Parliamentary questions
Trish Godman
601 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been made available for the training of teachers in educational courses designed to tackle drug, alcohol and tobacco misuse.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Guidelines for initial teacher education courses in Scotland require that courses prepare teachers entering the profession to be responsive to the needs of all pupils in respect of health and general well being. The guidelines are not prescriptive and each tr…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage breastfeeding amongst those sectors of the population where the incidence is low.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Health Plan <I>Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change</I> and <I>A Framework for Maternity Services</I> <I>in Scotland</I> make clear the Scottish Executive's commitment to promoting breastfeeding across Scotland. The Scottish …
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce waiting times for services by allowing NHS primary care trusts to commission health services from other European Union member states.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish NHS primary care trusts are not responsible for commissioning health services, and consequently we have no such plans. However, we have announced a number of waiting times targets which will help to reduce waiting in the NHS, and this remains our top…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines have been issued to health boards and NHS primary care trusts regarding the commissioning of NHS operations in other European Union member states.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No such guidelines have issued to NHS Boards, which are responsible for commissioning health services in Scotland, or to NHS Trusts. However, the Scottish Executive and NHSScotland keeps under review the potential contribution all providers of healthcare can …
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients have had their operations carried out in hospitals in other European Union member states in the past 12 months.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Last year, around 1,100 patients from all parts of the United Kingdom received their treatment overseas under the long established EC reciprocal arrangements. Separate figures for Scotland are not available.
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) seasonal workers are currently employed in the agricultural industry and what percentage of the (i) agricultural and (ii) total workforce each of these figures represents.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Data from <I>the Annual Labour Force Survey (Autumn 2000 - Summer 2001)</I> show that the number of full-time workers employed in the agricultural industry is 51,000, which accounts for 89.5% of employment in agricultural industry. The number of part-time wor…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made on whether additional funding will be required to meet the costs of anti-terrorism measures required since 11 September 2001.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has regular contacts with police forces about a range of matters, including funding, and the implications of the events of 11 September are still under review. However, some additional resources have already been made available as a res…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have indicated a wish to participate in the proposed electoral pilot schemes under the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill and what criteria will be used to assess these schemes.
Answer · Peter Peacock: No local authority has yet formally indicated that it wishes to take part in the proposed electoral pilot schemes. Guidance to councils about how to participate in the schemes will be issued early in the New Year. A number of councils have indicated informall…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children received a statement of educational needs in the West Renfrewshire parliamentary constituency area in 2000.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is provided in the table.<P>Number of pupils with a Record of Needs attending schools in the West Renfrewshire constituency area<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=453><TR><TD WIDTH="29%" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN=2 HEIGHT=16>…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has issued to local authorities concerning the care and security of unaccompanied asylum seeking children who have been dispersed to Scotland and what information it has on the numbers of such children.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Immigration and asylum are reserved matters. The Home Office advise that around 1,560 unaccompanied children aged 17 or under applied for asylum in the United Kingdom in the first two quarters of 2001. The most recently published UK information is for 2000 an…
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines have been issued to health boards concerning the psychiatric treatment of detained patients and their rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No specific guidance has been issued on this issue.
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines have been issued to police forces concerning the stopping of motorists who use hand-held mobile phones whilst driving their vehicles.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has not issued any such guidelines but the then Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions issued general guidance in 1998 on the risks of using a mobile phone while driving, which makes it clear that, if using a mobile phone …
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment has been made of the impact of closed circuit television systems on levels of street crime in (a) Scotland and (b) the parliamentary constituency of West Renfrewshire.
Answer · Richard Simpson: Since 1996 the Scottish Executive has awarded funding of over £10 million to more than 160 public CCTV systems throughout Scotland. There has been no national assessment of the effect of those systems on levels of street crime and I am not aware of any system…
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what new regulations are to be introduced governing the installation of smoke alarms in new build houses.
Answer · Iain Gray: Regulations already exist that require the installation of smoke alarms in new dwellings.
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all bids made for major sporting events to be held in Scotland in the future.
Answer · Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive recently bid for the Ryder Cup golf tournament and the event is to be held in Scotland in 2014. The Executive is presently assisting the Scottish Football Association with consideration of whether to bid for the European Nations Footbal…
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total visitor attendance figures were at art galleries and museums in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and what the estimated figures are for (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03.
