Questions · Linda Fabiani

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29654 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October 2002, what part of the General Agreement on Trade in Services leads it to consider that requests for liberalisation do not seek the privatisation of state-supplied public services.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: It is not for the Scottish Executive to consider whether or not requests for liberalisation seek the privatisation of state-supplied public services as the regulation of international trade is a reserved matter.

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29654 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October 2002, what part of the General Agreement on Trade in Services "makes clear that liberalisation shall take place, if at all, with due respect for national policy objectives, and recognises the right of WTO member g…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: In the 4th paragraph of the preamble to the GATS, the following statement is located which makes it clear that liberalisation will take place, if at all, with due respect for national policy initiatives:<P>"Recognizing the right of members to regulate, a…

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29654 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October 2002, what effective market access for foreign service providers under the General Agreement on Trade in Services it considers appropriate for the health service.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Executive continues to be in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry and other UK Departments on trade issues and how these may impact on the Executives responsibilitie…

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29654 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October 2002, what effective market access for foreign service providers under the General Agreement on Trade in Services it considers appropriate for the education service.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter.

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the education service has suffered, or may suffer, any adverse effects as a result of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter.

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the health service has suffered, or may suffer, any adverse effects as a result of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30229 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/sear…

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29654 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October 2002, whether requests for liberalisation from other World Trade Organisation members in relation to the General Agreement on Trade in Services in order to secure private sector involvement in the provision of pub…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter.

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefits of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services have been, or are expected to be, to the education service.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter.

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefits of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services have been, or are expected to be, to the health service.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Executive continues to be in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry and other UK Departments on trade issues and how these may impact on the Executives responsibilitie…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29346 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether it will consider removing the 75% capital receipts clawback rule from local authority housing in light of its commitment to allow local authorities and their tenants to decide how best to secu…

Answer · Margaret Curran: Following representations from COSLA I have agreed that COSLA and Executive officials should, on a no commitment basis, meet to discuss issues surrounding the use of capital receipts.

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29346 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, why the social justice section of its spending proposals 2003-06 mentions only stock transfer as an option for improving housing infrastructure and whether it will provide financial support for other …

Answer · Margaret Curran: In addition to the support provided to councils for stock transfers the Executive also provides consents for local authority borrowing on the Housing Revenue Account. In the current year the borrowing consents are set at £180 million. Local authorities also u…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29346 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether it will consider writing off the capital housing debt of local authorities if councils and tenants, in light of local circumstances, decide not to transfer their housing stock.

Answer · Margaret Curran: It has always been made clear that the arrangements agreed with HM Treasury for dealing with local authority housing debt would, as is the case in England, only apply in the case of whole stock transfers. The Executive does not have the resources to meet thes…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, how it will measure its success in (a) tackling the obstacles to volunteering opportunities, (b) raising awareness about volunteering and (c) providing training and support.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive monitors and evaluates all of its funded volunteering programmes on a continuing basis against the formal performance criteria set for each project.<P>The effectiveness and impact of the Active Communities Initiative, the Millennium Vol…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, how it intends to raise awareness about volunteering.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We are raising awareness about volunteering through our investment in infrastructure and capacity at both the national and local level in the shape of Volunteer Development Scotland and the network of local volunteer centres. A central purpose of both is to e…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, what volunteering training and support it intends to provide.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Volunteer training and support is provided through Volunteer Development Scotland, which offers a range of generic training courses and runs events for volunteer agencies. In this financial year, Volunteer Development Scotland has held 13 courses for voluntee…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, what obstacles to volunteering opportunities it intends to tackle.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The main obstacles to volunteering in Scotland that we intend to tackle are poverty, disadvantage and social exclusion and we are doing this through our programme for government. However, there are also institutional and operational obstacles, principally rel…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, how much it proposes to spend in increasing the opportunities for young people to get involved in volunteering.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We are spending almost £700,000 in 2002-03 on the Millennium Volunteers programme in Scotland. This programme is designed to encourage, support and recognise 16- to 25-year-olds who volunteer their time for the benefit of their communities. The programme is b…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, how much money it proposes to spend in promoting equality mainstreaming.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The purpose of promoting equality mainstreaming is to ensure the systematic integration of an equality perspective into the everyday work of government, and as such should be an integral part of organisational costs.

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, how it will measure the success of its efforts in promoting equality mainstreaming.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Our equality proofing of Scottish legislation, our consultation with communities, statutory bodies, the public and voluntary sectors, our close working relationship with the Equal Opportunities Committee, and our social justice research programme enable us to…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, what it will deem a success in increasing opportunities for young people to get involved in volunteering.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The success in increasing volunteering opportunities for young people will be achieved when, irrespective of their background, financial circumstances and location, young people can find, participate in and enjoy the volunteering experience. <P>Increasing vol…

1 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29339 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether the target of every teacher having access to a classroom computer was excluded from the basket of indicators for a specific reason and, if so, what the reason was.