Parliamentary questions

Pauline McNeill

2,367 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnant women have been tested for HIV in the Greater Glasgow NHS Board area in each year since 1999.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

9 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Glasgow City Council will be compensated for services that it delivers to residents beyond the city boundaries.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The vast majority of Glasgow City Council's expenditure is on services for its residents, including, for example, education and social work. However, Glasgow's revenue grant allocation takes into account costs associated with commuters, tourists and other peo…

9 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what limitations will be attached to the #40.1 million allocated to Glasgow under the City Growth Fund.

Answer · Andy Kerr: As specified in guidance made available on 9 January 2003 to accompany the reports of the Review of Scotland's Cities, release of cities' allocations from the City Growth Fund will be dependent on satisfactory outputs from the proposed City Vision exer…

9 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #40.1 million allocated to Glasgow under the City Growth Fund will be made available in the first year of the fund.

Answer · Andy Kerr: £8.897 million will be made available to Glasgow in the first year of the City Growth Fund, to promote growth and opportunities in the city and city-region.

8 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue a consultation document on minimum sentencing for the possession of firearms.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no plans for such a document given that firearms legislation is reserved.

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who represents Scotland on the Firearms Consultative Committee.

Answer · Jim Wallace: A senior official from the Scottish Executive Justice Department and a chief officer from a Scottish police force are the members from Scotland who attend the Firearms Consultative Committee.

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23704 by Mr Jim Wallace on 18 March 2002, why information on the sei'ure of illegal firearms is not held centrally and what information is available to gauge the extent of illegal firearm possession.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is consulting with Scottish police forces, via the Scottish Criminal Statistics Committee, about collecting information on the numbers of seizures of illegally held firearms. Scottish police forces hold such information but do not curre…

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many firearm licence certificates were issued for 2001.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The requested information on the number of firearm certificates issued in 2001 is published in Table 1 of the statistical bulletin Firearm Certificates Statistics, Scotland, 2001. Copies of the bulletin are available in Parliament's Reference Centre (B…

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes in 2001 involved the use of firearms.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The requested information on the number of crimes and offences involving the alleged use of firearms in 2001 is published in Table 1 of the statistical bulletin Recorded Crimes and Offences Involving Firearms, Scotland, 2001. Copies of the bulle…

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will establish appropriate accommodation, such as places of safety, for vulnerable children including children abused through prostitution.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Local authorities have powers under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to provide short-term refuges for children who appear to be at risk of harm. The role of the local authority in providing refuge is to provide the child with somewhere safe to stay and any o…

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children abused through prostitution are currently under the care of social work services.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has established a working group containing a range of external experts to consider the support needs of children who run away from home and children abused through prostitution. The working group has established that there is a lack of data o…

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will launch the healthy eating campaign and the national standards for school meals.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The national healthy eating campaign, "healthyliving", was launched on 7 January 2003. An announcement about the standards for school meals, which are part of the report of the Expert Panel on School Meals, will be made shortly.

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cities Review will be published.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We are today publishing a report of the analysis carried out during the Review of Scotland's Cities and a policy statement Building Better Cities which describes proposals for action to deliver growth and opportunities through the future success…

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to the medical director at the Beatson Oncology Centre in Glasgow in relation to recruiting at least five clinical oncologists at the centre.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: National and international recruitment continues to be pursued against the background of recognised shortages in the oncology specialties across the UK. In this, the Beatson Oncology Centre is supported by the HR Department within the North Glasgow University…

1 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in discussions with Her Majesty's Government on uprating the threshold for payment for student loans and the graduate endowment.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range if issues including collection of student loan repayments.There is no income threshold for payment of the graduate endowment.

19 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the analysis of the responses to its consultation paper Vital Voices - Helping Vulnerable Witnesses Give Evidence will be published.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The report is being published today and will be available on the Scottish Executive website. Copies have also been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 25644).

17 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long patients are expected to wait for their first appointment with a specialist after an urgent referral by their general practitioner for suspected breast cancer.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) criteria for breast cancer services standards, state:Essential a minimum of 70% of patients referred to a symptomatic clinic are seen within four weeks from date of GP referral.Desirable a minimum of 80% …

11 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken over the festive period to increase public safety and reduce crime in city centres at night.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Deployment of police officers and local crime prevention initiatives are an operational matter for individual chief constables. We are supporting phase four of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland-led Safer Scotland campaign which focuses on h…

28 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the development of Scotland's Major Events Strategy.

Answer · Mike Watson: The First Minister announced this morning the publication of the Major Events Strategy and that a new body called EventScotland would be established to take forward implementation. The strategy and the news release which accompanied the First Minister's annou…

20 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Glasgow Harbour development and Clyde waterfront regeneration project will improve the social and housing mix in the west end of Glasgow.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The outline planning application for this proposed development was cleared back to Glasgow City Council on 28 June 2001 by ministers. It was for the council to decide what issues were relevant when determining whether to grant planning permission.

20 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why social housing has not been included in the Glasgow Harbour development and whether such housing will be included in the Clyde waterfront regeneration project.

20 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of community participation is planned for the Clyde waterfront regeneration project and the Glasgow Harbour development.

Answer · Iain Gray: In recognition of the importance of community participation in the Clyde Waterfront regeneration proposals, the Clyde Waterfront Working Group has established a Community Regeneration Sub-Group. This sub-group will look specifically at the impact of on-going …

20 Nov 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent social inclusion is tied to the economic agenda for the regeneration of the River Clyde waterfront and the Glasgow Harbour development.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of social inclusion for the sustainable regeneration of the Clyde Waterfront. The Clyde Waterfront Working Group focuses on social inclusion issues through its Community Regeneration Sub-Group. The Glasgow Harb…

13 Nov 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether licenses for houses in multiple occupation (HMO) are being issued for properties for which appropriate planning permission has not also been sought.

Answer · Hugh Henry: It is for local licensing authorities to determine what conditions must be met before a licence for a house in multiple occupation is granted. HMO licensing and planning control are not linked in law and not all HMOs require planning permission. Some authorit…

30 Oct 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking on the current industrial dispute at the Central College of Commerce in Glasgow.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have nothing further to add to the answer given to question S1O-5472 on 5 September 2002, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.s…

2 Oct 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to attract, support and retain quality, high-skill call centre enterprises.

Answer · Iain Gray: We continue to work through Scottish Development International to promote Scotland as a quality location for value-added, high-skill call centres, emphasising our educational strengths, providing support and assistance with identifying locations and training,…

16 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, whether there are any plans to review the system of appointments to the boards of management of further education colleges.

Answer · Iain Gray: An extensive consultation exercise seeking views on future governance and accountability arrangements in the further education sector is currently under way. The appointment of boards of management is one issue on which views are being sought.

16 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, what mechanism exists to hold boards of management of further education colleges to account.

Answer · Iain Gray: Boards of management are accountable to the Scottish ministers through powers delegated to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council in the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992.

16 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, what appeal mechanism is available to staff of further education colleges should there be a breakdown in industrial relations.

Answer · Iain Gray: Arrangements whereby staff in colleges of further education may appeal against disciplinary action would normally be covered by the disciplinary code of the college concerned and by general employment law provisions.

16 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, what action can be taken should there be a breakdown in industrial relations in the further education sector.

Answer · Iain Gray: Industrial relations and employment issues within further education colleges, which are autonomous bodies in terms of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992, are for the colleges themselves to address.