Parliamentary questions

Susan Deacon

240 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support alternatives to children being driven by car to school.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-7606 on 4 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/…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage local authorities to improve school transport services.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive issued revised guidance on school transport to authorities in August 2003. In addition, the Executive supports the Safer Routes to School initiative and provides funding for local authority School Travel Co-ordinators, whose responsibilities inc…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes are in place offering high quality cycle training for all age groups.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: High quality cycletraining for children is provided through the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme bylocal Road Safety Units. Cycling Scotland supplementsthis with additional levels of cycle training for children and adults. It has alsoembarked on a training prog…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people now receive quality cycle training.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This information is not heldcentrally. However, figures will be obtained from Local Road Safety Units and CyclingScotland on their training activities. I will write to the member once all the responseshave been received.

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving and extending the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive fundedorganisations, Cycling Scotland and the Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC) areworking in collaboration to extend the current Scottish Cycle Training Scheme (SCTS).The SCTS was completely revamped in 2000 by the SRSC. Since Cycling Scotla…

31 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the analysis of the consultation on the strategic transport authority, Scotland's Transport - Proposals for a New Approach to Transport in Scotland, will be published.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Our consultation on Scotland’sTransport – Proposals for a New Approach to Transport in Scotland was completedearlier this year and the responses received placed on the Scottish Executive website. An external analysis of these responses has been commiss…

23 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by each local authority in increasing the use of fresh fruit and vegetables in school meals.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has committed significant resources to the implementation of the recommendationsin the Expert Panel on School Meals’ report, Hungry for Success. This includesencouraging the serving of larger portions of more nutritious food, suc…

23 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage local authorities to require catering services to use more local produce.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive iscurrently preparing guidance for all Scottish public purchasers and caterers whichwill detail the steps local authorities can take to use more local produce. Thisis scheduled to be issued at the end of May. This guidance will encourage the use…

18 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-136 by Ms Margaret Curran on 6 June 2003, when it intends to publish the consultation paper on a third party right of appeal against planning decisions.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I announced the publication ofour consultation paper Rights of Appeal in Planning on 1 April.

12 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for delay in amending the requirement that trains terminating at Newcraighall must enter the reversing siding rather than turning round at the platform, given the implications for passengers' convenience, and when the issue will be resolved.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a reserved matter.We understand that Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate have givenrecommendations on the best way forward. These have been accepted by NetworkRail and ScotRail, who now plan to turn around an additional six trains a day (andany delayed…

11 Feb 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-28863 by Sir David Steel on 17 September 2002, what progress has been made in developing public transport options to ensure that there are easily accessible and affordable transport links to the new Parliament building.

Answer · George Reid: The Parliament isresponsible for providing the infrastructure to allow transport links to thesite of the new building as part of the landscaping scheme and the convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has informed me that good progress has been madetowards tha…

11 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of passengers using Newcraighall and Brunstane stations arrive at the stations (a) by public transport, (b) by private car, (c) on foot and (d) by bicycle.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This information is not heldcentrally.

11 Feb 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what arrangements there will be in the new Parliament building to ensure compliance with appropriate health and safety guidelines for workplace provision for new and expectant mothers.

Answer · George Reid: Under the Workplace (Health,Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 employers are required to provide suitablefacilities for employees who are pregnant or breastfeeding to rest. I aminformed by the convener of the Holyrood Progress Group that three first aid roo…

11 Feb 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what provision there will be in the new Parliament building for Parliament staff who are breast-feeding.

Answer · George Reid: The new accommodation inHolyrood provides space for two baby changing/nursing mother rooms. The room designatedfor use by MSPs and all Parliament staff is located adjacent to the MSP/staffrestaurant at garden level, and the room for the public is located with…

11 Feb 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what arrangements there will be in the new Parliament building to support MSPs and their staff who are breast-feeding.

