Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now review the law regarding the detention of those suffering from personality disorders that place the public at risk but do not currently justify statutory detention and what consideration it will give to introducing new statutory measures in respect of this matter.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The law relating to the detention of persons suffering from personality disorders was recently reviewed as part of the work of the Millan and McLean Committees. Their recommendations informed the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Mental Health (Car…
27 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be given to Lothian and Borders Police in respect of efforts to monitor the movements of John Cronin.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Funding for the police in Scotland is at record levels and Lothian and Borders Police has substantial resources at its disposal. This year Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board set a budget of £159.8 million, an increase of £10.7 million over the budget set …
27 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it can give, in particular to the communities of East Lothian, that the whereabouts of John Cronin will be monitored following his release.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The task of monitoring any individual who poses a threat to local communities is taken extremely seriously by the police and by other agencies which have a responsibility. The measures available to the police include, for example, applying to the sheriff cour…
22 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider any proposals to make statutory provision for the funding of approved day centres.
Answer · Tom McCabe: It is for local authorities to decide on how they provide day care services for individuals, in consultation with the users of those services and their carers. While day care centres may be one form of appropriate provision, service users are entitled to choi…
22 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain and expand on the meaning of "constructing", as used in the statement "constructing the Larkhall to Milngavie line" in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: In August 2001, the Scottish Executive announced approval in principal for the Larkhall/Milngavie rail link scheme and made available £16 million towards its construction costs. Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) is the lead authority for the project and t…
22 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain and expand on the meaning of "re-opening", as used in the statements "re-opening the Kincardine - Alloa - Stirling rail link" and "re-opening the Airdrie to Bathgate railway" in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The private bill promoting the re-opening of the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine railway line was introduced to Parliament in March this year. Subject to its successful passage, the project could be authorised for construction by summer 2004, with a view to r…
22 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain and expand on the meaning of "supporting", as used in the statement "supporting the construction of the Borders Rail Line" in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is supporting the work undertaken to prepare the business case and the private bill by awarding Scottish Borders Council over £2 million from the Public Transport Fund. The Scottish Executive will continue its support through the parlia…
22 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has following the conclusions of the two reports on the "Miss X" case regarding the professional and personal practice and culture of the social work department of Scottish Borders Council and issues regarding the accountability of those involved.
Answer · Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-455 today. 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/webapp/search_…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which projects received funding from the Strategic Rail Authority for (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 and how much each project received.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The provision of funds for the UK rail network is a reserved matter. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has administered funding on a UK basis since it was established in 2001. The SRA publish their strategic plan annually, a copy of the 2002 and 2003 documen…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was received from the Strategic Rail Authority for (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 and what percentage this represents of the authority's total budget in each year.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-255 today. 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/webapp/search_…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether children who have attended a nursery attached to a primary school should be transferred to that school or another school on reaching primary school age.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This is a matter for local education authorities. Subject to the terms of sections 28A and 28B of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, it is for the local education authority to set out and make available guidelines indicating how they will place children in sc…
15 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the transport section of A Partnership for a Better Scotland, whether re-instatement of the Borders railway line remains subject to the test of a "business case".
Answer · Nicol Stephen: All transport projects for which funding is sought from the Scottish Executive are subject to appraisal under the <I>Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance</I>.
15 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money is guaranteed for "supporting construction of the Borders Rail Line" as referred to in the transport section of A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: For capital infrastructure projects over 10 years, we have £3 billion of investment moneys, within which we have the necessary resources to implement a Borders railway project, subject to the appraisal being conducted under the Scottish Transport Appraisal Gu…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make legal aid available in respect of local authority education appeal committee proceedings.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has no plans to make legal aid available in respect of local authority education appeal committee proceedings. Legal aid is available for appeals from the committees to the sheriff court.
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authority education appeals committees are compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and, in particular, with Article 6.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Education authority committees are not concerned with the determination of "civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge" and therefore ECHR, and in particular Article 6, is not applicable. We consider that the system for dealing with cases consider…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what publicity is given to procedures for placement requests.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Section 28 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 requires each education authority to publish or otherwise make available their arrangements for the placing of children in schools under their management.<P>In addition, each year the Scottish Executive publishe…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what national guidelines there are for local authorities on priority admissions to primary schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-176 today. 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/webapp/search_…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what policy guidelines it issues to local authorities regarding criteria for primary school placing requests by parents.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive does not issue such policy guidelines. Education authorities are under a statutory duty (set out in section 1 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980) to ensure that they make adequate and efficient provision of school education for their …
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it is giving to a feasibility study into the restoration of a station at Reston.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: No funding has been sought from the Scottish Executive for such a study. The opening or re-opening of railway stations is generally considered a local transport issue and as such we would expect the relevant local authority to take a project forward. It is a …
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding will be made available for the installation of rail loops at Reston and, if so, when it will be made available.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I understand that there are no current plans for funding rail loops at Reston. The Strategic Rail Authority are the lead body for the enhancement of the east coast main line.
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been received by each further education college for social inclusion in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Figures across the time period requested are not available on a consistent basis. This is because the method of funding further education (FE) colleges changed when responsibility for the methodology responsibility transferred to the Scottish Further Educatio…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what social inclusion funding was available for further education (FE) colleges in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Figures across the whole of the time period requested are not available on a consistent basis. This is because the method of funding FE colleges changed when responsibility for the methodology transferred to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFE…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to assess social exclusion in a rural context.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Social Exclusion can take many forms and is often complex and multi-dimensional. The Social Justice Milestones are used throughout Scotland to measure a range of issues that can lead to social exclusion. The Scottish Executive is ensuring that the needs of ru…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied in making social inclusion funding available to further education (FE) colleges and whether different criteria apply to urban and rural colleges.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Formulaic funding for social inclusion is provided by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) via the three strands shown as follows:<P>Entry Costs Social Inclusion Premium: This element reflects SFEFC's on-going commitment to support the devel…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on provision of legal services for Peebles and district if the sheriff court in Peebles is not re-established.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There is no information currently available on the future provision of legal services in Peebles. It is hoped that the on-going discussions between Scottish Court Service, Scottish Borders Council and Lothian and Borders Police will culminate in court service…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether transferring sheriff court business arising in Penicuik from Edinburgh Sheriff Court to a sheriff court in Peebles has been considered.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No.
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the public consultation on the provision of sheriff court services in Peebles will take place.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The public consultation in relation to delivery of court services in the Peebles area will commence when discussions between the Scottish Court Service, Scottish Borders Council and Lothian and Borders Police on the relocation of the court to council building…
14 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision has been made with regard to re-establishing a sheriff court in Peebles.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No.
12 Mar 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has identified in respect of the Scottish Borders' economy.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive's objective for all of Scotland is sustainable improvement in economic performance. <I>A Smart, Successful Scotland </I>sets out strategic direction to the Enterprise Networks and focuses on three key challenges for raising productivity: growing…
26 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has in appointments to committees of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care; what advice it seeks from support service providers to ensure a balanced composition of committees, and what powers it has to remove appointees from committees of the commission
Answer · Frank McAveety: The appointment of members to committees of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care is an operational matter for the Commission itself, having regard to the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (Appointments and Procedure) Regulations 200…