Parliamentary questions
Pauline McNeill
2,367 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial resources have been, or will be, allocated to implement the new guidelines on racist crime issued to all chief constables on 26 February 2002.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Funding for the police, which is currently at record levels, is allocated in total to each force. It is for police authorities, in consultation with chief constables, to set budgets for individual forces. Once a budget has been agreed, the use of that budget …
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources (a) were allocated in 2001-02 and (b) will be allocated in 2002-03 to the Caries Prevention Scheme for oral health for children aged six to 10.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The caries prevention scheme is open to all registered six- and seven-year-olds in Scotland. In the period April 2001 to January 2002 payments under the scheme amounted to £1.15 million; and it estimated that a further £250,000 will be paid in the remainder o…
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information has been sent to the residents on the Anderston estate in Glasgow to advise them of the transfer of their houses from Scottish Homes to Communities Scotland.
Answer · Iain Gray: None of Scottish Homes houses at any time transferred to Communities Scotland. All Scottish Homes tenants were supplied with a newsletter in September 2001, which explained the future for Scottish Homes and its remaining tenants. A copy of the newsletter has …
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations it has received from MSPs on planning applications which have been referred to Scottish Ministers since May 1999.
Answer · Margaret Curran: In the period May 1999 to date, 830 planning applications have been notified to the Scottish ministers. To extract and examine each file, current and archived, in order to provide the information requested could only be carried out at disproportionate cost.
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications were referred to Scottish ministers in each month since May 1999.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The number of planning applications referred to the Scottish ministers since 1 May 1999 totals 830. A breakdown by monthly receipt is given in the following table:<P>Cases Notified to the Scottish Ministers since May 1999:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDI…
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been referred to Scottish ministers since May 1999, broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Planning applications, notified to the Scottish ministers, are recorded by planning authority area. Since 1 May 1999, 830 have been referred, but it is not possible to accurately identify these by parliamentary constituency. This is because the information on…
1 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring the Scottish Legal Aid Board carries out on legal aid applications by people from ethnic minorities.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Legal Aid Board, at present, does not hold information on the ethnicity of applicants. Applications for advice and assistance are monitored by gender only and this is reported in the board's annual report.<P>As a public body, under the recently l…
27 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Ministerial Working Group on Women's Offending will be available.
Answer · Richard Simpson: The Ministerial Working Group's report was published today, and is available on the Scottish Executive website.
13 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20841 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 December 2001, whether it plans to take any further action in order to achieve greater alignment of financial support for students in further and higher education.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Since autumn 2001, both the thresholds for parent and spouse contributions and the amounts available for support for students over 18 have been the same regardless of whether the student is on a further or higher education course. <P>We are considering whethe…
13 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20841 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 December 2001, whether higher education institutions will be given greater flexibility in the use of Hardship Funds.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Institutions already have a significant degree of flexibility in the use of Hardship Funds. Institutions themselves decide how to disburse the Hardship Funds to individual students within guidelines laid down by the Scottish Executive. For example, institutio…
13 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20259 by Iain Gray on 6 December 2001, what progress has been made on the target of Eaga Partnerships (Scotland) to install 3,500 heating systems under the Central Heating Installation Programme by March 2002.
Answer · Iain Gray: Good progress has been made. Over 1,400 central heating systems have now been installed and Eaga hope to install 3,500 heating systems by March 2002.
13 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19963 by Nicol Stephen on 11 December 2001, what progress has been made on the audit of current levels of swimming provision and opportunities for school pupils and when the results of its survey will be announced.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The final response to the questionnaire was received in mid-February and the results are being analysed. I expect to report on the results in the next few weeks.