28 Jan 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address the issue of odour emissions from waste water treatment plants.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive is currently preparinga voluntary code of practice setting out best practice guidance for dealingwith odour problems. We plan to consult on the code this spring.If the House of Lords decidesto accept the appeal before it on the control of…

29 Oct 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to enable people with learning disabilities to influence the development and implementation of policy.

Answer · Tom McCabe: People withlearning disabilities are directly involved in the development andimplementation of policy at local and national level. Half of the board membersof the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability are people with learningdisabilities or family carer…

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the final report of the expert group on the National Sexual Health Strategy for Scotland will be published.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive received the draft national sexual health strategy on 25 September. Itwill be published for consultation in the near future.

8 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-387 by Allan Wilson on 9 June 2003, what monitoring arrangements are in place regarding the impact on its social inclusion policies of closures of local post offices under the Urban Network Reinvention Programme.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive is keeping underreview the impact on social inclusion policies of both the Department of Tradeand Industry’s Urban Network Reinvention Programme and our own £2 million developmentfund for urban post offices.

8 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government to ensure that people receiving benefits, pensions and tax credits (a) can still collect them and (b) have a range of current accounts available at the Post Office in order to maintain strong local communities.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with theUK Government on a wide range of issues, including the impact of recent changesto the ways benefits are paid. As part of the Executive’s commitment to buildingstronger communities, we are supporting the Sco…

3 Sep 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle odour emissions from waste water treatment works.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive isclosely monitoring the implications of a 23 May 2003decision of the High Court (in England) on the applicability to waste water treatment worksof the nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. In the event of…

2 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the Scottish Water #1.8 billion investment package, announced on 2 September 2003, will be used to tackle odour emissions at waste water treatment units.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr JonHargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is asfollows: It is not practicable toprovide an overall figure for investment in odour control measures, as thisfunding is not identified separately in our inves…

26 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organisations can participate in the community planning process.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: Equal opportunities runs throughcommunity planning. Under the community planning legislation (section 59 of theLocal Government in Scotland Act), Scottish ministers, local authorities and allother bodies participating in community planning should do so in a m…

26 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the status of LGBT Youth Scotland, as the only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth organisation, is recognised in future funding decisions.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: Any application form submittedto the Executive for funding by LGBT Youth Scotland will be considered against allother applications. Funding streams are, however, limited and there is no guaranteethat an application will result in an award of funding.Th…

26 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is addressing capacity building in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) voluntary and representative sectors, both nationally and locally.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive is providing fundingto two national LGBT organisations, the Equality Network and LGBT Youth Scotland,to develop networks and structures for consultation with LGBT communities acrossScotland. The Executive has also funded the production of a dire…

11 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-868 by Nicol Stephen on 14 July 2003, what consultation procedure it will use for its proposals for a strategic transport authority and which organisations and individuals will be consulted

Answer · Nicol Stephen: <div class=Section1>We expect to publish aconsultation document in due course – issued to a wide range of interestedparties, including COSLA, local authorities, transport partnerships,Strathclyde Passenger Transport, operators, user groups and others who h…

27 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Her Majesty's Government to discuss tackling the increase in the number of people with debt problems in Scotland.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the issue of debt and consumer protection. The Department of Trade and Industry is currently performing a comprehensive review of the Consumer Credit Act …

27 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure the sustainability of debt advice and what funding allocations will be in place after 2004 to support and promote money advice schemes.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive has committed £500,000 annually to March 2005 to fund Money Advice Training Resources Information and Consulting Services (MATRICS) central support organisation. This compliments the additional £3 million per annum from 2002 committed t…

27 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to work with the Department of Trade and Industry to introduce fairer credit schemes and protect consumers from excessively high interest rates.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-1282 today. 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/webapp/search…

25 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the key performance targets that it has set for Historic Scotland for 2003-04.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I have set Historic Scotland the following key performance targets for 2003-04.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=578><TR><TD WIDTH="92%" VALIGN="TOP">Key Performance Area</TD><TD WIDTH="8%" VALIGN="TOP">Target</TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"…