Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly day care places are currently provided in total by (a) voluntary and (b) statutory agencies, both expressed as a percentage of the over 65s population.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Figures for elderly day care places expressed as a percentage of the 65+ population are presented in the table, split by local authority, private and voluntary sectors. Figures for elderly day care in Scotland are available and can be found in the publication…
13 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the costs of criminal records checks for people "working regularly with vulnerable adults in the voluntary sector" once a definition has been agreed.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13308.
13 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which agencies have been or are being consulted with regard to establishing a definition of "positions working regularly with vulnerable adults" in relation to extending the categories entitled to free criminal record checks for the purposes of Part V of the Police Act 1997.
Answer · Jim Wallace: A draft definition of "vulnerable adult" will shortly be the subject of consultation with relevant organisations in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. In the meantime, we have decided that Part V criminal record checks on volunteers worki…
13 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards a definition of "positions working regularly with vulnerable adults" in relation to extending the categories entitled to free criminal record checks for the purposes of Part V of the Police Act 1997.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13308 today.
12 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) private residential homes, (b) private nursing homes and (c) local authority residential homes have been closed in each of the last three years, both nationally and by local authority.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on closures of private nursing homes and residential care homes is not available centrally.<P>However, a census is carried out annually for each private nursing home and registered residential care home. Table 1 shows the number of residential car…
12 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) nursing home and (b) residential home places have been lost in each of the last three years, both nationally and broken down by local authority.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on places lost in private nursing homes and residential care homes is not available centrally.<P>However, a census of bed complement is carried out as part of an annual return for each private nursing home and registered residential care home. Tab…
7 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8790 by Susan Deacon on 20 November 2000, what response it has had from the Child Health Sub-Group of the National Screening Committee regarding the letter from W J McKenna, Professor of Cardiac Medicine at St George's Hospital Medical School, Londo…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The points made by Professor McKenna regarding the likely incidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will be amongst the information considered by the Child Health Sub-Group of the National Screening Committee in their regular review of their advice on this top…
1 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12402 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 January 2001, when the drafting of any regulations under section 115(4) of the Police Act 1997 will begin and what consideration or consultation is under way with regard to the provision of free enhanced criminal record …
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13308 today.
31 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4363 by Sarah Boyack on 15 February 2000, whether it was aware at that time that the Scottish Borders Tourist Board report which informed the Borders railway feasibility study's conclusions on tourism pre-dated the feasibility study by three years an…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Yes, the Scottish Executive did know that the Scottish Borders Tourist Board report predated the feasibility study and is content that the feasibility study represents a detailed assessment of the economic, social and environmental impacts of reopening part o…
31 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8788 by Sarah Boyack on 21 August 2000, whether it was aware at that time that the Scottish Borders Tourist Board report which informed the Borders railway feasibility study's conclusions on tourism pre-dated the feasibility study by three years and …
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Yes, the Scottish Executive did know that the Scottish Borders Tourist Board report predated the feasibility study, was aware of the report's remit and believes that a supplementary report is unnecessary.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10209 by Sarah Boyack on 28 November 2000, whether, in the absence of any publicly available documentary evidence on the impact of a Borders railway on tourism other than the Scottish Borders Tourist Board report dating from 1996 on the effect of a t…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12430 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 January 2001, what specific arrangements are planned to ensure high quality care and protection for care home residents in the context of the surreptitious administration of drugs.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The planned Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care will take responsibility for the registration and inspection of all care services, including those provided in care homes. All care services will have to meet new national care standards which will co…
25 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated to flood protection schemes in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 and which applicants received funding in each of these years, specifying the amount awarded to each project in each year.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The single allocation which local authorities receive in support of their non-housing capital programme includes provision for, among other things, expenditure on flood prevention. Separately, following flooding in recent years, resources for this programme h…
25 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11310 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 November 2000, whether any local authorities have to date made applications for funding for flood prevention schemes in future years and, if so, whether it will provide details of each proposed scheme and specify the a…
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The non-housing programme capital allocation to local authorities provides resources for various capital work projects, including flood prevention schemes.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In addition, subject to completing the statutory process under the Flood Prevention (…
25 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the current children:child protection officer ratio in Scotland compares with the equivalent ratios in the other component parts of the UK.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-12813.
