Margaret Smith

25 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all members of the Scottish Prison Commission have been in attendance at each of its meetings and, if not, which members did not attend which meetings.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Details of members not inattendance at meetings of the commission on the use of prisons in Scotland areshown below.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p>Date</p> </td> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Memb…

25 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Scottish Prison Commission has met since its creation in September 2007 and on what dates and where the meetings have taken place.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The commission on the use ofprisons in Scotland has met three times. It has taken evidence on two occasionsand visited three prisons. Details of the main meetings are shown below.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top…

25 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Commission will examine the criteria for individuals being sent to open prisons.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8942 on 8 February 2008. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

25 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Commission will examine the specific role of open prisons.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The remit of the commission onthe use of prisons in Scotland includes examining the role and the use the open estateand the criteria for individuals transferringthere.</p>

17 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the responses to the public consultation on the new Forth crossing were not made available prior to the announcement of its decision on the form and location of the new crossing on 19 December 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Following extensive analysisof the 756 feedback forms received, Transport Scotland completed the FeedbackReport in November. The report was then submitted to ministers for considerationprior to making a decision on the form and location of the crossing.</p><p…

11 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances it would consider intervening in a planning decision once it has been taken by a local authority.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish ministers have ageneral power, under section 46 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland)Act 1997, to intervene by calling in any planning application for their owndetermination – but only prior to a written decision notice being issued by theplann…

8 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider establishing a working party to investigate how best to ensure that individuals with severe vision impairment who are in receipt of medical care are provided with essential information relating to such care in a timely manner and suitably accessible format.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently no plansto establish a working party.</p><p>I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8249 on 22 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan…

8 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that all individuals in receipt of medical care, particularly those with visual impairments, are fully informed about such care in a suitable and timely manner.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Fair for All-Disability projectwas established in 2005 as a partnership with the Disability Rights Commission tosupport the NHS in Scotland to understand Part 3 of the Disability DiscriminationAct (access to goods, services and facilities) and take action…

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs quoted in Forth Replacement Crossing Study - Report 5: Final Report and in the exhibitions and consultation on the new crossing included any costs for inflation, VAT or fees and what the reason is for its position on this matter.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The project costs presented atthe public information exhibitions and published in the study reports areinitial estimates at current prices, excluding VAT. This is standard for transportprojects.</p><p>It is a requirement of the ScottishTransport Appraisal Gui…

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the costs quoted in Forth Replacement Crossing Study - Report 5: Final Report and in the exhibitions and consultation on the new crossing were based on 2006 figures rather than outturn costs.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Project costs are generally firstestimated at current prices, or prices of the last full year. In the case of theForth Replacement Crossing Study, this was 2006.</p><p>Outturn costs are calculatedfor budgetary purposes and are based on estimates of inflation …

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it intends to do to encourage healthy eating in primary schools.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government iscommitted to improving the health of Scotland’s children. We have fully supported the passage of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 which willrequire all schools to put health promotion at the heart of i…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances under which the existing Forth Road Bridge would be dismantled and what the cost would be of such an operation.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The studies currently beingcarried out by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) will determine whatrole the Forth Road Bridge will be capable of playing in the future. It is notpossible to speculate on how this issue will be resolved until FETA’s studi…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Option D for a bridge has been chosen when Forth Replacement Crossing Study - Report 5: Final Report states on page 17 that, in environmental terms, the bridge options do not perform as well as the tunnel options.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Environmental considerationsare one of several key criteria considered. In reaching our decision to proceedwith a cable-stayed bridge in corridor D we also considered cost; cost risk;operating restrictions; operating risk, and time to construct. It was conclu…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to support a tram line from Edinburgh Airport to Newbridge, Kirkliston, South Queensferry, the new Forth Bridge and Fife.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no current plansto extend Edinburgh’s tram line. The decision has been taken, however,to design the bridge deck with the width and strength capable of incorporatingtram or light rail based systems in the future.</p>

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what modal use the new Forth Bridge is being designed; what the estimated user numbers are by the time it opens, and what percentage of users are expected to use public transport.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The new Forth Bridge isbeing designed as a replacement crossing which will have the capacity tosustain the current level of cross-Forth travel, while at the same time havingthe potential to support sustainable growth through alternative modes oftransport. The…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation will be undertaken with the communities that will be directly affected by the construction of the new Forth Bridge.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Public consultation willform a key part of the statutory process going forward, regardless of whichlegislative route is chosen.</p>

14 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the study on a new funding distribution for the City of Edinburgh Council will begin.

