 1. Where main offence. “Employing others to deal in drugs” is not an identifiable offence category within the Justice Department classification of crimes and offences. 2. Includes illegal importation, production and supply of drugs, money laundering and other related offences. 3. Includes brothel keeping and immoral traffic offences. 4. There is an undercount of acquittals in the 2002 and 2003 data for persons proceeded against. As a result the percentage conviction rate figures for these years have been estimated. 5. Includes estimated data. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195850,"EventID":"S2W-23193","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-13T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) longest and (b) shortest sentence has been for anyone convicted of (i) drug dealing, (ii) being in possession of drugs, (iii) drug trafficking, (iv) employin","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) longest and (b) shortest sentence has been for anyone convicted of (i) drug dealing, (ii) being in possession of drugs, (iii) drug trafficking, (iv) employing others to deal in drugs and (v) living off immoral earnings in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The available information is given in the table. The court proceedings statistics for 2004-05 are planned for publication in spring 2006. Persons Given a Custodial Sentence in Scottish Courts for Selected Offences1: Minimum and Maximum Sentence Imposed (Days), 1999-2003 | Offence | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | | Supply, possession with intent to supply drugs | 30 | 6,209 | 30 | 4,182 | 40 | 4,383 | 14 | 3,653 | 14 | 5,114 | | Possession of drugs | 7 | 2,557 | 5 | 1,461 | 7 | 2,192 | 7 | 1,096 | 7 | 3,196 | | Drug trafficking2 | 30 | 6,209 | 30 | 4,383 | 40 | 4,383 | 14 | 3,653 | 14 | 6,575 | | Living off immoral earnings3 | - <","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195851,"EventID":"S2W-23194","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been taken on any potential relocation of sportscotland from South Gyle in Edinburgh.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been taken on any potential relocation of sportscotland from South Gyle in Edinburgh.","AnswerText":"This matter is under active consideration and it is hoped that an announcement will be made soon. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195852,"EventID":"S2W-23195","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its block grant under each previous settlement was received as a consequence of EU funding allocations to HM Treasury, broken down by settlement.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its block grant under each previous settlement was received as a consequence of EU funding allocations to HM Treasury, broken down by settlement.","AnswerText":"HM Treasury does not receive EU funding allocations. EU funding is received by UK Departments to fund European Structural Funds as well as a number of other EU programmes. The level of EU funding to European Structural Funds programmes allocable to the UK is agreed with other member states. The amount of EU funds received by UK Departments to fund European Structural Funds programmes reduces the UK rebate on a “pound for pound” basis. Scotland’s allocation in each Spending Review is determined in line with the process set out in the relevant Statement of Funding Policy. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195853,"EventID":"S2W-23196","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any calculation in respect of the impact of the EU budget on future EU funding allocations through its block grant under the Barnett formula.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any calculation in respect of the impact of the EU budget on future EU funding allocations through its block grant under the Barnett formula.","AnswerText":"The EU budget will not be finaliseduntil the negotiations have been completed with the European Parliament as partof the Inter-Institutional Agreement. Moreover, some of the allocations within thebudget are subject to negotiation within the United Kingdom, particularly howthe UK’s share of the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective elementof the Structural Funds will be divided between the nations and regions. Consequently,it is not possible at this stage to calculate the impact of the EU budget on the Scottish Assigned Budget.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195854,"EventID":"S2W-23197","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland has been fully funded in respect of EU allocations for Scottish regions and programmes under each previous funding settlement.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland has been fully funded in respect of EU allocations for Scottish regions and programmes under each previous funding settlement.","AnswerText":"Scottish programmes have madefull use of resources allocated over successive funding rounds by awarding all grantavailable to projects. In 2000-06, new financial spend targets were introduced bythe EU, which have meant that the full sum of any one year’s allocations to programmesmust be spent within two years of the allocation year or risk automatic de-commitment(referred to as “N+2”). Scottish programmes have met all their N+2 targets apartfrom under the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme, where lackof spend by project beneficiaries led to automatic de-commitment of European AgriculturalGuidance and Guarantee Fund monies in 2003 and Financial Instrument for FisheriesGuidance monies in 2004.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195855,"EventID":"S2W-23198","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the impact on its block grant of any EU funding reductions to English regions.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the impact on its block grant of any EU funding reductions to English regions.","AnswerText":"As the EU budget cannot be finaliseduntil the negotiations have been completed with the European Parliament, it is notpossible at this stage to calculate the impact of any reductions in EU funding toEnglish regions on the Scottish Assigned Budget.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195856,"EventID":"S2W-23199","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21935 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006, whether the figures refer to the numbers of people whose deaths were registered in each N","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21935 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006, whether the figures refer to the numbers of people whose deaths were registered in each NHS board area or the numbers of people resident in each NHS board area where cancer was cited as the primary cause of their death.","AnswerText":"The information presented in the answer to question S2W-21935 was compiled by the General Register Office for Scotland using its standard methodology. For residents of Scotland, deaths are allocated to the area of usual residence. For persons usually resident outside Scotland, deaths are allocated to the area where the death occurred. The latter category generally covers under 1 per cent of all deaths in Scotland. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195857,"EventID":"S2W-23200","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the concessionary travel scheme for pensioners and disabled island residents to include air travel as well as travel by Caledonian Macbrayne ferrie","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the concessionary travel scheme for pensioners and disabled island residents to include air travel as well as travel by Caledonian Macbrayne ferries, in light of the proposed introduction of aid of a social character to assist with the cost of flights to the islands.","AnswerText":"The Scotland-wide free bus schemewill fully deliver the Partnership Agreement commitment on national concessionarytravel for older and disabled people. There are no current plans to extend the schemeto other forms of public transport. The aid of a social character scheme, whichI announced on 13 February 2006 and which offers eligible residents reductions on internalair fares within Scotland, applies only to air travel.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195858,"EventID":"S2W-23201","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is able to offer concessionary travel resulting in free journeys for pensioners and disabled residents of islands on flights supported by public service obliga","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is able to offer concessionary travel resulting in free journeys for pensioners and disabled residents of islands on flights supported by public service obligations in the same way as it can for ferry travel and, if so, when it will introduce such a measure.","AnswerText":"Public service obligations providea framework within which fare levels, including free fares, on public transportmay be determined. However, there are no current plans to extend concessionary travelto forms of public transport other than bus. The two free return ferry journeysper year to the mainland announced for older and disabled islanders is to help eligibleislanders in all parts of Scotland to access the free bus scheme. The aid of a social characterscheme, which I announced on 13 February 2006, offers eligible residents of Shetland,Orkney, the Western Isles, Islay and Jura and Caithness reductions on internal air fares within Scotland.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195859,"EventID":"S2W-23202","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that students originally resident on the islands or in Caithness will have access to the discounted air fares due to become available to island res","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that students originally resident on the islands or in Caithness will have access to the discounted air fares due to become available to island residents when travelling to or from their place of study.","AnswerText":"An announcement will be madeshortly on further details of the “aid of a social character” scheme, includingon whether students from the eligible areas, who are studying outwith theseareas, will be included in the scheme.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195860,"EventID":"S2W-23203","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures were used to determine the benefit of the use of aid of a social character to reduce fares for island residents compared with the introduction of public ser","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures were used to determine the benefit of the use of aid of a social character to reduce fares for island residents compared with the introduction of public service obligations to reduce fares for all island travellers.","AnswerText":"Between February 2003 and July2005 a series of studies were commissioned to assess options for improving air servicesand reducing fares within the Highlands and Islands. These included implementation of a comprehensive networkof routes attracting “aid of a social character” or controlled by public serviceobligations (PSOs).I have decided to use “aid ofa social character”. This flexible approach maximises value for money; ensures thatbenefits go straight to the traveller; works with the market, thus avoidingthe need to provide subsidies to airlines in areas where services can be providedcommercially and would allow competition where it exists, to be maintained, andensures that the aid provided is targeted at the individuals and communities thatneed it most. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195861,"EventID":"S2W-23204","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the introduction of aid of a social character to provide discounted travel between the highlands and islands and Scotland's major cities does not include residents on","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the introduction of aid of a social character to provide discounted travel between the highlands and islands and Scotland's major cities does not include residents on NHS-funded trips and what the saving would be for NHS Western Isles if these discounts were applied to such trips.","AnswerText":"Under the European Unionstate aid rules, “aid of a social character” cannot be combined with othertypes of aid or assistance. Trips cannot, therefore, be part funded both by theNational Health Service (NHS) and by “aid of a social character”.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195862,"EventID":"S2W-23205","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to increase the affordability of travel to and from the highlands and islands from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness for non-residents","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to increase the affordability of travel to and from the highlands and islands from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness for non-residents of the islands or Caithness.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive providesvery significant funding for all modes of public transport, including for the airportsoperated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) and for air routes subsidisedunder Public Service Obligations, which benefits all travellers to and from theHighlands and Islands. Assistance to HIAL in 2005-06 is estimated at £22.1million and for Lifeline Air Services is similarly estimated at £1.2 million.In addition, we have consistentlyrestricted Caledonian MacBrayne’s annual fares increases in line with inflation.NorthLink’s annual fares increases have also been restricted on a similar basisunder arrangements in the Northern Isles lifeline ferry contract. The new NorthernIsles contract, and the proposed contract for the Clyde and Hebrides lifelineferry services, will contain similar restrictions. Assistance to CalMac in 2005-06is estimated at £31.4 million and to NorthLink is similarly estimated at £26.0 million. The ScotRail franchise subsidyis not easily broken down route by route. However, a proportionate sum is appliedto ensure that regulated fares, including saver fares, are maintained at a reasonablelevel with the franchisee restricted in the amount by which these fares can be increased. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195863,"EventID":"S2W-23206","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been made of the impact on the local economy of the use of a public service obligation incorporating reduced fares on the air route from Glasgow to Bar","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been made of the impact on the local economy of the use of a public service obligation incorporating reduced fares on the air route from Glasgow to Barra.","AnswerText":"A comprehensive study on thefuture of air services to and from Barra, including the anticipated economic impactsof any changes to the current Public Service Obligation (PSO) provision, was undertakenby Halcrow Group Ltd, on behalf of the Scottish Executive, ahead of the requirementto re-tender the PSO route between Glasgow International Airport and Barra from April 2006.Highlands and Islands Enterprise and HITRANS have also undertakentheir own evaluation of the impact of reduced fare levels on air services betweenGlasgow International Airport and Barra, Campbeltown and Tiree. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195864,"EventID":"S2W-23207","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of the potential impact on the local economy of the highlands and islands if public service obligations incorporating reduced fares were int","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of the potential impact on the local economy of the highlands and islands if public service obligations incorporating reduced fares were introduced on flights to the highlands and islands from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness","AnswerText":"A study carried out on behalfof HITRANS by the transport consultants Steer Davies Gleave in June 2004 estimatedthat the Net Present Value (NPV) over a 30-year period of the economic benefitsof a blanket imposition of Public Service Obligations (PSOs) across air routes inthe Highlands and Islands, together with HITRANS’ suggested enhancement for theair services, was £400 million (1998 prices).","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195865,"EventID":"S2W-23208","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many vulnerable adults have been in supported accommodation in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many vulnerable adults have been in supported accommodation in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"Over 170,000 clients received housing support services in 2004-05 in various types of accommodation including mainstream housing, sheltered housing, special housing and supported accommodation. The following table gives figures for those in supported accommodation, but they only go back to 2003-04. However, because the data collection processes are still relatively new and developing some caution is needed in interpreting the data. Clients Living in Supported Accommodation who Receive Housing Support through Supporting People | Local Authority | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Scotland | 10,790 | 10,465 | | Aberdeen City | 102 | 103 | | Aberdeenshire | 313 | 379 | | Angus | 96 | 33 | | Argyll and Bute | 63 | 115 | | Clackmannanshire | 52 | 85 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 0 | 593 | | Dundee City | 498 | 606 | | East Ayrshire | 139 | 3 | | East Dunbartonshire | 132 | 165 | | East Lothian | 111 | 213 | | East Renfrewshire | 87 | 137 | | Edinburgh | 2,641 | 1,313 | | Eilean Siar | 9 | 22 | | Falkirk | 146 | 140 | | Fife | 878 | 1,343 | | Glasgow | 3,442 | 1,978 | | Highland | 524 | 674 | | Inv","AnswerDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195866,"EventID":"S2W-23209","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what supported accommodation facilities have been provided for adults with learning difficulties in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what supported accommodation facilities have been provided for adults with learning difficulties in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally. Since 2003-04 statistics have been collected on the number ofclients with learning disabilities receiving housing support under theSupporting People programme, but no records are kept on the number of separatesupported accommodation facilities for adults with learning disabilities ineach local authority area. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195867,"EventID":"S2W-23210","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been given to local authorities to provide supported accommodation in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been given to local authorities to provide supported accommodation in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"Local authorities are not given a specific budget for supported accommodation. The spending review 2004 invested £1.2 billion over three years in housing support services through the Supporting People programme to local authorities for vulnerable people, and an additional £50 million per year for preventing and alleviating homelessness. All these resources go towards supporting a variety of tenancies, including supported accommodation, but a breakdown by local authority of the total amount invested locally in supported accommodation is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195868,"EventID":"S2W-23211","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities in respect of transitional arrangements for vulnerable children moving from foster care to adult status.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities in respect of transitional arrangements for vulnerable children moving from foster care to adult status.","AnswerText":"Regulations and guidance onthe support and assistance for young people leaving care in Scotlandcame into force on 1 April 2004. In addition, the Scottish Executive commissionedmaterials to assist local authorities in carrying out this duty effectively.These were published under the title Pathways and disseminated to alllocal authorities.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195869,"EventID":"S2W-23212","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been in foster care in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been in foster care in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The numbers of looked after children in foster care on the 31 March each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area, are shown in the following table. Number of Children Looked After by Foster Carers on the 31 March | | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Aberdeen City | 210 | 156* | 119* | 132* | 97 | 124* | 157 | | Aberdeenshire | 91* | 116 | 112 | 116 | 114 | 128 | 121 | | Angus | 73 | 73 | 66 | 85 | 94 | 102 | 118 | | Argyll and Bute | 37 | 30 | 27 | 32 | 39 | 45 | 35 | | Clackmannanshire | 33 | 32 | 35 | 36 | 33 | 33 | 45 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 119 | 105 | 127 | 127 | 144 | 120 | 111 | | Dundee City | 125 | <","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195870,"EventID":"S2W-23213","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many foster carers there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many foster carers there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally. However, the ScottishExecutive is currently collating information about the number of foster carersand any shortfall of foster carers in each local authority area in order toevaluate the impact of the extra £12 million in funding being provided toimprove local authority fostering services. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195871,"EventID":"S2W-23214","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by sheriff court district.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by sheriff court district.","AnswerText":"The statistics available on prosecutionsdo not include information on victim characteristics.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195872,"EventID":"S2W-23215","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions there have been in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by sheriff court","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions there have been in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by sheriff court district.","AnswerText":"The statistics available on convictionsdo not include information on victim characteristics.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195873,"EventID":"S2W-23216","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports were made to the police in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by sheriff court distric","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports were made to the police in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by sheriff court district.","AnswerText":"The recorded crime statisticscollected centrally do not include information on victim characteristics.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195874,"EventID":"S2W-23217","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have taken place in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by category of offence.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have taken place in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by category of offence.","AnswerText":"The statistics available on prosecutionsdo not include information on victim characteristics.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195875,"EventID":"S2W-23218","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions have taken place in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by category of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions have taken place in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by category of offence.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195876,"EventID":"S2W-23219","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports were made to the police in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by category of offence.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports were made to the police in each year since 1999 in which the alleged victim was an adult with learning difficulties, broken down by category of offence.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195877,"EventID":"S2W-23220","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-14T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children with learning difficulties were excluded from school in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority, (b) primary school and (c) secondary s","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children with learning difficulties were excluded from school in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority, (b) primary school and (c) secondary school.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does not hold this information from 1999. This breakdown of information has only been collated from 2004. Please see the following table: Number1 Exclusions Amongst Pupils with a Learning Difficulty2, 2003-04. | | Primary | Secondary | | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | | Aberdeen City | 9 | 18 | 18 | 27 | | Aberdeenshire | 21 | 9 | 69 | 78 | | Angus | - | 6 | 18 | 18 | | Argyll and Bute | 6 | - | 36 | 42 | | Clackmannanshire | 3 | 3 | 15 | 24 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 3 | 3 | 42 | 51 | | Dundee City | 12 | 12 | 78 | 81 | | East Ayrshire | 18 | 9 | 54 | 39 | | East Dunbartonshire | - | - | 3 | - | | East Lothian | - | 3 | 36 | 12 | | East Renfrewshire | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195879,"EventID":"S2W-23222","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the concessionaire’s name, Skye Bridge Ltd, as at May 1993 was not announced by the Secretary of State in a published document, given that one of the purposes of the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the concessionaire’s name, Skye Bridge Ltd, as at May 1993 was not announced by the Secretary of State in a published document, given that one of the purposes of the Skye Bridge assignation statement was to identify the concessionaire to the public.","AnswerText":"I am advised that the then ScottishOffice position was that the Skye Bridge Assignation Statement correctly identifiedthe proposed concessionaire at the time it was made available for public inspection.There was no statutory requirement to update the statement, nor to publish the changeof concessionaire’s name. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195880,"EventID":"S2W-23223","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22386 by Tavish Scott on 31 January 2006 and given that the Skye Bridge concessionaire required to be in possession of an assignati","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22386 by Tavish Scott on 31 January 2006 and given that the Skye Bridge concessionaire required to be in possession of an assignation statement, why the intended concessionaire received only an unsigned and undated seven-page document whose year of issue could not be identified.","AnswerText":"I understand that the then ScottishOffice position was that the concessionaire held the Skye Bridge Assignation Statementas it was made available for public inspection in 1991. The document was not signedor dated.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195881,"EventID":"S2W-23224","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22386 by Tavish Scott on 31 January 2006 and given that the Skye Bridge concessionaire required to be in possession of an assignati","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22386 by Tavish Scott on 31 January 2006 and given that the Skye Bridge concessionaire required to be in possession of an assignation statement, when the intended concessionaire received the unsigned and undated seven-page document.","AnswerText":"I understand that the then ScottishOffice position was that Skye Bridge Tolls Limited was in possession of the documentby the time it was made available for public inspection on 23 October 1991.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195882,"EventID":"S2W-23225","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what way the provisions of Schedule 2 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 were applied in 1995 to advise the public of the commencement of the Skye Bridge toll period.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive in what way the provisions of Schedule 2 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 were applied in 1995 to advise the public of the commencement of the Skye Bridge toll period.","AnswerText":"There was no statutory requirementby the Scottish Office of that time in terms of schedule 2 to the Roads (Scotland)Act 1984, to advise the public of the commencement of the toll period.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195883,"EventID":"S2W-23226","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the advice the UK National Statistician and Registrar General has been followed since he wrote on 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician in relation t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the advice the UK National Statistician and Registrar General has been followed since he wrote on 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician in relation to the National Statistics status of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) stating that the Executive “will of course want to ensure that the limitations of the data and the assumptions are made available to inform users, and that guidance is provided about what GERS should and should not be used for”","AnswerText":"The GovernmentExpenditure and Revenue in Scotland publication includes detailedinformation on the limitations of the data, the assumptions for the estimates,and its proper uses. The publication can be accessed using the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/12113803/38034. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195884,"EventID":"S2W-23227","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has not referred to the UK National Statistician and Registrar Generals caveats contained in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statis","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has not referred to the UK National Statistician and Registrar Generals caveats contained in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician when discussing, debating or writing about Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The GovernmentExpenditure and Revenue in Scotland publication discusses in detail possiblecaveats to the analysis. When discussing, debating or writing about GovernmentExpenditure and Revenue in Scotland these caveats are mentioned whenappropriate.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195885,"EventID":"S2W-23228","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the caveats referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Stat","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the caveats referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician will be communicated to users of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland data.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23226 on 13 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195886,"EventID":"S2W-23229","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that users of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) data pass on in turn the caveats referred to by the UK National Stat","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that users of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) data pass on in turn the caveats referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in respect of the “limitations of the data and the assumptions” and guidance about “what GERS should and should not be used for”","AnswerText":"The GovernmentExpenditure and Revenue in Scotland publication sets out information onmethodologies, data sources, assumptions and limitations of the analysis andthus provides users with the necessary information on the caveats andappropriate uses. In doing so, it ensures that the principles laid down in theNational Statistics Code of Practice and Protocols are satisfied.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195887,"EventID":"S2W-23230","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its understanding is in respect of what Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland data “should and should not be used for”, as referred to by the UK National St","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its understanding is in respect of what Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland data “should and should not be used for”, as referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician.","AnswerText":"Government Expenditureand Revenue in Scotland provides estimates of public sector flows ofexpenditure and revenue for Scotland on the basis of the national accounting standardsused by the UK. It aims to enhance public understanding of fiscalissues in Scotland.The figures are estimatesthat are based on data from various sources and on a number of reasonedassumptions. As always with statistical products, users must accept thatassumptions, data and results are subject to variation and figures may berevised as methodology and data sources develop. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195888,"EventID":"S2W-23231","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the advice the UK National Statistician and Registrar General has been followed since he wrote on 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician in relation t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the advice the UK National Statistician and Registrar General has been followed since he wrote on 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician in relation to the National Statistics status of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) stating that the Executive \"will of course want to ensure that the limitations of the data and the assumptions are made available to inform users, and that guidance is provided about what GERS should and should not be used for.\". ","AnswerText":"The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative has been both successful and popular to the point where demand was so high that the Executive provided additional funding to its existing budget last year. However, in order for the scheme to continue to be successful and effectively focused, it needs to evolve. That is why we have had the independent review conducted. We are currently considering the results of the review and an announcement will be made shortly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195889,"EventID":"S2W-23232","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has not referred to the UK National Statistician and Registrar General's caveats contained in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Stati","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has not referred to the UK National Statistician and Registrar General's caveats contained in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician when discussing, debating or writing about Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland.","AnswerText":"Information on localauthority rents is available online in the publications of the ScottishExecutive website www.scotland.gov.uk.The latest statisticalbulletin HSG-2006-1 shows average local authority rents for 2003-04, 2004-05and estimates for 2005-06 and can be accessed through the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/07092332/0 The previous bulletin showsdata back to 2002-03 and can be accessed through the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/housing/lahie2-00.asp. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195890,"EventID":"S2W-23233","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the caveats referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Stat","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the caveats referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician will be communicated to users of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland data.","AnswerText":"Information on local authorityrents is available online in the publications of the Scottish Executive websitewww.scotland.gov.uk.The latest statistical bulletinHSG-2006-1 shows average local authority rents for 2003-04, 2004-05 and estimatesfor 2005-06 and can be accessed through the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/07092332/0. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195891,"EventID":"S2W-23234","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that users of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) data pass on in turn the caveats referred to by the UK National Stat","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that users of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) data pass on in turn the caveats referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in respect of the “limitations of the data and the assumptions” and guidance about “what GERS should and should not be used for.”","AnswerText":"Where it is proposed to increases rents or other charges payable by all tenants, the landlord should consult all its tenants and have regard for the views expressed. In all cases, landlords are required to give tenants not less than four weeks notice, in writing. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195892,"EventID":"S2W-23235","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-15T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its understanding is in respect of what Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland data “should and should not be used for” as referred to by the UK National Sta","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its understanding is in respect of what Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland data “should and should not be used for” as referred to by the UK National Statistician and Registrar General in his letter of 29 September 2004 to the Chief Statistician.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows: Communities Scotlandregulates all of Scotland’s social housing; this includes the inspection of thelandlord services and services to homeless people provided by local authorities.We do this within a framework of performance standards that have been agreedwith the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and with the ScottishFederation of Housing Associations. We use this framework to help ensure thatlandlords deliver good housing and related services for the benefit of currenttenants and future tenants and homeless people. Communities Scotland’s aim isto promote quality and good practice, and to act as a catalyst to help landlords improve their performance in theareas that will have most impact. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195893,"EventID":"S2W-23236","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has implemented the decision of the Parliament in relation to motion S1M-3375, as agreed on 12 September 2002.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has implemented the decision of the Parliament in relation to motion S1M-3375, as agreed on 12 September 2002.","AnswerText":"I can confirm that, in 2004, NHS Greater Glasgow undertook a review of the assumptions underpinning the board’s decision to move to two accident and emergency. The board considered a report of that review in February 2005 and agreed that the assumptions remained valid. I can also confirm that both a North and a South Monitoring group were established following the debate on NHS Greater Glasgow’s acute services on 12 September 2002. Both Monitoring Groups meet regularly and their remit includes monitoring of the retention of named services at Stobhill and Victoria Hospitals; raising concerns with NHS Greater Glasgow, and allowing stakeholder involvement in service design and other key aspects of the Acute Services Plan. I recently met with both chairs of the groups and am keen for the groups to continue to carry out their monitoring roles until the new hospitals are operating. I can also confirm that Audit Scotland agreed that PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PWC) would undertake an independent audit of the delivery of NHS Greater Glasgow’s Acute Hospital Modernisation Strategy. I understand that, as part of the annual audit process, PWC have been continuously involved in monitoring, auditing and reporting upon key aspects of the delivery of the strategy. I can confirm that the Scottish Ambulance Service has more paramedics than technicians and now has the staffing mix to be able to deploy a paramedic-led response to all calls that require such a response. In Glasgow specifically, the number of paramedics has risen from 65 in 2002 to 139 at the end of March 2005. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195894,"EventID":"S2W-23237","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for a compulsory treatment order have not been heard by a tribunal panel because the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland was unable to provide a pan","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for a compulsory treatment order have not been heard by a tribunal panel because the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland was unable to provide a panel to hear the application, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"Since the establishment of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland there have been no cases where the tribunal has been unable to provide a panel to hear an application. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195895,"EventID":"S2W-23238","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure the efficient operation of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure the efficient operation of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Health Departmentsponsors and funds the Tribunal. The Department works with the Mental HealthTribunal Administration (an Executive Agency) to ensure the efficient andeffective delivery of tribunals.TheTribunal will produce its first annual report (covering the initial six monthsof operation) in June 2006 and has already produced a statistical report of itsfirst quarter which will be published on its website. The information from thefirst six months of operation will be used to identify key performance targetsagainst which the quality and efficiency of the Tribunal Service will bemeasured. These will include response times, number of hearings required todetermine cases and the cost per hearing. Based on these measures, targets willbe set for 2006-07 and performance against these regularly reported to ministers. Additionally, the tribunal willwork with the Health Department in itscommissioned study into the operation of the tribunal, the tasks whichdifferent professional groups complete as part of the process and the time contributionsmade. The study will report in autumn 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195896,"EventID":"S2W-23239","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be available to NHS boards to make up for time spent by consultant psychiatrists before the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be available to NHS boards to make up for time spent by consultant psychiatrists before the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.","AnswerText":"Together with the record resources available to NHS boards additional funds have been allocated and announced to help deliver the provisions of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 as follows: | | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | | (£ Million) | 0.950 | 4.755 | 5.080 | 5.0 | 5.0 | It is for NHS boards in consultation with their partners, to determine how best to use the resources available to them, including consideration of support for consultant psychiatrists. We have commissioned a study into the operation of the tribunal, the tasks which different professional groups complete as part of the process and the time contributions made. The study will report in autumn 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195897,"EventID":"S2W-23240","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2112,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be available to local authorities to make up for time spent by mental health officers before the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be available to local authorities to make up for time spent by mental health officers before the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.","AnswerText":"Together with the record resources available to local authorities additional allocations have been made to help deliver the provisions of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 as follows: | | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | (£ Million) Revenue | 1.2 | 12.5 | 13.0 | | (£ Million) Capital | - | 2.0 | 2.0 | It is for each local authority in consultation with their partners, to determine how best to use the resources available to them, including consideration of support for mental health officers. We have commissioned a study into the operation of the tribunal, the tasks which different groups complete as part of the process and the time contributions made. The study will report in autumn 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195898,"EventID":"S2W-23241","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are with regard to doctors registering interests in pharmaceuticals.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are with regard to doctors registering interests in pharmaceuticals.","AnswerText":"All doctors are bound by professional guidance from the General Medical Council which requires that their prescribing is not affected by any interests they may have in pharmaceutical companies. As far as general practitioners in the NHS are concerned, a new contract for the delivery of medical services came into effect on 1 April 2004. The regulations which give effect to the contract require general practitioners to exercise professional judgement and care when providing general medical services for patients or in prescribing for them. These provisions are kept under review but there are at present no plans to change them. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195899,"EventID":"S2W-23242","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any registration scheme in respect of doctors registering interests in pharmaceuticals will involve a contractual commitment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any registration scheme in respect of doctors registering interests in pharmaceuticals will involve a contractual commitment.","AnswerText":"The existing arrangements were set out in 2003 in the guidance A Common Understanding which required that all NHS employees and independent contractors record with their health board any financial interest which might impact on NHS funding. If it were decided to go further than this and require general practitioners to keep a register of financial interests it could be achieved by amendment of the NHS (General Medical Services Contracts)(Scotland) Regulations 2004. This in turn would be reflected in the individual contracts they have with their health boards. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195900,"EventID":"S2W-23243","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether all medical personnel providing care to NHS patients will be required to register interests in pharmaceuticals.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether all medical personnel providing care to NHS patients will be required to register interests in pharmaceuticals.","AnswerText":"All NHS staff require tocomply with the standards of business conduct for NHS staff and should declareany interest which may conflict with their NHS employment. The ScottishExecutive Health Department published guidance in 2003, A commonunderstanding on joint working between NHS Scotland and the PharmaceuticalIndustry. This guidance advises employers and independentcontractors to review and monitor local standing orders, registers of jointworking arrangements, and that all employees and independent contractors mustrecord any financial interests.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195901,"EventID":"S2W-23244","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all meetings between Scottish Ministers and European Commissioners since the appointment of the current commission, giving details of dates, location","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all meetings between Scottish Ministers and European Commissioners since the appointment of the current commission, giving details of dates, locations and the ministers involved in each meeting.","AnswerText":"I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195902,"EventID":"S2W-23245","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children in (a) primary and (b) secondary education are affected by Pervasive Developmental Disorders in each local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children in (a) primary and (b) secondary education are affected by Pervasive Developmental Disorders in each local authority area.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally.However, the Executive StatisticalBulletin Pupils in Scotland, 2005 providesinformation on the number of pupils with a Record of Needs and/or an IndividualisedEducational Programme in primary, secondary and special schools and their main difficultyin learning. This publication is available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00487. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195903,"EventID":"S2W-23246","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since the Minister for Environment and Rural Development’s letter to me of 2 June 2005 regarding the employment of immigrant workers at Monagh","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since the Minister for Environment and Rural Development’s letter to me of 2 June 2005 regarding the employment of immigrant workers at Monaghan Middlebrook Mushrooms at Drem in East Lothian and its enquiries regarding compliance with agricultural wages legislation.","AnswerText":"Analysis of the information gathered during the inspection of pay records for May 2005 at Monaghan Middlebrook Mushrooms, Drem, East Lothian, on 6 June 2005 showed that some workers were being underpaid. As a result, the employing agencies supplying staff for this site were asked to produce full records dating back to February 2005. Satisfactory information was not received until 14 February 2006. The analysis of this payroll information, for 180 workers, is nearly complete. We expect to inform the employment agencies of the outcome of our investigations by 31 March 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195904,"EventID":"S2W-23247","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how long Monaghan Middlebrook Mushrooms at Drem in East Lothian sourced labour from gangmasters and when it claims that it ceased to do so.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how long Monaghan Middlebrook Mushrooms at Drem in East Lothian sourced labour from gangmasters and when it claims that it ceased to do so.","AnswerText":"The specific information requestedis not available.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195905,"EventID":"S2W-23248","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards are put in place to ensure that vulnerable adults are placed in appropriate supported accommodation.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards are put in place to ensure that vulnerable adults are placed in appropriate supported accommodation.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive provides significant resources to local authorities for the support of vulnerable adults. Local authorities are best placed to determine local needs and to secure the care services required by vulnerable adults in their area. Care services are subject to statutory inspection by the Care Commission. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195906,"EventID":"S2W-23249","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support and guidance is given to local authorities to ensure the availability of appropriate supported accommodation for vulnerable adults.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support and guidance is given to local authorities to ensure the availability of appropriate supported accommodation for vulnerable adults.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executiveprovided investment of £1.2 billion in housing support services over three yearsin the spending review 2004 to support vulnerable people from the Supporting People programme. A further £50 million per annum is provided over the same periodto prevent and alleviate homelessness. All of these resources go to localauthorities who in turn make funding available to voluntary sector and privateproviders of housing services to vulnerable adults. Local authorities are freeto add to these resources from other budgets such as social work.Extensive guidance is givento local authorities to establish local strategies to assess local needs,determine priorities and make best use of resources. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195907,"EventID":"S2W-23250","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the effectiveness of body armour supplied to police forces.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the effectiveness of body armour supplied to police forces.","AnswerText":"The Scottish police serviceregularly evaluates its procedures and equipment provision to ensure that the needsof its officers are met.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195908,"EventID":"S2W-23251","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rates of fire service recruiting were in each of the last five years in each fire board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rates of fire service recruiting were in each of the last five years in each fire board area.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for Fire andRescue Authorities and Joint Fire and Rescue Boards rather than the Scottish Executive.However, information on recruitment can be found in Her Majesty’s Chief Inspectorof Fire Services Annual Reports which are available on the Inspectorate’s websiteat:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Fire/15130/1028 ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195909,"EventID":"S2W-23252","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rates of resignations and retirements from the fire service were in each of the last five years in each fire board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the rates of resignations and retirements from the fire service were in each of the last five years in each fire board area.