Parliamentary questions
Linda Fabiani
2,507 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the results were of the last audit of the Scottish Administration's recruitment system.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The results of the Civil Service Commissioners last audits of the Scottish Administration's recruitment practices are summarised in the table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=599><TR><TD WIDTH="22%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Breaches</TD><TD WIDTH="52%" …
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any audit or follow-up audit of the recruitment system of the Scottish Administration or any part of it since May 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Details of audits and follow-up audits of recruitment systems in the Scottish Administration since May 1999 are given in the table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=548><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Subject of Audit</TD><TD WIDTH="21%" VAL…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many disabled people performed work in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in supported employment under (i) WORKSTEP and (ii) the Supported Employment Programme in each of the last five years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive, its agencies and associated departments and the former Scottish Office has employed a small number of individuals under WORKSTEP and its predecessor, the Supported Employment Programme, over the past five years. However, we are unable …
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful candidates for posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years were appointed from (i) within the Scottish Office, (ii) within the Scottish Executive, (iii) elsewhere within the civil service, (iv) public sector employme…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The specific information requested can not be provided due to disproportionate costs. However, we can provide the following:<P>Vacant Posts Filled within Scottish Executive Core Departments: 1999-2000 to 2001-02<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many senior civil service appointments in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years were exceptions, approved by the Civil Service Commissioners, to appointment on merit on the basis of a fair and open competition, broken down by (i) secon…
Answer · Andy Kerr: Over the past five years only one exception has been recorded in 1998-99 under (i) above.
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant senior civil service posts it has currently.
Answer · Andy Kerr: There are at present two senior civil service vacancies which are in the process of being filled by open competition.
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years were for (i) head or deputy head of a department, (ii) executive agency chief executive, (iii) head or deputy head of a division and (iv) NHS management posts.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=614><TR><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN=2> </TD><TD WIDTH="43%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=3><P>Scottish Executive</TD><TD WIDTH="43%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=3><P>Scotti…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of its senior civil servants are (a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities, and (c) disabled.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Currently there are 49 (29.7%) women in the senior civil service in the Scottish Executive core departments.<P>There are a small number of senior civil servants from a minority ethnic background or who have a disability. However, we are unable to provide eith…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of successful candidates for senior civil service posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration were (i) women, (ii) from ethnic minorities and (iii) disabled, in each of the last five years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: In 2001-02, 14 women (50%) were recruited to the senior civil service in the Scottish Executive. Prior to 2001-02 only a small number of (i) women (ii) ethnic minorities and (iii) disabled were recruited to the Senior Civil Service in the Scottish Executive. …
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of candidates for senior civil service posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration were (i) women, (ii) from ethnic minorities and (iii) disabled, in each of the last five years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not retained by the Scottish Executive once competitions have concluded and the successful candidate is in post.
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful candidates for senior civil service posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years were appointed from (i) within the Scottish Office, (ii) within the Scottish Administration, (iii) elsewhere within the civil service, (i…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=548><TR><TD WIDTH="36%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Recruitment From:</TD><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>2001-02</TD><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>2000-01</TD><TD WIDTH="16%" VALIG…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many senior civil servants were appointed to the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years by open competition (i) chaired by the Civil Service Commissioners and (ii) run by the Scottish Executive.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=608><TR><TD WIDTH="42%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="11%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>2001-02</TD><TD WIDTH="11%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>2000-01</TD><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1999-2000</TD…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive with regard to its news release SEen088/2002, how much funding will be provided to captive breeding programmes as part of the integrated national strategy to protect capercaillie.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No funding is planned for captive breeding programmes as part of the LIFE Project.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEen088/2002, whether it is considering the release of captive-bred capercaillie in order to augment the wild population.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is aware of advice from the Capercaillie Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group, recommending release of captive-bred capercaillie, on condition that the trial site is south of the central belt. I understand that the purpose of this tr…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEen088/2002, whether it will outline what other protective measures it will undertake as part of the integrated national strategy to protect capercaillie.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is committed to safeguarding the capercaillie population in Scotland and a wide range of measures have already been applied to tackle the decline in capercaillie numbers. <P>These include the implementation of actions set out in the Bio…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEen088/2002, whether it will keep a central record of snaring in capercaillie habitats.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No. The use of snares to target pest species such as foxes and rabbits is a matter for individual landowners or their agents.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEen088/2002, whether it will undertake an investigation into the problems of all types of snaring carried out in capercaillie habitats and adjacent areas, including the (a) number, (b) sex, (c) age, (d) circumstances and (e) cause of death of birds snared.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No. Guidance has been prepared by the Capercaillie Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group, which aims to reduce the accidental snaring of capercaillie.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEen088/2002, whether it will prohibit the use of snares in capercaillie habitats.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No. The use of snares to control pest species of wild animal such as foxes and rabbits is legally permitted subject to certain conditions relating to their use. Snares set must be of an approved type and must, by law, be checked at least once a day.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEen088/2002, whether it will make the Capercaillie Biodiversity Action Plan guidance on snare setting statutory.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I currently have no plans to make the guidance statutory.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give a substantive answer to question S1W-25635, lodged on 7 May 2002.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Question S1W-25635 has been answered today.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to amend legislation governing right-to-buy for tenants of local authorities and housing associations.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Orders have been laid to implement the right to buy provisions contained in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. These should bring about the agreed changes to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 with effect from 30 September 2002. Details of the changes being introd…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what si'e of area around any nuclear accident or incident would become a priority area for the distribution of medication.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The size of the area around any nuclear accident or incident in which people might require medication would depend upon the nature, scale and circumstances of the accident or incident, together with actual and forecast meteorological conditions which might af…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it would distribute medication in the aftermath of any nuclear accident or incident.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Distribution planning is a responsibility of NHS boards working with the operators of nuclear facilities, the police, local authorities and others who would be involved in the response to any nuclear accident or incident. Methods employed would depend on the …
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ensured an adequate supply of iodine pills for use in any case of nuclear accident or incident and what constitutes an adequate supply of such pills.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Yes. The Scottish Executive has taken steps to ensure that a supply of stable iodine tablets adequate to satisfy potential needs following a nuclear accident or incident is in place. Potential needs arise only when the release contains radioactive iodine. Det…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of its preparedness for dealing with any risk of contamination from nuclear accidents or incidents.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Over the past 11 months there has been a thorough re-assessment of our preparedness to deal with nuclear incidents. Our preparedness for such incidents is tested during our participation in the programmes of exercises undertaken by the Ministry of Defence and…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities (a) have not set up registers of interest for social inclusion partnership board members and (b) do not currently have such a register available for public scrutiny.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The following local authorities (a) have not yet set up registers of interest for social inclusion partnership board members and (b) do not yet have such a register available for public scrutiny: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=326><TR><TD WID…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects registers of interest for social inclusion partnership board members to be available for public scrutiny.
Answer · Hugh Henry: 31 December 2002.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when local authorities were instructed by it to set up registers of interest for the board members of social inclusion partnerships.
Answer · Hugh Henry: March 2002.
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of (a) the membership of the Hospital-Acquired Infection Surveillance Steering Group and (b) the full remit of the group.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The membership of the HAI Surveillance Steering Group, as co-ordinated by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) is as follows: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=467><TR><TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P>Dr Da…
26 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be inviting NHS staff organisations to participate in discussions on hospital-acquired infections; if so, which staff organisations will be invited, and what format such forums will follow.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS staff organisations were invited to attend the recent Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Convention in Glasgow. Arrangements for further discussion of the issues including staff, patient and public involvement will be incorporated in the action plan fo…