Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

16 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used by the Students Awards Agency for Scotland when calculating levels of financial assistance for students.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in Student Support in Scotland: Guide to student support 2004-2005 (SAS 4) produced by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. A copy is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33041) and on th…

16 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is to deal with anti-social behaviour linked to alcohol.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Irresponsible use of alcohol fuels anti-social behaviour. We are taking comprehensive action on anti-social use of alcohol through our plans for liquor licensing reform, which were published on 17 May; through the alcohol action plan and through the implement…

14 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review pages 15 and 16 of the Code of Practice for the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 which determine the application of legal aid for guardianship applications and intervention orders.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As part of an overall monitoring exercise of the implementation of the Adults with Incapacity Act 2000, the Executive is in discussion with the Scottish Legal Aid Board, the Law Society of Scotland and other interested parties with a view to identifying diffi…

14 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that, in any proposed changes to the configuration of health provision in any area, the impact on the local ambulance service is considered.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Each Scottish Ambulance Service divisional manager is a member of the service re-design committees operating in their areas. This provides for the ambulance service to be involved in the considerations of proposed services changes at an early stage. These arr…

14 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any discussions between the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS Argyll and Clyde about the clinical strategy review and, if so, when such discussions took place, who was in attendance and what was discussed.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service is a member of the NHS Argyll and Clyde Modernisation Board which has provided governance for the Clinical Strategy Review. Senior managers from the ambulance service’s South West Division have attended six meetings of the Moder…

14 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of call-outs from (a) the Vale of Leven, (b) Helensburgh and (c) Arrochar ambulance station in each of the last twelve months were for destinations other than the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is listed in the table below:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> </td> <td> June 2003 </td> <td> July 2003 </td> <td> <p align=ce…

14 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulance call-outs there were from (a) the Vale of Leven, (b) Helensburgh and (c) Arrochar ambulance station in each of the last 12 months.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following table: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> </td> <td> June 2003 </td> <td> July 2003 </td> <td> …

9 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation process has been carried out as part of NHS Argyll and Clyde's Clinical Strategy Review.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that NHS Argyll and Clyde have engaged with over 4,000 local peoplesince October 2003 in order to listen to views about the development of health care services across the region.I understand that this consultation process is scheduled to r…

9 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it now expects the contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd to be rolled out to include Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No decision has yet been taken. Reliance will have to satisfy the Scottish Prison Service that it is ready to provide a consistent satisfactory service as set out in the contract.

14 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the Nicholson Committee's Review of Liquor Licensing Law in Scotland.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I am delighted toannounce today the publication of the Executive’s response to the Nicholson Reportand to the Report by the Working Group on Off Sales in the Community. “The Licensing (Scotland) Bill: A consultation on liquor licensing”sets out our pro…

30 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to acknowledge the connection between Dumbarton Castle and Napoleon Bonaparte as a means of encouraging tourism.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows: Historic Scotland doesnot have plans to recognise the Napoleonic connection at Dumbarton Castle, untila more complete picture of this period in its hi…

21 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the revised timetable is for the roll-out of the Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd contract in Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The Scottish Prison Service andthe company have agreed that the roll out should be rephased and the next phasewill not therefore commence o…

21 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can provide any information in respect of the si'e of land banks available for development held by private housing developers and, if not, where such information can be obtained.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive does not collate information centrally on the land and property holdings of private companies.Information about the ownership of land can be obtained, upon payment of a fee, from the Registers of Scotland. However, the Registers …

20 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training will be provided for the Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd staff due to operate in Dumbarton Sheriff Court and what the content and the duration of any such training will be.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have Tony Cameron, Chief Executiveof The Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-7560 on 11 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Par…

20 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the monitoring framework for the operation of the Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd contract in Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executiveof the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-7560 on 11 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Pa…

20 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number of police officers providing escort and in-court duties for Dumbarton Sheriff Court is and whether the level of cover to be provided by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd in the court will differ from that which exists currently.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Police numbers are an operational matter for Strathclyde Police.The contract with Reliance Custodial Services is output based and, as such, the requirement is that the contractor ensures that staffing levels are appropriate at all times for the full ra…

14 Apr 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the voluntary sector can play in helping young people who face exclusion from school to remain in school or otherwise benefit from education.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive recognises the important role thevoluntary sector plays in partnership with schools and education authorities, notonly providing direct support and services to pupils facing exclusion, but alsohelping to tackle the wide range of social …

8 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the availability of gamma hydroxybutyrate to the general public.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Gamma hydroxybutyrate, morecommonly known as GHB, is now categorised as a Class C drug under the Misuse ofDrugs Act 1971. Possession is therefore, punishable by up to two years inprison (plus an unlimited fine) and supply is punishable by up to 14 years inpri…

8 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-assisted sexual assaults took place in each regional police area in the last year.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The statistics availablecentrally on crimes of sexual assault recorded by the police do not distinguishthe requested information.

8 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the number of drug-assisted sexual assaults.

Answer · Hugh Henry: We are running an awarenesscampaign “Who’s Keeping an Eye on Your Drink?” on drug assisted sexual assaultthrough our Know the Score drugs communications strategy, in liaison with theAssociation of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS).The first pha…

1 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7083 by Colin Boyd QC on 31 March 2004, how many legal staff have been employed in the Crown Office in each year since 1999 and how many such staff have been employed in the (a) Criminal Confiscation Unit and (b) Civil Recovery Unit since their incep…

Answer · Colin Boyd: The information requested isprovided in the table below:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> Crown Office Legal Staff (Including Trainees) </td> <td> 1/4/1999 </td> <td> 1…

31 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many council properties in (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) Argyll and Bute have no central heating or only partial central heating systems.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster,the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:All local authorities in Scotland haveindicated that, where the tenant wanted the measure, all their properties now havea central heating s…

31 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to (a) West Dunbartonshire Council and (b) Argyll and Bute Council to install central heating systems in council-owned houses for each year since the start of its central heating installation programme.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:The amounts received by West Dunbartonshire Council and Argyll and Bute Council for the installation of central heating systems in council…

31 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms it has in place to ensure that pensioners, whose homes are damaged by central heating installation engineers contracted by Eaga Partnership Ltd under the free central heating programme, receive compensation for that damage.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster,the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:All contractors engaged by EagaPartnership require to hold adequate levels of insurance that ensure any damagecaused during the installatio…

31 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to expand the free central heating programme to include people over 80 who have partial or inefficient central heating already installed in their homes.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:It is expected that the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004 allowing the central heating programme to be e…