Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any use of additional pollution abatement equipment at the Blue Circle cement factory near Dunbar, given that the factory combusts waste known as "recycled liquid fuel".
Answer · Rhona Brankin: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information requested is not held centrally<FONT SIZE=2>.
21 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a policy of decreasing the level of waste disposal by incineration in line with some other EU countries.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The current level of municipal waste incinerated in Scotland is around 2%. The National Waste Strategy provides the framework for waste management policy in Scotland and, through the development of 11 area waste plans, will determine the best practicable envi…
16 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any new cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Scotland as at 17 August 2001.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The last confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease in Scotland was on 30 May 2001. There have been no new cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Scotland since that date.
16 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given that (a) additional financial resources for schools, as described in the Scottish Executive Education Department's circular 5/2000, "must be clearly seen to be additional to existing planned education spending and to spending on individual schools", (b) the Scottish Borders…
Answer · Jack McConnell: It is not unprecedented for authorities to make adjustments, both up and down, to planned budgets for services during a financial year. The money to which circular 5/2000 refers has been allocated by the council to schools. The council has assured the Executi…
15 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of pay for prisoners in HM Prison Kilmarnock was in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 to date.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The SPS have been advised by Premier Prison Services Ltd that the average weekly wage for prisoners has been approximately:<TABLE BORDER …
15 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of pay for prisoners in Scottish Prison Service prisons was in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 to date.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The weekly rates of pay for prisoners are tabulated below.<P>The actual amount paid to each prisoner depends on the type of work and response.…
15 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison officers were employed at HM Prison Kilmarnock in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 to date and what the percentage turnover of prison officers was in each of these periods.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The Scottish Prison Service does not hold such information. It is a matter for the operators, Premier Prison Services Limited.
15 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison officers were employed in Scottish Prison Service prisons in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 to date and what the percentage turnover of prison officers was in each of these periods.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The figures are:<P ALIGN="CENTER"><CENTER><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Year</TD><TD …
15 Aug 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer when a practice of flying the Saltire from the Parliament's offices on George IV Bridge at all times will be introduced.
Answer · David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body's policy is to fly both the Saltire and the Union flag on Committee Chambers on certain specified days only. There are no current plans to change this policy although the Corporate Body has agreed to consider the issu…
15 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a practice of flying the Saltire at Victoria Quay at all times.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has no plans to introduce such a practice. It is not our practice to fly any flags routinely, but only to mark special occasions in the calendar.
10 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the children enrolled for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority area for academic session 2001-02 have special educational needs and what each of these figures represents as a percentage of the total number of pupils in the relevant sector in each area.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not available at this time. The annual School Census in September 2001 will collect information about school pupils for 2001-02, the results of which will be published in 2002.
10 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the children enrolled for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority area for academic session 2001-02 have a Record of Needs and what each of these figures represents as a percentage of the total number of pupils in the relevant sector in each area.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not available at this time. The annual School Census in September 2001 will collect information about school pupils for 2001-02, the results of which will be published in 2002.
10 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16943 by Mr Jim Wallace on 8 August 2001, whether it will place copies of the protocol on the release of information to the media about escaped or absconding prisoners in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Yes. I am placing a copy of the media protocol agreed by ACPOS and SPS in the Parliament's Reference centre (Bib. no. 15579).
