Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals' 16th Annual Report 2000-2001, (a) what its response is to this report and (b) when the wide-ranging consideration of appeal committees by its Education Department, which the council was informed was being undertaken, will…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: <B></B>(a) The Scottish Executive welcomes the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals' (SCCT's) <I>Special Report on Education Appeal Committees in Scotland</I>, which it refers to in its <I>16th Annual Report 2000-2001</I>. The Scottish Executive wil…
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals' 16th Annual Report 2000-2001, (a) how many local authorities are aware of the committee's Special Report on Education Appeal Committees and (b) what action it is taking in order to ensure that the recommendations in the s…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: <B></B>(a) The Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals has informed the Scottish Executive that it has sent a copy of <I>its Special Report on Education Appeal Committees </I>to each Director of Education and Head of Legal Services in Scotland.<P>(b) T…
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints were registered with the Scottish Committee on the Council of Tribunals in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02.
Answer · Jim Wallace: None. The Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals, which operates under the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992, has no authority to investigate or adjudicate on complaints about the handling of individual cases by tribunals or inquiries under its supervi…
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis the application by Independent Special Education Advice (ISEA) for funding under the Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants Programme was refused, given that ISEA has a current caseload of 1,056 live cases and represents parents with children with special educational ne…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There was strong competition for Special Educational Needs Innovation grant funding. The ISEA's application was considered alongside all others received and evaluated by a team of assessors, the majority of which were drawn from outside the Executive. ISEA's …
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding Enquire has received in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 to date.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Enquire received (a) £213,937 in 1999-2000, (b) £207,239 in 2000-01 and (c) £220,541 in 2001-02. Enquire has not yet received any funding for 2002-03.
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquiries have been received by Enquire in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 to date.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Enquire received (a) 360 enquiries from November 1999 to March 2000, (b) 840 enquiries in 2000-01, (c) 1,018 enquiries in 2001-02 and (d) 87 enquiries in April 2002.
7 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many uniformed police patrol officers were recruited in each police force area in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 to date.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The recruitment and deployment of police officers to particular tasks such as uniformed patrol is an operational matter for chief constables.<P>The number of police officers recruited in each police force area in 1999-2000 and 2000-01, the latest year for whi…
7 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many uniformed police patrol officers there were in each police force area in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 and how many there are currently.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally. The deployment of police officers to particular tasks such as uniformed patrol is an operational matter for chief constables.<P>The number of officers in each force in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 are shown i…
30 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to provide secure accommodation in the Scottish Borders for young offenders, given an estimated required provision of five to six places and a lack of currently available provision.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Secure Accommodation Advisory Group has provided a report on the availability and use of secure accommodation. I am considering the report's findings and will make an announcement on this shortly. However, in order to assist in the better strategic manage…
25 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics it holds in regard to the number of retrospective planning applications that are (a) granted and (b) refused, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Planning application statistics held by the Executive do not distinguish between normal planning applications and those made retrospectively.
25 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in how many cases in 2001-02 local authority property was recovered under section 49 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The information requested is not held centrally.
25 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make the research commissioned into the effectiveness of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 public and what measures it intends to take in light of the research findings.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive has recently received the final report of the research on the <I>Review of Old Mineral Permissions </I>and is currently considering how to take the matter forward.
24 Apr 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is encouraging to increase people's fitness.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Physical Activity Task Force is producing a draft strategy, which will be issued for consultation in June 2002. It will include recommendations for increasing physical activity amongst the whole of the Scottish population.<P>National and local bodies incl…
17 Apr 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage exercise among older people.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Physical Activity Task Force is producing a draft strategy which will be issued for consultation soon. It will include recommendations dealing specifically with the physical activity needs of older adults.<P>NHS board health promotion departments and loca…
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether planning authorities are required to take cognisance of the National Playing Fields Association's Six Acre Standard and, if so, what status this standard has in influencing consideration of development applications on school playing fields.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The standard is included in National Planning Policy Guideline 11: <I>Sport; Physical Recreation and Open Space </I>to illustrate how planning authorities can develop their own open space standards to take account of local circumstances. Councils are encourag…
5 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24244 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 April 2002, why no substantive answer to question S1W-23569 has been issued yet.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Because the question was different from question S1W-24244 and required some investigation. The question was answered on 24 April 2002.
5 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24249 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 April 2002, who is registered as having title to HM Prison Kilmarnock and its grounds.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The land is owned by the Scottish ministers. Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited has leasehold rights to it.
4 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24216 by Malcolm Chisholm on 2 April 2002, why more recent information than that of 30 September 2000 regarding the number of consultant vacancies in oral surgery is not available.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: ISD Scotland is currently completing the collection of vacancy data from across NHSScotland and carrying out the required quality assurance checks on it. Provisional Scotland-wide data for September 2001 will be available by July at the latest.
4 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24217 by Malcolm Chisholm on 2 April 2002, how many patients were on the waiting list for maxillofacial and oral surgery in (a) Scotland and (b) each NHS board area at (i) 31 December 2000 and (ii) 31 December 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The number of patients waiting for hospital admission for in-patient and day-case treatment in the specialty of oral surgery, by NHS board of residence, on 31 December 1999 and 31 December 2000, is given in the following table.<P>NHSScotland: Number of Patien…
4 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24218 by Malcolm Chisholm on 2 April 2002, what the (a) target and (b) average waiting time were for patients on the waiting lists for maxillofacial and oral surgery to receive a first appointment with a consultant in (i) Scotland and (ii) each NHS b…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in oral surgery, following referral by a General Medical Practitioner or General Dental Practitioner, by NHS board of residence, in the years ended 30 September 1999 and 30 Septemb…
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23652 by Peter Peacock on 26 March 2002, whether it will define and give examples of "basic services".
Answer · Peter Peacock: "Basic services" would include the full range of a council's responsibilities, including, for example, for education, social work, environmental health, local roads, etc.
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6975 by Peter Peacock on 1 June 2000, whether it is reconsidering making it a requirement that transport for schoolchildren and pre-school children should be fitted with seatbelts and whether it is aware of any local authorities which are making the …
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Our position on contract specification remains as Peter Peacock indicated. Policy and legislation on vehicle standards, including fitting of seatbelts, is reserved to the UK Parliament. The Scottish Executive does not collect information about local authority…
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any salaried postholders in the Better Government for Older People network have had any connection with the Labour Party in the past five years.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24589.
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any salaried posts, and the salary of each, in the Better Government for Older People network.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24589.
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether access to meetings of the Better Government for Older People network is open to all older people.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24589.
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where a copy of the constitution and rules for the Better Government for Older People network may be accessed.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24589.
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have signed up to the Better Government for Older People programme.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24589.
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how meetings of the Better Government for Older People network are advertised.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24589.
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money the Better Government for Older People programme has received in each year since the programme started to date.
Answer · Hugh Henry: This is a matter for the Better Government for Older People Network. The requested information is not held centrally. I asked the Network Director to write directly to the member. A copy of the reply has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib.…
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23679 by Peter Peacock on 26 March 2002, whether the #200 million underspend identified in the letter by the Minister for Finance and Public Services to COSLA on 25 February 2002 has been allocated; if so, (a) where and (b) for what purpose, and, if …
Answer · Peter Peacock: We intend to make an announcement before the summer recess on the allocation of resources carried forward from 2001-02.