Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information must be provided in support of requests for flights by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, to land at airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and, specifically, whether a list of passenger names is require…
Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer question S2W-21090 on 20 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its permission, or that of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) management, was requested for flights by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom the CIA has outsourced services, to land at airports operated by HIAL, and, if so, what response was given.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Neither the Scottish Executive nor Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) has received any requests for flights operated by or on behalf of the CIA to land at airports operated by HIAL.</p>
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any flights into airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd by aircraft chartered by the CIA, or by agencies to whom services have been outsourced by the CIA, and, if so, when it became aware of such flights and how frequent they have been.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has no evidence that airports anywhere in Scotland, including those operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, have been used by aircraft by or on behalf of the CIA.</p>
24 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a conflict of interest between the Lord Advocate’s role as a member of the Executive and his legal capacity as Scotland’s senior law officer with responsibility for legal advice to the Executive, in view of the Executive’s position as owner and sole shareholder of Highlan…
Answer · Colin Boyd: No. There is no conflict of interest. Law Officers have always been members of either the UK Government or, following devolution by virtue of s44 of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Executive. Where consulted they give impartial and professional advice.</p…
24 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what duty the Lord Advocate has, in his capacity as a member of the Executive, to investigate allegations that rendition flights may have landed at Wick and Inverness airports, given the Executive’s position as owner and sole shareholder of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The investigation and prosecution of crime is a matter for the police, the Procurator Fiscal and the Lord Advocate. Section 48 of the Scotland Act provides that any decision of the Lord Advocate in his capacity as head of the systems of criminal prosecution a…
24 Jan 2006 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will investigate a means whereby contracts for the provision of catering in the Parliament are drafted to ensure that the menus in the members¿ dining room use Scottish-sourced produce, while remaining compatible with European procurement legislation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Our contractor is currently reviewing its menus to introduce traditional and contemporary Scottish dishes in the members’ dining room.</p> <p>The SPCB cannot adopt a policy which specifies that all produce must be Scottish as this is not permissible under Eur…
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers and in light of the statement by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration that children can be deported while under investigatio…
Answer · Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22160 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Commissioner for Children and Young People is being consulted on the nature of the agreement with the UK Government.
Answer · Robert Brown: Officials have had a number of recent meetings with the Children’s Commissioner’s office to discuss children of asylum seekers amongst other things. There will be further meetings in the coming weeks.</p>
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Parliament will be given the opportunity to consider and scrutinise the agreement with the UK Government.
Answer · Robert Brown: We have made clear on many occasions that we are seeking to agree improvements in a range of issues and that we will report to Parliament once our discussions with the Home Office are concluded. It will be for Parliament to determine whether any parliamentary…
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 (Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, what the timetable is for finalising the agreement with the UK Government.
Answer · Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22161 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, if it is successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, whether Scotland, as the host nation, can nominate sports for inclusion in the Games and, if so, whether it will nominate rugby union for inclusion and locate the competition in the Scottish Borders.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The information requested on the Commonwealth Games Sports Programme can be found at the following URL as at 26 January 2006 <a href="http://www.thecgf.com/faq/faq12.asp">http://www.thecgf.com/faq/faq12.asp</a></p> <p>Men’s rugby 7’s is one of the compulsory …
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, if it is successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, whether it will ensure that sporting competitions are located around Scotland, such as equestrian events in the Scottish Borders.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive and Glasgow City Council have received advice from the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland indicating that the prospects for Scotland’s bid to be successful are maximised if the events venues are as close together as possible and if…
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the consequences would be for Scottish Ministers if it were subsequently proved that rendition flights had used airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to speculate on this matter without credible and reliable information.</p>
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken legal advice in respect of allegations that airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd may have provided facilities to rendition flights.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: In the absence of credible and reliable information, the Scottish Executive has no reason to take legal advice on these allegations.</p>
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what duties it has in respect of flights through airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), as the licensed operator of its 10 airports, is responsible for meeting UK Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport regulatory, and all statutory, requirements relating to its duties as the licensee of t…
