Jackie Baillie

13 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to improve transport links between Dumbarton and Glasgow since 1999.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Through Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive we fund rail services between Glasgow and Dumbarton, which have recently benefited from the introduction of new electric trains. We awarded West Dunbartonshire Council over £1 million for improvements to publi…

13 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any new road safety projects in the (a) West Dunbartonshire local authority, (b) Argyll and Bute local authority and (c) Dumbarton parliamentary constituency area in each of the last four years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Yes. The information is not available in the format requested, however the following road safety schemes have been implemented on trunk roads in these areas in the last four years.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN=…

13 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the (a) #175 million for 79 projects from the Public Transport Fund and (b) #20 million to local authorities for road and bridge repairs will be allocated to (i) Argyll and Bute Council and (ii) West Dunbartonshire Council and what the money will be spent on.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested on Public Transport Fund projects can be found in the regional leaflets associated with the Scottish Executive transport delivery report, <I>Scotland's Transport: Delivering Improvements</I>, which was published in March 2002 and is …

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether police forces are receiving any specialised diversity and hate crime related training.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Police College has developed a National Equal Opportunities Training Strategy (NEOTS) which covers all aspects of equal opportunities. NEOTS training has been incorporated into the new Probationer Training Programme. In addition to this centrally…

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is measuring the level and type of hate crime against people with learning disabilities and whether it has any performance targets in this area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive collates and publishes crime statistics from information recorded by the police. The police do not record either the level or type of hate crime against people with learning difficulties or any other disabilities. Only the nature of the offence …

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to tackle hate crime against people with learning disabilities.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) has established a newly constituted Race and Community Relations Standing Committee to reflect the importance ACPOS gives to diversity issues. The new committee has several portfolios, one of which …

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24446 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 16 April 2002, what percentage of microcredit loans for start-up businesses go to women.

Answer · Iain Gray: While this is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise, I understand that there are currently 19 microcredit groups operating across the Scottish Enterprise area supporting some 149 clients. Approximately 92% of the clients are women.

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy for promoting businesses run by women.

Answer · Iain Gray: Within the framework of <I>A Smart, Successful Scotland</I>, the Executive is strongly committed to encouraging and supporting women in business. A range of new measures was introduced by Scottish Enterprise under its New Approach to Entrepreneurship strategy…

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any input into the Department of Trade and Industry's Women's Enterprise Strategic Framework due to be published shortly and how it intends to respond to the recommendations in this report.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has provided an input to the development of the Department of Trade and Industry's Women's Enterprise Strategic Framework. The Executive is currently considering the draft framework for Scottish interests.

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27798 by Iain Gray on 19 August 2002, whether it will establish a national centre for women's enterprise to promote new businesses run by women and disseminate best practice.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive is currently considering the case for a national centre for women's enterprise and I hope to announce a decision on the way forward in March.

12 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27797 by Iain Gray on 19 August 2002, when it will publish the feasibility study undertaken by Paisley Enterprise Research Centre on establishing a National Centre for Women's Enterprise.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive plans to publish the feasibility study in March 2003.

7 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to reduce the gap between unemployment rates in the areas of lowest employment in the Dumbarton parliamentary constituency and the rate in Scotland as a whole and whether this gap has reduced since 1999.

Answer · Iain Gray: Narrowing the gap in unemployment is a key area of the Executive's strategy for the enterprise networks. By offering a range of skills and training initiatives, Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire is working hard to ensure that employment opportunities are ope…

7 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Further Education Funding Council allocated to Clydebank College in each year since 1997.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Further Education Funding Council has been responsible for allocating funds to further education colleges since 1 July 1999, when it took over that responsibility from the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department. The annual allocations …

7 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many New Futures Fund projects have been funded in (a) Dumbarton parliamentary constituency, (b) the Argyll and Bute Council area and (c) the West Dunbartonshire Council area.

Answer · Iain Gray: (a) Dumbarton parliamentary constituency has one project: the East Dunbartonshire Multi-Agency Drug and Alcohol Forum, which works with drug misusers.<P>(b) There are currently no New Futures Fund Projects in Argyle and Bute Council area.<P>(c) The West Dunba…

7 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase the employment rates of disadvantaged groups such as lone parents or ethnic minorities in the Dumbarton parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Iain Gray: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of Welfare to Work programmes. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing organisations.<P>The New Deal for Lone Parents …

7 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Dumbarton constituency have gone into jobs from the New Deal.

