Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been registered homeless in the Scottish Borders in each year since 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of applications and persons assessed as homeless under the homelessness legislation by Scottish Borders Council are shown in the following table.</p> <p>Number of Applications and Persons Assessed as Homeless by Scottish Borders Council: 2000-01 t…
19 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21240 by George Lyon on 14 December 2005, how many deaths from cancer there have been within each former European parliamentary constituency in each year since the Chernobyl incident, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the question S2W-21936 answered 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/webapp/…
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times Scottish police forces have provided advice to the Metropolitan Police on how to respond to requests for information in England and Wales under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.</p>
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether the Metropolitan Police is providing Scottish police forces with specific advice on how to respond to requests for information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have no information pertaining to advice that may have been circulated by the Metropolitan Police Service to Scottish police forces. Police forces may co-operate when dealing with freedom of information requests in the interests of efficiency and consisten…
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had in 2005 with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland regarding the use of informants obtaining information on democratic political parties in Scotland.
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…
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ever been passed intelligence information or material related to the activities of democratic political parties in Scotland.
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…
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many surveillance operations it authorised involving electronic listening equipment other than telephone intercepts in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive does not have jurisdiction to authorise the use of electronic listening equipment.</p> <p>The Chief Surveillance Commissioner publishes details in his annual report of the number of authorisations given under the Police Act 1997 for pro…
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether files held by the Special Branch on democratic political parties in Scotland are current and active.
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…
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ever been passed information by police forces in Scotland which has come from Special Branch informants having obtained information on democratic political parties in Scotland.
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…
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish police forces in respect of the use of informants to obtain information on democratic political parties in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information relating to the use of informants by Scottish police forces 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 it …
14 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the use of Special Branch informants to obtain information on democratic political parties in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The use by the police, including Special Branches, of covert human intelligence sources is governed in Scotland by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 (RIP(S)A) and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).</p> <p>Section 7(3)…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capital provision for equipment was (a) allocated and (b) spent in each NHS board area in each year from 2000-01 to 2004-05 inclusive, expressed in real terms.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Specific capital allocations for medical equipment were not given for the years requested. Prior to 2002, NHS trusts had to bid for capital funding which was held centrally. 2002-03 saw a major change in the methodology for allocating the Health Department’s …
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much each parliamentary constituency received in lottery funding in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The distribution of National Lottery funds is a matter for the Lottery Distribution Bodies: Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen, <b>sport</b>scotland, the Big Lottery Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The information requested is not held centrally by th…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital debt was owed (a) by each local authority and (b) per capita in each local authority area on the most recent date for which figures are available.
Answer · George Lyon: The following table shows the total capital debt and per capita debt (for all services) owed by each local authority as at 31 March 2005.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> </p> </td> <td> <p align=ce…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of (a) contaminated, (b) derelict and (c) vacant land were reclaimed in each of the last three years and how many hectares of such land remain.
Answer · Johann Lamont: Estimates reported by local authorities in the voluntary Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (SVDLS) are set out in the tables.</p> <p>Area of Vacant and Derelict Land Brought Back Into Use Since the Previous Survey (Hectares), Scotland, 2002-04<sup>1-5<…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure on secondary mental health services was in real terms in each of the last five years for which figures are available and what this represents as a percentage of the hospital and community health services budget in each of these years.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown as follows. The level of expenditure on mental health and all other care services is determined by each NHS Board from within their share of the record resources made available to NHS Scotland. Local decisions on spend have …
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many home help clients there were in each local authority area in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The number of home care clients that received a service in the last week of March each year, by local authority area, for each of the last five years is in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=539> <thead> <tr> …
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was in each local authority area on 30 November 2005 for the installation of central heating under the central heating programme.
Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>The information requested is not held by local authority area. Information on average waiting times is collated and presented as a national …
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what priority is given to assisting disabled people in the (a) privately-rented and (b) owner-occupied housing sector.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess the needs of people and decide, in the light of the assessment, whether they should arrange any services and, if so, which services. Any decision taken by the local authority’s …
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on improvement repair grants for disabled people in the (a) privately-rented and (b) owner-occupied sector in each of the last five years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The amount of private sector grant approved for improvements for people with disabilities is shown in the following table. Data on actual spend are not broken down by type of work.</p> <p>Amount of Approved Grant for Improvements for People with Disabilities:…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many voluntary or private sector representatives there are on the Community Planning Implementation Group.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Community Planning Implementation Group was set up in April 2003 for twelve months to take forward the recommendations of the Community Planning Task Force. The group completed its duties with the publication of its report, <i>Making a Difference - Commun…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the main barriers to eliminating poverty under the devolution settlement.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We do not consider there to be any barriers to eliminating poverty caused by the devolution settlement. We are committed, in partnership with the UK Government, to tackling poverty and deprivation throughout Scotland and, specifically, to eliminating child po…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instigate an income maximisation campaign for carers to increase benefit uptake and, if so, what steps it will take to introduce such a campaign.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The UK Government, through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is responsible for social security benefits and for campaigns to maximise their uptake. The Care 21 Report <i>The future of unpaid care in Scotland</i> calls, amongst other things, for a r…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to expand illness prevention initiatives, such as flu vaccination schemes, to include care providers.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The vital role of unpaid family carers as major care providers is well recognised by the Scottish Executive. Chief Medical Officer Letter CMO(2005)07 lays out current national policy on influenza vaccination for carers, requiring NHS boards to offer influenza…
7 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities use local produce so far as it is available in the provision and preparation of school meals.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive does not hold detailed information on the use of local produce by local authorities. However, a recent informal survey of Hungry for Success coordinators found that 60% of local authorities had sourced products locally, and a further 31% were co…
7 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out into the impact of the closure of community hospitals on the delivery of services.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Community Hospitals play a key role in treating patients who cannot be cared for at home but who do not require the specialist care provided by acute hospitals. Community hospitals remain a key resource in the delivery of care.</p> <p>When considering possibl…
7 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has concerns in respect of the provision of frozen meals on wheels and what monitoring it carries out of the effect of such meals on the well-being of elderly people.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The assessment of an individual’s care needs is a matter for each local authority. The Scottish Executive has issued guidance to authorities and the NHS on single shared assessment and care management. An authority’s decision to provide meals on wheels, wheth…
7 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have a policy of preparing school meals in-house so far as practicable.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive does not hold detailed information about local authority policies on this issue. However, we know that practice varies widely between authorities and schools regarding cooking facilities in particular. Some authorities – such as Borders – are fo…
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what data it has on the socio-economic background of people taking up the flu vaccine and where this data can be accessed.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not centrally available.</p>
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) 65 and over and (b) under 65 and in a high risk category received the flu vaccine in each year from 1999 to 2004, broken down by NHS board area, expressed also as a percentage of eligible people in those two categories.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information you requested is as follows:</p> <p>(a) I refer the member to the answer question S2W-19772 on 28 October 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be foun…