Parliamentary questions

Maureen Macmillan

249 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

27 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the annual report of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner, appointed under section 91(1)(a) of the Police Act 1997, will be laid before the Parliament.

Answer · Donald Dewar: A copy of Sir Andrew Leggatt's annual report for 1999-2000 is being laid before Parliament today in accordance with section 107(3) of the Police Act 1997. After consultation with the Chief Commissioner and Scottish Ministers in accordance with section 107(4) …

5 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the Scottish Prison Service as an agency for 2000-01.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The following table shows the targets which I have set the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service for 2000-01, together with the service's performance against targets in previous years.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=621><TR><TD WIDTH=…

5 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects publication of the report of the Verification Visit carried out by the European Commission in terms of Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The European Commission's report of its visit to Scotland last year was published today. I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty gives the European…

5 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the Scottish Court Service for 2000-01.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The targets I have set for the Scottish Court Service (SCS) are shown in the table below. Scottish Court Service Targets 2000-01<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 BORDERCOLOR="#000000" CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=576><TR><TD WIDTH="16%" VALIGN="TOP"><P AL…

28 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any changes are proposed in the licensing and quota management arrangements for the under 10 metre fleet.

Answer · John Home Robertson: The under 10 metre fleet is an important part of the fishing industry and I intend to promote a stable future for Scottish inshore fishermen. I have discussed the options for action in this area with the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group.<P ALIGN="JUS…

22 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on preventing a person accused of a sex offence from personally cross-examining the alleged victim.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Work is underway on legislative proposals to prevent an accused person charged with a sex offence from cross-examining a victim in person and to strengthen provisions restricting cross-examination on sexual history. Three main options have been identified to …

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the OSPAR Strategy with regard to radioactive substances.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The UK Government has today launched a public consultation on the "UK Discharge Strategy for Radioactive Discharges, 2001-20". That strategy aims to implement in the UK the commitments of the OSPAR strategy with regard to radioactive substances. I h…

17 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support projects such as the Venture Trust at Applecross, Wester Ross, as an alternative to custodial sentences for young offenders.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive is considering how the current range of options for non-custodial sentences for young offenders might be developed as part of the present Review of Youth Crime. The possibility of funding the Venture Trust at Applecross, to provide programmes th…

4 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long it is taking on average for appeals, by way of Bill of Advocation on the grounds that the case was dealt with by a tribunal which was not impartial and independent, to be heard.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There are no Bills of Advocation on these grounds outstanding. However, at present there are 75 pending Bills of Suspension before the Criminal Appeal Court in respect of matters arising from the earlier decision in the case of Starrs v. Ruxton relating to wh…

20 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future of freshwater fishing.

Answer · John Home Robertson: I am today publishing a review and consultation document, Protecting and Promoting Scotland's Freshwater Fish and Fisheries, produced jointly by the Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage.The review covers the key issues af…

6 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to allay concerns about escapes from fish farms.

Answer · John Home Robertson: I am very conscious of the concerns which arise when, more often than not as a result of severe weather conditions, escapes occur from fish farms.A small group, chaired by the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department, and involving repre…

5 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement regarding the options for managing Prototype Fast Reactor fuels at Dounreay.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive, together with the UK Government, is committed to dealing with the remaining liabilities at Dounreay safely and securely, in an environmentally acceptable manner, and in a way that represents value for money to the taxpayer. In order to…

31 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Legal Aid Board's criteria are for granting legal aid for an interdict under the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection)(Scotland) Act 1981, and how many times it has refused to grant legal aid and on what grounds.

Answer · Jim Wallace: As with all civil legal aid applications, the board will grant civil legal aid for an interdict under the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981 if the application satisfies three statutory tests. The tests are financial eligibility, probab…

24 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to support and expand the school library service, particularly in relation to the function of school libraries as a central IT resource for schools and the role of librarians in facilitating use of the Internet and CD-ROMS.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The organisation and structure of school library services are matters for the individual local authorities. We recognise the contribution school librarians can make to the delivery of the education service in a number of ways, including their skills in the ar…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to whom the Cromarty Firth Port Authority is accountable.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Cromarty Firth Port Authority is an independent statutory trust established under the Cromarty Firth Port Authority Order Confirmation Act 1973. The authority is formally accountable to its trustees as established in the constitution provided for in the 1973&…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the runway at Wick Airport has fallen into a state of disrepair, given that funds for its upkeep should be available from the Highlands and Islands Airports Limited block grant.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Recent engineers' reports for Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) identified that the substrate of the main runway at Wick Airport had deteriorated more rapidly than had been anticipated. In addition, HIAL is also faced with implementing additional regu…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the recent publication of the report of the Joint Government and Industry Working Group on Infectious Salmon Anaemia, it proposes to ensure that there will be facilities for rendering ensiled salmon waste in Scotland in the future.

