Parliamentary questions
Elaine Thomson
60 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Aug 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how patient care can be safeguarded in Aberdeen in the light of the reported financial difficulties of Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The NHS in Grampian is responsible for ensuring that health services in the area are managed effectively and are sustainable financially. The Health Department is working closely with the NHS in Grampian to ensure that the Acute Trust meets its targets under …
29 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the Fisheries Council held in Luxembourg on 18 June 2001.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I attended the Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 18 June as part of the UK delegation.<P>The council held a policy debate about the Commission's Green Paper on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The UK stated that the primary objective for the …
28 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are to support lone parents moving into further and higher education.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Together with my colleagues Wendy Alexander and Nicol Stephen, I am pleased to announce a new three-year £24 million package of child care support for lone parents.<P>Not only will this funding support lone parents entry into education and ultimately employme…
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is undertaking to reduce traffic congestion in Aberdeen.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: NESTRANS, the regional transport partnership, has developed its "Modern Transport System" a strategy which involves measures to help ease traffic flow in and around the city and to provide a better system of public transport. One such measure is the…
6 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to monitor and improve the efficiency of the Procurator Fiscal Service.
Answer · Colin Boyd: Detailed arrangements are already in place to monitor efficiency by reference to a number of departmental performance targets and monitoring information informs departmental management planning. These are reported publicly in our departmental annual report. I…
23 May 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to tackle the use of illegal drugs in the north east of Scotland.
Answer · Iain Gray: Local action on drug misuse is a matter for DATs and their constituent agencies.<P>The Executive has allocated substantial funding to the north east of Scotland over the next three years to deal with the problems. National targets have been set to monitor per…
22 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what performance targets it has set for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 2001-02.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: For the financial year 2001-02 I have set the following targets:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3><P ALIGN="CENTER">Aerial Surveillance</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT …
2 May 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the modernising government fund has benefited Aberdeen.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Aberdeen City Council has received £2 million from the Modernising Government Fund - the maximum grant payable under the scheme.<FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The funding will help support the AccordLink project, and in particular the Accord Card, whic…
25 Apr 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent crime statistics showing a decrease in non-sexual crimes of violence, what future plans there are to develop campaigns such as Safer Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive committed substantial funding to the ‘Safer Scotland’ Campaign, which involved all eight police forces and the British Transport Police from October to December 2000. Over that period there was a considerable reduction in the number of …
26 Mar 2001 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what further steps will be taken to encourage more young people to stay on at school and enter higher education.
Answer · Henry McLeish: We are taking major steps to widen access for young people to higher education, particularly those from low income families: by investing £22 million over the next three years in more pilots of Education Maintenance Allowances in schools; a new student suppor…
26 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address any future skills shortages and labour market issues.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: We plan to extend the remit of the new Scottish Labour Market Intelligence Unit, which we propose to rename Future Skills Scotland. We see Future Skills Scotland having a central role in identifying skills shortages to fulfil our pledge to have every Scot rea…
22 Jan 2001 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Executive is making in removing barriers to employment.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is committed to employment opportunity for all. Employment in Scotland is at record levels - the highest level since 1960. The recent Social Justice Annual Report showed key employment indicators improving.
8 Jan 2001 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Executive has made in enhancing lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Today we announced the way forward for the Careers Service, to help people into lifelong learning and employment. We have committed funding for 42,800 additional places in further and higher education. We have scrapped tuition fees for eligible Scottish stude…
18 Dec 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of co-operation exists between Scotland, other EU Member States and third countries on fisheries control and enforcement.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There is extensive co-operation between the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency on behalf of the Scottish Executive and also other enforcement authorities in the UK with those of other member states and Third Countries. Such co-operation is important to ensu…
8 Nov 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it is listening to the concerns of the business community.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Executive will continue to listen closely to the concerns of the business community, which it recognises as key to Scotland's economic success. Following my meetings last week with key leaders of Scotland's business community, I announced that the Executi…
25 Oct 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in supporting young people living in communities affected by socially exclusive issues such as drug misuse.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Through our social justice policy and initiatives such as Social Inclusion Partnerships, New Community Schools, the New Futures Fund and the Rough Sleepers' Initiative, we are substantially improving opportunities for excluded young people in disadvantaged co…
20 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in relation to the Modernising Government agenda.
