Parliamentary questions
Marlyn Glen
917 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many third-year students are on biomedical degree courses, broken down by university.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: In academic year 2004-05 therewere 460 third-year students on biomedical degree courses. The following table providesa breakdown by university.</p><p>Third-Year Students on BiomedicalDegree Courses, by Institution, 2004-05</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cel…
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to implement the recommendations of Jobs for the boys and girls: promoting a smart successful and equal Scotland, published by the Equal Opportunities Commission in February 2005.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Officials were involved in theEqual Opportunities Commissions (EOC) External Advisory Group as part of their researchinto occupation segregation. I have met with the EOC since the launch of their investigativereport into occupational segregation in modern app…
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the completion rates for the modern apprenticeship programme were in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05 and what they are likely to be for 2005-06, broken down by gender and framework.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The overall modernapprenticeship (MA) completion rate in Scotland for 2003-04 was 48%. In 2004-05the completion rate was 55%. The current completion rate is 60%.</p><p>Details about completion ratesbroken down by gender and framework is an operational matter …
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeships there have been in each year since the programme’s inception, broken down by gender and framework
Answer · Allan Wilson: The number of modernapprentices (MAs) broken down by framework and gender each year since their inceptionis an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands andIslands Enterprise. The information is not held centrally.</p><p>However, Scottish Enter…
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions brought under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 have been as a result of acts perpetrated against nurses or midwives.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 came into force in May 2005 and since then procurators fiscal have commenced prosecutions in respect of 90 charges under section 5(1) of the act which relates to the offence of assaulting or impeding health workers.</…
22 Feb 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 are intended to help reduce the culverting and covering over of streams.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The 2005 regulations do not specificallyaim to reduce or increase any activity. Instead, the regulations adopt a risk-basedand proportionate approach to the regulation of all activities which impact on thewater environment.</p><p>In relation to the culverting…
1 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what strategies are in place to reduce the dependency of manufacturing industry and employment on (a) military services and (b) the arms industry.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There are no specific strategiesin place to reduce the dependency of manufacturing industry and employment on militaryservices and the arms industry. The Executive’senterprise strategy, <i>A Smart, Successful Scotland</i>, highlights areas for economic growth…
1 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what geographic concentrations of dependency on (a) military services and (b) the arms industry there are in respect of manufacturing industry and employment.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The are no figures currentlyavailable to show geographic concentrations of dependency on military services orthe arms industry in respect of manufacturing industry and employment.</p>
1 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of manufacturing industry and employment is dependent on (a) military services and (b) the arms industry.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There are no published figuresavailable using standard industrial classification to show the proportion of manufacturingindustry and employment dependant on “military services” or “the arms industry”in Scotland. However, estimates relating to MOD expenditure …
30 Nov 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the promotion and monitoring of the law on physical punishment of children.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 clarified the law on the physical punishment of children. A leaflet about the new legislation was distributed widely to parents and staff working with children and families.</p> <p>We recognise the importance of monito…
28 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reviewing the consistency of wording between the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002 in respect of the age of witnesses at both ceremonies.
Answer · George Lyon: While there is a differencein the wording of the relevant provisions relating to the age of witnesses, theeffect is the same. Registrars will always ensure that witnesses to civilpartnerships and marriages are 16 or over.</p>
9 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage more employers in both the public and private sectors to promote practices in respect of work-life balance that benefit working parents caring for young children.
