Parliamentary questions
Dr Sylvia Jackson
415 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to assist and support disabled people to take up employment.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A comprehensive range of policy measures are in place to ensure that those with disabilities or other special needs can play an effective part in Scotland's economic future, and gain access to education and lifelong learning to improve their employability.<P …
16 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost per prisoner place is at HMP Kilmarnock and whether this cost is calculated using the same methodology as Scottish Prison Service figures.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The total cost of HMP Kilmarnock over the 25-year period of the contract is approximately £130 million in Net Present Value te…
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland is on course to meet its commitments in relation to the EC Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62) and, if not, what action it intends to take to improve performance.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Following consultation earlier this year, I laid before Parliament on Friday 17 November, proposed regulations which would increase the packaging recovery targets which companies with obligations under the packaging recovery scheme have to meet in 2001. These…
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has researched into any link between mental health problems and deprivation and what action it is taking in response to any such link.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There have been a number of local and national surveys in this area, some funded by the Scottish Executive. These have found clear evidence of a marked social class gradient in the prevalence of mental health problems, including suicide, first admissions to h…
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities exist in Scotland for the recycling of plastics.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: There are facilities for reprocessing recycled plastics in Aberdeen and Dumfries, as well as several smaller plants across the country. A pilot project to investigate the viability of polymer-cracking of plastics has been undertaken at Grangemouth.
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the recycling of plastics.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive is contributing over £2 million to the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP), which is being established in conjunction with DETR, DTI and the National Assembly for Wales. WRAP will investigate and aim to overcome major barriers to rec…
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce any spread of algal blooms in Loch Lomond; what phosphorus control measures have been taken in other lochs, and whether any resulting algal blooms have been detected.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has the statutory duty of exercising its pollution control powers for the purpose of preventing or minimising, or remedying or mitigating the effects of pollution in the environment. It has the duty of promoting the …
1 Nov 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to address present financial difficulties being experienced by the Relatives Association so that it can continue to support the relatives of those within continuing care establishments.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive recognises that the Relatives Association has the potential to play a valuable role in supporting the friends and relatives of people moving into and residing in continuing care establishments. I have asked my officials to meet members of the as…
26 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the impact on climate change emissions, traffic levels and air quality of the extra spending on transport announced by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: A research project is currently underway to identify an appropriate methodology to forecast future traffic levels in Scotland and produce interim traffic and emission forecasts for local air pollutants and carbon dioxide where possible. The current stage of t…
26 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to meet any increased demand for Gaelic-medium education and Gaelic-medium nursery education.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The provision of Gaelic-medium education is the responsibility of the education authorities. The Scottish Executive provides specific grant for up to 75% of the cost of Gaelic-medium education. This provision will increase by £200,000 to £2.8 million in 2001-…
25 Oct 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the review group set up to consider the impact of Part V of the Police Act 1997 in relation to payment for police vetting checks on adult volunteers.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Review Group set up last year under Jackie Baillie's chairmanship has made good progress. It is hoped that the group will report its conclusions by the end of the calendar year.
18 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any financial withdrawals from the Transport Operation Pension Scheme by the Trustees and if so (a) when these withdrawals took place and (b) what reason was given for these withdrawals.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the Trustees of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes.
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the European Commission's progress on proposals to deal with the accidental contamination of non-genetically modified seed with genetically modified seed.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Commission has recently published interim measures on the adventitious presence of genetically modified seed in non-genetically-modified seed. I have arranged for copies of the Commission measures to be available in SPICe.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The key elemen…
28 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the financial limits for agri-environment schemes are not the same in Scotland as they are in the rest of the UK.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The position in Scotland is not directly comparable to that of the rest of the UK because of differences in farm structure and in the agri-environment schemes themselves. The financial limits for Scottish agri-environment schemes ensure that large farms do no…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will implement the installation of central heating for pensioners as part of its recently announced #350 million investment in central heating for pensioners and social tenants over a five year period.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I am convening a group to determine how the central heating initiative will be implemented. It will include representatives of the power companies and relevant charities. The first meeting is scheduled for later this month.