Answer · Iain Gray: Constituency statistics are only available for the New Deals for young people aged 18 to 24, for the long-term unemployed aged 25 and over and for lone parents. These statistics indicate that across these three New Deals, to the end of September 2002, a total…

7 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many inclusiveness projects there are in the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area and how much funding has been allocated to each such project.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Pan Highlands and Islands inclusiveness project includes the Argyll and Bute area. Of the overall allocation to this project, Argyll and Bute was awarded £357,670 by the Scottish Executive for the period April 2001 to March 2004.<P>The West Dunbartonshire…

7 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of recipients of access bursaries have been domiciled in the (a) Argyll and Bute Council area, (b) West Dunbartonshire Council area and (c) Dumbarton parliamentary constituency since the bursaries were introduced.

Answer · Iain Gray: Young Scottish students studying full-time higher education courses in Scotland from 2001-02 are entitled to an annual Young Students' Bursary (YSB) of up to £2,050, which replaces part of their loan support. Young Scottish students studying elsewhere in the …

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students from low-income backgrounds from the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area have had their university fees waived.

Answer · Iain Gray: Tuition fees have been abolished for Scottish domiciled and EU students studying full-time higher education courses in Scotland. This support is not repayable and is available to all eligible full-time students to undertake one first degree, or comparable cou…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time students from the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area received bursaries to support them at university.

Answer · Iain Gray: Young Scottish students studying full-time higher education courses in Scotland from 2001-02 are entitled to an annual Young Students' Bursary (YSB) of up to £2,050, which replaces part of their loan support. Young Scottish students studying elsewhere in the …

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has implemented in the Dumbarton parliamentary constituency to tackle youth crime and what funding it has allocated for such policies.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33877 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…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in the Dumbarton parliamentary constituency on the implementation of the 10-point action plan arising from Scotland's Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime 2002.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire Councils received around £175,000 and £422,000 respectively for investment in youth justice this year. Of this, £111,092 for Argyll and Bute and £236,444 for West Dunbartonshire is new money made available by the Execut…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #1 billion to rebuild and refurbish schools was made available to (a) Argyll and Bute Council and (b) West Dunbartonshire Council.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: In June 2002 we offered financial support to 15 local authorities to enable them to take forward school public private partnership (PPP) projects with a total capital investment value of £1.195 billion. Argyll and Bute Council's share of that figure is £80 mi…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #24 million childcare package was allocated to (a) Argyll and Bute Council and (b) West Dunbartonshire Council and how the money was distributed.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: In July 2001, £24 million additional resources for child care were allocated through the child poverty package over 2001-04. The money was allocated as follows: <P>£8.5 million was made available for child care grants for lone parents in full-time higher educ…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the 62 New Community School Projects are situated in the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Two of the New Community Schools pilot projects are located in Argyll and Bute. One project covers Clyde Cottage Nursery and Dunoon, Kirn and St Mun's Primary Schools. The other covers Campbeltown Grammar School and Carradale, Castlehill, Dalintober, Drumlemb…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how sportscotland and the Lottery Sports Fund will improve sport opportunities for young people in the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area.

Answer · Elaine Murray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33868 on 17 February 2003. 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.u…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31383 by Dr Elaine Murray on 18 November 2002, how much additional money has been allocated to school sport in the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1998-99.

Answer · Elaine Murray: Through the School Sports Co-ordinator Programme, school sport in the Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire local authority areas has benefited since 1998-99 by £43,145 and £139,870 respectively as outlined in the following table. West Dunbartonshire Counci…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #42 million funding for Sure Start Scotland was paid to (a) Argyll and Bute Council and (b) West Dunbartonshire Council and what the money was spent on.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Argyll and Bute Council received £653,000 during the first three years of the Sure Start Scotland programme. Their allocation has been spent on a range of projects including extending existing childminding provision; improving the existing daycare provision f…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the courts are applying drink-driving rehabilitation programmes as part of sentencing procedure and whether it is monitoring uptake of such programmes.

Answer · Jim Wallace: In 2001, Scottish courts referred 562 offenders to the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Scheme as part of the sentencing procedure. In 2002, this number had increased to 1,487. The scheme itself is reserved under section 34A of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988…

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will evaluate drink-driving rehabilitation programmes as a method of educating those found guilty of drink-driving.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The statutory scheme of drink-drive rehabilitation courses is a reserved matter. The Department for Transport, which administers the scheme, has commissioned research into the operation of these courses and their effectiveness in discouraging reoffending sinc…