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for Fire andRescue Authorities and Joint Fire and Rescue Boards rather than the Scottish Executive.However, information on resignation and retirements can be found in Her Majesty’sChief Inspector of Fire Services Annual Reports which are available on the Inspectorate’swebsite at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Fire/15130/1028.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195910,"EventID":"S2W-23253","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many retained firefighters there have been in each of the last five years in each fire board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many retained firefighters there have been in each of the last five years in each fire board area.","AnswerText":"The numbers of retained firefightersin each of the last five years by fire and rescue authority area are shown in thefollowing table.Retained Fire Fighters byFire Authority Area | | Scotland | Central | Dumfries and Galloway | Fife | Grampian | Highlands and Islands | Lothian and Borders | Strathclyde | Tayside | | 2001 | 2,555 | 144 | 197 | 100 | 413 | 506 | 310 | 639 | 246 | | 2002 | 2,620 | 150 | 193 | 112 | 396 | 597 | 317 | 615 | 240 | | 2003 | 2,507 | 158 | 201 | 106 | 391 | 498 | 308 | 596 | 249 | | 2004 | 2,522 | 162 | 196 | 107 | 389 | 492 | 302 | 610 | 264 | | 2005 | 3,034 | 160 | 206 | 104 | 391 | 1059 | 286 | 592 | 236 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195911,"EventID":"S2W-23254","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of juvenile vandalism there have been in each of the last five years in each police authority area by children aged (a) under five, (b) six to eight, (c) e","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of juvenile vandalism there have been in each of the last five years in each police authority area by children aged (a) under five, (b) six to eight, (c) eight to 10, (d) 11 to 13 and (e) 14 to 16.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for policeforces. The information is not collated centrally.However data does existwhere a young person has been referred by the police to the Children’sReporter. The following table has been produced by the Scottish Children’sReporter Administration (SCRA) from its Referrals Administration Database(RAD). It shows the numbers of children aged eight to 10 years, 11 to 13 yearsand 14 to 16 years who were referred to the Children’s Reporter in 2003-04 and2004-05 on offence grounds where the offence category was vandalism/ maliciousmischief in each police force area. Eight years is the age ofcriminal responsibility in Scotland and children below this age cannot be charged withoffences. Information is provided for 2003-04 and 2004-05. Prior to 2003 andthe roll-out of RAD, SCRA did not record centrally offence categories: | 2003-04 | Children 8-10 | Grounds 8-10 | Children 11-13 | Grounds 11-13 | Children 14-16 | Grounds 14-16 | | Central | 41 | 55 | 206 | 340 | 290 | 644 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 16 | 34 | 102 | 158 | 140 | 319 | | Fife | 51 | 63 | 169 | 281 | 235 | 414 | | Grampian | 30 | 39 | 104 | 182 | 154 | 245 | | Lothian and Borders | 45 | 108 | 184 | 384 | 296 | 629 | | Northern | 31 | 94 | 136 | 527 | 182 | 424 | | Strathclyde | 159 | 262 | 708 | 1,086 | 1,279 | 2,172 | | Tayside | 44 | 74 | 187 | 342 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195913,"EventID":"S2W-23256","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the representations it has made in the last two years to Her Majesty’s Government with regard to council tax benefits.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the representations it has made in the last two years to Her Majesty’s Government with regard to council tax benefits.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, includingcouncil tax benefit.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195914,"EventID":"S2W-23257","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can take any action to increase the numbers of those entitled to council tax benefit who actually receive it and, if so, what actions it will take.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can take any action to increase the numbers of those entitled to council tax benefit who actually receive it and, if so, what actions it will take.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has nodirect functions in relation to council tax benefit. However, we support the Department of Work and Pensions in its campaignto increase the uptake of benefit amongst pensioners, particularly through partnershipwork with Scottish councils.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195915,"EventID":"S2W-23258","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any proposals it has for the amalgamation of local authorities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any proposals it has for the amalgamation of local authorities.","AnswerText":"We have no current proposalsfor the amalgamation of local authorities.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195916,"EventID":"S2W-23259","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amalgamate local authorities with other bodies providing services such as community health, police, fire and rescue services or with enterpris","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amalgamate local authorities with other bodies providing services such as community health, police, fire and rescue services or with enterprise boards or tourist boards.","AnswerText":"We have no current plans to amalgamatelocal authorities with other bodies providing services. We continue to support arange of measures to improve joint working between agencies, such as Community Planning,the Joint Future initiative for health and social care and the Business Gateway.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195917,"EventID":"S2W-23260","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the number of fire and rescue service boards.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the number of fire and rescue service boards.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to reduce the number of fire and rescue boards. However, as was stated in our report on the analysis of responses to the consultation document The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: proposals for legislation, the structure of fire and rescue services will be kept under review to ensure that the existing structure remains the optimum in service delivery for communities. The consultation analysis report can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1100/0002414.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195918,"EventID":"S2W-23261","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to fund police authorities and fire and rescue service boards directly.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to fund police authorities and fire and rescue service boards directly.","AnswerText":"We have no current plans to fundfire and rescue boards directly or to change the way that we fund the police service.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195919,"EventID":"S2W-23262","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many organic farmers have not had their applications for the Organic Aid Scheme renewed in 2005 and what the main reasons were for non-renewal.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many organic farmers have not had their applications for the Organic Aid Scheme renewed in 2005 and what the main reasons were for non-renewal.","AnswerText":"There is no provision for “renewal”of Organic Aid Scheme applications. Farmers and crofters may apply for five-yearagreements under the scheme, at the end of which they are eligible to apply fora further, organic maintenance agreement. All applications are considered on theirmerits, along with other applications received by the deadline. In the 2005 round,105 farmers applied for grant aid under the Organic Aid Scheme and 102 applicationswere approved under the established system of ranking applications against a numberof criteria. The three applications which were not approved fell well below theagreed ranking score and were therefore considered not to represent good value formoney.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195920,"EventID":"S2W-23263","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the renewal date for applications for Organic Maintenance Payments in 2005 was set at 31 March and what information regarding this closing date it provided to those f","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why the renewal date for applications for Organic Maintenance Payments in 2005 was set at 31 March and what information regarding this closing date it provided to those farmers whose renewal dates were later than 31 March 2005.","AnswerText":"There is no “renewal date” forOrganic Maintenance payments. The Organic Aid Scheme offers farmers five-year agreementsto convert to or maintain organic production. It is a discretionary scheme underwhich all applications are considered together on their merits. The annual closingdate for applications was set at 31 March following a review of the scheme in2002-03 undertaken in consultation with stakeholders. The date is publicised inthe scheme guidelines, on the Scottish Executive website, via the farming press,through the organic advisory service provided on our behalf by the Scottish AgriculturalCollege and by the organic certification bodies.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195921,"EventID":"S2W-23264","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any changes to the rates of student support for further and higher education students which will apply for the academic year 2006-07.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any changes to the rates of student support for further and higher education students which will apply for the academic year 2006-07.","AnswerText":"I am delighted to announce the new rates of support for students in further and higher education for academic year 2006-07. I am today placing in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the rates of those loans, bursaries and grants, which will be available to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students in full-time higher education. A general uprating factor of 2.5%, in line with inflation, will be applied to the existing schemes of support in 2006-07, thus maintaining their value in real terms. I am also announcing details of the new support package which will be available to new Scottish domiciled students entering higher education in England, Wales or Northern Ireland from 2006. As well as the details of the loans for fees and living cost support available to these students, it also gives details of the new Students Outside Scotland Bursary. This will replace the Young Students Outside Scotland Bursary with eligibility being extended to over 25s. The Students Outside Scotland Bursary will replace up to £2,000 of the student loan for living cost support available to those students from low income backgrounds. The Scottish Funding Council has also agreed to maintain the alignment between the further and higher education sectors by, where appropriate, uprating the support available to further education students by 2.5%. A copy of these rates is also being placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38766). ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195922,"EventID":"S2W-23265","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to the report entitled “Review of First Impressions of Scotland” and when it expects to respond to the report.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to the report entitled “Review of First Impressions of Scotland” and when it expects to respond to the report.","AnswerText":"The Executive will publish areport of the progress made on addressing the recommendations of the FirstImpressions of Scotland Report during the summer 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195923,"EventID":"S2W-23266","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of funding might be available to assist with the development of local services for people with hearing impairment.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of funding might be available to assist with the development of local services for people with hearing impairment.","AnswerText":"The Executive allocatesfunding under Grant Aided Expenditure to allow local authorities to provideservices to meet the needs of people with sensory impairment in their area, forensuring that information is widely available and easily accessible, and fordeciding how these resources should be distributed to best meet local needs andpriorities. Through the Sensory Impairment Action Plan (SIAP) we are workingwith Royal National Institute for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, Deafblind Scotland,Sense Scotland and other voluntary organisations and users toimprove services for all sensory impaired people in Scotland. the Scottish Executive provides support through grant funding to The ScottishCouncil on Deafness, Deafblind Scotland and other national voluntary organisations workingwith sensory impaired people under Sections 9 and 10(1) of the Social Work (Scotland)Act 1968 and Section 16B of the National Health Service (Scotland)Act 1978 as amended.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195924,"EventID":"S2W-23267","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the request from the Scottish Legal Aid Board to enable it to extend the number of instalments for payment of an applicant’s assessed c","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the request from the Scottish Legal Aid Board to enable it to extend the number of instalments for payment of an applicant’s assessed contribution beyond 20.","AnswerText":"The recent consultationpaper on Advice for All: Publicly Funded Legal Assistance in Scotland – The WayForward specifically raised the question of whether, in cases where personsin receipt of civil legal aid are required to make a contribution towards thecost of their case, the Scottish Legal Aid Board should be able to collectcontributions over a longer period of time than applies at present. Theresponses received supported an extension.We are now giving further considerationto this proposal (on which we have received recent correspondence from the Scottish Legal Aid Board). ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195925,"EventID":"S2W-23268","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the public statements by England’s Chief Medical Officer and supported by the Department of Health, what peer-reviewed and published scientific evidence ther","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the public statements by England’s Chief Medical Officer and supported by the Department of Health, what peer-reviewed and published scientific evidence there is to substantiate the statement that vaccinated children in the UK grow up more healthy than unvaccinated children.","AnswerText":"The precise statement madeby England’s Chief Medical Officer on The Midday News Radio 5 Live show on Wednesday 8 February 2006 was as follows, “And all the studies show that children who arevaccinated are much healthier than children who aren't even against the otherdiseases which they are not being vaccinated against”.SirLiam Donaldson was referring tothe study showing that after children had been vaccinated, they were actuallyless likely to get an infection following the period of vaccination. Thepublished article is: Bacterial infections,immune overload, and MMR vaccine. Measles, mumps, and rubella. Miller E, Andrews N, Waight P, Taylor B. Arch DisChild. 2003 Mar;88(3):222-3. The publication is availableat http://adc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/88/3/222. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195926,"EventID":"S2W-23269","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-16T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the public statements by England’s Chief Medical Officer and supported by the Department of Health, what peer-reviewed and published scientific evidence ther","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the public statements by England’s Chief Medical Officer and supported by the Department of Health, what peer-reviewed and published scientific evidence there is to substantiate the statement that “science shows that a baby’s immune system can cope with thousands of vaccines.”","AnswerText":"I refer you to the officialjournal of the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatrics and the paperentitled Addressing Parents’ Concerns: Do Multiple Vaccines Overwhelm orWeaken the Infant’s Immune System? P. A. Offit, J. Quarles, M. A. Gerber,C. J. Hackett, E. K. Marcuse, T. R. Kollman, B. G. Gellin and S. Landry (2002) Pediatrics;109 124-129. The online version of this article, along with updated informationis available at http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/109/1/124.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195927,"EventID":"S2W-23270","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the report prepared by Tayside Police in 2000 into aspects of the Shirley McKie case.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the report prepared by Tayside Police in 2000 into aspects of the Shirley McKie case.","AnswerText":"No. I am very concerned aboutthe apparent leaking of part of the report by Tayside Police into the Shirley McKiecase.The report is a confidentialpolice report and relates to an investigation into allegations of criminal conductby a number of individuals. The leaking of the report is a breach of the dutiesof confidentiality owed to the Crown and may involve contravention of the Data ProtectionAct. These legal obligations are putin place to protect individuals who are the subject of such reports, to enable theinvestigation, detection and prosecution of crime to function effectively, to enablewitnesses to give statements confidentially and to allow police officers to makereports secure in the knowledge that they will not subsequently be made public. Where allegations of criminalconduct are made by a state against a citizen they should only be made in a courtof law or other forum where the evidence can be tested and the rights of the citizenprotected. The apparent leaking of the report has infringed the rights of individualcitizens and subjected them to trial by media. I believe that it is a matterof grave concern that the protections which are afforded by law to the persons whowere the subject of the report have been ignored. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195928,"EventID":"S2W-23271","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are being made available to NHS boards for 2006-07.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are being made available to NHS boards for 2006-07.","AnswerText":"NHS boards have been given a general allocation of £6,436.205 million for 2006-07, an average increase over the equivalent 2005-06 allocation of 7.25%. Details of each NHS board’s allocation are as follows: | Health Board | Total General Allocation 2006-07 (£ Million) | Percentage Increase in Unified Budget (%) | | Ayrshire and Arran | 496.914 | 7.45 | | Borders | 143.455 | 8.14 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 207.375 | 7.92 | | Fife | 430.918 | 7.98 | | Forth Valley | 338.619 | 7.60 | | Grampian | 583.490 | 6.75 | | Greater Glasgow | 1,634.850 | 6.75 | | Highland | 419.558 | 7.98 | | Lanarkshire | 686.476 | 7.82 | | Lothian | 868.621 | 7.16 | | Orkney | 26.852 | 7.14 | | Shetland | 31.812 | 6.75 | | Tayside | 516.958 | 6.75 | | Western Isles | 50.307 | 6.75 | | Total | 6,436.205 | 7.25 | Note: The general allocation includes provision for Hospital and community health services and the cost of drugs prescribed by general practitioners. Allocations to Special Health Boards for 2006-07 are as follows: | Special Health Board | Allocation (£ Million) | Percentage Increase (%) | | NHS National Services Scotland | 216.914 | 4.64 | | NHS Education for Scotland | 325.263 | 6.75 | | State Hospital | 30.846 | 6.75 | | Scottish Ambulance Service | 162.942 | 6.75 | | NHS Quality Improvement Scotland | 15.197 | 3.60 | | NHS Health Scotland | 12.608 | 3.60 | | NHS 24 | 49.622 | 6.75 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195929,"EventID":"S2W-23272","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will issue its response to the consultation on its review of the Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting policy and when it expects any changes in policy to c","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will issue its response to the consultation on its review of the Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting policy and when it expects any changes in policy to come into effect.","AnswerText":"The need to await formal councilresponses has delayed the end of the consultation process until 21 March 2006 whenthe last local authority committee approved response is expected. ThereafterTransport Scotland will publish the results and response to theconsultation in mid-April. It is hoped that a revised Trunk Road and MotorwayTourist Signposting policy document will be published by the end of May 2006.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195930,"EventID":"S2W-23273","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for assaults involving the use of glass within premises with an entertainment licence in Glasgow there","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for assaults involving the use of glass within premises with an entertainment licence in Glasgow there were in each year since 1998.","AnswerText":"Statistics on the number of incidents,prosecutions and convictions relating to assaults involving the use of glass withinpremises with an entertainment licence are not collected centrally. Research byStrathclyde Police indicates that around 13 per cent of serious assaults recordedinvolved a bottle or glass.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195931,"EventID":"S2W-23274","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, b) prosecutions for and c) convictions for assaults involving the use of glass within premises with a public house licence in Glasgow there wer","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, b) prosecutions for and c) convictions for assaults involving the use of glass within premises with a public house licence in Glasgow there were in each year since 1998.","AnswerText":"Statistics on the number of incidents,prosecutions and convictions relating to assaults involving the use of glass withinpremises with a public house licence are not collected centrally. Research by StrathclydePolice indicates that around 13 per cent of serious assaults recorded involved abottle or glass.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195932,"EventID":"S2W-23275","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for assaults involving the use of knives or sharpened objects within premises with an entertainment li","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for assaults involving the use of knives or sharpened objects within premises with an entertainment licence in Glasgow there were in each year since 1998.","AnswerText":"Statistics on the number of incidents,prosecutions and convictions relating to assaults involving the use of knives orsharpened objects within premises with an entertainment licence are not collectedcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195933,"EventID":"S2W-23276","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for assaults involving the use of knives or sharpened objects within premises with a public house lice","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) incidents of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for assaults involving the use of knives or sharpened objects within premises with a public house licence in Glasgow there were in each year since 1998.","AnswerText":"Statistics on the number of incidents,prosecutions and convictions relating to assaults involving the use of knives orsharpened objects within premises with a public house licence are not collectedcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195934,"EventID":"S2W-23277","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1866,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":30,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to complement the £6 million Climate Challenge Fund which was established by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support local-leve","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to complement the £6 million Climate Challenge Fund which was established by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support local-level projects in England aimed at raising awareness and changing attitudes to climate change.","AnswerText":"We will be reviewing our climate change communications in the light of Scotland’s Climate Change Programme, due to be published soon, and in the context of the sustainable development communications plan, due to be published this spring. As part of the review process we will be considering how our communications can complement existing and forthcoming climate change awareness raising initiatives such as Defra’s Climate Challenge Fund. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195935,"EventID":"S2W-23278","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that cyclists and walkers benefit from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that cyclists and walkers benefit from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","AnswerText":"The reduction of traffic on otherroads will allow the development of proposals for their safer use by cyclistsin line with the trunk road cycling initiative. Reduced traffic will alsoimprove pedestrian safety and assist in the pedestrianisation of Union Street.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195936,"EventID":"S2W-23279","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to minimise the disruption to cyclists and walkers using the area around the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to minimise the disruption to cyclists and walkers using the area around the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23278 on 15 March 2006. Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required.All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195937,"EventID":"S2W-23280","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it is making to include cycling provision as part of the new roads corridor arising from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it is making to include cycling provision as part of the new roads corridor arising from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23278 15 March 2006. Transport Scotland has the operationalresponsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information ifrequired.All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195938,"EventID":"S2W-23281","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route to have on traffic levels on roads surrounding the roads corridor.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route to have on traffic levels on roads surrounding the roads corridor.","AnswerText":"Traffic levels on roadssurrounding the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route are generallyexpected to fall significantly as through traffic transfers to the new road. Trafficmodelling is still being refined and the impact at junctions will be assessedin discussion with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195939,"EventID":"S2W-23282","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure vehicle through traffic is channelled onto the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure vehicle through traffic is channelled onto the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","AnswerText":"The Aberdeen WesternPeripheral Route will provide quicker more direct and more reliable journeys toand from points north, west and south of Aberdeen, and this will naturallyencourage through traffic to use it. Road signing will also ensure thattravellers are aware of destinations served by the road.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195940,"EventID":"S2W-23283","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that sustainable transport users benefit from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that sustainable transport users benefit from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.","AnswerText":"The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will connect existing and proposed park and ridesites around the city. Removal of through traffic and reduction of traffic oncity streets will allow the reallocation of road space to buses and cyclistsand make bus journeys particularly on radial routes much more reliable. Reductionof traffic will make walking safer and more pleasant. This will all benefitexisting users and encourage greater take up by others.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195941,"EventID":"S2W-23284","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the design brief for the bridges over the rivers Don and Dee as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will include an option for a light user path to enab","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the design brief for the bridges over the rivers Don and Dee as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will include an option for a light user path to enable cyclists and walkers to benefit from the route.","AnswerText":"We do not at the present timeenvisage such options being included as the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Routeis proposed as a Special Road on which cyclists and pedestrians will be prohibitedfor reasons of safety. Discussions are on-going with local authority partners onthe best way to integrate local paths and cycleways into the final design, however,and no final decisions have been taken.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195942,"EventID":"S2W-23285","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in advance of the publication of the Crofting Reform Bill, it will respond in detail to comments made in submissions by many respondents to the recent consultati","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in advance of the publication of the Crofting Reform Bill, it will respond in detail to comments made in submissions by many respondents to the recent consultation that do not directly answer the set questions.","AnswerText":"It would be impractical to respondin detail to every individual response to a consultation. We do consider all responsesthat we receive and did try to address these views within the analysis of the consultationand the final bill.All respondents receive an acknowledgementletter outlining what will happen after the consultation period of twelve weekshas ended. All parties who were invited to respond to a consultation, all respondents,and all other interested parties receive a copy of the analysis of the consultationand a copy of the final consultation report. Furthermore, all consultation reportsare placed on the Scottish Executive website. The report into the consultation of the draft Crofting Reform Bill is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/10/2790312/03134. Where an individual respondentdoes seek a response in detail to his or her comments, we will endeavour to respond. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195943,"EventID":"S2W-23286","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Health and Community Care will meet me to discuss the financial and clinical governance of NHS Western Isles and, if so, when.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Health and Community Care will meet me to discuss the financial and clinical governance of NHS Western Isles and, if so, when.","AnswerText":"Officials in the Health Departmentare in close touch with the board, including the chair and the Chief Executive.I know from the annual review meeting with the board last September, and from regularupdates I receive, that NHS Western Isles is working hard to address a range ofclinical and managerial issues. I have made clear to the board that I attach a greatdeal of importance to sound financial management and sustainable financial balance,in support of high quality, sustainable clinical services. I expect the board’sassurances on these matters to be delivered.I am clear that NHS Western Isleshas further to go in addressing the challenges it faces. I and the Health Departmentwill continue to support the board to make progress, and to monitor its performance.Progress has been made on a number of service issues over the last year or so thatdemonstrates the commitment of the NHS board to sustain and develop clinical servicesfor the benefit of all the residents of the Islands. The key actions and decisionsneeded to keep health care services moving forward in the Western Isles will betaken by the board and its dedicated staff, supported by the community they serve. Against that background, I donot believe that a meeting would be productive. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195944,"EventID":"S2W-23287","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the sources of public support provided for harbours and piers in the Highlands and Islands have been in each financial year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the sources of public support provided for harbours and piers in the Highlands and Islands have been in each financial year since 1999.","AnswerText":"In each year since 1999, harbourauthorities in the Highlands and Islands have been eligible to apply for grants from the ScottishExecutive for various purposes under national Piers and Harbours Grant Schemes,from local authorities, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and from theFinancial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance structural fund. A number of fisheriesharbours also continue to benefit from Departmental loan assistance earlier providedunder the Fisheries Act 1955.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195945,"EventID":"S2W-23288","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2134,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":7,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-17T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for the next spending review. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for the next spending review. ","AnswerText":"The next three-year spendingreview will take place in 2007 in line with the UK Spending Review. We are undertakingpreparatory work to take a fresh look at the policy framework and its implicationsfor resources in the years ahead.Thiswork will help us to: Identifythe key trends to 2011 and beyond, and how best to respond; Considerpolicy priorities in the light of these trends; Assessthe effectiveness of existing policies and what has been achieved so far, and Ensurefuture spending is clearly based on these priorities. This will provide a robust basisfor our spending review in 2007. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195946,"EventID":"S2W-23289","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to provide free test kits for sexually transmitted infections.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to provide free test kits for sexually transmitted infections.","AnswerText":"As set out in the national sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility the Scottish Executive Health Department is considering the possible extension of the Chlamydia postal testing kit which has been a feature of the Healthy Respect Initiative in Lothian, and the potential for the provision of STI diagnostic kits in rural and urban settings. Ultimately, it would be for individual boards to decide on the provision of the kits in their areas. boards were provided with an additional £4.5 million to help implement the strategy. The Executive will ensure that where boards do want to use postal testing kits they are made available in a cost effective way, through bulk and shared purchasing arrangements. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195947,"EventID":"S2W-23290","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the £600,000 included in the revenue support grant to local authorities for family mediation services will be allocated to each local authority.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the £600,000 included in the revenue support grant to local authorities for family mediation services will be allocated to each local authority.","AnswerText":"No decisions have yet been reached on the distribution of the resources which we plan to channel through local authorities as from April 2007. Discussions continue with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. Our aim in transferring grant support to local level is to enable sustainable and effective services meeting the needs of families in transition, and to align family relationship support services more closely with other important services to children and families provided or secured by local government. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195948,"EventID":"S2W-23291","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to make local authorities aware of the changes arising from the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 which will affect family support services and thei","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to make local authorities aware of the changes arising from the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 which will affect family support services and their funding.","AnswerText":"The Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 makes no changes to the funding of family support services. I announced during the Stage 3 debate on the Bill on 15 December 2005 that a further £300,000 would be made available in 2006-07 for capacity building, infrastructure development and joint working between local family mediation and relationship counselling services. The aim is to put local services in a stronger position to contribute effectively to the wider agenda on integrated services for children and families that local authorities drive forward in their areas. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195949,"EventID":"S2W-23292","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how family contact centres, as provided for in the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006, will be funded.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how family contact centres, as provided for in the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006, will be funded.","AnswerText":"The Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 makes no provision for family contact centres. A number of contact centres run by voluntary sector organisations operate to facilitate contact between children and non-resident parents or other close family members, and are funded by a range of local bodies, including local authorities. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195950,"EventID":"S2W-23293","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the terms of the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 will be brought into force; why it has not yet been brought into force; whether it is intended to bring it into force","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the terms of the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 will be brought into force; why it has not yet been brought into force; whether it is intended to bring it into force on 28 April 2006 and, if so, what the reasons are for the decision in respect of which date it comes into force.","AnswerText":"The Family Law (Scotland) Act2006 will come into effect in the late spring or early summer of 2006 once therequisite arrangements have been made in relation to rules of court andsecondary legislation.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195951,"EventID":"S2W-23294","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of consultant psychiatrists who are specially trained in working with deaf and deafblind people.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of consultant psychiatrists who are specially trained in working with deaf and deafblind people.","AnswerText":"Guidance has been publishedon improving access to mainstream and specialist services for those withsensory loss and a mental health problem. A copy of which has been place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38922). It is for NHS boardsto consider this guidance and determine the ongoing training needs of all itsstaff in the context of local service planning and delivery.By December 2006, all NHS boardswill have to publish a disability equality scheme setting out their plans fortackling discrimination against disabled people and promoting equality. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195952,"EventID":"S2W-23295","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaf and deafblind patients were treated by the NHS in each year since 1999 by each NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaf and deafblind patients were treated by the NHS in each year since 1999 by each NHS board.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally. National hospitalactivity returns hold information on patient demographics, diagnosis and anyoperations performed. No specific note is held of existing disabilities such asdeafness and/or blindness.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195953,"EventID":"S2W-23296","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide out-patient and in-patient services for deaf and deafblind people with mental health problems.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide out-patient and in-patient services for deaf and deafblind people with mental health problems.","AnswerText":"We have no plans forseparate provision. Guidance published in 2005 offered approaches for improvedaccess to mainstream services by those with a sensory loss and a mental healthproblem. A copy of which has been place in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre (Bib. number 38922). That guidance will inform the approaches adopted bythe partner agencies in each area to meet assessed and forecast local needs.The guidance includes acommitment to follow up, this July, on progress made by the agencies. Theresults will be published. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195954,"EventID":"S2W-23297","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has undertaken with NHS boards to ensure that they are meeting their obligations under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has undertaken with NHS boards to ensure that they are meeting their obligations under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and Disability Discrimination Act 2005 with specific regard to the treatment and care of deaf and deafblind people who have a mental health problem.","AnswerText":"To support effective implementationof the new Mental Health Act we have required regular progress reports fromlocal area partnerships. These reports are published on the web. There is an on-goingprogramme of visits with the local partners to discuss progress. The next roundstarts this April and will centre on delivery of the new arrangements and theDelivering for Health commitments for mental health.By December 2006 all NHS boardswill have to publish a disability equality scheme setting out their plans fortackling discrimination against disabled people and promoting equality. Specifically on deaf anddeafblind mental health needs, we have published guidance for Agencies onapproaches to improved access to mainstream services for those with a sensoryloss and a mental health problem a copy of which has been place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38922). That guidance includes acommitment to follow up on progress made. A survey of local approaches will takeplace in July and the results will be published. Reminders have already issuedto the agencies in this regard. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195955,"EventID":"S2W-23298","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide training and recruitment opportunities for deaf and deafblind people to enable them to work with deaf and deafblind patients.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide training and recruitment opportunities for deaf and deafblind people to enable them to work with deaf and deafblind patients.","AnswerText":"NHSScotland employersappoint on merit and are committed to providing equality of opportunity to all.Employers should make all necessary reasonable adjustments to ensure that staffare able to fulfil their potential.In addition, NHSScotlandoffers a range of pre-employment training opportunities which are open to deafand deafblind people. Pre-employment training provides participants withexperience of working within the NHS and valuable life skills and interviewpreparation. Details regarding such courses can be obtained from NHSScotlandemployers and Jobcentre Plus. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195956,"EventID":"S2W-23299","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical misdiagnoses of deaf and deafblind patients with mental health problems there were in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical misdiagnoses of deaf and deafblind patients with mental health problems there were in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"This information is not collectedcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195957,"EventID":"S2W-23300","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1882,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was available to overcome communication and language barriers for deaf and deafblind people with mental health problems in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was available to overcome communication and language barriers for deaf and deafblind people with mental health problems in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"While specific funding is notprovided for these areas, NHS boards must consider with their planning partnershow best to respond to the guidance issued in June 2005 on Disability DiscriminationCompliance: Access to Mainstream and Specialist Services for those with SensoryLoss and a Mental Health Problems (www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2005_27.pdf),and will be asked to complete a joint survey on progress in July 2006. It is foreach NHS board to meet the health care needs of its resident population from withinthe level of funding available, taking account of national and local priorities.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195958,"EventID":"S2W-23301","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the statement contained in the article on pages 38 and 39 of the Sunday Herald of 19 February 2006 that the civil servant of the Executive’s Justice Department na","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the statement contained in the article on pages 38 and 39 of the Sunday Herald of 19 February 2006 that the civil servant of the Executive’s Justice Department named in the article attended meetings of the Scottish Criminal Record Office executive committee and, in particular, that he attended meetings in the year 2000 is correct, and whether the civil servant concerned reported to, or otherwise advised, the then Minister for Justice, Mr Jim Wallace MSP, in relation to these meetings and, if so, whether the Executive will publish the terms of such advice.","AnswerText":"John Rowell attendedmeetings of the Scottish Criminal Record Office Executive Committee during 2000as part of his role as head of Police Division 2. Advice to Ministers fromcivil servants is not normally published because this could have an adverseeffect on the free and frank provision of such advice in the future.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195959,"EventID":"S2W-23302","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Criminal Records Office (SCRO) executive committee meetings were attended by any civil servant from the Executive’s Justice Department; if so, what r","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Criminal Records Office (SCRO) executive committee meetings were attended by any civil servant from the Executive’s Justice Department; if so, what role the civil servant performed by so attending; what practice existed on reporting information regarding the discussion at the meetings of the executive committee to the Minister for Justice, and whether there was a practice of redacting any part of the minutes of the SCRO executive committee. ","AnswerText":"The Head of Police Division2 attended meetings of the Scottish Criminal Record Office Executive Committee.His role was to keep informed about the committee’s oversight of SCRO and torepresent the Executive’s interests in any relevant matters discussed by thecommittee. Whether to report any of the proceedings to ministers was a matterfor the judgment of the civil servant concerned. There was no practice ofredacting the minutes of the committee.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195960,"EventID":"S2W-23303","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the document referred to in the article on pages 38 and 39 of the Sunday Herald of 19 February 2006 as the “report by three experts at the UK’s na","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the document referred to in the article on pages 38 and 39 of the Sunday Herald of 19 February 2006 as the “report by three experts at the UK’s national forensic training centre in Durham” in relation to the Shirley McKie and David Asbury fingerprints; if so, on what date and, if not, whether it has received advice as to its contents and, if so, on what date.","AnswerText":"A report prepared by the NationalTraining Centre for Scientific Support to Crime Investigation was completed in June2001 and thereafter passed to the Crown Office. No Scottish minister outwith CrownOffice has seen this report. The previous Justice Minister was informed on 3 August 2000 that theeight chief constables had concluded, on the basis of investigations up to thatpoint, that four fingerprint officers at SCRO were to be suspended and of the reasonfor this. These investigations became part of a criminal investigation on whichno further information was made available to the Justice Ministers.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195961,"EventID":"S2W-23304","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the report by James Mackay, in relation to the Shirley McKie and Marion Ross fingerprints was concluded; to whom it was communicated; whether it was passed to any ci","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the report by James Mackay, in relation to the Shirley McKie and Marion Ross fingerprints was concluded; to whom it was communicated; whether it was passed to any civil servant of the Executive’s Justice Department; whether its contents were the subject of any report to the Justice Department, and whether its contents, or the conclusions of the report, or any of these, were reported by any civil servant to the Minister for Justice and, if so, whether it will provide copies of any such document in which the Minister for Justice was so advised.","AnswerText":"The Mackay and Robertsonreport was a confidential report relating to a criminal investigation,completed on 20 October 2000. The report was submitted in full to the RegionalProcurator Fiscal at Paisley, the President of ACPOS and the Deputy ChiefConstable of Strathclyde Police.The Scottish Executive wasadvised of the Lord Advocate’s decision (that there should be no criminalproceedings against employees of SCRO), which was made after consideration of the Mackay and Robertson report and a report by the Regional Procurator Fiscalat Paisley following his consideration of the Mackay and Robertson report. Neither the Mackay andRobertson report nor the Regional Procurator Fiscal’s report was made availableto the Justice Department or to Justice Ministers. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195962,"EventID":"S2W-23305","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2056,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":4,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm the approximate date for the introduction of a Private Bill to re-establish an Airdrie to Bathgate rail link and what the anticipated time schedule","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm the approximate date for the introduction of a Private Bill to re-establish an Airdrie to Bathgate rail link and what the anticipated time schedule will be for (a) such a Bill and (b) completion of the project.","AnswerText":"Network Rail, the promoters of the project, plan to submit the Airdrie to Bathgate Railway Bill in spring 2006.We anticipate the bill beingpassed before the end of the parliamentary session. Services on the re-opened lineare planned to begin in December 2010. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195963,"EventID":"S2W-23306","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15219 by Nicol Stephen on 20 June 2005, whether it will now make an order to lower the speed limit to 30 mph on the A95 at Cromdale","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15219 by Nicol Stephen on 20 June 2005, whether it will now make an order to lower the speed limit to 30 mph on the A95 at Cromdale.","AnswerText":"The order cannot be made untilthe two objections referred to in the answer to question S2W-15219 have been properlyaddressed. Transport Scotland is currently seeking to resolve these objections asquickly as possible.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195964,"EventID":"S2W-23307","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the evaluation of the speeds of vehicles recorded travelling through Cromdale on the A95 between 8 and 15 August 2005, when a temporary speed","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the evaluation of the speeds of vehicles recorded travelling through Cromdale on the A95 between 8 and 15 August 2005, when a temporary speed limit of 30 mph was applied, indicate that (a) the highest speeds recorded were in respect of a motorcycle travelling at 92 mph and of a car travelling at 85 mph and (b) 76% of the 24,804 vehicles whose speed was measured were in breach of the speed limit; when the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications became aware of these findings; whether he has made any order to reduce the speed of vehicles travelling through Cromdale, and, if not, whether he will introduce appropriate measures, including an order for a permanent speed limit of 30 mph.","AnswerText":"I can confirm that the evaluationof the speeds of vehicles travelling through Cromdale on the A95 during the trial30mph speed limit from 8 to 15 August 2005 is as stated in the question. I can also confirm thatofficials in the Scottish Executive (now Transport Scotland) receivedthis information in September 2005 and are discussing with BEAR Scotland Ltd andthe police the implications of this information, particularly in relation to theproposed speed limit and any appropriate supporting measures.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195965,"EventID":"S2W-23308","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans have been made to extend any concessionary travel by air from Caithness to include concessionary travel by rail from Wick, Thurso and other stations on the Far","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans have been made to extend any concessionary travel by air from Caithness to include concessionary travel by rail from Wick, Thurso and other stations on the Far North Line.","AnswerText":"The aid of a social characterscheme, which I announced on 13 February and which offers eligible residents reductionson some air fares, applies only to air travel. We have no plans to extend the schemeto rail.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195966,"EventID":"S2W-23309","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the usage of trains from Caithness stations will be monitored following any introduction of concessionary air fares from Wick airport.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the usage of trains from Caithness stations will be monitored following any introduction of concessionary air fares from Wick airport.","AnswerText":"First ScotRail is obliged underits franchise contract to provide patronage data to Transport Scotland. TransportScotland is currently in discussions with First ScotRail to identify improvementsin the efficiency of patronage monitoring, including options for automation of theprocess.In addition arrangements willbe put in place which will monitor the impact of the aid of a social character schemeon other transport modes. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195967,"EventID":"S2W-23310","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to offer concessionary fares on buses, trains, ferries and air services in an integrated fashion.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to offer concessionary fares on buses, trains, ferries and air services in an integrated fashion.","AnswerText":"Scottish ministers are able byorder to make National Concessionary Travel Schemes. This power is contained inSection 40 (1) of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195968,"EventID":"S2W-23311","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have undergone cardiac resynchronisation therapy procedures in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have undergone cardiac resynchronisation therapy procedures in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195969,"EventID":"S2W-23312","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is aware of in respect of the impact of cardiac resynchronisation therapy for patients with heart failure in terms of prognosis and reductions in hospita","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is aware of in respect of the impact of cardiac resynchronisation therapy for patients with heart failure in terms of prognosis and reductions in hospital admissions.","AnswerText":"A range of evidence has beenamassed from randomised controlled trailssuch as MADIT II and the COMPANION fed into an Evidence Note which was publishedby NHS Quality Improvement Scotland in November 2005. The Evidence Note sets outsthe benefits of cardiac resynchronisation therapy for heart failure which include:a reduction in mortality, hospital admissions and improved quality of life. A copyof the Evidence Note can be found at:www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/qis_display_findings.jsp?pContentID=2771&p_applic=CCC&pElementID=0&pMenuId=0&p_service=Content.show&. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195970,"EventID":"S2W-23313","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1782,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":59,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make cardiac resynchronisation therapy available to all patients who need it.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make cardiac resynchronisation therapy available to all patients who need it.","AnswerText":"The National Advisory Committeeon Coronary Heart Disease has prepared a report on electrophysiology, which includescardiac resynchronisation therapy and the recommendations in the report have beencosted. Regional planning groups have been asked to take forward the introductionof cardiac resynchronisation therapy using this report as a basis.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195971,"EventID":"S2W-23314","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-20T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much foreign direct investment there has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by sector, and what information it has on what percentage such investment was ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much foreign direct investment there has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by sector, and what information it has on what percentage such investment was of the total foreign direct investment into the (a) United Kingdom and (b) European Union.","AnswerText":"1.The sector by sector figuresfor inward investment projects into Scotland supported by Scottish Development International and itspredecessors are provided in the following tables. These should be set in the contextof a very steep decline in global flows of foreign direct investment since 2000and a shift in Scotland’s strategic focus from 2001 onwards to concentrate on attractinghigh-quality investment rather than volume alone. | 1995-96 | Planned Projects | Planned Jobs | Planned Investment (£ Million) | | Electronics | 26 | 7,083 | 719.30 | | Services | 7 | 1,266 | 13.40 | | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 14 | 1,344 | 63.70 | | Textiles | 7 | 589 | 19.10 | | Food and Drink | 6 | 280 | 16.20 | | Chemicals/Plastics/Rubber | 14 | 1,274 | 127.20 | | Forest Products/Paper | 4 | 154 | 9.40 | | Other Activities | 6 | 570 | 12.70 | | Totals | 84 | 12,560 | 981.00 |
