Christine Grahame

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what rights under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 parties to a complaint under investigation by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care have to the contents of the written report of the investigation

Answer · Frank McAveety: Compliance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 is a matter for the Care Commission itself. The Care Commission's complaints procedure, which is published on their website at: <A HREF="http://www.carecommission.com/">www.carecommission.com</A>…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often meetings are held between it and the Chief Executive of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care; what directions or guidance it gives to the commission, and how many complaints to the former Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Scottish Publi…

Answer · Frank McAveety: I meet with the Care Commission's Convener and Chief Executive on a six-monthly basis. Together with the Education Minister, I also meet jointly with the Care Commission and the Scottish Social Services Council twice-yearly. My officials meet formally with th…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of concern would trigger an inquiry under section 65(1)(a) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 into the operation of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and its complaints procedure.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive would only consider setting up an inquiry once all other avenues had been exhausted.

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often the complaints procedure established under Part 5, section 64 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 has been reviewed under section 64(3) and what actions have been taken, or amendments to the procedure made, as a result of any such review process

Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34312. 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_wa">…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations there were before establishing the procedure on complaints or representations about the functions or actions of The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care under section 64(2) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34311 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/sear…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often the complaints procedure established under section 6 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 has been reviewed and what actions have been taken, or amendments to the procedure made, as a result of any such review

Answer · Frank McAveety: The review of the complaints procedure established by the Care Commission under sections 6 and 64 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 1995 is an operational matter for the commission itself. Ministers must consent to any variation of the procedures, howe…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations were undertaken by The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care in regard to the establishment of the complaints procedure under section 6(3) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Regulation of Care Project Team in the Scottish Executive prepared draft Care Commission complaints procedures under sections 6 and 64 of the act on the commission's behalf. They consulted widely on them between 4 September and 20 November 2001. All respo…

24 Feb 2003 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what role mediation processes have in the justice system.

Answer · Jack McConnell: We support mediation where it is feasible and appropriate for example in family cases, where the courts have the power to refer cases, in neighbourhood disputes or commercial situations, and other policy areas including restorative justice programmes where it…

12 Feb 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has introduced to address any imbalance in the age of the population in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The latest projections issued by the Registrar General for Scotland show that the population in the Borders area, as well as in Scotland in general, is expected to decline slightly over the long term. There is a projected increase in the proportion of older p…

10 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33187 by Iain Gray on 15 January 2003, what consideration the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is giving to the proposed Borders rail service in relation to any bids received, or expected to be received, for the new passenger rail franchise, given that…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has been directed by the Scottish ministers to deliver an enhanceable franchise for ScotRail. This means, among other things, that new or improved services associated with new infrastructure can be introduced into the franch…

10 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which consultants it commissioned to develop a strategy for the improvement of the rail network in Scotland; what the cost of the commission has been, and when in early 2003 the strategy will be published, as referred to on page 52 of the Strategic Rail Authority's The Strategic Plan 2003…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Strategic Rail Study was commissioned in July 2001 in partnership with the Strategic Rail Authority, Strathclyde Passenger Transport, SESTRAN, Railtrack and, latterly, NESTRANS and Dundee City Council. Work was undertaken by consultants Steer Dav…

29 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32797 by Patricia Ferguson on 21 January 2003, why it is its policy not to reveal whether it has taken legal advice.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The <I>Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information</I> indicates that certain categories of information are exempt from the commitment to provide information, including internal discussion and advice. This includes legal advice.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made that any compensation package for Scottish fisherman should be funded by HM Treasury on the same basis that savings in state benefits arising from the implementation of the Executive's funding commitment for free personal care for the elderly were retained…

Answer · Ross Finnie: Policy and related expenditure matters on Scottish fisheries are devolved and are for consideration by the Scottish Executive. The cost of the compensation package falls to be met from within the overall resources available to the Executive and there are no g…

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding sources are available to (a) local authorities, (b) community councils, (c) independent trusts and (d) other parties for the preservation and display of, and access to, local archives.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The provision of publicly accessible local archives is part of the routine business of a local authority and so should generally be funded from their existing resources. However, there are other sources of funding. The Scottish Cultural Resources Access Netwo…

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has regarding the preservation and display of, and access to, local archives.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Archives at a local level are a local responsibility. However, the Scottish Executive is concerned to ensure that Scotland's archival heritage is appropriately and securely preserved, maintained and publicly accessible, in line with statutory obligations and …

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any audit of local archives has been conducted.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The first major comprehensive survey of local authority archives took place in 1969-72. This survey is still occasionally referred to and forms a baseline for knowledge of some of the older records in local custody. It generally omitted from its coverage the …

