Parliamentary questions
Cathy Jamieson
1,344 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the terms of reference of the Care Development Group will be published.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The terms of reference of the group were agreed yesterday by the Scottish Cabinet and are as follows:<P>"With the objective of ensuring that older people in Scotland have access to high quality and responsive long-term care in the appropriate setting and on a…
17 Jan 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to tackle problems associated with mental health and social exclusion among young people.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The social inclusion agenda of the <I>Framework for Mental</I> <I>Health Services in Scotland</I> has been carried forward and advanced in <I>Our National</I> <I>Health: a plan for action, a plan for change</I> which sets out a range of measures to reduce sti…
19 Dec 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11141 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 10 November 2000, whether it will give details of any remaining changes to the rates of student support for Scottish domiciled students which will apply in academic year 2001-02.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I am today placing in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the rates of those loans and grants not covered in my answer of 10 November, which will be available to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students in full-time higher education …
29 Nov 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the voluntary sector will be supported in utilising information and communications technology.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: On 23 November, I announced a £1.5 million funding package over three years for information and communications technology in the voluntary sector. This will build on the £0.5 million made available this year.<P>This will promote Internet access, website devel…
22 Nov 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to balance the interests of the timber production industry and the protection of the environment.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Following extensive consultation with many parties, including timber producers and environmental bodies, we have just published our <I>Scottish Forestry Strategy</I>. This includes details of our strategic directions and priorities for action. These are inten…
1 Nov 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that rural communities benefit from the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Around £2 million is available under the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund (SRPF) for 2001-02.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The opening of applications against the 2001-02 rounds of the Rural Challenge Fund (RCF) and Local Capital Grants Scheme elements of the SRPF was an…
6 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to support actively Her Majesty's Government's drive to expand the number of companies with employee ownership schemes.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive supports Her Majesty's Government's initiatives to expand the number of companies with employee ownership schemes, including the offering of tax incentives. Though largely a reserved power, the Executive through the Scottish Enterprise …
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to complete the evaluation of the responses to the consultation document on high hedges, such as leylandii.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Evaluation of responses to the consultation paper issued on 12 January 2000 is almost complete and I will make an announcement later this year.
6 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it plans to offer to farmers wishing to convert their land to organic production.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Payments totalling a maximum of £157,900 over five years are available under the Organic Aid Scheme to farmers wishing to convert their land to organic production methods. Total payments under the scheme in 1999-2000 amounted to £1.2 million.
4 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take account of the findings of the recent Equity/Department for Education and Employment seminar on the training and employment of performers with disabilities when it is considering policy initiatives on the development of the performing arts in Scotland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Arts Council are both aware of the points, which were raised at the seminar, and they will be taken into consideration in the development of any future policy initiatives in support of the performing arts in Scotland.
30 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the effectiveness of hip resurfacing treatment will be evaluated and what the timescale is for any such evaluation.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has no immediate plans to evaluate formally the effectiveness of hip resurfacing treatment. It remains the responsibility of local clinicians to monitor the effectiveness of all relevant health care, supported by audit and advice from H…
30 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hip resurfacing treatments have been undertaken by the NHSiS and from which health board areas patients have been referred.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Between April 1997 and March 2000, the National Acute Hospital Database has recorded 10 hip resurfacing episodes, of which nine were undertaken between April 1999 and March 2000. All 10 episodes took place in hospitals in the Tayside, Lothian and Greater Glas…
30 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS hospitals currently offer hip resurfacing treatment.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer given today to question S1W-9477.
30 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which health boards have refused requests for out of area hip resurfacing treatments in the past year and how many such requests have been refused.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally.
30 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which health boards have agreed to fund out of area hip resurfacing treatments in the past year and how many such treatments have taken place.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally.
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to prevent or combat any occurrence of swine fever in the Scottish pig farming industry.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Ministers have wide powers of entry, inspection, control of movement and slaughter with associated compensation - all of which can be used at an early stage to prevent the disease taking a hold in Scotland.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">As regards the current ou…
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any representations with the aim of ensuring that Scottish miners and Scottish mining communities will benefit from surpluses drawn from the Mineworkers Pension Scheme.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Mineworker's Pension Scheme is a reserved matter.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Department for Trade and Industry, as guarantor, receives half of any valuation surplus in the scheme. In return, the DTI guarantees that pensions will always rise in line with inflat…
3 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to local authorities to assist them in determining what constitutes a farm park.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: No such guidance has been issued. The term "farm parks" is not recognised in planning circles.
3 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are in place in relation to visits by pre-school groups to farms and farm parks.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to the answer given previously to S1W-8848. The answer applies equally to visits by pre-school groups.
24 May 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it sees for Historic Scotland in the development of a strategic approach to culture and the built heritage at a national and local level.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Historic Scotland is the agency of the Scottish Executive which has responsibility for the built heritage. As such, it is playing a full part in the development of the national cultural strategy.
30 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S1W-2360 lodged on 4 November 1999.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Question S1W-2360 was answered today.
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce schemes whereby people on low incomes can lease computers.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer to the answer I have given to question S1W-5511.
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that people on low incomes have access to information technology.
Answer · Peter Peacock: We want everyone to participate in the Information Age and Scottish Ministers support the target of universal Internet access by 2005.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">We have no direct equivalent to the pilots that the DfEE are introducing under their Computers Within Reac…
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to promote speech and language therapy as a career option.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive values the contribution of Speech and Language Therapists to the National Health Service in Scotland in partnership with other agencies such as education and social services.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The number of applications for pre-registra…
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to increase access to training opportunities for people wishing to pursue a career in the provision of speech and language therapy.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is promoting more flexible access routes to professions such as speech and language therapy and will be discussing this with professional, educational and staff representative bodies.
2 Feb 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the use of Scottish timber in the construction industry.
Answer · John Home Robertson: The construction industry uses an increasing quantity of Scottish timber each year. Half the houses built in Scotland are timber framed, and nearly all the timber panels for these houses are made from Scottish timber. About 11% of the timber used in the UK co…
25 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial help is to be made available to East Ayrshire Council following the severe winds which started on Boxing Day 1998 and lasted into the first few days of 1999.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I am glad to announce that East Ayrshire Council is eligible for a payment of £243,352 under the Bellwin Scheme. The Scheme was triggered on 8 April 1999 following representation from several councils in the central belt and south west of Scotland on costs di…
13 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to compel the use of alternatives to organophosphates in the treatment and prevention of sheep scab.
Answer · Ross Finnie: OP sheep dips have been withdrawn from the market so that containers, which are safer for the user, can be designed and introduced. It does remain an offence under the Sheep Scab Order 1997 not to treat animals visibly affected by sheep scab and keepers of sh…
13 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation on the tying of cattle and, if so, whether it will consult with representatives of the veterinary profession on the detail of this.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Legislation is already in place which prohibits the tethering of calves. For adult cattle, draft Regulations on the Welfare of Farmed Animals will bring into force Council Directive 98/58/EC which sets out general requirements on the welfare of livestock…
8 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2302 by Henry McLeish on 16 November 1999, whether it will provide details of the numbers of continuing students over the age of 50 years who have retained their right to have their tuition fees paid in full in the academic year 1999-2000.
Answer · Henry McLeish: As at 9 December, the number of continuing students over the age of 50 years who have retained their right to have their tuition fees paid in full in the academic year 1999-2000 is 284.