Jackie Baillie

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to refresh the Compact with the voluntary sector.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We are currently in the process of developing an agenda to re-vitalise the Compact and its Good Practice Guides. A Compact Review Group was set up in November 2000, comprising Executive and voluntary sector officials to monitor implementation of the Compact a…

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a direct fund for voluntary sector organisations to help them overcome barriers to effective service delivery and modernise their infrastructure for the long term.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive does not currently have any plans to establish a new direct fund for voluntary sector organisations.<P>However, the Executive is of course fully committed to assisting the voluntary sector. The Executive's direct support for the volunta…

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to take forward consideration of the recommendations arising from HM Treasury's cross-cutting review of the voluntary sector due to report at the end of July 2002.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is currently considering the recommendations arising from HM Treasury's cross-cutting review of the voluntary sector and how this will impact on the work being undertaken by the Executive.

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the potential savings in public procurement projects are that can be achieved by applying the key improvement targets, identified by Sir John Egan, which form the core of the Rethinking Construction Initiative.

Answer · Iain Gray: The potential savings identified by Sir John Egan in the <I>Rethinking Construction</I> report are a 20% reduction in accidents and defects, and a 10% reduction in capital costs and construction time. The report also highlights a potential 10% increase in pro…

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to embed the principles of the Rethinking Construction Initiative in housing investment in the socially rented sector, the schools PPP programme and the planning and building standards framework.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive supports the principles of <I>Rethinking Construction </I>as a means of delivering best practice and improvements in the construction industry and seeks, where possible, to embed <I>Rethinking Construction</I> principles into policy and…

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to Construction Best Practice Clubs.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Construction Best Practice Programme is a key part of <I>Rethinking Construction </I>and works to find the most efficient ways of distributing the innovations and best practice captured by the Demonstration Projects Programme and Best Practice Clubs.<P>Th…

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the establishment of a Rethinking Construction Centre in line with the actions of other devolved governments in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive supports the principles of <I>Rethinking Construction </I>as a means of delivering best practice and improvements in the construction industry. Scottish Enterprise have agreed to lead a Rethinking Construction<I> </I>initiative, in cons…

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to help the construction industry improve its productivity, competitiveness and value for clients.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive supports the principles of <I>Rethinking Construction </I>as a means of delivering best practice and improvements in the construction industry. Scottish Enterprise have agreed to lead a Rethinking<I> </I>Construction<I> </I>initiative, …

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it measures the benefits achieved from policy and action on corporate social responsibility.

Answer · Margaret Curran: There are no plans to do so at present.

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will build consideration of corporate social responsibility into its procurement policy and processes.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Those bidding for Executive contracts are assessed on their suitability and capacity to fulfil the particular requirement. This should include consideration of whether or not the bidder has complied with its legal obligations and whether it has committed any …

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide input to Her Majesty's Government's response to the European Commission's White Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues and does intend to input to the UK Government's response to the European Commission's White Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility.

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned and published research on the benefits of corporate social responsibility to the business sector.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27744.

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assist the small- and medium-si'ed enterprise sector in developing a commitment to corporate social responsibility and, if so, how.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27744.

18 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action it is taking to promote corporate social responsibility to businesses.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We are in discussion with Scottish Business in the Community on how best to promote corporate social responsibility to business, and in particular how the small and medium-sized enterprise sector is best assisted in developing a commitment to corporate social…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities should provide full information on water quality for beaches in their area.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27702.

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any other agency measures incidents of illness caused by bathing at beaches where there is poor water quality.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The total number of incidents of illness caused by bathing at waters where there is poor water quality is not identifiable from centrally collected information. ISD Scotland (the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS) can identify cases where illness…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it has the power to compel local authorities to erect signage on beaches advising members of the public of bathing quality, given some of the potential health ha'ards associated with poor water quality.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27702.

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to local authorities on the erection of signage on beaches advising members of the public of bathing quality.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27702.

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive where responsibility lies for the erection of signage on beaches advising members of the public of bathing quality.

Answer · Allan Wilson: There is no statutory requirement on any party to erect signage on beaches advising of bathing water quality. However, under section 121(9) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 a local authority may place notices on beaches to advise the public as to a…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what investment is already committed and planned to improve the quality of Scotland's beaches.

Answer · Allan Wilson: During the period 1996-2002, the Scottish water authorities spent £407.5 million on coastal sewerage and wastewater treatment. Over the period 2002-06 Scottish Water is planning to spend £427.4 million on sewerage and sewage treatment, of which £50.9 million …

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the revised European Directive on Bathing Waters will have and what action will be required by the Executive to meet its terms.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27699.

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to designate more of Scotland's beaches as bathing beaches.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The European Commission has announced that it intends to revise the Bathing Waters Directive (76/160/EEC) but the proposals have not yet been published. Until the potential impact of the new directive can be assessed, it would be unwise to identify more bathi…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase, or encourage an increase of, funding for local councils on alcohol to ensure that delivery of its Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems is secured.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive recognises the valuable contribution made by voluntary sector organisations, including Local Councils on Alcohol, in providing services and in other action in the plan. The Executive is providing core funding of £175,000 in 2002-03 for Alcohol F…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that three year funding arrangements are in place for local councils on alcohol in order that delivery of its Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems is secured.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive is already committed to providing a stable funding environment for the voluntary sector including three-year funding for our own direct support. The Executive's wider Strategic Funding Review will be looking closely at funding of the sector by a…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is already in place to ensure implementation of its Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: We are providing new resources centrally to implement the Plan for Action's early priorities. This includes £1.5 million for a national alcohol problems communications strategy, increased funding to Alcohol Action Teams (AATs) of £1 million and £250,000 to de…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether active consideration is being given as part of the spending review to allocating increased funding to implement its Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: Consideration is being given to funding a range of initiatives as part of the spending review, the outcome of which will be announced later this year.

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24451 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 26 April 2002, what the timescale will be for consideration of increasing training grants to Alcohol Focus Scotland to meet the increased demand for counsellors arising from its Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: All applications for training grants under section 9 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 for funding in the financial year 2003-04 are to be received by 30 September 2002. Alcohol Focus Scotland will be advised of the outcome by 31 December 2002.

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26220 by Allan Wilson on 6 June 2006, what information it receives in respect of illegal poisoning of wild birds from the chemistry section of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency and whether such information could be used to identify where illeg…

Answer · Allan Wilson: Information on individual instances of illegal poisoning details the notifier, the location, a description of the incident, the results of port mortem and pesticide residue analyses, and a conclusion. Where pesticide abuse is suspected, Scottish Executive Env…

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether wildlife crime is recorded as a crime for the purpose of national statistics and, if not, whether there are any plans for this to be done.

Answer · Jim Wallace: All offences involving wildlife, including offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, are included in the recorded crime statistics. However, they cannot be separately distinguished from other offences recorded within the category of Offences invol…

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-25239 by Lewis Macdonald on 21 May 2002, when interim information on the effectiveness of the A82 Route Accident Reduction Plan will be available.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The A82 Balloch to Tarbet Route Accident Reduction Plan was completed in 2001. At least three years' accident figures are required in order to see how well a route accident reduction plan is performing and it will be towards the end of 2004 before an assessme…