Answer · Elaine Murray: The number of visitors to the National Galleries of Scotland and National Museums of Scotland in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and the first six months of 2001-02 are set out in the table.<P><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=444><TR><TD WIDTH="43%" VALIGN=…
27 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the next meeting of the British-Irish Council will take place; which country will host the meeting, and whether the issue of drug misuse will be on the agenda.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The next summit level meeting of the British-Irish Council will be hosted by Jersey in April 2002, and will focus on the issue of Knowledge Economy. Following that, we look forward to hosting a summit in Scotland in autumn 2002 on the subject of social inclus…
19 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance has been made available to (a) Inverclyde Council and (b) Renfrewshire Council in respect of flooding and related problems in each of the last four years.
Answer · Allan Wilson: All of the flood prevention schemes (FPS) taken forward by Inverclyde Council and Renfrewshire Council under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, have been supported by the Executive and all received financial assistance.<P>Flood prevention grant, at the…
19 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects have been set up using European Structural Funds grants in Renfrewshire in each of the past four years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The total number of projects based in Renfrewshire awarded European Structural Funds grants over the past four years is 180. Projects have been approved under the Western Scotland Objective 2 Programme (European Regional Development Fund and European Social F…
15 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what European Structural Fund grants have been made available to current projects in Renfrewshire and what the estimated (a) average and (b) total value is in (i) euros and (ii) pounds sterling of each such grant.
Answer · Andy Kerr: 114 European Structural Funds grants have been made to current projects in Renfrewshire amounting to a total of £21,703,857, an average of £190,385 per project. This equates to approximately €34,726,171 at an average of €304,616 per project. As all grants are…
15 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households in the constituency of West Renfrewshire will benefit from the Central Heating Programme and when improvements under the programme will be undertaken in those households.
Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not available on a constituency basis. Six hundred and thirty seven houses owned by Renfrewshire Council are eligible for the Central Heating Programme. The council have been given resources to install central heating and insulation in 140…
15 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many young (a) men and (b) women are currently undergoing industrial apprenticeships in (i) Renfrewshire and (ii) Scotland and what the comparable figures were for 1996.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: There are currently 940 men and 242 women undergoing Modern Apprenticeships which are supported by Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire, and 14,911 men and 3,941 women doing so across Scotland. Figures are not available for 1996.
14 Nov 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive payments in respect of the costs of repair of the Erskine Bridge from those parties considered responsible for damaging the bridge.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This matter is still working its way through the court process. Following the serving of the summons, defences have been lodged and the pleadings are now being adjusted. As there is still some way to go in procedural terms, it is impossible to predict how lon…
25 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide additional funding and other forms of assistance for children with special educational needs in the current financial year.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive will provide an additional £1.3 million of funding this financial year through the Inclusion Programme, to support education authorities in making information and communication technology more accessible to pupils with special education…
25 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received concerning the funding of playschemes for children with special educational needs.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has received representations from yourself, on behalf of your constituents, about summer playscheme provision for children with special educational needs in Renfrewshire.<P>The Executive encourages local authorities to develop inclusive…
17 Oct 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to modify the definition of a "vulnerable witness" in relation to adolescent and adult complainants in cases involving sexual assault.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive intends to issue a Consultation Paper on protection of vulnerable witnesses early in 2002. This will look at the issue you raise. We will decide whether changes to the law are needed following the consultation.
12 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received concerning a national adult literacy and numeracy agency.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: There have been no recent representations.
4 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has held with the Scottish Transport Group concerning a replacement programme for the older passenger ferries owned and managed by Caledonian MacBrayne.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd ceased to be part of the Scottish Transport Group in April 1990 and is now wholly owned by the Scottish ministers. <P>We announced on 23 October details of two new vessels, the first for Mallaig-Armadale and the second for the Sound o…
4 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether negotiations concerning consultant medical staff contracts will enable consultants to provide a service to a specific population and geographical area rather than in a specific building.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: <I>Our National Health</I> already sets out our commitment to developing services that are designed around patients, providing individuals and communities with access to the range of health services they need, when they need it. <P>We will achieve this throug…
4 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from drivers of hearses concerning the toll payments on the Erskine Bridge and whether toll payments by drivers of hearses are compulsory on other bridges where tolls are charged.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive has received two approaches on this issue, including the member's own letter of 2 October. Hearses are required to pay tolls on all four tolled bridges in Scotland. I understand that the toll collector has an informal arrangement with local fune…