Parliamentary questions
Elaine Murray
2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 May 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what restrictions apply to tenant and local authority representatives on the boards of housing partnerships that have received former council housing stock in respect of public discussion of matters arising at board meetings.
Answer · Margaret Curran: All members of the boards of Registered Social Landlords (whether tenant or local authority representatives or independent members) will be bound by their board's Code of Conduct. All board members are required to act in the best interests of the RSL and the …
21 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Dumfries and Galloway Area Tourist Board will receive its final allocation from the #850,000 allocated to it for foot-and-mouth disease recovery.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board received an allocation of £850,000 in January 2002, as recorded in VisitScotland's Annual Report for 2001-02. The allocation of resources to area tourist boards is a matter for VisitScotland.
21 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions were placed on the award of #103 million to Dumfries and Galloway Council for its proposed private public partnership (PPP) for the rebuilding and refurbishment of schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The conditional award on 31 March 2003 of revenue support to Dumfries and Galloway Council for a schools PPP project is subject to standard conditions that:<P>the project is affordable within the limits of the revenue support awarded<P>the PPP option clearly …
21 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 so that an area used as a road but not legally classified as such becomes legally subject to the normal construction consent process for roads.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There are no current plans to amend the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the allocation of waiting time points for tenants on housing association or council housing lists is in contravention of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 does not preclude the use of waiting time points in allocation of housing by local authorities or Registered Social Landlords. The act does, however, require that reasonable preference is given to particular categories of appli…
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the allocation of waiting time points for tenants on housing association or council housing lists is in breach of human rights legislation.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive considers that the allocation of waiting time points for tenants is not in breach of human rights legislation.
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements currently apply in respect of business and council tax reductions on vacant properties.
Answer · Andy Kerr: For non-domestic rates, the legislation governing unoccupied property relief is contained within section 24 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966, and the Non-Domestic Rating (Unoccupied Property) (Scotland) Regulations 1994 (No. 3200) (amended in 2000 …
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what conditions proposed school closures must be referred to it for determination.
Answer · Peter Peacock: In general, it is the responsibility of education authorities to take decisions on proposals to close schools. Legislation prescribes the circumstances in which authorities cannot implement such a proposal without the consent of the Scottish ministers.<P>In s…
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many neighbourhood watch schemes there are and, if this information is not held centrally, where it may be obtained.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Information on the number of Neighbourhood Watch schemes in Scotland is not held centrally. However, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) has provided the following figures for each police force area:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPAD…
31 Oct 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in implementing the recommendations made in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A number of the recommendations, outlined in the <I>Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland</I>, have been implemented and work continues to address the others.
5 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the business rate liability for indoor equestrian arenas.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has no plans to review the business rate liability specifically for indoor equestrian arenas. All businesses occupying properties with a rateable value of £10,000 or less benefit from a 2p reduction in the poundage this year.<P>For busi…
5 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to support and develop equestrianism.
Answer · Allan Wilson: <B>sport</B>scotland gave the Scottish Equestrian Association grant-in-aid of £16,500 and a payment of £800 for sports science costs in financial year 2000-01. Subject to a suitable application being received, the association should attract a similar amount o…
5 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to disperse civil service jobs to Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Our policy on the location of public sector jobs involves examining a range of locations when possible moves are being considered. All Scottish local authorities and Local Enterprise Companies have been asked to supply information about suitable sites or deve…
27 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in arriving at a final response to the BSE Inquiry Report.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The UK Government in consultation with the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations has today published a Response to the report of the BSE Inquiry. This follows on from the publication of the Interim Response on 9 February on which a widespread …
12 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the appeal by West of Scotland Water in June 1996 against the consents for discharges into the River Esk lodged by Solway River Purification Board on 28 March 1996 will be determined.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The department expect to be in a position soon to write to the water authority and to Scottish Environment Protection Agency to issue the Scottish ministers' decision. You will, therefore, appreciate that, at this stage, it is not appropriate for ministers to…
12 Sep 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the date set by the Water Commissioner for the achievement of efficiency targets by the water authorities should be delayed pending the possible creation of a single water authority.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No. Efficiency savings are essential to ensure that future charge rises for the customer are minimised. The delivery of these efficiencies will be required irrespective of whether Scottish Water is created.
