Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes are being made in light of its review of direct funding and the Strategic Funding Review in respect of funding of the voluntary sector.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) are working together to implement findings from the Strategic Review of Voluntary Sector Funding. The review has led to a …
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommendations of the Executive’s cross-department group on the voluntary sector will be in respect of new areas for service delivery in the voluntary sector.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive launchedA Vision for the Voluntary Sector – the Next Phase of Our Relationship in December2005. To help implement the Vision the Scottish Executive has committed to the settingup of a new Cross Department Group, which is currently being…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people are now involved in volunteering as part of the National Youth Volunteering programme.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The programme referred to bythe member is Project Scotland. As of 24 February 2006 there were 400 Project Scotland Volunteers, an increase of 76 since my answerto Linda Fabiani’s question S2W-22379 on 24 January 2006,which also contains further information o…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure the long-term funding of mountain rescue teams.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23327 on 7 March 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/wa.…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how funding to the voluntary sector is allocated throughout Scotland, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19433 on 23 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/weba…
16 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children in (a) primary and (b) secondary education are affected by Pervasive Developmental Disorders in each local authority area.
Answer · Robert Brown: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p><p>However, the Executive StatisticalBulletin <i>Pupils in </i><i>Scotland</i><i>, 2005</i> providesinformation on the number of pupils with a Record of Needs and/or an IndividualisedEducational Programme in …
1 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on providing Gaelic signage on Highland trunk roads under completed contracts; how much is to be spent under contracts not yet completed, and what estimates have been made in respect of future contracts.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has made good progress in implementing the policy, announced in January 2003, to provide bilingual signs on the A82 trunk road between Tarbet and Inverness and on those west coast trunk roads that pass through mainland communities where…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not collected centrally.</p>
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is provided to registered cocaine users.
Answer · Hugh Henry: There is no register of cocaine users in Scotland. Information provided by drug action teams through corporate action plans for 2005-06 shows that there are 30 facilities across Scotland which target psychostimulant users.</p>
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for drug detoxification services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Average waiting times are not regarded as a particularly effective measure of the availability and efficiency of drug services. Rather, the information compiled by drug action teams and submitted to Information Services Division specifies the number of people…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the weekly cost is of all secure accommodation placements in (a) England and (b) Wales for young offenders from Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: In response to decisions madeat Children’s Hearings, local authorities purchase placements for young people whorequire secure accommodation.</p><p>The number of secure accommodationplacements made by Scottish Local Authorities in England and Wales is notgathe…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people from Scotland have been placed in secure accommodation in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last five years.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not gathered centrally. Local authorities make decisions regarding the placement of young people. If it is the case that a child’s needs are best met by a placement outwith Scotland then we would expect local authorities to act on this.</p…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional secure accommodation places for young offenders are proposed to meet (a) current need and (b) future demand.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The currentsecure estate consists of 92 places. These are distributed as follows:</p><p>St Mary’sKenmure (Glasgow):31 secure places</p><p>Kerelaw,(North Ayrshire), runby Glasgow Council: 20 places</p><p>Rossie(Montrose): 25 places</p><p>Howdenhall/StKatherine…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what audit has been conducted to estimate the need for secure accommodation for young offenders.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Secure Accommodation Advisory Group published their recommendations and audit of need in 2003. These can be found at:</p> <p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/secureaccom.pdf">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/secureaccom.pdf</…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many secure accommodation places are available for young offenders.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are currently 92 secureaccommodation places available in Scotland. The distribution is as follows:</p><p>St Mary’sKenmure (Glasgow):31 secure places</p><p>Kerelaw,(North Ayrshire), runby Glasgow Council: 20 places</p><p>Rossie(Montrose): 25 places</p><p…
13 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that adequate care beds and hospital treatment are provided for geriatric patients.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Services are delivered locally and it is therefore the responsibility of individual local authorities and NHS boards to determine and provide appropriate service provision to meet local needs and priorities from within the substantial resources available to t…
23 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which agencies and non-departmental public bodies have a responsibility to provide English lessons for migrant workers.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Publicly funded English language classes for immigrants, including migrant workers, are provided in further education (FE) colleges, community learning and development (CLD) partnerships and adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) partnerships, and by a small numbe…
23 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support and assistance is provided through its agencies and non-departmental public bodies to help migrant workers learn English language skills.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Publicly-funded English language classes for immigrants, including migrant workers, are provided in further education (FE) colleges, community learning and development (CLD) partnerships and adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) partnerships, and by a small numbe…
22 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many wind farm applications made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 have been (a) approved and (b) refused.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21471 on 15 December 2005. 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/…
22 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many wind farm applications have been approved by it following refusal by local authorities.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The following information shows that five wind farm applications have been approved on appeal to the Scottish Ministers following refusal by local authorities.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>File Reference</…
16 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average patient list is for a (a) general dental practitioner and (b) salaried dentist.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Average (mean) number of patients registered with an NHS general dental practitioner who is (a) non-salaried and (b) salaried; at 31 March 2005</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p> (a) Non-Salaried Dentist<sup>1</sup></p></td> …
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the planning guidelines for mobile phone masts, in light of the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks updating its opinion on possible effects of electromagnetic fields.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The working group established by the EC Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks to update the previous opinion on electromagnetic fields met first in September 2005. No advice has yet emerged.</p> <p>We will consider any forthcoming…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phone masts is not harmful to the general public.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Authoritative surveys of the levels of public exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone masts throughout the UK continue to show consistently that exposures are a small fraction of current guideline levels. There is no compelling evidence to sug…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a review of National Planning Policy Guideline: NPPG 19 - radio telecommunications.
Answer · Johann Lamont: We intend to begin a review ofour planning guidance on radio telecommunications development in late 2006.</p>
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available on the socio-economic profile of purchasers of resold right-to-buy properties.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish House Condition Survey asks all respondents who are either owner occupiers or private renters whether the house which they currently occupy was ever owned by a local council or housing association. The survey also asks respondents who are owner o…
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence base is available to identify and monitor trends in right-to-buy resale levels in each local authority.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not maintain regular statistics on right to buy resale levels in each local authority. As part of their local housing strategies councils, through their local housing systems analyses, can assess the importance of different aspects…
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how tenants’ right to buy their homes has helped to tackle poverty and deliver social inclusion.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Buying a home, whether through the right to buy or by another means, can afford a number of benefits to buyers. In recent years, many buyers have profited from home ownership, due to house price rises, which have allowed personal wealth to increase for many. …
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to encourage the planting of crops, including new woodland, for renewable energy.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There are three schemes whichprovide aid for growing crops as energy crops. Under CAP Reform, farmers can claimaid on industrial crops, including energy crops, grown under contract on set-asideland. Also under CAP Reform, a flat rate supplement of 45 Euros, o…
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to help set up new biomass plants.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21424 on 23 December 2005. 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/…
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what grants are available to develop the necessary infrastructure to establish the required parts of the biomass supply chain, as outlined in the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland’s report.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Highlands andIslands Development Programme is stimulating considerable interest in woodfuel supply.With funding from the Programme, work is already underway in five areas to developwoodfuel clusters and supply chains. The recent increase we announced to t…