Parliamentary questions
Sandra White
1,617 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much direct or indirect financial support has been given to Continental Airlines to operate a service between Glasgow Airport and Newark, USA and whether any such money will be repayable in the event of the service being discontinued.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scottish Enterprise assisted Continental Airlines during its first year of operation in 1998 on the Newark-Glasgow route with marketing support. This support, which is commercially confidential under the terms of the contract, would not be repayable if the se…
26 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in its review of the planning system with particular reference to controversial planning applications.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive's programme for modernising the planning system includes the current consultation on the Review of Strategic Planning, a forthcoming consultation on public involvement in the planning system and the development of a policy statement on design an…
21 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many international-standard indoor running tracks there currently are in Scotland.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow stages indoor athletics events of international standard and is the only such facility in Scotland. As I said in my response to question S1O-03427, <B>sport</B>scotland has ongoing dialogue with local authorities and the Scottish At…
19 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any adjustments in the levels of revenue support grant for local authorities will be made as a result of the provisions in the Gaming Act (Variation of Fees) (No.2) (Scotland) Order 2001 (SSI 2001/230).
Answer · Jim Wallace: The intention of the revised levels of fee is to allow local authority licensing boards to achieve full cost recovery for processing gaming licences under the Act. Since there are many more licences for bingo than for casinos, it is unlikely the changes will …
14 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the New Futures Fund will continue beyond the end of its three-year funding period in March 2002.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I have been reviewing the future of this initiative, and will make an announcement as soon as possible.
14 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in which health board areas the brain cancer drug temo'olomide is available.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally. Temozolomide is available on the NHS and its use depends on the clinical judgement of specialists experienced in the management of brain cancer.
31 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what grants under European Structural Funds and EU community initiatives such as EQUAL have been made available since 1999 to assist with the integration of asylum seekers and refugees into local labour markets.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16013.
30 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures and systems it has put in place to facilitate integration of refugees and asylum seekers into local communities.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15509 on 15 May 2001.
30 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance and funding it has made available since 1999 to voluntary and community groups and local authorities in relation to building community relations between local residents and asylum seekers and refugees and thereby facilitating social inclusion.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive's policy is to provide funding to national organisations, while funding for groups operating locally should be decided locally.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Scottish Executive provided funding of £191,844 in 1999-2000, £196,356 in 2000-01, and…
30 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given voluntary organisations regarding asylum seekers and refugees who volunteer their services to them, in particular on the reimbursement of any expenses which are incurred in delivering such services.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has not issued any advice about this, as it is a reserved matter
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many caesarean operations were performed in each of the last five years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The table shows the total number of maternities that involved caesarean section operations in Scotland between 1995-96 and 1999-2000.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=368><TR><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Year</TD><TD WIDTH="69%…
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area who had operations on an inpatient basis were subsequently readmitted due to complications resulting from surgery in each of the last three years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: <B><FONT SIZE=2>The information requested is not available centrally.</B></FONT>
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many inpatient operations were performed in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area in each of the last three years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The following table shows the total number of operations performed in Greater Glasgow on an inpatient basis<SUP>1</SUP> during the years 1997/98 to 1999/00. It also shows the number of 'principal' operations performed in Greater Glasgow on an inpatient basis<…
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were performed on a day surgery basis in hospitals in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area in each of the last three years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The following table shows the total number of operations performed in Greater Glasgow on a day surgery basis<SUP>1</SUP> during the years 1997/98 to 1999/00. It also shows the number of 'principal' operations performed in Greater Glasgow on a day surgery basi…
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area who had operations on a day surgery basis were subsequently admitted to hospital due to complications resulting from the surgery in each of the last three years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally.
10 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued on the use of the brain cancer drug temo'olomide.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Guidance about the use of temozolomide is available from various sources including: clinical studies; the product literature provided by the manufacturer, the British National Formulary. publications such as professional journals and any expert advice issued …
8 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering relocating the Glasgow headquarters of the Scottish Qualifications Authority to Dalkeith.
Answer · Jack McConnell: It is for the Scottish Qualifications Authority to consider its own accommodation requirements. Any proposal to relocate the authority's Glasgow headquarters would require the approval of the Scottish Executive and have to comply with the Executive's policy o…
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many letters it has received from Scottish Parents for a Public Enquiry into Organ Retention and how many it has replied to.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Since publication of the report on the first phase of the work of the independent Review Group on the Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem, four letters have been received from this group. A comprehensive reply was sent on 12 April, and has been copied to those…
3 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to improve audiology services, including hearing aid provisions.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Good practice guidance for adult hearing aid fitting and services, which distils the results of current research and practice in the field of audiology, was issued by the Scottish Executive Health Department to NHSScotland on 2 March. We now intend to conduct…
3 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #10 million announced on 22 February 2001 for community care will be spent on (a) hearing aids, (b) audiologists and (c) hearing therapists.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: That is a matter for individual health boards in light of local circumstances and priorities. Boards are required to submit to the Scottish Executive by 30 April proposals for spending the £10 million which have been agreed with local authority partners. Howe…
3 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to increase the recruitment of audiologists and hearing therapists.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The recruitment of audiologists and hearing therapists in NHSScotland is a matter for NHS Trusts and is subject to Trusts' assessment of local needs and priorities.
2 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it allocated to Glasgow City Council for reducing class si'es in 2000-01.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Within the Excellence Fund class size reduction programme for 2000-01 Glasgow City Council was allocated £2,324,945.
2 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it had in its budget for 2000-01 for reducing class si'es and how much of this has been spent.
Answer · Jack McConnell: In 2000-01 the class size reduction programme within the Excellence Fund had a budget of £15.6 million. It was spent in full.
2 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many letters it has received concerning the planned extension to Hyndland Primary School and how many it has replied to.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive received a total of 46 letters about the proposal to extend Hyndland Primary School. Of these, 29 did not receive a reply because they were in the form of a standard letter with no return address, however, those standard letters which i…
2 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues regarding standards of portakabins used as temporary classrooms.
Answer · Jack McConnell: We do not issue guidance on this matter. Education authorities are, however, aware of the classroom accommodation needs of pupils and teachers and should take that into account when use is made of installations of this kind.
30 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it proposes to modify the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan to allow Dawsholm Park in Glasgow to be used for industrial development.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Ministers have proposed a modification to the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Structure Plan in order to make provision for new employment opportunities through the expansion of the West of Scotland Science Park. As the proposed modification relates to …
26 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given to public safety standards when the annual grant payment to the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive is awarded.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Special Grant to the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) supports the provision of railway services within the Strathclyde Passenger Transport area under the ScotRail franchise. The grant does not support the Glasgow Underground. The Undergro…
26 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in response to the recent derailment, and any other incidents affecting public safety, on the Glasgow Underground and whether there are any plans for any investigations into these.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14497.
26 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to discuss with the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive the recent derailment, and any other incidents affecting public safety, on the Glasgow Underground.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The operation of the Glasgow Underground railway system is the responsibility of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE). Under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, the provision and regulation of railway services, which includes railway safety, are …
22 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received for national funding to be made available for the long-term preservation of Glasgow Museum's collections.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No such representations have been received. The Executive have met representatives of Glasgow City Council as a first step in our National Cultural Strategy commitment to work with the Council to examine the circumstances of their museum service. We agreed to…