10 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16943 by Mr Jim Wallace on 8 August 2001, what measures it has taken to ensure, without causing unnecessary alarm, that groups known to be at risk from Gordon Johnstone, particularly the vulnerable elderly, are aware that he has not been recaptured s…
Answer · Jim Wallace: Lothian and Borders Police have the lead responsibility for the recapture of Gordon Johnstone. We understand that the main approach used to inform the public has been through the media. Extensive information has been provided, highlighting the groups that mig…
17 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3508 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 31 May 2001, how it will ensure that there is no further delay in making the Regional Selective Assistance payment to Signum Circuits, Selkirk; what effect any such delay would have on jobs in the Borders, and when this …
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I recognise the very difficult trading conditions faced by the company. Indeed, the Executive has recently revised the grant agreement with Signum Circuits, leaving a substantial RSA offer in place despite recent redundancies and a downward revision of projec…
17 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why prisoners will not have the opportunity to exhibit at the "Scene of the Crime" art exhibition later this year given that the Prison Trust Award scheme and the Koestler Award Trust will be offering cash pri'es for prisoners' artwork.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The SPS consider the particular exhibition referred to might cause considerable public offence. Prisoner art displayed in a &q…
17 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what occasions in each of the past five years prisoners have exhibited their artwork; whether any sales of the prisoners' work took place on these occasions and, if so, what happened to the proceeds from the sales.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Annually, the national Koestler Trust Competition exhibits Scottish prisoner art on a no fee basis. Any proceeds from sales go…
17 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16487 by Mr Jack McConnell on 11 July 2001, who the signatories were on behalf of Scottish Borders Council on its Additional Financial Resources for Schools application and what the date or dates of the signatures were.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The signatories to the application are Mr John Christie, the Director of Education and Mr John Campbell, the Director of Finance. The date against both signatures is 18 December 2000.
17 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16485 by Mr Jack McConnell on 11 July 2001, by what date it will require Scottish Borders Council to publish its allocations from the Additional Financial Resources for Schools funding.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Council submitted a return to the Scottish Executive Education Department on 11 July which detailed the total spend by most of the schools in its area under different categories. The Council has advised that it will forward the finalised information as s…
17 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions marked by the Procurators Fiscal for solemn proceedings were returned from the Crown Office marked down for summary jury trial in the sheriff court, expressed also as a percentage of total criminal prosecutions, in 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01 to…
Answer · Colin Boyd: It is assumed that "summary jury trial" should read summary trial.<P>Statistics do not exist to show the number of summary prosecutions commenced as a result of Crown Counsel's instructions. The statistics for all reductions from petition procedure …
12 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what policy guidance it has given to the Scottish Prison Service, in order to comply with the Service's mission statement commitment to provide prisoners with a range of opportunities, regarding the participation of Scottish prisoners in exhibitions of their art work on the basis that the…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">None. The SPS is responsible for drawing up its procedures concerning prisoner art competitions and exhibitions. In future all…
12 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an anticipated #17 million underspend in the Scottish Prison Service budget for the current financial year.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The underspend in the financial year 2000-01 was approximately £17 million.
12 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of ending slopping out in HM Prison Barlinnie would be.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The options for ending slopping out in all Scottish Prisons, including HM Prison Barlinnie, are being considered as part of th…
11 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned a full report into the absconding of Gordon Johnstone during a Training for Freedom Programme and whether it will direct the Scottish Prison Service to review its risk assessment procedures given this prisoner's previous record, particularly when absconding fro…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16944.
11 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a full report into the absconding of Gordon Johnstone available to the Justice Committees.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The matter of Mr Johnstone's abscond has been referred to the police and will be the subject of a report to the Procurator Fisc…
11 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the two-day delay in publicising the absconding of Gordon Johnstone, given his previous record.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">There was no delay in publicising the abscond of this D category prisoner. SPS and ACPOS have an agreed protocol for the releas…
26 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether awards of National Grid for Learning funding are fully funded by it and, if not, what percentage of an award it funds.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16563.
26 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conditions for the award of National Grid for Learning funding allow for local authorities to have computer provision targets which are lower than the national targets of 1 modern computer for every 5 secondary pupils and 1 modern computer for every 7.5 primary pupils by March…
Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16563 on 11 July 2001.
26 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the way in which funding given to local authorities under the National Grid for Learning programme is utilised.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16563.
26 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can vire monies from their annual National Grid for Learning allocation for other purposes and, if so, on what conditions.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive's support to local authorities for the development of the National Grid for Learning (NGfL) comes through the Excellence Fund. Local authorities are all committing considerable amounts from their own resources to support NGfL developmen…