Parliamentary questions

Christine Grahame

3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the letter to me of 1 January 2002 from the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning and to its news release SE0357/2001 on 14 February 2001, what the source was for estimates of the number of jobs to be created at the call centre at Claridge Mill, Selkirk.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21534.

7 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the letter to me of 1 January 2002 from the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning and to its news release SE0357/2001 on 14 February 2001, how many jobs are projected in total to be created at the contact centre at Claridge Mill in Selkirk.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21534.

7 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the letter to me of 1 January 2002 from the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning, whether the sums of #670,000, #7,020 and #3,000 from Scottish Enterprise Borders represent the total public funding allocated from all sources to the call centre company a…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Total public funding allocated to Manpower is as follows: £600,000 to secure and adapt the premises in Selkirk, £70,000 for training, £7,020 to re-train workers made redundant by other companies and £3,000 to implement the European Computer Driving License on…

7 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20622 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 28 December 2001 and with regard to her letter to me of 1 January 2002, how many members of staff are now employed by the call centre company at Claridge Mill in Selkirk.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Manpower Call Centre at Claridge Mill currently employs 37 people. As stated in the news release, the company expects to create around 200 jobs at the facility. This figure is based on projections made by the company.

7 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17558 by Angus MacKay on 13 September 2000, how much has been (a) claimed by and (b) paid to Scottish Borders Council under the Bellwin scheme following heavy snowfalls in February 2001 and what the reasons are for any difference between the two amou…

Answer · Andy Kerr: Under the terms of the Bellwin Scheme, detailed in Finance Circular 9/2000, Scottish Borders Council claimed costs of £642,580. £39,685 was disallowed because it covered works which were insurable and normal staff costs which are ineligible under the scheme. …

2 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last contacted Scottish Borders Council and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There have been a number of recent contacts with Scottish Borders Council on matters of mutual interest.

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made to date for free central heating installation in the Scottish Borders area under its central heating programme; how many of these applications have been authorised, and how many installations have been carried out.

Answer · Iain Gray: There have been 116 applications from the Borders area. Seventy-three of these are eligible and are to receive their package of measures shortly.

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20231 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, (a) how much it will cost to support the Atlantic fixed wireless network until 2 January 2002, (b) how the sum will be split between it and the Department of Trade and Industry, (c) what the arrangement…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: A maximum of £550,000 has been made available to keep the Atlantic Telecom fixed wireless network running until 2 January 2002. The Scottish Executive and Department of Trade & Industry have agreed to split the final costs equally.The cost of the messaging…

5 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of the health-related services required by those with hearing deficiencies is adequate and what plans it has to improve such services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20636 on 18 December 2001. The answer outlines the scope of the wide-ranging review of audiology services currently under way.

4 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the efficacy of the Direct Access System for hearing aid provision assessments.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently no arrangements for the formal monitoring by the Executive of the Direct Access System. However, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20636. The answer outlines the scope of the wide ranging review of audiology services c…

4 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what waiting time targets it has set for paediatric hearing assessments.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change sets out the Executive's commitment to ensuring that the patient's journey through the NHS is as swift and responsive as possible, and includes a number of waiting times targets in the priority …

4 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14769 by Susan Deacon on 17 April 2001, what the membership of the working group on the review of audiology services is; what the scope of this review is, and when the working group will report and to whom.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The membership of the Audiology Services Working Group is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="49%" VALIGN="TOP">Mr Gordon McHardyAberdeen Royal Infirmary…

4 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it currently provides for hearing assessments and services to health boards where there is a higher than national average number of people aged over 60.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is providing substantial additional resources to NHSScotland. The allocations given to NHS Boards increased on average by 5.5% in 2001-02 and individual allocations show an increase on average by 6.9% and 7.8% in 2002-03 and 2003-04. The formula…

4 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its News Release SE1784/1999 of 27 December 1999, how many of the 160 projected call centre jobs at the refurbished Claridge Mill in Selkirk have now been secured.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The call centre company based at Claridge Mill currently employs 26 staff. A further eight individuals have been offered places and are due to start on 7 January.Given the current marketplace, it has taken longer than planned to secure contracts that provi…

4 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to question S1W-8880, S1W-8892 and S1W-8893 by Henry McLeish on 16 August 2000, how much public money has been expended to date on refurbishment, training and other support in respect of the proposed call centre at Claridge Mill, Selkirk.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Enterprise Borders Annual Report 2000 states that £670,000 has been spent on the refurbishment and training costs at Claridge Mill, Selkirk.Since then, Scottish Enterprise Borders has assisted the company to recruit and train ind…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether 50 inmates at Glenochil Young Offenders Institution have been decanted to the young offenders institutions at Dumfries and Polmont due to staff shortages as a result of the new staff attendance system and, if so, what action it plans to take, and when, to address this situation.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:A number of young offenders were relocated not as a result of the new staff attendance system, whose effects are beneficial, but as part…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14979 by Iain Gray on 11 June 2001, what plans it has to introduce legislation to provide greater protection for hutters.

Answer · Jim Wallace: A consultation paper published by the Executive on 15 December last year invited views on whether in principle the Executive should seek to promote legislation to give greater protection to hutters, and on the detailed provisions required if such legislation …

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19105 by Iain Gray on 26 November 2001, what steps it is taking to monitor the incidence and frequency of "lock-ups" at HM Prison and Young Offenders Institution Cornton Vale and at all prisons and young offenders institutions.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The SPS intend to keep records only of lock-up due to a cellular confinement punishment.