3 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation, including subordinate legislation, exists to control the exterior decoration of properties.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Planning legislation controls "development", which is defined in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as "the carrying out of building, engineering, mining or other operations in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material change in th…
22 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be an extension or replacement of the New Futures Fund when it expires in April 2002.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I announced on 4 September 2001 that the New Futures Fund is to continue for a further three-year period from 1 April 2002<B> </B>on the same basis as before.
16 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has appointed a managing agent to administer its central heating programme in the private sector and, if so, who the agent is and what the total value is of the grants to be administered by the agent.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Eaga Partnership Ltd were appointed to administer the Central Heating Programme on 29 August 2001. Eaga were awarded the contract in accordance with EC public procurement rules. They will have a budget of £9 million for the programme in 2001-02.
7 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when its proposals for the future management of Scotland's freshwater fish and fisheries will be published.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I am pleased to announce that I am launching the Green Paper, <I>Scotland's Freshwater Fish and Fisheries - Securing their Future</I>, today.
11 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of (a) all medical, dental and personal services provided by the Scottish Prison Service to Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi at Camp Zeist since his conviction for the Lockerbie bombing and (b) the cost of providing each of these services.
Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">As there is currently only one prisoner in HM Prison, Zeist, I am unable to provide the information sought as this would compr…
11 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to farmers who have been unable to sell suckler cows because of restrictions relating to foot-and-mouth disease.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There is no specific assistance available from the Scottish Executive to farmers who are unable to sell farm livestock due to the restrictions relating to foot-and-mouth Disease.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Where these restrictions have resulted in serious animal welfa…
11 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the livestock market in Dumfries to re-open.
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is too early to contemplate the recommencement of markets in Dumfries and Galloway. The position will be kept under review in the light of the prevailing Foot-and-Mouth Disease position.
11 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any restrictions related to the control of foot-and-mouth disease that affect the sale of animals to farms in (a) at risk areas and (b) infected areas.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Farms in the at risk area can purchase animals from the Scottish "provisionally free area" or from the Scottish at risk area. Cases where farmers wish to purchase animals from England and Wales and move them on to Scotland will be examined on a case…
9 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service flew a dentist to Camp Zeist in the Netherlands to provide dental treatment for Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Given a prisoner's right to medical confidentiality, and as there is currently only one prisoner within HM Prison, Zeist, no details can be disclosed about any visits by health care professionals to HM Prison, Zeist.
3 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is currently given to farmers on premises affected by foot-and-mouth disease classified as List A and List D in relation to restocking.
Answer · Ross Finnie: An Information Note giving farmers general guidance on the requirements which need to be met before restocking can take place has been issued to all farmers who have had their animals culled as part of the foot-and-mouth disease eradication programme. It desc…
21 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a shortage of trained vets and, if so, whether it has any plans to increase funding for the training of vets.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No. Economic factors condition the number of veterinary surgeons required. Veterinary qualifications are recognised throughout the European Union and there are reciprocal arrangements for recognition of veterinary qualifications of other countries, most notab…
21 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what value of (a) Class A, (b) Class B and (c) Class C drugs was sei'ed by each police force last year.
Answer · Iain Gray: 1999 is the latest year for which drug seizure figures are available. The values shown, which are based on average UK "street" prices for December 1999 reported to the National Crime Intelligence Unit, are only in relation to those Class A and B sub…
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its current position is on the relocation of jobs in non-departmental public bodies from Edinburgh and Glasgow to other locations in Scotland.
Answer · Angus MacKay: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-19681 on 19 November 2001.
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering holding a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conviction for rape of Adam Carruthers of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I understand that Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary are currently considering misconduct proceedings against Mr Carruthers. It would be inappropriate to comment further pending the outcome of that consideration.