Parliamentary questions
Pauline McNeill
2,367 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the BSE Inquiry Report will be published.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The BSE Inquiry Report has been published today at Westminster. The remit of the Inquiry was to establish and review the history of the emergence and identification of BSE and New Variant CJD and to reach conclusions on the adequacy of the response, taking in…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Sheriff Court is meeting the 12 week target for sending civil cases to trial, how many cases are meeting the target, and how many are not and by how long
Answer · Jim Wallace: The attached table shows the number of civil proofs fixed at Glasgow Sheriff Court during the period from September 1999 to August 2000. The 12 week target was met throughout the period with the exception of December 1999 when the period increased to 15 weeks…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive how many criminal trials were postponed at first sitting in Glasgow Sheriff Court in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The following table shows the number of summary trials called and adjourned at Glasgow Sheriff Court during the period from September 1999 to August 2000. Trials can be adjourned for a variety of reasons including, for example, the unavailability of witnesses…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce the further recruitment of temporary sheriffs
Answer · Jim Wallace: The names of the first tranche of appointments to the new office of part-time sheriff were announced on 13 October 2000.
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether fiscal fines are included in the crime statistics.
Answer · Jim Wallace: All crimes and offences recorded by the police are covered in the published statistics on recorded crime, including those which result in a fiscal fine. Totals of the number of criminal reports concluded by way of a fiscal fine are given in the annual Scottis…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are used for issuing a fiscal fine.
Answer · Colin Boyd: Procurators Fiscal are issued with confidential guidelines regarding the use of fiscal fines as an alternative to prosecution. In general the Procurator Fiscal must first be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to justify prosecution and that a prosecu…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the salary scales for procurator fiscal deputes are enough to attract experienced people to the jobs.
Answer · Colin Boyd: Yes. The scale to which new entrants are invited was last set from 1 August 1999, and is £18,963 to £34,071. Using this scale, during the last recruitment round 25 new deputes were appointed, including several with appropriate experience in other legal organi…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) vacancies and (b) short-term or temporary contracts currently exist for procurator fiscal deputes in the Glasgow Procurator Fiscal Service.
Answer · Colin Boyd: (a) In the Glasgow office there are currently two vacancies at depute level out of 46 funded posts. (b) In the Glasgow office there are no legal staff on short-term or temporary contracts.
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the whole time establishment is of the Procurator Fiscal Service in the Glasgow area, broken down by grade and designation.
Answer · Colin Boyd: Staffing levels for fiscal offices are determined annually under a business planning process which relates resources to anticipated workload and the department's performance standards. The table below shows the current staff structure for the Glasgow and Stra…
27 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on moving towards a dispatch priority response service in the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Ambulance Service is in the process of gathering evidence about how priority-based dispatch is working in England, and is on target to report to me in 2001.
4 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any existing or planned clinical networks on child health.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer to question S1W-9142.
4 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to deal with any shortage of breast pathologists, breast radiologists and radiographers in the NHSiS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We are committed to increasing the number of doctors working in the NHS in Scotland, particularly in the area of cancer treatment. That is why I have recently announced a package of additional investment in the workforce which includes provision for 10 extra …
4 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any protocols or codes of practice for the use of nicotine replacement therapy for those trying to quit smoking in (a) Scotland and (b) Glasgow.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Comprehensive information for Scotland is not held centrally. We do know, however, that Greater Glasgow Health Board has developed three schemes for the provision of nicotine replacement therapy on the NHS, all involving community pharmacists. Pharmacists par…
24 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what developments there have been in relation to smoking cessation since the launch of Smoking Kills, A White Paper on Tobacco in (a) Scotland and (b) Glasgow.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Following the launch of <I>Smoking Kills</I> in December 1998, an £8 million drive to stub out smoking was announced for Scotland. £5 million was allocated over three years, commencing 1999-2000, for health education activity focussing on young people. £3 mil…
15 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is planned to control and monitor any accidental interactions between different artificial gene constructs and their products as they arise in Scottish crops.
Answer · Ross Finnie: All genetically modified crops that are being grown in Scotland have been scientifically evaluated to assess their safety in relation to human health and the environment. This independent assessment, which is carried out by the Advisory Committee on Releases …
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review its role in the planning system in the light of any recent challenges under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: We have lodged an appeal against a recent judgement by Lord Macfadyen. We do not consider it appropriate to comment further.
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Railtrack or its contractors First Engineering have any obligations to consult or inform local residents of tree felling as part of the management of lineside vegetation and railway corridors.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: At all times, Railtrack must ensure safety and efficiency on the railway network by maintaining the infrastructure. This includes keeping vegetation clear of track, signals, overhead cables and train movements. Neither Railtrack nor their contractors are stat…
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory, environmental and social obligations Railtrack or its contractors First Engineering must meet in tree felling and in the management of lineside vegetation and railway corridors.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I understand that Railtrack is committed under its Environmental Policy to comply with legal standards as the minimum and to apply a consistent set of principles for the stewardship of protected habitats under the company's care. This includes compliance with…
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to develop a clinical network on child health.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There are many aspects of child healthcare which lend themselves to the Managed Clinical Network approach. There is no Managed Clinical Networks in any paediatric service at the moment, although the national Managed Clinical Network in cleft lip and palate ha…
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7270 by Henry McLeish on 13 June 2000, which career service companies are involved in the project work on tackling stereotype images with primary six and seven children.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Lanarkshire Careers Service and Tayside Careers Ltd.
14 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7270 by Henry McLeish on 13 June 2000, what branches of engineering are covered by the 3,300 Modern Apprenticeship training places.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The following table illustrates the occupations covered by the Modern Apprenticeship frameworks in the engineering sector.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Framework</TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VAL…
28 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to issue any health warnings on the use of mobile phones.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is in discussions with other Government Departments and industry on how best to take forward the main recommendations of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Executive is consulting with other Government …
28 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to commission any medical research on the safety of mobile phones and their use by children.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the Member to the answer I gave to question S1W-8604 on 21 July 2000.
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to safeguard the economy from any effects of GM pollution.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to my answer to question S1W-8817.
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is planned to protect farmers from any long-term harm to their crops from GM pollution.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is a priority of the Scottish Executive to ensure that genetically modified crops and foods do not endanger human health or the environment. Before GM crops and foods can be approved for marketing or wider commercial use they must be rigorously assessed fo…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any regulations in place on health and safety standards for youth and backpackers' hostels.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to health and safety matters.
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any new social inclusion funding initiatives will be put in place following the conclusion of the New Futures Fund initiative.
Answer · Henry McLeish: We have begun to consider options for the future of the New Futures Fund once the current programme ends in March 2002 but it is too early to say what the outcome will be.
19 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the timetable for the implementation of the findings of the McCrone Committee into teachers' pay and conditions.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: When I established the committee I made clear that I intended to consult widely on the committee's recommendations with the relevant parties. I outlined the detail of that process in written PQ (S1W-7089) on 24 May. The first stage of meetings and discussions…
19 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources will be available to fund the outcome of any negotiations with the teaching unions as a result of the McCrone Report into teachers' pay and conditions.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: When I established the committee I indicated that I would undertake consultation with relevant parties before decisions were made. No decisions on the funding of the McCrone recommendations are possible prior to the outcome of those discussions.
14 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken following the White Paper on Tobacco.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is committed to reducing the levels of smoking by people in Scotland. The White Paper <I>Smoking Kills</I> outlines a comprehensive range of measures which we are now taking forward. These include health education and promotion activity…