Sandra White

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners lived below the poverty line as defined by 60% of median household income in (a) 1979, (b) 1987 and (c) each year since 1992.

Answer · Des McNulty: Estimates of the number of pensioners living in income poverty are available for Scotland on an annual basis since 1994-95.<P>Figures for each year since 1994-95 to 2000-01 are given in tables 19d and 19f of the technical Annex (Indicators of Progress) of the…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners live in areas classified as suffering from multiple deprivation.

Answer · Margaret Curran: In June 2000, it is estimated that more than 120,000 people over retirement age (65 and over for men and 60 and over for women) were resident in the worst 10% of wards, defined using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2003. More robust population coun…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets and timescales it has set for reducing the number of pensioners on low incomes and for the elimination of pensioner poverty.

Answer · Des McNulty: The Scottish Executive has a long-term target to make sure that older people are financially secure. Underpinning that, there is a social justice milestone to reduce the proportion of older people living in low income households.<P>The Executive has also set …

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the administration costs for Social Inclusion Partnerships in Glasgow were in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Up to 2.5% of the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund allocation in any year may be used to meet administration costs incurred by the grant recipient. £4…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations are currently on-going into irregularities in the operation of social inclusion partnerships.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Six investigations are currently on-going into irregularities in the operation of Social Inclusion Partnerships. I am unable to comment further on any of these cases on the basis that such disclosure might compromise any on-going investigation or related lega…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to standardising terms and conditions for grants awarded under Social Inclusion Partnership projects

Answer · Margaret Curran: The standard conditions that attach to grants awarded from the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund adhere to the principles of "Following the Public Pound". These cover matters such as financial probity and the application of public funds. Specific conditions a…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been awarded to each Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) in Glasgow in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The information requested is given in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 WIDTH=378><TR><TD WIDTH="39%" VALIGN="BOTTOM" ROWSPAN=2><P>SIP</T…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many social inclusion partnership projects operating in Glasgow were closed down in each of the last four years.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Two Social Inclusion Partnership projects operating in Glasgow have closed down in the last four years: one in 2001-02 and one in 2002-03.

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has criminal record checks carried out into the recipients of social inclusion partnership funding.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive does not have criminal record checks carried out on the recipients of Social Inclusion Partnership funding. In general terms, employers and others may ask individuals to apply for criminal record certificates from Disclosure Scotland un…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who currently serves on the boards of Social Inclusion Partnerships in Glasgow.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows.<P>The following list shows the names of all those who currently serve on the boards of Social Inclusion Partnerships in Glasgow as well as the partners t…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the operation of Social Inclusion Partnerships is regulated

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-7252 on 8 June 2000. 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…

26 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the operation of Social Inclusion Partnerships.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-7258 on 8 June 2000 and S1W-21333 on 17 January 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<P><A HREF="…

19 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33345 by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 January 2003, how much core funding it has given to the research initiatives funded jointly by it and the Medical Research Council.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In 2002-03, the Chief Scientist Office, within the Scottish Executive Health Department, will contribute £255,764 towards the core funding of the Scottish Section of the Institute of Hearing Research and £326,222 towards the core funding of the Scottish Secti…

19 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33345 by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 January 2003, what research units it is funding.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office within the Scottish Executive Health Department is currently funding seven research units, two of which are jointly funded with the Medical Research Council, namely:<P>Dental Health Services Research Unit, University of Dundee<P>Hea…

19 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33345 by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 January 2003, what research training fellowships it is funding and where each such fellowship is.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office, within the Scottish Executive Health Department, is funding 15 Research Training Fellowships, two of which are jointly funded by the Medical Research Council. The fellowships are based in the following locations:<P>Aberdeen Univers…

12 Feb 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that public buildings comply with the standard set for lead in the EC drinking water directive by December 2003.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is, at present, developing draft Water Supplies (Water Quality in Public Buildings) (Scotland) Regulations. These regulations will set standards for drinking water quality in line with EC Directive 98/83/EC, including lead.

6 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to give final approval to the transfer of Glasgow City Council's housing stock to Glasgow Housing Association Ltd.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The First Minister is expected to be in a position to make a decision within a matter of weeks.

4 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the status of Yorkhill Hospital NHS Trust.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has no plans to review the status of Yorkhill NHS Trust.

4 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33166 by Ross Finnie on 27 January 2003, whether it expects the standard for lead set in the EC drinking water directive to be met by the target date of December 2003.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The work being undertaken by Scottish Water, referred to in the answer given to question S1W-33166, is designed to ensure compliance with the Drinking Water Directive by 25 December 2003.<P>Inevitably, there will still be occasional breaches of the lead stand…

23 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been referred to its Inquiry Reporters Unit in each year since 1999.

Answer · Des McNulty: The number of planning applications called-in and referred to the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit since 1999 totals 117. A yearly breakdown of the figures is given in the following table:<P>Cases Notified to Inquiry Reporters Unit Since 1999<TABLE B…

23 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been determined by its Inquiry Reporters Unit in each year since 1999 and how many of these determinations have been in favour of the applicant.

Answer · Des McNulty: The Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit (SEIRU) does not determine planning applications. Applications called-in by the Scottish ministers are, however, passed to SEIRU and a report with recommendations is then prepared on each case, for the Scottish mi…

22 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Water about the maintenance of the public water supply.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The investment programme presently being implemented by Scottish Water for the period 2002 to 2006 is that identified following the Quality and Standards 2 assessment. That process involved both consultation with industry stakeholders including the Scottish E…

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the short-life action group considering the most effective ways of improving care and quality of life for people with ME/chronic fatigue syndrome and when the group will report.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The group's report will be published very shortly.

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports the work of the Medical Research Council.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD), together with other UK Health Departments, collaborates with the Medical Research Council (MRC) through a formal Concordat which aims to develop and maintain an effective partnership for the promotion, funding …

21 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting the research advisory group on ME/chronic fatigue syndrome, appointed by the Medical Research Council (MRC).

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The independent scientific advisory group on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) was set up by the MRC to develop a broad strategy for advancing biomedical and health services research on CFS/ME. In December 2002, it issued a draft res…

14 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is providing to assist the replacement of lead piping joining domestic premises to the public water supply.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water is replacing lead communication pipes as part of the £1.8 billion pound investment programme agreed between Scottish ministers and Scottish Water over the period 2002-06. The communication pipe is the pipe that connects the public water supply …

14 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the replacement of lead piping joining domestic premises to the public water supply.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In some areas, lead pipes were used to connect domestic properties to the public water supply up until about 1970. This pipe, known as the service pipe, is made up of the communication pipe and the supply pipe. Scottish Water is responsible for the communicat…

14 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to taking part in any pilot schemes in association with Scottish Water and Glasgow City Council to ascertain the number of households receiving their public water supply through lead piping.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has no plans to take part in a pilot scheme to ascertain the number of households in the Glasgow City Council area that have lead pipes. The recent Scotland-wide study, undertaken by Scottish Water, has identified areas where there are likely to…

14 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has conducted into the effect on public health of the supply of water through lead piping.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A survey of lead levels in the water in new Scottish homes, commissioned by the Scottish Executive, was carried out by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) and published in November 2000. The outcome of further work by SCIEH, bui…

14 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has undertaken to ascertain the number of households that receive their public water supply through lead piping.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In order to determine the extent of the work required to meet the new standard for lead set in the EC Drinking Water Directive by the target date of December 2003, Scottish Water undertook a survey to determine the extent of the lead problem across Scotland. …