Parliamentary questions
Elaine Smith
1,153 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Mar 2004 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many apprentices have been employed on the Holyrood project.
Answer · George Reid: The Holyrood Project Team has written to all Trade Package contractors involved in the Holyrood project and, from the responses received, a total of 113 apprentices have been involved in work relating to the project. Of that number, 38 were directly employed …
18 Feb 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect sex industry workers from exploitation.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Last summerwe set up the Expert Group on Prostitution to examine the legal, policing,health and social justice issues surrounding prostitution in Scotland and to consider options for thefuture. The expert group will examine all aspects of prostitution in a ph…
13 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to deferment options for Scottish-domiciled students attending English universities under the proposed top-up fees scheme.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We are aware that those whoare considering studying in England from 2006 need to know what support towards tuitionfees will be available to them in order that they can make an informed choicein good time.</p><p>We are currently consideringa range of options a…
13 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the eligibility criteria are for the regeneration fund for local authorities under the new funding rules.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Priority for the use of thisfunding will be for regeneration activity that is directly linked to housing transferproposals which have secured a place on the Community Ownership Programme. Accessto the fund will be widened to include retention councils who hav…
14 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each NHS board has spent on the support and promotion of breastfeeding in each year since May 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total expenditure of each board.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
14 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to fund the work and operation of the Scottish Breastfeeding Group in each year since May 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish BreastfeedingGroup has been allocated £5,000 each year since 1999 to fund its work andoperation.</p>
14 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to fund the work of the National Breastfeeding Adviser in each year since May 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has allocated £32,000 each year since May 1999 to fund the work of theNational Breastfeeding Advisor.</p>
14 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to NHS Health Scotland, and its predecessor organisations, for the promotion of breastfeeding in each year since May 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No funding has beenallocated to NHS Health Scotland and its predecessor organisations specifically to promotebreastfeeding. It is for NHS Health Scotland to determine how it uses its funding, whilst takinginto account national priorities.</p><p>The following …
14 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it allocated specifically to support breastfeeding in each NHS board area in each year since May 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No specific funding has beenallocated to NHS boards to support breastfeeding. NHS boards are given an annualunified budget to meet the health care needs of their resident populations. Itis for boards to determine, within the funds available, how to manage and…
14 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it allocated specifically to support and promote breastfeeding in each year since May 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total health budget in each year.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The following table contains information regarding funding the Scottish Executive has allocated specifically to support and promote breastfeeding in each year since May 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total health budget in each year.</p><p>This t…
5 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advances have been made in the improvement of services for individuals suffering from chronic enduring conditions.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Progress is being made acrossa wide front, and includes:</p><p>· progressive implementation of the Scottish Diabetes Framework, which was published in April 2002.</p><p>· the development of ManagedClin…
5 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to promote comprehensive medical research into endometriosis.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office(CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouragingand supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland.The CSO responds to research applications rather than invites applications …
5 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what findings have been produced from the two endometriosis research projects funded through the Chief Scientist Office prior to June 2001.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The two projects referred toin question S1W-8966 on 11 December 2000, were not directly related to endometriosis but to otherdisorders of the endometrium. One of those research projects has now been completedand an executive summary of the findings can be fou…
5 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements have been made to the management of the delivery of infertility services since 2001 to ensure equity of access to such services and treatment throughout Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer provided to S1W-24927 on 7 May 2002, which sets out how far NHS boardshad implemented the recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on InfertilityServices in Scotland (EAGISS) at that time. The Executive will be conducting …
5 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in promoting earlier and better diagnosis of endometriosis since the publication of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines in July 2000.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Royal College ofObstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) guidelines on endometriosis have been broughtto the attention of health professionals through the Royal College'sclinical networks in gynaecology, general practice and other healthprofessions. Advice in th…
13 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have sought approval, or have indicated that they intend to seek approval, for the designation of pressured areas under section 45 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.
Answer · Margaret Curran: No local authority has so far submitted proposals to Scottish ministers to designate pressured areas under the provisions introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.</p>
13 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what Glasgow City Council's budget for occupational health aids and adaptations was in 2002-03 and is in 2003-04.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This is a matter for Glasgow City Council. The level of information requested is not held by the Executive.
