Christine Grahame

11 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist the Borders textile industry and, in particular, cashmere production, in light of recent redundancies at Douglas of Scotland and John Laings of Hawick.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Textiles teamin Scottish Enterprise has a remit to assist the sustainable development andgrowth of the textile industry throughout Scotland, including the Borders. The team works with a numberof partners to deliver a wide range of support measure…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any Special Branch informants operating against democratic political parties in Scotland and, if so, which political parties and how long the Executive has been aware of such operations.??

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21755 on 18 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…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many exemptions under section 18 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 it has applied to freedom of information requests in each of the last 12 months.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Records show that a notice under section 18 of the act has been issued on two occasions, one in May and one in November.</p>

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been on the sex offenders’ register in each year since 2000.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The number of sex offenders recordedby the Scottish Criminal Record Office as being registered with Scottish PoliceForces since 2000 is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>As at:</p> </td> <td> <p al…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many gifts ministers have received from private sector firms or businesses (a) within and (b) outwith Scotland in each year since 2000, broken down by firm or business.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Details of all gifts received by ministers are published annually on the Scottish Executive website. These are currently shown from 1999 to 2004. We plan to issue the details for 2005 shortly.</p> <p>Details can be found at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total revenue generated from speed cameras has been and how many deaths on roads have been caused as a direct result of speeding in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The revenue generated from speedcameras within the Scottish Safety Camera Programme in each year since 1999 is providedin the following table.</p><p>Information on the number ofdeaths on roads caused as a direct result of speeding is not available. However,si…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the fitting of speed governors to vehicles by manufacturers in order to reduce speeding.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The fitting of speed governers to vehicles is a matter for the UK Government.</p>

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12029 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of people waiting to see a psychologist in each NHS board area on 31 December or another fixed date in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot available centrally. Waiting lists data is collected centrally only for firstout-patient appointments at a consultant-led out-patient clinic, following referralby a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, and for hospital in-pa…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12029 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, how many psychologists have been employed by each NHS board in each year since 1999, broken down by category and expressed also on a per capita basis.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The following tables show thewhole-time equivalent (WTE) of NHS employed psychologists by NHS board 2001-04.WTE adjusts headcount to allow for part-time working. Information for the years1999 and 2000 is not available centrally.</p><p>Table 1: Applied Psychol…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of self harm there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999, broken down by month and into age groupings.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown in the table, <i>Hospital discharges from acute hospitals with a diagnosis of deliberate self-harm, year ending December 1999-2004</i> a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre  (Bib numbe…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many suicides there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999, broken down by month and into age groupings.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Tables presenting the information requested have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38684).</p>

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to encourage individuals to have their hearing tested, given that there is typically a 15-year delay between the onset of hearing loss and seeking help, as compared to a four-year gap between sight deterioration and obtaining spectacles, and that hearing impairm…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22096 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…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support, financial or otherwise, it is giving to the RNID campaign, “Breaking the Sound Barrier”, and, in particular, to the telephone hearing test.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive supports this campaign by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and is keen to work with the RNID to help those with, or who may have, a hearing loss.</p>

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the audiology waiting times are in each NHS board.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not collected by the National Waiting Times Unit as audiology is not a consultant-led service. Information Services Division has developed a data collection system for audiology services which is currently being tested to ensure quality as…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10217 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 September 2004, how the £20 million was allocated to each NHS board; how the allocations were applied, and what impact these had on waiting times for audiology appointments.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The following table details the breakdown of the funds allocated to modernise and improve audiology services:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>&nbsp;</p></td> <td> <p align=center>2003–04</p>…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the order of strategic priority is of current and proposed rail developments.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Our first priority is to implement the major rail infrastructure projects, as set out in the Partnership Agreement, i.e. the rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, the upgrade at Waverley station, opening the Stirling to Alloa line, the Airdrie to Bath…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the extent of the litter on the roadside verges of the A1 between Haddington and Newcraighall and, if so, what communications it has had with Amey Highways Ltd in this regard.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Amey Infrastructure Services is required to clear litter from the A1 special road between Old Craighall Roundabout and Haddington in accordance with the standards laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the associated Code of Practice on Litter…

5 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its officials have received an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Year’s Honours List in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The number of Scottish Executive officials who have received an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Year’s Honours List in each year since 1999 are detailed in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <t…

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have located to Scotland directly as a result of the Fresh Talent initiative whose average gross weekly earnings were more than £432.20.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify their level of earnings or to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent initiative on every occasion. However…

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have located to Scotland directly as a result of the Fresh Talent initiative whose average gross weekly earnings were less that £432.20.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify their level of earnings or to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent Initiative on every occasion. However…

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out since 1999 to examine the economic impact of independence and, in particular, whether it would have a positive impact on the Scottish economy.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: No such research has been carried out.</p>

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many documents it holds which examine or consider the case for Scottish independence.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive holds many documents which in some way relate to the subject of Scottish independence, but no central tally of the number has been compiled.</p>

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to means-test fees in respect of freedom of information requests made to public bodies.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Charging for providing information is discretionary, but any charges must be made in accordance with the current fees regulations issued under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in SSIs 2004/376 and 2004/467. The Code of Practice issued by Scottis…

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 that it has handled resulted in a fee notification being issued and how many of those applicants proceeded with their request after the notice was issued.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Of the records held centrally one fees notice has been issued and the applicant did not proceed with the request.</p>

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish Executive department has received the most freedom of information requests.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Of the records held centrally the Education Department has received the most freedom of information requests to date.</p>

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many freedom of information requests it dealt with from 1 January 2005 to 23 December 2005; how many of these requests it responded to within 20 working days, and how many are still outstanding.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Information on numbers of requests received and timeliness of responses to requests in the first six months of 2005 is available in a report on information request handling in the Scottish Executive. This report is available in the Scottish Parliament’s Infor…

4 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any breaches of its obligations under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and, if so, what these were.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 is primarily enforced by the Scottish Information Commissioner. The commissioner’s decisions detail where, in the opinion of the commissioner, an authority has failed to comply, and the respect in which the autho…

4 Jan 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what key infrastructure elements and services its Environment and Rural Affairs Department considers should be in place to make rural communities, such as the Scottish Borders, sustainable at a time when such areas have a growing elderly population.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive recognises the challenges posed by an ageing population that local authorities and others involved in local policy and service delivery face. These local bodies are best placed to assess the needs of their communities, through engaging …

21 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21240 by George Lyon on 14 December 2005, what research or investigation has been carried out into the increased incidence of cancer deaths in the south of Scotland since the Chernobyl incident.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The answer to question S2W-21240 on 14 December 2005, indicated a general increase in the absolute numbers of deaths from cancer in the South of Scotland between 1986 and 2004. However, rates of death from cancer increase substantially with age, and the incre…

21 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths from cancer there were in each former European parliamentary constituency in each of the 10 years prior to the Chernobyl incident, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21936 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: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…