Cathy Peattie

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many firefighters have been retired before their retirement age as a result of ill health or injury in each of the last five financial years.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of firefighters whohave retired due to ill health or injury is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=71 valign=top> <p>2000-01</p> </td> <td width=44 valign=top> <p align=right>54</p> </…

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the firefighters’ pension scheme in each year since 1997.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The information is shown inthe following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p>Year</p> </td> <td valign=top> <p align=center>£000</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p>1997-98</p> …

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average pay for firefighters has been in each of the last 25 years.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This information is not heldcentrally.</p><p>Terms and conditions forfirefighters (including pay) are determined by the National Joint Council forLocal Authority Fire and Rescue Services. Information on firefighters payin recent years can be obtained from the…

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected cost is of the Firelink radio programme.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Firelink is a GB-wide radionetwork with a total estimated cost of approximately £350 million.</p>

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the number of fire and rescue authorities.

Answer · Hugh Henry: We have no current plans toreduce the number of fire and rescue authorities.</p>

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact a reduction in the number of emergency fire service control rooms will have on the number of fire and rescue authorities.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Ministers are currentlyconsidering options in relation to control rooms. We have no current plans tochange the number of fire and rescue authorities.</p>

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be made in respect of the future of the emergency fire service control rooms.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Ministers are currentlyconsidering options in relation to control rooms and no decisions have yet beentaken. Before this happens we shall consult with stakeholders and provide areport to Parliament.</p>

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many malicious vehicles fires there have been in each year since 1997.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of maliciousvehicle fires is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=59 valign=top> <p align=center>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td width=62 valign=top> <p align=center>1997</p> </td> <td width=62 v…

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive many hoax calls were made to the emergency and fire and rescue services in each of the last three years, broken down by service area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of malicious hoaxcalls made to the fire and rescue services for the last three years is shown inthe following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=325> <thead> <tr> <td width=160 valign=top> <p>Fire Service</p> </td> …

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the number of, and casualties from, accidental dwelling fires started by under 10-year-olds.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive is currentlydeveloping a web-based youth fire safety education resource which will containinformation suitable for those under ten years of age. The Executive alsoprovides education material directly to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Servicesfor u…

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many wilful fire-raising attacks on schools have resulted in building losses in excess of £100,000 in each year since 1996.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-25025 on 3 May 2006. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate has been made of the costs associated with the loss of buildings used for educational purposes which have been subjected to wilful fire-raising in each year since 1996.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has made no such estimates. Statistics on the incidence of such fires do notidentify the costs associated with them.</p>

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended crew level and the minimum (a) response time and (b) weight of response are in respect of a dwelling fire in each fire and rescue service area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This information is not heldcentrally. This is an operational matter for the relevant Chief Fire Officerrather than ministers.<</p

5 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have died as a result of fire in the last five years; what the death rate per million population has been in the same period, and what information it has on how this rate compares with the UK average.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of people whohave died as a result of fire in the last five years in Scotland isshown as follows. Also shown are equivalent figures for other parts of the United Kingdom.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=74…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was provided centrally for community fire safety budgets in each of the last five years.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The centrally providedcommunity fire safety budget for the last five years is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=76 valign=top> <p>Year</p> </td> <td width=85 valign=top> <p align=c…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive from whom it has sought advice on fire and rescue service issues since the abolition of the Scottish Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Officials are in regular contactwith the Fire and Rescue Community including dialogue with Chief Fire Officersand Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Fire Services. Officials also sit on variousgroups such as the Community Fire Safety Forum and the Chief Fire Offic…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the proposed structure and functions are of the replacement for the Scottish Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The new advisory structurewill comprise three groups, namely a ministerial group, a strategic group and aservice delivery group.</p><p>The ministerial group willprovide direct advice to ministers on strategic fire service issues. The strategicgroup will be le…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the agreed uniformed establishment is for each fire and rescue authority and who approves the establishment.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The last agreedestablishment for each Fire and Rescue Service is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=227 valign=top> <p>Rescue Service</p> </td> <td width=57 valign=top> <p align=cen…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times Audit Scotland has undertaken a review of the fire and rescue authorities in the last three years and what the results were of such reviews.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Audit Scotland conductsan annual review of police and fire performance indicators, the results ofwhich are published at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/">www.audit-scotland.gov.uk</a>.</p>

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive under whose authority the latest comprehensive performance assessment is being undertaken by each fire and rescue authority.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Her Majesty’s ChiefInspector of Fire Services for Scotland has a statutory duty to inspect the state andefficiency of the fire services and carries out this responsibility on arolling basis. The Chief Inspector reports to ministers.</p>

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set for the recruitment of under-represented groups by each fire and rescue service and what guidance on such targets has been issued by the Justice Department.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive hasnot issued any such guidance. Recruitment and the setting of any targets arematters for the individual fire and rescue authorities and joint fire andrescue boards.</p>

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many uniformed female personnel are employed by each fire and rescue service and what percentage of uniformed personnel are female.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The actual strength of theof fire and rescue services as at 31 March 2005is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Number of Fe…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were rescued by the fire and rescue services in the last five years, broken down by service area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of people rescuedby the fire and rescue services in the last five years is shown in the followingtable.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=160 valign=top> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td width=55 valign=top> <p align=cente…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths from accidental dwelling fires there were in each fire and rescue service area in each year since 1997.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of accidental dwellingfire deaths is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=160 valign=top> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td width=52 valign=top> <p>1997</p> </td> <td width=52 va…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the death rate from fire in the Highlands and Islands which is significantly higher than the rate for Scotland and the rate for England.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Scottish Fire Service Circular4/2003 introduced the concept of risk-based emergency response through IntegratedRisk Management Planning (IRMP) at fire authority level. This approach takes usaway from the traditional response approach to fire cover to a more f…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths there were in dwelling fires in each fire and rescue service area in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of dwelling fire deathsis shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=151 valign=top> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td width=46 valign=top> <p>1995</p> </td> <td width=46 valign=top> <p>1996</p> </t…

15 Feb 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to monitor the implementation of the Home Computer Initiative, including gathering feedback on customer satisfaction, the type and extent of any problems experienced by employees and compensation awarded in light of these problems, and whether this feedback will be…

Answer · George Lyon: The member has raised a number of issues in her question and I will provide a written response to address these in full, which I will also place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.</p> <p>Meantime, however, I can advise that the Scottish Executive …

1 Feb 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a progress report on the new bridge crossing the Forth at Kincardine and, in particular, when work on the bridge will commence.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland expects to award the contract to design and build this bridge later this month. Construction will then start in the summer.</p>

26 Oct 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being considered to improve transport facilities in the Falkirk area.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Falkirk Council is currently working on a new local transport strategy to improve transport infrastructure and services within its area. The South East Scotland Transport Partnership will of course, be further assessing strategic transport priorities in the a…

21 Sep 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet Falkirk Council and West Lothian Council to discuss the upgrading of the A801 Avon Gorge road.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Officials in the Executive havebeen in continuing contact with officers from Falkirk and West Lothian Councilsthrough preliminary discussions, including a STAG appraisal, about this local roadsproject. Following recent contacts and correspondence, I wrote to …