Sandra White

27 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to fund centrally the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital, given that 50% of patients accessing health care at the hospital come from outside the Glasgow area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No.</p>

23 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to consult Glasgow City Council regarding Glasgow receiving metropolitan status.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There is no such thing as “metropolitan” status in Scotland. The Executive does, however, recognise the additional pressures which Glasgow and other major urban centres face. For example, the local government finance settlement takes account of commuters and …

23 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to launch a licensing registration scheme for the construction industry.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish construction trade associations have developed a self-regulation scheme run by the Construction Licensing Executive (CLE), with support from Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, which aims to protect domestic consumers and raise industry standards.</p>

12 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from Her Majesty's Government regarding the timing of legislation to extend the remit of the Security Industry Authority to include Scotland and, in particular, whether such legislation will be included in the forthcoming Westminster parliamentary session.…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-8378 and S2W-8379 on 16 June 2004. 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.parliame…

12 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with Her Majesty's Government in respect of the inclusion of Scotland in the remit of the Security Industry Authority.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have been in contact with Home Office Ministers over the summer about the need for the remit of the Security Industry Authority to be extended to include Scotland at the earliest opportunity.</p>

12 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce licences for operators of private limousine companies.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The issue of the adequacy of taxi and private hire car licensing provisions including the question of licensing of limousines forms part of the wider review of the general provisions of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 being undertaken by an independe…

12 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to license the radio bases of private taxi hire firms.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Following representations on this issue, we are considering the merits and practicability of the introduction of licensing in respect of both taxi and private hire car booking offices (radio rooms).</p>

12 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many late responses were received to its consultation on rights of appeal in planning and whether any such responses were rejected due to failure to meet the consultation deadline.

Answer · Margaret Curran: As of 31 August, 356 responses had been received since the consultation closed on 30 July 2004. No responses have been rejected.</p>

8 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a craft vocational route into the school curriculum for 13 and 14-year-olds who wish to enter the construction industry.

Answer · Euan Robson: Vocational learning is integral to the Executive’s education strategy - <i>Educating for Excellence </i>and our Partnership Agreement set out our commitment to enable pupils to acquire vocational skills. Through Determined to Succeed (DtS), our Enterprise in …

8 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund the costs of the repair and maintenance of the Clyde Tunnel.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9457 on 20 July 2004. 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/web…

8 Jul 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what insurance coverage has been put in place in the event of serious structural damage or fault to the new parliament building.

Answer · George Reid: I can confirm that the position stated in my answer to Question S2W-3746 still stands and that, inline with the Scottish Executive and other bodies financed from the Scottish consolidated fund, the Parliament follows a policy of self-insurance and therefore d…

8 Jul 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what insurance cover has been put in place in the event of accident, injury or loss to staff, visitors and MSPs whilst working in or visiting the new parliament building.

Answer · Duncan McNeil: The SPCB has Employer and Public Liability insurance which provides cover should either a member ofstaff, a member of the public or MSP make a claim of negligence against it inthe event of death, injury or illness. MSPs and Parliamentary staff can alsoaccess …

8 Jul 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many people have been employed in the construction of the new parliament building, broken down by profession and trade.

Answer · George Reid: <p>The information is not held in the format requested. However, there are figures available from the Construction Managers, Bovis Lend Lease, showing the numbers on site at Holyrood on any given day, identified by employer. An example from  Friday, 9 July 20…

8 Jul 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many places have been made available for trainees on the modern apprenticeship scheme to obtain employment on the construction of the new parliament building.

Answer · George Reid: The Holyrood Project Team has written to all Trade Package contractors involved in the Holyrood project and, from the responses received, a total of 113 apprentices were employed on work relating to the project.  Of that number, 38 were employed directly on s…

8 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeship schemes have been implemented through the modern apprenticeships implementation group since May 1999.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: 52 out of the 83 Modern Apprenticeship (MA) frameworks have been approved by the Modern Apprenticeship Implementation Group since 1999.</p><p>There are currently over 31,000 MAs in training, compared with 11,500 in 1999.</p>

29 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to assume direct responsibility for the cost of maintaining and repairing the Clyde Tunnel.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for the Clyde Tunnel rests with Glasgow City Council. The Scottish Executive provides revenue support to local authorities for roads, bridges and tunnels, including the Clyde Tunnel, through the general local government finance settlement. That…

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial provision is made for patients attending hospital out-patient appointments by public transport, including taxis, when the Scottish Ambulance Service non-emergency vehicles are booked to capacity, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The responsibility to commission non-emergency ambulance transport lies with medical practitioners, practicing midwives or dentists who determine when there is a clinical need for ambulance transport. The Scottish Ambulance Service Non-Emergency Service will …

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with hospital out-patient appointments were unable to attend the appointments, or had to make alternative transport arrangements, due to the Scottish Ambulance Service non-emergency vehicles being booked to capacity, broken down by NHS board in each of the last five year…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available.</p>

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the 2004-05 budget is for hospital out-patient visits conveyed by the Scottish Ambulance Service Non-Emergency Service, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested can only be broken down to the Ambulance Service’s Operating Divisions and not to NHS board area. The information broken down to divisional area is set out in the attached table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=…

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were conveyed to out-patient hospital appointments by the Scottish Ambulance Service Non-Emergency Service in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information below details all out-patient journeys carried out by the Scottish Ambulance Non-Emergency Service:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=580> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> </p> </td> <td> <p align=center>1999-2000</p> </t…

17 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the Conditions Precedent contained in Glasgow Housing Association's (GHA) business plan whereby it will provide the GHA with a letter of comfort which seeks to provide assurances to GHA's financial backers about the potential implementation of a rent convergence polic…

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Glasgow Housing Association’s (GHA) concerns about rent convergence were addressed at the time of the transfer.</p>

17 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a rent convergence policy, similar to that introduced in England and Wales.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We have no plans at present to introduce a rent convergence policy for local authorities and Registered Social Landlords.</p>

16 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a publicly-available membership list for each health council.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Details about local health councils, including in some cases membership details, can be obtained from the Scottish Association of Health Councils on (0141) 225 6880 or through their website at <ahref="http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sahc/">http://www.show.scot.nh…

16 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the remuneration rate for membership of health councils is set nationally.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Members of Scotland’s 15 local Health Councils are volunteers who are reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.</p>

16 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many health councils there are, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scotland currently has 15 local health councils, one in each NHS board area.</p>

20 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7908 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 May 2004, whether it has received a response from the Home Secretary on whether a suitable legislative vehicle has been found to allow amendments to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 in the UK Parliament.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Suitable legislative vehicles are currently being explored and the legislative programme for 2004-05 will be announced in the Queen’s Speech in November. I have written again to the Home Secretary to emphasise the urgency which the Scottish Executive attaches…

20 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7908 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 May 2004, what information it has on the timescale for amending the relevant legislation to allow the Security Industry Authority to widen its remit to include Scotland.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: My officials are working closely with the Home Office to ensure that legislation to regulate the private security industry is introduced at the earliest possible opportunity. The legislative programme for 2004-05 will be announced in the Queen’s Speech in Nov…

4 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many front-line ambulances there are, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Servicehas 496 front-line ambulances, 70 of which are based in NHS Greater Glasgow. Bythe end of May 2004 there will be a new high-tech heart machine in every front-lineambulance. I will write to the Member with the full breakdown of nu…

4 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #5.1 million programme to put new high-tech heart machines in every front-line ambulance will be ring-fenced for use in ambulances in Glasgow.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-7988 on 18 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website ,the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

4 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its initiatives require police officers to be diverted from front-line policing.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: It is for Chief Constables to determine the deployment of their officers.</p>