Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people, who have been assessed as needing residential care, have died in the (a) Scottish Borders Council and (b) East Lothian Council areas whilst waiting to be placed in residential or nursing care in each year from 1997 to 2000 to date.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what current funding is currently provided for day care centres, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is for local authorities to decide how much should be spent on day care provision. The table indicates how much local authorities plan to spend on day care provision for the elderly and adults with physical and learning disabilities in 2000-01.<P ALIGN="JU…
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S1W-10209 lodged on 3 October 2000.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I hope to be able to provide a reply shortly.
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will appoint and fund a water safety officer in parallel with a similar appointment in England.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Scottish Ministers regulate drinking water quality under provisions in the Water (Scotland) Act 1980. The consultation <I>paper Managing Change in the Water Industry</I> invited views on whether additional powers in this area are needed, given the prospect of…
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10386 by Mr Frank McAveety on 27 October 2000, whether it will include on the implementation group on the central heating installation programme representatives from grassroots fora for pensioners.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Age Concern Scotland and Help the Aged are both represented on the group. We look to them to consult as appropriate and convey the results to other pensioner interests.
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10384 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 27 October 2000, whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the homelessness applications data referred to.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The information has already been made available to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, Document Supply Centre in the following Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin <I>Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation in Scotland 1988-89 to 1998-99: Nat…
2 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the security of employment of the 1,000 Burton's Biscuits employees in Edinburgh following the sale this week to the venture capital firm Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst, the same investment firm that financially backed Viasystems.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive always takes an interest in any take-over which may have employment consequences in Scotland. The new owners of Burton's Biscuits have stated that they intend to rationalise production across various sites, following merger with another…
31 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any jobs were lost and, if so, how many as a result of the transfer of Sea-cats operations from Stranraer to Troon; whether job losses are projected as a consequence of the further relocation from Troon to Belfast in 2001, and if so, how many, and what steps are being taken to pre…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I understand that there were no overall job losses associated with the relocation of Seacat's operating base from Stranraer to Troon in July this year. Similarly, none are planned as part of the relocation of the company's operational base to Belfast. The rel…
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a commitment to the reinstatement of a railway through the Scottish Borders from Edinburgh to Carlisle in order to address the impact of any future main line rail closures.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is currently considering an application from Scottish Borders Council for support from the Public Transport Fund (PTF) to meet the costs of securing the necessary parliamentary permissions for reopening the line from Edinburgh to the Ce…
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether charging older people for personal care through compulsory sale of their home accords with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-10578.
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether charging older people for personal care through compulsory sale of their home accords with Article 1 of The First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights legislation is a matter for the courts in the particular circumstances of each application.
19 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether charging older people for personal care through compulsory sale of their home accords with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-10578 and S1W-10579.
17 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the letter of 4 October 2000 from Ross Finnie to me regarding the Climate Change Levy (CCL) and the Scottish tomato industry, whether, given that the CCL discount amounts to 50% whereas Dutch tomato growers are to receive 100%, it is making representations to Her Majesty's gov…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The 100% exemption from the energy tax enjoyed by the Dutch horticulture sector ended in 1999 and only covered natural gas, LPG, semi-heavy oil and gas oil. They still benefit from a much reduced rate for these fuels, but this is balanced by the fact that the…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9968 by Mr Jack McConnell on 19 September 2000, of the five responses concerning better provision for pensioners, how many of those advocated implementation of the Sutherland recommendations with regard to personal care "in full" and, with regard to …
Answer · Angus MacKay: Five of the 172 written responses received to the Executive's consultation document <I>Investing in You</I> concerned better provision for pensioners. Of these, one suggested the full implementation of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care for the Elderly re…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9571 by Iain Gray of 18 September, whether it will monitor the provision of day care centres in each local authority as part of its commitment to keeping older people within their own homes and in their communities for as long as possible.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Social Work Statistics Division carries out a full census of day care centres in local authority, private and voluntary sectors to monitor provision and usage of day care services across Scotland. The next census is to be carried out in…
13 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2273 by Susan Deacon of 20 September 2000 what further additional steps it has taken to publicise the influen'a vaccination programme for those aged 65 and over.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The measures being taken to publicise the influenza vaccination programme were outlined fully in my reply to question S1O-2273. The second phase of the publicity campaign is currently in train.
