Parliamentary questions

Helen Eadie

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

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote Credit Unions across Scotland.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: We are keen to address financial exclusion by a variety of means and we are interested in credit unions as a possible vehicle to improving access to financial services. We are tracking the Taskforce on credit unions and we are keen to see how we can act on it…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many general practitioner co-operatives are now established across Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: GP Out of Hours arrangements are provided in a number of ways. The latest figures we have indicate that across Scotland there are 37 co-operatives, 23 rotas and 2 deputising services.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in hand to promote community care co-operatives and whether the Minister for Health and Community Care has made any visits to community care co-operatives.

Answer · Susan Deacon: There are no community care co-operatives in Scotland. There are however 79 Local Health Care Co-operatives (LHCCs).LHCCs are voluntary groupings of GPs and other local care professionals which will strengthen and support individu…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any meetings with housing co-operatives across Scotland and, if so, when these took place.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: We have not yet had any such meetings, but I am sure that opportunities will arise for me and my Ministerial colleagues to see the work of housing co-operatives in the course of our housing visits across Scotland.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to meet with the European Union of Co-operatives.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has not received a request to meet the European Union of Co-operatives, but any request would be considered by Ministers.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any meetings with fishing co-operatives in Scotland and, if so, when these meetings took place, or whether it intends to meet them.

Answer · John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive has received no representations from any fishing co-operatives in Scotland asking me to meet with them, but I would be happy to meet them if such a request were to be received.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in hand to promote the key attributes of co-operative business development.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: We recognise the value that the social economy can play in regenerating communities and tackling social exclusion. In our efforts to strengthen the social economy we are encouraging Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise to offer support a…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support has been given by Scottish Enterprise to co-operatives in the years 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Answer · Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask the Chairman of this organisation to write to Helen Eadie.I will also ask the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to contact you with a view to discussing the is…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support has been given by Highlands and Islands Enterprise to co-operatives in the years 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Answer · Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask the Chairman of this organisation to write to Helen Eadie.I will also ask the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to contact you with a view to disc…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many co-operative or employee owned childcare centres or nurseries there are across Scotland.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The latest data collected centrally on childcare are set out in the Statistical Information Note Social Work Daycare Services for Children in Scotland, November 1997, published by the then Scottish Office in May 1999. Data are not, however, centrally c…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to visit Mondragon Workers' Co-operative in order to examine best practice in developing local solutions to local problems.

Answer · Henry McLeish: There are no such plans.This is a matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask the Chief Executives to contact you with a view to discussing the issue of Worker's Co-operatives in the context of business development.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to visit Blairgowrie Farmers' Co-operative to examine the work being undertaken there in connection with Finland's berry eating strategy to reduce the levels of cancer and heart disease.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Ministers have no current plans to visit Blairgowrie Farmers' Co-operative.The Berry Scotland Project Team, to which, I understand, the Co-operative is linked, was invited to submit a Note of Interest in participating in the Health Demonstr…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to promote training on the principles of co-operative enterprise in colleges across Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The colleges themselves are responsible for providing a range of further education and training opportunities which reflect local demand and needs. Courses are on offer, which cover the principles of co-operative enterprise.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been undertaken to collate information on the number of community co-operatives in Scotland.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-1467.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been undertaken to collate information on the number of community businesses in Scotland.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Social Inclusion Network action team on local anti-poverty action has looked at a number of such organisations as part of its work to identify good practice but no systematic mapping exercise has been carried out.

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been undertaken to collate information on the number of employee owned businesses in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive currently has no specific plans to collate information on the number of employee owned businesses in Scotland.However, data were published in a Scottish Office Statistics Bulletin in November 1998 on the num…

9 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of electrifying the Edinburgh to Aberdeen rail line would be.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Railtrack has estimated the infrastructure costs for the electrification of the East Coast Main Line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen at around £200 million, excluding the cost of new trains.

15 Jun 1999 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to meet business leaders to discuss the promotion of an enterprise agency in Scotland and whether it will consider the development of a co-operative Development Agency in Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scotland already has two agencies with the responsibility for promoting and stimulating enterprise within their respective areas, namely Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.I have already held discussions with a number of business l…

10 Jun 1999 · Written Question

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scotland already has two agencies with the responsibility for promoting and stimulating enterprise within their respective areas, namely Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.I have…