Parliamentary questions
Linda Fabiani
2,507 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been allocated to address the issues raised in the Review of Scotland's Cities.
Answer · Tom McCabe: As part of its response to the Cities Review, the Executive approved the creation of the Cities Growth Fund, the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund and announced consultation on Urban Regeneration Companies.</p> <p>The Cities Growth Fund provides a dedicated sourc…
17 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing the issues raised in the Review of Scotland's Cities.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive recognises the critical role played by successful and dynamic city-regions as engines of growth for the national economy and the contribution that cities make to national competitiveness. This is reflected in a number of recent policy statements…
21 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when EU Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electronic and electrical equipment will be implemented.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The policy on implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive in the UK is currently under review, and an announcement on a timetable for implementation will be made in the spring.</p>
20 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what railway safety training is provided to police officers.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not heldcentrally.</p><p>However, officers with the BritishTransport Police receive the same basic training as their counterparts in theeight regional forces. Thereafter, any bespoke rail safety training is providedoutwith the programme op…
20 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will protect and enhance specialist knowledge and expertise in railway policing in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Responsibility for railwaypolicing in Scotland is reserved. Nevertheless, Scottish ministers recognisethat in order to protect public confidence in the police service generallythere is a need to ensure public safetyon our railways and tackle railway crime.</p>
20 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the impact on the operation of railway policing in Scotland if the British Transport Police were to merge wholly or partially with the Metropolitan Police service.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A full merger with theMetropolitan Police service is not being considered as part of the WestminsterGovernment’s review of British Transport Police. If the British TransportPolice was only to be partially absorbed by the Metropolitan Police Servicethen that w…
20 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to the maintenance of a specialist police force for the railways.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive does not currently maintain a police force for the railways given that responsibility for the British Transport Police is reserved.</p>
20 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Transport regarding the future of the British Transport Police.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Scottish Executive officials have been kept appraised by colleagues in the Department of Transport as the review has progressed.</p>
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16489 by Patricia Ferguson on 8 June 2005, when details of expenditure from the International Development Fund budget will be published on the Executive’s website.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Details of awards made from the first round of the international development main grants scheme are available on the Scottish Executive website:</p> <p><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2005/11/04144130">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Release…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16489 by Patricia Ferguson on 8 June 2005, what commitments have been made following receipt of completed applications for funding from the International Development Fund budget in addition to those referred to in the question.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Following the first round of the International Development Fund, £4.3 million over three years has been allocatedfor development work in sub-Saharan Africa and Sri Lanka. Details of the projects which have received fundingare available on the Scottish Executi…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17131 by Patricia Ferguson on 16 June 2005, whether it has given further consideration to developing links between Blantyre in Malawi and Blantyre in Scotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: As I stated in the answer to question S2W-17131, the Scottish Executive encourages the establishment of links between Scotland and Malawi and through the International Development Fund, has supported a range of organisations to work with Malawi. Details of In…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17131 by Patricia Ferguson on 16 June 2005, which local authorities have submitted a concept note for funding from the International Development Fund.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: To date, no local authorities have submitted concept notes for funding from the International Development Fund. Further funding rounds will be held in 2006 and 2007, to which local authorities are welcome to apply.</p>
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17123 by Patricia Ferguson on 17 June 2005, what the outcomes are of the group’s considerations in respect of progressing Scotland’s status as a Fair Trade Nation and how to promote fair trade products in Scotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Scottish Executive has been considering how best we can take forward the fair trade agenda within Scotland and have been in contact with the Fairtrade Foundation and other relevant organisations. The outcomes and recommendations will be considered at the next…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17123 by Patricia Ferguson on 17 June 2005, how many meetings of the group convened to progress Scotland to the status of Fair Trade Nation have been held since the inaugural meeting on 26 May 2005.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Unfortunately it has not been possible to arrange a subsequent meeting of the Cross Party Group on Fair Trade since the inaugural meeting on 26 May 2005. Although, a meeting has been arranged for 25 January, and work to progress the fair trade agenda in Scotl…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcomes of the New Futures Fund initiative have been in each year since the initiative was introduced.