Answer · John Swinney: Discussions are taking placewith the City of Edinburgh Council about the terms of the study. At this stage, it is tooearly to say when exactly the work of the study will begin.</p>

14 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what stakeholders it intends to consult as part of the study into the funding distribution for the City of Edinburgh Council.

Answer · John Swinney: Discussions are taking placewith the City of Edinburgh Council about the terms of the study. At this stage, it is tooearly to say what those terms will be.</p>

14 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the study into the funding distribution for the City of Edinburgh Council will examine funding for Lothian and Borders Police.

Answer · John Swinney: The additional funding awardedto Lothian and Borders Police to meet the pressures of policing the capital citywill be taken into account in assessing the case for additional funding for theCity of Edinburgh Council.</p>

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to increase the funding allocated to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets budget in order to improve the quality and maintenance of cycle routes in the Edinburgh area.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Cycling, Walking, Safer Streetsprogramme budget will remain at 2007-08 levels for all Scottish Local Authorities,as part of the negotiated settlement with COSLA. It is of course within the powerof the City of Edinburgh Council to add to its Cycling, Walki…

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has allocated to the City of Edinburgh Council for Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects in each of the last five years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Over the last five years, theCity of Edinburgh Council has received a total grant of £3.847 million from theCycling, Walking, Safer Streets grant programme, broken down as follows:</p><p>2007-08 - £818,000</p><p>2006-07 - £796,000</p><p>2005-06 - £767,000</p>…

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how effective it considers the Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004 have been in preventing antisocial behaviour involving fireworks.

Answer · John Swinney: We are monitoringthe effectiveness of current regulations and how they can contribute to safer andstronger communities. Although there was an encouraging reduction of 26.5% in thenumber of fireworks or bonfire related incidents reported to the police this yea…

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been admitted to hospital in the NHS Lothian area with firework-related injuries in each of the last five years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The annualfireworks injuries survey for Scotland is part of the Department of Trade andIndustry (DTI) Fireworks Injuries Enquiry for Great Britain.</p><p>The DTI did not commission a survey in 2006 or 2007therefore information is only held centrally up to 200…

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it consulted Victim Support Scotland or other relevant stakeholder groups before announcing the funding for victim/witness support in the draft budget.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Chairman andthe Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland were keptinformed about the process for preparing the Spending Review.</p>

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects that the real-terms funding reduction for victim/witness support in the draft budget will result in service cuts.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Provision in the DetailedSpending Plans of the Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 for victim and witnesssupport is one element of spending proposals for victims and witnesses. There areproposed increases for Promoting Equality aimed at enhancing services fo…

27 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the bail system with regard to rape suspects.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Provisions containedin sections 1-6 of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 came into force on 10 December 2007. These provisions contain reforms to the system of bail.Section 2 provides that if someone is accused of a violent or sexual …

27 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals charged with rape have been granted bail in each year since 1999, broken down by police authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the memberto the answer to question S2W-29853 on 30 November 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

23 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its budget will be allocated to tackling violence against women, providing support to victims of domestic abuse and helping those affected by the broader issues of violence against women in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 at 2007-08 prices, also broken down by funding…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmenthas allocated £9.9 million in 2008-09, £11.9 million in 2009-10 and £12.58 millionin 20010-11 to the Violence Against Women Team’s budget to tackle violence againstwomen, including domestic abuse. £5 million in 2008-09, £3 million in 20…

23 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its budget for promoting equality will be allocated to providing support services for women and children affected by domestic abuse and those affected by the broader issues of violence against women in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 at 2007-08 prices, also showing th…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The following tableshows the Scottish Government’s funding for the Equality Unit and Education budgets,to provide support services for women and children affected by domestic abuse andthose affected by the broader issues of violence against women:</p><table …

22 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much ring-fenced funding will be allocated to local authorities for the Fire Capital Grant in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Following Mr Swinney’srecent statement on the 2007 Spending Review, £24.6 million of Fire Capital Granthas been allocated for each of the next three years.</p>