1996-97 | Planned Projects | Planned Jobs | Planned Investment (£ Million) | | Electronics | 17 | 5,448 | 2,582.00 | | Services | 23 | 2,654 | 41.10 | | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 22 | 3,142 | 113.10 | | Textiles | 2 | 380 | The Executive does not hold similar information for privately owned estates or community owned estates. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195973,"EventID":"S2W-23316","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to ensure that relevant information is available to children and adults diagnosed with epilepsy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to ensure that relevant information is available to children and adults diagnosed with epilepsy.","AnswerText":"The Executive recognises theimportance of patient information in helping people to manage their condition. Theprovision of such information is one of the main functions of the epilepsy ManagedClinical Networks, both adult and paediatric, which the Executive has been encouraging.The SIGN Guidelines on epilepsy also deal with information for patients, carersand others.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195974,"EventID":"S2W-23317","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken, or will take, to ensure that patient information on epilepsy is consistently and uniformly available across Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken, or will take, to ensure that patient information on epilepsy is consistently and uniformly available across Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Executive recognises theimportance of ensuring that information on epilepsy is available on a consistentbasis no matter where in Scotland the person lives. The epilepsy Managed Clinical Networks,both adult and paediatric, have a key role to play in achieving this aim. Localimplementation of the SIGN Guidelines on epilepsy will also promote consistencyin information-giving, and the voluntary sector has an important role too.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195975,"EventID":"S2W-23318","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) retailers and (b) licensees have been prosecuted for selling alcohol to under age customers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) retailers and (b) licensees have been prosecuted for selling alcohol to under age customers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The available information isgiven in the following table. No breakdown of these figures into prosecutions ofretailers and licensees is available from the data held centrally. The court proceedingsstatistics for 2004-05 are planned for publication in spring 2006.Persons Proceeded Against forSelling Alcohol to Persons Under 181, by Local Authority Area 1999-2003 | Local Authority Area | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 20032 | | Aberdeen City | 2 | 3 | - | 3 | 4 | | Aberdeenshire | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | - | | Angus | 2 | - | 1 | - | 2 | | Argyll and Bute | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | | Clackmannanshire | - | 4 | - | - | - | | Dumfries and Galloway | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | | Dundee City | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | East Ayrshire | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | | East Dunbartonshire | - | - | 1 | - | - | Persons Proceeded Against forSelling Tobacco to Persons Under 161, by Local Authority Area 1999-2003 | Local Authority Area | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | | Aberdeenshire | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | | Edinburgh, City of | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | | North Lanarkshire | - | - | 1 | - | - | | Renfrewshire | 1 | - | - | - | - | | Scotland | 4 | - | 1 | - | 3 | Note: 1. Where main offence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195977,"EventID":"S2W-23320","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many retailers have been prosecuted for selling solvents to under age customers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many retailers have been prosecuted for selling solvents to under age customers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The statistics held centrally do not separately identify prosecutions for selling solvents tounderage customers from other offences of culpable and reckless conduct.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195978,"EventID":"S2W-23321","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on alcohol abuse awareness campaigns in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on alcohol abuse awareness campaigns in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The annual spend on alcoholabuse awareness campaigns since 1999 is as follows: | Year | Alcohol Awareness Funding | | 1999-2000 | £25,000 | | 2000-01 | £469,970 | | 2001-02 | £315,086 | | 2002-03 | £1,073,516 | | 2003-04 | £833,140 | | 2004-05 | £744,000 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195979,"EventID":"S2W-23322","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on tobacco awareness campaigns in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on tobacco awareness campaigns in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has spent£750,000 including VAT in 2005-06 on the advertising campaign to raise public awarenessabout the smoke-free legislation which will be introduced on 26 March 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195980,"EventID":"S2W-23323","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what quantity of illegal drugs has been seized by (a) police and (b) HM Customs and Excise in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area and showing (i) ty","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what quantity of illegal drugs has been seized by (a) police and (b) HM Customs and Excise in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area and showing (i) type and (ii) street value.","AnswerText":"Data on the quantities of illegal drugs seized in Scotland is only available broken down by police force area, not by local authority area. Figures for the years 1999 to 2003 inclusive are given in the publications listed, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The tables show the quantity of drugs seized, broken down by police force area and drug type, but no information is available on the street value of the seizures. Figures on seizures made by HM Revenues and Customs (formerly HM Customs and Excise) are also presented, but cannot be broken down to a Scotland level. | Year of Seizures | Publication | Table | Bib. number | | 1999 | Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2001 | 104 | 20860 | | 2000 | Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2002 | E2.2 | 27706 | | 2001 | Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2003 | E2.2 | 32141 | | 2002 | Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2004 | E2.2 | 36121 | | 2003 | Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2005 | D2.2 | 38474 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195981,"EventID":"S2W-23324","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on drug awareness campaigns in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on drug awareness campaigns in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"While drug campaign materials are funded from a variety of sources within the Executive, the bulk of expenditure on drug awareness campaigns is on advertising and media (since 2002-03, through the Know the Score drugs communication strategy). Drugs advertising campaign expenditure since 1999 has been as follows: | Year | Total Expenditure | | 1999-2000 | There was no campaign that year | | 2000-01 | £54,114 | | 2001-02 | £1,175,509 | | 2002-03 | £1,505,490 | | 2003-04 | £909,728 | | 2004-05 | £1,237,704 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195982,"EventID":"S2W-23325","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted for (a) drug dealing and (b) drug possession in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted for (a) drug dealing and (b) drug possession in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The available information isgiven in the following tables.Persons Proceeded Against forSupply or Possession with Intent to Supply Drugs1, by Approximate AuthorityArea2, 1999-2003 | Local authority area | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 20033 | | Aberdeen City | 96 | 63 | 56 | 75 | 64 | | Aberdeenshire | 16 | 12 | 28 | 24 | 32 | | Angus | 17 | 27 | 19 | 18 | 17 | | Argyll and Bute | 15 | 22 | 29 | 11 | 6 | | Clackmannanshire | 27 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 29 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 32 | 38 | 29 | 49 | 39 | | Dundee City | 30 | 31 | 19 | 48 | 42 | | East Ayrshire | 58 | 55 | 68 | 67 | 117 | | East Lothian | 8 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | | Edinburgh, City of | 132 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195984,"EventID":"S2W-23327","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue with current funding arrangements for mountain rescue from 1 April 2006; they plan any reduction in funding, and whether it will make a ministeri","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue with current funding arrangements for mountain rescue from 1 April 2006; they plan any reduction in funding, and whether it will make a ministerial statement on the matter. ","AnswerText":"Since 2003-04, the Executivehas provided £1.46 million in funding to support mountain rescue. A further grantof £300,000 will be paid to the Mountain Rescue Committee for Scotland in 2006-07.Future funding beyond that period will be considered in the context of the nextspending review.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195985,"EventID":"S2W-23328","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1932,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review Fife NHS Board’s “Right for Fife” reconfiguration proposals.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review Fife NHS Board’s “Right for Fife” reconfiguration proposals.","AnswerText":"There are no plans to do so. Following approval by the Minister for Health in 2002, it is for NHS Fife to take forward the proposed development of healthcare services set out in Right for Fife. In doing so, I would expect the board to take account of and ensure consistency with national policy and guidelines, including those set out in Delivering for Health. I would also expect NHS Fife to continue to involve local communities in Fife in the implementation of its proposals. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195986,"EventID":"S2W-23329","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1932,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government with regard to proposals for ship-to-ship oil transfers to take place in the Firth of Forth. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government with regard to proposals for ship-to-ship oil transfers to take place in the Firth of Forth. ","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty's Government on a number of issues, including the proposals for ship-to-ship transfers of oil as cargo in the Firth of Forth. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195987,"EventID":"S2W-23330","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2085,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":27,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures should be taken to ensure that teenagers with epilepsy are supported in the transition between paediatric and adult services. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures should be taken to ensure that teenagers with epilepsy are supported in the transition between paediatric and adult services. ","AnswerText":"We welcome the fact that the Scottish Paediatric Epilepsy Network intends to develop transitional care pathwaysdealing with the movement from paediatric to adult services of those with epilepsy.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195988,"EventID":"S2W-23331","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the statutory framework in respect of reporting of upheld complaints by the Care Commission to relevant public bodies in light of the case of M","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the statutory framework in respect of reporting of upheld complaints by the Care Commission to relevant public bodies in light of the case of Mrs Alma Murray, whilst a patient in an NHS-contracted bed at the BUPA Hatton Lea Nursing home in Bellshill.","AnswerText":"We have no immediate plansto review the statutory framework in respect of the reporting of complaintsupheld by the Care Commission to other relevant public bodies. The currentframework already allows for such reports to be made when necessary. The Care Commission’s(revised) complaints procedure was published in September 2004 under theRegulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (the Act) with the approval of ministers. Underthat procedure the Care Commission reports on the outcome of a complaint to thecomplainant and to the care provider. Beyond that the commission has thediscretion to decide if and when to notify other agencies. Itis currently developing agreements with local authorities and health boardswhich set out arrangements for sharing information including information oncomplaints and enforcement. The complaints procedure includes arrangements to fast-trackcomplaints where there are indications of abuse or neglect or allegations of anoffence that present a clear risk of actual or probable harm to the serviceuser. In these circumstances the commission will inform the relevant agenciesimmediately on receipt of the complaint. In addition, where the outcome of acomplaint – whether or not it is fast tracked - leads to formal enforcementaction this will be included in the care service provider’s next inspectionreport and will be followed up by the commission as part of the inspectionprocess. The commission also has a duty under the Act to copy all formal improvementnotices to the local authority where the service is provided. Separately, aspart of the Adult Support and Protection Bill, ministers will be bringingforward proposals that place a requirement on all agencies to collaborate andshare information where it is thought that an adult is at risk in whateversetting. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195989,"EventID":"S2W-23332","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor, review and issue advice on the contractual arrangements and regulatory framework between the Care Commission, public bodies and the private ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor, review and issue advice on the contractual arrangements and regulatory framework between the Care Commission, public bodies and the private sector in light of the case of Mrs Alma Murray, whilst a patient in an NHS-contracted bed at the BUPA Hatton Lea Nursing home in Bellshill.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive HealthDepartment issued guidance in September 2005, to health boards about their responsibilityfor commissioning health services provided by the independent sector. This was developedin consultation with the Care Commission and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, andis available at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2005_41.pdf.The guidance sets out the responsibilityof NHS boards for ensuring that appropriate contracting and clinical governancearrangements are in place. The Care Commission and NHS Quality Improvement Scotlandwork closely together to monitor and review the quality of care in the independentsector, based on a Memorandum of Understanding between the organisations. We will keep the effectivenessof these arrangements in relation to NHS boards under review, and they will be consideredby NHS Quality Improvement Scotland as part of the review of Clinical Governanceand Risk Management standards which is due to start later this year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195990,"EventID":"S2W-23333","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Care Commission and public bodies with reference to the efficacy of the current monitoring, regulatory and statutory framework in res","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Care Commission and public bodies with reference to the efficacy of the current monitoring, regulatory and statutory framework in respect of NHS patients in contracted beds.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23332 on 6 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195991,"EventID":"S2W-23334","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16922 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 June 2005, what progress is being made with the catheter-associated urinary tract infection surveillance","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16922 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 June 2005, what progress is being made with the catheter-associated urinary tract infection surveillance programme and when the first report from this programme will be published.","AnswerText":"Health Protection Scotland (HPS)published a report from the Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)surveillance programme in June 2005. This is available on the HPS website:http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh/infectious/hai/SSHAIP/pdf/CAUTI%20Annual%20Report%20June%2005.pdf. participation in the CAUTI surveillanceprogramme is voluntary and not all NHS boards have participated. Therefore, thereport does not provide full data on CAUTIs in Scotland. The Scottish Executive HealthDepartment has commissioned HPS to conduct a national survey on the prevalence andburden of healthcare associated infections (HAIs). As part of this, data on healthcare-associated UTIs will be collected across Scotland. The prevalence surveyis due to report in 2007. A best practice statement onurinary catheterisation and catheter care, developed by the HAI Task Force, waspublished by Quality Improvement Scotland in June 2004. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195992,"EventID":"S2W-23335","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2767,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in transport it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, in line with paragraph ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in transport it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, in line with paragraph 13b of International Strategy.","AnswerText":"There is an extensive body ofcomparative research and literature on transport and the environment which the ScottishExecutive takes into account when developing transport policy. For example, we commissionedand recently published a study reviewing National Transport Strategies across Europe and elsewhereaimed at identifying best practice and provide a starting point for the developmentof the National Transport Strategy on which a consultation paper will be issuedin March 2006. The study also covers the links between the strategies consideredand wider policies such as sustainable transport.Further, Scottish ministers regularlyengage in international activities and attend international events, like the recentClimate Leaders’ Summit in Montreal, aimed at supporting and fulfilling our commitments onthe environmental implications of transport. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195993,"EventID":"S2W-23336","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2767,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in environmental justice it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, in line wit","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in environmental justice it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, in line with paragraph 13b of International Strategy.","AnswerText":"On 14 December 2005, we published our Review of Progress on Environmental Justice. This sets out the actions we have taken to make progress on environmental justice in Scotland. We have sought to take account of best international practice. For example, research which we are completing on providing accessible environmental information and advice to the public has considered examples of current practice in Australia, Canada, Denmark and USA. Our work on environmental regulation has also considered arrangements overseas. It is important to note that overseas examples can normally provide only a guide to new thinking and that differences in economic, social and legislative circumstances mean that it is rarely possible to copy overseas initiatives exactly. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195994,"EventID":"S2W-23337","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2767,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in energy efficiency it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, in line with pa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in energy efficiency it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, in line with paragraph 13b of International Strategy.","AnswerText":"The Executive is currently developingthe first Scottish energy efficiency strategy which will cover all initiatives andstrategies funded by the Executive which have a significant impact on energy efficiency.This includes measures in relation to business, the public sector, transport, andthe domestic sector. As part of the researchphase the Executive has looked at best practice in a number of countries includingDenmark, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, Germany and the USA.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195995,"EventID":"S2W-23338","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2767,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in the energy performance of buildings it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s new enviro","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what examples of international best practice in the energy performance of buildings it has (a) identified and (b) implemented to protect and enhance Scotland’s new environment, in line with paragraph 13b of International Strategy.","AnswerText":"I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:The development of building regulationsis underpinned by current research findings and includes joint working with theother UK administrations. There is also regular liaison on regulatory best practicewith the Consortium of European Building Control and the Inter-Jurisdictional RegulatoryCollaboration Committee. On 1 March 2006, the Executivecommenced public consultation on further amendments to energy standards, the principleaim of which is to reduce the CO2 emissions that occur as a result ofenergy usage in heated/cooled new buildings and existing ones that are being converted,altered or extended. A secondary objective is to cause designers of buildings togive consideration to the incorporation of building integrated low and zero carbonenergy generating technologies, such as solar water heating and photovoltaics. The SBSA is presently workingon the implementation of the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildingsand how it impacts on the regulations. It is intended to issue a further consultationpackage on this in the near future. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195996,"EventID":"S2W-23339","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it has measured the success of the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it has measured the success of the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executivecommissioned an independent review of the Scottish Community and HouseholderRenewables Initiative last year to evaluate its performance from its inceptionin 2002 to May 2005. The review was completed in November 2005. We arecurrently considering the report’s findings.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195997,"EventID":"S2W-23340","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2675,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to expand the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative further, following the recent addition of £250,000 to its budget.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to expand the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative further, following the recent addition of £250,000 to its budget.","AnswerText":"We are fully committed to fundingthe Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative. On the 16 May, I announcedan additional £3 million for years 2006-07 and 2007-08.","AnswerDate":"2006-06-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195998,"EventID":"S2W-23341","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the 2006-07 NHS spending plans, announced on 20 February 2006, reflect the actual redistribution of funding according to the Arbuthnott formula and what the funding w","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the 2006-07 NHS spending plans, announced on 20 February 2006, reflect the actual redistribution of funding according to the Arbuthnott formula and what the funding would have been had the Arbuthnott formula been applied in full to each NHS board.","AnswerText":"When the Arbuthnott formula was introduced in 2000-01, it was agreed that, in order to ensure no detrimental effects, no Board would lose funding and moves to target allocations would be achieved by a levelling up process. Since then, all boards have received a standard uplift annually to meet the cost of pay and price increases, increases in the cost of prescribed drugs and developments. In addition those boards below their target share of resources under the Arbuthnott formula receive additional funding. For 2006-07 all boards received a standard uplift of 6.75% with an additional £30 million allocated to those boards below their Arbuthnott target share of resources. Details of actual allocations for 2006-07 and Arbuthnott target shares are as follows: | NHS Board | Actual General Allocation 2006-07 (£ Million) | Target Arbuthnott Allocation (£ Million) | Difference Between Target Allocation and Actual Allocation (£ Million) | | Ayrshire and Arran | 496.914 | 501.528 | 4.614 | | Borders | 143.455 | 145.444 | 1.989 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 207.375 | 209.930 | 2.555 | | Fife | 430.918 | 436.417 | 5.499 | | Forth Valley | 338.619 | 342.095 | 3.476 | | Grampian | 583.490 | 584.691 | 1.201 | | Greater Glasgow | 1,634.850 | 1,602.696 | -32.154 | | Highland | 419.558 | 423.452 | 3.894 | | Lanarkshire | 686.476 | 694.547 | 8.071 | | Lothian | 868.621 | 875.017 | 6.396 | | Orkney | 26.852 | 27.045 | 0.193 | | Shetland | 31.812 | 28.410 | -3.402 | | Tayside | 516.958 | 516.346 | -0.612 | | Western Isles | 50.307 | 48.587 | -1.720 | | Total | 6,436.205 | 6,436.205 | | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":195999,"EventID":"S2W-23342","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how funding to the voluntary sector is allocated throughout Scotland, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how funding to the voluntary sector is allocated throughout Scotland, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19433 on 23 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. More generally, it is not possible to breakdown the distribution of resources by local authority area, as Scottish Executive grants are mainly provided to national organisations. However, the activities of these national organisations are taken forward across Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196000,"EventID":"S2W-23343","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure the long-term funding of mountain rescue teams.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure the long-term funding of mountain rescue teams.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23327 on 7 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196001,"EventID":"S2W-23344","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people are now involved in volunteering as part of the National Youth Volunteering programme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people are now involved in volunteering as part of the National Youth Volunteering programme.","AnswerText":"The programme referred to bythe member is Project Scotland. As of 24 February 2006 there were 400 Project Scotland Volunteers, an increase of 76 since my answerto Linda Fabiani’s question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006,which also contains further information on Project Scotland. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196002,"EventID":"S2W-23345","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommendations of the Executive’s cross-department group on the voluntary sector will be in respect of new areas for service delivery in the voluntary sector.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommendations of the Executive’s cross-department group on the voluntary sector will be in respect of new areas for service delivery in the voluntary sector.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive launchedA Vision for the Voluntary Sector – the Next Phase of Our Relationship in December2005. To help implement the Vision the Scottish Executive has committed to the settingup of a new Cross Department Group, which is currently being established. It islikely that the group will be tasked with a range of activities including, but notsolely focusing on, enhancement of the sector’s role in the delivery of services.Once the group is established (it is due to meet for the time in spring 2006) itwill identify the priority areas on which it will focus.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196003,"EventID":"S2W-23346","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes are being made in light of its review of direct funding and the Strategic Funding Review in respect of funding of the voluntary sector.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what changes are being made in light of its review of direct funding and the Strategic Funding Review in respect of funding of the voluntary sector.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) are working together to implement findings from the Strategic Review of Voluntary Sector Funding. The review has led to a wide-ranging programme of activity to support the sustainable growth of the voluntary sector in Scotland. This includes the development of an action plan with actions for each of the strategic partners. Specific changes that have been made towards ensuring stability in the relationship between funders and the voluntary sector include the development of three year funding packages, payments in advance, and reduced bureaucracy in our systems and processes through common application packs and the lead funder model. In addition a full cost recovery impact assessment is underway, which will make recommendations for a realistic and manageable way of moving towards full cost recovery implementation across the public and voluntary sectors. Further detail about the Action Plan can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Voluntary-Issues/15300/sfrap. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196004,"EventID":"S2W-23347","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"Scottish Executive funding supportfor the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations over the last five years isdetailed in the table below. This does not include resources which SCVO distributeto other agencies on behalf of the Scottish Executive. | Year | Amount | | 2005-06 | £988,583 | | 2004-05 | £2,751,054 | | 2003-04 | £1,080,379 | | 2002-03 | £609,726 | | 2001-02 | £531,313 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196005,"EventID":"S2W-23348","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline how the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations supports voluntary organisations.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline how the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations supports voluntary organisations.","AnswerText":"The SCVO is the national body representing the voluntary sector in Scotland and seeks to advance the values and shared interests of the sector by fostering co-operation, promoting best practice and delivering sustainable services. The SCVO organises its work around nine activity areas. These are: Research about and on behalf of the voluntary sector; Voluntary sector representation; Communication with, about and on behalf of the voluntary sector; Organisational development and support for the voluntary sector; Resource development for the voluntary sector; Voluntary sector workforce development; The design and delivery of services tailored to the needs of the voluntary sector; The development of voluntary sector networking and co-operation, and The development of SCVO’s own effectiveness. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196006,"EventID":"S2W-23349","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support local voluntary organisations in the Highlands, given that no uplift in funding is being provided by the Highland Council.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support local voluntary organisations in the Highlands, given that no uplift in funding is being provided by the Highland Council.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive provideslocal voluntary organisations with support through a wide range of initiatives,including in the area covered by Highland Council. However, the majority of grantfunding for local voluntary organisations is provided by local agencies, notablylocal authorities.Details of Scottish Executivegrant funding to voluntary organisations in 2005-06 are shown in the answer I providedto the answer to question S2W 23342 on 28 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. Funding decisions at the locallevel must primarily be for local funders, taking account of local priorities, localneeds and the level of resources local authorities and others are prepared to release. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196007,"EventID":"S2W-23350","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence of external commercial interests actively encouraging dentists to move from the NHS.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence of external commercial interests actively encouraging dentists to move from the NHS.","AnswerText":"We are aware thatinformation on private dental plans has been offered to dentists, and that privatedental plan providers routinely advertise in the professional journals. Relevantexamples are contained in the September to October 2005, Issue 76 of the ScottishDentist which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre(Bib. number 39044).","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196008,"EventID":"S2W-23351","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that patients who have been deregistered from NHS dental practices are notified of local dental waiting lists. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that patients who have been deregistered from NHS dental practices are notified of local dental waiting lists. ","AnswerText":"The overall responsibilityfor provision of NHS dental services rests with NHS boards, whom we encourageto maintain lists of patients who wish to have access to NHS dental services.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196009,"EventID":"S2W-23352","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence that dentists moving to private practice are being advised to retain some NHS work in their practices to maximise the NHS funding they receive","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence that dentists moving to private practice are being advised to retain some NHS work in their practices to maximise the NHS funding they receive. ","AnswerText":"Experience suggests thatdentists moving to private practice will retain some element of NHS work,mainly registration and treatment of children and other patients exempt fromcharges, which attracts some NHS funding and allowances.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196010,"EventID":"S2W-23353","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many bids it has received for monies from the Route Development Fund since its inception, broken down into (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful bidders.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many bids it has received for monies from the Route Development Fund since its inception, broken down into (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful bidders.","AnswerText":"Since the inception of the RouteDevelopment Fund (RDF) by the Scottish Executive in November 2002, approximately60 offers have been made to airlines to commence new routes with 47 new routes commencedor planned to commence up to summer 2006. The remaining offers were not taken upfor reasons such as slot availability, aircraft availability and change of plans.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196011,"EventID":"S2W-23354","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has provided to local authorities to attract more cruise liners to visit Scottish ports.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has provided to local authorities to attract more cruise liners to visit Scottish ports.","AnswerText":"Cruise liners bring a significantnumber of visitors to particular areas of Scotland during the year. While no specific support is available to local authoritiesto help them attract cruise liners, VisitScotland is commissioning research whichwill assess both the market and the economic benefits of cruise tourism to Scotland. The findings from this research should be availableby the middle of next year.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196012,"EventID":"S2W-23355","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on coastal protection in each year since 1999 and what schemes have benefited from Executive support, showing the monies they have been granted.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on coastal protection in each year since 1999 and what schemes have benefited from Executive support, showing the monies they have been granted.","AnswerText":"The total amount provided by the Executive, to date, in grant support to local authorities for coast protection measures since 1999 is £4,428,182.56. Further information on the amount spent each year since 1999, and on the schemes that have benefited from Executive grant support, is provided in the following tables. | Financial Year | Amount Paid | | 1999-2000 | 0 | | 2000-01 | 17,340.94 | | 2001-02 | 1,585,327.04 | | 2002-03 | 130,096.90 | | 2003-04 | 807,731 | | 2004-05 | 1,103,619.11 | | 2005-06 | 784,067.57 | | Council | Scheme Name | Total Amount Paid to Date | | Angus | Carnoustie | 523,514.36 | | | Milton Mill, Monifieth | 43,206.31 | | Fife | East Wemyss | 822,500.35 | | | West Wemyss | 625,496.55 | | | Dysart | 507,419.24 | | Aberdeenshire | Stonehaven Bay | 29,171.58 | | Highland | Wick | 1,876,874.17 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196013,"EventID":"S2W-23356","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects new and re-opened suburban railway stations to be operational in Aberdeen.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects new and re-opened suburban railway stations to be operational in Aberdeen.","AnswerText":"With the support of ScottishExecutive funding, NESTRANS are currently undertaking detailed feasibility workon the Aberdeen Crossrail proposals which will consider the opening of newstations between Stonehaven and Inverurie, and Aberdeenshire Council are finalisingdetailed feasibility work for the proposed re-opening of Laurencekirk Station. Decisionswill be taken once all relevant information is available and in the light of the rail strategy that is being developed.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196014,"EventID":"S2W-23357","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23721 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 March 2002, which local authorities have concessionary travel schemes for (a) children aged under 16","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23721 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 March 2002, which local authorities have concessionary travel schemes for (a) children aged under 16, (b) 16 to 18-year-olds in full time education courses and (c) 16 to 18-year-olds who are not on full time education courses, not in receipt of jobseekers allowance, living independently and receive a living allowance from social work departments, broken down by (i) year and (ii) local authority.","AnswerText":"The information requested isprovided in the following table. Concessionary travel for young people is a discretionarymatter for local authorities. All 16 local concessionary travel schemes give concessionsto disabled young people under the age of 18 if they meet their scheme’s specificeligibility criteria.LocalAuthority Concessionary Travel Schemes for Young People | Scheme Type | 2003 -04 | 2004 -05 | 2005 -06 | | Children Aged Under 16 | Clackmannanshire (14 – 15) Falkirk (14 – 15) Shetland (5 – 16) Stirling (14 – 15) Western Isles (5 – 16) | Clackmannanshire (14 – 15) Falkirk (14 – 15) Shetland (5 – 16) Stirling (14 – 15) Western Isles (5 – 16) | Clackmannanshire (14 – 15) Falkirk (14 – 15) Shetland (5 – 16) Stirling (14 – 15) Western Isles (5 – 16) | | 16 -18 Year Olds in Full Time Education | Fife | Aberdeen City Fife | Aberdeen City Fife | | 16 – 18 Year Olds Not in Full Time Education or in Receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, who Live Independently and are in Receipt of a Living Allowance from Social Work Departments | None | None | None | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196015,"EventID":"S2W-23358","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated to social work departments to provide allowances for 16 to 18-year-olds in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated to social work departments to provide allowances for 16 to 18-year-olds in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.","AnswerText":"Prior to 1 April 2004, 16 to 18-year-old care leavers received benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions. In addition, local authorities had the power, through sections 29 and 30 of The Children (Scotland) Act 1995, to provide discretionary allowances on an ad-hoc basis. The amounts of these allowances varied between local authorities. Since the Supporting Young People Leaving Care in Scotland Regulations came into force on 1 April 2004, local authorities have received the following funding to help plan and prepare for, and implement, the new duties. | | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | Aberdeen City | 32,739 | 130,957 | 163,696 | | Aberdeenshire | 21,706 | 86,826 | 108,532 | | Angus | 15,362 | 61,449 | 76,811 | | Argyll and Bute | 11,654 | 46,616 | 58,270 | | Clackmannanshire | 10,245 | 40,982 | 51,227 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 20,273 | 81,093 | 101,366 | | Dundee City | 41,268 | 165,070 | 206,338 | | East Ayrshire | 26,356 | 105,423 | 131,779 | | East Dunbartonshire | 10,471 | 41,884 | 52,355 | | East Lothian | 13,685 | 54,738 | 68,423 | | East Renfrewshire | 9,624 | 38,496 | 48,120 | | Edinburgh | 81,563 | 326,252 | 407,815 | | Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | 2,553 | 10,211 | 12,764 | | Falkirk | 26,783 | 107,134 | 133,917 | | Fife | 64,972 | 259,889 | 324,861 | | Glasgow | 210,204 | 840,816 | 1,051,020 | | Highland | 31,416 | 125,664 | 157,080 | | Inverclyde | 20,943 | 83,771 | 104,713 | | Midlothian | 14,422 | 57,690 | 72,112 | | Moray ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196017,"EventID":"S2W-23360","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what weekly payment is made to 16 to 18-year-olds who are living independently, are not in full-time education and not entitled to jobseekers allowance, broken down by lo","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what weekly payment is made to 16 to 18-year-olds who are living independently, are not in full-time education and not entitled to jobseekers allowance, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196018,"EventID":"S2W-23361","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnancies there were amongst (a) 12, (b) 13, (c) 14, (d) 15 and (c) 16-year-olds in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnancies there were amongst (a) 12, (b) 13, (c) 14, (d) 15 and (c) 16-year-olds in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"The information requested isshown for each full financial year from 1998-99 to 2003-04 in the table Pregnanciesamongst females aged 12 to 16 years at conception from 1998-99 to 2003-04, acopy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 38956).< Number of Children Looked After Aged 16 and 171 by Foster Carers on the 31 March | Local Authority | 19991 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | 17 Years and Over | 16 and 17 Years Old | 16 and 17 Years Old | 16 and 17 Years Old | 16 and 17 Years Old | 16 and 17 Years Old | 16 and 17 Years Old | | Aberdeen City | 7(e) | 12(e) | 11(e) | 15(e) | 7(e) | 9(e) | 6 | | Aberdeenshire | 11 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | | Angus | * | 8 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 14 | | Argyll and Bute | * | * | 0 | 5 | 9 | 5 | * | | Clackmannanshire | * | * | * | * | * | 5 | 6 | | Dumfries and Galloway | * | 17 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 12 | | Dundee City | * | 13 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | | East Ayrshire | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 5 | * | | East Dunbartonshire | 0 | * | * | * | * | * | * | | East Lothian","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196020,"EventID":"S2W-23363","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 18 were living independently having left foster care in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 18 were living independently having left foster care in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196021,"EventID":"S2W-23364","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring has taken place of the existing concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring has taken place of the existing concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"Local travel concession schemescurrently employ a range of measures for monitoring and verifying travel concessiondata. These measures include data analysis, compliance audits of bus operators andsurveys of bus services and passengers.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196022,"EventID":"S2W-23365","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with regard to extending the nationwide concessionary travel scheme to identified carers of people who qualify for the scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with regard to extending the nationwide concessionary travel scheme to identified carers of people who qualify for the scheme.","AnswerText":"The Scotland-wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled People will provide free travel for companions where assistance is required to travel. The eligibility criteria for companions will be set out in the draft order for The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled People (Eligible Persons and Eligible Services)(Scotland) Order 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196023,"EventID":"S2W-23366","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure, so far as practicable, equity of access to transport for which the national concessionary travel scheme is available.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure, so far as practicable, equity of access to transport for which the national concessionary travel scheme is available.","AnswerText":"The Scotland-wide Free Bus Schemefor Older and Disabled People which begins on 1 April 2006 willprovide access to card holders from anywhere in Scotland to a very wide range ofservices. The scheme will encompass bus and coach available to the general public,both local registered bus services and long distance scheduled coach services.