Parliamentary questions

Christine Grahame

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

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional specialists were recruited among the relevant allied health professions in order to increase the provision of support available to pupils identified as having autistic spectrum disorder in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot held centrally.

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional specialists were recruited among the relevant educational professionals in order to increase the provision of support available to pupils identified as having autistic spectrum disorder in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Robert Brown: The information requested isnot available centrally.

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is in place to support pupils with autistic spectrum disorder once they leave the educational system.

Answer · Robert Brown: The Education (AdditionalSupport for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places new duties on educationauthorities and appropriate agencies, including Careers Scotland, furthereducation colleges and higher education institutions, to ensure early planning,preparatio…

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research into autistic spectrum disorder among primary and secondary school pupils to understand what the underlying reasons are behind the rises in pupils being identified as having autism.

Answer · Robert Brown: The Executive and MedicalResearch Council (MRC) have been taking forward a jointly funded researchprogramme based on the agenda outlined in the MRC Review of Autism Research.The MRC has now committed over £3 million to new research. The awards rangefrom clini…

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it took to find an explanation for the increase in autistic spectrum disorder among those primary and secondary school pupils with records of needs and/or individualised educational programmes from 1999 onwards and, in particular, the recorded rise between 2001 to 2002.

Answer · Robert Brown: Up to and including 2001,information was only collected on those pupils with records of needs. Manypupils with high functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome would not have metthe criteria for records of needs but would have Individualised EducationalProgramme…

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S2W-25272 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006, whether it considers that it is in the public interest to determine whether MSPs are, or have been, under covert surveillance involving interception of communications authorised by Scottish Ministers and what i…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-25806 on 23 May 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">…

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25267 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006, when Scottish Ministers last discussed the Wilson Doctrine with the Prime Minister.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have nothing to add to my answerto question S2W-25267. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">www.scott…

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S2W-25267 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006, how many people who were placed under covert surveillance involving interception of communications following authority from Scottish Ministers, but were not subsequently prosecuted, have made a complaint under…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This is a matter for the InvestigatoryPowers Tribunal. The information requested is not held centrally.

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25267 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006, what plans it has to introduce a convention to prevent Special Branch carrying out covert surveillance operations against MSPs and to extend their protection and freedom in a similar way to that provided to MPs …

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are no plans to introducea convention of this sort.

10 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25267 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006, how many covert surveillance operations involving the interception of MSPs' communications it has refused to authorise since 1999.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-25806 on 23 May 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…

10 May 2006 · Written Question

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Details of the number of interceptionwarrants issued by the Scottish ministers are contained in the annual reports of the Interception ofCommunications Commissioner. The most recentreport – Bib. number 37809, document number SE/2005/203 – was laid before the …

10 May 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has put in place to support allied health professionals to provide adequate levels of service to children with autistic spectrum disorder, in light of the significant increase in their number.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive EducationDepartment provided funding of £3 million per year for the last two years to NHSboards to meet their obligations under the Education (Additional Support for Learning)(Scotland) Act 2004. These resources are being used in a vari…

8 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated for the treatment of sleep disorders in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr:  <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=139 rowspan=2> Health Boards </td> <td width=466 colspan=7 valign=top> Total Funding </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=76 valign=t…

8 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for a first appointment at a sleep centre in each year since 1999, broken down by sleep centre.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not heldcentrally.

8 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were waiting for a first appointment at a sleep centre in each year since 1999, broken down by sleep centre.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

8 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients received continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information is containedin the following table.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=151 rowspan=2 valign=top> Health Boards </td> <td width=457 colspan=7 valign=top> Total </td> …

5 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities recorded a deterioration of more than 15% in seven of the 77 statutory performance indicators in each year since 2001.

Answer · Tom McCabe: SPI information is a matterfor Audit Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally. Informationon SPIs can be found on the Audit Scotland website at <ahref="http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/">www.audit-scotland.gov.uk</a>.

5 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities recorded an improvement of more than 15% in only two of the 77 statutory performance indicators in each year since 2001.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Statutory PerformanceIndicators (SPI) information is a matter for Audit Scotland. Theinformation requested is not held centrally. Information on SPIs can be foundon the Audit Scotland website at <a href="http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/">www.audit-scotland.g…

5 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the top 5% of earners within each local authority area were women in each year since 2000.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The preferred source for earningsestimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried outby the Office for National Statistics.Table 1 shows the percentageof the top 5% of earners within each local authority area that were wome…

5 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what average time was taken in each year since 2000 to complete special educational needs assessments in the Scottish Borders compared with the national average.

Answer · Robert Brown: The information requested isnot collected by the Scottish Executive. Audit Scotland, however, publishes detailsof a range of performance indicators in relation to local authority services, includingthe average number of weeks taken to complete statutory speci…

5 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of primary schools in the Scottish Borders were over-occupied in each year since 2000.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Audit Scotland haspublished, annually, a set of performance indicators for education which includethe percentage of each authority’s primary schools with an occupancy level of 101%or more.Copies of the Audit Scotlandperformance indicators publications …

2 May 2006 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what progress has been made in respect of a Scottish food fortnight in the Members¿ Restaurant.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I acknowledge Ms Grahame’sinterest in this matter. She will be pleased to learn that we are arranging aScottish food fortnight in the Members’ Restaurant starting on the 4 ofSeptember to coincide with Scottish Food Fortnight campaign for 2006 and weintend to …

26 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to revise the exemption scheme for water and sewerage services to premises operated by charitable and voluntary organisations to reduce their financial burden.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The water and sewerage chargesexemption scheme was established originally for four years with effect from 1 April 2002 to assistthose organisations that had previously been in receipt of relief and which werelikely to be most affected by its withdrawal. The s…

26 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has made available to charities and voluntary organisations since the transitional hardship fund expired on 31 March 2004.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Since the expiry of thetransitional hardship fund on 31 March 2004 the Scottish Executive hasprovided considerable financial support to the voluntary sector. In 2004-05 thevoluntary sector was provided with £404 million in grants, either directly orthrough no…

26 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many charitable organisations which have rented or owned premises since 1999 are liable for full payment of water rates and what criteria are applied to exemptions for such premises.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Scottish Water does not categoriseits non-domestic customers by reference to the nature of their business or to theirstatus in the eyes of HM Customs and Revenue. The information sought therefore isnot held by either the Scottish Executive or Scottish Water.<…

25 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities require drivers in circumstances other than transporting children to and from school to undergo enhanced Disclosure Scotland checks and what these circumstances are.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This is a matter for thelocal authorities. The information requested is not available centrally.

25 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities which require enhanced Disclosure Scotland checks on drivers transporting children to school apply standardised appeal procedures in respect of such checks.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-25428 on 3 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…

25 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities which require enhanced Disclosure Scotland checks on drivers transporting children to school apply (a) uniform criteria for assessment of suitability and (b) standardised procedures in respect of such checks.

25 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities require enhanced Disclosure Scotland checks on drivers transporting children to school by (a) bus, (b) minibus, (c) taxi, (d) private hire and (e) parental contacts, as referred to in recommendation 4 of A review of school transport contracts in Scotland by the Sco…

Answer · Peter Peacock: This is a matter for the localauthorities. The information requested is not held centrally.Since the publication of thereport of the Scottish Consumer Council’s review I have made clear my endorsementof the recommendations addressed to local authoritie…

19 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many covert surveillance operations have been carried out by any relevant authority, current or historic, on MSPs since 1999.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information relating to the useof covert surveillance by relevant authorities would, if held by the Scottish Executive,be exempt by virtue of sections 31 (National Security) and 35 (Law Enforcement)of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. We believe…