Parliamentary questions

Fiona Hyslop

940 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any gender inequality in terms of pay among its staff.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27237 on 29 July 2002. 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/we…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether issues of equal pay for work of equal value in the NHS have been fully addressed in Agenda for Change - Modernising the NHS Pay System.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: If accepted, the new Agenda for Change pay system provides for an agreed job evaluation methodology which has been developed in partnership with health care trades unions specifically to address these issues.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that all of its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies publish their policies on equal pay.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Agencies and NDPBs are required to be as open as possible in their dealings with their customers and stakeholders. They are required to comply with the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information and with legislation on the release of …

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy on equal pay is; when it expects the review of its pay system to be completed, and when it will publish any revised policy as a result.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to people wishing to take their employers to industrial tribunals over pay differentials.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is a partner in the Close the Gap Campaign, launched in 2001, to raise awareness of the gender pay gap and ways of tackling it. The Close the Gap Campaign information packs contain information about employees' rights to equal pay and ho…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the programme of work with employers and employees under the Close the Gap campaign involved and how this programme's success was measured.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Activities under the Close the Gap Campaign have included seminars, conferences, road shows, training events, preparation of leaflets and publicity materials disseminated to employers, employees, trade unionists and advisors aimed at raising awareness of the …

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses signed up to the Close the Gap campaign.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Close the Gap Campaign partnership includes organisations representing businesses such as the Confederation of British Industry, Scottish Council for Development and Industry, Scottish Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses. We do not have…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking, or is considering, to address the earnings differential between men and women.

Answer · Margaret Curran: As an employer, the Scottish Executive is committed to carrying out an equal pay review. For further information regarding this, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27237 on 29 July 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are a…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, other than through the Close the Gap campaign, to address the earnings differential between men and women.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the Close the Gap campaign.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Close the Gap Campaign was launched in March 2001 and will run until at least 2005. Current activities under the Close the Gap Development Partnership include attendance of campaign representatives at seminars, conferences and other events, organisation o…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has done on the effects of the policies of Her Majesty's Government on the promotion of equal pay.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including policies to promote equal pay.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has done on the effectiveness of the Close the Gap campaign on equal pay.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Close the Gap Campaign was launched in March 2001 and will run until at least 2005. The work of the Close the Gap Development Partnership, which is the main part of the Close the Gap campaign, will be monitored and evaluated.

1 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to the environmental impact on the area in and around Fauldhouse in West Lothian of the number of opencast coal mining and landfill planning applications in the area.

Answer · Des McNulty: Decisions on planning applications are for local councils in the first instance. Intervention by the Scottish ministers generally occurs only where a proposed development raises an issue of national importance, or where proposals represent a significant depar…

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Prison Service (SPS) staff have initiated grievance procedures in each year since 1997 and how many such procedures were (a) concluded to the SPS's satisfaction and (b) referred for external arbitration.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information is not available. Grievances are not referred to external arbitration.

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Prison Service staff retired due to ill health in each year from 1997 to 2001.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=293><TR><TD WIDTH="48%" VALIGN="TOP">Year</TD><TD WIDTH="52%" VALIGN="TOP">Staff Medically R…

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) staff have been employed by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), (b) sick days have been lost whilst sick pay is paid to SPS employees and (c) SPS staff have been in receipt of sick pay in each month since January 2001.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=557><TR><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP">Month/Year</TD><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="TOP">No of Staff…

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what entitlements Scottish Prison Service employees have to sick pay and sick leave.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Established employees receive 182 days full-paid sickness and 183 days half-paid sickness entitlement, irrespective of service. This should not…

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Civil Service Management Code that applies to the Scottish Prison Service applies to its other agencies.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Yes. The Civil Service Management Code relates to the Home Civil Service. It applies in the same way to the Scottish Executive and its agencies as it does to UK Government departments and agencies.

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it will issue to the justiciary concerning the correct identification of a suspect to be arrested under a European arrest warrant and whether corroboration of identity will be required before the warrant can be executed.

Answer · Hugh Henry: On the issue of guidance, the independence of the judiciary is a fundamental principle of the Scottish legal system. It would be constitutionally improper for the Executive to issue guidance to the judiciary on any question relating to the interpretation of t…

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guarantees of the protection of their human rights suspects arrested in Scotland under a European arrest warrant would have.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Under the provisions of the Extradition Bill, as introduced in the Westminster Parliament on 14 November 2001, such persons have a right to see the arrest warrant or a copy of it as soon as practicable on request, if it is not shown to them at the time of arr…

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it understands to be a system of surrender between judicial authorities, as referred to in the European Union Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32291 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…

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what bodies it consulted on the European Union Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant.

Answer · Hugh Henry: None, as the Framework Decision relates to a reserved matter.In June 2002 the Home Office issued a consultation draft of the Extradition Bill which included provisions implementing the Framework Decision.

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether provisions for the European arrest warrant will require legislation in Scotland.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Extradition Bill makes provision for the implementation of the Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant into UK law. However, it also contains provision for rules of court to be made in Scotland by Act of Adjournal to provide for the practice and…

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made to the Council of Europe over the European arrest warrant before Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA came into force.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant, which was made by the Council of the European Union, was discussed at the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 16 November 2001 which I attended (as indicated in the answer given to question…

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many extraditions to EU member states it has approved since May 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The extradition of one fugitive has been approved since May 1999.

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to Scots law will be required as a result of the European Union Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The provisions of the Extradition Act 1989 as they apply to Scotland will require to be changed in respect of extradition to the member states of the European Union and Gibraltar.The Framework Decision will be implemented in Scotland by means of the propos…

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities it will have for the implementation of any recommendations by the European Commission following its review of minimum procedural safeguards for suspects and accused persons that have been subject to the European arrest warrant procedure.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The subject matter of the Extradition Bill is reserved. Consequently, the implementation of any recommendations which the European Commission may make about minimum procedural safeguards as they apply to those arrested on the basis of a European arrest warran…

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30691 by Dr Richard Simpson on 8 November 2002, whether it drafted any amendment to the Extradition Bill relating to postponing bringing into force the sections of the bill relating to implementation of the European arrest warrant until the European …

Answer · Hugh Henry: The question of postponing the bringing into force those parts of the Extradition Bill implementing the European arrest warrant pending the outcome of the European Council's review of minimum procedural standards is a policy issue for the UK Government given …

5 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities it has in relation to the implementation of the European Union Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant; what the implications of section B11 of Head B to schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998 will be for fulfilling any such responsibiliti…

Answer · Hugh Henry: Under section B11 of Head B of Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998 extradition is reserved. We have considered carefully not just paragraph 5 of the Framework Decision but the document as a whole, its context and the overall effect of what it provides for. It…

22 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its letter to me of 11 November 2002, whether it is its intention to consult local authorities on the abolition of capital receipts set-aside rules as announced by the Minister for Social Justice in her ministerial statement on housing on 7 November 2002 or to abolish these ru…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive's policy is as stated in the Minister for Social Justice's statement on 7 November. As a consequence of the move to the Prudential Regime, the capital receipts set-aside rules are unlikely to remain relevant and we will consult local au…