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to give all farmers and crofters access to free, comprehensive conservation advice.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department contributes substantially to the cost of conservation advice for farmers applying to join agri-environment schemes. It also provides grant-in-aid to the Scottish Agricultural College to provide public good advic…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that fuel poverty is eradicated in the private rented sector.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The central heating initiative for pensioners announced on 18 September will take 90% of beneficiaries out of fuel poverty, including those in the private rented sector. The Warm Deal will continue to provide home insulation for other low-income households in…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what risks GM farm scale trials pose to organic honey production.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The organic honey sector cannot operate in isolation from other agricultural practices or the wider environment, particularly since bees forage widely. However, the environmental implications of all GM deliberate release applications, including the impact of …
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what risks GM farm scale trials pose to organic farming.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We recognise that an element of cross-pollination could occur between related organic and GM crops, but this is no more likely than cross-pollination between related organic and conventional crops. The organic sector cannot operate in isolation from other agr…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what systems have been put in place to improve communication between the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Communication between the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food generally operates satisfactorily and in accordance with the appropriate Concordats. Where any problems have arisen, these have been reso…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the monitoring of sites mistakenly planted with GM-contaminated oilseed rape.
Answer · Ross Finnie: All Scottish sites planted with GM contaminated oilseed rape have been inspected to confirm effective destruction of the crop. In all but six crops the measures taken have been completely effective. For those crops where the destruction was not fully achieved…
15 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the establishment of the first National Parks in Scotland will be taken forward following the passage of the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 through the Scottish Parliament.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The enabling legislation received Royal Assent on 9 August. The next steps in setting up our first Scottish National Parks are those set out in sections 1-3 of the Act. I am pleased to announce that today I am setting that process in motion by publishing Nati…
20 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to conduct a quinquennial review of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: A review of the JNCC will begin shortly and be overseen by a steering group involving officials from the Scottish Executive. In accordance with standard practice, the review will begin by examining the functions and structure of the JNCC before moving on, if …
14 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for road safety improvements on (a) the A84 between Stirling and Lochearnhead and (b) the A85 between Lochearnhead and Tyndrum.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has a number of road safety improvement schemes programmed for the A84 between Stirling and Lochearnhead. In addition, two other road safety schemes are also programmed on the A82 between Crianlarich and Tyndrum. The work involved withi…
30 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in moving towards (a) computerisation of all medical records and (b) a smart card system so that people attending out of hours services such as doctors' on call services receive prompt medical treatment.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A three-year programme is under way to establish widespread use of online electronic communications within the NHS. These systems and the associated clinical protocols will allow electronic communication of protocol-based referrals, immediate discharge letter…
22 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to local authorities on the recent "Safer Routes to School" funding in the light of its Central Research Unit report of Road Accidents and Children Living in Disadvantaged Areas.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The letter sent out by the Scottish Executive to local authorities informing them of the extra funding for "Safer Routes to School" drew their attention to the research report and suggested that they might take it into account in making decisions on…
22 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to reduce the risk of children living in disadvantaged areas being involved in road accidents, following its Central Research Unit's findings in Road Accidents and Children Living in Disadvantaged Areas.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Dr Jackson to the reply I gave to question S1W-6570.
9 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has regarding tenant farmers in the forthcoming programme of land reform legislation.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Proposals for land reform legislation which will have a direct impact on the interests of tenant farmers are contained in the White Paper <I>Agricultural Holdings Proposals For Legislation</I> (SE/2000/51) which I announced in the Scottish Parliament and publ…
9 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether domestic wind turbines can play a part in meeting Scotland's obligations in relation to renewable energy.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Yes, the Renewables (Scotland) Obligation will in future be the main vehicle for increasing the amount of new renewable electricity generation in Scotland. It will take the form of an obligation on all electricity suppliers to provide to their customers a spe…
1 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of the recently announced mandatory targets for recycling municipal waste in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland, when such targets will be set for Scotland and whether it will require the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to make these targets mandatory.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the Member to the answer I gave to question S1W-7711 on 21 June.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In light of SEPA's guidance, I will consider what action the Executive should take on recycling targets.