Parliamentary questions
Maureen Macmillan
249 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Feb 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to concerns regarding toilet facilities on Highland trains.
Answer · George Lyon: In our procurement of new rollingstock we will consider the use of controlled emission toilets.</p><p>Transport Scotland havespoken with Network Rail station and track cleaning, particularly at Inverness Station,and have agreed an action plan given the recent…
24 Jan 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how voluntary and not-for-profit waste recycling organisations are being supported.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We are providing support to thecommunity recycling sector through INCREASE, a grant scheme for the sector; througha number of Strategic Waste Fund awards to local authorities to support communitysector work, and through the Community Recycling Network for Sco…
23 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to clean the railway tracks and station environments in Inverness and the north of Scotland and what plans there are for improving such arrangements.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Network Rail arrange the cleaningof railway tracks, including the track bed within stations, in accordance with theirAnnual Management Maintenance Plan and in agreement with Environmental Regulations.</p><p>Through Transport Scotland’s ServiceQuality Inspecti…
23 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to reviewing the specifications for the refurbishment of Class 158 diesel trains to include the fitting of controlled emission toilets.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland willkeep the matter of upgrading existing rolling stock to include controlled emissiontoilets under consideration. This consideration will have regard to the necessaryinfrastructure investments and changes to operating arrangements, as well…
14 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the key performance targets set for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 2006-07.
Answer · Ross Finnie: For the year 2006-07 the ScottishFisheries Protection Agency’s financial resources will provide for the followinginputs from the surveillance and enforcement assets at its disposal:</p><p>Air: Total flying hours contracted– 1,900.</p><p>Sea: Total available p…
15 Nov 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in moving freight from the A9 onto rail.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We are currently in dialoguewith a number of companies who are developing projects for the transfer of freightfrom the A9 to rail or water.</p><p>Freight grant funded projectshave removed over 76 million lorry miles from Scotland’s roads including over fivemi…
1 Nov 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics it has on the number of migrant workers sleeping rough in Inverness.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p>
27 Sep 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the housing needs of migrant workers in the Highlands.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Although there are no definitivefigures available we are aware that there has been significant recent growth inthe number of migrant workers in the Highlands.</p><p>In the first instance it is forHighland Council, as the strategic housing authority, to assess…
22 Aug 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities have sufficient resources to support the increasing numbers of pupils with English as a Second Language needs and whether it plans to hold discussions with local authorities and teachers’ representatives on how best to address the needs of these children.
Answer · Robert Brown: It is for local authorities,taking account of their own individual circumstances, to decide how to allocateresources in order to provide for children and young people with additional supportneeds including those for whom English is an additional language. Off…
22 Aug 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor the number of children newly presenting at primary and secondary schools at the start of the new term who require support in respect of English as a Second Language in each local authority area.
Answer · Robert Brown: The Scottish Executiveroutinely collects information on the ethnic background of pupils, and hassince 2005 collected information on pupils for whom English is an additional language.The information was not reliable enough to publish for 2005, but it is hopedd…
28 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards identifying a solution to removing the Rule of 85.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Rule of 85 has to be removedfrom the Local Government Pension Scheme by 1 October 2006in order to comply with EC Directive 2000/78/EC. Today I am commencing a consultationexercise on removing the Rule and implementing transitional protections for existing…
28 Jun 2006 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consultation has been carried out with MSPs, their staff and constituents regarding the review of the Parliament’s education service.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: As noted in my response to question S2W-27172 on 12 July 2006, the remit and scope for the review of education and outreach will be considered in the next two to three months. The methodology will be planned to take into account the views of members, their st…
28 Jun 2006 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the terms are of the review of the Parliament’s education service referred to in the recently published report on visitor services and events.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: It is our intention toconsider how the current education and outreach service can be furtherdeveloped to meet the SPCB’s strategic priorities around supporting members andengaging the public.</p><p>Naturally all services haveto evolve and the move to Holyrood…
27 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for the North Kessock lay-by on the southbound carriageway of the A9.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Following the recent, rapiddeterioration of the condition of both the toilet block and surrounding area itwas necessary to physically close all but one lay-by area on the night of 28 June 2006.</p><p>The toilet block has beenclosed securely and height control…
14 Jun 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing for the development of marine renewables.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We are currently consulting onchanges that might be made to the Renewables Obligation Scotland (ROS) in orderto provide a source of long-term, increased funding to wave and tidal energy generators.Changes to the ROS should provide a strong market signal to de…
23 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when considering funding for community recycling projects, it takes into account the social and health benefits delivered by community organisations through the employment of vulnerable people.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The main purpose of the StrategicWaste Fund is to provide resources to meet the targets in the National Waste Planon waste prevention, recycling and diverting waste from landfill. Resources providedto local authorities through the Strategic Waste Fund are, th…
23 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will uphold its commitment to protect existing workers employed on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services by including trades union recognition in the tender specification.
Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-21352 on 16 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility forwhich can be at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
23 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will uphold its commitment to protect existing workers employed on the Clyde and Hebrides lifeline ferry services by guaranteeing job security to existing employees irrespective of who is awarded the contract.
Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-26220 on 12 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search"…
23 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to fulfil its commitment to uphold the terms and conditions of Clyde and Hebrides lifeline ferry services’ workers by ensuring that the tender specification does not allow the establishment of a two-tier workforce.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We attach great importanceto the future of CalMac staff should another operator be successful in its bid.We will do everything we can, within EU and domestic legislation, to secure thecontinued employment of those staff and the protection of their terms andco…
10 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in giving appropriate support to the production of bog myrtle oil, given that the plants need to be grown in time to fulfil orders next year.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Environment and Rural AffairsDepartment officials, in conjunction withScottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, have held several meetings withrepresentatives of a number of key commercial interests to discuss their plans forthe cultivation an…
4 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any public meetings on the UK Marine Bill scheduled to take place in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There are no plans to holdpublic meetings on the UK Marine Bill but the issue formed part of the ScottishCoastal Forum’s Conference, Scotland’s Coastal Future – Seizing theOpportunity?, held on 18 April 2006. The Scottish Coastal Forum plans to host a further…
4 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to encourage Scottish people to respond to the UK Marine Bill consultation.
Answer · Ross Finnie: On the 29 March 2006, the Executive wrote to over 300 stakeholders alerting them to the consultation onthe UK Marine Bill. The Scottish Coastal Forum are also planning to host an eventin Perth on the 5 June to bring together stakeholders in the marineenvironm…
4 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards and arrangements it considers should be in place for nervous children who are called as witnesses in sheriff courts to give evidence in domestic violence cases when their parents are both the alleged victim and the accused and the accused is present in court, in light of t…
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act2004 gives all child witnesses an automatic right to use standard special measuresto assist them give their best evidence and help reduce the fear and distress ofdoing so. The standard special measures are: giving eviden…
12 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17434 by Hugh Henry on 21 June 2005, what additional support it is making available to emergency planning strategic co-ordinating groups so that they can continue to lead improvements in civil protection capabilities.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Hugh Henry explained our intentionto make funding available for co-ordinator posts in each of the eight strategicco-ordinating groups across Scotland to support their crucial role in implementing the statutoryduties imposed by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004…
24 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are being made to support community environment groups whose funding will be spent by the end of March but whose follow-on funding from the Strategic Waste Fund, INCREASE or similar sources will not be available for some months.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We have received a number ofbids to the Strategic Waste Fund (SWF) from local authorities which include supportfor community sector groups in their area. As with any bid to the SWF we will needto ensure that value for money criteria are met before an award is…
10 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out the steps it is taking in co-operation with the Northern Ireland administration to attract an operator to run a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive in co-operationwith the Northern Ireland administration initiated a tendering exercise in 2005for a subsidised public service contract to operate a passenger and vehicle ferryservice between Campbeltown in Argyll and Ballycastle in Antr…
22 Feb 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether residents of north-west Sutherland will be able to access discounted flights from Wick Airport.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The precise boundary of the eligiblearea within the Highland Council region will be defined in consultation with thecouncil.</p>
15 Feb 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for continuing the central heating programme for pensioners.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have already made it clear that I plan to continue the central heating programme for pensioners beyond 2006. Further details will be announced shortly.</p>
1 Feb 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the recent figures on police assault, as reported in The Scotsman on 26 January 2006.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are aware of these reports. Attacks on the police and other emergency workers, who we all depend on for the vital services they provide, are abhorrent and I am sure that the Parliament joins with me in condemning them. The Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act …
21 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the proposal to increase the generating capacity of the existing wind-powered generating station at Paul’s Hill in Moray.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I can announce that the Scottish ministers have granted consent for this proposal in terms of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. This will increase capacity at the wind farm to 65 Megawatts.</p> <p>This announcement follows a lengthy consultation process…