Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it is making to Her Majesty's Government regarding a review of the unemployment key economic need indicator, which takes no account of the out-migration of young people from rural areas, such as the south of Scotland, and whether it will review its Scottish Indices o…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.<P>A comprehensive assessment of overall economic need would typically include consideration of a number of indicators, including indicators such as population densi…
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-28726 and S1W-30468 by Mr Jim Wallace on 26 September and 10 October 2002 respectively, when the feasibility study on the refurbishment of Peebles Sheriff Court will be published and when the consultation paper will be issued.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The feasibility study on the refurbishment of Peebles Sheriff Court has already been issued to all interested parties. The public consultation will commence when discussions regarding the potential relocation of the court to the council premises at Rosetta Ro…
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) seasonal workers have been employed in each industry sector in each year since 1999-2000, expressed also as a percentage of the total workforce.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The following tables show the number of full-time, part-time and seasonal workers by industry sector, in Scotland, in each year from 1999-2002. Each table also shows the number of worker expressed as a percentage of the total workforce.<P>1999<TABLE BORDER CE…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out, or commissioned, into the use of the antibiotic drug cefuroxime in the specific treatment of MRSA and what its position is on the effectiveness of the drug its therapeutic effect against MRSA and whether it may encourage MRSA colonisation and infection …
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The prescribing of medicines for patients is a matter for clinicians operating within the appropriate professional guidelines.
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has on whether infection control is seen as a core part of NHS nursing, medical and domestic staff training and what specific action it is taking arising from any such concerns.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) Standard for Infection Control makes clear that all staff including those involved in support services must receive training in the prevention and control of infection.<P>A number of actions to support training are u…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring takes place regarding personal hygiene standards in controlling the transmission of infections.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) - Infection Control standards, include a practice standard on hand hygiene. This standard requires NHS trusts to have "a clear hand hygiene policy and mechanism to ensure effective imp…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measurable improvements in staffing levels there have been following the agreement between NHS employers and trade unions to introduce the minimum pay rate of #5.18 per hour, as announced by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 30 January 2003 in response to the Audit Scotla…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to measure improvements in hospital hygiene in hospitals that have brought cleaning services back "in house" following the announcement by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 30 January 2003 in response to the Audit Scotland report, Hospital cleaning.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: All NHS trusts have agreed action plans designed to help them achieve the Cleaning Services Standards set by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Progress will be monitored by their auditors and inspections will be carried out by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who has been appointed to the Chief Medical Officer's task force on healthcare-associated infection announced by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 30 January 2003 in response to the Audit Scotland report, Hospital cleaning; how often the task force has met; what actions it has…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The membership of the Healthcare Associated Infection Task Force is detailed in the table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=597><TR><TD WIDTH="49%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Dr Mac Armstrong, Chief Medical Officer, </TD><TD WIDTH="51%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Cha…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S10-3985 by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 November 2001 and the announcement by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 30 January 2003 in response to the Audit Scotland report, Hospital cleaning, what progress has been made in implementing the recommendat…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Department has written to all NHS trusts stressing the need to respond positively to the recommendations of the Audit Scotland report and asking for copies of their individual action plans. Progress with implementing the recommendations will be mon…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive ,further to the answer to question S1W-34524 by Iain Gray on 19 March 2003, how many business start-ups there were in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 in the East Lothian Council area and what percentage of such start-ups in each year for which such figures are ava…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The following table shows business starts measured by VAT registrations in the East Lothian council area for 1999, 2000 and 2001. Figures for 2002 will not be available until October 2003. <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=276><TR><TD WIDTH="44%…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34524 by Iain Gray on 19 March 2003, how many business start-ups there were in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 in the Scottish Borders Council area and what percentage of such start-ups in each year for which such figures are …
Answer · Jim Wallace: The following table shows business starts measured by VAT registrations in the Scottish Borders Council area for 1999, 2000 and 2001. Figures for 2002 will not be available until October 2003. <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=267><TR><TD WIDTH=…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to increase the level of average gross weekly earnings in the East Lothian Council area from #399.60, as referred to in Scottish Economic Statistics 2003, to the national average.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Enterprise is charged with pursing the strategic priorities for economic development contained in <I>A Smart Successful Scotland</I>. These priorities include improving productivity and competitiveness to enhance the long-term growth rate of the econ…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how parents can access reports by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE).
