Parliamentary questions

Sandra White

1,617 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

1 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has about how many victims of trafficking have claimed asylum in Scotland since 1999.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not heldcentrally.

1 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26111 by Hugh Henry on 1 June 2006, whether the Executive intends to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government concerning it not signing up to the International Convention on Trafficking.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Minister for Communitiesindicated during the member’s debate in the Parliament on 25 May 2006 on traffickingfor forced prostitution that we will ensure that Home Office ministers are madeaware of the strong support expressed during that debate for the UK …

1 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions exist within legislation in relation to the victims of trafficking.

Answer · Hugh Henry: There are no specific legislativeprovisions relating to the victims of trafficking.

1 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has about how many women who have been rescued from trafficking in Scotland have subsequently been deported since 1999.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This information is not heldcentrally.

1 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been undertaken in relation to sex trafficking offences and how many have resulted in conviction since 1999.

Answer · Hugh Henry: To date, there have been no casesidentified where a person has been proceeded against in relation to sex traffickingoffences under section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act2003. Prior to 2003, no specific sex-trafficking offence existed in Scots law.<…

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Her Majesty's Government has sought any input from it in respect of International Day against Homophobia.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The UK Government has not soughtinput from the Scottish Executive in respect of the International Day against Homophobia(IDAHO). IDAHO was welcomed by Meg Munn, Deputy Minister for Women andEquality, who issued a statement of support.The Executive is c…

19 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted by Her Majesty’s Government regarding its deliberations on whether to sign up to the International Convention on Trafficking and, if so, what the Executive’s response was.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including humantrafficking.The Executive and the Home Officerecently undertook a joint consultation on proposals for an Action Plan on HumanTrafficking. The c…

17 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted an economic assessment of extra burdens on local authorities that may arise should levels of homelessness increase as a result of the enactment of provisions in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill which would allow a creditor to apply for a court ord…

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive intends that thenew diligence of land attachment in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Billwill strike a fair balance between creditors and debtors.The Executive does not agreethat land attachment will cause an increase in homel…

15 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its strategy to improve the quality of health care for older people includes commitment to establishing a national resource, such as the Caledonian Virtual Practice Development College, which has pioneered evidence-based nursing care and promotes better standards of care for older…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. The Caledonian Virtual Practice Development College is acommercial enterprise and would have to bid for work on a competitive basisalongside other bidders/providers of such a service.

12 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a statutory timescale for ministers to reply to letters from MSPs.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Under the Scottish ExecutiveStandards of Service we aim to reply to correspondence as quickly as possible andwithin 20 working days of receipt.

11 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide mainstream funding for the Caledonian Virtual Practice Development College as part of its overall strategy to improve the quality of healthcare for older people.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: As part of the overall strategyto improve the quality of health care for older people, the Scottish Executive andNHSScotland are committed to supporting practice development for staff such as thatprovided by Caledonian Virtual Practice Development College. Ho…

11 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering any initiatives which will enable improvements in the health care of older people to be developed, disseminated and monitored.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Kerr Report Building aHealth Service Fit for the Future (Bib. number 36608), in volume 2, has an importantchapter dealing with the health care of older people, and how this should be developed.We have just published the Range and Capacity Review Gr…

11 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what systems are in place to enable nurses who work with older people throughout Scotland to develop and share best practice.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have appointed a nurseconsultant post for older people in the care home sector, whose task is to improvethe care of older people living in a care home. NHSQIS practice development unitdevelop best practice statements in care of older people and have a netw…

5 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that European structural funding for the 2007-13 period will be targeted towards the most deprived communities of Glasgow and the west of Scotland and whether it will argue for this in the Department of Trade and Industry’s consultation on the UK’s draft National Strate…

Answer · Allan Wilson: Future Structural Fundsprogrammes are currently being developed and will be published for publicconsultation later this year. Our initial broad proposals for future programmesare set out in the Scottish chapter of the National Strategic Reference Fr…

5 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given that European structural funding for Scotland is to be reduced, the emphasis placed in 2000 by the then Minister for Finance, Mr Jack McConnell, on the need to target diminishing resources on key areas requiring special assistance will be continued and what steps are being …

Answer · Allan Wilson: It is important that futureStructural Funds programmes ensure the targeting of funding to areas ofgreatest need and our initial proposals for future programmes have beendeveloped with this in mind. However, it is also important that funding takesadvantage of …

3 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with patient groups representing those with long-term conditions in respect of the review of the prescription charging system.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: As part of the review of NHSprescription charges and exemption arrangements, the consultation document wassent to various organisations including medical bodies, patient groups,voluntary sector organisations and individuals, inviting responses on thisissue. R…

3 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the cost would be of removing the requirement for individuals suffering from Parkinson's disease to pay prescription charges.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isnot available.

