Parliamentary questions
Sandra White
1,617 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17829 by Angus MacKay on 26 September 2001, whether the membership of (a) the Sounding Board and (b) the Academic Panel has changed and, if so, whether it will give details of the current membership in each case.
Answer · Iain Gray: The membership of the Sounding Board and Academic Panel remains as reported in the answer given to question S1W-17829 on 30 August 2001, with the exception of Susan Dalgetty (who has withdrawn from the Sounding Board on taking up an appointment with the Scott…
17 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it has held with (a) the Sounding Board, (b) the Academic Panel and (c) any other public bodies in respect of its Review of Scotland's Cities.
Answer · Iain Gray: During our review of Scotland's cities we have met (a) three times with the Sounding Board, (b) twice with the Academic Panel and (c) approximately 75 times with other public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations.
16 Jan 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21214 by Ms Margaret Curran on 15 January 2002, which projects are currently under investigation because of alleged irregularities in the use of Social Inclusion Partnership funds.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The two projects currently under investigation because of alleged irregularities in the use of Social Inclusion Partnership funds are the Wellhouse Project in Easterhouse and Priesthill/Nitshill Out of School Care in Pollok.
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to the licensing of sun tanning parlours in the review of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are no plans to introduce such a licensing regime.
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has it given to the introduction of legislation requiring sun tanning parlours to be licensed.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has no plans to introduce legislation requiring sun tanning parlours to be licensed. Sun tanning parlours are subject to the requirements of health and safety regulations that place obligations on employers to protect the health of their employe…
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12969 by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 March 2001, what progress has been made with the Health & Safety Executive update on guidelines on the operation of sun tanning parlours.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Health and Safety Executive confirm that the guidance has been reviewed. No substantive changes were required or proposed.
24 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce legislation following the report of the Scottish Charity Law Review Commission.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21447.
24 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in taking forward the recommendations of the Scottish Charity Law Review Commission.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The public consultation on the recommendations of the Scottish Charity Law Commission's Report (Bib. No. 14703) closed on 30 September. An analysis of the responses is almost complete and will be published on the Executive's website as soon as possible.<P>The…
19 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the coverage of Social Inclusion Partnership areas in Glasgow.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Apart from three Social Inclusion Partnership areas in Glasgow which have made specific representations to the Executive in relation to their boundaries, there are no plans to review the coverage of Social Inclusion Partnership areas in Glasgow. <P>In relatio…
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to alleviate poverty and deprivation in parts of Glasgow not covered by Social Inclusion Partnerships.
Answer · Iain Gray: The whole of Glasgow, including SIP areas, benefit from a range of Scottish Executive policies designed to promote social justice by tackling poverty and disadvantage including Sure Start, the childcare strategy and the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund. Gla…
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been awarded to Social Inclusion Partnerships in 2001-02 in each parliamentary constituency in Glasgow.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The boundaries of area-based Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) are not co-terminous with those of parliamentary constituencies in Glasgow and in some cases individual Social Inclusion Partnership areas extend into a number of different constituencies. For …
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering any review of the criteria for designation of an area as a Social Inclusion Partnership area.
Answer · Margaret Curran: There are no plans to review the criteria for the designation of Social Inclusion Partnerships.
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual administrative costs are of Social Inclusion Partnerships currently operating in Glasgow.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The administrative costs claimed by Glasgow City Council for the Social Inclusion Partnerships operating in Glasgow in 2000-01 were £392,062.
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the money allotted to the Social Inclusion Partnerships in 2000-01 was actually spent.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to Table 2 in the answer given to question S1W-21050 on 10 January 2002.
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the event of a project funded by a Social Inclusion Partnership closing down, what would happen to (a) any monies allocated to the project and (b) any equipment purchased by the project using public funds.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive's Standard Terms and Conditions of Grant for the Social Inclusion Fund sets out our requirements in relation to grants made under this funding package and in particular the obligations of the grant recipient for Social Inclusion Partner…
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17478 by Sarah Boyack on 28 August 2001, what progress is being made with the detailed study it has commissioned into direct air links to Edinburgh and Glasgow airports and when it expects the final report to be published.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Sinclair Knight Merz have recently been commissioned to undertake a study into rail links to these airports. It is too early to say what the outcome will be. The final report containing the consultants' conclusions and recommendations is expected in autumn th…
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any investigations into any alleged irregularities in the use of Social Inclusion Partnership funds in Glasgow are currently being undertaken.
Answer · Margaret Curran: There are at present two projects in Glasgow which have received Social Inclusion Partnership funding and which are currently under investigation by Glasgow City Council's Internal Audit Department because of alleged irregularities in the use of Social Inclus…
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what explanation it has received from Railtrack plc in respect of the decision not to support the proposed rail link from Larkhall to Milngavie.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: On 4 December 2001, Railtrack Scotland informed the Scottish Executive that Railtrack's priorities were the delivery of its core maintenance and renewal programme, the West Coast Rail Modernisation, and the installation of Train Protection and Warning System …
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to initiate rail network schemes in the event of no initiative being taken by the relevant rail authorities.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive currently has no direct powers to initiate rail network schemes in the event of no initiative being taken by the relevant rail authorities. Work is in hand on an order under section 30 of the Scotland Act to transfer to the Parliament l…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it plans to take to increase the number of community police officers.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Funding for the police service in Scotland is at record levels. Police officer numbers in Scotland have also reached record levels in the current year. But the deployment of police officers to particular tasks, like community policing, is an operational matte…
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of community police officers in reducing crime.
Answer · Jim Wallace: While there have been no formal evaluation studies on the impact of community policing, this is one of the aspects of policing routinely considered by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary during its primary inspections of forces.
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many community police officers there currently are in each police force area.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Figures are not held centrally on the numbers of community police officers. In any case, forces will vary deployment of their officers to meet local needs and circumstances.
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on community policing in each year since 1997, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding has been given to police forces in the current financial year to ensure that there are adequate numbers of community police officers.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Funding is allocated to forces in total and is not earmarked for specific purposes. It is for chief constables to allocate resources according to priorities and demands in their force area.
4 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to police forces regarding the provision of sufficient numbers of community police officers.
Answer · Jim Wallace: None. The deployment of police officers to particular tasks is an operational matter for chief constables and divisional commanders in light of local needs and circumstances.
23 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce one-stop clinics for sexual health.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Boards are expected to provide a full range of sexual health services. It is for boards to plan how such services are provided on their assessment of local needs.
23 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when its Sexual Health Strategy will be published.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The first stage of the strategy, which consisted of a survey of existing sexual health services and their effectiveness, has now been completed. This will inform the development of the next stage, which is now under consideration.
23 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what areas its Sexual Health Strategy will cover.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This remains under consideration.
8 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the findings of the Review of Audiology Services Working Group.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The findings of the Review of Audiology Services Working Group are expected to be published in the autumn of 2002.
8 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to discontinue the issuing of analogue hearing aids and issue digital hearing aids instead.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Both analogue and digital hearing aids are available to NHSScotland through Scottish Healthcare Supplies, part of the Common Services Agency. The Executive has no plans to change this arrangement. <P>The question as to whether individual patients should recei…