Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what route will be used for new pylons to carry the additional energy from wind farms in the north and west of Scotland to Denny, Stirlingshire.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Under the Electricity Works(Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 the developer must assess the potential environmental impacts of its proposal on a number of alternative routes prior to submitting an application. The company is prepari…
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposals for community wardens will diminish police powers.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Community wardens are notpolice officers and will not have any police powers. The powers exercised bythe police remain unchanged.</p>
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a scheme to impose fixed penalty notices for disorder offences will be piloted and evaluated initially.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Part 11 of the AntisocialBehaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill introduces a power for the police to issue fixedpenalty notices (FPNs) for a range of low-level, anti-social and nuisanceoffences committed by persons aged 16 and over.</p><p>Paragraph 172 of the policy …
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the fixed penalty notices proposed in the draft Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill will be (a) regarded as convictions and (b) quotable in future legal proceedings.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Paragraphs 169-171 of the Policy Memorandum to the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill explain how the Executive expects the fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for anti-social offences, introduced by Part 11 of the Bill, to operate.</p><p>A fixed penalty noti…
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 67 of the policy memorandum of the draft Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill, which local authority officers will have the power to serve a fixed penalty notice.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The provisions proposed in thenoise nuisance part of the bill are enabling and flexible. It is proposed thatthe power to issue a fixed penalty notice for a noise nuisance offence will begranted to officers of local authorities as well as the police. It will b…
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for the recruitment, salary and conditions of employment of community wardens.
Answer · Margaret Curran: We expect most schemes witha crime prevention focus to be run by local authorities. A wider range oforganisations may be involved in running schemes with a more explicitenvironmental and community development focus. The organisation running thescheme will be …
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether wind farms (a) enhance areas of outstanding natural beauty and (b) are beneficial to the tourism industry in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Although the aesthetic valueof wind farms is subjective, visual impact is a material consideration when newdevelopments are being considered. Research into wind farms by VisitScotlandindicates that their impact on tourism is generally felt to be minimal; them…
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who will pay for the undersea cables to connect additional wind energy from the Northern Isles to the National Electricity Grid.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of theelectricity network is a reserved matter and network upgrades, includingundersea cables to connect the Northern Isles to the mainland electricitynetwork, are a matter for the network owners in conjunction with the regulator,Ofgem.</p><p>T…
13 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how 60% of energy will be non-renewable after 2010, given the closure and downgrading of baseload stations such as Cocken'ie, Longannet and Torness.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Decisions on the future ofexisting stations are for the plant owners. The overall pattern of electricityproduction and consumption in 2010 including the proportion of non-renewableenergy used will depend on a number of factors, including variations in fuelpri…
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many long-term jobs will be created as a result of wind farm development.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive, in partnership with Renewables UK, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands andIslands Enterprise, has commissioned a study of the current status of the UKrenewables industry and its future potential. The study, which will bepublished around …
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, what the process for consultation and determining planning consent is for wind farms producing more than 50 megawatts.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Any proposal to construct oroperate an electrical generating station with a generation capacity in excessof 50MW requires consent from Scottish ministers under section 36 of theElectricity Act 1989. When consent is granted, ministers also grant deemedplanning…
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance will be issued on community benefits in relation to wind farm developments.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The level of community benefit is a matter between individual developers and communities and ministershave no powers to intervene. However, we are keen to work with representativesof interested parties to see if best practice guidelines can be prepared on the…
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is being given towards research and development for tidal and wave power initiatives.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The research and development budget for renewableenergy is administered by the Department of Trade and Industry under their Newand Renewable Energy Programme (NREP) which has an annual baseline budget of£19 million. Since 1999, the programme has committed in …
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policies and proposals are for offshore wind farms.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We believe that offshorewind, which is eligible for support under the Renewables Obligation Scotland,can make a contribution towards Scotland’s future energy needs.</p><p>Earlier this year Scottish ministersgave consent to a 200 megawatt offshore development …
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives are available to encourage energy production from biomass.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive is workingwith UK colleagues to put in place an Energy Crops Infrastructure Support grantscheme. The aim is to provide support to generating plants that utilise energycrops and forestry residue as the fuel sources. State aids approval is beingso…
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers are proposed for community wardens, and, in particular, whether they will have powers of arrest and detention.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Wardens will not be givenpolice powers to fulfil their functions and will have no powers of arrest ordetention. Local authorities are already able to give their employees powers toissue fixed penalty notices for activities such as littering, and it will befor…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the quality of current records for children on supervision, as recommended in Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A follow-up report.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-3931 on 19 November 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set standards for the frequency of contact with children on supervision, as recommended in Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A follow-up report.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Social Work ServicesInspectorate will be issuing a guidance note shortly setting minimum standardsfor frequency of contact and case notes. Forthcomingplans for inspection of children’s services will also focus on the quality ofdelivery by youth justice servic…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all local authorities implement the statutory requirement to provide care plans for all children on supervision
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I intend to meet shortly withlocal authority Chief Executives to discuss the Audit Scotland report, whatneeds to change to improve service delivery, and how best to accelerateprogress in these key areas.</p>
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to assess accurately the number of children on supervision who are not receiving the service prescribed by the Children's Hearing System.