3 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the rationale was for its decision to exempt some long-term conditions from prescription charges but not to exempt Parkinson’s disease.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The list of chronic illnesseswhich confer medical exemption from prescription charges on medical grounds bythe UK Government of the day was agreed with the medical profession more than30 years ago and has not been reviewed since.The Scottish Executive …

25 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist Glasgow City Council to make a case for a share of the €50 billion EU “smart money” budget for scientific research and innovation.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executiveassumes that the EU “smart money” budget for scientific research and innovationrefers to the 7th EU R&D (Research and Development) Framework Programme. TheFramework Programme (FP) is the EU's main instrument for funding research andd…

24 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24527 by Johann Lamont on 20 April 2006, whether there are any grounds on which it would consider a moratorium on the construction of TETRA masts.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The view of the Scottish Executiveis that there are currently no grounds on which it would consider a moratorium onthe construction of TETRA masts.

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has provided to the British Fluoridation Society in each year since 1999.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive’s fundingof the British Fluoridation Society (BFS) is provided through section 16B of theNational Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978.The amounts awarded since 1999are:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td wi…

22 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not yet provided substantive answers to parliamentary questions S2W-23400, S2W-23402, S2W-23403, S2W-23404 and S2W-23405 on advertising in various Scottish printed media, given that parliamentary questions S2W-22911, S2W-22912, S2W-22913, S2W-22914 and S2W-23401 on advertising …

Answer · Tom McCabe: Substantive answers to parliamentaryquestions S2W-23400, S2W-23402, S2W-32403, S2W-23404 and S2W-23405 were providedon 23 March 2006. I apologise to the member for the delay in responding which occurreddue to an error in allocation.

22 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide substantive answers to parliamentary questions S2W-23400, S2W-23402, S2W-23403, S2W-23404 and S2W-23405 on advertising in various Scottish printed media, which received holding replies on 8 March 2006.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Substantive answers to parliamentaryquestions S2W-23400, S2W-23402, S2W-23403, S2W-23404 and S2W-23405 were providedon 23 March 2006.

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider a moratorium on the construction of TETRA masts until the health implications are fully understood.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The most authoritative assessmentsof the scientific evidence available to date have concluded that it is unlikely that the special features of the signals from TETRA installations pose a hazard to health. The TETRA mobile communications system has been adopte…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in respect of the installation of disabled access in local authority buildings, broken down by local authority.

Answer · George Lyon: The information requested isnot held centrally. It is for individual local authorities to ensure that theycomply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 inrelation to access to buildings by members of the public.

14 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of response it has had to the consultation on regulations under section 7 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Forty-six written responses werereceived to this consultation paper. Scottish Executive officials also met withmembers of the Scottish Housing Best Value Network, Glasgow City Council and B&Bproviders in Glasgow as part of the consultation process. The Ho…

7 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what instances there have been of the provision of cranial remoulding helmets for children with plagiocephaly in each NHS board area in the last five years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Cranial remoulding helmets arenot available on the NHS in Scotland. However, five children have been fitted with helmetsas part of a pilot at the Orthotic Department at Yorkhill Hospital, and one NHSboard has twice refunded the cost of treatment at a private …

7 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultation has taken place on the replacement of the Supporting People fund.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We have no plans to replace the Supporting People programme in Scotland, which helped over 170,000 vulnerable people to live independently in their communities in 2004-05. We will consider any changes to the Supporting People programme in England tha…

7 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding mechanism will replace the Supporting People fund.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We have no plans to replace theSupporting People programme in Scotland, which helped over 170,000 vulnerable people to liveindependently in their communities in 2004-05.We will consider any changesto the Supporting People programme in England that may …

22 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising with Johnston Press in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive advertising spend with Johnston Pressfrom 1 August 2004 to 14 March 2006 is in the following table:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=480> <thead> <tr> <td width=180 valign=top> Financial Year</p…