Parliamentary questions

Pauline McNeill

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

30 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in order to reduce the circulation of illegal guns, following the report in the Sunday Mail on 27 January 2002 that there was a marked increase in the number of gun-related crimes and deaths in 2001.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Firearms policy and legislation are reserved matters. However, the Scottish Executive is represented on the Firearms Consultative Committee, the independent statutory body established to keep under review the working of the provisions of the Firearms Acts and…

21 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report the findings of the Review of Cities.

Answer · Iain Gray: I expect the review to conclude in the spring of 2002.

21 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that police officers do not avoid contact with people from black and minority ethnic communities for fear that they might be labelled "racist" as highlighted in the research evidence made available to the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Chief Constables both individually and collectively through the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland are providing diversity awareness training, guidance and support to create a climate which will enable officers to engage with confidence and in a…

21 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve police practice in dealing with both minority ethnic and white young people as a result of the evidence of poor practice highlighted in the research made available to the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is primarily a matter for Chief Constables to consider. However, under the direction of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the Scottish Police Service is considering the research findings and what improvements it could make to improve …

21 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve relations between the police and young people as a result of the research evidence made available to the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group showing that both minority ethnic and white youths appear alienated from the police.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive regards the report on the use of police stop and search powers as an important contribution to the understanding of police practice in this area. While the findings provide reassurance that the powers are being used appropriately, they …

21 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action the new National Waiting Times Co-ordination Unit will take to improve the service for cancer patients at the Beatson Oncology Unit in Glasgow.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Interim arrangements for the provision of oncology clinics in the west of Scotland serviced by the Beatson Oncology Centre consultants were announced by NHS Greater Glasgow on 18 January 2002. These arrangements seek to ensure that services for patients with …

17 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what areas have been identified as being in need of further examination following the report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland, Second Year Review of Scottish Criminal Record Office Primary Inspection of 2000.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This report highlighted the commitment demonstrated by Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) to continuous improvement. The primary report made 17 recommendations as well as five suggestions for improvement in a variety of areas. Her Majesty's Inspectorate o…

17 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20313 on 17 December 2001 by Mr Jim Wallace, when it will announce the date of publication of the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Publication will coincide with the start of the consultation process, likely to commence within the next couple of months.

16 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what financial support it has given in the current financial year to both the Piping Centre and the College of Piping in Glasgow.

Answer · Elaine Murray: A grant of £300,000 has been given to the Piping Centre. No grant has been made to the College of Piping.

10 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will relaunch the Individual Learning Accounts scheme following its closure and what advice is being given to lifelong learners in the interim.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: We remain committed to encouraging the widest possible participation in lifelong learning. We are actively considering what future arrangements might be put in place to support individual learning. I expect to be able to say more about this later in the sprin…

10 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans have been made to provide on-going support to lifelong learners who have not yet activated their Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) following the closure of the ILA scheme.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Learners who enrolled in learning before the scheme's closure will be able to proceed, if their learning starts before the end of this month. Letters have gone to all account holders explaining the reasons for the closure and providing them with details of a …

10 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many lifelong learners have been affected by the closure of the Individual Learning Accounts scheme.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: At 7 January 2002, 253,952 people held Individual Learning Accounts. 116,465 of these have engaged in ILA-assisted learning.

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4262 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, what representations it has received over any difficulties in contacting the Student Loans Company Ltd.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I have not received any representations concerning difficulties in contacting the Student Loans Company. The company has specific performance targets on answering telephone calls and acknowledging and responding to complaints, its performance against which is…

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4262 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, how many times it met the Student Loans Company Ltd in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Officials from the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland meet regularly with officials at the Student Loans Company. Complete details of all meetings held between the department and the company over any particu…

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4262 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, what guidance is given to the Student Loans Company Ltd on the use of tracing companies dealing with debt.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: No specific guidance is given to the Student Loans Company on the use of tracing companies. The company is responsible for following established procedures on inviting tenders for the subcontracting of its debt recovery function.

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20018 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 29 November 2001, what consultation with MSPs will be undertaken before publication of the Clyde Shipbuilding Task Force report.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Clyde Shipyards Task Force included Gordon Jackson MSP as chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Shipbuilding Group. The task force do not plan individual consultations in advance of publication of the report in the next few weeks.

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the occurrence of cancer as a percentage of the population was in each cancer centre area in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows, by NHS board areas for the years 1994-98, the number of patients diagnosed with cancer and percentage of the population served by Scotland's five cancer centres. However, it should be noted that oncology services are provided throug…

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19478 by Susan Deacon on 21 November 2001, what plans there are to increase the number of linear accelerators per million of population at the Beatson Oncology Centre in Glasgow.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: During 2002-03, two additional linear accelerators will be purchased and installed at the Beatson Oncology Centre, funded by the Scottish Executive's radiotherapy equipment modernisation programme. This will bring the total number of linear accelerators to 10…

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19747 by Susan Deacon on 21 November 2001, what financial resources (a) have been made available to the cancer centres in (i) Aberdeen, (ii) Dundee, (iii) Edinburgh, (iv) Glasgow and (v) Inverness in each of the last five years and (b) will be made a…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. NHS trust chief executives at the acute hospital trusts which host Scotland's cancer centres will be able to provide information locally - Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust, Tayside University Hospitals N…

8 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19685 by Jackie Baillie on 19 November 2001, what proportion of asylum seekers in Scotland are currently attending further education courses.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The information requested is not held centrally.

21 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its press release SE5006/2001 on 10 December 2001, (a) whether it will outline a timetable for the creation of a Human Rights Commission for Scotland, (b) how many commissioners will be appointed to the commission, (c) what its relationship will be with the existing bodies (i)…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has decided in principle to establish a Scottish Human Rights Commission. No decision has yet been taken on the timetable or on the detailed structure and membership of such a body. I intend to put forward proposals on those issues for consultat…