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196024,"EventID":"S2W-23367","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it is having with local authorities and transport providers to ensure equity of access for people with nationwide concessionary travel passes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it is having with local authorities and transport providers to ensure equity of access for people with nationwide concessionary travel passes.","AnswerText":"The Confederation of PassengerTransport (CPT) and local authority representatives were included on the seven taskgroups set up to advise on the development of the Scotland-wide Free Bus schemefor Older and Disabled people. These included task groups which considered aspectsof equity of access including which coach and bus services would be eligible inthe scheme and the eligibility criteria for individuals.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196025,"EventID":"S2W-23368","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the voluntary sector regarding the operation and extent of the national concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the voluntary sector regarding the operation and extent of the national concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"Voluntary organisations wereincluded in the consultation, which was run between 24 October to 5 December 2005, onthe orders for the Scotland-wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled people towhich over 130 responses were received.In addition the Royal NationalInstitute for the Blind has been involved in discussions on the needs of the visuallyimpaired in using smartcards for the Scotland-wide Free Bus scheme for Older andDisabled people. I have also met with the ScottishPensioners Forum where discussion included the concessionary travel scheme and howit will affect older people. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196026,"EventID":"S2W-23369","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22829 by Peter Peacock on 21 February 2006, what proportion of the additional funding of £18 million in 2006 and £44 million in 200","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22829 by Peter Peacock on 21 February 2006, what proportion of the additional funding of £18 million in 2006 and £44 million in 2007 provided to local authorities to support the recruitment of additional teachers will be specifically allocated for the recruitment of PE teachers.","AnswerText":"Funding provided to local authorities (LAs) will not be specifically allocated to the recruitment of PE teachers, or to any other specific subject. LAs will be able to use the allocated funds to deliver the growing emphasis in PE in primary schools, as well as reductions in class size and the general increase in teacher numbers we are committed to in 2007. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196027,"EventID":"S2W-23370","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22829 by Peter Peacock on 21 February 2006, whether the additional funding of £18 million in 2006 and £44 million in 2007 provided ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22829 by Peter Peacock on 21 February 2006, whether the additional funding of £18 million in 2006 and £44 million in 2007 provided to local authorities to support the recruitment of additional teachers will be ring-fenced for that purpose.","AnswerText":"Before funding is released, local authorities will need to commit to employing teacher numbers which will make their contribution towards our national commitment of 53,000 in 2007. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196028,"EventID":"S2W-23371","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2234,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities in respect of the use of independent sports coaches in schools.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities in respect of the use of independent sports coaches in schools.","AnswerText":"None, as it is ultimately for authorities and schools to decide on the precise way in which to teach subjects and to deliver the curriculum in a way that best meets the needs of their pupils. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196029,"EventID":"S2W-23372","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been convicted in Scottish courts in each of the last five years for offences relating to the trafficking of women from countries in Eastern Europe, ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been convicted in Scottish courts in each of the last five years for offences relating to the trafficking of women from countries in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America for the purpose of forced prostitution.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available from the statistics held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196030,"EventID":"S2W-23373","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted in each of the last five years for the illegal trafficking of women into Scotland for forced sexual purposes were foreign nationals and what inf","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted in each of the last five years for the illegal trafficking of women into Scotland for forced sexual purposes were foreign nationals and what information it has on whether they will be deported upon the completion of their imprisonment. ","AnswerText":"Information on thenationality of offenders is not available from the statistics on convictions heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196031,"EventID":"S2W-23374","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether estimates have been made of the number of women brought into Scotland in each of the last five years who have been compelled to work as prostitutes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether estimates have been made of the number of women brought into Scotland in each of the last five years who have been compelled to work as prostitutes.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. As indicated in the joint Home Office/Scottish Executive consultation Tackling Human Trafficking: Consultation on Proposals for a UK Action Plan accurate information on trafficking is difficult to obtain, owing to the covert nature of the activity. The consultation seeks views from stakeholders on how the extent of trafficking into and within the UK can be measured. Police forces in Scotland are currently participating in Operation Pentameter, a UK-wide multi-agency campaign to combat trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Operation Pentameter will report in the summer and should provide intelligence on the extent of trafficking activity in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196032,"EventID":"S2W-23375","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with chief constables concerning the trafficking of women in Scotland to work as prostitutes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with chief constables concerning the trafficking of women in Scotland to work as prostitutes.","AnswerText":"There have been no recent discussions with chief constables on the issue of trafficking of women for the purposes of sexual exploitation. However, as indicated in our consultation Tackling Human Trafficking: Consultation on Proposals for a UK Action Plan, the Executive recognises the importance of ensuring police are aware of trafficking issues and have the knowledge to deal with them it. I therefore welcome the UK–wide Operation Pentameter against human trafficking, launched by the police on 21 February 2006. My officials are maintaining close contact with police colleagues regarding this operation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196033,"EventID":"S2W-23376","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to modify extant legislation in relation to the trafficking of women into Scotland for the purpose of compelling them to work as prostitutes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to modify extant legislation in relation to the trafficking of women into Scotland for the purpose of compelling them to work as prostitutes.","AnswerText":"There are no plans at present to amend those aspects of current legislation on trafficking for sexual exploitation which are devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Under section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, it is an offence for any person to be involved in the trafficking into or out of the UK of a person or people for the purposes of prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation. The maximum sentence on conviction on indictment is 14 years imprisonment. We have sought views on investigation, enforcement and prosecution in relation to trafficking offences as part of our consultation on a UK Action Plan on Human Trafficking. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196034,"EventID":"S2W-23377","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations have been received anent the trafficking of women and their involvement in involuntary prostitution.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations have been received anent the trafficking of women and their involvement in involuntary prostitution.","AnswerText":"There have been no recent representations made to the Scottish Executive regarding the trafficking of women for the purpose of sexual exploitation. We are currently undertaking a joint consultation with the Home Office on Tackling Human Trafficking: Consultation on Proposals for a UK Action Plan. The consultation closes on 5 April 2006. My officials have also been in discussions with a range of organisations with an interest in these matters as part of an exercise to determine the scope of the next phase of the review of prostitution, concerning indoor prostitution and trafficking. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196035,"EventID":"S2W-23378","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign women have sought refuge in Scotland in the last five years in order to avoid being forced into prostitution.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign women have sought refuge in Scotland in the last five years in order to avoid being forced into prostitution.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the question S2W-23374 answered on 8 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196036,"EventID":"S2W-23379","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why it did not extend the concessionary fare scheme to community transport services.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why it did not extend the concessionary fare scheme to community transport services.","AnswerText":"The introduction on 1 April 2006 of theScotland-wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled People 2006 meets the PartnershipAgreement commitment to a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people andpeople with disabilities.The scheme includes bus and coachservices available to the general public including those community transport serviceswhich are also local registered services. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196037,"EventID":"S2W-23380","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has done into the numbers and location of people entitled to the national concessionary fare scheme who will be unable to access transport.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has done into the numbers and location of people entitled to the national concessionary fare scheme who will be unable to access transport.","AnswerText":"Research has been carried outas part of the Partnership Agreement commitment to assess improved concessions forpeople with disabilities. It aims to identifythe latent demand for transport and considers why people do not travel and whatwould encourage them to travel more. This includes issues around access to transport.This research looking into ImprovingTransport for Disabled People is now nearing conclusion and we aim to publish inApril 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196038,"EventID":"S2W-23381","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been done of the availability of low rise buses, in light of 20% of the population having mobility difficulties.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been done of the availability of low rise buses, in light of 20% of the population having mobility difficulties.","AnswerText":"We encourage bus operators toprovide a range of buses including low floor buses.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196039,"EventID":"S2W-23382","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it holds statistics centrally, or any other relevant information, concerning the number of people who have been (a) stopped and searched and (b) detained temporar","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it holds statistics centrally, or any other relevant information, concerning the number of people who have been (a) stopped and searched and (b) detained temporarily under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally by the Executive.The Home Office publishes onits website, information on arrests and charges throughout the United Kingdomunder the Terrorism Act 2000. The latest figures are available via the followinglink: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/terrorism-and-the-law/terrorism-act/?version=1. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196040,"EventID":"S2W-23383","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1854,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":72,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been proceeded against in the courts for offences in relation to the Terrorism Act 2000 and, of these, how many have been convicted and what the rang","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been proceeded against in the courts for offences in relation to the Terrorism Act 2000 and, of these, how many have been convicted and what the range of punishments imposed by the courts has been.","AnswerText":"The available information isgiven in the following table. The court proceedings statistics for 2004-05 areplanned for publication in spring 2006.Persons Proceeded Against inScottish Courts for Offences Under the Terrorism Act 20001, 2000-03 | | Number | | Total proceeded against | 31 | | Total with charge proved of which given: | 27 | | Custodial sentence | 10 | | Monetary penalty | 12 | | Other sentence | 5 | Note: 1. Where main offence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196041,"EventID":"S2W-23385","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what training is provided to personnel on buses regarding the operation of the national concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what training is provided to personnel on buses regarding the operation of the national concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"The Executive is producing guidancefor drivers on the operation of the Scotland–wide Free Bus Scheme for Older andDisabled People. The guidance will make clear the drivers must look after the well-beingof people who travel under the scheme. Individual training is a matter for the operatorsto take forward.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196042,"EventID":"S2W-23386","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken into the health benefits of a concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken into the health benefits of a concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"None.It is widely accepted thatone of the benefits of a concessionary travel scheme is that it will have apositive health benefit by enabling those eligible to travel to visit friendsand relatives, access services and generally to be more actively involved inthe community. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196043,"EventID":"S2W-23387","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities make provision for mobility training.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities make provision for mobility training.","AnswerText":"We do not hold suchinformation centrally. However, the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland(MACS) which advises ministers on the transport needs of disabled people acrossScotland, have produced extensive disability awareness guidance fororganisations such as transport operators and local authorities, so that theyare able to assist disabled travellers.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196044,"EventID":"S2W-23388","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities provide escorts for elderly and infirm people wishing to access public transport.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities provide escorts for elderly and infirm people wishing to access public transport.","AnswerText":"We do not hold thisinformation centrally. However, the Executive is committed to enabling accessby disabled people to public transport. Research has been commissioned toexamine how to improve transport for disabled people. This will include anassessment of the importance of improved public transport concessions fordisabled people but will go beyond that to include wider issues than justaffordability. This research project is expected to be completed in April 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196045,"EventID":"S2W-23389","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executivewhat research (a) has been and (b) will be undertaken into the operation of the national concessionary travel scheme in rural areas.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executivewhat research (a) has been and (b) will be undertaken into the operation of the national concessionary travel scheme in rural areas.","AnswerText":"The procedures which we areputting in place will allow reports to be produced to monitor the usage ofcards in rural as in other areas once the national travel scheme is up andrunning.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196046,"EventID":"S2W-23390","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2686,"Party":"Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct the Care Commission to routinely inform local authorities of cases of abuse found to have been committed in residential homes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct the Care Commission to routinely inform local authorities of cases of abuse found to have been committed in residential homes.","AnswerText":"There are already arrangements in place which allow the Care Commission to inform local authorities of cases of abuse, and alleged cases, in care homes or other care services. The Commission’s complaints procedure was published in September 2004 under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 with the approval of ministers. That procedure includes arrangements to fast-track complaints where there are indications of abuse or neglect or allegations of an offence that present a clear risk of actual or probable harm to the service user. In these circumstances the commission will inform the relevant agencies immediately on receipt of the complaint. Where the outcome of a complaint – whether or not it is fast tracked - leads to formal enforcement action this will be included in the care service provider’s next inspection report and will be followed up by the commission as part of the inspection process. In addition, the commission has a duty under the act to copy all formal improvement notices to the local authority where the service is provided. The commission is developing agreements with local authorities and health boards which set out arrangements for sharing information including information on allegations and cases of abuse raised in the course of the Care Commission’s regulatory activities. Separately, as part of the Adult Support and Protection Bill, ministers will be bringing forward proposals that place a requirement on all agencies to collaborate and share information where it is thought that an adult is at risk in whatever setting. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196047,"EventID":"S2W-23391","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have demand response travel schemes which currently are part of the concessionary fare scheme and whether these will automatically be available to","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have demand response travel schemes which currently are part of the concessionary fare scheme and whether these will automatically be available to anyone using the national concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"Demand Responsive Transport serviceswhich are registered as a local bus service will be included as eligibleservices in the Scotland–wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled People.Information is not held centrally detailing the demand responsive transport services available in eachlocal authority. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196048,"EventID":"S2W-23392","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make it compulsory for new or replacement gas boilers to be condensing boilers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make it compulsory for new or replacement gas boilers to be condensing boilers.","AnswerText":"I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:The introduction of condensinggas boilers into Scottish building regulations is under consideration at presentas part of a major review of energy standards. Proposals as a result of this reviewwere issued for public consultation on 1 March 2006,with a view to amending regulations coming into force in spring 2007. The consultationcan be accessed on www.sbsa.gov.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196049,"EventID":"S2W-23393","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2603,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make it compulsory for new or replacement boilers to be condensing boilers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make it compulsory for new or replacement boilers to be condensing boilers.","AnswerText":"I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:The introduction of condensinggas boilers into Scottish building regulations is under consideration at presentas part of a major review of energy standards. Proposals as a result of this reviewwere issued for public consultation on 1 March 2006,with a view to amending regulations coming into force in spring 2007. The consultationcan be accessed on www.sbsa.gov.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Johann Lamont","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196050,"EventID":"S2W-23394","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution Working Group last reported.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution Working Group last reported.","AnswerText":"The conclusion of the Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution Working Group’s work was the publication of the Vulnerable Children and Young People Guidance Pack on 29 July 2003. Since then the Scottish Executive has provided £121,520 over three years to the Aberlour Child Care Trust to appoint a project worker to their Running Other Choices project. We have also provided £603,314 from 2002-06, and are committed to providing a further £226,108 in future years, to the Aberlour Child Care Trust to set up and run a pilot refuge in Glasgow. In addition, we have provided funding for Barnardo’s Scotland to undertake a research project into sexually exploited young people in secure accommodation. A summary of this report was published last year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196051,"EventID":"S2W-23395","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have set up protocols to deal with young runaways.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have set up protocols to deal with young runaways.","AnswerText":"This information is not centrally held. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196052,"EventID":"S2W-23396","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has offered to local authorities to deal with young runaways.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has offered to local authorities to deal with young runaways.","AnswerText":"A guidance pack, Vulnerable Children and Young People, was issued on 29 July 2003. This contained guidance for all agencies dealing with young runaways and children sexually exploited through prostitution. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196053,"EventID":"S2W-23397","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1821,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":24,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the provision of services for young runaways.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the provision of services for young runaways.","AnswerText":"The provision of services for young runaways has not been specifically raised with the Scottish Executive beyond the initiatives we have indicated we are funding in the answer to question S2W-23394 on 3 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196054,"EventID":"S2W-23398","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the dental workforce needs for Scotland are determined and what the role of the Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce is in this regard.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the dental workforce needs for Scotland are determined and what the role of the Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce is in this regard.","AnswerText":"To date, the dental workforce needs for Scotland have been considered by NHS Education for Scotland and published in biannual Workforce Planning in Dentistry reports, informed by advice from the Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce. The National Workforce Planning Framework, published in August 2005, introduced a new, annual workforce planning cycle. Within this cycle, NHS boards will produce workforce plans each April, and Regions each September. NHS board and region assessments of workforce demand will inform national decisions affecting supply. NHS boards have been asked to consider dental services as part of their workforce plans, taking account the Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland, and local implications. The Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce last met in May 2004. Its members will continue to contribute professional advice and views to the national workforce planning process. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196055,"EventID":"S2W-23399","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce last met.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce last met.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23398 on 8 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196056,"EventID":"S2W-23400","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in The Scotsman in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in The Scotsman in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive, however our previous and current mediabuying agencies have provided this information at not cost to the Executive.The Scottish Executive advertisingspend with The Scotsman from 1 January 2003to 8 March 2006 is in the following table: | Financial Year | Spend | | 1 January 2003 - 31 March 2003 | £35,460 | | 2003-04 | £34,138 | | 2004-05 | £46,194 | | 2005-06 (to date) | £15,091 | | Total | £130,883 | In addition to this the spendwith the Scotsman Magazine is as follows: | Financial Year | Spend | | 1 August 2004 – 31 March 2005 | £6,941 | | 2005-06 (to date) | £9,134 | | Total | £16,075 | The information on spend forthe period 2001-02 and 2002-03 prior to 1 January 2003 is no longer held by ourprevious media buying agency. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196057,"EventID":"S2W-23401","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in Scotland on Sunday in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in Scotland on Sunday in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive, however our previous and current mediabuying agencies have provided the information at no cost to the Scottish Executive.The Scottish Executive advertising spend with Scotland on Sundayfrom 1 January 2003 to 23 February 2006 is as follows: | Financial Year | Spend | | 1 January 2003 (31 March 2003) | £43,829 | | 2003-2004 | £6,480 | | 2004-2005 | £29,821 | | 2005-2006 (23 February 2006) | £5,206 | | Total | £85,336 | The information on spend forthe period 2001-02 and 2002-03 prior to 1 January 2003 is no longer held by our previous media buying agency. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196058,"EventID":"S2W-23402","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Daily Record in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Daily Record in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive, however our current media buying agencyhas provided the information at no cost to the Scottish Executive.The Scottish Executive advertising spend with the DailyRecord from 1 August 2004 to 14 March 2006 is in the following: | Financial Year | Spend | | 1 August 2004 – 31 Mar 2005 | £191,706 | | 1 April 2005 – 14 March 2006 | £77,052 | | Total | £268,758 | The information on spend forthe period 2001-02, 2002-03 is no longer held byour previous media buying agency. However, for 2003-04 prior to 31 July 2004 the informationcan be obtained at cost from the agency. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196059,"EventID":"S2W-23403","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Mail in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Mail in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive advertising spend with the SundayMail from 1 August 2004 to 14 March 2006 is in the following table: | Financial Year | Spend | | 1 August 2004 – 31 March 2005 | £72,483 | | 1 April 2005 – 14 March 2006 | £29,930 | | Total | £102,413 | The information on spend forthe period 2001-02, 2002-03 is no longer held byour previous media buying agency. However, for 2003-04 prior to 31 July 2004 theinformation can be obtained at cost from the agency. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196060,"EventID":"S2W-23404","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Post in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Post in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive advertising spend with the SundayPost from 1 August 2004 to 14 March 2006 is in the following table: | Financial Year | Spend | | 1 Aug 2004 – 31 Mar 2005 | £8,715 | | 1 Apr 2005 – 14 Mar 2006 | £5,203 | | Total | £13,918 | The information on spend forthe period 2001-02, 2002-03 is no longer held byour previous media buying agency. However, for 2003-04 prior to 31 July 2004 theinformation can be obtained at cost from the agency. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196061,"EventID":"S2W-23405","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1865,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising with Johnston Press in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising with Johnston Press in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive advertising spend with Johnston Pressfrom 1 August 2004 to 14 March 2006 is in the following table: | Financial Year | Publication | Spend | | 1 Aug 2004 – 31 Mar 2005 | Edinburgh Evening News | £20,252 | | | Falkirk Herald | £1,858 | | | Scotland on Sunday | £29,820 | | | The Scotsman | £44,034 | | | The Scotsman Magazine | £6,941 | | | Southern Reporter | £1,186 | | | Stornoway Gazette | £778 | | Total | | £104,869 | | 1 Apr 2005 – 14 Mar 2006 | East Lothian Courier | £2,374 | | | Edinburgh Evening News | £16,642 | | | Falkirk Herald | £5,130 | | | Scotland on Sunday | £5,207 | | | The Scotsman | £19,110 | | | The Scotsman Magazine | £6,090 | | | Stornoway Gazette | £6,873 | | Total | | £61,426 | The information on spend forthe period 2001-02, 2002-03 is no longer held byour previous media buying agency. However, for 2003-04 prior to 31 July 2004 theinformation can be obtained at cost from the agency. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-23T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196062,"EventID":"S2W-23406","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations it has made for the possibility of an avian influenza outbreak in Scotland and where and when those preparations were made.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations it has made for the possibility of an avian influenza outbreak in Scotland and where and when those preparations were made.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive published its Avian Influenza Contingency Plan in October 2005. This was subsequently updated in light of emerging evidence regarding disease transmission in February 2006. These national level plans build on the longstanding infrastructure which the State Veterinary Service has in place to respond quickly and robustly to any suspicion of disease. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196063,"EventID":"S2W-23407","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given poultry farmers and others to protect against the threat of avian influenza and when and where this advice was given.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given poultry farmers and others to protect against the threat of avian influenza and when and where this advice was given.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive published on 21 February a compendium of biosecurity guidance designed to enhance the protection of poultry-keepers from Avian Influenza. This is currently being disseminated to poultry keepers and bird groups across Scotland. The advice has been developed in conjunction with veterinary, scientific and industry specialists and stakeholders. This work builds on the Biosecurity Code aimed at all livestock keepers which was approved by the Scottish Parliament in 2002. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196064,"EventID":"S2W-23408","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to protect against the possibility of avian influenza spreading through the transportation and use of poultry manure.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to protect against the possibility of avian influenza spreading through the transportation and use of poultry manure.","AnswerText":"The use, spread, transportation and disposal of poultry manure is covered by the scope of the Animal By-Products (Scotland) Regulations 2003 which transpose the EU Animal by-Products Regulation (EC) 1774/2002. In the absence of disease, these regulations allow movement between premises. If any notifiable avian disease were confirmed more rigorous requirements on the transport, and disposal of poultry manure would be put in place to reduce risk of disease spread. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196065,"EventID":"S2W-23409","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1906,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":50,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce any guidance for poultry farmers and others in respect of the transportation and use of poultry manure.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce any guidance for poultry farmers and others in respect of the transportation and use of poultry manure.","AnswerText":"Guidance to be used once disease is present is included in contingency planning documentation. In the absence of a disease outbreak advice on best practice is included in current biosecurity literature. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196066,"EventID":"S2W-23410","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local transport operators with regard to delivery and operation of the national concessionary travel scheme.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local transport operators with regard to delivery and operation of the national concessionary travel scheme.","AnswerText":"The Confederation ofPassenger Transport (CPT) and local authority representatives were included on theseven task groups set up to advise on the development and implementation of theScotland-wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled people.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196067,"EventID":"S2W-23411","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding the savings to them as a result of the national concessionary fare scheme being extended to community transport sche","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding the savings to them as a result of the national concessionary fare scheme being extended to community transport schemes.","AnswerText":"No such discussions havebeen held with NHS boards.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196068,"EventID":"S2W-23412","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22816 by Mr Tom McCabe on 21 February 2006, whether it will detail the specific measures it is taking to attract each of the follow","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22816 by Mr Tom McCabe on 21 February 2006, whether it will detail the specific measures it is taking to attract each of the following categories: (a) international students, (b) those looking for employment, (c) entrepreneurs interested in setting up businesses, (d) Scots living outwith Scotland who may consider returning to Scotland and (e) businesses who might benefit from the recruitment of workers from outwith Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Fresh Talent initiativehas already made considerable progress in seeking to attract bright, talentedand hard-working individuals to come and live, work and study in Scotland. Wehave established a Relocation Advisory Service to act as a one-stop stopoffering advice to individuals interested in relocating to Scotland.For students, we have introduced a number of strands of activity. These includethe Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme, Scottish International Scholarship ProgrammeFresh Talent: Supporting International Students Challenge Fund, and funding forthe DARE to be Digital and Encouraging Dynamic Global Entrepreneurs (EDGE)programmes. We have recently expanded the Relocation Advisory Service, throughthe secondment of a Senior Business Development Executive from ScottishEnterprise, to develop advice and support for businesses who might benefit fromthe recruitment of workers from outwith Scotland. We are in the process of undertaking a number ofactivities to raise the profile of Fresh Talent with the business communityincluding a series of business briefings run in conjunction with the ScottishCouncil for Development and Industry. Finally,our Diaspora Strategy aims to encourage the diaspora’s active participation andengagement in promoting Scotland as a great country to visit, live, learn,work, do business and invest, as well as considering returning to Scotlandthemselves. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196069,"EventID":"S2W-23413","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22816 by Mr Tom McCabe on 21 February 2006 whether it will detail the specific measures it is taking to ensure that visas are issue","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22816 by Mr Tom McCabe on 21 February 2006 whether it will detail the specific measures it is taking to ensure that visas are issued for applicants in each of the following categories: (a) international students, (b) those looking for employment, (c) entrepreneurs interested in setting up businesses, (d) Scots living outwith Scotland who may consider returning to Scotland and (e) businesses who might benefit from the recruitment of workers from outwith Scotland.","AnswerText":"Immigration issues,including the issuing of visas and work permits, are a matter for the HomeOffice and UKVisas. However, the Relocation Advisory Service, which was set upas part of the Fresh Talent initiative, includes immigration experts who areable to offer advice on immigration requirements to those seeking to relocateto Scotland. We have also produced a business toolkit for Scottish businessesto help them understand the visa and work permit process, which should assistthem in making applications.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196070,"EventID":"S2W-23414","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it an appropriate use of public funds to award HSBC a grant worth £1 million under the regional selective assistance scheme, in light of the size of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it an appropriate use of public funds to award HSBC a grant worth £1 million under the regional selective assistance scheme, in light of the size of the company’s net income.","AnswerText":"Yes. regional selectiveassistance (RSA) can be used to support businesses of all sizes provided projectssatisfy the criteria of the scheme. The criteria include demonstrating the needfor assistance to make the project happen in an assisted area rather than elsewhereor not at all. An increasing number of companies,particularly those with a variety of existing overseas facilities, have a crediblechoice of location for their projects. In such cases we carefully consider the argumentsused and satisfy ourselves that there are indeed genuine alternative locations.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196071,"EventID":"S2W-23415","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for refusing companies grants under the regional selective assistance scheme, if jobs are likely to be created regardless of any such grant.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for refusing companies grants under the regional selective assistance scheme, if jobs are likely to be created regardless of any such grant.","AnswerText":"The purpose of regional selective assistance (RSA) is to support viable projects that will strengthen the employment base but might not, without support, take place within the Assisted Areas of Scotland, those areas designated for regional aid under European Community law. All companies when applying for RSA have to meet the scheme criteria before grant is offered. Criteria include viability, economic efficiency and the demonstration of the need for grant. Need for assistance can be demonstrated in a number of ways including filling a funding gap, return on investment, risk reduction and choice of location. RSA will not be offered if we believe a project would proceed in an Assisted Area regardless of our involvement. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Allan Wilson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196072,"EventID":"S2W-23416","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1893,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much its budget is for Tartan Day celebrations in the United States of America in 2006, broken down by agency and department.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much its budget is for Tartan Day celebrations in the United States of America in 2006, broken down by agency and department.","AnswerText":"The budget for Tartan Week in2006 is £660,000. This is made up of £560,000 in support for events around TartanWeek in Chicago, New York and Washington DC and £100,000 on marketing. This expenditure isallocated from the Finance and Central Services Department budget.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196073,"EventID":"S2W-23417","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been subject to (a) home removal orders, (b) hearings by sheriffs or children’s panels which have rejected child removal recommendations and (c) ho","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been subject to (a) home removal orders, (b) hearings by sheriffs or children’s panels which have rejected child removal recommendations and (c) home removal orders but were unable to be removed due to a lack of suitable accommodation in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"In respect of part (a) of the question, page 13 of the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration annual report for 2004-05 (Bib. SE/2005/219) provided for the first time a breakdown of the number of children who had been accommodated away from home and the types of residential Supervision Requirement. A copy of the report is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. In respect of part (b) of the question this information is not collated centrally. Turning to part (c) of the question, this information is a matter for local authorities and is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196074,"EventID":"S2W-23418","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children it estimates live in households with a (a) drug-abusing and (b) alcohol-abusing parent, or parents.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children it estimates live in households with a (a) drug-abusing and (b) alcohol-abusing parent, or parents.","AnswerText":"In Hidden Harm – Responding to the needs of children of problem drug users, published by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in 2003, it was estimated that there were 10,000-19,000 children in Scotland living with a drug using parent. In the same document, it was estimated that there may be between 41,000-59,000 children of parental drug users in Scotland overall. We do not have an equivalent figure for the number of children living in households with a parent who has an alcohol problem. The latest estimates, however, are that there may be up to 100,000 children in Scotland affected by parental alcohol problems. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196075,"EventID":"S2W-23419","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been placed on child protection registers in each of the last five years, broken down by child protection committee area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been placed on child protection registers in each of the last five years, broken down by child protection committee area.","AnswerText":"The number of children registered on child protection registers cannot be broken down by child protection committee area, but is available by local authority area. Local authority figures are all published information and can be found in Child Protection Statistics 2002 and 2003 and Children’s Social Work Statistics 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 publications. These publications are placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, Bib. numbers are as follows: Child Protection Statistics for the Year ended 31 March 2001 - Bib. number 24269 Child Protection Statistics for the Year ended 31 March 2002 - Bib. number 25195 Children’s Social Work Statistics 2002-03 - Bib. number 29834 Children’s Social Work Statistics 2003-04 - Bib. number 34321 Children’s Social Work Statistics 2004-05 - Bib. number 38157. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196076,"EventID":"S2W-23420","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its consultation on the proposed Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, what its estimate is of the total cost of the (a) consultation exercise, (b) implementatio","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its consultation on the proposed Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, what its estimate is of the total cost of the (a) consultation exercise, (b) implementation of the legislation and (c) proposed regulator and, if the regulator is the Fish Health Inspectorate within the Fisheries Research Services (FRS), how much additional funding would require to be paid to the FRS to fulfil the functions of the regulator.","AnswerText":"Two thousand, five hundred copies of the consultation paper on the Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill were produced at a cost of £18,698. In addition, the Executive held 10 public meetings across Scotland, at a total cost of £2,151. The consultation paper included a Draft Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which envisaged additional costs of some £250,000 to the public purse. The Executive has yet to analyse the responses to the consultation paper and Draft RIA and has not yet decided on the final content of the bill. An analysis of the estimated costs of implementing the legislation – including the costs of any regulator will be published in the financial memorandum that will accompany the bill when it is introduced into the Parliament. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196077,"EventID":"S2W-23421","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its consultation on the proposed Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, what liability the proposed regulator would have in the event of salmon dying as a result ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its consultation on the proposed Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, what liability the proposed regulator would have in the event of salmon dying as a result of the treatment carried out by, or on the instruction of, the regulator.","AnswerText":"The issue of where the liability lies for stock lost as a result of treatment carried out by, or on the instruction of, a regulator is one that has been raised during the consultation. The Executive will give this issue due consideration alongside other points raised by respondents during the consultation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196078,"EventID":"S2W-23422","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its consultation on the proposed Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, what the relationship will be between the proposed regulator and the Scottish Environment ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its consultation on the proposed Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, what the relationship will be between the proposed regulator and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and whose requirements for action will take precedence in law.","AnswerText":"The Executive has yet to analyse the responses to the consultation and consider fully the provisions that will go into the bill, including the need for a regulator, its role and its relationship with other regulators. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196079,"EventID":"S2W-23423","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the estimate by Professor Arthur Midwinter that spending on children’s social work services is £135 million less than required to fund these services a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the estimate by Professor Arthur Midwinter that spending on children’s social work services is £135 million less than required to fund these services adequately.","AnswerText":"No. The estimated gap is between Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) for Children’s Social Work Services and budgeted spend in 2003-04 on these services by local authorities. GAE, however, is not intended to support the total costs of providing services and councils have considerable flexibility to allocate resources to meet local needs and priorities. Comparison between GAE for children’s social work and budgeted spend does not take account of other resources provided to support services for children. Other resources allocated by the Executive include around £57 million from the Sure Start programme which is intended to provide more integrated services for our most vulnerable children and families and the Changing Children’s Services Fund which will provide over £65 million to support the modernisation and integration of services for children. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196080,"EventID":"S2W-23424","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people or households in Glasgow are officially designated to be living in (a) income poverty and (b) fuel poverty.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people or households in Glasgow are officially designated to be living in (a) income poverty and (b) fuel poverty.","AnswerText":"(a) The information requestedis not available.The official source of low incomedata for Scotland is the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) datasetavailable from 1994-95. This is derived from the Family Resources Survey (FRS).The sample size of the FRS in Scotland is relatively small and can only be used to provide informationfor Scotland as a whole. The following link provides thelatest low income headline figures for Scotland (2003-04), together with data for previous years. Thiswas published on 30 March 2005: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/29170611/06123. (b) The 2002 Scottish House ConditionSurvey Local Authority report estimates that approx. 45 000 households in Glasgow are consideredas being in fuel poverty. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196081,"EventID":"S2W-23425","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the First Minister’s reported comments regarding the “stupidity or a lack of caring or both” of social service professionals in Glasgow in relation to the cas","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the First Minister’s reported comments regarding the “stupidity or a lack of caring or both” of social service professionals in Glasgow in relation to the case of an 11-year-old Glasgow girl admitted to hospital for heroin abuse will have on recruitment campaigns by local authority social service departments and the confidence of the social work and social service professions.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is committed to developing and promoting the confidence of the social services workforce, as reflected in its response to Changing Lives, the report of the 21st Century Social Work Review. Local recruitment campaigns are a matter for employers, though the Executive has supported such efforts through its own recruitment and profile raising activity as part of the Care in Scotland campaign targeted on the social services sector. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196082,"EventID":"S2W-23426","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many care beds are available to accommodate children removed from their homes for their own safety by social service departments and what the estimated shortfall is i","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many care beds are available to accommodate children removed from their homes for their own safety by social service departments and what the estimated shortfall is in respect of such beds and foster families.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196083,"EventID":"S2W-23427","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its foster care service budgets are currently underspent by £63 million and, if so, what action is being taken to address this underspend.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its foster care service budgets are currently underspent by £63 million and, if so, what action is being taken to address this underspend.","AnswerText":"No. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196084,"EventID":"S2W-23428","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1893,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on Tartan Day celebrations in the United States of America in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005, broken down by department and agency.