Rhona Brankin

27 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in respect of which of its departments and agencies a final decision has been made on relocation, stating in each case which location has been chosen.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The following table providesdetails of the Executive’s departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodiesin respect of which final relocation decisions have been made together withdetails of the final location.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpaddi…

27 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Midlothian has not featured on any shortlists for relocation of its departments and agencies.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Shortlists for relocationare compiled by the bodies themselves, and will be drawn from a list of areasscoring highly against appraisal criteria. The criteria used to draw upshortlists can vary but will include socio-economic factors, businessefficiency, susta…

26 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which sites designated for their natural heritage are currently subject to planning applications for wind farms.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: On the basis of informationheld on applications currently under consideration by planning authorities(planning applications) or Scottish ministers (section 36 applications), areasdesignated for their international or national natural heritage which arecurrent…

25 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its departments and agencies are to be considered for relocation.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Relocation reviews forpublic bodies covered by the Scottish Executive’s dispersal policy aretriggered by the creation of a new unit or agency, the merging or restructuringof existing units or where a significant property break point is reached, suchas the ter…

25 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what timetable it has set for the relocation of its departments and agencies.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Each relocation review is consideredon a case-by-case basis. When the annual relocation announcement is madedetailing the bodies being brought within the scope of the relocation policy, aprojected date for a location decision, on each of the bodies, is set ou…

25 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it expects to relocate under its policy of civil service job dispersal.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive isdetermined to ensure that public sector posts and the benefits they bring aredispersed across Scotland.</p><p>There are around 1,900public sector posts covered in reviews announced to date where decisions haveyet to be reached. The Ex…

25 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authority areas it will consider as locations for its relocated departments and agencies.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is determined to ensure that public sector posts and the benefits theybring are dispersed across the whole of Scotland.</p><p>At the outset of eachrelocation review no parts of the country are favoured and none are ruled out.</p>

30 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will appoint a senior official to co-ordinate the public procurement of Scottish produce as part of its healthy eating campaign.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Sustainable food procurementis an important issue for Scotland’s food and agricultural industries and for local andnational economies as well as a potential approach to supporting healthy eating.While European law prohibits discrimination betweensuppliers on …

29 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve and promote record keeping and archives in Scottish public authorities.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is developing a Scottish public records strategy which will take afundamental look at existing legislation, guidance, standards and practicesrelating to Scottish public records, together with the roles and functions of the key stakehold…

22 Oct 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects to distribute the additional #65 million funding recently announced for tackling anti-social behaviour.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We arecurrently considering how the additional funding will be allocated to ensurethat it supports the Executive strategy to tackle anti-social behaviourstrategy as effectively as possible. An announcement will be made in the comingmonths.</p>

16 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish school examination results for each school this year.

Answer · Peter Peacock: TheExecutive has consistently made clear that it is committed to widening accessto information on schools and to making that information more meaningful. Our partnershipagreement makes it clear that we will &quot;promote improved assessment ofindividual schoo…

9 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of local authority social work departments is in monitoring the provision of services for people with learning disabilities in the community.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Local authorities commissionservices from the independent sector to meet the needs of people with learningdisabilities. These services are monitored and evaluated by local authorities.Monitoring and evaluation should take account of the views of the people wi…

9 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the provision of housing for people with disabilities in rural areas.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p class=MsoPlainText>Local authorities have responsibility to assess housingprovision and the provision of related services in their area…

8 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will replace the Millennium Volunteers funding that is due to end in March 2004.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The currentMillennium Volunteers scheme is being reviewed by Volunteer DevelopmentScotland. Volunteer Development Scotland is also preparing advice for the Scottish Executive on the strategic framework for promotingvolunteering in Scotland and is contributing…

8 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will provide continuity of support for projects designed to encourage volunteering amongst schoolchildren.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive is working with a number of partners including schools and VolunteerDevelopment Scotland to develop guidance for schools which are developingvolunteering programmes for their pupils. This guidance will encourage andsupport good practice…

