Sandra White

22 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Post in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive advertising spend with the <i>SundayPost</i> from 1 August 2004 to 14 March 2006 is in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=250> <thead> <tr> <td width=180 valign=top> <p align=center>Financial…

22 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Mail in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive advertising spend with the <i>SundayMail</i> from 1 August 2004 to 14 March 2006 is in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=289> <thead> <tr> <td width=212 valign=top> <p align=center>Financial…

22 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Daily Record in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive, however our current media buying agencyhas provided the information at no cost to the Scottish Executive.</p><p>The Scottish Executive advertising spend with the <i>DailyRecord</i> from…

22 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in Scotland on Sunday in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive, however our previous and current mediabuying agencies have provided the information at no cost to the Scottish Executive.</p><p>The Scottish Executive advertising spend with Scotland on…

22 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in The Scotsman in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive, however our previous and current mediabuying agencies have provided this information at not cost to the Executive.</p><p>The Scottish Executive advertisingspend with <i>The Scotsman</i>…

9 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages the police using their powers of dispersal under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 to move on any group of people who are smoking outside a public place, after the implementation of the ban on smoking in public places.

Answer · Hugh Henry: A decision about whether to designatean area as a dispersal zone is for the police in consultation with the local authorityand local people. Dispersal Orders are intended to give respite to people whoselives have been blighted by serious, persistent and serio…

7 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether legislation will be forthcoming to extend the new gender equality duty to the private sector.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive currently has no information as to whether legislation will be forthcoming to extend the new gender duty to the private sector. However, where a private contractor delivers a service on behalf of the public sector, the contractor will b…

7 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it operates a policy of flexible working hours in respect of its own employees.

Answer · Tom McCabe: In line with its aim of helping staff to achieve a satisfactory work life balance, the Scottish Executive offers flexible working hours to all of it’s employees, in it’s core departments, including part-time staff and senior civil servants. A small number of …

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising through the Newsquest group in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive advertising spend with the Newsquest Group is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=275> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Financial Year</p></td> <td> <p align=center>Spend</p></td> </tr> </t…

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Sunday Herald in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive advertising spend with the <i>Sunday Herald</i> is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=327> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Financial Year</p></td> <td> <p align=center>Spend</p></td> </tr> …

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in the Evening Times in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive advertising spend with the <i>Evening Times </i>is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=320> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Financial Year</p></td> <td> <p>Spend</p></td> </tr> </thead> <tr> <td>…

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in The Herald in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive advertising spend with <i>The Herald</i> is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=327> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Financial Year</p></td> <td> <p align=center>Spend</p></td> </tr> </the…

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recent pilot scheme for sign video relay service (SIGNVRS) technology launched in London whereby a small device attached to a videophone can enable deaf people to make phone calls using British sign language, it will consider launching such a pilot scheme in Glasg…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is committed to linguistic access for Deaf people in Scotland and has noted the development of the SIGNVRS scheme.</p> <p>We have no plans at present to launch such a pilot scheme in Scotland. However, we are aware of the interest in th…

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will have formal input into the gender equality consultation being undertaken by the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: An official from the Scottish Executive’s Equality Unit will be making a presentation on the Gender Duty to attendees at the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Code of Practice consultation events being held across Scotland in February and March. Officials …

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to which elected body the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is accountable.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is the collective organisation of Chief Constables, Deputy Chief Constables and Assistant Chief Constables serving in Scotland. Formally a staff association, ACPOS is not accountable to any elected …

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the position if there is a dispute or objection to a land use matter arising from a good neighbour agreement.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish ministers would only become involved in individual good neighbour agreements in the event of one party appealing to them following a failure to agree modifications to an agreement locally.</p>

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the position if the provisions of any good neighbour agreement conflict with the aims of a local authority.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The scope of good neighbour agreements will be as set out in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill, however guidance on the preparation of such agreements will be issued before the commencement of the new provisions.</p>

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for maintaining any form of community land use negotiated under a good neighbour agreement.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The agreement should set out the responsibilities of all parties to the agreement. The key land use issues associated with a development will continue to be addressed under the terms of the planning permission, and enforced by the planning authority.</p>

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a notification procedure for good neighbour agreements.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are no proposals for a notification procedure for entering into good neighbour agreements.</p>

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether good neighbour agreements will be enforceable and, if so, by whom.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Good Neighbour Agreements will be enforceable by any of the parties entering into the agreement.</p>

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether good neighbour agreements will be an integral part of any new planning legislation.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Provisions for Good Neighbour Agreements are contained in s23 of the Planning Etc (Scotland) Bill.</p>

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out on the cost and staffing implications of the proposal in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill to transfer responsibility for neighbour notification from applicants to planning authorities.

Answer · Johann Lamont: In July 2004, the Executive convened the Neighbour Notification Working Party to examine the detailed implications of transferring responsibility for neighbour notification to planning authorities. The issues examined by the working party included the cost an…

31 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned on the impact on personal savings of providing care for elderly or disabled family members.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22809 on 21 February 2006. 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/weba…

31 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the standard of living of people who are carers of elderly or disabled family members.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22809 on 21 February 2006. 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/weba…

31 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government in respect of pension provisions for people who are carers of elderly or disabled family members.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The recent report <i>The future of unpaid care in Scotland</i> arose out of a wide ranging study commissioned by the Scottish Executive to help us plan for the support needs of unpaid carers over the next 10 years. The study looked at a wide range of issues, …

31 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider reinstating the ability of local authorities to recover money spent on enforcement of planning regulations which was removed by the Building (Scotland) Act 2003.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 has not affected planning enforcement. In relation to building regulations, powers exist under the act which enable local authorities to recover expenses incurred on enforcement.</p>

16 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21616, S2W-21617, S2W-21619, S2W-21620 and S2W-21628 by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2006 and in light of the recent explosion at the Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire, what discussions the Executive has had with the Scottish Environment Protectio…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has regular discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on all matters relating to the regulation of radioactivity in Scotland. Guidance on the management of radioactive contamination can be found in the <i>UK</i><i> Recov…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees have been recommended for an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Year Honours List in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The number of Scottish Executive employees recommended for an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Years Honours List in each year since 1999 are detailed in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thea…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many equal pay claims it has settled in each year since 1999, broken down by department.

Answer · Tom McCabe: There have been no equal pay claim settlements within the Scottish Executive core departments since 1999.</p>

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many black and minority ethnic employees it has, expressed as a percentage of the total number of its employees and broken down by department.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The number of black and minority ethnic employees, expressed as a percentage of the total number of permanent employees in the Scottish Executive core departments is given in the following table. Declaration of ethnicity by staff in the Scottish Executive is …