Parliamentary questions
Nora Radcliffe
316 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what activities its Education Department has engaged in to address homophobia in the last year and how it intends to proceed in this regard over the next year.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12362 on 1 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…
18 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what activities it has engaged in to support those who experience domestic abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relationships in the last year and how it intends to proceed in this regard over the next year.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive believes that all forms of violence are unacceptable and is aware of the issue of abuse within lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender relationships. We are discussing with LGBT organisations what work could be undertaken on this issue.<…
18 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in the last year to support the activities of the Scottish police service in tackling crime motivated by homophobia and how it intends to proceed in this regard over the next year.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Whilst the Scottish Police service deals with all types of crime, it is for individual chief constables to determine the deployment of the resources at their disposal to meet local needs and priorities. The police recognise the importance of providing an envi…
17 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the pilot scheme to pay special constables in Grampian and Tayside.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Special constables make a valuable contribution to the community. I welcome this pilot scheme which runs throughout 2004‑05. We are monitoring progress and a final assessment will be made in early 2005.</p>
17 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the replacement of the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution scheme for recycling farm plastics.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No. That was a pilot project. Any further support would be likely to be an illegal state aid since it would undermine a commercial business operating in this area.</p>
12 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to link sustainable flood management with other existing and forthcoming policies, such as the reformed Common Agricultural Policy schemes, to deliver sustainable flood management in the most cost-effective way.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Sustainable flood management is a developing subject area internationally; the inclusion in the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 of a duty to promote sustainable flood management has set an example for other EU member states to follow.…
12 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that its departments adopt a fully integrated approach to deliver sustainable flood management under section 2 (4) of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The National Technical Advisory Group (NTAG) on Flooding Issues was tasked with producing a definition of sustainable flood management (within the meaning of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003) that would be acceptable to all stakeho…
12 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the £89 million increase in funding to local authorities for flood prevention schemes over the next three years is used to deliver sustainable flood management objectives.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Section 2 of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 requires Scottish ministers, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the “responsible authorities” to promote sustainable flood management, subject to social and economic consid…
12 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that its departments adopt a fully integrated approach to deliver the most effective controls for diffuse pollution under the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has opened discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and other interested parties in how diffuse pollution should best be controlled. It is envisaged that the mechanisms of control will develop an integrated approach to provide…
12 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been made available to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in the spending review to implement the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 in each year from 2005-06 to 2009-10 and, in particular, what resources have been made available for (a) r…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Subject to parliamentary approval, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has been allocated resources of £32.57 million, £34.57 million and £35.57 million respectively in each of the three years, 2005‑06, 2006‑07 and 2007‑08 cove…
12 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources in total have been estimated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to be necessary to fully implement the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 in each year from 2005-06 to 2009-10 and, in particular, what resources have been made available for (a…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The estimation of resources that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) consider necessary to implement the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 is an operational matter for SEPA. The resource allocation to SEPA is covered in th…
12 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with regard to characterising wetlands under section 5 (1) and (2) of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has made funds available to initiate the characterisation of wetlands as required by the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act2003. This work is currently in its early stages, with the initial phase focusingon collating de…
10 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to investigate and improve the operation of NHS contracts for dentists.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I too am concerned about this important issue. I fully recognise the problems of access to dental services in Scotland and that some dentists are withdrawing NHS provision. That is why we are currently taking a fundamental look at the way NHS dental services …
5 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of GPs keep a record of carers in their medical records.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the percentage of GPs who keep a record of carers in their medical records is not held centrally.</p><p>Under the terms of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GP practices will be financially rewarded under the Quality and Outcomes…
5 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of GPs offer a special appointments system for carers.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the percentage of GPs offering a special appointments system for carers is not held centrally.</p><p>The NHS (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 require GP practices to offer consultations to all registered patients…
5 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of carers have had their needs assessed.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Both the Executive and national carers’ organisations estimate that there are in the region of 600,000 carers in Scotland. From January 2005 local authorities are being requested for the first time to report on the number of carers’ assessments being carried …
5 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults are estimated to provide informal care for elderly people.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: This precise information is not available. Several of the key components however are, and work is in hand to improve our understanding of the situation. </p><p>Audit Scotland currently collect annual information on the number of community care assessments and…
5 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors incidences of elder abuse.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive does not monitor incidences of elder abuse.</p>
5 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to victims of elder abuse.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: This is primarily a matter forlocal authorities, based on meeting individual need. </p><p>The Executive funds Victim SupportScotland to provide information, advice and support to all victims of crime, andgives core funding to Age Concern Scotland, and its Eld…
3 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is being offered to NHS boards to enable them to recruit dentists from other countries in the European Union.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive currently doesnot offer specific assistance to boards aimed at recruiting dentists from abroad.We have, however, introduced allowances aimed at recruiting dentists to provideNHS general dental services and dentists from the European Union who me…
3 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to recruit dentists from other countries in the European Union to alleviate the shortage of dentists in Scotland, in particular in the north east.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The responsibility for recruiting dentists is a matter for NHS boards and independent dental practitioners who own dental practices. I understand that some boards and indeed some dental practitioners have advertised vacancies and recruited from abroad but spe…
3 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding or professional expertise is available for community councils to help them engage with companies, in particular on planning proposals.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Planning Aidfor Scotland provides community councils andothers with free, impartial, professional advice and information on theplanning system. The service is part-funded by the Scottish Executive.</p>
26 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to implement the recommendations of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland’s marine energy group report.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The report, which was published in July, contains recommendations for action by industry, the support agencies, and academia as well as by Government. All recommendations are currently being assessed. We hope to be able to make the first announcements about i…
14 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with regard to designating responsible authorities and their functions under sections 2(6) and (8) of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has begun the process of identifying possible responsible authorities and discussing the duties and implications of designation for those bodies. We propose to issue a discussion paper to all the relevant bodies and aim to lay the designation or…
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of pig farms are in compliance with paragraph 21 of Schedule 6 to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 which only allows tail-docking to be carried out after other measures to improve environmental conditions or management systems have been t…
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-11249 answered on 18 October 2004. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search…
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of pig farms are in compliance with paragraph 16 of Schedule 6 to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003, which requires pigs to have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, pea…
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is not possible to state what proportion of pig farms comply with the requirements of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 as we do not have information on every pig farm. However, the State Veterinary Service (SVS) and loca…
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards implementing wildlife crime measures in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and when such measures will come into force.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The wildlife protection measures in Part 3 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 will be brought into force by a Commencement Order on 1 October 2004. Part 3 also makes provision for the preparation by Scottish Natural Heritage of a Scottish Marine W…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice or guidance is available to local authorities and other public bodies on the integration of biodiversity conservation into their consideration of best value policies and what steps it has taken to promote such advice.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive recognises that public bodies have a key role to play in safeguarding and conserving Scotland’s biodiversity. The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 will give all public bodies in Scotland a duty to further the conservation of biod…
15 Sep 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce strategic environmental assessment legislation.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Strategic environmental assessment legislation came into force on 20 July 2004 by way of The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Scotland) Regulations.</p><p>The Legislative Programme, announced on 7 September, includes The EnvironmentalAssessme…
6 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had, or plans to have, discussions with the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding funding for activities that will deliver the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is in regular dialogue with the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland (HLF), regarding the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, through the HLF’s membership of the Strategy Steering Group of the Scottish Biodiversity Forum. Since its establishme…