Christine Grahame

13 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15951 by Mr Tom McCabe on 20 April 2005, what the cost has been of publications it has produced in each year since 1999, broken down by ministerial department and into (a) paper publications, (b) videos, (c) DVDs and (d) miscellaneous publications.

Answer · Tom McCabe: A list of Scottish Executive publications and their costs since 1999 is given in <i>Scottish Executive List of Publications/Costs 1999-2005 </i>a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference centre (Bib. number 36555). There is currently no cen…

10 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15791 by Cathy Jamieson on 10 May 2005, how many of the reports recorded involving racism proceeded to a prosecution which included a charge of racist aggravation and in how many of these cases the prosecution was successful in each year since 1999, …

Answer · Colin Boyd: The following information relates to the number of charges reported to the Procurator Fiscal. It is only available from the start of the financial year 2002-03.</p> <p>A racist incident as referred to in question S2W-15791 does not equate to a reported charge…

10 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the employment practices of Monaghan Mushrooms at Fenton Barns in East Lothian, what information it has on the request by Donegal Creameries plc, associate company of Monaghan Mushrooms, for its shares to be suspended from the Irish stock exchange due to "financial irre…

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive has no information on a request by Donegal Creameries plc for its shares to be suspended from the Irish Stock Exchange nor do we expect to be involved in any possible enquiries.</p>

10 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the letters of 19 February and 27 October 2004 and 6 April 2005 from its Environment and Rural Affairs Department on the employment of foreign workers at Monaghan Mushrooms, Fenton Barns, East Lothian, whether it has accessed the wage records of the foreign workers employed at…

Answer · Ross Finnie: Investigations into this matter are on-going and it would not be appropriate at this stage to comment further.</p>

10 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the letters of 19 February and 27 October 2004 and 6 April 2005 from its Environment and Rural Affairs Department on the employment of foreign workers at Monaghan Mushrooms, Fenton Barns, East Lothian, what progress has been made regarding the employment of these workers and, …

Answer · Ross Finnie: Investigations into compliance with the relevant Agricultural Wages Orders by these agencies are on&#8209;going and it would not be appropriate to comment further.</p>

10 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Operational Research Consultancy (ORCON) standards have been for the Scottish Ambulance Service in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Prior to the introduction of the priority-based dispatch system which rolled out across mainland Scotland between August 2002 and April 2004, 999 emergency calls to the Scottish Ambulance Service were dealt with on a “first come first served” basis. The speed…

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the National Planning Framework and, in particular, the setting of national policy and sector priorities, whether it will consult on the development of projects of national strategic significance and what role the Parliament will have in identifying and scrutinising suc…

Answer · Johann Lamont: The Executive has made clear its intention to review planning legislation. To this end, ministers have been giving careful consideration to a wide range of reforms to modernise the planning system in Scotland. Proposals for this, including the future role and…

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with the UK Government regarding the development of new nuclear power stations.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has had no contactwith UK Government regarding the development of new nuclear power stations.</p>

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its proposed reform of planning legislation, whether it will provide examples of existing "projects of national strategic significance".

Answer · Johann Lamont: Under current planning legislation there is no reference to “projects of national significance”.</p> <p>The Executive has made clear its intention to review planning legislation. To this end, ministers have been giving careful consideration to a wide range of…

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has rejected a limited third-party right of appeal for inclusion in its proposed reform of planning legislation.

Answer · Johann Lamont: As one of the Partnership Agreements the Scottish Executive committed to consult on wider rights of appeal in planning. This consultation took place in summer 2004.</p> <p>The consultation paper prompted a large number of responses both for and against extend…

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on relocation costs for new employees in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally for new employees who have joined the Scottish Executive since 1999.</p>

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of air transport for its officials in each year since 1999, broken down by purpose of travel, for example representing the Executive or fact-finding.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Information about expenditure incurred by officials travelling by air is available only from April 2002. No information is held centrally about the purpose of the journeys undertaken.</p> <p>The expenditure incurred on air travel is as follows:</p><p>1 April …

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants worked for each of its departments in each year since 1999, broken down by division.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The number of permanent civil servants working in the Scottish Executive core departments at 1 April each year since 1999 is shown in the following table. It is not possible to provide the information by division.</p> <p>Number of Full-Time Equivalent Permane…

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its expenditure was on transporting ministers by air for ministerial business in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) portfolio and (b) party political affiliation.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Information about expenditure incurred by ministers travelling by air is available only from April 2002. All journeys undertaken by ministers were for official business purposes relating to their ministerial duties.</p> <p>The expenditure incurred on air trav…

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its expenditure was on hosting receptions for visiting UK ministers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Centrally held information on expenditure on hosting receptions for UK ministers is set out in the following table. This is likely to cover the majority of receptions for UK ministers. Further information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> <…

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to build a metal security fence around its offices at Victoria Quay in the run-up to the G8 summit.

