Parliamentary questions

Linda Fabiani

2,507 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that its obligations to the children of asylum seekers evicted from local authority accommodation are met.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Issues relating to thesupport for asylum seekers are a matter for the Home Office. However, Iunderstand that asylum seekers with children are not being evicted from their NationalAsylum Support Service accommodation.

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that asylum seekers evicted from local authority accommodation under asylum legislation do not become roofless.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-3209 on 9 December 2003.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<ahref="http://www.scottish.parliamen…

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many asylum seekers have been evicted from local authority accommodation in each of the last two years.

Answer · Margaret Curran: This information is not heldcentrally.

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will rehouse asylum seekers evicted from local authority accommodation under asylum legislation.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Issues relating to supportfor asylum seekers are the responsibility of the Home Office. Failed asylumseekers are not eligible for assistance under the homelessness legislation.

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is providing to help asylum seekers evicted from local authority accommodation under asylum legislation.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Issues relating to supportfor asylum seekers are the responsibility of the Home Office. Failed asylumseekers evicted from their National Asylum Support Service accommodation arenot eligible to receive support under asylum legislation.

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects it inherited from the former Scottish Office to which capital expenditure had been committed and what the capital value was of each project.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital expenditure has been committed since 1 May 2003 and to how many projects, broken down by project.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information on a projectby project basis is not held centrally, but details of the Scottish Executive’s capital expenditure for 2003-06 are given in Table 0.05 of the2004-05 Draft Budget. The website of the Executive’s Financial PartnershipsUnit <a href="…

3 Oct 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S2W-2195 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 16 September 2003, whether MSPs' staff can participate in the occupational pension schemes operated on behalf of staff employed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) and MSPs, and whether this option will be c…

Answer · Duncan McNeil: MSPs’ staff cannotparticipate in the occupational pension schemes open to SPCB staff and MSPs.The SPCB has no plans to consider this matter. Payment towards pension provision for MSPs’ staff is, however, made underthe members allowance scheme.

26 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has consulted higher education stakeholders on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), in light of the conclusions of the Bologna follow-up seminar Exploring the Social Dimensions of the European Higher Education Area which expressed the need for t…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) has lead responsibility for all matters related to GATS on behalf of the UK, as the regulation of international trade is areserved area. Scottish Executive officials arranged an opportunity for representatives from …

26 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the possible impacts of the General Agreement on Trade in Services on education systems from a legal and practical perspective, in light of the conclusions of the Bologna follow-up seminar Exploring the Social Dimensions of the European Higher Education Are…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2936 today. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa…

26 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy on the position of higher education in the General Agreement on Trade in Services, in light of the statement by the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture that only one third of European ministries have developed such a policy.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Department for Trade andIndustry has lead responsibility on all matters related to the GATS as theregulation of international trade is a reserved area. The Department of Tradeand Industry consult with devolved administrations and other stakeholders at UK …

26 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2266 by Mr Jim Wallace on 24 September 2003, what its position is on the statement by the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture, as expressed in Trends and Learning Structures in European Higher Education III that Hi…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Department for Trade andIndustry (DTI) has lead responsibility for all matters related to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on behalfof the UK, as the regulation of international trade is a reserved area. The DTI arein regular contact with…

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2532 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 September 2003, whether it was given any indication that asylum interviews would be held in Glasgow again in the near future.

Answer · Margaret Curran: No such indication was givenby the Home Office.

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult South Lanarkshire Council about the most effective method of delivering services for which the council is responsible to those persons held at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The operation of Dungavel HouseImmigration Removal Centre is a matter for the Home Office. The Home Office,through its contractor, engages with South Lanarkshire Council. The Executivealso regularly meets with the Home Office and discusses a range of issues a…

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liaise with local residents who live near Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre about any representations it intends to make in respect of the centre.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive has no suchplans at this time.

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liaise with local residents who live near Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre about any responsibilities the Executive may have in respect of persons held at the centre.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The operation of Dungavel isa matter for the Home Office. The Executive has no such plans at this time.

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2534 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 September 2003, whether it will raise the specific issue of fingerprinting and photographing of visitors to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre during its next contact with the Home Office.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I will raise this issue atmy next meeting with the Home Office.

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations regarding the impact of the proposed extension to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive has not madeany representations on this issue.

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it first became aware of the proposed extension to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre and whether there are any further plans to (a) extend or (b) make alterations to the centre which the Executive, or the planning authority, will require to be informed about.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive became awarethat the Home Office was considering the expansion of Dungavel in February2003. We are not aware of any further plans to expand or alter the centre.