Answer · Jack McConnell: On 10 July, I announced that 47 bids had been given initial approval to work up their proposals for the £25 million Modernising Government Fund. Bidders have until 29 September to submit their final bid, and I hope to announce details of the successful projec…
6 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its National Cultural Strategy will assist in combating social exclusion.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The National Cultural Strategy set out as one of its strategic objectives to realise culture's contribution to promoting inclusion and identified a series of actions to further that objective.
30 Aug 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to remove barriers and increase access to information technology and the internet for disabled people.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Providing services which suit the needs of the entire community, including disabled people, is part of our commitments to universal Internet access and all government services being online by 2005.
21 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases have been awaiting a judgement from Sheriffs in the Sheriffdom of Grampian, Highland and Islands other than Sheriff Principal Douglas Risk for more than six, twelve, eighteen months or two years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Judgements Outstanding</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">More than 6 months	</TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY…
21 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any cases have been awaiting a judgement from Sheriff Principal Douglas Risk for more than two years and, if so, how many and for how long and how many cases have been awaiting a judgement for more than six, 12 or 18 months.
Answer · Jim Wallace: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Judgements Outstanding</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">More than 6 months</TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Ni…
8 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will announce the key performance targets it has set for Fisheries Research Services for 2000-01.
Answer · John Home Robertson: I have set the following targets for Fisheries Research Services for the financial year 200001:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=614><TR><TD WIDTH="49%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=32><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">MEASURES</TD><TD WIDTH="…
4 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of its discussions with Norway on the use of square mesh panels in the nets of Scottish fishing vessels in Norwegian waters.
Answer · John Home Robertson: I will be laying regulations later this week which will require the introduction of square mesh panels into the nets of Scottish fishing vessels. These panels will allow juvenile fish to escape, thus reducing discarding of undersized fish. This is one measure…
4 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what allocation it proposes to make from the central reserve towards health-related spending.
Answer · Jack McConnell: At least £34 million will be allocated from the central reserve towards health related spending. This includes £4.5 million towards health needs of the homeless previously announced and which was allocated from the reserve. An additional £10 million will be a…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to develop an improved system for nature conservation.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has already developed significant new measures to ensure the protection and enhancement of nature. We are promoting legislation on National Parks to secure the sustainable management of large parts of Scotland's natural heritage. We hav…
7 Jun 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce licensing under section 44 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 of body piercers or premises which are engaged in tattooing, piercing and modification procedures.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to my answer to question S1W-6880.
15 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the interests of public safety, it plans to introduce licensing under section 44 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 of body piercers and/or premises which are engaged in tattooing, piercing and other bodily modification procedures.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Before any licensing of premises engaged in tattooing, piercing or modification procedures is considered under section 44 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, a consultation exercise will take place. This will involve public health interests, local au…
1 May 2000 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what progress has been made towards achieving the commitments in the Partnership for Scotland during the first year of the Scottish Parliament.
Answer · Donald Dewar: The Executive is making excellent progress in achieving its priorities as set out in its programme for action, <I>Making It Work Together: A Programme for Government</I>.<P>Only 1 of the 37 Programme for Government commitments due to be in place by May 2000 r…
29 Mar 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government and local authorities about electronic delivery of public services.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Mr Jack McConnell met with Mo Mowlem, Minister for the Cabinet Office, earlier this year to discuss Modernising Government and electronic delivery of public services.<P>Scottish Executive officials are in close and regular contact with the Cabinet Office, the…
27 Mar 2000 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Executive plans to mark Information Age week.
Answer · Donald Dewar: The Scottish Executive strongly supports the emphasis which the UK Government is giving to information age issues this week. It is very important indeed that Scotland embraces new ways of doing business made possible by information and communication technolog…