Answer · Robert Brown: Employment is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on work-life balance issues, including the recently introduced Work and Families Bill which will benefit working parents in Scotland.</p>
26 Oct 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any plans for using sewage as a fuel.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Dried sewage sludge pellets are presently used as fuel. Plans for the use of sewage sludge in the future are an operational matter for Scottish Water and, where relevant, its contractors.</p>
24 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been brought under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Colin Boyd: Since the introduction of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, procurators fiscal have commenced court proceedings in respect of 92 charges under that act.</p> <p>Note: This information has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Serv…
24 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives local authorities and public agencies to operate lift share schemes amongst their employees travelling to work.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We are working with regional transport partnerships and local authorities to promote the uptake of sustainable travel plans, of which such schemes may be an element.</p>
19 Oct 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how plans are progressing for the disposal of sewage after December 2005.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water and, where relevant, contractors acting on its behalf, are responsible for the disposal of sewage sludge.</p> <p>I understand that Scottish Water is in the process of updating its sludge strategy, and that it intends to consult on a strategic e…
10 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest available information is on the average weekly cost of the provision of foster care for a child.
Answer · Robert Brown: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
10 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest available information is on the average weekly cost of the provision of residential care for a child.
Answer · Robert Brown: Average weekly costs of secure and non-secure residential care for a child need to be considered separately. The latest available information is as follows.</p> <p>The average weekly cost of non-secure residential care for a child was £1,647 in the 2003-04 fi…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to increase the number of manufacturing jobs in Dundee.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive operates a range of measures to assist manufacturing throughout Scotland. The Executive’s strategy, Smart Successful Scotland, is delivered through local enterprise companies including Scottish Enterprise Tayside in Dundee which works c…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking through inward investment to create more jobs in Dundee.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scottish Development International (SDI) and its partners, including Scottish Enterprise Tayside, target global decision makers in key industries to highlight business opportunities and secure investment into Scotland. This includes traditional foreign direct…
28 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget has been granted for publicising organ donation in each of the last two years.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The advertising spend forthe Organ Donation campaign for 2003-2004 was £143,858.00 and for 2004-2005 was£121,012.00.</p>
28 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many referrals for transplantation there have been in each of the last two years for which figures are available, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot collected routinely.</p>
26 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving the police in the use of information technology to improve the efficiency of the police service.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive provided £3 million funding to the Scottish Police Information Strategy in 2005-06 to lead and drive the achievement of integrated IT systems for Scottish policing. When new applications and systems are being developed a high priority i…
26 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to the development of SmartWater technology in crime detection.
Answer · Hugh Henry: SmartWater is a property marking solution which has been privately developed for commercial purposes and is aimed primarily at organisations and companies with an interest in the prevention and detection of crime. I understand that Aberdeen City Council pilot…
20 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it possesses on the age profiles of those served with antisocial behaviour orders.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The most recent information that we have on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) is for 2003-04. This shows that the largest number of ASBOs were against those over 25 years of age. This age group accounted for 63% of ASBO applications and 59% of ASBOs granted…
20 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to implement the recommendations of, Parental Attitudes to Road Safety Education.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executiveprovides funding to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign for the development ofkey road safety education initiatives and publicity messages. Progress onimplementing the recommendations in <i>Parental Attitudes to Road SafetyEducation</i> ha…
17 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in (a) Dundee and (b) Angus are undertaking modern apprenticeships, broken down also by sector.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The number of modern apprenticesbroken down by sector and geographical area is an operational matter for ScottishEnterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
15 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of providing alcohol-based handrubs at every frontline hospital bedside in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Under the new clean hospitals campaign announced in March 2005, funding of £1.05 million was allocated to NHS boards for the provision of alcohol-based handrubs at every frontline bed. NHS boards have confirmed that these measures are in place. Allocations to…
9 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefits would be of increasing the number and percentage of male childcare workers and what proposals it has for such increases.
Answer · Euan Robson: Men working in early years and child care ensures that children have role models of both sexes.</p> <p>We want to have a workforce that better reflects the society we live in and to move away from the traditional image of early years and childcare as women’s …
9 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many childcare workers are male, expressed also as a percentage of the total childcare workforce.
Answer · Euan Robson: Within the early years and child care workforce, 2% of staff, 650 workers, are male. This information is available publicly from the Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication – Pre-school and Childcare Workforce Statistics 2004 and is available on th…