Answer · Tom McCabe: For security reasons, the Scottish Executive does not divulge any details relating to counter measures being adopted within its estate but I can confirm that Victoria Quay currently has a surrounding perimeter fence.</p>

3 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its expenditure in respect of the G8 summit will be (a) in the run-up to, and preparation for, the summit and (b) during the summit.

Answer · Tom McCabe: It will not be possible to give an accurate figure for G8-related expenditure until after the summit because planning will be continuing right up until the event. The information will be made available once it has been collected and analysed. The Executive an…

26 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many children have been detained at Dungavel House immigration removal centre since September 2001, broken down by month, on how many of these children were referred to the Reporter to the Children's Panel and, of those referred, on how many were deported be…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The operation of Dungavel is a matter for the Home Office. As such, the Scottish Executive does not collect information on the number of children held in Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre.</p> <p>I understand that six children who were resident in Dungavel …

22 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care in the debate on dental health services on 21 April 2005 anent "200 extra dentists by 2008, which means 200 more than we already have" (Official Report c. 16274), whether the Executive's stated target that all a…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The partnership commitment to systematically introduce free dental checks for all before 2007 will be challenging but is one we fully intend to meet.</p>

22 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care in the debate on dental health services on 21 April 2005 anent "200 extra dentists by 2008, which means 200 more than we already have" (Official Report c. 16274), how many NHS dentists there are currently; how m…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The report <i>Workforce Planning for Dentistry in Scotland</i> (June 2004), estimated a shortfall of 215 general dental practitioners, based on a total of 2,614 NHS dentists. From this baseline we plan to have at least 2,814 NHS dentists by 2008 and these fig…

18 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend section 20 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 to allow a third-party to request a review of a refusal to disclose information where the applicant does not seek such a review and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive does not intend to make such an amendment to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The act has been in operation for only four months and the Executive is not aware of any evidence suggesting that its operation would be improved by an …

7 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports have been recorded to the police involving racism in each year from 1999 to date, broken down by police force.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information is as follows</p> <p>Number of Racist Incidents</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Force</p></td> <td> <p align=center>1999-2000</p></td> <td> <p align=center>2000-01</p><…

7 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on reports recorded to the Commission for Racial Equality from Scotland in each year from 1999 to date.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Commission for Racial Equality do not routinely advise the Scottish Executive of racist incidents reported to them.  </p> <p>The commission keeps ministers informed of public bodies’ progress in terms of compliance with the statutory duty to promote race …

1 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on the draft guidance referred to in the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill; when it expects the consultation period to end, and whether the Parliament will be able to consider the draft guidance before it is finalised.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Section 9 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill provides that the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) must, after consulting such persons as it thinks fit, produce guidance on how it determines whether a body meets the charity te…

24 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment will be made, and what follow-up will be carried out, in respect of the service provided by Enquire.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive is required to conduct regular independent external reviews of major recurring grants to voluntary sector organisations. Accordingly, the Education Department has planned such a review of the ENQUIRE service during the course of this ye…

24 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15095 by Peter Peacock on 18 March 2005, how many enquiries were received by Enquire in each year since 2002-03, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It is not possible to provide a complete answer, as many callers opt not to provide addresses or other identity details. Furthermore, until recently, the Enquire database did not store this information in the case of relatively straightforward enquiries such …

24 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15095 by Peter Peacock on 18 March 2005, how many enquiries to Enquire were from (a) parents and (b) other parties in each year since 2002-03.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It is not possible to provide a complete answer, as many callers opt not to provide identity details. Furthermore, until recently, the Enquire database did not store this information in the case of relatively straightforward enquiries such as requests for pub…

23 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations regarding the single survey scheme, in particular regarding the merit of the scheme if a survey is three months old or more, and, if so, who the representations were from and what views were expressed in respect of the length of time for which s…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In its final report in 2003, the Housing Improvement Task Force recommended that there should be no prescribed “shelf life”<i> </i>for the single survey on the basis that a surveyor can be expected to assess the condition of a property only at the time when s…

22 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which parties, other than local authorities, have applied for antisocial behaviour orders.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Before June 2003 only local authorities had the power to apply for antisocial behaviour orders in Scotland. Registered Social Landlords (housing associations) were given the power in June 2003 by the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003.</p> <p>Registered Soc…

22 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of antisocial behaviour orders have been breached in each (a) local authority area and (b) sheriff court district in each year since 1999.

Answer · Hugh Henry: (a) I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15528 on 21 April 2005. 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://www.scottish.parliament…