Answer · Peter Peacock: Upon publication, all parents and guardians are issued with copies of inspection reports on schools which their children attend. In addition, parents can access copies of any published report via the HMIE website. Copies can also be requested by contacting an…
4 Jun 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessments it is making of the operation of its care in the community policies.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive sets the overall direction for community care policies. Local authorities must implement these, having regard to their statutory duties and to meeting the needs of their local residents. Central and local government work together to monitor the …
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now consider rucksack funding of children with special educational needs which follows the child throughout his or her education, in light of paragraph 4.44 of chapter 4 of the Auditor General's report Moving to mainstream : The inclusion of pupils with special educationa…
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive is planning to provide 35% more in additional grant funding next year than at present, lifting new annual spending to over £50 million per year, to support children with special educational needs. This funding, together with local gover…
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding was given by each local authority in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 to assist in the policy of inclusivity in schools of children with special educational needs, with reference to paragraph 4.7 of chapter 4 of the Auditor General's report M…
Answer · Peter Peacock: The costs of educating children with special educational needs are met mainly from local authorities' general expenditure. However, the Scottish Executive has provided additional funding to support inclusion and staff development and training, as set out in t…
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued regarding the design for school buildings under private finance initiatives and public private partnership contracts to ensure that they meet the requirements for the inclusion of children with special educational needs, with reference to paragraph 4.31 of chapter …
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive and COSLA school estate strategy, <I>Building Our Future: Scotland's School Estate</I>, sets out our vision and objectives to achieve improvements in the school estate over the long term. It emphasises the importance of good design and …
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many special educational needs therapists there were in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03, broken down by local authority area, with reference to paragraph 4.65 of chapter 4 of the Auditor General's report Moving to mainstream: The inclusion of pupils with specia…
Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not available since special educational needs therapist is not a recognised post.
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive considers that the provisions of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring has taken place of the operation of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive collects annual statistics from local authorities on the following aspects of the mandatory licensing scheme:<UL><LI>number of applications received, refused, granted, revoked or suspended during the year, by types of Houses in Multiple…
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation there was prior to the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 coming into force.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: A consultation exercise on the proposals for mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation was undertaken by the Scottish Office from 4 June to 30 October 1998. Apart from local authorities, police and fire brigades consultees included landlords' organ…
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5188 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 March 2000, how many prosecutions have taken place under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in each year since 1998, in how many cases charges were proved and how much was levied in fines.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table. The data for 2002 are not expected to be available until the autumn of 2003.<P>Prosecutions and Fines Imposed for Offences Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (as Main Offence), Scotland, 1998…
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4393 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 January 2002, how many people have been charged with litter offences in each year since 2000.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: In 2000 and 2001, 14 and 27 persons respectively were proceeded against in Scottish Courts where the main offence was categorised as a litter offence under the Scottish Executive Justice Department's classification of crimes and offences. The data for 2002 ar…
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22838 by Ross Finnie on 21 February 2002, how many prosecutions there have been for litter and fly-tipping offences in each year since 2000, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The available information, which relates to all offences categorised as litter offences under the Scottish Executive Justice Department's classification of crimes and offences, is given in the following table. The data for 2002 are expected to be published in…
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30208 by Ross Finnie on 16 October 2002, whether any further local authorities have now adopted formal litter plans.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No further local authorities have adopted formal litter plans since my response to question S1W-30208. The decision on whether to adopt a litter plan is one for the individual local authority.
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33327 by Ross Finnie on 31 January 2003, what monitoring is in place regarding the effectiveness of local authorities' use of the #3 million committed to litter reduction schemes.
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is for the local authorities to monitor the success of the specific schemes they propose for Quality of Life funding. However, the Scottish Executive has provided £150,000 to Keep Scotland Beautiful to develop, with all local authorities in Scotland, perfo…
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34753 by Ross Finnie on 27 March 2003, what the timescale is for increasing the fixed penalty fine for littering.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Litter (Fixed Penalty) (Scotland) Order 2003, which will increase fixed penalty fines for littering from £25 to £50, was laid before Parliament on 5 June and will come into force on 1 July 2003.
27 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has following the recommendation of the report by Ms Anne Black of 25 April 2003 that no disciplinary proceedings should take place in respect of Scottish Borders Council social work department following the "Miss X" case and what powers it has to intervene in the matter …
Answer · Euan Robson: The Executive has had sight of the three independent reports commissioned by Scottish Borders Council in respect of the "Miss X" case. The latest of these is the report written by Ms Anne Black, which was received by the Executive on 29 May 2003. I …
27 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it will give to amending the law on the registration and/or monitoring of sex offenders in order to include retrospective provisions.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive and the Home Office jointly reviewed the Sex Offenders Act in 2000 and published the results in July 2001. That review concluded that there was no viable way of extending the act to offenders convicted before the legislation came into f…