Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of employment in the manufacturing sector was in each quarter since January 1985.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Labour Force Survey (LFS)is the official source for employment estimates.</p><p>LFS estimates are currently reportedin seasonal quarters (spring, summer, autumn,winter). The spring quarter runs from March to May, summer quarter from June toAugust, autumn …
5 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the proposed timetable is in respect of legislation to establish a Scottish Human Rights Commission.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive remains committedto introducing legislation to establish a Scottish Human Rights Commission withinthe lifetime of this Parliament.</p>
27 Jun 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2W-17182 by Robert Brown on 21 June 2005, whether it will provide a breakdown of the cost of370 for providing two retrieved emails and a copy of an existing report anent the alleged telephone interception of my Galashiels office and P…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much European funding was received by the South of Scotland region in each year since 1999, broken down by parliamentary constituency and funding source, and how much European funding will be available in each year to 2006.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The information requested is attached in the following tables. Where figures are not collated at parliamentary constituency level they have been provided at the next appropriate level available.</p> <p>(a) European Structural Funds (ESF)</p><p>Figures for Eur…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultation responses it received from (a) local authorities and government agencies and (b) other consultees in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01, (iii) 2001-02, (iv) 2002-03, (v) 2003-04 and (vi) 2004-05.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report on its consultation process on modernising dental services in Scotland will be published.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I made a major policy statement in Parliament on 17 March announcing the publication of the Executive’s Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland. The Action Plan sets out the Executive’s response to the two consult…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that its procedures for communicating with general dental practitioners operate effectively.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Health Department has a number of means of communicating with general dental practitioners but recognise that improvements can be made, particularly in light of the recently published <i>Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Ser…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how its Health Department communicates with general dental practitioners.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Health Department has a number of ways of communicating with general dental practitioners but the normal method is by a Memorandum to a PCA letter.</p>
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the report in The Herald on 3 March 2005 anent the threatened removal of dental degrees from the Glasgow Dental School, when ministers were first made aware of these issues and whether the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care will report to the Parliament on th…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive is committed to improve the number and quality of dental professionals trainingin Scotland. The combined Glasgow Dental School and Hospital continue to receive record levels of fundingfrom the Executive through a combination of resource…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake of thegolden hello scheme for dentists has been in each year since its inception.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17116 on 14 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake has been of recruitment and retention incentives for dentists in each year since 2003, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Information on uptake of the recruitment and retention allowances by general dental practitioners is provided in the following tables. Additionally, we introduced on 1 April 2004 an allowance for salaried dentists being employed by NHS boards within three mon…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what appraisal has been made of the Scottish Dental Access initiative.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: A revised Return to Work scheme under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) was introduced with effect from 1 April 2003. The funding available under the SDAI to help with establishing new or expanding existing NHS dental practices was doubled last yea…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists have received funding through the Scottish Dental Access initiative in each year since it has been available, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of grants under the Scottish Dental Access (SDAI) Initiative where the first tranche of grant has been paid in a calendar year is provided below. Due to the commercial sensitivity of the information and the need to respect the anonym…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to dental practitioners to make their premises compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive has provided £13.3 million over the last five financial years for dental practice improvements. Some of this funding has been targeted at improvements to address the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. A further £5 million in prac…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Statement of Dental Remuneration was last reviewed.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The fees contained in the Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR) are uprated every year in light of the recommendation of the independent Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body. As part of the Action Plan to Improve Oral Health and Modernise NHS Dental Services i…
3 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the letter of 16 May 2005 to me from the Minister for Communities which states inter alia "You queried the applicability of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to children in Dungavel. The Act does not apply to Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre as immigration is the resp…
Answer · Euan Robson: In his letter of 16 May the Minister for Communities said that the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 did not apply to Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre as immigration is the responsibility of the Home Office. The terms of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 do appl…
2 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15791 and S2W-16581 by Cathy Jamieson on 10 and 31 May 2005, whether it will instigate a review or audit of figures produced by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in light of any discrepancy in the figures produced by the Inspectorate and directly by …
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have investigated the figures, which were provided to SPICe and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary by Grampian Police. Grampian police have acknowledged that the data they provided to HM Inspectorate for 2003-04 was inaccurate - the correct number of racist i…
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the Deputy First Minister's recent discussions with the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, it supports a European Union budget that maintains regional funding for the south of Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: To the extent that an increasedUnited Kingdom contribution to the Commission budget could result ina reduction in the Scottish Assigned Budget, the Scottish Executive supports a budgetdiscipline approach to the negotiations on the future of EU budget post-200…
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16363 by Mr Andy Kerr on 18 May 2005, what the Operational Research Consultancy (ORCON) standards have been for the Scottish Ambulance Service in each year since 2002, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Between August 2002 and April2004, the ORCON standards were phased out across mainland Scotland as the Scottish Ambulance Service adopted the priority-based dispatch system, which categorisescalls based on the risk to the patient. The targets which are used t…
20 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the creation of a south of Scotland region eligible for Objective 1, statistical effect or transitional funding was discussed by the Deputy First Minister and the European Commissioner for Regional Policy at their recent meeting.