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to subsidise the costs incurred by NHS nurses in respect of re-registration and continual professional development.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has no role in the regulation of nurses and midwives. Responsibility for the regulation of nurses and midwives rests with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Due to the nature of self-regulation for all health professionals, nurses and m…
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the further education funding system in England, under the Learning and Skills Council, which awards funds to institutions in instalments throughout the academic year in accordance with the retention of students throughout this period.
Answer · Jim Wallace: None. The Scottish Executive does not determine the methodology for allocating funds to further education colleges. In Scotland, the Scottish Further Education Funding Council is the statutory body responsible for such matters.
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in remaining in further and higher education.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is committed to widening access to further and higher education to individuals from all backgrounds. In addition to free tuition, this is underpinned by a wide-ranging package of support targeted specifically towards individuals facing …
17 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration the new independent women's equality group will give to the previous discussions and recommendations of the Women in Scotland Consultative Forum.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34759 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/searc…
17 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the work done by the Equality Proofings Budget Advisory Group will be taken into account by the new independent women's equality group announced by the Minister for Social Justice on 6 February 2003 and how the group will relate to the Executive, the Parliament and civic society.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Strategic Group on Women was established on 6 February 2003 as a small, independent, short-duration group of individual women to examine what more the Executive should do to improve opportunities for women. It will be for the group to decide what issues i…
17 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given to gender differences in transport needs, including the issues highlighted in Women and Transport: Guidance and Checklist, within the remit of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland allows disabled people to give their views on transport issues and advise on any practical improvements which could be put in place which in turn could improve general access to public transport for all, irrespec…
17 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the recommendations in Women and Transport: Guidance and Checklist are being addressed in the delivery of transport services in the area served by the Strathclyde Passenger Transport.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: <I>Women and Transport: Guidance and Checklist</I> was issued to local authorities, Strathclyde Passenger Transport and transport providers in Scotland in July 2002. How the guidance is put into practice is not monitored centrally.
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reassess present care systems and services for looked after children, in the light of the Report from the Working Group on the Throughcare and Aftercare of Looked After Children in Scotland and the results of the Who Cares? Scotland questionnaire in respect of the timi…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are committed to improving services to young people leaving care and improving the educational attainment of looked after children. We are considering the responses to our consultation on the report of the Throughcare and Aftercare Working Group and we hav…
15 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which funding streams in each of its departments have been considered as appropriate funding sources to support and promote breastfeeding.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Health, Education andDevelopment Departments within the Scottish Executive all have an interest in thesupport and promotion of breastfeeding.</p><p>Within the Health Departmentthe Chief Scientists Office research fund, the Health Improvement Fund and theS…
27 Nov 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it has to meet ministers from other parts of the UK to discuss tourism issues.
Answer · Elaine Murray: Meetings between ministers take place at regular UK Tourism Summits or when a particular issue warrants a meeting. I met with UK Tourism ministers at the latest summit on 28 November and two days earlier Mike Watson attended a meeting involving UK tourism min…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the views and concerns of the Cross-Party Group on Autistic Spectrum Disorder and of parents will be taken into account when consideration is given to any review of the Record of Needs system.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A total of 148 responses were received during the consultation on <I>Assessing our children's educational needs: The Way Forward?</I> last year, including a response from the Education Sub-Group of the Cross Party Group on Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Since pu…
16 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it expects the Registers of Scotland Executive Agency to achieve in the financial year 2002-03.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have set the Registers of Scotland the following key targets for 2002-03 :<UL><LI>For the Trading Fund to achieve a return of 6% on net capital employed over the three-year period ending 31 March 2003.</LI></UL><UL><LI>To reduce the standard production cost…
10 Apr 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve the professional standing of those working in, or entering, all areas of the childcare sector.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Both the Childcare Strategy and the <I>Action Plan for the Training and Development of Workers in Early Education, Childcare and Playwork</I> set out the Executive's commitment to increasing the professional standing of the childcare workforce by supporting t…