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on Tartan Day celebrations in the United States of America in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005, broken down by department and agency.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive supportfor Tartan Day/Week was -(a) 2003 – £30,000; (b) 2004 – £200,000, and (c) 2005 - £480,000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196085,"EventID":"S2W-23429","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1893,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the aims are of its attendance at the Tartan Day celebrations in the United States of America this year.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the aims are of its attendance at the Tartan Day celebrations in the United States of America this year.","AnswerText":"The Executive’s Tartan Weekactivity flows from our International Strategy. It has the following objectives:building political ties; attracting tourism to Scotland; promoting economic growth, and cementing cultural ties. Tartan Week offers Scottish ministersand members of the Parliamentary delegation an opportunity to promote Scotland as anexcellent place to visit, study, live and do business. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196086,"EventID":"S2W-23430","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1893,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-22T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what it believes the positive impact for Scotland will be of its attendance at the Tartan Day celebrations in the United States.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what it believes the positive impact for Scotland will be of its attendance at the Tartan Day celebrations in the United States.","AnswerText":"The Tartan Week 2006 programmeincludes a large number of events and meetings that will showcase Scotland as aplace to visit, live, work, study and do business with. The Executive works withprivate, public and voluntary sector bodies in Scotland and in the USA to co-ordinatethe programme. An evaluation of the programme will be carried out.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196087,"EventID":"S2W-23431","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of providing funding to private companies to establish dental practices.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of providing funding to private companies to establish dental practices.","AnswerText":"Only dentists and dental bodies corporate whose names are included on the relevant registers of the General Dental Council may own and run dental practices in the UK. These are independent private businesses in the main although some dentists are directly employed by the NHS. Currently NHS boards may make arrangements with dentists on their dental lists for the provision of NHS general dental services (GDS) in their areas. These dentists may apply for grant under the Executive’s Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) to establish or expand NHS practices in areas of unmet patient demand or high oral health need. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196088,"EventID":"S2W-23432","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists have been recruited from overseas in the last seven years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists have been recruited from overseas in the last seven years.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally as NHS boards have powers to recruit directly from overseas on their behalf. However, the Executive has recently worked in conjunction with NHS boards who expressed an interest in employing dentists recruited from Poland. The first such 11 dentists arrived in Scotland earlier this year and are now employed in Argyll and Clyde, Forth Valley and Fife. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196089,"EventID":"S2W-23433","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2665,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists recruited from overseas are currently working in each NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists recruited from overseas are currently working in each NHS board area.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23432 on 8 March 2006.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196090,"EventID":"S2W-23434","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2686,"Party":"Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what new plans it has to address poverty, in light of the recent 22% increase in fuel prices by Scottish Gas.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what new plans it has to address poverty, in light of the recent 22% increase in fuel prices by Scottish Gas.","AnswerText":"I have already said that I planto extend current fuel poverty programmes beyond 2006. I will be announcing detailsof these plans shortly.I have written to the major energycompanies expressing my concern at the impactrecent price rises will have on vulnerable customers and seeking assurances thatappropriate measures are being taken to protect these households. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-02T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196091,"EventID":"S2W-23435","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2686,"Party":"Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor and check for early signs of malnutrition among elderly people, both in the community and in residential homes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor and check for early signs of malnutrition among elderly people, both in the community and in residential homes.","AnswerText":"Responsibilities for on-going care vary according to whether people are in the community, in care homes or in hospitals. In the community, people who are undernourished will generally come to the attention of their GP who will take appropriate action. This includes management of weight and nutrition where appropriate such as in conditions where a person has a low Body Mass Index (BMI), unintentional significant weight loss and other areas of clinical concern such as apathy, anaemia, excessive tiredness, poor appetite, muscle wasting, impaired swallowing, altered bowel habit, prolonged intercurrent illness, fragile skin, and poor wound healing. Appropriate action could also involve health promotion advice and referral as appropriate, reflecting patient choice; general management of patients who are terminally ill and management of chronic disease. In care homes, staff are expected to ensure that residents are getting enough to eat and drink and, where there are concerns, to seek advice from appropriate professionals such as a dietician or the resident's GP. In hospital, patients are screened for risk of undernutrition, both on admission and on an on-going basis. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has now recommended that this type of screening should be carried out in England and Wales. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196092,"EventID":"S2W-23436","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2876,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive for which infectious diseases diagnostic tests are not carried out in Scotland; how many samples were sent out of the country in each of the last five years in respect of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive for which infectious diseases diagnostic tests are not carried out in Scotland; how many samples were sent out of the country in each of the last five years in respect of each such disease, and what the cost of sampling each type of disease was in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"The table gives an outline of tests supplied to Scotland by the Health Protection Agency in England in the last three years. That is as far back as the information is available. For ease of comparison some organism tests have been grouped together e.g. Parvovirus because the type of testing has changed over the course of the three years reflecting changes in laboratory techniques. The vast majority of these tests are not primary diagnostic methods but confirmatory tests, additional typing tests following primary isolation (usually as part of an enhanced surveillance programme) or further identification requested where the local referring laboratory has had problems with identification. These services are for the most part provided for the whole of the UK because there is insufficient demand to warrant separate services in all four countries.The primary diagnostic tests not provided in Scotland , included in the list below are, C.Botulinum toxin, Bartonella toxin, S aureus toxin detection (related to food poisoning). | Laboratory | | 2002-03 No. of Tests | 2003-04 No. of Tests | 2004-05 No. of Tests | | Food safety Microbiology laboratory | Bacillus sp | 11 | 4 | 41 | | C Botulinum toxin | 7 | 12 | 6 | | C Botulinum culture | 0 | 0 | 4 | | Clostridium sp | 16 | 7 | 28 | | Listeria species | 0 | 0 | 2 | | L monocytogenes | 17 | 8 | 63 | | Staph aureus | 62 | 0 | 0 | | Sub total cost | £5,096 | £5,783 | £ 9,366 | | Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory | Diphtheria antitoxin | 5 | 7 | 4 | | Bartonella serology | 130 | 59 | 126 | | Tetanus serology | 7 | 12 | 28 | | Legionella pneumophila serology | 1 | 0 | 0 | | Mycoplasma serology/culture | 2 | 0 | 1 | | Haemophilus influenzae typing | 46 | 50 | 21 | | Streptococcal typing / speciation | 0 | 3 | 50 | | Sub total cost | £7,937.75 | £6,961 | £9,937.74 | | Enteric, Respiratory and Neurological Virus laboratory | Influenza strain typing | 45 | 46 | 3 | | Poliovirus serology | 4 | 7 | 6 | | SRSV PCR/NLV PCR | 168 | 2 | 0 | | Parvovirus B19 | 55 ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196093,"EventID":"S2W-23437","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1870,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":52,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Children’s Cancer Services in Scotland Working Group is due to complete its next report and when the report will be made available to the Parliament.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when the Children’s Cancer Services in Scotland Working Group is due to complete its next report and when the report will be made available to the Parliament.","AnswerText":"The Children’s Cancer Services in Scotland Working Group was set up as a short-life working group to report to the Children and Young People’s Health Support Group (CYPHSG) and is no longer meeting. Children’s cancer services in Scotland will now be considered as part of a national review of specialist children’s services as set out in Delivering for Health. It is expected that an Option Appraisal on children’s cancer services will be completed by the end of 2006. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196094,"EventID":"S2W-23438","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2596,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal software, purchased for the Valuation Office Agency in England and Wales, will be used in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal software, purchased for the Valuation Office Agency in England and Wales, will be used in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Assessors havebeen monitoring the work of the Valuation Office Agency in this area. However,a final view on whether similar software would be appropriate for Scotlandwill not be taken meantime, pending consideration of the conclusions of theLocal Government Finance Review Committee on the future of local taxation in Scotland. TheReview Committee is due to report later this year.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196095,"EventID":"S2W-23439","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total costs were to it of legal representation which it sought in defence of the claim for compensation against it by Shirley McKie.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total costs were to it of legal representation which it sought in defence of the claim for compensation against it by Shirley McKie.","AnswerText":"The final costs will be determined when the court resolves the outstanding issues in relation to expenses. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196096,"EventID":"S2W-23440","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the Shirley McKie case.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the Shirley McKie case.","AnswerText":"None.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-21T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196097,"EventID":"S2W-23441","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to investigate the reports in the press that Federal Bureau of Investigation officials requested that David Grieve not give evidence in defence of Shir","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to investigate the reports in the press that Federal Bureau of Investigation officials requested that David Grieve not give evidence in defence of Shirley McKie at the trial in which she was acquitted of having committed perjury in 1999 and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.","AnswerText":"There is no basis for me orany other Scottish Minister to instruct an investigation into these reports. The comments in the press attributed to Mr Grievesuggest that he believed there to be a link between the Shirley McKie andLockerbie prosecutions. There is no such link. SCRO were not involved in thefingerprint evidence in the Lockerbie case. Accordingly no investigation intothis matter is required.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196098,"EventID":"S2W-23442","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its policies have been race impact assessed since the specific duties under the relevant provisions under the Race Relations Act 1976, as amended, came into f","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its policies have been race impact assessed since the specific duties under the relevant provisions under the Race Relations Act 1976, as amended, came into force in 2002.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive publishedits Race Equality Scheme on 30 November 2005 and details of all the race equality impact assessments that are plannedor underway are available from the scheme’s impact assessment database on the ScottishExecutive’s website:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/18934/RList. Last month the full race equalityimpact assessment that was undertaken for the refresh of the Scottish Executive’sSmart Successful Scotland Strategy was published on the Scottish Executive’swebsite http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0022572.pdf. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196099,"EventID":"S2W-23443","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1823,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":10,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22919 by Nicol Stephen on 22 February 2006, what provision has been made for consultation with all MSPs by Scottish Enterprise rega","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22919 by Nicol Stephen on 22 February 2006, what provision has been made for consultation with all MSPs by Scottish Enterprise regarding the local impact of proposed changes.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to thequestion S2W-22919 answered on 22 February 2006. As indicated ScottishEnterprise has sought to hear the views of MSPs through the appropriatecommittee and taken those into account in shaping its proposals on structuralchange.All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196100,"EventID":"S2W-23444","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a timetable of action in respect of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, including details of when it anticipates the public inquiry to take pla","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a timetable of action in respect of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, including details of when it anticipates the public inquiry to take place, when the final route will be agreed, when the land required will be acquired, when it anticipates compensation claims will be settled and when the route will be fully operational.","AnswerText":"Outline programme informationis available on the Transport Scotland website www.transportscotland.gov.uk.Following my announcement of the preferred route on 1 December detailed engineering and environmental work isnow underway with the aim of narrowing down the road corridor in April and thenpublishing a draft special road scheme setting out the line proposed for the AberdeenWestern Peripheral Route (AWPR) and link to Stonehaven this is part of the AWPR,and an Environmental Statement at the end of 2006. Other road orders and a CPO willfollow. I would expect a Public LocalInquiry to be held towards the end of 2007. Following the Reporter’s recommendations,if it is then decided to proceed with the scheme, line orders and compulsory purchaseorders would be expected to be made in 2008. Settlement of compensation claims forland acquired would normally follow the making of these orders. Subject to the satisfactory completionof these procedures the earliest start for construction is 2009 with the road openingto traffic late 2011. This is an operational matterfor Transport Scotland who can be contacted for further information if required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196101,"EventID":"S2W-23445","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the advice it received on the preferred route for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the advice it received on the preferred route for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. ","AnswerText":"The technical informationreferred to in making the decision has been published and is available on theproject website:www.awpr.co.uk. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196102,"EventID":"S2W-23446","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1926,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":48,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether consultees in respect of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route were advised that the Milltimber Brae option was not a likely choice.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether consultees in respect of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route were advised that the Milltimber Brae option was not a likely choice.","AnswerText":"No. It was made clear whenthe public consultation was launched that the route choice which includedMilltimber Brae, was open and that everyone was encouraged to express theirviews.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196103,"EventID":"S2W-23447","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards ending the beef export ban.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards ending the beef export ban.","AnswerText":"The EU Standing Committee onthe Food Chain and Animal Health voted unanimously to lift the beef export ban atits meeting on 8 March. The European Commission will need to follow its usual proceduresto give legal effect to this Decision. Export activity is expected to resume aroundthe end of April.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196104,"EventID":"S2W-23448","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill will affect the level of planning gain arising from the difference between current use value and planning value with full planning p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill will affect the level of planning gain arising from the difference between current use value and planning value with full planning permission.","AnswerText":"We do not expect there to beany identifiable effect on land values, and consequently planning gain, as a consequenceof the Planning Bill.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196105,"EventID":"S2W-23449","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether revenues collected by HM Treasury through planning gain supplement will be allocated to Scotland under separate arrangements to the current financial settlement u","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether revenues collected by HM Treasury through planning gain supplement will be allocated to Scotland under separate arrangements to the current financial settlement under the Barnett formula.","AnswerText":"Discussions are on-going withHM Treasury on a number of aspects of the proposals for a planning gain supplement,including re-distribution of the revenues raised. No firm conclusions have yet beenreached on what the most appropriate distribution mechanism would be.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196106,"EventID":"S2W-23450","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1839,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21459 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 December 2005, whether planning gain supplement will be implemented in Scotland on the basis of a s","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21459 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 December 2005, whether planning gain supplement will be implemented in Scotland on the basis of a scaling-back of the scope of planning obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.","AnswerText":"As part of the UK Government’sconsultation paper on planning gain supplement, the Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister has indicated that it will introduce regulations to scale back the scopeof planning obligations in England under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act1990. The decision whether to adopt a similar approach to planning agreements andfuture obligations under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning Act (Scotland) 1997is a devolved matter. We have not come to any conclusion on this, and will do soin the light of the consultation responses and further discussions with the UK Governmenton how planning gain supplement will be designed and implemented.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196107,"EventID":"S2W-23451","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2133,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for changing the present structure of community councils and when it plans to implement any changes.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for changing the present structure of community councils and when it plans to implement any changes.","AnswerText":"We are currently reviewing theoperational framework for community councils and in support of this issued a DiscussionPaper in November 2005, What can we do to help community councils fulfiltheir role. The closing date for responses was 28 February 2006. Once we haveevaluated the responses we will have a clearer idea of any obstacles preventingcommunity councils being a partner in the community engagement process and willwork in partnership with them, local authorities and others in breaking down thesebarriers. The aim is to have an action plan in place by spring 2007.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196108,"EventID":"S2W-23452","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2133,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review or change any of the provisions within the Council Tax (Discount for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 and, if so, when it will","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review or change any of the provisions within the Council Tax (Discount for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 and, if so, when it will publish the results of the review or introduce changes.","AnswerText":"A review of the regulations and associated guidance to the Council Tax (Discount for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 was carried out shortly after the Regulations came into force. The review involved local authorities, Communities Scotland, Registered Social Landlords and Scottish Water. The review was carried out to ensure the regulations were operating effectively and to invite comment on whether any amendments were required. Following the review, amendments were made to the guidance to allow additional income raised (by reductions in discount provided for by the Regulations) to be spent on a wider range of affordable housing programmes. Monies raised can now be spent on Rural Home Ownership Grants and to support the acquisition and upgrading of properties not on the market. The guidance was also amended to clarify some technical matters and circulated to stakeholders in December 2005. At the suggestion of local authorities, we plan to conduct a further review of the regulations later this year. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Lyon","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196109,"EventID":"S2W-23453","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it plans to make available to support the running costs of the upgraded facilities at Oban Airport. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it plans to make available to support the running costs of the upgraded facilities at Oban Airport. ","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has madea commitment to fund operations at Oban Airport which is owned by Argyll and Bute Council. The operationof the airport will be subject to competitive tendering arrangements.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196110,"EventID":"S2W-23454","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what total public expenditure on school meals was in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what total public expenditure on school meals was in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"School meals are provided byindividual local authorities. The total gross expenditure by local authorities onthe provision of school meals in the years since 1999 is shown in the table below.This information is reported in the annual Local Government Finance Returns. | Year | Gross Expenditure (£ Million) | | 1999-2000 | 96.7 | | 2000-01 | 91.4 | | 2001-02 | 94 | | 2002-03 | 93.6 | | 2003-04 | 98.9m | | 2004-05 | 102.9 | Source: Local Financial Returns(LFR1). These figures include expenditureassociated with implementing Hungry for Success recommendations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196111,"EventID":"S2W-23455","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid directly to farmers through subsidies in each year since 1999, not including administrative costs.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid directly to farmers through subsidies in each year since 1999, not including administrative costs.","AnswerText":"The total subsidy to farmers in Scotland, net of administrative costs, between 1999 and 2004 is shown in table 1. Table 1 | Year | Total Value of Subsidies (£ Million) | | 1999 | 454.8 | | 2000 | 456.8 | | 2001 | 458 | | 2002 | 503.6 | | 2003 | 518.5 | | 2004 | 531.8 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196112,"EventID":"S2W-23456","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2148,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the proposals in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill will impact on how the Executive processes and determines applications for those electricity generating ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the proposals in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill will impact on how the Executive processes and determines applications for those electricity generating developments which are currently determined by Scottish Ministers under the Electricity Acts and whether any provisions of the Bill will (a) amend the Electricity Acts or any regulations issued under them or (b) affect powers conferred on Scottish Ministers by the Electricity Acts.","AnswerText":"The Electricity Act is a reserved matter and powers in respect of consents have been executively devolved to the Scottish ministers. The arrangements for consideration of applications for consent under the Electricity Act 1989 are separate from those for the planning system. The Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill does not therefore amend any of the provisions in the Electricity Act 1989. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196113,"EventID":"S2W-23457","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2148,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses were built with funding from Scottish Homes or Communities Scotland in each year since 1997-98 for (a) all forms of shared ownership, (b) private rented h","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses were built with funding from Scottish Homes or Communities Scotland in each year since 1997-98 for (a) all forms of shared ownership, (b) private rented housing and (c) owner-occupied housing where the houses came under its definition of affordable housing.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:The number of houses approvedwith funding from Scottish Homes or Communities Scotland in each year since 1997-98for (a) all forms of shared ownership, (b) private rented housing and (c) owner-occupiedhousing where the houses came under our definition of affordable housing is as follows: | Year | Shared Ownership | Private Rented | Owner Occupation | | 1997-98 | 668 | 35 | 1,436 | | 1998-99 | 549 | 112 | 1,602 | | 1999-2000 | 301 | 82 | 1,867 | | 2000-01 | 193 | 109 | 941 | | 2001-02 | 318 | 104 | 56 | | 2002-03 | 76 | 93 | 539 | | 2003-04 | 360 | 75 | 865 | | 2004-05 | 273 | 41 | 471 | | 2005-06* | 579 | 36 | 378 | Note: *Figures for 2005/06 arenot yet available. Table includes agreed targets. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196114,"EventID":"S2W-23458","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2148,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":8,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21906 by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 January 2006, whether it was consulted in any way by HM Treasury before the announcement of proposa","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21906 by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 January 2006, whether it was consulted in any way by HM Treasury before the announcement of proposals for a planning gain supplement and whether powers exist for Scottish Ministers to distribute any revenues passed to it by HM Treasury, other than through the distribution mechanisms used to calculate the distribution of aggregated external finance, or to require that these revenues will be spent on infrastructure or other mitigation programmes related to the planning consents from which the proposed revenues will arise.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has heldgeneral discussions with HM Treasury about the implications of the Barker Report,including the possible introduction of a Planning Gain Supplement (PGS). We wereaware that the Chancellor’s Pre-Budget Report. would include an announcement ofa consultation on PGS.Discussions are on-going withHM Treasury on a number of aspects of the proposals, including the re-distributionof revenues raised. We will consider the outcome of these discussions, as well asthe views of Scottish stakeholders expressed in the consultation. Once there arefurther details on the likely level and proposed treatment of the revenues raised,we will consider the mechanisms that might be applied to their distribution in Scotland. Thisconsideration will necessarily cover the powers needed to implement them. At thisstage, however, it is too early to assess the availability of appropriate powers. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196115,"EventID":"S2W-23459","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2108,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":68,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which of its current policies and strategies refer specifically to the importance of children’s play or supporting children’s play.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which of its current policies and strategies refer specifically to the importance of children’s play or supporting children’s play.","AnswerText":"The Curriculum Framework for Children 3 to 5 recognises the powerful contribution that play makes to children’s learning. The curriculum review will extend the approach used in pre-school to the initial stages of primary, emphasising the importance of opportunities for children to learn through purposeful, well-planned play. The Executive’s Childcare Strategy stresses the importance of ample opportunities for sporting activities and play, and this is reinforced by the National Care Standards for early education and childcare up to the age of 16, which require that activities provided by staff will allow children and young people to enjoy both organised and free play. The recent expansion of out of school care provision allows increased opportunities for safe and rewarding play and activities for school age children. Active play and physical activity for older children is being promoted through the Active Schools programme. Under the Physical Activity Strategy, the Executive is funding a development worker to promote the play@home scheme. A scheme designed to increase parents/carers confidence in handling their babies, and to develop skills in helping children learn through creative play. A draft Scottish Planning Policy 11 will shortly be issued for consultation. The consultation draft will include national minimum open space standards for provision within certain types of new development. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196116,"EventID":"S2W-23460","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1893,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the severance package was for Professor Alan Alexander on his resignation from his post as Chairman of Scottish Water.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the severance package was for Professor Alan Alexander on his resignation from his post as Chairman of Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"Professor Alexander resigned because of the disagreement between him and the Executive over Scottish Water’s 2006-10 delivery plan that is described in the answers to questions S2W-23461 and S2W-23462 on 8 March 2006. Given the importance to Scottish Water and its customers of the Executive and Scottish Water’s Chair having a shared view of how Scottish Water will achieve the Executive’s objectives for 2006‑10, Professor Alexander’s resignation was in the public interest. In these circumstances, the Scottish ministers decided to exercise their powers under paragraph 5(3) of schedule 3 to the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 to require Scottish Water to make an ex-gratia payment to Professor Alexander in the sum of £26,975. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196117,"EventID":"S2W-23461","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1893,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what reasons it was given for the resignation of Professor Alan Alexander from his post as Chairman of Scottish Water.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what reasons it was given for the resignation of Professor Alan Alexander from his post as Chairman of Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexander tendered his resignation as Chair of Scottish Water to the Minister for Environment and Rural Development on 20 February 2006. His reason for doing so was that he did not agree with the view of the Executive and Scottish Water’s regulators (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland), that Scottish Water’s delivery plan for 2006-10 fell short of their requirements for the plan in a number of material respects. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196118,"EventID":"S2W-23462","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1893,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place with the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and Professor Alan Alexander in the days immediately prior to Professor Alexander’s re","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place with the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and Professor Alan Alexander in the days immediately prior to Professor Alexander’s resignation from his post as Chairman of Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"The Minister for Environment and Rural Development and the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alan Alexander on 9 February. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the views of the Executive, supported by Scottish Water’s regulators (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland), that Scottish Water’s delivery plan for 2006-10 fell short of the Executive’s and regulators’ requirements for the plan in a number of material respects and the implications that these views had for Professor Alexander’s position as the Chair of Scottish Water. Professor Alexander responded that he believed the plan to be compliant with the requirements of the Executive and the regulators. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development undertook to consider Professor Alexander’s response, which Professor Alexander amplified in a letter that he sent to the Minister on 10 February 2006. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alexander on 16 February 2006 to inform Professor Alexander that the Executive and the regulators, who with the permission of Professor Alexander had been invited to comment on his letter of 10 February, had not changed their views of the delivery plan. Professor Alexander said he remained of the view that the plan was compliant. In light of the disagreement between him and the minister, he said that he intended to resign as Chair of Scottish Water. He requested that the announcement of his resignation should not be made until he had had time to inform his colleagues at Scottish Water of his decision. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development agreed to this request. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alexander on 20 February 2006 to receive Professor Alexander’s resignation and to agree the terms in which it should be announced. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196119,"EventID":"S2W-23463","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the 14 areas in Scotland recently named as marine environment high risk areas.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the 14 areas in Scotland recently named as marine environment high risk areas.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a number of issues, including theprocess whereby a number of coastal areas in Scotland were recently designatedas marine environmental high risk areas.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196120,"EventID":"S2W-23464","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were removed from their home in each of the last five years as a consequence of parental (a) drug misuse, (b) alcohol misuse, (c) sexual abuse and (d) p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were removed from their home in each of the last five years as a consequence of parental (a) drug misuse, (b) alcohol misuse, (c) sexual abuse and (d) physical abuse, broken down by local authority area, showing year-on-year percentage changes and also the percentage change for the five-year period.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Robert Brown","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196121,"EventID":"S2W-23465","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting times were for (a) new out-patients and (b) return out-patients for each of the last 16 quarters, broken down also by NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting times were for (a) new out-patients and (b) return out-patients for each of the last 16 quarters, broken down also by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"Median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic, following referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, by NHS board of residence, for each of the last 16 quarters, are given in the following table.The Executive is committed to reducing waiting times across Scotland, with particular priority being given to seeing those patients who have waited longest. As NHSScotland continues to make good progress in reducing maximum waiting times, and sees more patients who have had longer waits, median waiting times will rise. A significant change in the waiting time distribution of patients seen, such as a higher number of patients who have had lengthy waits, will increase median waiting times. Information on waiting times for second and subsequent outpatient appointments is not collected centrally. NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times For A First Out-Patient Appointment At A Consultant-Led Clinic, Following Referral By A General Medical/Dental Practitioner. Quarters Ended 31 March 2002 to 31 December 2005. | NHS Board of Residence | Median Waiting Times (Days) | | Mar 2002 | Jun 2002 | Sep 2002 | Dec 2002 | Mar 2003 | Jun 2003 | Sep 2003 | Dec 2003 | | Argyll and Clyde | 50 | 47 | 52 | 50 | 54 | 48 | 55 | 53 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 50 | 48 | 54 | 51 | 52 | 48 | 51 | 47 | | Borders | 39 | 38 | 41 | 39 | 42 | 43 | 47 | 38 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 56 | 56 | 58 | 53 | 47 ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196122,"EventID":"S2W-23466","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many out-patients were given an availability status code at the end of each of the last 16 quarters, broken down also by NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many out-patients were given an availability status code at the end of each of the last 16 quarters, broken down also by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"The specific information requested is not available. Centrally collected information is available on the number of patients on the out-patient waiting list who held an availability status code on each census date, but this information does not indicate the date on which the code was applied. The out-patient waiting list was introduced in September 2004. Information is also collected centrally on the numbers of patients with an availability status code who were seen at consultant-led out-patient clinics for a first out-patient appointment, but the information does not indicate the date on which the code was applied. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196123,"EventID":"S2W-23467","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the national quarterly median waiting time provided by the Information Statistics Division for in-patients includes figures for the Golden Jubilee National Hospit","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the national quarterly median waiting time provided by the Information Statistics Division for in-patients includes figures for the Golden Jubilee National Hospital.","AnswerText":"The inpatient/day case median waiting times figures published by ISD Scotland on its Acute Hospital Care website each quarter include submissions from the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in any NHSScotland-level analyses. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196124,"EventID":"S2W-23469","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on when a Bill for the establishment of a rail link to Edinburgh Airport will be introduced to the Parliament.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on when a Bill for the establishment of a rail link to Edinburgh Airport will be introduced to the Parliament.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23471 on 6 March 2006.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196125,"EventID":"S2W-23470","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it envisages that work on the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link will be completed. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it envisages that work on the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link will be completed. ","AnswerText":"The Edinburgh Airport Rail Linkis planned to be operational in 2011.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196126,"EventID":"S2W-23471","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link will be, broken down by source of funding. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link will be, broken down by source of funding. ","AnswerText":"The cost and proposed fundingwill be included in the estimate of expense and funding statement within the EdinburghAirport Rail Link Bill. The bill is currently being reviewed by the parliament andis expected to be introduced in mid-March.Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196127,"EventID":"S2W-23472","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1956,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to minimise disruption to Edinburgh Airport during the construction of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to minimise disruption to Edinburgh Airport during the construction of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link. ","AnswerText":"Discussion continues with BAAon construction methodologyTransport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196128,"EventID":"S2W-23473","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is the authority from whom a licence must be sought for works in respect of the proposed commercial ship-to-ship crude oil transfer in the Firth of Forth which","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is the authority from whom a licence must be sought for works in respect of the proposed commercial ship-to-ship crude oil transfer in the Firth of Forth which will affect European Protected Species under the Habitats Directive.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does notissue licences specifically for ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil.If it were to be establishedthat the proposed commercial ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil were likely to disturba European Protected Species, or damage or destroy its breeding site or restingplace, whether or not the species is present in these places, a licence would berequired from the licensing authority under regulation 44 of the Conservation (NaturalHabitats & c.) Regulations 1994. In that case, the licensing authority wouldbe the Scottish Executive. The advice I have sought from Scottish Natural Heritagein respect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s consultation on the relevantoil spill contingency plan will enable decisions to be taken about whether a licencemight be necessary and I do not want to prejudge the outcome of that consideration. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196129,"EventID":"S2W-23474","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether a licence for ship-to-ship crude oil transfer affecting European Protected Species under the Habitats Directive applies to the species and their shelters and bree","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether a licence for ship-to-ship crude oil transfer affecting European Protected Species under the Habitats Directive applies to the species and their shelters and breeding places, whether or not the species are present in these places.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23473 on 9 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196130,"EventID":"S2W-23475","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration of European Protected Species must be included as part of an oil spill contingency plan approval process.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration of European Protected Species must be included as part of an oil spill contingency plan approval process.","AnswerText":"The approval of oil spill contingencyplans is a matter for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) acting on behalfof the Secretary of State for Transport.As a competent authority underthe EU Habitats Directive the MCA must have regard to the requirements of the Directivewhere appropriate in the exercise of their functions. It is understood that as partof the consultation process on ship-to-ship transfer in the Firth of Forth the MCAwill give due consideration to nature conservation issues. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196131,"EventID":"S2W-23476","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an oil spill contingency plan approved without due consideration to European Protected Species would breach European directives.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an oil spill contingency plan approved without due consideration to European Protected Species would breach European directives.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23475 on 9 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196132,"EventID":"S2W-23477","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1888,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost per year is of providing working clothing to those sentenced to community service; what the source of the funds is, and whether any proportion of the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost per year is of providing working clothing to those sentenced to community service; what the source of the funds is, and whether any proportion of the cost is recovered from the offender.","AnswerText":"Local authorities are responsiblefor the operation of community service order schemes. Information onthe total cost per year of providing working clothing to those sentenced by courtsto community service orders is not held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196133,"EventID":"S2W-23478","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11427 by Mr Tom McCabe on 9 November 2004, whether the revised guidance referred to has now been completed; if so, whether it will ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11427 by Mr Tom McCabe on 9 November 2004, whether the revised guidance referred to has now been completed; if so, whether it will publish it and how the revised guidance differs from previous guidance issued.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21709 on 15 December 2005, which confirms that the ConstructionProcurement Manual is available at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Planning-Building/construction. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196134,"EventID":"S2W-23479","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8327 by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 June 2004, whether it has now undertaken research to determine whether PFI/PPP impacts upon the capit","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8327 by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 June 2004, whether it has now undertaken research to determine whether PFI/PPP impacts upon the capital costs of the NHS.","AnswerText":"No specific researchhas yet been undertaken.PPP/PFI does not replace publicfunding. In the current spending review period capitalinvestment is set to increase on average by £60 million each year from 2005-06to 2007-08. By 2007-08 capital funding will be almost £532 million. Of the totalinvestment package of £2.1 billion over this period expected PPP/PFI investmentof £0.750 billion, meaning £1.4 billion of investment in NHS infrastructure throughpublic capital over the three year period. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196135,"EventID":"S2W-23480","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many small housing organisations have been asked to merge with bigger organisations by Communities Scotland since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many small housing organisations have been asked to merge with bigger organisations by Communities Scotland since 1999.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:No small registered social landlords (RSLs) have been asked orrequired to merge with bigger organisations by Communities Scotland or ScottishHomes since 1999. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196136,"EventID":"S2W-23481","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many small housing organisations have been deemed non-viable since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many small housing organisations have been deemed non-viable since 1999.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:No small registered social landlords(RSLs) have been deemed non-viable by Communities Scotland or Scottish Homes since1999. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196137,"EventID":"S2W-23482","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount is that has been provided in capital resources through all PFI and PPP projects and what the average rate of interest paid to all lenders has been f","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount is that has been provided in capital resources through all PFI and PPP projects and what the average rate of interest paid to all lenders has been for the provision of that capital.","AnswerText":"An estimate of the capital valueof all PPP signed projects in Scotland to date is £3.2 billion.It would not be meaningful tocalculate an average rate of interest over all projects as risks vary from one projectto another and background market rates have also varied over time. Therefore, thatinformation is not held centrally within the Executive. In general, PPP interestrates have reduced in recent years, reflecting market conditions and greater understandingand acceptance of risks. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17635on 12 July 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196138,"EventID":"S2W-23483","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many salaried general dental practitioner posts there are in each NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many salaried general dental practitioner posts there are in each NHS board area.","AnswerText":"The responsibility for approving salaried dentist posts rests with NHS boards. The latest information held centrally from NHS boards indicates that the following number of salaried dentist posts have been approved in each NHS board area. | NHS Board | Number of Approved Salaried Dentist Posts1,2 | | Argyll and Clyde | 18 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 8 | | Borders | 9 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 13 | | Fife | 11 | | Forth Valley | 12 | | Grampian | 15 | | Greater Glasgow | 23 | | Highland | 44 | | Lanarkshire | 2 | | Lothian | 18 | | Orkney | 8 | | Shetland | 7 | | Tayside | 2 | | Western Isles | 6 | | Scotland | 196 | Note: 1. Salaried dentist posts range from 0.1 whole-time equivalent (WTE) to one WTE. 2. The information is for salaried general dental practitioner posts only and does not include posts where community dental officers provide general dental services, i.e. joint CDS/GDS posts. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196139,"EventID":"S2W-23484","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many salaried general dental practitioners are in post in each NHS board area, expressed also as whole-time equivalents.