Fiona McLeod

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in developing proposals for improved energy standards for new buildings by the end of 2000, as referred to in Making it Work Together.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer Ms McLeod to the answer I gave to question S1W-11665 today.

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards completing by the end of 2000 improvements to the standards of urban wastewater treatment systems and the construction of new systems in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as referred to in Making it Work Together.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Edinburgh works will be completed by the end of 2000, as will three of the four Glasgow works. The other Glasgow works at Dalmuir, where early construction was delayed by serious flooding of the site, will achieve compliance in mid-2001.

22 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many submissions, letters and other forms of correspondence have been received since October 1999 on the review of Scottish Criminal Records Office checks on voluntary organisations.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have received just over 1,000 representations from or on behalf of voluntary organisations expressing concern about the proposed charges for criminal record checks.

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire stations have mobile phone masts attached to the building, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Information from fire authorities is that there are two such fire stations, namely Dyce Fire Station in Aberdeen City and Arbroath Fire Station in Angus.

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospitals have mobile phone masts attached to the building, broken down by health board.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information is not held centrally.

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much rent is received annually by each of the emergency services from mobile phone companies through the rental of roof space for mobile phone masts.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The police service receives £38,899 annually from mobile phone companies through the rental of roof space for mobile phone masts and the fire service receives £3,260. Information for the ambulance service is not held centrally.

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police stations have mobile phone masts attached to the building, broken down by police force.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is shown in the following table.</P></FONT><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Force</FONT></TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P A…

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have mobile phone masts attached to the building, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jack McConnell: This information is not available centrally.

17 Nov 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body plans to provide parliamentary information via teletext services.

Answer · David Steel: At present the SPCB has no plans to establish its own teletext Parliamentary Information Service. Comprehensive parliamentary information is publicly available on the Parliament website, which also contains all press releases. The information on the website i…

15 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2472 by Susan Deacon on 9 November 2000, whether it will detail the enforcement package to target under-age sales of tobacco.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Scottish Executive officials have been working with CoSLA and the Scottish representatives of the local authority body on Food and Trade Standards towards the adoption of an enforcement protocol to improve enforcement of Scottish legislation which prohibits t…

3 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the free central heating and insulation scheme for old age pensioners will not start until April 2001.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The free central heating and insulation scheme for old age pensioners will not start until April 2001 because the new resources first become available in 2001-02.

3 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to whom pensioners who are also owner-occupiers will have to apply for an improvement grant for the free installation of heating and insulation.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: This has not yet been settled. When a decision is reached the name and address and how to apply will be widely publicised.

20 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-8839 and S1W-8840 by Angus MacKay on 7 September 2000, what action it is taking to ensure that all 22 drug action teams, including those who have not referred to the issue in their corporate action plans, are fulfilling their remits in addressing v…

Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive will seek to ensure that all Drug Action Teams (DATs) address volatile substance abuse through this year's reporting arrangements.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Any issues of concern about action on volatile substance abuse will be taken up with t…

20 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether extra finance is being given to Glasgow City Council in the current financial year specifically for speech therapy and, if so, how much.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Grant-aided expenditure of £178 million for special education is available to local authorities to use in light of local needs and circumstances. Included in this figure is £6.5 million per year from April 1999 for speech and language therapy for pupils with …

20 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is possible to de-list a listed property and, if so, what procedure is involved.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have asked Graeme Munro, Director and Chief Executive of Historic Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The criteria for listing are set out at paragraph 1.8 of the <I>Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation…

20 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether tenement law takes precedence over planning consent after planning consent has been given which will result in changes to a tenement property.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The grant of planning permission does not obviate the need to comply with any other laws and to seek any other permissions, consents or approvals that may be required to implement any planning permission.

15 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what account is taken of other laws governing the use of the property concerned when planning decisions are made.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Determinations under planning legislation must be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Matters considered in respect of consents and approvals under other legislation as well as the general law may be…

15 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport and the Environment or her officials last met directly with representatives of Youthlink Scotland and when such a meeting was last requested.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Neither I nor my officials have met representatives of Youthlink Scotland, and no request for a meeting has been received.

6 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any approaches have been made to it by the Scottish Pre-school Play Association for additional funding and, if so, when.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Approaches were made to me and my officials in July requesting an addition to the £180,000 grant awarded to the Scottish Pre-school Play Association (SPPA) for the current financial year. No formal application for increased funding has been made. SPPA receive…

6 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether schools are to receive extra funding to cover any changes to teachers' pay and transport contracts following the extension to special educational needs teaching hours.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive is preparing draft guidance on bringing the length of the school week for pupils attending special schools and units into line with that for their counterparts in mainstream schools. CoSLA will be invited to comment on this guidance and…

6 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the extension to special educational needs teaching hours will be brought into effect.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive is currently preparing draft guidance to bring the length of the school week for pupils attending special schools and units into line with that for their counterparts in mainstream schools.

6 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Sure Start funding was given to voluntary organisations in 1999-2000 and what the allocation is in the current financial year.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive has identified funding of £9 million in 1999-2000 and £14 million in the current year to support the Sure Start Scotland initiative. This funding has been allocated to local authorities. Guidance issued by the Scottish Executive asks lo…

28 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8844 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 14 August 2000, when the feasibility study into integrated broadband communications for Scottish schools will be published and whether it will recommend adoption of a broadband width system.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I expect to receive the report of the feasibility study into broadband communications for Scottish schools by the end of September. The study is looking at a range of institutional, financial and technical matters involved in providing broadband communication…

3 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the next European Union Structural Fund programme can be used to provide funding for investment in information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, equipment and initiatives in Scotland and, if so, how will it ensure that each of the programme areas invests in ICT.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Generally, investment in information and communication technology is a matter for the private sector in line with regulatory and commercial considerations.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">However, the Special Transitional Programme for the Highlands &amp; Islands includes …

28 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people left special schools last year and how many of these went on to (a) further education, (b) higher education, (c) training, (d) part-time employment and (e) full-time employment.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The number of young people who left special schools in the year 1998-99 was 1,091 of which 777 were leavers from local authority special schools.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Information on the destination of special school leavers is only available for leavers from loc…

28 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people leaving special schools last year (a) returned to live with their parents, (b) moved into supported accommodation, (c) moved into adult residential care, (d) went on to live independently and (e) moved into any other housing and/or care arrangement.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally.

28 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people left special schools last year at the ages of 16,17 and 18.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Information on the number of young people who left special schools in 1998-99 for the age groups requested is given below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Age 16</TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN…

26 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of Greater Glasgow Health Board's 624 registered midwives are (a) recently graduated, (b) full time, (c) part time, (d) on temporary contracts and (e) on permanent contracts.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Information relating to the Greater Glasgow Health Board area is as follows:- <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">(a)This information is not held centrally.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">(b) &amp; (c) At 30 September 1999, there were 624&nbsp;registered midwives employed. Of those, 397&…

26 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what grants One Plus and One Parent Families Scotland have received from it under section 10(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 in each of the last three years.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: One Parent Families Scotland have received the following funding under Section 10(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="23%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">1997-98</TD><TD WIDTH="77%" VAL…

26 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4845 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 15 March 2000, why Gingerbread Scotland's grant applications were unsuccessful.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive recognises the important work of lone parent families support groups. However, the Executive receives a large number of applications for funding from voluntary organisations and we are unable to meet all of them.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Ginge…