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to local authorities regarding the preservation and display of, and access to, local archives.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 requires local authorities to consult the Keeper Of the Records of Scotland on proper arrangements for the preservation and management of their records and to have regard to what he says. In this role, successive …

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding sources are available to local authorities to reduce littering and fly-tipping.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Local authorities fund environmental initiatives from monies distributed by the Executive and from their own resources. As part of the Executive's Quality of Life Initiative, £95 million was allocated to local authorities this year, and a further £180 million…

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what publicity it has funded, or intends to fund, on tackling litter and fly-tipping.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive provides annual core funding of £234,000 to Keep Scotland Beautiful, which runs a number of anti-litter initiatives. Over the last year, additional funding of £900,000 has been secured to bolster this programme, including the Have Some …

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have formal litter plans in place.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Aberdeen City Council, Stirling Council and Shetland Islands Council currently have formal litter plans.

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30207 by Ross Finnie on 16 October 2002, when the report by Environment Resources Management into litter legislation will be published.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The report submitted by Environmental Resources Management will be published when the Scottish Executive has fully considered the recommendations. The report was somewhat delayed from initial plans, in order to take account of comments from the advisory group…

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to my supplementary question during the ministerial statement on fisheries on 8 January 2003 (Official Report, c 16700) that fishermen will have 15 days at sea if no further decommissioning takes place, what the current position is regarding the decommissioning of f…

Answer · Ross Finnie: Under the terms of Annex XVII of Council Regulation (EC) 2341/2002, member states are required to report progress on decommissioning to the Commission during 2003. The number of days at sea available to vessels is subject to review by the Commission in the li…

20 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Borders Railway Forum on whether any private bill on the Borders railway will contain provisions that charge expenditure on the Scottish Consolidated Fund; what agreement it has given to any such expenditure; what advice it has given the forum o…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to S1O-6230 on 16 January 2003, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <P><A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/search.htm">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s…

20 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many asymmetrical digital subscriber line enabled exchanges there are given the figures of 67 and 54 quoted respectively in Connecting Scotland: our broadband future: Making it Happen and BT Scotland's submission to the Rural Development Committee's inquiry into integrated rural devel…

Answer · Iain Gray: There are currently 67 exchanges that are ADSL-enabled in Scotland and 4% of these are in Pathfinder areas. <P>There are a number of measures already under way to increase interest in broadband, including a broadband information website and a network of broad…

20 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the rules are governing the granting of subsidies to companies taking part in the trials of satellite-accessed broadband to cover installation costs as referred to in section 6 and paragraph 8.4 of Connecting Scotland: our broadband future: Making it Happen and whether these rules ar…

Answer · Iain Gray: This is an operational matter for the Enterprise Networks.

20 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are in place to ensure the continued administration of the South of Scotland Pathfinder project when the posts of project manager and assistant fall vacant in March 2003, given the procurement process set out in section 4 of Connecting Scotland: our broadband future: Making it …

Answer · Andy Kerr: Plans for the Pathfinder procurement in the south of Scotland envisage the continued involvement of these posts.

20 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the final contracts for the pathfinder procurement process referred to in section 4 of Connecting Scotland: our broadband future: Making it Happen will be awarded on the basis of cost only or whether guarantees of overall service provision will also be taken into account.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Contracts will be awarded on the basis of best value for money, which takes account of quality as well as cost. The contracts will require guaranteed minimum standards of service. Bids which fail to meet those required minimum standards will not be accepted.

15 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6086 by Mr Frank McAveety on 12 December 2002, what consideration it has given to adopting a policy in Scotland similar to that of Her Majesty's Government's of placing 700 defibrillators in 72 public places in England and Wales.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Our national advisory body on coronary heart disease will continue to keep under review the evidence on the benefits of siting automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places. This need not prevent local initiatives based on local assessments of cos…

15 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of its 10-point action plan on youth crime with particular regard to spreading best practice, a nationwide application of a system of warnings, re-configuring secure accommodation for girl-only accommodation, establishing national standards to operat…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have made considerable progress towards the implementation of the Action Plan. The following table sets out the latest position:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=604><TR><TD WIDTH="39%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Ten-Point Action Plan</TD><TD WIDTH="61%…

15 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of any concerns of parents of children with special educational needs that do not wish their children to be placed in mainstream schooling and what action it is taking to address such concerns.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The decision on which school a child should attend is a matter for agreement between an education authority and parents. Parents have a right to make a placing request for a school of their choice, and to appeal against the decision should this be refused. Th…