13 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9447 by Henry McLeish on 18 September 2000, with which organisations within the agricultural industry and which other interested parties it is in contact with regard to the strategy to assist the future viability and sustainability of Scottish farmin…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has engaged in wide-ranging consultation and discussions with interested parties from all sectors of the agriculture industry in Scotland. These contacts have ranged from individual farmers and bodies representing farmers' interests, other parts…
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9838 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 28 September 2000, whether it will make it a duty of the Minister for Children and Education to collect centrally information regarding swimming instruction for primary school pupils.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: No.
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2328 by Mr Frank McAveety on 28 September 2000, who is being invited to join the group being convened to determine how the central heating initiative will be implemented; what issues the group will consider and what the timetable is for the group's w…
Answer · Frank McAveety: The members of the implementation group are drawn from the power companies and Transco, CoSLA, Eaga, Scottish Homes, the SFHA, Age Concern, Help the Aged, Energy Action Scotland, the Energy Saving Trust and the Solid Fuel Association. The group's remit is to …
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8789 by Sarah Boyack on 28 September 2000, whether any environmental costs of transporting timber from Kielder through the Southern Borders by road as opposed to rail have been considered as part of the assessment of the value of transporting harvest…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Borders Railway Feasibility Study states that the impact of the railway would be to make it environmentally more acceptable to extract the timber. However, the overriding conclusion of the report remains that under current market conditions a Border railw…
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9804 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 8 September 2000, whether the new data collection will enable it to identify the number of households in temporary accommodation which include people of pensionable age.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: No, the new data collection system will not separately identify the number of households in temporary accommodation which include people of pensionable age.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">However, information is available from the homelessness applications data collection…
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7804 by Iain Gray on 26 September 2000, what the timetable is for (a) the submission of plans by local authorities outlining how they will use the additional monies and (b) the disbursement of the #10 million to help tackle delayed discharges and whe…
Answer · Susan Deacon: Each local authority was requested to submit its proposals for the additional monies by 15 September 2000. The letters indicated that, where local authorities could resolve problems of delayed discharge without using all the resources allocated, they could pr…
3 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9538 by Sarah Boyack on 28 September 2000, whether it will publish the raw evidence given to the Scott Wilson feasibility study, in particular the report by the Scottish Borders Tourist Board, and any notes from the detailed discussions held, and wha…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I will arrange for a copy of the report prepared by the Scottish Borders Tourist Board (SBTB) to be made available to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The information obtained in the consultants' interviews with officers of SBTB, Scottish Borders C…
3 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authority takes financial responsibility for the care provision for elderly people when they move from one local authority area in which they have been assessed to another where the care provision is provided and what the statutory basis for this is.
Answer · Iain Gray: If a local authority decides, after an assessment of need, that a person requires care and they decide that the care should be provided in another local authority's area, they retain responsibility for the costs of that person's care. The person is regarded a…
2 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the reports in the Scotland on Sunday and Business AM of a possible takeover of Dawson International by Prada, what representations have been made to the Department of Trade and Industry and what steps have been taken to safeguard jobs in the Borders' cashmere industry sho…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Company take-overs are a commercial matter for the companies concerned. The Scottish Executive will make representations about the employment consequences of company takeovers. Dawson management say that an offer has recently been made for the company but hav…
27 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that pensioner poverty will be eradicated.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: In our Social Justice strategy, we have set long-term targets of ensuring older people are financially secure and that increased numbers enjoy independent and healthy lives. We have just announced a £300 million package including a warm deal for all pensioner…
20 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be applied to prioritise the allocation of the funds being made available from 2001-02 for the provision of central heating for pensioners.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I am convening a group to determine how the central heating initiative will be implemented. It will include representatives of the power companies and relevant charities. This is one of the issues which will be considered.
19 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the care and treatment of elderly people in residential and nursing homes is considered to be part of National Health Service provision.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Minister for Health will make a statement on 5 October regarding NHS responsibility for care in residential and nursing homes.
19 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8859 by Susan Deacon on 13 September 2000, what the projected figure is for the number of geriatricians at 30 September 2000 and what the projected requirement is for 2000-01.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on all medical grades working in the specialties of geriatrics and old age psychiatry as at 30 September 1999, which is the latest available, are shown in Table 1 below.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Details on projected requirements for staff other than at c…
19 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9398 by Sarah Boyack on 13 September 2000, when the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland will publish the results of their consultation exercise on the condition of local roads.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is entirely a matter for the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland.