Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which social work departments, in each local authority, carry out mandatory police checks for care staff who work in both residential and home settings.
Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not available centrally. The arrangements for accessing police checks presently vary from sector to sector. Checks may be carried out as part of the registration process for independent care providers; and local authorities are able to car…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many paediatric patients in the Scottish Borders will be affected by the centralisation of paediatric cardiac surgery in Glasgow.
Answer · Susan Deacon: On the basis of numbers in recent years, and taking into account the reducing trend in the need for paediatric cardiac surgery, it seems likely that around 4-7 children each year from the Borders Health Board area will require to have this form of surgery in …
15 Mar 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the local government spending settlement is on elderly people.
Answer · Iain Gray: For the second year running local authority expenditure and grant are both set to increase in real terms. Much of the expenditure will benefit older people.
29 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what was the projected social work expenditure on care of the elderly and what was the actual expenditure in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Iain Gray: Budgeted social work expenditure on care of the elderly is given below. Final outturn figures were given in my response to your question S1W-4398, dated 22 February 2000. Data are only given for years since local government reorganisation in April 1996.<FONT …
29 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elements of the recommendations of the Sutherland Report With Respect to Old Age for a National Care Commission have been accepted; how many have not been accepted and what they are, and what criteria were used for selection or rejection.
Answer · Iain Gray: In the debate on older people on 2 December 1999, I indicated that the Scottish Executive accepted the recommendation of the Royal Commission that there should be a National Care Commission "to monitor trends, including demography and spending, ensure tr…
24 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the environmental and agricultural implications of low level flying in the Borders.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to low-level flying. Aviation matters, both civil and military, are reserved to the UK Parliament. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, i…
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it is proposing to allocate for research into and prevention of cardiomyopathy.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has received no research proposals of a sufficiently high standard on cardiomyopathy recently and therefore does not directly fund research into heart muscle disease at present. However, we would be pleased to receive research applicati…
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) whether there is "no crisis" in the farming industry as stated in the recent report published by the Cabinet Office, (b) how it determines whether there is a crisis in the industry and (c) what its definition is of an industrial crisis.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The report referred to was a publication of the UK Government, not the Scottish Executive. The Scottish Executive acknowledges that agriculture is facing major problems, and many sectors and people within it are facing real difficulties.
18 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been invested by it and The Scottish Office in the transport infrastructure for the Scottish Borders broken down for each of the last ten consecutive years.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scottish Executive and Scottish Office investment in transport infrastructure in the Scottish Borders has been mainly in the trunk road network. Capital expenditure on trunk road improvements and repairs in each of the last three completed financial years (th…
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have left the Scottish Borders since 1998.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The latest, mid-1998, population estimates published by the Registrar General estimate net migration gain to the Scottish Borders of 360 in the year ending 30 June 1998. The Registrar General intends to publish mid-1999 population estimates, including estimat…
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much inward investment has been attracted to the Scottish Borders by Locate in Scotland for the years 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and what it estimates the figure will be for 2000-01.
Answer · Henry McLeish: In the Scottish Borders Enterprise area between 1996 and 1999, Locate in Scotland was involved in expansion projects by Mainetti and Viasystems.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>In the current financial year, the following projects which have been attracted to the…
15 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the social work budget in each local authority was spent on services for the elderly in each of financial years 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.
Answer · Iain Gray: Due to the way in which expenditure data are structured, it is difficult to identify exactly how much is spent on older people. There is an element of social work expenditure which cannot easily be allocated to individual client groups. In addition to "s…
14 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what future it considers there to be for Borders textiles.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Many Borders textile companies, particularly those specialising in cashmere, achieved good sales growth last year. However, competitive pressures continue to grow in this sector and future prospects will therefore depend largely on companies positioning thems…
14 Feb 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether any applicant of the age 57 or over will be considered for employment by the Scottish Parliament and, if not, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body regards this as age discrimination and what action it plans to take to address this issue.
Answer · David Steel: Yes, applicants of age 57 and over will be considered for employment by the Scottish Parliament.
10 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in forthcoming legislation to reform factoring arrangements for the owners of former council housing.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Partnership for Scotland agreement committed the Executive to reviewing the existing arrangements for factoring former local authority houses. Consideration is presently being given to developing a mechanism to achieve this and, as necessary, to effect th…
9 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the five recommendations of the Scottish Health Advisory Service report Services for older people in the Southern Highlands, published on 5 November 1999, have been actioned; how the recommendations have been actioned; what the timetable is for full implementation and who is resp…
Answer · Iain Gray: At its meeting on 1 February, Highland Health Board discussed and agreed an action plan for implementing each of the five recommendations contained in the Scottish Health Advisory Service report. The plan will be taken forward in partnership with the Highland…
9 Feb 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will implement recommendation 3 of the Scottish Health Advisory Service report Services for Older People in the Southern Highlands.
Answer · Iain Gray: It is for Highland Health Board and the Highland NHS Trusts to consider and respond to the recommendations in the report. I understand that they are doing so and that recommendation 3 will be taken forward as part of the development of a Highland-wide strateg…
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1355 by Mr Jim Wallace on 17 January 2000 and to question S1W-3497 by Mr Jack McConnell on 25 January 2000, whether it will now make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre copies of the written opinions of the UK Law Officers in rela…
Answer · Jim Wallace: Any copies of the written opinions of the UK Law Officers which were inherited by the Scottish Executive on 1 July 1999 or have come into its possession since that date were or are provided by the UK Government on the basis that these may not be disclosed out…
2 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding the application by Signum Circuits, Selkirk for Regional Selective Assistance.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is at present considering a Regional Selective Assistance application from Signum Circuits. However no new awards of Regional Selective Assistance may be made until agreement has been reached with the European Commis…
1 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the speech by the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Life Long Learning on 27 January 2000 (Official Report col.603-4), whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the legal advice referred to and, if not, why not.
Answer · Henry McLeish: No. It is neither custom nor practice of the UK Government or the Executive in Scotland to publish its legal advice.
27 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1605 by Iain Gray on 17 January 2000, what percentage of the #140 and #200 average weekly contributions to the cost of long term residential care or long term nursing care made by older people who receive contributions to the costs of their care only…
Answer · Iain Gray: All of the estimated £140 per week contributed towards their care costs by people in residential care in 1998-99 is accounted for by costs other than nursing care costs. The higher contributions made by people in long term nursing care reflect the additional …
26 Jan 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether European Regional Development Funding is available for the Borders railway.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The new South of Scotland European Objective 2 programme will be worth over £40 million over the next seven years and will bring a valuable additional boost to investment in the area. It will cover a range of issues including economic development and social j…
18 Jan 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what efforts the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has made to publicise to the general public the new regulations on the operation of cross-party groups.
Answer · David Steel: The Standards Committee's report on the <I>Regulation of Cross-Party Groups</I>, which sets out the regulations, was published on 30 November 1999. In keeping with normal practice, the report was placed on the Parliament's web site on that date. Most of the p…
13 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make funding available to ensure that a comprehensive immunisation programme against flu is in place for the over 65s and vulnerable groups.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive provides funding for flu immunisation and issues guidance in accordance with medical advice on those who would most benefit from vaccination.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is the expert …
13 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will obtain from local authorities a detailed breakdown of the cost of recovery of council tax and poll tax arrears through the summary debt collection procedure for the last three financial years.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Scottish Executive officials undertook to examine this matter for the Justice and Home Affairs Committee. I have today laid in the SPICe a copy of the letter to the clerk.
10 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will request Her Majesty's Government to obtain from the Department of Trade and Industry, North East of England, figures of the number of Borders workers formerly employed by Viasystems and employed by Viasystems North Tayside over the past 17 months, and to obtain a breakdown…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Department of Trade & Industry obtain appropriate information from the company to allow them to monitor the investment project which they are assisting on North Tyneside.
15 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the security of employment of the 1,000 United Biscuits employees in Scotland in the event that United Biscuits is taken over by Nabisco, given that Nabisco is backed by Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst, the same investment firm as Viasystems.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive always takes an interest in any proposed take-over which may have employment consequences in Scotland, and would make representations as and when necessary.
8 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has evidence to support recent claims from organisations representing the elderly regarding the extent of discrimination in the NHS, and whether it will now initiate a full and comprehensive investigation.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There is no evidence to suggest that elderly people are being refused NHS care solely on the grounds of age.
24 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the recent increase in pension rates for Scottish pensioners.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with United Kingdom Government Ministers and Departments on a wide range of issues, including pensions.
27 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1933 by Iain Gray on 7 October 1999, what guidelines have been issued about what constitutes appropriate facilities to meet the needs of people under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and how these are monitored.
Answer · Iain Gray: Guidance on the care needs of frail older people and adult day care provision was issued to local authorities on 28 July and 17 August 1998 respectively. I am arranging for copies to be sent. Plans for service provision are monitored through Community Care Pl…