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what inquiries it has made in respect of alleged rendition flights through airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, following the publication of documents obtained by Amnesty International and by the Danish Government.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have made no inquiries. Ministers have consistently made clear that if anyone has credible and reliable information regarding alleged criminal activity, it should be passed to the police.</p>
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, whether it has instructed the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to investigate reports of two alleged CIA-operated flights into Wick and five such flights into Inverness since September 2001 a…
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has requested and received information from Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) about the procedures that are in place for handling and recording information regarding international flights to and from its airports. We are satisfi…
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005, what approaches Scottish Ministers or officials have made to the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd asking it to check whether it holds any information or related documents suggesting that US G…
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has requested information from Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) regarding any flights operated on behalf of the US Government and its agencies. HIAL has no evidence that such flights have operated to or from its airports.</p>
23 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21090 by Tavish Scott on 20 December 2005 and noting that Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has no statutory duty to record or publish passenger or crew details of chartered or private flights, whether, in its capacity as sole shareholder or otherwi…
Answer · Tavish Scott: Neither the Scottish Executive nor Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has any information which supports allegations that Wick or Inverness Airports have been used by CIA-operated flights.</p>
18 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prisoners who have been convicted of a sexual offence have been assessed as (a) posing a definite risk, (b) posing an uncertain risk and (c) unlikely to pose a risk of reoffending, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of prisoners convicted of a sexual off…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>The information is not available in the format requested.</p><p>A recent Sex Offenders Audit conducted by SPS and local authorities …
18 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of convicted sex offenders were recorded as having a mental health problem in each year since 1999.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.</p>
18 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of individuals convicted of violent assault since 1999 have reoffended within one year of their release.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p>Persons Released from a Custodial Sentence or Given a Non-Custodial Sentence in 1999-2002 Whose Index Conviction<sup>1</sup> was for a Violent Crime: Percentage Reconvicted Within One Year</p><…
18 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of individuals convicted of a child sex offence since 1999 have reoffended within one year of their release.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The following table provides information on the percentage of offenders convicted of a crime of indecency who were reconvicted for any crime within one year.</p> <p>Offenders Released from a Custodial Sentence or Given A Non-Custodial Sentence, 1999-2002, Who…
18 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19911 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 November 2005, how many neurologists and specialist registrars working in neurology there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is contained in five tables entitled <i>Medical Staff in Neurology by grade and NHS Board 2001-2005</i> a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38692).</p>
18 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14562 by Mr Andy Kerr on 16 March 2005, what the most recent average waiting times are for a first out-patient appointment with a neurology consultant following referral by a GP, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHSScotland has made excellent progress in reducing long waits for patients. On 30 September 2005, the number of patients waiting more than 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant in neurology, following referral, was 986 compared with 1…
12 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional audiologists it estimates will be required to meet any increasing demand following the introduction of a telephone hearing test by the RNID, which has been based on a Dutch model and as a consequence of which it is estimated that two or three out of 10 people taking th…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) has indicated to the Executive, based on the experience in the Netherlands, that they expect one in 10 people who take the telephone hearing test may then contact their general practitioner to be referred to an…
11 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided to support textile production in the Scottish Borders in each of the last six years; where the funding has been allocated, and for what purpose.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Since 2001 ScottishEnterprise has provided over £1.7 million through Scottish Textiles to supportthe Scottish textiles industry. A further breakdown to show specific figuresfor the Borders and purpose of the funding is not available asdisproportionately high …
11 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role there is for the Scottish Textiles Forum in respect of the redundancies in textile production in the Scottish Borders.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Textiles Forumprovides a central coordinating body linking industry with government. The forumwill therefore continue to work with industry and key partner organisations todevelop strategic direction for the industry and appropriate measures ofsu…
11 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12475 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 26 January 2001, how often and on what dates the Scottish Textiles Forum has met since its inception.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Forum has met twice ayear since its inception. It met on 4 March 2002,</p><p>2 September 2002, 7 March 2003, 5 September 2003, 13 February 2004, </p><p>10 September 2004, 28 January 2005 and 23 September 2005.</p>
11 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been lost in (a) textiles, (b) tourism, (c) electronics, (d) farming, (e) the public sector and (f) other sectors in the Scottish Borders in each year since 1999.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Statistics on the number ofjobs lost are not held centrally.</p>