Parliamentary questions

Elaine Murray

2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 Jun 2000 · Written Question

Answer · Wendy Alexander: he figures for UK visitors are given in the table below:UK visitors<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="36%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="64%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=3>% change in bednights compared with previ…

13 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the regeneration of Scotland's town centres and what funding it is making available for this purpose.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: A Planning Advice Note Improving Town Centres was published in October 1999. This sets out ways in which local authorities, in partnership with others, can make town centres more attractive and accessible places and enhance their potential for commerci…

7 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to develop cultural tourism in Scotland.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: My colleague, the Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport, will shortly convene a group which will develop a new cultural tourism strategy.

31 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisons and young offenders' institutes do not have internal sanitation in each cell; which institutions continue to require inmates to "slop out", and how many inmates are affected in each institution.

Answer · Angus MacKay: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. Mr Cameron's response is as follows:At present, 10 establishments do not have integral sanitation in each cell but five provide access to other forms of a…

31 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost per prisoner is in each prison and young offenders' institute.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:This information is not available. For the year 1998-99, the average cost per prisoner place for the SPS as a whole was £26…

24 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to the pilot project in Dumfries and Galloway to develop local markets for local agricultural produce and how this funding will be distributed.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-6139 on 11 May.

17 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its Departments other than Development are consulted when considering applications for the erection of brown signs on trunk roads and motorways and in particular what role the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department plays.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Decisions taken by officials in the Scottish Executive reflect the policies of all Scottish Ministers.

17 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review current policy on the erection of brown signs on trunk roads and motorways.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are no plans at present to review this policy.

17 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any sources of funding available to local authorities or community groups to pilot novel methods of flood prevention in their localities.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Executive funding for flood prevention, in the form of grant, is available to local authorities for confirmed flood prevention schemes. The Executive will consider funding novel methods of flood prevention that local authorities have incorporated in schemes t…

17 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it administers any funds for which local authorities or community groups can apply to assist with the costs of flood prevention schemes and, if so, how access can be obtained to details of the application process.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive administers a flood prevention grant scheme, under which local authorities can apply for grant towards the cost of constructing flood prevention schemes, confirmed under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act, for the prevention of flooding of non-…

10 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it expects the Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research Institutes and the Scottish Agricultural College to play in developing ways to add value to primary products in the agriculture, fishing and forestry industries.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The five Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research Institutes and the Scottish Agricultural College have strengths across a range of scientific disciplines. They make a major contribution to SERAD's Agricultural, Biological and Related Research Programme …

10 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to retain the current status of very sheltered housing as housing provision, placing it outside the proposed framework for the regulation of care and social services.

Answer · Iain Gray: We do not intend that sheltered housing should be regulated as residential care. But we do intend that the home care services provided to people living in very sheltered housing will be regulated. We consulted recently on how best this can be accomplished, an…

9 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to retain the A7 as a trunk road.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Dr Murray to the answer given to question S1W-6662.

9 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it made any representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the possible consequences in Scotland of the decision to detrunk the A7 south of the Scottish-English border.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The UK Government's decision on core and non-core roads in England was taken before 1 July 1999.The Scottish Executive is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the A7 from the English border to Galashiels and has no plans to detrunk…

9 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the possibility of attracting European funding in relation to the Route Action Plan for the A75.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: An unsuccessful application was made in December 1996 for European Community funding for the A75 Route Action Plan.

9 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in preparing the Route Action Plan for the A75 announced on 31 March 2000, it considered the status of the A75 in the European Union's Trans-European Road Network and in the Ireland-UK-Benelux Road Upgrading Project.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The A75 has been part of the Trans-European Road Network for a number of years and all decisions relating to the road take that into account.

5 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the new monies allocated to schools announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's 2000-01 budget will be disbursed in Scotland.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Following discussion with CoSLA, my department has written to all authorities advising them of how these resources will be allocated. A copy of the letter has been placed in SPICe.

4 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding a recommended level of homework for primary and secondary school pupils.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The setting of homework for both primary and secondary school pupils is a matter for consideration by education authorities in consultation with their schools.

4 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to councils regarding determination of the due date for payment of council tax both by instalment and by lump sum.

Answer · Jack McConnell: None. It is for councils to determine the most appropriate date for the payment of council tax instalments also taking account of the regulations governing the payment of lump sums.

4 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory provisions or regulations apply to the payment of council tax by instalment rather than by a lump sum.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The regulations concerned are to be found in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 1992 as amended by The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2000.<P A…

4 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities to assist them in preventing the consumption of alcohol in public places by young people under the age of 18.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Guidance was issued to local authorities in July 1997 about the new police powers to confiscate alcohol from young people under 18 found drinking in public places introduced by the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997. Local authorities also received the …

4 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory powers are available to the police to deal with the problems arising from under-age drinking in public places.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 provides the police with powers to confiscate alcoholic drink from underage drinkers in public places and from those over 18 who are suspected of supplying alcohol to underage drinkers. This is a prac…

27 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to commission any study into the safety of Dennis Dart buses, following accidents involving this type of bus.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Whilst the Scottish Parliament has legislative competence over bus policy, issues which affect the construction and operation of buses, such as vehicle standards, operator licensing and safety are reserved to the United Kingdom Government. The Scottish Execut…

26 Apr 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, consequent to the recent fatal road traffic accident on the A7 South of Langholm, it will prioritise the upgrade of the Auchenrivock section of this trunk road.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: May I first of all express my sympathies to the casualties and the relatives of those who died in the recent accident. In this case, the factors contributing to the accident do not appear to be related to the condition or layout of the road and no road contri…

25 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications are required of individuals appointed as part-time Reporters with the Inquiry Reporters Unit.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The majority of part-time Reporters appointed by SEIRU have qualifications in planning, architecture, surveying, or law and administration. Some are qualified in more than one discipline. Besides possession of such formal qualifications, part-time Reporters a…

25 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many part-time Reporters appointed by the Inquiry Reporters Unit are over the age of 60.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: As at 2 May 2000, 14 of the 20 part-time Reporters on the Inquiry Reporters Unit complement were over the age of 60.

25 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many part-time Reporters are employed by the Inquiry Reporters Unit.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: As at 2 May 2000 there were 20 part-time Reporters on the Inquiry Reporters Unit complement.

25 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding policy on the use of thick tiled roofs and how this guidance is made available.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations, published by The Stationery Office, include roofing specifications that are deemed to satisfy the standards.

19 Apr 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how scientific research is being supported in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Scientific research in Scotland is supported in a number of ways. The Executive is currently developing a science strategy for Scotland which will address how to achieve a coherent and co-ordinated approach among the various bodies which support scientific re…

6 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-1175 by Iain Gray on 17 February 2000, whether it intends to increase any further the funding available to local authority social work departments and NHS health boards for the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction over the next three years.

Answer · Iain Gray: As I advised Dr Murray in my answer to S10-1175 and S1W-5979, spending on drug treatment services by health boards has been boosted by £6 million over a three year period to 2002, bringing the annual spend to £11.352 million. This represents a 20% rise on pre…