Pauline McNeill

27 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #150,000 announced by the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs on 20 February 2001 for school Public/Private Partnerships in Glasgow will be spent on Hyndland Secondary School.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer the Member to the answer to question S1W-13720.

27 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #150,000 announced by the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs on 20 February 2001 for school Public/Private Partnerships in Glasgow will be spent on Hillhead High School.

Answer · Jack McConnell: All of the secondary schools managed by Glasgow City Council are being replaced, extended and/or refurbished, according to the needs of each school, under an existing Public/Private Partnership into which the council has already entered, with some financial s…

23 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12330 by Susan Deacon on 6 February 2001, whether it has any plans to increase the number of student midwifery course intakes at Glasgow Caledonian University after 2001-02.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The annual Student Nurse Intake Planning (SNIP) exercise assesses the level of student intake required to provide the nursing and midwifery workforce which employers expect to need in five years' time. The SNIP2001 exercise is currently under way and will aff…

23 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12329 by Susan Deacon on 6 February 2001, how the contracted number of midwifery students at Glasgow Caledonian University was calculated.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The annual Student Nurse Intake Planning exercise takes into account the overall supply and demand of nurses and midwives in Scotland through a workforce planning survey and modelling exercise. This informs the total number of places for nursing and midwifery…

22 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether waiting times at the Glasgow Western Infirmary are three times as long as elsewhere in Scotland and, if so, what the reasons are for this position.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Provisional figures for the year to 30 September 2000 show that the median waiting time for inpatient/day case treatment at Glasgow Western Infirmary was 28 days. This is a better performance than the corresponding all-Scotland median waiting time of 32 days.…

22 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why NHS waiting times in Glasgow are on average longer than elsewhere in Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: A variety of factors affect waiting times. There is no evidence that inpatient and day case waiting times in Glasgow are poorer than those for Scotland as a whole. Across Scotland, almost 50% of patients wait less than a month for treatment, and over 80% of p…

20 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which further education colleges in Glasgow are funding and running English lessons for asylum seekers.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Five further education colleges in Glasgow are funding provision for asylum seekers on English courses in the current academic year, either on dedicated courses or as in-fill students within mainstream English language courses. The five are: Anniesland Colleg…

7 Feb 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in reviewing the age of criminal responsibility and the Children's Hearing System in Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Law Commission are looking at the issue of the age of criminal responsibility as it affects both the criminal justice and children's hearing systems. The Commission will be reporting to the Scottish Ministers towards the end of this year.

6 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made for school education of asylum seekers' children aged 17 and 18.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The school education needs of children of asylum seekers is a matter for consideration by the education authority for the area concerned.

26 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a significant difference in the number of Catholic prisoners as compared with those from other religious groupings and, if so, whether it will investigate the reasons for any such differences.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Each prisoner's religion is among routine information collected on admission to prison. As at 29 January the breakdown of the p…

26 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many groups in (a) Glasgow and (b) Glasgow Kelvin have been unsuccessful in their bids for Objective 3 funding.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Applicants are required to indicate the local authority area within which will be found the addresses of the beneficiaries of their projects, but there is no breakdown below this level available at this stage. On this basis, there were 44 unsuccessful applica…

26 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide any assistance to prevent the possible closure of the Community Service Volunteers in Clyde Street, Glasgow.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive currently provides grant of £64,890 towards the HQ funding of Community Service Volunteers. CSV's Clyde Street office is not under threat of closure but some of the projects based there may be. Officials are seeking further information from the …

24 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will change the formula used for the funding of social work and education in Glasgow as they have done for health in recognition that concentrations of deprivation make the delivery of these services more expensive.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The local government grant distribution formula already takes account of the impact of deprivation on the costs of service delivery, and 13 assessments within the formula - mainly those for social work and education - include deprivation adjustments. In addit…

24 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been created in Glasgow as a result of moving civil servants responsible for higher education there.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The transfer of Enterprise and Lifelong Learning from Edinburgh to Glasgow in 1999-2000 means that 21.5 full-time equivalent posts in the Higher Education, Science, and Student Support Divisions are now based in Glasgow.

24 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been created in Glasgow as a result of moving its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department there.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The Department of Enterprise and Lifelong Learning transferred its Edinburgh based posts to Glasgow during 1999-2000. In total, around 140 posts were transferred.