Answer · Jim Wallace: In order for the south of Scotland region to be eligible for the Commission’s proposed Convergence funding, it would need to be reclassified as a NUTS II region. The issue of reclassification was raised by the Executive with the Department of Trade and Indust…
16 May 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether additional security personnel will be required to ensure that there is sufficient cover available to enable staff to take lunch between 12.00 noon and 2.00 pm each day.
Answer · George Reid: In order to ensure that a safe and secure environment is always maintained throughout the Parliament, it is not possible to allow all staff access to a lunch break between 12 noon and 2.00pm each day. It is particularly difficult on business days when more po…
16 May 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what arrangements are in place to allow security staff who are instructed to take their lunch at 11.30 am to eat at Holyrood, given that the garden level restaurant does not serve meals until 12.00 noon.
Answer · John Scott: The lunch service in the Garden Restaurant with effect from 31 May, commenced earlier at 11.30 am. As a consequence, the breakfast service will closes earlier at 10.15 am.</p>
16 May 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider appointing a specialist team or official to manage and resolve outstanding snagging issues around Holyrood.
Answer · John Scott: It is the responsibility of the appointed Design Team and Construction Managers to manage and resolve outstanding snagging issues. In view of the good progress being made, it is not envisaged that any separate additional appointments will be necessary.</p>
16 May 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how reports of snagging issues in Holyrood are logged and prioritised.
Answer · John Scott: Snagging items were initially identified by the Design Team for Trade Contractors to remedy. Since Parliament staff moved into the building, any emergent defects are logged with the Facilities Management (FM) Help Desk, categorised by FM and the Holyrood Proj…
16 May 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how snagging faults in Holyrood are prioritised to ensure that potentially hazardous snagging is dealt with speedily.
Answer · John Scott: Any snags or emerging defects which are confirmed as being a health and safety concern, or critical to the Parliament business operation, are addressed as priorities. In certain circumstance, the initial remedy could take the form of temporary works to make t…
16 May 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the time limits are for remedying snagging faults in Holyrood.
Answer · John Scott: Remedial works on all snagging and emerging defects at Holyrood require to be completed within 12 months from the practical completion of the project.</p>
16 May 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many snagging faults have been reported in Holyrood and, of these, how many remain unresolved.
Answer · John Scott: Over 33,000 snags in total have been reported at Holyrood and, since the Royal opening of the building in October 2004, that figure has been reduced to 950 to date.</p>
16 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1579 by Cathy Jamieson on 10 May 2005, how the figure of 125 recorded incidents of racism in 2003-04 was calculated when figures produced by Grampian Police for 2004, and available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, show that there were 4…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The figure of 125 racist incidents in Grampian in 2003-04 was provided to HM Inspectorate of Constabulary by Grampian Police. The Scottish Executive is not responsible for information provided to Parliament’s Reference Centre by third parties.</p>
16 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11751 by Rhona Brankin on 9 November 2004, how many cases of assault have been reported to the Care Commission and how many complaints the commission has received since April 2004, broken down by Care Commission region.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: In respect of assaults, I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-11751 on 9 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p><ahref="http://w…
13 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which helplines it has (a) wholly and (b) partly funded in each year since 1999, showing amount of funding allocated to, and number of calls processed by, each helpline.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p>