25 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many child protection officers there currently are (a) in total and (b) in relation to the total population of children in Scotland, expressed as a children:child protection officer ratio and where these child protection officers are located.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-12813.
24 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated specifically to child protection measures in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-12814.
24 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it specifies to which child protection measures funding should be directed and, if not, how the use of funding is monitored.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Funding for child protection is part of the general budgets of the many agencies involved such as Social Work Departments, health boards and the police, who have discretion to determine their own spending priorities. Expenditure specific to child protection i…
24 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many child protection officers there were in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: This information is not held centrally. Many agencies in the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors are involved in child protection. Within these agencies, staff involved in child protection will often have wider duties and the term "Child Protection O…
23 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11246 by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 January 2001, whether it will require local authorities to provide at the end of the financial year a detailed statement of account showing how the resources for resolving problems of delayed discharge were spent, inclu…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Authorities are accountable to their electorates and are required to produce audited accounts as well as a wide range of information related to the £800 million they spend on community care services. However in this particular case performance is monitored th…
22 Jan 2001 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister how much of the #10 million aid package for the textile industry announced by the Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce at the Department of Trade and Industry on 6 June 2000 has been allocated in Scotland.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The DTI package has not been allocated according to geographical area.
16 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11525 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 January 2001, what the total annual cost per prisoner place at Kilmarnock Prison would be if it was calculated using the same methodology as is used to calculate annual costs per prisoner place in relation to Scottish Pr…
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 annual cost per prisoner place is based on the net current expenditure. This excludes all capital expenditure and fina…
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often and on what dates the Scottish Textiles Forum has met since June 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer Ms Grahame to the answer given to question S1W-12470.
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9641 by Henry McLeish on 19 September 2000, how many times the Scottish Textiles Forum has met to date; what decisions have been taken further to the forum's discussions, and what measures have consequently been implemented.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Textile Forum met on 12 June and 12 September, and the next meeting will be on 31 January. Minutes of these meetings are available on the Scottish Executive's website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/who/elld/tra_tex.asp). Subgroups of the forum have …
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9643 by Henry McLeish on 19 September 2000, how many textile-related projects have been developed by (a) the enterprise network and (b) the textile industry, and which of these projects are receiving or are to receive financial support, specifying th…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: We are determined to help the textile sector in its transition from volume manufacturing to higher added-value markets. Since the Scottish Textile Forum was established on 6 June last year, nearly £3 million of public support has been provided to the textile …
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been made available to the textile industry in the Borders since 6 June 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Companies are supported by a very wide variety of programmes from the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Enterprise Networks and other public sector bodies. Scottish Enterprise Borders received an additional £2.3 million in the current year to help meet the cha…
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics are available on the level of personal debt and whether any are available (a) on a geographical basis, (b) broken down by household income and (c) showing the increases or decreases in levels of personal debt under (a) and (b) in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Official statistics on the level of debt are limited. The Bank of England provides details on consumer credit by type of lender but not broken down either by geographical area or household type. The lack of such data is an issue being considered by the DTI Ta…
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11588 by Jackie Baillie on 29 November 2000, whether it will give a detailed breakdown of the allocation of the #10 million for refuge development; what criteria will be used in allocating funding, and whether there is any ceiling on the amount avail…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: £2 million will be made available in the years 2001-02 and 2002-03 and £6 million will be spent in 2003-04.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Bidding guidance is currently being drawn up and will be issued shortly.
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11211 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 November 2000, whether it will commission research into allegations regarding the surreptitious use of drugs in nursing and residential homes.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have no such plans at present. The arrangements that are in place and those that are planned for the future are designed to ensure high quality care and protection for all care home residents. I will keep the need for research on this specific aspect under …
12 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11306 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 November 2000, how many households it is estimated will be eligible under the relief scheme for water and sewerage charges for those on low incomes in each of the next three years and what the estimated administration …
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The number of households that will qualify for assistance under the proposed scheme will depend on the charges levied by each of the water authorities in the coming year and the level at which any cap is set. As the charge levels have yet to be set and propos…