8 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what weighting it gives to deprivation indicators when dispersing civil service jobs.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive recommends tothe bodies undertaking relocation reviews that the highest weighting of 50% isallocated to socio-economic factors which is a measure of its determination toassist disadvantaged areas in Scotland.</p><p>In carrying out locationreview…

8 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied when dispersing civil service jobs.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Relocation decisions arebased on a range of factors. These include costs, quality and efficiency of service,socio-economic factors such as unemployment and other indicators ofdeprivation, availability and suitability of staff, transport issues,environmental c…

8 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how quality of (a) support and (b) social care for people with learning disabilities is monitored.

Answer · Tom McCabe: In the first instance thosecommissioning services should monitor and evaluate the quality of the servicesthey provide, to ensure they meet their intended aim of meeting the needs, andcontributing to the well-being, of users</p><p>The Scottish Commission forth…

8 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what definition of &#147;rural&#148; is used when dispersing civil service jobs.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive’s relocation policydoes not target rural areas and therefore does not use a definition of rural.</p><p>In 2002, the Executiveannounced a new strand of its relocation policy covering small location-independentunits of work. It does not, however, …

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to recommendation 11 of the Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group report Nurturing Wealth Creation.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have today written to Dr ChrisMasters, the chair of the Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group, in response toRecommendation 11 of their report. I am placing copies in the Parliament's ReferenceCentre (Bib. number 29574) and a copy can also be found on the S…

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether work on the Midlothian Community Hospital will begin in July 2004.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Work has been postponedawaiting the outcome of a review currently being conducted by NHS Lothian ofits mental health strategy.</p>

30 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the further review of the status, organisation and remit of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland, as referred to in Public Bodies: Proposals for Change.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I can now confirm theoutcome of the review and our proposals to replace the Royal Fine ArtCommission with a new non-statutory, advisory, non-departmental public body (NDPB)which will have a wider range of activities and will commence formal activitiesearly in…

21 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its response to the consultation exercise to assist in the development of an action plan for museums and galleries will be published.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive's response to the consultation exercise to assist the development of an <I>Action Plan for Scotland's museums and galleries</I> was published today. Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 28833).

14 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the performance of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

Answer · Peter Peacock: Parliament will be aware that the SQA has again delivered the examinations round successfully. I have written to Sir John Ward congratulating him and the other members of the board and staff of SQA. <P>It is important that the SQA ensures that the momentum in…

13 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are advised of any possible links between HRT and the risk of breast cancer, following the publication of HRT and Breast Cancer: Results of the Million Women Study, and how it will ensure that pharmaceutical…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: To help health professionals advise women on the use of HRT, the Scottish Executive Health Department issuedinformation about the results of the Million Women Study on 8 August 2003. Thisincluded an information leaflet for women, prepared by the Medicines and…

30 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on the regulations and guidance to improve throughcare and aftercare services for young people who cease to be looked after by local authorities.

Answer · Euan Robson: We have published the consultation document today. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. Number 28674).

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to Nurturing Wealth Creation: A Report by the Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have today written to Dr Chris Masters, the chair of the Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group, responding to the recommendations of the group. I am placing copies in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27012) and a copy can also be found on the …

12 Mar 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Outdoor Access Code is to be finalised.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The drafting of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Section 10 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 places a duty on Scottish Natural Heritage to draw up the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. We understand that a dr…

5 Mar 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will maintain the level of spending on the promotion of enterprise.

Answer · Iain Gray: <I>Building a Better Scotland</I>, published last September following the conclusion of the spending review, announced that funding for the Enterprise Networks for the three-year period 2003-04 to 2005-06 would be £538 million, £546 million and £546.5 million.

26 Feb 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is meeting the transport needs of disadvantaged rural communities.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive provides support for additional rural public transport services through its Rural Transport Fund. Last week, for example, I announced funding awards totalling nearly £3.4 million for 55 community transport projects in rural Scotland.