24 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive has any plans to bring forward proposals for a CrossRail scheme to link north and south Glasgow with the airport, along the lines of the Strathclyde CrossRail draft provisional Order in 1995.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has not received any proposals from Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive for a CrossRail scheme to link north and south Glasgow with Glasgow airport.

17 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of Glasgow's museums and galleries can be designated as being of national importance and, if so, whether this would entitle them to receive central funding.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The National Audit of all museums and galleries in Scotland will determine the relative importance of collections. Preparations for the audit are well advanced and I have agreed to give priority to Glasgow's museums, after our commitment to audit the industri…

17 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist Glasgow City Council in safeguarding the future of priceless pieces in their museums and galleries collections.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The National Cultural Strategy recognised the particular position of Glasgow and committed the Executive to working with Glasgow City Council to examine the circumstances of their museums and galleries. As a first step, I had a constructive and positive meeti…

17 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether league tables are the best way to present information on hospital care.

Answer · Susan Deacon: <I>Our National Health - a plan for action, a plan for change</I> commits the Scottish Executive to introducing a transparent new accountability review process and we will ensure that the Scottish public has the information it needs to form a view on the perf…

8 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of teaching places in midwifery at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has no plans to increase the number of student midwifery course intakes at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2001-02.

8 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the intake of student midwives at Glasgow Caledonian University was not more than 20 for the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive Health Department contracted with Glasgow Caledonian University for a target of 30 students<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#ff00ff"> to the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 diploma courses in midwifery to be spread across three-year and 18-month …

18 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult interested parties before issuing guidance on physical accessibility strategies for schools, as detailed in section 13 of Her Majesty's Government's Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Unlike the other disability provisions of the UK Government's Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill, which are reserved, clause 13 is concerned with local authority organisation and management which is devolved. The clause will therefore not extend to…

15 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8630 by Henry McLeish on 31 July 2000, what progress has been made in discussions with telecommunications companies on plans for the provision of broadband technology.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Officials in the Executive undertook a round of informal discussions with telecommunications companies on their plans for the provision of broadband technology. Further consultations have recently taken place at a UK level. We are in close contact with Whiteh…

15 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the use of digital technology in business is being encouraged.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: In February 2000, Henry McLeish launched a series of initiatives to accelerate the uptake of e-commerce by Scottish businesses. These were the First Steps into E-Commerce workshops, Digital Advantage workshops, Ecomm2000 consultancy packages, a national e-pro…

15 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is progressing digital inclusion initiatives for children.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is committed to major improvements in the ICT infrastructure in schools. Over £80 million has been made available to Scottish local authorities to develop the National Grid for Learning in schools which will ensure that all school pupil…

15 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is progressing digital inclusion initiatives for adults.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Through its Digital Scotland initiative, the Scottish Executive is working towards pervasive and affordable access to the web for people in Scotland. We are committed to achieving universal access to the web by 2005. We are promoting digital inclusion in Soci…

11 Dec 2000 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to ensure that the business sector has telecommunications technology of the highest specification available to it.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive recognises the high importance of ensuring businesses have access to the telecommunications they need to help them achieve maximum competitiveness. This will largely be achieved through the promotion of competition.<FONT FACE="Arial" SI…

6 Dec 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of Procurators Fiscal in Glasgow and to monitor the impact of any increases in workload within the criminal justice administration system.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The number of Procurators Fiscal in Glasgow has increased over this year, with three additional deputes. A further depute and five precognition officers have just been added to the structure and will be in place by early January. The resource planning process…

29 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what input black and ethnic minority communities will have to the inquiry to be led by Dr Raj Jandoo to review liaison with victims' families in the justice system in the light of the experience of the Chhokar family.

Answer · Colin Boyd: It will be for Dr Jandoo to determine the extent and form of the input that he seeks during his inquiry. I understand he intends to consult with representatives of the ethnic minority communities and his remit requires him to consult with the Chhokar family a…

27 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review prosecution practice and policy in the light of any recent trials.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The trial of David Montgomery and Andrew Coulter for the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar concluded today at the High Court in Glasgow. Neither was convicted of the murder. Andrew Coulter was convicted of assaulting Surjit Singh Chhokar, while acting along with…