Parliamentary questions
Mrs Margaret Ewing
567 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the ad hoc committee of Ministers on Flooding has had with the European Commission regarding flood alleviation assistance available through flexibility in the Common Agricultural Policy and European Structural Funds.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The ad hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding has had no discussions with the European Commission.
29 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31653 by Allan Wilson on 27 November 2002, how the balance of the #5.2 million has been allocated to support flood risk-related initiatives.
Answer · Allan Wilson: In addition to the initiatives already funded, including the on-going support for Floodline, the Executive is taking forward a number of other flood risk-related initiatives which it proposes to support from the balance of the £5.2 million. These initiatives …
29 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31675 by Allan Wilson on 28 November 2002, whether it has now made any representations to the Association of British Insurers regarding the flood damage to domestic and business properties in Moray during the period 15 to 18 November 2002.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We continue to have meetings with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) on general insurance issues concerning flooding and have taken the opportunity offered by these meetings to raise the matter of the damage to properties by the floods in Moray. Howeve…
23 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many services in the Grampian NHS Board area have been transferred from local hospitals to centralised services in Aberdeen or Inverness; what reduction in expenditure this process has realised, and what assistance is being offered to patients that need to travel to centralised facili…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. These are matters for NHS Grampian.
23 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31676 by Mr Jim Wallace on 26 November 2002, whether the ad hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding now plans to invite witnesses to give evidence and, if so, which witnesses have been, or will be, called.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The ad hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding Issues has no plans to invite witnesses to give evidence.
23 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to my supplementary question to question S1F-2273 by Mr Jack McConnell on 21 November 2002, when the First Minister will provide me with a written response regarding European funding.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32272 on 27 December 2002, and on 3 February I did announce the approval, in full, of additional capital consent, amounting to £1.83 million, to Moray Council to assist with the costs attributed to the fl…
23 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often the ad hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding has met; what matters it has discussed, and what decisions and conclusions it has reached.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The ad hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding has met twice to discuss a range of issues related to the current arrangements for addressing flood risk and how advice and support is provided to those at risk, or affected by flooding. The ad hoc committee has b…
10 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the Achievements of Deaf Pupils in Scotland project at the University of Edinburgh and what action is planned as a result of the project's conclusions.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have extended funding for the Achievements of Deaf Pupils in Scotland project until March 2004. We shall consider the project's conclusions when these are received.
10 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which education authorities have a policy of opening Records of Needs for deaf children.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: All education authorities have a duty to open a Record of Needs for any child in their area, including those with hearing impairment, who meet the statutory criteria. A Record of Needs must be opened for any child, who is two years of age or over, but under s…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure it has allocated to establish specialist expertise in the NHS for people suffering from eating disorders.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are funded to provide a range of services in their areas, according to their assessment of local needs. We have published a detailed planning and audit tool on approaches for the best organisation of eating disorder services and this should assist …
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current budget is for ensuring Scottish interests are represented in Europe and what the budget has been in each year since 1999, broken down by department.
Answer · Hugh Henry: All policy ministers and a large number of officials across the Scottish Executive have some responsibility for ensuring that Scottish interests are represented in Europe. It would not, however, be possible to accurately quantify the number of officials engag…
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed as suffering from clinical obesity in each NHS board area in each of the last two years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The total number of people diagnosed as suffering from clinical obesity is not available centrally.<P>However, information derived from a representative sample of GP practices estimates the number of people seen by General Practitioners in Scotland for obesit…
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed as suffering from (a) anorexia nervosa or (b) bulimia in each NHS board area in each of the last two years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested regarding the number of people that have been diagnosed as suffering from anorexia nervosa or bulimia in each NHS board area in each of the last two years is not held centrally.<P>However, information derived from the Continuous Morb…
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants are employed in the NHS to assist people suffering from eating disorders.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The information requested is not held centrally.<P>Information of the numbers of psychiatrists currently employed within NHSScotland is available in tables B10 and B11 on the ISD website:<P><A HREF="http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSiS_resource/Workforce/wor…
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist clinics there are for dealing with patients suffering from eating disorders; where each such clinic is located, and what the take-up rate is for these clinics as a percentage of those diagnosed with eating disorders in each NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards and their partners are responsible for planning and providing services, including services for those who suffer from eating disorders, in a way that best meets local needs. The Scottish Executive Health Department has provided guidance to assist lo…
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-2273 by the First Minister on 21 November 2002, what meetings have taken place to explore any flexibility in the Common Agricultural Policy and European Structural Funds to assist flood prevention schemes in Moray.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The investigation of funding options to assist specific flood prevention schemes is a matter for the promoter of any such scheme. Where European assistance is considered a funding option, the promoter should consult with the relevant Programme Management Exec…
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the European Commission about establishing a solidarity fund for natural disasters.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has not made any representations to the European Commission on this matter.