6 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement the trade unions have had in developing the new Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) is represented on the Joint Advisory Committee which is overseeing the development of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients will be able to be treated at the new cancer centre at Gartnavel.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22733.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients can currently be treated at the Beatson Oncology Centre.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As with all cancer centres, the numbers of patients treated at the Beatson Oncology Centre depend on the numbers of new patients referred and the pattern and disposition of in-patient and out-patient services. Out-patient facilities are delivered both at the …
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff will be employed at the new cancer centre at Gartnavel.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22733.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are currently employed at the Beatson Oncology Centre.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: Staffing information below trust level is not available centrally but will be held by local NHS management. Contact details for NHS management personnel are available on: <A HREF="http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk">www.show.scot.nhs.uk</A>.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the last patient to be treated at the Beatson Oncology Centre before services are transferred to the new cancer centre at Gartnavel.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22733.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the first patient to be treated at the new cancer centre at Gartnavel.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22733.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the replacement of the Beatson Oncology Centre with a new cancer centre at Gartnavel will have on on-going patient care.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22733.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the completion of the second phase of the replacement of the Beatson Oncology Centre with a new cancer centre at Gartnavel.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I approved the outline business case for the proposed new West of Scotland Cancer Centre at Gartnavel Hospital on 29 January. Detailed planning for the new centre, including the timetable for the project, services to be provided, numbers of patients capable o…
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-202901 by Malcolm Chisholm on 27 December 2001, what impact the (a) new ultrasound scanner, (b) CT scanner and (c) refurbished x-ray facilities have had on waiting times at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The trust acknowledges that at present waiting times for imaging remain higher than is acceptable. However, it believes that this financial year will see significant improvements through the investment in equipment and the recruitment of additional radiograph…
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20235 by Nicol Stephen on 17 December 2001, what plans it has to expand the Glasgow City Council and Greater Glasgow NHS Board Fruit Plus initiative to all pre-school and primary school children across Scotland.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The NHS in Scotland provides the conduit for the bulk of the £26 million per annum Health Improvement Fund resources, which includes priorities to improve the diet of children through supporting the provision of fruit in pre-school settings and breakfast club…
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20232 by Nicol Stephen on 17 December 2001, how much money was allocated to making improvements in the school meals system in each year since 1998-99 and how much will be allocated in each of the next five years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Resources to support provision of school meals are part of the unhypothecated funding made available to authorities in support of local services including school education. Information in the form requested is, therefore, not collected centrally.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources will be allocated to police forces to reduce bureaucracy in fighting crime following the announcement by the First Minister on 24 January 2002 on this issue.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We have already said that we are aiming to make better use of technology and civilian staff as well as cutting paperwork. The drive to reduce bureaucracy is being taken forward on a range of fronts including, for example, the review of common police services;…
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration the expert panel on school meals will give to the principles of the School Meals (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20232 on 17 December 2001, which set out the remit of the expert panel.
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21665 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002, how many potential learners may be lost in each month during the interim period between the closure of the Individual Learning Accounts scheme and the launch of a replacement scheme.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: It is not possible to quantify this figure on a monthly basis. In total over 215,000 Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) were opened in 2001 and over 108,000 activated. The number of learners taking up learning, with or without an ILA grant, would be expected …
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21664 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002, what advice is being given to those holding Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) who had not enrolled in learning before the end of January 2002, following the closure of the ILA scheme.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Individual Learning Account (ILA) members who had not enrolled in learning before the scheme's closure and who had not started their learning by 31 January cannot now access ILA-discounted learning. However, any learner whose learning was booked on the ILA Ce…
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21663 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002, how many of the 253,952 people who held Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) at 7 January 2002 have been compensated for any loss associated with the closure of the ILA scheme.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: There is no provision under the terms of the Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) scheme to make compensation payments. However, closure of the scheme should not result in a loss to any ILA member. Commitments given to those who had enrolled for learning by the…
5 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what timetable has been set for the implementation of the Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime announced by the First Minister on 28 January 2002.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Action Programme to reduce youth crime 2002 contains 24 action points and work to implement these is under way or in development. We will report on progress by the end of 2002, by which time we expect to have made significant progress.