Answer · John Home Robertson: The recycling of waste by rendering represents a business opportunity for the private sector with environmental and disease containment benefits. A number of companies are known to have an interest in this and have plans at various stages of development.

6 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the members of the board of the Cromarty Firth Port Authority.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are seven members of the Board of Cromarty Firth Port Authority namely;Mr Peter Grant, CBE (Chairman)Mr Roy MacGregorMr Allan WhitefordMrs Val MacIverMr Alexa…

6 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will initiate an inquiry and if necessary make representations to Her Majesty's Government into allegations of irregularity in the awarding of contracts for harbour services by the Cromarty Firth Port Authority.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Cromarty Firth Port Authority is an independent statutory trust port. The Executive has no plans to initiate any inquiry concerning Cromarty Firth Port Authority, or to make representations concerning the authority to Her Majesty's Government.

6 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide full details of the procedures used by Cromarty Firth Port Authority in awarding contracts for harbour services.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Cromarty Firth Port Authority is an independent statutory trust port. The procedures used by the authority in its commercial activities are a matter for the port to determine. Guidance on national standards which the Executive expects trust ports to follow on…

29 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the decision on the application submitted by Scottish and Southern Energy for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct and operate a 3MW hydro-electric power station on the Abhainn Cuileig, Ross-shire.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: Scottish Ministers have decided to grant consent for Scottish and Southern Energy's application. This decision was taken after careful consideration of all the representations and comments received in connection with the application. The scheme is expected to…

15 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in approving Orkney Islands Council's Winter Keep Disaster Aid Scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Council's proposals to provide weather-related financial assistance to farmers are being assessed under new EU guidelines for state aids in the agricultural sector, which were published in the Official Journal at the end of January, but which apply retros…

9 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to ensure that resources for tackling domestic abuse will reach rural areas.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: Bids for grant from the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund will be considered in accordance with the Application Guidance issued on 1 December 1999. The aim of the fund is to improve local circumstances and we expect to receive bids from local authoritie…

2 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2917 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 December 1999, whether it will provide a breakdown of the subject matter of the 64 interdicts sought by women and the 16 interdicts sought by men which were refused after offer, and what the reasons were for refusal.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Of the 80 applicants referred to in my previous answer, 12 women and 8 men subsequently accepted legal aid, reducing the number of refusals after offer to 60.Complete information regarding these 60 cases is not available. However, the table…

2 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the results of the Scottish Legal Aid Board's civil legal aid pilot scheme will be made available.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Board do not intend to publish a formal report of the results of the pilot. However, I would be happy to inform the Member of the conclusions from the pilot, when these are available. I will also ensure that information is made available to all MSPs.

2 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Legal Aid Board has extended the pilot scheme which allows civil legal aid repayments to be made over two years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The pilot has not been extended as the results are still being analysed by Scottish Legal Aid Board.

11 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take in the light of the recent Policy and Financial Management Review of the Crofters Commission.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is strongly committed to supporting crofting, and to modernising crofting legislation and administration. The Crofters Commission will play a key role in this.The recent review of the Crofters Commission has concluded that the functi…

11 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it proposes to undertake consultation on the problems of leylandii and other high hedges.

Answer · Jim Wallace: A consultation paper has been issued by my Department today. The paper invites the views of interested parties on the extent of problems experienced in Scotland from leylandii and other high hedges and on the adequacy of existing remedies. The consultation pa…

7 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding granting consent to Highlands and Islands Enterprise to proceed with the redevelopment of the Aviemore Centre.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: Negotiations between Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the developers are at an advanced stage. An announcement will be made as soon as all outstanding matters have been concluded.

2 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many men in the last year were offered civil legal aid and subsequently declined it; what the subject matter of these cases was, and how much money would have been involved if those men who turned down civil legal aid had been granted full civil legal aid without having to pay contrib…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the Member to my answer to S1W-2916.