4 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each of its departments has spent on match funding in each year since 1999.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Match funding for European Structural Funded projects is provided by the individual project sponsors, the funding for many of whom comes directly from the Scottish Executive either in whole or in part. This ensures local commitment to local priorities, accoun…
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11310 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 November 2000, how many applications for flood prevention and coast protection schemes have been (a) approved and (b) rejected, broken down by name of applicant, nature of project and amount sought and, where applicabl…
Answer · Allan Wilson: Further to the additional funding announced by Mr Galbraith, in the answer given to question S1W-11310, I can confirm that all applications for the additional funds referred to have been met in full. No requests have been declined. Additional funding has been…
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses are currently at risk from inland or coastal flooding.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Research commissioned by the Executive found that approximately 77,000 properties could be at risk from inland flooding (based upon a one in 100 year flood event, i.e. a 1% annual risk of flooding). In addition, about 93,000 properties in Scotland were identi…
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it uses to define an area as being at high risk of regular flooding.
Answer · Allan Wilson: A 1% annual risk is a widely accepted criterion in relation to flood risk and is the figure used by the Executive to define areas at risk. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency hold indicative flood risk maps for Scotland, which indicate those areas at a…
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which witnesses the Cabinet sub-committee appointed to review issues relating to flooding will call to give evidence and whether these will include MSPs that represent areas that have experienced flooding.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Ad Hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding Issues currently has no plans to invite witnesses to give evidence.
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Association of British Insurers regarding householders and businesses that suffered from flood damage in Moray during the period 15 to 18 November 2002 to ensure that full payments are made and prevent any excessive increases in their insurance prem…
Answer · Allan Wilson: Although we have regular meetings with the Association of British Insurers we have not made any formal representation to them since the floods of 15 to 18 November.<P>Recent guidance from the Association of British Insurers is that the industry will look to c…
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of damage caused by river flooding has been in each year since 1997 and what estimate has been made of the average yearly cost over the next 10 years.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The information requested is not gathered centrally by the Executive.<P>Research undertaken by Dundee University for the Executive suggests that average annual damage attributable to inland flooding is conservatively estimated at £20 million.
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who has been appointed to the Cabinet sub-committee to review issues relating to flooding.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31694 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/searc…
18 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to implement payments under the Bellwin scheme to assist with the aftermath of the recent flooding in Moray.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1F-2273 on 21 November 2002, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/search.htm">http://www.scottish.parliame…
18 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have failed to meet timeously the requirement to publish a biennial report on flood prevention or flood mitigation on non-agricultural land as required under the Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Act 1997.
Answer · Allan Wilson: All local authorities published biennial reports for the period up to November 2001. These reports were due to be published by 26 November. However, the following local authorities did not forward copies to the Executive by the end of December 2001 but have s…
18 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long it has taken to approve each flood prevention scheme submitted to it by each local authority, giving details of each individual submission, since 1997.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive has frequent contact with local authorities during the preparation of their flood prevention proposals. Once all the necessary information has been provided by the local authorities the Scottish ministers have taken, on average, five weeks to co…
18 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the full remit is of the cabinet sub-committee appointed by the First Minister to investigate the incidence of flooding, flood prevention and related matters and whether the remit includes the development of a national system of monitoring.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The remit of the Ad Hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding Issues is: <P>(a) To consider current arrangements for addressing flood risk and how advice and support is provided to those at risk from, and affected by, flooding, and<P>(b) To provide advice to Cab…
18 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what grants it has allocated since 1999 to local authorities that have submitted flood prevention schemes under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The costs of construction of confirmed flood prevention schemes are eligible for grant at the rate of 50%. <P>The following grant payments have been made to local authorities since 1999:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=455><TR><TD WIDTH="32%" V…