Answer · Allan Wilson: New Futures Fund (NFF) is currently delivered by Scottish Enterprise (SEN) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Annual performance is not available but they have provided performance information based on the two Phases of NFF up to June 2005. (Phase 1-…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many New Futures Fund projects are in receipt of interim funding to 31 March 2006, broken down by local authority area
Answer · Allan Wilson: Forty-one projects in the Scottish Enterprise area and two projects in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area received funding up to March 2006 for New Futures Fund. The local authority area breakdown is set out in the following table.</p> <table border=1…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether further interim funding for current New Futures Fund projects is being considered
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21485 on 14 December 2005. 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/weba…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how service to client groups will be maintained when New Futures interim funding ceases on 31 March 2006.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21485 on 14 December 2005. 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/weba…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative sources of funding are being considered for projects which have been in receipt of New Futures funding.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21485 on 14 December 2005. 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/web…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20642 by Allan Wilson on 5 December 2005, whether the key stakeholders referred to include representatives of client groups.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Discussions involved Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise who, as delivery agents for New Futures Fund, deal with individual projects. Discussions about broader plans for helping disadvantaged people into work, building on New Futures mode…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many towns or cities with a population of over 70,000 do not have consultant-led emergency services within 10 miles of the town centre.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The following table details all consultant-led emergency services in Scotland. The Scottish Executive does not hold a list of those towns or cities with populations of over 70,000 which do not have consultant led emergency centres within 10 miles of the town …
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether discussions have taken place between NHS Lanarkshire and Scottish ministers regarding alternative proposals for the reorganisation of consultant-led emergency services in Lanarkshire to the ones published in the consultation document, A Picture of Health.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21661 on 17 January 2006. 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/weba…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have held discussions with representatives of NHS Lanarkshire in respect of the potential closure of any consultant-led emergency service currently operating in Lanarkshire and whether it will place a record of any such discussions in the Scottish Parliament Information Ce…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There have been no such discussions.</p>
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers held discussions with representatives of NHS Lanarkshire in respect of the release of the consultation document, A Picture of Health, published in November 2004, and whether it will place a record of any such discussions in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: here have been no such discussions between ministers and NHS Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire has informed me that they have routine discussions on a range of constituency matters with relevant MSPs, including Mr Jack McConnell MSP and Mr Andy Kerr MSP. Further i…
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many respondents informed the initial feedback on each of the three options relating to emergency care detailed in the board’s briefing issued on 4 November 2005 and how these respondents’ views were gathered.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for NHS Lanarkshire.</p>
13 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with representatives of NHS Lanarkshire in respect of the three options relating to emergency care detailed in the board’s briefing issued on 4 November 2005 and whether it will place a record of any such discussions in the Scottish Parliament Information Centr…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The chief executive of NHSScotland has met with the chief executive of NHS Lanarkshire on a number of occasions to be kept informed about the board’s emerging proposals under <i>A Picture of Health. </i>There are no published records of those discussions.</p>
29 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it collects and collates information on asylum seeker removal in order to inform its work in respect of asylum seekers.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not collect or collate information on asylum seeker removal. The removal of asylum seekers is a reserved matter. However, in relation to the process of the removal of asylum seeker families, the Scottish Executive is engaged in pos…
29 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make representations to the Home Office seeking an end to dawn raids to remove asylum seekers.
Answer · Robert Brown: Positive discussions with the Home Office to reach agreement on the detail of handling removals of failed asylum seeker families are on-going and it would be wrong to comment on the content at this stage. Once agreement is reached, ministers will report back …
29 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in the planning of dawn raids to remove asylum seekers and what role other Scottish agencies have.
Answer · Robert Brown: The Scottish Executive has no role in planning removals of failed asylum seeker families. Local agencies will be involved as appropriate, on a case-by-case basis.</p>
29 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive from which funding streams the bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games bid will be allocated.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The budget for the Scotland's bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games bid is £5 million, to be split on a 50:50 basis between Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Executive. Of the £2.5 million Scottish Executive contribution, £1 million will come from existing …