Parliamentary questions

Elaine Murray

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

4 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authority social work departments and NHS health boards on residential treatment for drug and alcohol abusers.

Answer · Iain Gray: Guidance on residential treatment for drug and alcohol abusers is contained in the following publications.Alcohol Misuse: Prevention and Local Co-ordination to health boards and local authorities (NHS Circular No 1989 (GEN)28).<P …

4 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the funding available to local authority social work departments and NHS health boards for the aftercare and support of drug and alcohol abusers recovering from addiction.

Answer · Iain Gray: Spending on drug treatment by health boards is being boosted by £6 million over a three-year period, bringing annual spend to over £11 million. This represents a 20% rise on previous levels. This funding is distributed via individual health boards.<P ALIGN="J…

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has now met the Scottish Ambulance Service to consider the progress of its review of working arrangements at ambulance stations and when it expects to receive the report of the Scottish Ambulance Service's European Working Time Directive working group.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Scottish Executive Health Department officials met with representatives of the Scottish Ambulance Service as recently as 29 March. The Scottish Ambulance Service have advised that their Joint Working Party is still considering the Working Time Directive and i…

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the development of the Scottish University for Industry (SUfI), when an announcement will be made regarding the situation of its headquarters and when SUfI will become operational.

Answer · Henry McLeish: I announced to Parliament on 13 April that Europa Building, in Glasgow's Argyle Street, has been chosen as the location for the Scottish University for Industry's headquarters. The company's staff of around 25 are expected to locate there at the end of May an…

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research is being done into the causes of the reduction in song bird populations in Scotland and whether predation by raptors is being considered as a contributory factor.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I am not aware of any specific research on the Scottish songbird populations but understand there is work being done at UK level by the British Trust for Ornithology and the RSPB. The UK Raptor Working Group concluded in its report published in February of th…

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will inform Volunteer Development Scotland about the level of funding it will receive for the continuation of the Local Volunteering Development Agency Grant Programme and the Millennium Volunteers Programme.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: Funding for Local Volunteer Development Agencies and for the Millennium Volunteers Projects is offered directly to the organisations concerned. For 2000-01, £1 million has been set aside for the continuation of the Local Volunteer Development Agency (LVDA) Gr…

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the report of the Chartered Institute for Housing on the implementation and use of anti-social neighbour orders and, if so, whether the report highlights any difficulties with the use of these orders or recommends any changes to current procedures.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The report entitled The Crime and Disorder Act 1998: The Use of section 23 evictions for anti-social behaviour, which also reports on the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders was received in March 2000. A copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament …

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities and NHS trusts relating to the support and care of sufferers from schi'ophrenia and how this guidance is made available.

Answer · Iain Gray: Recent guidance to the NHS, local authorities and others on care, management, support and services for those suffering from mental illness including schizophrenia includes:<UL><LI>A Good Practice Statement for People Affected by Schizoph…

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide a firm funding base for the provision of careers guidance for adults.

Answer · Henry McLeish: On 6 October 1999 I announced a review of the Careers Service with the remit: "To examine the role of the careers service in Scotland, and the scope for change and development of that role in the light of trends and initiatives in education, lifelong lea…

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides any transitional support to career development services which used to receive European Social Fund Object 5b funding prior to the end of 1999.

Answer · Jack McConnell: No career development services received ESF Objective 5b funding in 1999.

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4883 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 16 March 2000, whether it is aware of the data compiled by the Council for Dance Education and Training which shows that over half of local authorities are no longer prepared to support dance and drama students through dis…

Answer · Peter Peacock: I am aware of the study by the Council for Dance Education and Training.As I said in my reply to you on 9 March, discretionary bursaries are a matter for local authorities and the Executive has no plans to change the current system.

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it makes available to organisations such as the Burns Federation whose activities include the promotion of cultural tourism in South West Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive makes no direct financial contribution to organisations such as the Burns Federation. Promotion of cultural tourism in South West Scotland falls under the remit of the local tourist boards, Dumfries and Galloway Council and Enterprise A…

22 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it makes available to help companies set up renewable energy schemes.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In February I announced to Parliament that I was consulting on a Renewables (Scotland) Obligation to increase by a further 5% the already considerable use of renewable energy in Scotland. This obligation, which would be placed on all electricity suppliers in …

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any support is available to enable firms who trade overseas to promote the teaching of foreign languages within their organisation.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The network of 13 Export Partnerships across Scotland provides co-ordinated support to companies to help increase their competitiveness in international markets. Companies also benefit from the National Languages for Export Campaign, run by British Trade Inte…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have recently been made to the qualifications required for entry to postgraduate courses in teaching at secondary school level and why any such changes have been introduced.

Answer · Peter Peacock: From the academic year 2000-01 the minimum entry requirements to Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Secondary) courses will be increased. Applicants will require within their degrees three teaching subject qualifying courses (TSQCs), with one TSQC at Scot…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who sits on the committee which determined the level of grant-aided expenditure allocated to each fire brigade; which authority each member represents, and how members were chosen.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Local Government Finance distribution issues are reviewed by the joint Scottish Executive/CoSLA Distribution Committee. The committee reports to the Working Party on Local Government Finance on which all councils are represented. A list of local government me…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the health demonstration projects "Starting Well", "Healthy Respect", "The Heart of Scotland" and "The Cancer Challenge".

Answer · Susan Deacon: The intention to establish these four demonstration projects, with the aim of enabling local successes to inform national change in key areas, was set out in the White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland. Following due consideration of a large number o…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage sewerage authorities to invest in new methods of disposal of domestic waste, such as composting and fertiliser production, as alternatives to injection into agricultural land.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Recycling of sludge to agricultural land is the most sustainable environmental option for disposal or re-use of sludge in most cases. It is controlled under the Sewage Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 and a supporting Code of Practice. Sludge may …

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sewerage plants in Scotland currently provide tertiary treatment; where each of these plants are situated; how many tertiary sewerage treatment plants are currently planned, and where each of these plants will be situated.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The information requested is in the tables below:-Waste Water Treatment Plants with Tertiary Treatment<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP">Authority</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALI…

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government on behalf of Scottish residents in areas such as Langholm in Dumfriesshire who are as yet unable to subscribe to BBC Digital.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport are aware that many areas served by low-power relays, such as Langholm, cannot as yet receive Digital Terrestrial Television. They are in contact with the Scottish Executive and with the digital broadcasters about t…

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the amounts calculated in the Grant Aided Expenditure for each local authority in 1999-2000 in respect of provision of discretionary bursaries.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Grant Aided Expenditure allocations for Further Education: travel and bursaries are listed in the 1999-2000 Grant Aided Expenditure Green Book, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe). GAE allowances are not …

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those local authorities which no longer award discretionary bursaries to (a) school students and (b) students of music, dance and drama.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I am afraid that the requested information is not held centrally.

1 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the system of financial assistance to Scottish domiciled students who have gained scholarships under the Dance and Drama Award Scheme, given that some local authorities have ceased to award discretionary bursary payments.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It is for local authorities in Scotland to decide whether to award discretionary bursary payments to students. We have no plans at present to change this system.