Parliamentary questions
Rhona Brankin
707 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to increase the proportion of students in higher education (HE) that are from under-represented and disadvantaged groups and areas in the Midlothian Council area in each year since 1997.
Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not available in the form requested. <P>My guidance to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) makes it clear that widening access to higher education for under-represented and disadvantaged groups is a priority of the Scotti…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #250 million for free personal and nursing care was allocated to Midlothian Council area.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Midlothian Council was allocated £1.326 million for 1 July 2002 to 31 March 2003 and £1.785 million for 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the (a) #175 million for 79 projects under the Scottish Public Transport Fund and (b) #20 million to local authorities for road and bridge repairs will be allocated and how much has been, or will be, allocated to the Midlothian Council area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested on Public Transport Fund projects can be found in the regional leaflets associated with the Scottish Executive transport delivery report, <I>Scotland's Transport: Delivering Improvements</I>, which was published in March 2002 and is …
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many families in the Midlothian Council area have benefited from Sure Start Scotland; in what ways they have benefited, and how much of that organisation's #42 million funding was allocated to projects in the area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: To date £61 million has been allocated to local authorities in Scotland to implement the Sure Start Scotland programme. Of that total, Midlothian Council has received £854,000. It has used the money to establish a network of five locally-based projects in are…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 350 NHS one-stop clinics are located in the Midlothian Council area; where such clinics are located, and what services they offer.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on one-stop clinics operated by NHSScotland is not available in the form requested.<P>There are 40 one-stop clinics in Lothian where patients receive consultation, diagnostic tests, results and, if appropriate, treatment, all in a single visit. De…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the #4 billion additional spending on public services up to 2005-06 as a result of the UK spending review has been, or will be, allocated and how much has been, or will be, allocated to the Midlothian Council area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Full details of our proposed spending plans for the years to 2005-06 are set out in <I>Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-2006: What the money buys </I>(<A HREF="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/babs-00.asp">http://www.scotland…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many community safety partnerships there are in the Midlothian area and when each such partnership was established.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-31642 on 9 December 2002 and S1W-33833 on 18 February 2003, which explained that there is a community safety partnership for each local authority area, therefore there is one partnership in the Midlothi…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners or households in the postcode areas that cover the Midlothian Council area have benefited from the (a) Warm Deal Scheme and (b) Central Heating Installation Programme in each of the last five years and how many are expected to benefit in future years.
Answer · Des McNulty: The Warm Deal as currently constituted was introduced in July 1999. Under the programme, Midlothian Council insulated 322 dwellings in 1999-2000, 225 dwellings in 2000-01 and 520 dwellings in 2001-02, the last year for which figures are currently available. W…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) households and (b) pensioners' homes in each postcode area that covers the Midlothian Council area (i) benefited in 2001-02 and (ii) are expected to benefit in (1) 2002-03, (2) 2003-04 and (3) 2004-05 under its Central Heating Installation Programme.
Answer · Des McNulty: Midlothian Council installed 21 heating systems in 2001-02; they expect to install 37 systems in 2002-03 and eight systems in 2003-04. All council tenants should then have central heating, except where the tenant has refused the offer or the building is to be…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) households and (b) pensioners' homes in the Midlothian Council area are estimated to be eligible for free central heating under its Central Heating Installation Programme.
Answer · Des McNulty: Midlothian Council currently estimate that, by 8 March 2003, only eight dwellings in their stock will remain without central heating. All of those dwellings should have central heating by 31 March 2004. There is insufficient data from which to estimate the nu…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on sports facilities and activities for students (a) with and (b) without disabilities in higher and further education institutions in each of the last three years.
Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally. Further and higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are themselves responsible for the provision of facilities for students.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who has responsibility for the provision of sports facilities for people with disabilities.
Answer · Elaine Murray: Local authorities have a statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of sports facilities for all the inhabitants of their area.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any current plans to host major sporting events include women-only events and events for both men and women
Answer · Mike Watson: Not at this time, but EventScotland, once it is established, will consider whether to support or bid for any women only major sporting events or events in which both men and women participate.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) higher education institutions, (b) further education institutions, (c) secondary schools and (d) primary schools spend on sports-related activities, broken down by gender in each of the last three years.
Answer · Elaine Murray: The information requested is not held centrally.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether spending on sports is monitored in line with equalities policies.
Answer · Elaine Murray: One of the conditions attached to funding by <B>sport</B>scotland is that lottery or development grant applicants must operate an equal opportunities policy. <B>Sport</B>scotland monitors grant recipients' compliance with terms and conditions of funding.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have applied to the Better Neighbourhhod Services Fund (BNSF) for funding for schemes to combat anti-social behaviour.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Six local authorities are running pathfinders that address anti-social behaviour as part of their wider BNSF programmes.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have applied to the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF) and which such authorities were successful in respect of what projects.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Twelve local authorities have been awarded funding under the BNSF. These are Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, and Weste…
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have been granted anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs).
Answer · Jim Wallace: In the period 1 December 1999 to 30 November 2001, 15 local authorities have been granted ASBOs. This is the latest information held centrally.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers assigned to East Lothian and Midlothian division of Lothian and Borders Police have been deployed in the City of Edinburgh division area in each year since 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for Lothian and Borders Police.
24 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether police officers policing the Edinburgh area receive any additional payments.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Pay and conditions of service for police officers serving with Lothian and Borders Police are the same as for officers in other Scottish forces. From 1 April a minority of posts in each force will be designated for special priority payments. Designation of th…
21 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the effectiveness of anti-social behaviour legislation on anti-social neighbours is being monitored.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland has been commissioned by the Scottish Executive to undertake an annual exercise to determine the effectiveness of the new eviction grounds for anti-social behaviour and the use being made of anti-social behaviour…
21 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many anti-social behaviour orders (ASBO) have been granted, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information is provided in the following table on those local authorities which had an ASBO granted in the period 1 December 1999 to 30 November 2001. This is the latest information held centrally.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=265><TR><TD WI…
21 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers are deployed in the Midlothian Council area.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally and is a matter for Lothian and Borders Police.
21 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when work will begin on the Midlothian Community Hospital.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust expects work to begin on site in July 2004, with construction over a 19-month period.
21 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurseries have qualified nursery teachers on their staff.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is provided in the following table.<P>Pre-School Education and Daycare Centres with Qualified Teachers<SUP>1</SUP><P>January 2002<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=510><TR><TD WIDTH="48%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDT…
21 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of pupils to teachers in the pre-school sector.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34163 on 5 March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…
15 Jan 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its expenditure is greater or less than the revenue raised and whether its spending plans would be affected if expenditure is matched to revenue.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS), 2000-01, sets out the Executive's latest estimates of expenditure and revenue flows related to Scotland. It shows that, excluding oil revenues, estimated expenditure for Scotland exceeded estimated revenu…
23 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage creativity in education.
Answer · Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive Education Department commissioned Learning Teaching Scotland to map opportunities for creativity across the curriculum. A guidance document was produced which encouraged a creative approach to learning and teaching through the use of ex…
23 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cultural co-ordinators are in place in schools.
Answer · Mike Watson: A total of 53 Cultural Co-ordinators are now in place. A further 37 will be in place within the next seven weeks, and funding for a further five is in place.
23 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what cross-cutting policy development is taking place to foster creativity in young people.
Answer · Mike Watson: I collaborate closely with my colleagues Cathy Jamieson and Iain Gray in taking a strategic approach to policies which help to foster creativity in young people. In relation to school education, for example, the Cultural Co-ordinators in Schools programme has…