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many salaried general dental practitioners are in post in each NHS board area, expressed also as whole-time equivalents.","AnswerText":"The responsibility for employing salaried dentists rests with NHS boards. Not all salaried dentist posts are filled by a single dentist, for example some posts are jointly filled by a number of dentists. Information on the number of salaried dentists can be found on the Scottish Health Statistics website http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=3446&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&. The number of salaried dentists contained in the Workforce Statistics includes community dental officers who spend part of their working week providing general dental services, i.e. joint CDS/GDS postholders. No information is held centrally on the whole-time equivalence of salaried dentists or joint CDS/GDS postholders. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196140,"EventID":"S2W-23485","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money has been used for capital procurement in the NHS since 1997 and what the current value is of the capital assets purchased over that period.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money has been used for capital procurement in the NHS since 1997 and what the current value is of the capital assets purchased over that period.","AnswerText":"Capital investment in the NHS since 1997 is detailed in the following table: | Year | Baseline Gross (£ Million) | Income (£ Million) | Net (£ Million) | | 1997-98 | 143.73 | -7.4 | 136.3 | | 1998-99 | 148.1 | -12.1 | 136.0 | | 1999-2000 | 178.4 | -12.1 | 166.3 | | 2000-01 | 247.9 | -12.1 | 235.8 | | 2001-02 | 297.1 | -12.1 | 285.0 | | 2002-03 | 289.1 | -12.1 | 277.0 | | 2003-04 | 322.1 | -12.1 | 310.0 | | 2004-05 | 362.1 | -12.1 | 350.0 | | 2005-06 | 438.1 | -12.1 | 426.0 | | 2006-07 | 470.1 | -12.1 | 458.0 | | 2007-08 | 544.1 | -12.1 | 532.0 | Details of capital procurement and the current value of the capital assets purchased over that period are not held centrally. NHS boards are responsible for delivering health services to their local population and receive the majority of the portfolio’s capital funding on a formula basis. This allows resources to be clearly applied and prioritised, by NHS boards, in support of the objectives set out in Local Delivery Plans and supporting Property Strategies. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196141,"EventID":"S2W-23486","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how costs incurred on each PFI and PPP project since 1999 compare with the capital costs that would have been incurred had each project been funded through traditional pr","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how costs incurred on each PFI and PPP project since 1999 compare with the capital costs that would have been incurred had each project been funded through traditional procurement methods. ","AnswerText":"The PPP procurement route requiresthat in each project the Final Business Case must show value for money against aconventional procurement route before being selected, taking all relevant costsand benefits into account.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196142,"EventID":"S2W-23487","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital cost of each PFI and PPP project since 1999 has been and what the value of the capital assets so purchased was in each case. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital cost of each PFI and PPP project since 1999 has been and what the value of the capital assets so purchased was in each case. ","AnswerText":"Information on the capitalvalue of each PPP project in Scotland is available on the Scottish Executive Financial Partnerships Unit’s website at www.scotland.gov.uk/ppp.In PPP projects, the capital value provides an estimate of the capital cost of the PPP asset.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196143,"EventID":"S2W-23488","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of capital spend by each local authority was represented by spend on PFI and PPP projects in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of capital spend by each local authority was represented by spend on PFI and PPP projects in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"This information is not held centrally and is a matter for each individual local authority.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196144,"EventID":"S2W-23489","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-23T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive in how many deaths MRSA was mentioned on the death certificate in each of the last five years and in how many of these cases MRSA was the underlying cause of death, broke","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive in how many deaths MRSA was mentioned on the death certificate in each of the last five years and in how many of these cases MRSA was the underlying cause of death, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"detailed information on healthcare associated infections (HAIs) as a cause of death from specific infections can be difficult or impossible to interpret safely. As at the end of 2004 there was no international code for recording MRSA as a cause of death: the MRSA data above were obtained by analysing the full cause of death text recorded by certifying doctors. In addition, detailed recording of specific HAIs as a cause of death is often influenced by the general level of professional and public awareness of that HAI at the time. Deaths Involving MRSA | NHS Board of Residence | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | | (a) Deaths where MRSA was Mentioned on the Death Certificate | | Scotland | 109 | 136 | 155 | 170 | 188 | | Argyll and Clyde | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | | Borders | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | | Fife | 9 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 21 | | Forth Valley | 1 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 6 | | Grampian | 14 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 14 | | Greater Glasgow | 16 | 18 | 26 | 32 | 34 | | Highland | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | | Lanarkshire | 12 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 20 | | Lothian | 23 | 31 | 41 | 33 | 32 | | Orkney | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | | Shetland | 0 | 1 | 1 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196146,"EventID":"S2W-23491","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will write off the capital housing debt of local authorities.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will write off the capital housing debt of local authorities.","AnswerText":"No. Local authorities’ housingdebt in Scotland totals around £2 billion. Redeeming this level of debtis not affordable without impacting on other key public services such as healthand education. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196147,"EventID":"S2W-23492","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it takes to enforce each of its PFI/PPP contracts; what the cost of these measures was in each of the last three financial years, and what it estimates the ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it takes to enforce each of its PFI/PPP contracts; what the cost of these measures was in each of the last three financial years, and what it estimates the costs will be in each of the next 15 financial years at current prices.","AnswerText":"In each of the Executive’s PPPcontracts management and monitoring has been conducted by and within Departmentalunits and separate costs for specific contract management are not readily available.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196148,"EventID":"S2W-23493","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on measures taken by other Scottish public authorities to enforce their PFI/PPP contracts.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on measures taken by other Scottish public authorities to enforce their PFI/PPP contracts.","AnswerText":"The enforcement of a PPP contractis a matter for the relevant public sector procuring body concerned.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196149,"EventID":"S2W-23494","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the costs incurred by other Scottish public authorities in enforcing their PFI/PPP contracts.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the costs incurred by other Scottish public authorities in enforcing their PFI/PPP contracts.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23493 on 9 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196150,"EventID":"S2W-23495","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken in respect of its own PFI/PPP contracts to ensure that the introduction of new technology requiring a change to infrastructure owned or leased by ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken in respect of its own PFI/PPP contracts to ensure that the introduction of new technology requiring a change to infrastructure owned or leased by a PFI/PPP contractor does not cause the Executive to incur costs above the market rate for installation of such technology.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23496 on 9 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196151,"EventID":"S2W-23496","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it has made to public authorities in respect of their PFI/PPP contracts to ensure that the introduction of new technology requiring a change to infra","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it has made to public authorities in respect of their PFI/PPP contracts to ensure that the introduction of new technology requiring a change to infrastructure owned or leased by a PFI/PPP contractor does not cause the authorities to incur costs above the market rate for installation of such technology.","AnswerText":"The standard form of PPP contractreflects key principles and terms used for PPP projects in all sectors and is adoptedas a standard throughout the UK. The standard form includes provision for a variationand for the variation to be brought about in accordance with prescribed change procedures.The cost of any such change wouldbe negotiated at the time, and there is no reason why the cost of undertaking thephysical works should not be at the market rate prevalent at the time. The risksassociated with the change would also need to be assessed so that the PPP contractorcan bear such responsibilities for the remainder of the contract period. These mayaffect the life-cycle PPP contract and the risk transfer to the contractor may alterfrom the original position at contract signature. This may or may not result inadditional costs to the public sector body. In a conventional procurement situationthe responsible public body would have to take account of similar long-term serviceand cost implications of the change also. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196152,"EventID":"S2W-23497","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that, where it makes a change in its policy requiring an adaptation to infrastructure owned or leased by a PFI/PPP contractor, such an a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that, where it makes a change in its policy requiring an adaptation to infrastructure owned or leased by a PFI/PPP contractor, such an adaptation does not cause the Executive to incur costs above those that it would incur if it were to make such an adaptation to non-PFI/PPP infrastructure.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23495 on 9 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196153,"EventID":"S2W-23498","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it has made to public authorities to ensure that, where such an authority makes a change in its policy requiring an adaptation to infrastructure owne","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it has made to public authorities to ensure that, where such an authority makes a change in its policy requiring an adaptation to infrastructure owned or leased by a PFI/PPP contractor, such an adaptation does not cause the authority to incur costs above those that it would incur if it were to make such an adaptation to non-PFI/PPP infrastructure.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23496 on 9 March. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196154,"EventID":"S2W-23499","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises in PPP/PFI projects and private prison projects.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises in PPP/PFI projects and private prison projects.","AnswerText":"The Infrastructure InvestmentPlan, which was published in February2005, outlines the detail of the Executive’s investment plans by ministerial portfolioand confirms the major investment opportunities available within Scotland. Thisis the first such Plan and it has been welcomed by industry, including smalland medium-sized enterprises, as allowing them to improve their forward resourceand tender plans. A copy of the plan can be found in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 35376).PPP are advertised in accordancewith EC Procurement Directives. PPP projects tend to be large projects requiringmain contractors to have experience of organising large and complex work programmes,and requiring significant balance sheets. Therefore there is limited opportunityfor small and medium-sized companies to become directly involved in the PPP consortium,although a few Scottish regional companies have successfully developed into thatmarket. Many new opportunities across a wide range of services have been createdat sub-contractor level under use of PPP in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196155,"EventID":"S2W-23500","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the involvement to date of small and medium-sized enterprises in PPP/PFI projects and private prison projects.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the involvement to date of small and medium-sized enterprises in PPP/PFI projects and private prison projects.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for each publicsector body procuring a PPP project. The information requested is not held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196156,"EventID":"S2W-23501","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what rules it has in respect of ownership by judges, sheriffs and stipendiary magistrates of a financial interest in private prisons and what action it takes to monitor t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what rules it has in respect of ownership by judges, sheriffs and stipendiary magistrates of a financial interest in private prisons and what action it takes to monitor the observance of any such rules.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive does notmake rules about the conduct of the independent judiciary. Members of the judiciaryare expected to conduct personal business in a way which avoids the risk of anycompromise to their independence when handling cases which come before them.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196157,"EventID":"S2W-23502","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations have been made by the Judicial Appointments Board in relation to each judicial appointment made since its inception. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations have been made by the Judicial Appointments Board in relation to each judicial appointment made since its inception. ","AnswerText":"To date, the Scottish Executive has accepted all the recommendations of the board for appointments to judicial office. The names of people who have been appointed are in the public domain. A list is available on the board’s website. The web address is: http://www.judicialappointmentsscotland.gov.uk/judicial/JUD_Main.jsp?pContentID=494&p_applic=CCC&pMenu0=45&p_service=Content.show&. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196158,"EventID":"S2W-23503","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have used prudential borrowing to provide social rented housing.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have used prudential borrowing to provide social rented housing.","AnswerText":"During 2004-05, 13 local authoritiesused prudential borrowing to spend on social rented housing. In 2005-06, 17 localauthorities estimate that they will use prudential borrowing.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196159,"EventID":"S2W-23504","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is directing towards reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted disease.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is directing towards reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted disease.","AnswerText":"The national sexual healthstrategy Respect and Responsibility contains a number of initiatives to improvesexual health in Scotland. That includes tackling the high incidence ofsexually transmitted infections. Indeed, this was one of the primary driversfor developing a strategy.To help implement that strategy,I announced £15 million of additional investment over the next three years,most of which will be aimed at front line services. In the current financialyear £4.5 million has been made available to NHS boards for this purpose. The boardswill receive the same levels of funding in 2006-07 and 2007-08. This is newmoney which is in addition to the resources already being spent by NHS boardsand other agencies taking forward sexual health initiatives on behalf of theExecutive. Inaddition, in the current financial year the Executive has allocated £9 millionto NHS boards for action to prevent the spread of blood borne viruses,including HIV. The funds allocated will rise to £9.3 million in 2006-07 and£9.5 million in 2007-08. The Executive provides afurther £500,000 to a range of voluntary organisations, responding to thechallenges posed by sexual health issues. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196160,"EventID":"S2W-23505","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is directing towards sex education in schools.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is directing towards sex education in schools.","AnswerText":"The development of sex and relationshipseducation programmes, including specific teaching materials, is a matter for localauthorities and schools. All schools arerequired to provide health education, including sex education, within the frameworkof Health Education 5-14 National Guidelines. Circular 2/2001 Standards in Scotland’sSchools etc. Act 2000: Conduct of Sex Education in Scottish Schools sets outthe framework for the development and delivery of sex and relationships educationin Scotland.There are a number ofcontinuing professional development (CPD) sex andrelationships education courses available for teachers and as part of their contract,teachers are obliged to undertake 35 hours (CPD) each year. Healthy Respect, a National HealthDemonstration Project on young people’s sexual health is funded by the ScottishExecutive and hosted by NHS Lothian. It aimsto demonstrate how increasing young people’s knowledge of sexual health issues througha multi-disciplinary approach to education, information and accessible servicesin a variety of settings can lead to improved sexual health and relationships. Thelearning from Healthy Respect will be shared across Scotland to enableother parts of the country to shape their own services according to local need. Healthy Respect and the ScottishCatholic Education Service are jointly supporting a project to develop appropriatesex and relationships education programmes in three Catholic secondary schools inEdinburgh and three in the West of Scotland. This project has been funded by the ScottishExecutive (Health and Education Departments) over three years from 2005. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Peter Peacock","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196161,"EventID":"S2W-23506","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1814,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce the regulatory burden on small housing associations.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce the regulatory burden on small housing associations.","AnswerText":"I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:Communities Scotland regulatesand inspects Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) on behalf of Scottish ministers.We are aware of the disproportionate impact that regulation can have on small RSLs.By small RSLs we mean those with fewer than 250 houses. We have already set in placea number of measures to minimise this impact. In 2005 we introduced a tailoredapproach to inspection with reduced submission requirements, a lighter touch approachwith no grades and short reports. Our requirements in relationto financial viability assessments are also tailored. Small RSLs, which are notdeveloping new-build houses, do not have to submit the five year financial projectionsor loan portfolio information required from all other RSLs. Providing information on charitableRSLs direct to the Office of the Scottish Charity regulator (OSCR) for its annualreturn. This benefits all charitable RSLs. We will continue to review ourapproach to regulation and inspection to ensure that it is proportionate and risk-basedand does not have a disproportionate impact on small RSLs. We are keen to consultwith the sector on changes which will allow us to respond positively to the concernsfrom the sector about over-regulation in general. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196162,"EventID":"S2W-23507","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1932,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19357 by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2005, when it expects to put the contract for providing an assessment of needs for ME service","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19357 by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2005, when it expects to put the contract for providing an assessment of needs for ME services out to tender; when the tender process will be complete, and how much it will cost.","AnswerText":"The Executive is committedto carrying out an assessment of the service needs of those with CFS/ME and thefinancial resources for the assessment have been identified. We are stillconsidering the best options for obtaining an independent assessment, and ensuringthat the arrangements conform to procurement requirements. We also want to makesure that the specification for the tender will deliver the intended outcomes. Ihope to be able to make an announcement in the near future which will includethe information requested in the question.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196163,"EventID":"S2W-23508","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1932,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19357 by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2005, whether it will list the companies or organisations that will be invited to tender to p","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19357 by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2005, whether it will list the companies or organisations that will be invited to tender to provide an assessment of needs for ME services.","AnswerText":"The Executive will follow theprocedures laid down for tendering exercises, and will be happy to make public thenames of those organisations which submit a bid to undertake the assessment.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196164,"EventID":"S2W-23509","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1932,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19357 by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2005, what patient involvement there will be in the tendering process for providing an assess","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19357 by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2005, what patient involvement there will be in the tendering process for providing an assessment of needs for ME services.","AnswerText":"In taking forward the tenderingprocess, we shall consider how people with ME/CFS, and those representing theirinterests, can most effectively contribute.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196165,"EventID":"S2W-23510","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1932,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been undertaken into the origins of traffic crossing the Forth Road Bridge from Fife and where such studies have been published.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been undertaken into the origins of traffic crossing the Forth Road Bridge from Fife and where such studies have been published.","AnswerText":"Information on the origins oftraffic crossing the Forth Road Bridge from Fife is contained in the Tolled Bridges Review reports. ThePhase One and Phase Two reports are available on the Scottish Executive website.There are other recent external studies that we are aware of, in particular theFETA (Forth Estuary Transport Authority) Local Transport Strategy and the SITCoS(SESTRAN Integrated Transport Corridor Study): Queensferry Cross Forth Study.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196166,"EventID":"S2W-23511","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S2W-22538, S2W-22539, S2W-22540, S2W-22541 and S2W-22542 by Rhona Brankin on 26 January 2006, when the detailed information requested ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S2W-22538, S2W-22539, S2W-22540, S2W-22541 and S2W-22542 by Rhona Brankin on 26 January 2006, when the detailed information requested will be supplied by Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"As the previous answers made clear, these were operational matters for Scottish Water, and I understand that they have now supplied you with the information requested in your earlier questions. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196167,"EventID":"S2W-23512","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2074,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":3,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what aspect of the Accounts Commission’s report, Argyll and Bute Council: The Audit of Best Value and Community Planning, gave the Scottish Executive most concern and wha","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what aspect of the Accounts Commission’s report, Argyll and Bute Council: The Audit of Best Value and Community Planning, gave the Scottish Executive most concern and what action it will take to address the situation.","AnswerText":"I wrote to the Council Leader,Allan MacAskill on 14 February following publication of the Best Value Audit ofArgyll and Bute Council, noting my concern that the report describes a council lackingclear corporate leadership to drive change and promote a culture of challenge andimprovement, and with insufficient focus at a corporate level on the needs of serviceusers.I have encouragedthe council to work closely with the Improvement Service in addressing the AccountsCommission’s findings. The Improvement Service was established in 2005 in partnershipbetween COSLA, SOLACE and the Scottish Executive, to work with Scottish councils,their partners and stakeholders to improve the efficiency, quality and accountabilityof public services across Scotland. This includesassisting and supporting local authorities in taking forward their Improvement Plansas agreed with the Accounts Commission following a Best Value Audit. The ImprovementService has already made contact with Argyll and Bute Council to ascertain the natureand level of support needed. I am grateful to Mr Mather forgiving me the opportunity once again to bring these matters to light. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tom McCabe","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196168,"EventID":"S2W-23513","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2068,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":22,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any high street banks trading in fish quotas and, if so, which banks are involved. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any high street banks trading in fish quotas and, if so, which banks are involved. ","AnswerText":"Following previous decommissioningschemes, we are aware that some banks have acquired quota units – in total, representingless than 1% of the fixed quota units available - and are engaged in the so-called“trade” in fish quota. However, full details of the banks involved and their unitholdings are not available.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196169,"EventID":"S2W-23514","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been produced in respect of proposed commercial oil spill contingency plans for ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the F","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been produced in respect of proposed commercial oil spill contingency plans for ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth and whether any such EIA has been undertaken voluntarily or under statute.","AnswerText":"I am aware that the Maritimeand Coastguard Agency included the member in the list of consultees sent detailsof the consultation exercise which commenced on 16 February. The member will thereforebe aware that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is one of the documents formingpart of the consultation. The status of such an assessment as part of the oil spillplanning process is a matter for Her Majesty’s Government but I understand thatan EIA is not a formal requirement of the relevant legislation, which is the MerchantShipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations1998.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196170,"EventID":"S2W-23515","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether methods and mitigation measures suggested as a result of an environmental impact assessment undertaken voluntarily in respect of proposed commercial ship-to-ship ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether methods and mitigation measures suggested as a result of an environmental impact assessment undertaken voluntarily in respect of proposed commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth can be enforced by law.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23516 on 9 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196171,"EventID":"S2W-23516","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism exists for the enforcement of methods and mitigation measures that result from the consultation on the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-sh","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism exists for the enforcement of methods and mitigation measures that result from the consultation on the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth.","AnswerText":"Methods and mitigation measuressuggested as a result of the consultation exercise, including those suggested aspart of any environmental impact assessment, will be taken into account before therelevant oil spill contingency plan is approved. Once the plan is approved, it willbe enforceable under the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Responseand Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998 which are the responsibility of theMaritime and Coastguard Agency.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196172,"EventID":"S2W-23517","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of Scottish ministers is in respect of the public consultation on the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of Scottish ministers is in respect of the public consultation on the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive will respondto the consultation having taken advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on the potentialenvironmental implications of the oil spill contingency plan, in particular thepotential impacts on Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservationdesignated by Scottish ministers under the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations1994 and bearing in mind our obligations in respect of European Protected Species.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196173,"EventID":"S2W-23518","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2127,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive why advice has been sought from Scottish Natural Heritage in respect of the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive why advice has been sought from Scottish Natural Heritage in respect of the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth and for what purpose.","AnswerText":"The role of Scottish NaturalHeritage (SNH) includes the provision of advice to the Scottish Executive on naturalheritage matters and issues likely to affect the environment of Scotland. I haveconsequently asked SNH for advice in respect of the oil spill contingency plan tohelp inform any response the Scottish Executive may make to the recently announcedpublic consultation.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196174,"EventID":"S2W-23519","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1832,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":42,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to roll out the Disabled Student Allowance to further education students. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to roll out the Disabled Student Allowance to further education students. ","AnswerText":"We have no plans to roll outthe Disabled Students’ Allowance to non-advanced further education students at themoment. Students at further education colleges studying on advanced courses arealready eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance.Further education students withdisabilities can apply for additional support towards personal study and travelrelated expenses arising from their disabilities through the Additional SupportNeeds for Learning Allowance, which forms part of the non-advanced bursary. Thisallowance is not means tested, nor are there pre-set limits on the means or levelsof funding by which these needs may be met. The allowance is paid on a discretionarybasis by colleges to eligible students. In addition to the individualsupport provided to further education students through the Disabled Students’ Allowanceand the Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance, the Scottish Further andHigher Education Funding Council (SFC) provides core support to colleges in respectof their students with additional support needs. SFC published a consultationon 24 February 2006 on proposals for developing and implementing a needs-ledapproach for identifying additional support needs of college students. The consultationis on the council’s website at http://www.sfc.ac.uk/library/sfc/consultation/2006. Theproposals set out in the consultation aim to improve the future approach to determiningwhich students should attract a premium in the core college funding. The individualneeds-assessment which is the foundation of this approach will also assist collegesin the identification of student support needs which may be met from student supportsources. We will continue to work closelywith the SFC as work in this area progresses. Currently, the SFC provides fundingto colleges according to the student activity they deliver. If the student has additionalsupport needs then this activity is weighted to recognise that this could mean additionalcosts for the college. This additional weighting is referred to as Extended LearningSupport (ELS) and is applied to both advanced and non-advanced provision. Similarly, if a college providesa course specifically for a group of students with similar additional support needsthen this too is weighted in recognition of the higher level of costs required torun such a course. This additional weighting is referred to as dominant programmegroup 18 (DPG18). ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196175,"EventID":"S2W-23520","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2892,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the ban on smoking in public places will cover the driver’s compartment in black taxi cabs where there is physical separation from the passenger compartment. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the ban on smoking in public places will cover the driver’s compartment in black taxi cabs where there is physical separation from the passenger compartment. ","AnswerText":"All public transportation vehiclesare classed as no-smoking premises under the new law. A “public transportation vehicle”under the law means any vehicle available to the public as a means of transportationand specifically includes a taxi and a private hire car. Therefore, from 26 March 2006 smokingwill not be permitted at any time in a taxi. The law will apply regardless of whetheror not there are passengers in the taxi.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196176,"EventID":"S2W-23521","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1986,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":69,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the publication of its regeneration policy statement.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the publication of its regeneration policy statement.","AnswerText":"I am pleased to announce today the publication of the Regeneration Policy Statement. This is an important and ambitious document for Scotland which sets out the role that regeneration can and should play in achieving the Executive’s twin aims of sustainable economic growth and tackling poverty and disadvantage. ","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196177,"EventID":"S2W-23522","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the public has been excluded from court when a witness has given evidence in each of the last five years. ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the public has been excluded from court when a witness has given evidence in each of the last five years. ","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196178,"EventID":"S2W-23523","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons have been for excluding the public from court when a witness has given their evidence in each of the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons have been for excluding the public from court when a witness has given their evidence in each of the last five years.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196179,"EventID":"S2W-23524","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made to secure further fishing opportunities in 2006 for fishermen, particularly in the white fish fleet.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made to secure further fishing opportunities in 2006 for fishermen, particularly in the white fish fleet.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive has managedto swap in 2,324 tonnes of haddock this year with approximately a further 2,000tonnes in the pipeline. In addition, the Executive is enabling the scientific researchrequired in order to secure an in-year increasein monkfish quotas.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196180,"EventID":"S2W-23525","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2225,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":2,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-24T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it considers that Thomas Campbell and Joseph Steele deserve as fair recompense for their wrongful imprisonment for over 18 years for the deaths of six members of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it considers that Thomas Campbell and Joseph Steele deserve as fair recompense for their wrongful imprisonment for over 18 years for the deaths of six members of the Doyle family in Glasgow in 1984, in light of the Minister for Justice’s recent comments regarding the £750,000 compensation payment to former police officer Shirley McKie that it represented “fair recompense for all that she has been through” (Official Report c. 23347).","AnswerText":"The circumstances of each caseare unique and each must be considered independently in isolation. Scottishministers have determined that Mr Campbell and Mr Steele are entitled to statutorycompensation for a miscarriage of justice as provided for in the Criminal JusticeAct 1988.Section 133 of the 1988 act requiresthat an Assessor is appointed to make a determination of the amount of compensationto be paid. Under section 133(4) of the 1988 act the determination of the amountof the award is entirely for the Assessor. Scottish ministers have no power to varythat determination ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196181,"EventID":"S2W-23526","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the initial work undertaken by managed clinical networks can be resourced after the end of the pump priming period and what encouragement will be given to regional pl","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how the initial work undertaken by managed clinical networks can be resourced after the end of the pump priming period and what encouragement will be given to regional planning groups to ensure that managed clinical networks for epilepsy continue.","AnswerText":"Regional Planning Groups (RPGs)are aware of the need to support and monitor regional Managed Clinical Networksonce their pump‑priming funding comes to an end. This will be re-iteratedin the new Health Department Letter on Managed Clinical Networks mentioned in Deliveringfor Health.The Executive also provides fundingto Epilepsy Scotland in recognition of its work with clinicians and the RegionalPlanning Groups in promoting MCNs as an effective way of providing services forpeople with epilepsy. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196182,"EventID":"S2W-23527","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1832,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":42,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints about the Law Society of Scotland were received by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints about the Law Society of Scotland were received by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.","AnswerText":"Based on the reporting periodof the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman’s Annual Reports the figures are: | 2002-03 | 199 | | 2003-04 | 320 | | 2004-05 | 426 | The ombudsman has since confirmedthat she received 553 complaints for the calendar year 2005. The figures are given in theannual reports of the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman for 2002-03, 2003-04 and2004-05, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre (Bib. numbers 28277, 33250 and 37015). They are also available at: http://www.slso.org.uk/reports.html. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196183,"EventID":"S2W-23528","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1832,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":42,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints regarding excessive time taken for decisions by the Law Society of Scotland were received by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman in (a) 2003, (b) 20","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints regarding excessive time taken for decisions by the Law Society of Scotland were received by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, and (c) 2005.","AnswerText":"The ombudsman has confirmed thatin the calendar year 2005, there were 53 cases in which she prepared a formal writtenopinion. For the earlier years, the data was not kept in comparable format, thoughthe ombudsman notes that complaints about delay have reduced significantly.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196184,"EventID":"S2W-23529","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1832,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":42,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints about the Law Society of Scotland received by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman were upheld in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints about the Law Society of Scotland received by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman were upheld in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.","AnswerText":"There are no figures available.Whilst the ombudsman is empowered to investigate the handling of complaints by theLaw Society of Scotland she cannot investigate the original complaint or overturnthe decision by the professional body. An outline of the ombudsman’s role is availableat http://www.slso.org.uk/about.html.However based on the proportionof cases investigated by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman the ombudsman foundthat the Law Society of Scotland’s performance was satisfactory in (a) 48% of cases,2003 (b) 53% of cases, 2004 and (c) 47% of cases, 2005. These figures are given in theannual report of the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman for 2004-05, page 23, copiesof which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number37015). The report is also available at http://www.slso.org.uk/reports.html. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Hugh Henry","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196185,"EventID":"S2W-23530","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is available to trust ports, such as Montrose Port, in developing capacity for the benefit of the regional economy and infrastructure.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is available to trust ports, such as Montrose Port, in developing capacity for the benefit of the regional economy and infrastructure.","AnswerText":"Trust ports are not publicsector bodies. Under the terms of their specific local legislation they directtheir own commercial strategy and are responsible for funding their owninvestment. We will be considering the development of Scotland’sports as part of the forthcoming consultation on Scotland’s National TransportStrategy.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196186,"EventID":"S2W-23531","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop a new ports policy to allow for government investment in trust ports, such as Montrose Port, where such support would bring demonstrable benef","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop a new ports policy to allow for government investment in trust ports, such as Montrose Port, where such support would bring demonstrable benefits to the regional economy and infrastructure.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to thequestion S2W-23530 answered on 13 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196187,"EventID":"S2W-23532","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance might be available to assist in improving rail and road links to any ports, such as Montrose Port, that are currently affected by lack of transport infras","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance might be available to assist in improving rail and road links to any ports, such as Montrose Port, that are currently affected by lack of transport infrastructure.","AnswerText":"Assistance may be available toports to improve rail infrastructure through the Freight Facilities Grant schemewhere additional facilities are required to transfer freight from road to rail orwater.Statutory responsibility forthe network of local roads lies with individual local authorities, who have receivedan additional £60 million in each of 2006-07 and 2007-08 for roads and bridges work.In addition, £35 million in capital funding will be available in each of 2006-07and 2007-08 to the Regional Transport Partnerships to provide support for strategicregional and local road and public transport projects. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196188,"EventID":"S2W-23533","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support might be available to assist trust ports, such as Montrose Port, in attracting international cruise ships.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what support might be available to assist trust ports, such as Montrose Port, in attracting international cruise ships.","AnswerText":"We recognise the potential roleof the cruise sector in bringing visitors to Scotland, and VisitScotland is commissioningresearch to assess the market for and the potential economic benefits of cruisetourism to Scotland. They expect a summary of the findings from this researchto be available by the middle of 2007. Some local authorities and ports are alreadyactive in marketing opportunities with the cruise liner industry, and can accessa variety of funding sources from the enterprise network.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-17T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196189,"EventID":"S2W-23534","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants have been awarded under the Waterborne Freight Grant scheme to assist with the operating costs of transferring freight from road to waterborne transport a","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants have been awarded under the Waterborne Freight Grant scheme to assist with the operating costs of transferring freight from road to waterborne transport and which ports have benefited as a result of these grant allocations.","AnswerText":"We have made two awards of grantunder the Waterborne Freight Grant scheme. Neither award was made to a port.Superfast Ferries received grantsupport totalling £519,722 to enable them to continue operating a two vessel ferryservice between Rosyth and Zeebrugge during 2005. Grant support ceased once a singlevessel service was introduced in November 2005. KD Marine (UK) Ltd received grantsupport of £19,604 to part fund a feasibility study into the provision of a waterbornefreight service through the Caledonian Canal. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196190,"EventID":"S2W-23535","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1869,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish a route development fund for ports in order to support their role in helping Scotland to move towards an efficient, low carbon economy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish a route development fund for ports in order to support their role in helping Scotland to move towards an efficient, low carbon economy.","AnswerText":"As part of the forthcoming consultationon Scotland’s National Transport Strategy we will consider developmentsthat can assist ports.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196191,"EventID":"S2W-23536","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to create a stop at Edinburgh Park for trains on the Edinburgh to Glasgow main line service.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to create a stop at Edinburgh Park for trains on the Edinburgh to Glasgow main line service.","AnswerText":"Transport Scotland recentlyasked First ScotRail to consider and estimate the implications of introducing stopsat Edinburgh Park station for services operating on the Edinburgh/Glasgowroute. The results of this work have been received, however more needs to be doneto assess the performance and financial impact of these changes, before a decisionis made.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196192,"EventID":"S2W-23537","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that creating a stop at Edinburgh Park on the Edinburgh to Glasgow main line service would lead to a reduction in commuter road traffic and thereby b","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that creating a stop at Edinburgh Park on the Edinburgh to Glasgow main line service would lead to a reduction in commuter road traffic and thereby benefit the environment.","AnswerText":"Edinburgh Park station is currently served by four trains per hour ineach direction at peak times and already offers commuters a real alternative tothe car. The potential for further positive impact on traffic volumes of such astop at Edinburgh Park will form part of the appraisal of future timetable developmentsfor Edinburgh to Glasgow services.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196193,"EventID":"S2W-23538","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1826,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":35,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the introduction of twice-per-hour non-stop express trains from Edinburgh to Glasgow, with additional twice-per-hour trains stopping at multiple","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the introduction of twice-per-hour non-stop express trains from Edinburgh to Glasgow, with additional twice-per-hour trains stopping at multiple stations, including Edinburgh Park, would result in the most comprehensive and satisfactory train service between the two cities. ","AnswerText":"Options to change the existingtimetable are constrained by the current rail infrastructure. Transport Scotland is investingto deliver a number of rail infrastructure enhancements on this route, includingthe major redevelopment of Edinburgh Waverley Station. Transport Scotland willensure that appropriate improvements to the Edinburgh and Glasgow timetablewill be implemented to maximise the return from these investments as they are delivered.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196194,"EventID":"S2W-23539","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2866,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":63,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it contributed to the National Criminal Intelligence Service in 2004-05; what the contribution was spent on, and, in particular, whether the contribution funded ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it contributed to the National Criminal Intelligence Service in 2004-05; what the contribution was spent on, and, in particular, whether the contribution funded permanently staffed immigration posts at Scottish ports, harbours and airports and, if so, how many.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive contributed£5,496,000 to the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) in 2004-05.NCIS has a remit to provide leadershipand excellence in criminal intelligence to combat serious organised crime. It providesa range of Co-ordination services to support multi-agency law enforcement operations,including the collection, analysis and dissemination of criminal intelligence. Fulldetails of its aims, functions and outputs can be found in its Annual Report for2004-05 at: http://www.ncis.co.uk/downloads/NCISAnnualRep2005.pdf. The NCIS office in Scotland is co-locatedwith the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency in Paisley, and is involved in mappingout criminality in Scotland, identifying key threats and establishing links to UK and overseasorganised crime groups. The contribution made by the Scottish Executive helps fundthis office and ensures that law enforcement in Scotland has access to all the servicesprovided by NCIS, both locally and at a national and international level, such asNCIS Overseas Liaison Officers and enquiries through Europol and Interpol. NCIS do not fund any permanentlystaffed immigration posts. This function is provided by the UK Immigration Service. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196195,"EventID":"S2W-23540","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of the criticisms expressed by the Auditor General in each of his three reports into the Holyrood project, what action it will take, or has c","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of the criticisms expressed by the Auditor General in each of his three reports into the Holyrood project, what action it will take, or has considered taking, in relation to the findings of fault and, in particular, whether it has sought to take, or considered taking, any action in relation to the criticisms of the Chief Executive of the Parliament.","AnswerText":"The Corporate Body consideredthe reports of the Auditor General and in particular conclusions of the Audit Committeeresponded as appropriate at the time. It has no further comment to make.","AnswerDate":"2006-05-04T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Reid","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196196,"EventID":"S2W-23541","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with a physical disability it estimates are entitled to a direct payment which they do not currently receive.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with a physical disability it estimates are entitled to a direct payment which they do not currently receive.","AnswerText":"The Executive collectsstatistics on the number of recipients of direct payments, by client group, butdoes not hold information on the numbers seeking direct payments, or those whohave been offered payments but not yet received them.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196197,"EventID":"S2W-23542","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with a learning disability it estimates are entitled to a direct payment which they do not currently receive.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with a learning disability it estimates are entitled to a direct payment which they do not currently receive.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23541 on 10 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196198,"EventID":"S2W-23543","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with mental health problems it estimates are entitled to a direct payment which they do not currently receive.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with mental health problems it estimates are entitled to a direct payment which they do not currently receive.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23541 on 10 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196199,"EventID":"S2W-23544","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations have been made to ministers in respect of the effectiveness or otherwise of the direct payments scheme for disabled people.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations have been made to ministers in respect of the effectiveness or otherwise of the direct payments scheme for disabled people.","AnswerText":"Ministers receivedapproximately 40 pieces of correspondence on direct payments in the year to April2005.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196200,"EventID":"S2W-23545","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been to make a payment under the direct payment scheme for disabled people from point of community care assessment to payment, broken down by lo","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been to make a payment under the direct payment scheme for disabled people from point of community care assessment to payment, broken down by local authority in each year since 2003.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally. Need is assessed on an individual basis and the time from referralto service delivery will be dictated by several variables, notably thecomplexity of the care package.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196201,"EventID":"S2W-23546","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is to make a community care assessment from point of request.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is to make a community care assessment from point of request.","AnswerText":"This information is not yetavailable centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196202,"EventID":"S2W-23547","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the uniformity of approach across Scotland to community care assessments for disabled people seeking direct payments.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the uniformity of approach across Scotland to community care assessments for disabled people seeking direct payments.","AnswerText":"On Single Shared Assessment (SSA)generally, the Scottish Executive has issued guidance to local authorities andthe NHS on implementation, and on how to assess user satisfaction with SSAs. Ithas also issued a common data set for assessment of older people’s services andwill extend that shortly to all community care groups. It has set up a networkof managers responsible for implementation in local partnerships; is beginningto collect data on local performance on SSAs; and has invited localpartnerships to demonstrate through their Local Improvement Targets how theywill improve response times.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196203,"EventID":"S2W-23548","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many community care assessments were carried out in each year since 1999 for disabled people seeking direct payments, broken down by local authority.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many community care assessments were carried out in each year since 1999 for disabled people seeking direct payments, broken down by local authority.","AnswerText":"This information is not availablecentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196204,"EventID":"S2W-23549","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local direct support organisations there are for people receiving direct payments and whether it will list such organisations.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many local direct support organisations there are for people receiving direct payments and whether it will list such organisations.","AnswerText":"In addition to the nationalorganisation the Scottish Personal Assistant Employers’ Network (SPAEN), whichoffers support to individual users across Scotland, there are currently 23 local direct paymentssupport organisations covering most of Scotland. These organisations are listed in the Table ofScottish local direct payments support organisations available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38985).","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196205,"EventID":"S2W-23550","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many personal assistants were employed in part or in full through the direct payments scheme in each year since 1999.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many personal assistants were employed in part or in full through the direct payments scheme in each year since 1999.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-19002 on 16 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.The Executive is currentlycollecting data for the year 2005-06 which will be reported in September 2006. However,an informal trawl conducted in October 2005 yielded a return from 15 local authoritieswhich estimated that approximately 830 personal assistants were known to be employedat that time. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196206,"EventID":"S2W-23551","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it has monitored the take-up of direct payments since the implementation of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it has monitored the take-up of direct payments since the implementation of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23552 on 10 March 2006 . All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196207,"EventID":"S2W-23552","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1863,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":45,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it has measured the success of direct payments since the implementation of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how it has measured the success of direct payments since the implementation of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.","AnswerText":"Since 2001 take up of directpayments has been monitored by local authorities completing a quarterly return thatasks for the number of clients receiving direct payments, split by age and clientgroup. The range of questions has been expanded for the survey of the current year2005-06, results of which will be available in September. The 2004-05 statisticsrelease is available at Http://www.scotland.gov.uk/74529.A copy is also available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 37408).","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196208,"EventID":"S2W-23553","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency contributed to the resignation of the Chair of Scottish ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency contributed to the resignation of the Chair of Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he disagreed with the views that the Scottish Executive and Scottish Water’s regulators had formed of Scottish Water’s2006-10 delivery plan. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency considered inparticular that the plan’s phasing of the environmental quality enhancementprogramme did not allow it to confirm that the plan would achieve theobjectives that the Executive has set Scottish Water for 2006-10.Copiesof all of the correspondence between the Executive and the regulators on thismatter can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196209,"EventID":"S2W-23554","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland contributed to the resignation of the Chair of Scottish ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland contributed to the resignation of the Chair of Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he disagreed with the views thatthe Scottish Executive and Scottish Water’s regulators had formed of Scottish Water’s2006-10 delivery plan. The Water Industry Commission for Scotlandconsidered in particular that the plan failed to provide for delivery in fullof all of the outputs and performance funded by the Commission’s determinationof water charges for 2006-10.Copiesof all of the correspondence between the Executive and the regulators on thismatter can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196210,"EventID":"S2W-23555","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland contributed to the resignation of the Chair of Sc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland contributed to the resignation of the Chair of Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he disagreed with the views thatthe Scottish Executive and Scottish Water’s regulators had formed of ScottishWater’s 2006-10 delivery plan. The Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotlandconsidered in particular that the plan did not provide a clear means formeasuring Scottish Water’s progress towards delivery of the objectives that the Executive has set Scottish Water for 2006-10.Copiesof all of the correspondence between the Executive and the regulators on thismatter can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196211,"EventID":"S2W-23556","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps were taken to rectify any deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency prior to the resignation","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps were taken to rectify any deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency prior to the resignation of the Chair of Scottish Water.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he did not agree with the ScottishExecutive, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the other regulators thatScottish Water‘s 2006-10 delivery plan fell short of their requirements for itin a number of material respects.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196212,"EventID":"S2W-23557","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23721 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 March 2002, which local authorities have concessionary travel schemes for (a) children aged under 16","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23721 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 March 2002, which local authorities have concessionary travel schemes for (a) children aged under 16, (b) 16 to 18 year olds in full time education courses and (c) 16 to 18 year olds who are not on full time education courses and who are not in receipt of jobseekers allowance, who are living independently and receive living allowance from social work, broken down by (i) year and (ii) local authority.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he did not agree with the ScottishExecutive, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland and the other regulators thatScottish Water‘s 2006-10 delivery plan fell short of their requirements for itin a number of material respects.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196213,"EventID":"S2W-23558","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated to social work departments to provide allowances for 16 to 18 year olds in each year since 1999 and broken down by local authority.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated to social work departments to provide allowances for 16 to 18 year olds in each year since 1999 and broken down by local authority.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he did not agree with the ScottishExecutive, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland and the otherregulators that Scottish Water’s 2006-10 delivery plan fell short of theirrequirements for it in a number of material respects.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196214,"EventID":"S2W-23559","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what supported accommodation is currently available for 16 to 18 year olds who are not entitled to jobseekers allowance but who are living independently, broken down by l","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what supported accommodation is currently available for 16 to 18 year olds who are not entitled to jobseekers allowance but who are living independently, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he disagreed with the view of the Scottish Executive that Scottish Water’s 2006-10 delivery plan did not providea clear and convincing basis upon which Scottish Water would, as a minimum,achieve in full the Executive’s objectives for Scottish Water in the period,including those in relation to development constraints, within the limits setby the Water Industry Commission for Scotland’s determination of charges for2006-10.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196215,"EventID":"S2W-23560","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what weekly payment is made to 16 to18 year olds who are living independently, are not in full time education and not entitled to job-seekers allowance, broken down by lo","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what weekly payment is made to 16 to18 year olds who are living independently, are not in full time education and not entitled to job-seekers allowance, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The Executive considered ingeneral that Scottish Water’s delivery plan for 2006-10 was too provisional innature and identified potential obstacles to Scottish Water being able toachieve the Executive’s objectives for it without identifying how suchobstacles might be overcome. It considered in particular that the planenvisaged a significant delay in taking forward a number of important strategicissues, including the alleviation of development constraints, that it did notprovide for Scottish Water to out-perform the Water Industry Commission’sdetermination of water charges, and that it lacked a clear means by which the Executive could measure Scottish Water’s progress towards achievement of theobjectives.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196216,"EventID":"S2W-23561","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnancies there were amongst (a) 12, (b) 13, (c) 14, (d) 15 and (c) 16 year olds in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnancies there were amongst (a) 12, (b) 13, (c) 14, (d) 15 and (c) 16 year olds in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.","AnswerText":"Copies of ProfessorAlexander’s letters of appointment as Chair of Scottish Water can be viewed onthe Scottish Executive website at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196217,"EventID":"S2W-23562","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 18 remained with foster carers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 18 remained with foster carers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The position in respect of the ex-gratia payment made to Professor Alexander was set out in theExecutive’s answer to question S2W-23460 on 8 March 2006.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196218,"EventID":"S2W-23563","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1756,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-21T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 18 were living independently having left foster care in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 18 were living independently having left foster care in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.","AnswerText":"The search consultantsOdgers are acting on behalf of the Scottish Executive to identify potentialcandidates for appointment as interim Chair of Scottish Water.The Executive first madecontact with Odgers in respect of this matter on 2 February 2006 as aprecautionary measure when it had become clear to the Executive that there wereproblems with Scottish Water’s delivery plan that might lead to the departureof Professor Alan Alexander as Chair of Scottish Water. On the same date itapproached the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotlandabout the possibility of an interim chair being appointed in line with herguidance on public appointments, but without the appointment being subject toan open competition. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196219,"EventID":"S2W-23564","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its recruitment personnel have taken any action to recruit a Chair of Scottish Water and, if so, on what date such employees were first instructed to take action.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether its recruitment personnel have taken any action to recruit a Chair of Scottish Water and, if so, on what date such employees were first instructed to take action.","AnswerText":"Officials of the ScottishExecutive are working with the search consultants Odgers to identify potentialcandidates for appointment as interim Chair of Scottish Water. They were askedto commence this work on 2 February 2006, when it had become clear to the Executive thatthere were problems with Scottish Water’s delivery plan that might lead to thedeparture of Professor Alan Alexander as Chair of Scottish Water.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196220,"EventID":"S2W-23565","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it to be the responsibility of the Drinking Quality Regulator to approve the business plan of Scottish Water and, if so, on what date this requiremen","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it to be the responsibility of the Drinking Quality Regulator to approve the business plan of Scottish Water and, if so, on what date this requirement was made clear to the Drinking Quality Regulator.","AnswerText":"When Professor AlanAlexander was re-appointed to the Chair of Scottish Water on 1 April 2005 he wasrequired, within eight weeks of Scottish Water having decided to accept theWater Industry Commission for Scotland’s determination of charges for 2006-10, to submit tothe Executive for its approval a delivery plan for 2006-10. Before the plan wassubmitted to the Executive Scottish Water was to ensure that its regulators (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water Quality Regulatorand the Water Industry Commission for Scotland) agreed that the planconstituted a reasonable basis for delivering the Executive’s objectives forScottish Water in the period and that it contained milestones or other interimtargets by which progress towards achievement could be measured.This requirement was set outin the letter of 1 April 2005 to Professor Alexander from the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development that accompanied Professor Alexander’s letter ofre-appointment. The letter was copied to the each of the regulators, includingthe Drinking Water Quality Regulator. Copies of the letter can be viewedon the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196221,"EventID":"S2W-23566","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it to be the responsibility of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to approve the business plan of Scottish Water and, if so, on what date thi","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it to be the responsibility of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to approve the business plan of Scottish Water and, if so, on what date this requirement was made clear to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.","AnswerText":"When Professor AlanAlexander was re-appointed to the Chair of Scottish Water on 1 April 2005 he wasrequired, within eight weeks of Scottish Water having decided to accept theWater Industry Commission for Scotland’s determination of charges for 2006-10, to submit tothe Executive for its approval a delivery plan for 2006-10. Before the plan wassubmitted to the Executive, Scottish Water was to ensure that its regulators(the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water QualityRegulator and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland) agreed that the planconstituted a reasonable basis for delivering the Executive’s objectives forScottish Water in the period and that it contained milestones or other interimtargets by which progress towards achievement could be measured.This requirement was set outin the letter of 1 April 2005 to Professor Alexander from the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development that accompanied Professor Alexander’s letter ofre-appointment. The letter was copied to the each of the regulators, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Copies of the letter can be viewed onthe Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196222,"EventID":"S2W-23567","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it to be the responsibility of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland to approve the business plan of Scottish Water and, if so, on which date th","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it to be the responsibility of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland to approve the business plan of Scottish Water and, if so, on which date this requirement was made clear to the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.","AnswerText":"When Professor AlanAlexander was re-appointed to the Chair of Scottish Water on 1 April 2005 he wasrequired, within eight weeks of Scottish Water having decided to accept theWater Industry Commission for Scotland’s determination of charges for 2006-10, to submit tothe Executive for its approval a delivery plan for 2006-10. Before the plan wassubmitted to the Executive Scottish Water was to ensure that its regulators(the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water QualityRegulator and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland) agreed that the planconstituted a reasonable basis for delivering the Executive’s objectives forScottish Water in the period and that it contained milestones or other interimtargets by which progress towards achievement could be measured.This requirement was set outin the letter of 1 April 2005 to Professor Alexander from the Deputy Minister forEnvironment and Rural Development that accompanied Professor Alexander’s letterof re-appointment. The letter was copied to the each of the regulators,including the Water Industry Commission for Scotland. Copies of the lettercan be viewed on the Scottish Executive web site at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196223,"EventID":"S2W-23568","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has approved a contract or an operating basis for Scottish Water Solutions.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has approved a contract or an operating basis for Scottish Water Solutions.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executiveapproved the arrangements underpinning the creation and operation of Scottish WaterSolutions Ltd for the delivery of Quality and Standards 2 in July 2003. the Executive is currently considering Scottish Water’s capital deliveryproposals for the delivery of Quality and Standard 3 but to date no decisionhas been taken.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196224,"EventID":"S2W-23569","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2098,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":39,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are required to approve a contract or an operating basis for Scottish Water Solutions.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are required to approve a contract or an operating basis for Scottish Water Solutions.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Water(Delegated Limits etc) Directions 2003 sets out the financial limits delegatedto the Board of Scottish Water. The Scottish Water
(Delegated Limits etc) Directions 2003 are published on the Scottish Executivewebsite.The creation of an entitysuch as Scottish Water Solutions would fall outside the Scottish Water’s delegatedlimits. Scottish Water would therefore have to seek the approval of ministersthrough the submission of a robust business case. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Rhona Brankin","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196225,"EventID":"S2W-23570","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, following the publication of Scottish Health Statistics – Acute Hospital Care on 23 February 2006, what the baseline figure is in respect of 89.9% of out-patients being ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, following the publication of Scottish Health Statistics – Acute Hospital Care on 23 February 2006, what the baseline figure is in respect of 89.9% of out-patients being seen within 26 weeks in the quarter ending as at December 2005.","AnswerText":"The figure quoted was calculatedfrom SMR00 (out-patient return) data records provided by all NHS boards in respectof patients who attended for new out-patient appointments at NHS clinics taken orled by consultants in acute specialties between 1 October 2005 and 31 December 2005.These returns allow calculation of the waiting time experienced by these patients.It is calculated as the time elapsed between the date each patient’s referral letterfrom a general medical or dental practitioner was received at the hospital and thedate of their out-patient appointment. The records of patients who have an AvailabilityStatus Codes (ASC) are not included in the calculation. ASCs record circumstances where theout-patient waiting time target does not apply (because, for example, the patientasks to delay an appointment, fails to attend and is offered another appointment,or refuses a reasonable offer of an appointment). At the time of the publicationfor the quarter in question, Boards had submitted 190,632SMR00 returns for new out-patient attendances in acute specialties where the patientdid not have an ASC. Of these 171,294 (or 89.9%) recorded a wait of 26 weeks orless.AdditionalSMR00 records relating to the quarter ended 31 December submitted by boards afterthe closure of the file for the publication of statistics on 23 February 2006 willbe included in future routine analyses and updates of the website. The figures publishedon 23 February are therefore provisional (as the web pages make clear). TheSMR00 returns for the quarter ended 31 December 2005 do not record the number of patients who, on that date, were waiting morethan 26 weeks for a new out-patient appointment. A separate census of patients waitingat the quarter end date is taken and published. This is referred to as theout-patient waiting list (OPWL) census. The OPWL census allows calculation of waitingtimes from receipt of referral letter at the hospital to the census date. The OPWLcensus for 31 December 2005 showed that, of patients who were waiting at that dateand who were covered by the out-patient waiting times target (that is, patientswho did not have ASCs), two were waiting more than 26 weeks. These cases were theresult of administrative errors. They were seen at out-patient clinics as soon asthe errors were discovered. The NHS in Scotland and InformationServices Division of NHS National Services Scotland (ISD Scotland) have checkingsystems in place to try to eliminate recording errors from waiting times data. Howeverit is possible that a small proportion of data recording errors are made and includedin the statistics, including errors relating to the calculation of waiting times. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196226,"EventID":"S2W-23571","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many out-patients were treated within 26 weeks from GP referral in each quarter in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many out-patients were treated within 26 weeks from GP referral in each quarter in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of out-patients.","AnswerText":"Centrally held informationcan provide details of general medical and dental practitioner (GP) referrals toconsultant outpatient clinics and the time elapsed to the first out-patient appointment.The following table details the number and percentageof appointments within 26 weeks of referral* by a GP, for each quarter up to andincluding December 2005. The information excludes patients who have an Availability Status Codes (ASC).ASCs record circumstanceswhere the outpatient waiting time target does not apply (because, for example, thepatient asks to delay an appointment, fails to attend and is offered another appointment,or refuses a reasonable offer of an appointment). | Quarter Ending | No. Seen Within 26 Weeks | % Seen Within 26 Weeks | Total Waiting Times Cases Seen | | June 2000 | 218,970 | 93.7 | 233,620 | | September 2000 | 212,519 | 93.9 | 226,291 | | December 2000 | 220,457 | 92.5 | 238,416 | | March 2001 | 219,358 | 91.4 | 240,119 | | June 2001 | 213,416 | 90.8 | 235,043 | | September 2001 | 208,770 | 90.8 | 229,864 | | December 2001 | 213,837 | 89.4 | 239,194 | | March 2002 | 210,009 | 88.2 | 238,034 | | June 2002 | 207,336 | 87.9 | 235,780 | | September 2002 | 205,093 | 87.9 | 233,435 | | December 2002 | 207,141 | 86.3 | 240,159 | | March 2003 | 205,956 | Atthe time of the publication for the period in question, hospitals had submitted55,072 SMR01 discharge records, of which 49,850 (90.5%) had recorded a wait of six months or less for admission. Additional records received later will be includedin future routine analyses and updates of the website. The figures for the quarterended 31 December 2005 are therefore provisional, as the web pages make clear. Theinformation includes patients with an Availability Status Codes (ASC) – whichrecords circumstances where the waiting time guarantee does not apply (for example,where the patient had asked to postpone their admission at some point after theywere added to the waiting list, where at some point they were medically unfit fora planned procedure, or where they had failed to attend for their treatment). Therecorded waiting times of patients with an ASC are therefore likely to overstatethe period of time for which they were waiting and available for treatment. Patientswith an ASC are excluded from the Executive’s in-patient and day case waiting timeguarantee. The recording of ASCs on the SMR01 database is not mandatory and consistencyof recording will vary across NHSScotland. ASCs cannot, therefore, be excluded fromanalyses of in-patient/day case waiting times. The SMR01 returns for the quarterended 31 December 2005 do not record the number of patients who, on that date,were waiting more than six months for admission. A separate census of patients waitingat the quarter end date is taken and published. This is referred to as thein-patient/day case waiting list census and the relevant dataset is referred toas SMR3. SMR3 returns calculate waiting times from the date the patient was addedto the waiting list to the census date. The SMR3 census for 31 December 2005 showedthat, of patients who were still waiting at that date and who were covered by thein-patient and day case waiting times guarantee (that is, patients who did not haveASCs), two Were waiting more than six months. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196228,"EventID":"S2W-23573","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many in-patients were treated within six months from GP referral in each quarter in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many in-patients were treated within six months from GP referral in each quarter in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of in-patients.\r\n","AnswerText":"The specific information requestedis not readily available from central statistical returns. It is not currently possibleto calculate the length of time that in-patients/day cases waited between GP referraland admission to hospital. However, information is available on the length of timethat in-patients/day cases waited between the date they were placed on the waitinglist and their date of admission.Table1 shows the number and percentage of in-patients/day cases admitted within six months,from date placed on the waiting list to date of admission, for the last five financialyears, broken down by quarter of discharge. The total number of in-patient/day casedischarges in the period is also shown. All figures refer only to in-patients/daycases routinely admitted from home from the waiting list. Thefigures in the table include patients with an Availability Status Codes (ASC)– which records circumstances where the waiting time guarantee does not apply (forexample, where the patient is medically unfit for a planned procedure). The recordingof ASCs on the source database is not mandatory and consistency of recording willvary across NHSScotland. ASCs cannot, therefore, be excluded from analyses ofin-patient/day case waiting times. Table1: Number and Percentage of In-Patients and Day Cases Admitted within Six Months- Quarters Ending 30 June 2000 to 31 December 2005 | Discharged During Quarter Ended: | Total Number of In-Patient and Day Case Discharges | In-Patients and Day Cases Admitted within 6 Months | | Number of In-Patient and Day Case Discharges | Percentage of Total In-Patient and Day Case Discharges | | Jun 2000 | 117,046 | 106,394 | 90.9 | | Sep 2000 | 115,093 | 103,682 | 90.1 | | Dec 2000 | 117,107 | 105,350 | 90.0 | | Mar 2001 | 117,293 | 105,753 | 90.2 | | Jun 2001 | 108,406 | 97,475 | 89.9 | | Sep 2001 | 106,876 | 95,261 | 89.1 | | Dec 2001 | 108,865 | 97,401 | 89.5 | | Mar 2002 | 111,934 | 99,838 | 89.2 | | Jun 2002 | 101,561 | 90,893 | 89.5 | | Sep 2002 | 100,536 | 89,294 | 88.8 | | Dec 2002 | 102,379 | Fair to All , Personal toeach, published in December 2004, setout our plans to reduce this national maximum waiting time to 18 weeks by 31 December 2007. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196230,"EventID":"S2W-23575","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the data it uses for measuring its waiting time targets include patients who are currently waiting.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the data it uses for measuring its waiting time targets include patients who are currently waiting.","AnswerText":"Yes. The key datasets usedto measure performance against waiting times targets are the inpatient and daycase and outpatient waiting list censuses, which show the numbers of patientscurrently waiting – and how long they have been waiting – on the census dates.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196231,"EventID":"S2W-23576","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1845,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, following the publication of Scottish Health Statistics – Acute Hospital Care on 23 February 2006, what method it uses for recording the number of in-patient and day cas","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, following the publication of Scottish Health Statistics – Acute Hospital Care on 23 February 2006, what method it uses for recording the number of in-patient and day cases with a national waiting times guarantee.","AnswerText":"The number of in-patients andday cases with a guarantee is currently measured by a quarterly in-patient/day caseWaiting List Census (SMR3). The census records each patient waiting and how longthey have been waiting on the last day of March, June, September and December andwhether they have an Availability Status Code (ASC). Patients without an ASC havea guaranteed maximum wait, but patients referred to obstetric, psychiatric and longstay sectors are specifically excluded. The census information is reported by eachunified NHS board to ISD and the figures are reported on ISD’s website approximatelyseven weeks after the date of the census.AvailabilityStatus Codes can be applied in the following circumstances: ASC A: for patients with medical constraints that prevent admission for treatment ASC 2: where the patient has asked to defer admission for personal reasons or refusedan offer of admission or an out-patient appointment has been rescheduled for his/herconvenience ASC 3: in individual cases where, after discussion with the patient, the treatmenthas been judged of low medical priority ASC 4: for highly specialised treatments identified at time of placing the patienton a waiting list ASC 8: for patients who did not attend (DNAs) ASC 9: in the circumstances of exceptional strain on the NHS such as a major disaster,major epidemic or outbreak of infection, or service disruption by industrial action. Currently some 88per cent of patients with an ASC have codes A, 2 and 8 and these situations arepatient driven rather than NHS driven. I announced in December 2004 that ASCs willbe abolished by 31 December 2007 and be replaced by a fairer and more transparentsystem. From 31 December 2007, patients will be treated within 18 weeks of beingplaced on the waiting list. Any periods of unavailability for treatment for medical,social or personal will be deducted from patients’ calculated waiting time. Patientswho fail to attend or who refuse a reasonable offer of treatment may be referredback to the care of their GP. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-09T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196232,"EventID":"S2W-23577","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7004 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 March 2004, what the take-up rate of the MMR triple vaccine at 24 months was in (a) each year from 1","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7004 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 March 2004, what the take-up rate of the MMR triple vaccine at 24 months was in (a) each year from 1990 to 2000, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005, broken down by NHS board.","AnswerText":"The information requested is not available centrally for all years.Uptake rates for 1990-94 cannot be produced as universal MMR immunisation was not fully implemented at this time. Figures for 2005 are not yet available. They will be published on 13 March 2006. The following table shows the annual MMR uptake rates by NHS board, for the years 1995-2000 and 2004. Annual MMR Uptake Rates at 24 Months 1 , by NHS Board – Year Ending 31 December | NHS Board | Year of Vaccination | | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2004 | | Argyll and Clyde | 95.5 | 95.2 | 95.2 | 92.2 | 92.6 | 92.7 | 87.9 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 92.8 | 93.8 | 93.9 | 92.2 | 93.4 | 93.7 | 87.9 | | Borders | 91.2 | 95.9 | 94.9 | 91.2 | 92.0 | 93.2 | 90.4 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 92.4 | 94.5 | 92.0 | 88.9 | 92.9 | 96.1 | 93.3 | | Fife | 95.7 | 94.8 | 95.2 | 92.9 | 92.7 | 92.7 | 88.7 | | Forth Valley | 94.8 | 96.1 | 95.9 | 94.2 | 93.9 | 95.2 | 90.5 | | Grampian | 94.2 | 94.1 | 94.1 | 93.1 | 92.4 | 93.8 | 88.0 | | Greater Glasgow | 93.4 | 94.1 | 93.9 | 92.5 | 93.0 | 92.7 | 87.1 | | Highland | 89.8 | 91.2 | 89.3 | 88.3 | 88.0 | 86.2 | 81.8 | | Lanarkshire | 94.6 | 95.2 | 95.3 | 91.8 | 92.4 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196233,"EventID":"S2W-23578","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive who set up the inquiry in 1965, popularly known as the Thurso Boy Inquiry, and what its terms of reference were.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive who set up the inquiry in 1965, popularly known as the Thurso Boy Inquiry, and what its terms of reference were.","AnswerText":"The tribunal was appointed bythe Secretary of State for Scotland on 18 February 1959 under the Tribunals of Inquiry(Evidence) Act 1921. Its remit was to inquire into the allegation of assault onJohn Waters by members of Caithness police on 7 December 1957.The report of the tribunal, chaired by Lord Sorn, was presented to the WestminsterParliament in April 1959 under Cmnd 718.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196234,"EventID":"S2W-23580","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether any possible court action or actions for recovery of sums due from contractors or others in respect of the Holyrood Project have become extingu","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether any possible court action or actions for recovery of sums due from contractors or others in respect of the Holyrood Project have become extinguished through the operation of prescription. ","AnswerText":"The Corporate Body continuesto take advice on relevant matters concerning closure of the Holyrood Project andis alive to consideration of such matters as prescription.","AnswerDate":"2006-05-04T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Reid","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196235,"EventID":"S2W-23581","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":8,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether, in any decision on whether to initiate court action against the construction managers arising from breaches of contract or delictual obligatio","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether, in any decision on whether to initiate court action against the construction managers arising from breaches of contract or delictual obligations in relation to the Holyrood Project, any individual who played a part in the selection of Bovis as construction manager will be involved in the making of such a decision or in the decision-making process and what the role of the Post-Completion Advisory Group is in relation to any legal claims, given that Dr John Gibbons is a member of the group.","AnswerText":"Decisions as regards the initiationor otherwise of court action are for the Corporate Body. The Post-Completion AdvisoryGroup is not part of that decision-making process.","AnswerDate":"2006-05-04T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"George Reid","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196236,"EventID":"S2W-23582","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1850,"Party":"Scottish Liberal Democrats","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":54,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16109 by Ross Finnie on 21 April 2005, what progress has been made on the review of low-level radioactive waste management policy.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16109 by Ross Finnie on 21 April 2005, what progress has been made on the review of low-level radioactive waste management policy.","AnswerText":"I previously advised that the initial stages of the review would be overseen by a steering group drawn from the Government’s Radioactive Waste Policy Group (RWPG). I said that the steering group would be organising two national stakeholder workshops during 2005 to support consideration of the issues and possible solutions, and that this would contribute to the preparation and issue of a consultation by the Executive, in conjunction with UK government and the administrations of Wales and Northern Ireland, on the revised policy proposals. This work has been completed and has resulted in the publication today of the consultation document A Public Consultation on Policy for the Long-Term Management of Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste in the United Kingdom, copies of which have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38918). This consultation is being sponsored jointly by the Scottish Executive, the UK government, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment. Responses to the consultation are due by 31 May 2006. The LLW management policy review is being carried out for three main reasons: the national LLW disposal facility, near to Drigg in Cumbria, does not have sufficient capacity to meet future forecasts of LLW arisings. Indeed, I understand that the Environment Agency’s on-going review of the site’s disposal authorisation has served to call into question its previously estimated capacity; the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) must have the necessary disposal routes available if it is to progress its decommissioning and clean-up programme of the UK’s older, publicly-owned civil nuclear sites. It is also questionable whether the large amounts of lightly contaminated rubble and soil that will arise from such decommissioning and clean-up should be dug up and transported over large distances, merely to deposit it again at the LLW disposal facility close to Drigg, which is a limited and relatively expensive national resource, and finding small scale treatment and disposal routes (in particular incineration and landfill) for the least radioactive LLW, which are particularly important for non-nuclear users of radioactive waste, such as hospitals, research and educational establishments is proving increasingly difficult. The policy proposals on which views are being sought include: whether we should allow greater flexibility in the way LLW is managed. Government proposes that it should not all be sent to the LLW disposal site near to Drigg in Cumbria. This would particularly apply to the large amounts of very low activity LLW that will arise from decommissioning and clean-up activities that could be disposed in various ways, at the site of arising if this is the best practicable option. But this flexibility must also maintain the necessary level of safety through the use of a risk-informed approach, and the preparation of plans and safety cases that are acceptable to the regulatory bodies; coupled with this more flexible approach to disposal, could we effectively place greater emphasis on minimisation of arisings through use of the waste management hierarchy advocated for other forms of non-radioactive waste management; whether the NDA should be placed in the lead for providing disposal facilities for all nuclear LLW, and also whether it should make its disposal facilities available for non-nuclear LLW producers where this practicable, subject to appropriate commercial arrangements. It is also proposed that the NDA would be placed in the lead for securing any replacement to the LLW disposal facility close to Drigg, and whether local communities should take greater responsibility, through appropriate use of planning strategies, for dealing with non-nuclear LLW arising from non-nuclear producers – e.g. hospitals and research a","AnswerDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196237,"EventID":"S2W-23583","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it commissioned Future Skills Scotland to analyse the supply and demand for people with different levels of science qualifications and when and where the ful","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it commissioned Future Skills Scotland to analyse the supply and demand for people with different levels of science qualifications and when and where the full results of the analysis were published.","AnswerText":"My officials asked FutureskillsScotland to investigate the supply and demand for scientists, engineers and mathematiciansin Scotland as part of its 2005-07 workplan. A project steering groupincluding representatives from the Scottish Executive, FutureSkills Scotland andthe Scottish Funding Council, is now directing the work. FSS expect to have theresults ready to pass to us by summer 2006. Further information is published in A Science Strategy for Scotland 2001:Progress Report, published February 2006, a copy of which is availableon the web at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/science/16607/5910. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196238,"EventID":"S2W-23584","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since 2001 in ensuring that all higher education science courses provide opportunities to acquire business skills and work experience.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since 2001 in ensuring that all higher education science courses provide opportunities to acquire business skills and work experience.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Funding Council are committed to promoting entrepreneurial education andencouraging higher education institutions to provide opportunities for studentsto obtain work experience and business skills However, institutions are autonomousbodies and are individually responsible for the content and nature of the coursesthey offer.The Scottish Institute for Enterprise(SIE), core funded by the Scottish Funding Council, has led on developing enterprisecourses in Scotland’s universities since 1999. In recent years its has greatlyexpanded the range of courses and increased the number of students who can benefitfrom them, to cover all Scotland’s universities. These courses help students and researchersto develop management and business skills such as team-building, problem-solving,presentation skills and teamwork. The institute is currently working with the UKScience Enterprise Centres and the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurshipto develop an Enterprise Educators training and Masterclass programme. The SIE hasassisted in the drive for all higher education institutions to establish their owncommercialisation offices, with links to the national SIE network of support. Furtherdetails can be found in A Science Strategy for Scotland 2001:ProgressReport, published 20 February 2006 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/science/16607/5910. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196239,"EventID":"S2W-23585","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since 2001 in establishing courses in science communication and how many students have enrolled on such courses in each year since 2001.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since 2001 in establishing courses in science communication and how many students have enrolled on such courses in each year since 2001.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive is committedto promoting science communication education. Whilst institutions are individuallyresponsible for the content and nature of courses on offer, there is evidence thatprogress is being made by a range of differenttraining providers, developing a number of options, including modules provided withinscience degrees; degrees focusing on science communication, and other communicationopportunities provided by bodies actively involved in complementary science education,including the Science Centres. The Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and theEdinburgh International Science Festival provide training opportunities which includemodules within degrees and hands-on training placements. Information on the numbersof students enrolled on such courses is not held centrally. Further details canbe found in A Science Strategy for Scotland 2001:Progress Report,published February 2006, a copy of which is available on the web at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/science/16607/5910.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196240,"EventID":"S2W-23586","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of unbiased information about education and career opportunities in science have been developed or established since 2001.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of unbiased information about education and career opportunities in science have been developed or established since 2001.","AnswerText":"Careers Scotland supportsthe career planning needs of individuals across Scotland. Professional Careers Advisersoffer impartial guidance and support to young people and are trained to recognisethe diversity of opportunities and to challenge stereotyping.Careers Scotland’s “CareerBox” careers education tool was launched in 2004 and provides access to materialswhich develop research skills whereby young people can use ICT careers informationrelating to science opportunities. This information is detailed enough to give directguidance to young people in science and engineering. The resource is flexible, interactiveand supported by video clips and case studies which highlight role models who havechosen a STEM related career pathway. In addition, the Careers Scotland websitehas a section containing useful information on STEM related industries. Education and careers opportunitiesin science have been promoted through a range of public science initiatives, furtherdetails of which are in published in A Science Strategy for Scotland, 2001: Progress Report, availableat: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/science/16607/5910. The report highlights the “SmallGrants for Science” scheme launched by the Scottish Executive in 2003 to supportthe transition from primary to secondary school science, and the Careers ScotlandScience and Technology Matters initiative, announced in November 2005. “ScienceMatters” supports hands on STEM activity for pupils to engage with science, withthe twin aims of encouraging more young people into these subject areas, and improvingrates of progression into science careers. There are also a number of national projectsdelivered in partnership with industry including the Careers Scotland Space School for S4–S5 pupils, launched in 2002. The Scottish Science CentresNetwork Strategy, published in December 2005, commits the science centres to strengtheningtheir existing links with key organisations to demonstrate more fully the linksbetween science and employment, complementing the work of Careers Scotland and othersin this field. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196241,"EventID":"S2W-23587","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22025 by Tavish Scott on 10 February 2006, how it will expedite the delivery of the new car park at Croy railway station.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22025 by Tavish Scott on 10 February 2006, how it will expedite the delivery of the new car park at Croy railway station.","AnswerText":"Strathclyde Passenger TransportAuthority is working with First ScotRail to deliver the car park extension at Croyrailway station. I have made clear that I expect the project to be completed bythe end of March 2007, since there is no budgetary provision beyond then. Robustreporting arrangements are being put in place as part of the conditions of grantfor financial year 2006-07 and Transport Scotland will offer to provide support to facilitate delivery.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-07T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Tavish Scott","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196242,"EventID":"S2W-23588","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22531 by Patricia Ferguson on 3 February 2006, why it now does not rule out a bid for a Scottish city to host the Olympics in futur","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22531 by Patricia Ferguson on 3 February 2006, why it now does not rule out a bid for a Scottish city to host the Olympics in future when it has previously stated that no Scottish city was in a position to do so and that the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games “could feasibly only be staged in London” if they were to take place in the United Kingdom.","AnswerText":"As I said in response to S2W-17566,answered on 18 July 2005, it was presently only feasible for a UK Olympic Games to be held in London. As Scotland’s sports facilities and infrastructure continue to improve that position will change. As I said in response to S2W-22531 on 3 February 2006, the Scottish Executive currently has no plans to support a Glasgow Olympic bid but would not rule out such a bid in the future. At present efforts are focused on bringing the Commonwealth Games to Scotland in 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196243,"EventID":"S2W-23589","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22531 by Patricia Ferguson on 3 February 2006, how this indicates whether it shares the view of the International Olympic Committee","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22531 by Patricia Ferguson on 3 February 2006, how this indicates whether it shares the view of the International Olympic Committee that being a “world city” is a prerequisite for hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.","AnswerText":"The Executive agrees that it is necessary for cities wishing to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games to meet certain requirements. It also agrees that this is for the International Olympic Committee to consider. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196244,"EventID":"S2W-23590","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22531 by Patricia Ferguson on 3 February 2006, whether this answer indicates that it considers Glasgow and Edinburgh to be “world c","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22531 by Patricia Ferguson on 3 February 2006, whether this answer indicates that it considers Glasgow and Edinburgh to be “world cities”.","AnswerText":"As I stated in my previous answer, the Scottish Executive is aware that several of our major cities, of which Glasgow and Edinburgh are two, have world class facilities. As I stated in my response to S2W-22466 on 31 January 2006, the IOC have given no definition for the term “world city”. Therefore it is impossible to say whether Edinburgh or Glasgow are “world cities”. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Patricia Ferguson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196245,"EventID":"S2W-23591","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22728 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 February 2006, whether this answer indicates that the Scottish Prison Service is unable to determine t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22728 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 February 2006, whether this answer indicates that the Scottish Prison Service is unable to determine the amount of taxpayers’ money saved by placing prisoners in open prisons rather than regular prisons.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The SPS considers, for the reasonsset out in the answer to question S2W-22728, on 8 February 2006, that it is selfevident that costs in open prisons are lower than those in closed establishments. Reasons for these differencesinclude the lower standards of security required including lower levels of staffsupervision. Greater access to the community by prisoners also requires less duplicationof facilities and services which in the case of open establishments, can be accessedin the community. We could determine the exact difference in cost but to do so wouldbe at disproportionate cost and would represent poor value for money. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-26T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196246,"EventID":"S2W-23592","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many emergency admissions there have been to hospitals in each year since 2000, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many emergency admissions there have been to hospitals in each year since 2000, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.","AnswerText":"Table 1aEmergency In-Patient Discharges from Acute (Non-Obstetric, Non-Psychiatric) Hospitals; Year Ending 31 March 2001 to 2005 | NHS Board of Treatment | Year Ending 31 March | | | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Scotland | 472,504 | 481,655 | 476,536 | 477,145 | 475,614 | | Argyll and Clyde | 39,389 | 38,418 | 40,038 | 39,587 | 39,945 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 32,472 | 34,252 | 34,885 | 36,577 | 36,864 | | Borders | 10,326 | 11,093 | 10,931 | 10,945 | 11,748 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 13,204 | 13,242 | 12,750 | 12,015 | 10,360 | | Fife | 23,730 | 24,915 | 24,650 | 24,923 | 24,876 | | Forth Valley | 23,805 | 23,851 | 23,109 | 24,220 | 24,831 | | Grampian | 45,693 | 46,174 | 46,240 | 47,462 | 45,978 | | Greater Glasgow | 100,210 | 99,779 | 97,106 | 94,732 | 94,832 | | Highland | 20,420 | 20,982 | 21,196 | 22,032 | 21,791 | | Lanarkshire | 46,434 | 52,587 | 55,106 | 53,724 | 52,661 | | Lothian | 69,421 | 67,786 | 63,681 | 62,694 | 65,058 | | Orkney Islands | 1,206 | 1,386 | 1,494 | 1,659 | 1,644 | | Shetland Islands | 1,808 | 1,973 | 1,739 | 1,668 | 1,722 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196247,"EventID":"S2W-23593","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many elective surgical cancellations there have been in hospitals in each year since 2000, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many elective surgical cancellations there have been in hospitals in each year since 2000, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.","AnswerText":"Information on the number of cancellations, prior to in-patient and day case admission in selected surgical specialties by health board area and hospital for the years ending 31 March 2000-05 is shown in table 1.Table 1: Cancellation of Planned Admissions for In-Patient or Day Case Treatment; By Health Board Area and NHS Hospital for Surgical Specialties1:Years ending 31 March 2000-05 | | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | | Scotland | 11 920 | 13 752 | 14 016 | 14 974 | 13 478 | 13 062 | | Argyll and Clyde | 760 | 1 199 | 1 000 | 1 385 | 844 | 760 | | Inverclyde Royal Hospital | 126 | 156 | 139 | 251 | 312 | 317 | | Lorn and Islands District Gen Hospital | - | 4 | - | 4 | - | 15 | | Royal Alexandra Hospital | 476 | 834 | 739 | 932 | 438 | 344 | | Vale of Leven District General Hospital | 156 | 203 | 117 | 198 | 94 | 82 | | Victoria Hospital | 2 | 2 | 5 | - | - | 2 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 439 | 358 | 311 | 252 | 230 | 479 | | Ayr Hospital | 187 | 204 | 103 | 55 | 18 | 127 | | Ayrshire Central Hospital | - | - | 7 | 3 | 1 | - | | Crosshouse Hospital | 252 | 154 | 201 | 194 | 211 | 352 | | Borders | | The majority of temporaryclosures to new admissions occur when a hospital is under particularly severepressure, for example due to a substantial increase in emergency admissionsduring the winter months. Such closures are invariably of very short duration,and when they occur, arrangements are put in place to ensure that urgent casesare diverted to another hospital and that elective admissions which have to becancelled are re-scheduled as soon as possible. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196249,"EventID":"S2W-23595","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the current Lord Advocate’s (a) membership of any political party, (b) financial contributions to any political party and (c) attendanc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the current Lord Advocate’s (a) membership of any political party, (b) financial contributions to any political party and (c) attendance at meetings of any political party since May 1997.","AnswerText":"I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196250,"EventID":"S2W-23596","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the current Solicitor General’s (a) membership of any political party, (b) financial contributions to any political party and (c) atten","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the current Solicitor General’s (a) membership of any political party, (b) financial contributions to any political party and (c) attendance at meetings of any political party since May 1997.","AnswerText":"I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196251,"EventID":"S2W-23597","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Cabinet meetings have taken place since May 1999; how many of these the current Lord Advocate has attended (a) for the duration of the meeting or (b) for part of","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Cabinet meetings have taken place since May 1999; how many of these the current Lord Advocate has attended (a) for the duration of the meeting or (b) for part of the meeting either in his capacity as Solicitor General or Lord Advocate, and how many times he has spoken at Cabinet on (i) specifically legal matters and (ii) political matters.","AnswerText":"The dates when the Scottish Cabinethas met since 1999 are available under the Cabinet-related information providedon the Scottish Executive website.The Lord Advocate is not a memberof the Scottish Cabinet but usually attends Cabinet each week to provide legal advicewhere it is sought. Information relating to the proceedingsof the Scottish Cabinet is considered exempt from disclosure under sections 29 (a)and (b) and 30(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196252,"EventID":"S2W-23598","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Cabinet meetings the current Solicitor General has attended (a) for the duration of the meeting or (b) for part of the meeting; and how many times she has spoken","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many Cabinet meetings the current Solicitor General has attended (a) for the duration of the meeting or (b) for part of the meeting; and how many times she has spoken at Cabinet on (i) specifically legal matters and (ii) political matters.","AnswerText":"The Solicitor General will attendCabinet when the Lord Advocate is not able to do so.Information relating to the proceedingsof the Scottish Cabinet is considered exempt from disclosure under Sections 29 (a)and (b) and 30(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196253,"EventID":"S2W-23599","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines exist for guaranteeing the independence of the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General from political interference in their judicial decisions and whether","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines exist for guaranteeing the independence of the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General from political interference in their judicial decisions and whether these will be published.","AnswerText":"The independence of the Lord Advocate is enshrined in section 48 of the Scotland Act 1998. This independence is fundamental to the role of the Lord Advocate as head of the system of criminal prosecution in the public interest. It is a cornerstone of any democracy that those who make prosecution decisions do so independently of any other person and, as the Lord Advocate’s deputy, the Solicitor General for Scotland requires to exercise the same independence. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196254,"EventID":"S2W-23600","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all public inquiries which have been commissioned since 1960 in Scotland relating to matters of a criminal nature, giving the dates, terms of referen","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all public inquiries which have been commissioned since 1960 in Scotland relating to matters of a criminal nature, giving the dates, terms of reference, use of judges and others from other jurisdictions outwith Scotland and indicating whether the decision of the Lord Advocate to prosecute or not to prosecute has been included within the scope of the inquiry, who commissioned each inquiry, when it reported and what action was taken to implement its recommendations.","AnswerText":"There is no central record of public inquiries so far as we are aware. There has been no public inquiry which has looked at the decision of the Lord Advocate whether or not to prosecute. In 1959, a tribunal was established under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921, following a motion before the House of Commons that a Select Committee should inquire into the case of John Waters. The Waters Inquiry relied on the established principle that the prosecutor’s decision as to whether or not to bring a criminal prosecution is for the prosecuting authorities to decide on the merits of the case without political or other pressure. Founding on that principle the Waters Inquiry did not consider the decision of the Lord Advocate not to prosecute. As far as I am aware there has been no public inquiry since then which has deviated from this principle. The following are examples of public inquiries which have, inter alia, included consideration of matters potentially of a criminal nature. Orkney Inquiry 1991 On 20 June 1991 Ian Lang, Secretary of State for Scotland appointed Lord Clyde to conduct an Inquiry into the removal of nine children from South Ronaldsay, Orkney to a place of safety on 27 February 1991. This inquiry considered the actings of Orkney Islands Council, in particular the Social Work Department and the Reporter to the Children’s Panel for that area, of the Northern Constabulary and of all persons acting on behalf of either of them, and into the effect of certain matters on those actings, including the decision to remove nine children and their actual removal to, and their detention in a place of safety. At the time of the Inquiry, there were no related on-going or completed criminal proceedings and the remit of the inquiry did not include consideration of any prosecutorial decisions by the Lord Advocate. Piper Alpha 1998 On the 13 July 1988, the Secretary of State for Energy instructed an inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster. Lord Cullen was commissioned to report on the circumstances of the accident and to make recommendations with a view to the preservation of life and the avoidance of similar accidents in the future. Lord Cullen chaired the Inquiry into the disaster in two parts. The first was to establish the causes of the disaster. The second part made recommendations as to the future safety regime. Lord Cullen’s recommendations in the final published report led to a complete change in approach to Health and Safety matters offshore, with repercussions for the entire offshore industry in the UK. Dunblane Inquiry 1996 The Dunblane Inquiry, in 1996, involved inquiry into, and consideration of matters of a criminal nature, including evidence about matters reported to procurators fiscal by the police, and the reasons stated by the procurators fiscal for their decisions in relation to those matters. However, Lord Cullen stated clearly in his report that he did not consider it proper for the Inquiry to require prosecutors to justify their decisions, or to entertain submissions as to the sufficiency of what was put forward as the justification of those decisions. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196255,"EventID":"S2W-23601","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases there have been where fingerprint evidence prepared or presented by the Scottish Criminal Record Office has been withheld or withdrawn in each of the last ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases there have been where fingerprint evidence prepared or presented by the Scottish Criminal Record Office has been withheld or withdrawn in each of the last 10 years.","AnswerText":"Fingerprint evidence isprepared at the request of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service(COPFS). The decision about the use of this evidence is a matter for COPFS. the Scottish Criminal Record Office know of two cases in the last 10 years wherethe reliability of the identification was such that the evidence was not usedin court.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196256,"EventID":"S2W-23602","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all cases where it has been accepted by the Crown Office that a miscarriage of justice has taken place since 1965; what payments have been awarded in","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all cases where it has been accepted by the Crown Office that a miscarriage of justice has taken place since 1965; what payments have been awarded in each such case; how much was claimed in each case, and in how many of these cases the amount demanded by the pursuer of the claim has been met in full.","AnswerText":"Section 133 of the CriminalJustice Act 1988 provides that the Scottish ministers shall pay compensation incases where a conviction is reversed on the ground that a new or newlydiscovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriageof justice. In addition, ministers may be prepared to make an ex gratia paymentof compensation following a wrongful conviction or charge where this hasresulted from serious default on the part of a member of a police force or someother public authority. There may also be exceptional circumstances that justifycompensation in cases outside these categories.In all cases, claims forcompensation are considered by the Scottish ministers following receipt ofapplications from individuals. If an application is accepted as a valid claim,the amount of compensation paid is determined by an independent assessor. Theassessment is based on a Memorandum prepared by the Justice Department,compiling information submitted by the applicant, other relevant papers andtaking account of comments from the applicant. In considering claims, theassessor applies principles analogous to those on which claims for damagesarising from civil wrongs are assessed. The assessor also has the power torecommend interim payments to applicants where they provide evidence ofimmediate need. Under the statutory scheme the Scottish ministers have no power to varythe determination. In ex gratia claims the assessor's role is strictly toadvise ministers of the amount to be paid, but ministers have agreed previouslyto be bound by the assessor's recommendation. Information on claims forcompensation prior to 1999 when Scottish ministers assumed responsibility for theoperation of the compensation schemes is not readily available and could onlybe obtained at disproportionate cost. The following table shows the number ofapplications at each stage in the process since 1999. | Number of Applications | 18 | | Eligibility Determined | 7 | | Application rejected | 1 | | Cases Completed | 2 | | Assessor Determining Final Payment | 4 | | Interim Payments Made | 3 | | Decision Pending on Validity | 11 | | of which pending legal opinion | 7 | It is Executive policy notto disclose the amount of compensation paid to individual applicants withoutthe express permission of the applicant. Since 1999 the Executive has paid £1,456,067in compensation to successful applicants. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-16T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196257,"EventID":"S2W-23603","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the criminal investigation into the murder of Marion Ross in Kilmarnock in 1997.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the criminal investigation into the murder of Marion Ross in Kilmarnock in 1997.","AnswerText":"The murder of Marion Ross inKilmarnock in 1997 has been investigated by Strathclyde Police. However, they willexamine any further information that becomes available.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196258,"EventID":"S2W-23604","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the fingerprint evidence found at the scene of the Marion Ross murder case in Kilmarnock in 1997 was not compared with the fingerprints of every suspect at the ti","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the fingerprint evidence found at the scene of the Marion Ross murder case in Kilmarnock in 1997 was not compared with the fingerprints of every suspect at the time of the initial investigation.","AnswerText":"It is not appropriate todiscuss details of procedures followed in a criminal investigation, foroperational reasons. However, I can confirm that the fingerprint evidence foundat the scene of Marion Ross’ murder was compared with the fingerprints ofparticular individuals where this proved to be appropriate.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Colin Boyd","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196259,"EventID":"S2W-23605","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether those within the Scottish Criminal Record Office involved in the misidentification of Shirley McKie’s fingerprints in the Marion Ross murder case in Kilmarnock in","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether those within the Scottish Criminal Record Office involved in the misidentification of Shirley McKie’s fingerprints in the Marion Ross murder case in Kilmarnock in 1997 are still providing, or are eligible to provide, fingerprint evidence in court.","AnswerText":"The fingerprint officers involvedin the court presentation of fingerprint evidence in the Marion Ross murder caseare not providing and are not eligible to provide fingerprint evidence in court.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196260,"EventID":"S2W-23606","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances would be required for the NHS Lanarkshire area if NHS Lanarkshire’s preferred option of closing the Accident and Emergency Department at Monklands Hos","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances would be required for the NHS Lanarkshire area if NHS Lanarkshire’s preferred option of closing the Accident and Emergency Department at Monklands Hospital and centralising all planned care to that site goes ahead.","AnswerText":"Proposals under A Pictureof Health are the subject of public consultation which is due to end on 28 April 2006. WhenNHS Lanarkshire comes to a view on these matters, their proposals will come tome for a final decision. I will want to be assured that the proposals areconsistent with Delivering for Health and to be satisfied as to theadequacy of public engagement and consultation.The Scottish AmbulanceService has been attending meetings with NHS Lanarkshire and will make thenecessary arrangements to support whichever service configuration is put inplace. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196261,"EventID":"S2W-23607","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for hospital transfers by ambulance in each year since 2000, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for hospital transfers by ambulance in each year since 2000, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.","AnswerText":"This information is not collectedcentrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Lewis Macdonald","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196262,"EventID":"S2W-23608","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executivehow many unemployed doctors there have been in each year since 2000.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executivehow many unemployed doctors there have been in each year since 2000.","AnswerText":"This information is not heldcentrally.Centrally-held NHSScotlandworkforce information is published on the Scottish Health Statistics websiteunder Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-06T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Andy Kerr","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196263,"EventID":"S2W-23609","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2180,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":6,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many publicly funded buildings and schools built in the last five years, including those currently under construction, source energy from renewable (a) heat and (b) e","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many publicly funded buildings and schools built in the last five years, including those currently under construction, source energy from renewable (a) heat and (b) electricity sources, shown as a percentage of all publicly funded buildings built in the last five years.","AnswerText":"The information requested isnot held centrally.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196264,"EventID":"S2W-23610","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, further to the answers to questions to S2W-9099 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 June 2004 and S2W-17703 by Nicol Stephen on 29 July 2005 which indicate that between 1997","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether, further to the answers to questions to S2W-9099 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 June 2004 and S2W-17703 by Nicol Stephen on 29 July 2005 which indicate that between 1997 and 2004 there were increases of 97,000 private sector jobs and 57,000 public sector jobs in Scotland, it will explain any discrepancy between these figures and those quoted in UK Competitiveness Index 2005, published by Dr Robert Huggins of the University of Sheffield, which state that between 1997 and 2004 there were increases of 35,000 private sector jobs and 121,000 public sector jobs.","AnswerText":"The discrepancies arise fromusing different time periods and, more significantly, using different definitionsof the “public sector”. The preferred approach is based on the internationally agreednational accounts definition that is now used by the Office of National Statisticsand by the Executive for its quarterly Public Sector Employment in Scotlandseries.The statistics used in S2W-9099and S2W-17703 were taken from the Labour Force Survey and at the time the writtenparliamentary questions were answered provided the best source of data. They havenow been superseded by the Executive’s data. Finally, the statistics quotedby Dr Robert Huggins in his UK Competitiveness Indicators are based on employmentin the public admin, education and health sector which includes people working forprivate sector organisations. ","AnswerDate":"2006-06-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196265,"EventID":"S2W-23611","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2394,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":5,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the figures quoted in UK Competitiveness Index 2005, published by Dr Robert Huggins of the University of Sheffield, showing that between 1997 and 2004 there were ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the figures quoted in UK Competitiveness Index 2005, published by Dr Robert Huggins of the University of Sheffield, showing that between 1997 and 2004 there were increases of 35,000 private sector jobs and 121,000 public sector jobs in Scotland are correct.","AnswerText":"The UK Competitiveness Index2005 does not use the standard definition of the public sector employed by the Officefor National Statistics and the Scottish Executive.For more information I referthe member to the answer question S2W-23610 on 1 June 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. ","AnswerDate":"2006-06-01T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196266,"EventID":"S2W-23612","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the former Minister for Justice, Mr Jim Wallace MSP, asked his department to investigate the issues described in a Sunday Times article on 26 February 2006 as hav","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the former Minister for Justice, Mr Jim Wallace MSP, asked his department to investigate the issues described in a Sunday Times article on 26 February 2006 as having been reported to him by a “whistleblower” from within the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) who alleged that the complainant had become a victim of “bullying, intimidation, harassment and victimisation” by SCRO management; if so, on what date such a request was made by the former Minister for Justice and to which official or officials; what action was subsequently taken in respect of the complaint; whether the present Minister for Justice will make a statement to the Parliament about how the complaint was dealt with, whether it was dealt with by the Justice Department and, if so, who was in charge of handling the complaint; in particular, whether in the handling of the complaint, there was any attempt to seek further information from the “whistleblower”; whether any conclusion was reached about the complaint and, if so, what that conclusion was and by whom it was handled; whether all documents in relation to the complaint will be made public, and, in so doing, whether it will consider, for the protection of the complainant against any possible bullying, intimidation, harassment or victimisation, whether his or her name shall be redacted when such documents are provided.","AnswerText":"I understand this letter wassent to the Lord Advocate. A reply was sent on his behalf requesting further informationin relation to the point raised which concerned Crown Office, in respect of a particularcase. This information was subsequently provided and it was clear at that stagethat fingerprint evidence had not been presented to the Procurator Fiscal in thecase in question and no further action was required by Crown Office at that time.The original letter was alsoforwarded by the Crown Office to the Justice Department, in relation to the issuesinvolving SCRO. As these were management issues for SCRO to deal with, it wouldnot have been appropriate for the JusticeMinister to intervene. At that time SCRO management issues, particularly in relationto the Fingerprint Bureau, were already being addressed comprehensively on the basisof the HMIC Primary Inspection of the SCRO Fingerprint Bureau, the report of whichhad been published in September 2000. ","AnswerDate":"2006-04-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196267,"EventID":"S2W-23613","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what date or dates the Scottish Executive’s Cabinet has discussed the Shirley McKie case.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what date or dates the Scottish Executive’s Cabinet has discussed the Shirley McKie case.","AnswerText":"Information relating to the proceedingsof the Scottish Cabinet is considered exempt from disclosure under sections 29 (a)and (b) and 30(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196268,"EventID":"S2W-23614","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1994,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":23,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what date or dates the Scottish Executive’s Cabinet has discussed the Scottish Criminal Record Office; in particular whether a complaint made in August 2001, referred","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive on what date or dates the Scottish Executive’s Cabinet has discussed the Scottish Criminal Record Office; in particular whether a complaint made in August 2001, referred to in a Sunday Times article on 26 February 2006, was raised expressly or by reference with the Cabinet or in any papers submitted to members of the Cabinet.","AnswerText":"Information relating to the proceedingsof the Scottish Cabinet is considered exempt from disclosure under sections 29 (a)and (b) and 30(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196269,"EventID":"S2W-23615","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many sniffer dogs are used in prisons to detect drugs.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many sniffer dogs are used in prisons to detect drugs.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: Nine dogs are used across prisons in Scotland to detect drugs. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196270,"EventID":"S2W-23616","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive which prisons use sniffer dogs to detect drugs.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive which prisons use sniffer dogs to detect drugs.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: All prisons have access to drug detection dogs. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196271,"EventID":"S2W-23617","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":3061,"Party":"Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what quantities of drugs has been recovered in prisons through the use of sniffer dogs in the last five years.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what quantities of drugs has been recovered in prisons through the use of sniffer dogs in the last five years.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the ScottishPrison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information is availableonly for the last three years and is shown in the table: | | Weight of Prohibited Drug (Grams) | No. of Prohibited Tablets | | 2002-03 | 443 | 701 | | 2003-04 | 558 | 901 | | 2004-05 | 274 | 505 | ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-15T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196272,"EventID":"S2W-23618","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1944,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-27T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support the development and construction of tidal barrages to help meet its renewable energy targets.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support the development and construction of tidal barrages to help meet its renewable energy targets.","AnswerText":"The Executive supports the developmentof a range of technologies to meet our renewable energy targets. One example ofthis is our investment in the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, to providetesting facilities for wave and tidal technologies and thereby help bring theseto market.At present, we are not awareof any proposals to locate a tidal barrage in Scotland. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196273,"EventID":"S2W-23619","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22402 by Nicol Stephen on 10 February 2006, whether this answer indicates that it, Scottish Enterprise or any other Executive agenc","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22402 by Nicol Stephen on 10 February 2006, whether this answer indicates that it, Scottish Enterprise or any other Executive agency or non-departmental public body is not presently undertaking a review of local economic forums nor has plans to do so in the future.","AnswerText":"The Scottish Executive can confirmthat neither it, Scottish Enterprise nor any other Executive agency or non-departmentalpublic body is, so far as the Executive is aware, presently undertaking a reviewof Local Economic Forums nor has plans to do so.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196274,"EventID":"S2W-23620","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22402 by Nicol Stephen on 10 February 2006, to what \"this does not involve consultants\" refers.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22402 by Nicol Stephen on 10 February 2006, to what \"this does not involve consultants\" refers.","AnswerText":"Question S2W-22402 on 10 Februaryasked, among other things, “whether consultants were involved” in a review of LocalEconomic Forums. As indicated in the answers to questions S2W-22402 and S2W-23619on 13 March 2006, the Executive is not reviewing the existence of Local EconomicForums.The term “this does not involveconsultants” was intended to make clear that consultants are not being used by the Executive in any capacity relating to Local Economic Forums. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196275,"EventID":"S2W-23621","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to scrutinise the issuing of licences to dredge, fish for or take cockles under the Solway Firth Regulated Fishery (Scotland) Order 2006.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to scrutinise the issuing of licences to dredge, fish for or take cockles under the Solway Firth Regulated Fishery (Scotland) Order 2006.","AnswerText":"Section 4(5) of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 (the 1967 Act) requires that where the grantee of a Regulating Order does not propose to issue a licence to all applicants then it must notify the Scottish ministers of its intention. In such circumstances the Scottish ministers may give directions to the grantee including in relation to the number of licences I to be issued and the persons to whom licences should be issued. Under Section 4(6) of the 1967 Act, if the grantee withholds licences without complying with Section 4(5) then the grantee shall be taken not to be properly carrying into effect the restrictions imposed by the Order. In terms of section 5(1) of the 1967 Act, where the Scottish ministers are not satisfied that the grantee is properly carrying into effect the restrictions imposed by the Order, they may remove the grantee’s rights under the Order. Under Section 5(2) of the 1967 Act the appropriate minister may ask an inspector or other person to make inquiries or an examination in relation to a Regulating Order fishery including the licensing arrangements. In the case of the Solway Regulating Order the licensing arrangements were one of the issues covered by the inquiry into the then proposed regulated fishery last autumn. The inspector’s only recommendation on licensing criteria related to vessel licensing and was conveyed to the SSMA. It will feature in a further assessment of vessel licensing, in which the Scottish Executive will have an involvement, once the coming short spring opening of the fishery has run its course. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196276,"EventID":"S2W-23622","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Solway Shellfish Management Association is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in respect to its authority to issue li","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Solway Shellfish Management Association is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in respect to its authority to issue licences on behalf of Scottish ministers to dredge, fish for or take cockles within the Solway Firth regulated fishery.","AnswerText":"The Solway Shellfish Management Association is not subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196277,"EventID":"S2W-23623","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1768,"Party":"Scottish Labour","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":60,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an officer, as referred to in section 5 (9) of the Solway Firth Regulated Fishery (Scotland) Order 2006 as authorised by the Solway Shellfish Management Associati","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether an officer, as referred to in section 5 (9) of the Solway Firth Regulated Fishery (Scotland) Order 2006 as authorised by the Solway Shellfish Management Association, may include officers from the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and how such authority is conferred on these officers in terms of the Order.","AnswerText":"The reference to an “officer” in section 5(9) of the proposed Solway Firth Regulated Fishery (Scotland) Order 2006 is to an officer of the Solway Shellfish Management Association and not to officers from the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency or Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary. On the basis, however, that a number of different offences might be committed in association with illegal fishing, the Solway regulated fishery would be enforced on a multi-agency basis. This would include other organisations such as Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and the Health and Safety Executive, carrying out their respective roles and exercising their existing statutory and common-law powers in conjunction with actions by the Solway Shellfish Management Association. The Scottish Executive is currently seeking to augment the provisions for the enforcement of Regulating Orders using the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill. Options include enabling the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency to apply its powers within a regulated fishery and to confer upon the grantees of Regulating Orders those relevant powers of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency. These options remain subject to the bill’s passage through Parliament. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Ross Finnie","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196278,"EventID":"S2W-23624","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet has discussed the Shirley McKie case and, if so, whether the Lord Advocate, Solicitor General and Minister for Justice were present.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet has discussed the Shirley McKie case and, if so, whether the Lord Advocate, Solicitor General and Minister for Justice were present.","AnswerText":"Information relating to the proceedingsof the Scottish Cabinet is considered exempt from disclosure under sections 29 (a)and (b) and 30(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196279,"EventID":"S2W-23625","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate and the Minister for Justice agreed the content of each other’s ministerial statement on 22 February 2006 on the Scottish Fingerprint Service.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate and the Minister for Justice agreed the content of each other’s ministerial statement on 22 February 2006 on the Scottish Fingerprint Service.","AnswerText":"These statements were preparedseparately but were subsequently shared to ensure that there was no duplicationnor omission.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196280,"EventID":"S2W-23626","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate or Minister for Justice had discussed or exchanged correspondence on the Shirley McKie case with the Convener of the Justice 1 Committee prior t","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate or Minister for Justice had discussed or exchanged correspondence on the Shirley McKie case with the Convener of the Justice 1 Committee prior to that committee’s meeting on 22 February 2006 and, if so, what the subject matter was of these contacts.","AnswerText":"There was no correspondencewith Justice 1 Committee about the Shirley McKie case before 22 February 2006. Fromtime to time both the Lord Advocate and I have had informal discussions with theConvenors of both Justice Committees about a range of issues.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-03T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196281,"EventID":"S2W-23627","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the legal costs in respect of the Shirley McKie case already paid or pending and incurred by it or its agencies, broken do","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the legal costs in respect of the Shirley McKie case already paid or pending and incurred by it or its agencies, broken down by year and into costs for solicitors, counsel, assistance, court work, documentation and other expenses.","AnswerText":"The administration costs incurredby public bodies involved in work related to these matters cannot be separatelyidentified within the local administration costs incurred by those bodies. The finalcosts of legal representation cannot be determined until the court resolves theoutstanding issues in relation to expenses.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196282,"EventID":"S2W-23628","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken by the Scottish Criminal Record Office to identify mark Y7 from the Marion Ross murder scene of January 1997.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken by the Scottish Criminal Record Office to identify mark Y7 from the Marion Ross murder scene of January 1997.","AnswerText":"Mark Y7 is on the Scottish FingerprintService Latents Database (which is the database of unsolved crime scene marks).This database is checked regularly against fingerprints taken from arrested persons.Because the mark was taken from the scene of a serious crime it will remain on thedatabase until it is identified.","AnswerDate":"2006-04-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196283,"EventID":"S2W-23629","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service will have his contract renewed or extended when it expires next month and, if not, what agreements are being ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service will have his contract renewed or extended when it expires next month and, if not, what agreements are being put in place to replace him and what expertise, experience and qualifications in fingerprinting his successor will require to have.","AnswerText":"This is a matter for the Head of the Scottish Criminal Record Office, the Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service and his employers, Strathclyde Joint Police Board. It would not be appropriate for me to comment. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196284,"EventID":"S2W-23630","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1894,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the fingerprint expertise, experience and qualifications of each of the heads of the fingerprint bureaux in Scotland.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the fingerprint expertise, experience and qualifications of each of the heads of the fingerprint bureaux in Scotland.","AnswerText":"The posts were created with theestablishment of the Scottish Fingerprint Service. They were advertised widely andfilled following open competition. The successful candidates have a broad rangeof senior management skills and experience from industry and the armed forces. Thepost holders are not, and are not required to be, fingerprint experts.","AnswerDate":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196285,"EventID":"S2W-23631","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the analysis of the responses to its consultation on the implementation of the private landlord provisions of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the analysis of the responses to its consultation on the implementation of the private landlord provisions of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004.","AnswerText":"The report of the analysis of the responses is in preparation and will be published in the spring. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-08T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196286,"EventID":"S2W-23632","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2902,"Party":"Scottish Socialist Party","RegionID":1,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the Scottish Prisons Complaints Commissioner that the pre-recorded message on all outgoing calls from Scottish prisoners should be removed or rewor","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the Scottish Prisons Complaints Commissioner that the pre-recorded message on all outgoing calls from Scottish prisoners should be removed or reworded; whether it is aware that in England similar pre-recorded messages have been removed; when it will take action on this issue, and whether it has sought legal advice with regard to a possible challenge under human rights legislation.","AnswerText":"I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The current message, which precedesany call from a prisoner, advises recipients that the call is coming from a prison.The SPS believes that the message provides the public, for example victims or vulnerablewitnesses with some safeguard against unwanted calls. The SPS also considers thatthe message is necessary and legal. In his most recent report, the Prison ComplaintsCommissioner noted that SPS had “taken legal advice on this matter and concludedthat any interference that the pre-recorded message caused to a prisoner’s privacyrights was justifiable and thus permissible under Article 8 of the Convention. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Cathy Jamieson","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196287,"EventID":"S2W-23633","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1944,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid from the Rural Public Passenger Transport Grants scheme in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area; how many applications ","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid from the Rural Public Passenger Transport Grants scheme in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area; how many applications for funding have been rejected in the same timescale, and what the total value was of these applications.","AnswerText":"Grants paid under the Rural PublicPassenger Transport Grant scheme in the last five years are shown in the followingtable. Grants are paid to local authorities only and are allocated directly to theauthority. Grant applications are not required to be made, thus none have been rejected. | Local Authority | Grant Paid (£000) | | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | | Aberdeenshire | 397 | 441 | 475 | 545 | 572 | | Angus | 152 | 167 | 181 | 205 | 216 | | Argyll and Bute | 340 | 377 | 406 | 466 | 489 | | Clackmannanshire | 44 | 46 | 51 | 56 | 59 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 366 | 406 | 437 | 501 | 527 | | East Ayrshire | 60 | 63 | 70 | 78 | 81 | | East Dunbartonshire | 41 | 42 | 47 | 51 | 55 | | East Lothian | 66 | 70 | 77 | 86 | 91 | | East Renfrewshire | 40 | 41 | 46 | 50 | 54 | | Eilean Siar | 357 | 395 | 426 | 488 | 513 | | Falkirk | 59 | There are no specific funds forthis purpose. ","AnswerDate":"2006-03-13T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Malcolm Chisholm","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196289,"EventID":"S2W-23635","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1944,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action Scottish Enterprise will take to promote rural areas if its focus moves to promoting metropolitan areas.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what action Scottish Enterprise will take to promote rural areas if its focus moves to promoting metropolitan areas.","AnswerText":"Our economic development strategiesrecognise cities as the drivers of wider metropolitan regions and the complementaryroles of cities and their surrounding areas. They also recognise the particularopportunities and needs of our rural areas.Scottish Enterprise’s planned networkrural strategy will enhance the existing work of its rural group in seeking to promoteeconomic development in rural areas. ","AnswerDate":"2006-05-04T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196290,"EventID":"S2W-23636","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":1944,"Party":"Scottish Green Party","RegionID":7,"ConstituencyID":null,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to ensure that Scottish Enterprise promotes strategies designed specifically for the needs of rural areas.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to ensure that Scottish Enterprise promotes strategies designed specifically for the needs of rural areas.","AnswerText":"I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23635 on 4 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.","AnswerDate":"2006-07-10T00:00:00","AnswerStatusID":null,"ExpectedAnswerDate":"2006-03-14T00:00:00","MeetingDate":null,"AnsweredByMSP":"Nicol Stephen","OnBehalfOf":null,"ConsideredForMembersBusiness":null,"CrossPartySupport":null,"RegisteredInterest":null},{"UniqueID":196291,"EventID":"S2W-23637","EventTypeID":1,"EventSubTypeID":1,"MSPID":2215,"Party":"Scottish National Party","RegionID":null,"ConstituencyID":51,"ApprovedDate":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","SubmissionDateTime":"2006-02-28T00:00:00","Title":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children and young people under 18 have committed suicide in each year since 1990.","ItemText":"To ask the Scottish Executive how many children and young people under 18 have committed suicide in each year since 1990.","AnswerText":"In presenting statistics on suicidesit is conventional to combine deaths classified as intentional self-harm (suicides)with those classified as events of undetermined intent. This is because the majorityof the latter are likely to have been suicides. However, this assumption is knownto be less valid for children, particularly those aged under 10. For this reasonthe following table shows the two categories separately and restricts the informationon events of undetermined intent to deaths aged 10 to 17.Deaths fromIntentional Self-Harm and Events of Undetermined Intent, Scotland | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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