Parliamentary questions

Margaret Jamieson

534 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what views it has expressed to Scottish Enterprise in respect of supporting the economy of Ayrshire, following the summit held by the then Deputy First Minister in Ayrshire on 30 March 2005.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Discussions have taken placefrom time-to-time on priorities identified at the summit on 30 March. One of themajor areas discussed at the summit was regeneration. The Scottish Executive willshortly set out priorities for regeneration and as part of this will c…

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a “spend to save” element to the Coatbridge pilot on secondary fracture prevention and, if so, what procedures are in place to measure the cost benefits associated with this.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The planning and provision of local NHS services is a matter for individual NHS boards, providing they are in line with national guidance and frameworks. The National Framework for Service Change concluded that there needs to be a shift towards preventative m…

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is directing Scottish Enterprise in planning the training required to meet the needs of capital investment in the public sector in Ayrshire and the rest of Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: A Smart, Successful Scotland makes clear that in planning training initiatives ScottishEnterprise should take account of the findings from research by Furtureskills Scotland andrequirements identified from work with specific industry sectors.

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role Scottish Enterprise has in supporting local authorities in Ayrshire in delivering capital investment in public services.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scottish Enterprise’s primary focus must be on supporting economic growth. It would not normally be expected that Scottish Enterprise would support local authorities in their delivery of public services but they may choose to do so where there is a primary ec…

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what direction it has given Scottish Enterprise in respect of tackling the long-term economic decline of former coalfield areas.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Strategic direction is provided to Scottish Enterprise in the Executive document A Smart, Successful Scotland. This includes Scottish Enterprise’s role in promoting regeneration as a means of tackling industrial decline, dereliction and limited …

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the economic growth of Ayrshire will be enhanced by reducing the number of local enterprise companies in lowland Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scottish Enterprise is currently considering how it is structured. When proposals are brought to the Scottish Executive I would expect Scottish Enterprise to have fully considered the advantages and disadvantages of its proposals, the level of business suppor…

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has given to Scottish Enterprise in respect of including elected representatives at all levels as stakeholders in the consultation being undertaken on Scottish Enterprise’s reorganisation.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive believesthat any proposals for change should have broad support from the business andwider community. I have indicated that I expect Scottish Enterprise to involveParliament in developing its current proposals and I understand a meeting…

25 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Enterprise in respect of supporting enterprise growth in Ayrshire.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Meetings have been held and regular dialogue maintained to discuss the Ayrshire economy generally and on taking forward specific regeneration projects.

24 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to measure the compliance of pharmaceutical products approved for osteoporosis treatment with Scottish Medicines Consortium decisions.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice from the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) advice and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need. Any evidence that suggests that NHSScotland was not taking a…

24 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the effectiveness of DEXA mobile scanners.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21053, answered on 12 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website which can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">h…

24 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is provided to NHS boards regarding the replacement of DEXA scanners.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, which is a part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, has published a good practice clinical guideline on the Management of Osteoporosis which includes advice for clinicians on the use of DEXA scanning in the di…

16 Nov 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements are being made in dealing with violent crime in communities in Ayrshire.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Police, Community Safety Partnerships and other agencies in Ayrshire are working hard together to reduce violent crime. Antisocial behaviour teams are actively dealing with youth disorder and alcohol issues. Police campus officers have also been deployed …

10 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to NHS boards regarding the provision of full and part-time chaplains to meet the spiritual needs of in-patients.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Health Department Letter 76 (Bib. number 37740), issued to the NHS in October 2002, provides guidance on matters relating to the provision of spiritual care in the NHS. The Scottish Executive Health Department will shortly consult with the NHS and faith commu…

23 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19065 by Tavish Scott on 20 September 2005, when its officials last met Strathclyde Passenger Transport and whether the proposal to construct a dynamic loop on the Glasgow to Kilmarnock railway line was discussed.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Strathclyde Passenger Transport on a number of issues. Officials met late June 2005 to discuss the dynamic loop on the Glasgow to Kilmarnock line. There remains outstanding issues to take forward following tha…

23 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18916 by Malcolm Chisholm on 13 September 2005, what measures it plans to improve funding for the community and voluntary sectors.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), the Scottish Executive has produced and published a detailed action plan to implement the principles identified in the Strate…

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18805 by Johann Lamont on 13 September 2005, how many of the applications called in were subsequently approved in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The following table shows a breakdown of figures on a local authority basis concerning the number of called in applications that were subsequently approved by Scottish ministers in each year since 1999. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3>…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements have been specified in respect of the provision of television links for witnesses in court.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is currently working with the Scottish Court Service to ensure facilities are in place to meet those requirements. This includes the need to facilitate the giving of evidence by TV link from a location outwith the court building where e…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce which courts will have television links for witnesses.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Facilities for evidence to be relayed by live TV link, in support of the provisions of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004, including a link remote from the courthouse in which the case is being heard, are installed in 22 court sites across Scotland.…

7 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will decide whether to support financially the next stage of the pre-tendering process for a dynamic loop on the Glasgow to Kilmarnock railway line at Stewarton and Dunlop.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive hasnot received a request to support the next stage of this project.

5 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the two-tier workforce agreement to include Council for Voluntary Service employees who provide statutory and social care services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18916 on 13 September 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…

5 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to improve the funding of Council for Voluntary Service social care providers.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) do not provide social care services. Instead, they support voluntary organisations around their common needs and interests, helping them become more effective and efficient. CVS also represent voluntary organisations on a …

30 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to remove the requirement for Disclosure Scotland checks to be undertaken each time an employee moves within an organisation.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are working towards the implementation of a new vetting and barring scheme for those who work with children and vulnerable adults in response to the recommendations in the Bichard Report. The proposed scheme will include continuous updating of an individua…

30 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to each local authority to provide Disclosure Scotland checks for employees.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Ministers have not made specific funding available to local authorities to cover the cost of the criminal record checks carried out by Disclosure Scotland. Part V of the Police Act 1997 provides that a fee should be paid for each application that is made. It …

30 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has monitored the costs borne by employees who require to undergo a Disclosure Scotland check for employment.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The current cost of a disclosure check in Scotland is £13.60. Some employers bear this cost on behalf of employees but whether or not they do so is for them to decide. The Executive does not collect information on actual costs borne by employees.

30 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11857 by Cathy Jamieson on 12 November 2004, whether the new arrangements for addiction services were introduced in July 2005 across the public and private sector prisons.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18816 on 4 October 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on …

30 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11858 by Cathy Jamieson on 2 December 2004, whether funding for enhanced drug transitional services has been allocated equitably across public and private sector prisons.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: It will be. Funding will cover prisons in both private and public sectors and will reflect the needs of the various population groups in e…

29 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications approved by local authorities have been called in by the Executive in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The following table shows a breakdown of figures on a local authority basis concerning the number of planning applications called in by Scottish ministers in each year since 1999. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=610> <thead> <tr> …

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been of defending claims made by prisoners as a result of slopping out.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:From 1 April 2003 to 23 August 2005, SPShas incurred separately identifiable costs of £1.9 million in defending legalchallenges to pri…

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been of legal aid to support claims made by prisoners as a result of slopping out.

Answer · Hugh Henry: It is not possible to give the precise cost of legal aid for “slopping out” cases. These are not recorded as a distinct category of civil legal aid cases. Some expenditure will also have been incurred on civil advice and assistance cases relating to “s…

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been of claims made by prisoners as a result of slopping out.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:£4,250, excluding legalcosts and interest for claims citing “slopping out” among the contributoryfactors.