Answer · Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive commissioned research project on home supervision, reported in December2002, found 22% of the 189 cases examined had no allocated social worker. Thedetailed findings are at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/">http://www.scotland.g…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to submit social care and police reports to the Reporter, as referred to in Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A follow-up report.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive does notitself submit the reports referred to, which are the responsibility of councilsand the police respectively.</p><p>I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-3923. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide specialist mental health services in residential settings and young offenders institutions, as referred to in Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A follow-up report.
Answer · Tom McCabe: We recognise the need tostrengthen specialist mental health input for children and young people inresidential settings and young offender institutions, and officials are consideringwith NHSScotland how this can be achieved more effectively. NHSScotland mental…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for the treatment of alcohol-dependent patients in each local authority area.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested isnot held centrally at present. However, the team at the national alcohol informationresource at ISD Scotland are currently discussing information needs with local alcoholaction teams and will be considering how proposed development…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential places are available for alcohol-dependent patients seeking treatment facilities for detoxification in each local authority area.
Answer · Tom McCabe: There has been a move awayfrom residential detoxification for people with an alcohol dependency tocommunity-based treatment and rehabilitation in the last few years, andinformation on the number of residential places is not consistently collectedby NHS boards…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for drug rehabilitation treatment in each local authority area.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The information requested isnot held centrally. Waiting times data for treatment for drug misuse is notheld consistently by agencies and statutory authorities across Scotland.</p>
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the time taken for police reports to reach the Children's Reporter, given that Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A follow-up report indicates that two police forces had no such data available and that 28% of cases record…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Time Intervals has been inplace since 1999. The Executive has been consulting all agencies, including thepolice, over the summer on a new way to re-focus the process of monitoring andimproving performance.</p><p>This issue willbe discussed at my next meeting …
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to provide accurate information about the quantity and quality of services prescribed by Children's Hearings.
Answer · Euan Robson: Through a comprehensiveprogramme of training, members of Children’s Panels are informed about servicesand programmes available to address the needs of children and young people. the Scottish Executive publishes annually youth justice mapping returns withinwhi…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all young adults on probation have action plans as required in the national objectives and standards for social work services in the criminal justice system, as recommended in Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A foll…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are currently consideringthe need for interim guidance to be issued to groupings/unitary authorities todraw their attention to this recommendation. The guidance will be informed bythe programme of Inspections of criminal justice social work by the Social W…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the approximately 25% of cases that did not receive a continuous service for children on supervision, as referred to in Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A follow-up report.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Local authorities areresponsible in statute for implementing supervision requirements. I intend tomeet shortly with local authority Chief Executives to discuss the AuditScotland report, what needs to change to improve service delivery, and how bestto accelera…
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish annual reports on the performance of youth justice teams against national standards, as recommended in Audit Scotland's report Dealing with offending by young people - A follow-up report
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has welcomed the report and accepted all the recommendations.</p>