Parliamentary questions
Dr Sylvia Jackson
415 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the final report of the MVA study into the benefits of reopening the Stirling - Alloa - Kincardine rail line.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I received the final report of MVA's <I>Stirling - Alloa - Kincardine Rail Line Reopening Benefit Study</I> earlier this month. Copies of the report have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.<P>The report demonstrates that the project will have si…
28 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to revise prescription and other National Health Service charges.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We shall lay before Parliament regulations to increase prescription and other National Health Service charges in Scotland from 1 April 2002. There will be a cash increase in the prescription charge of 10p, (1.64%) from £6.10 to £6.20 for each quantity of a dr…
27 Feb 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in order to assist local authorities to tackle any backlog of repairs on the non-trunk road network.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: On 25 February, I announced that local authorities are to receive an extra £20 million in grant in financial year 2001-02 to speed up their maintenance activity on local roads and bridges. This is in addition to an extra £70 million for capital investment, al…
6 Feb 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to reduce pollution from farms.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I am committed to a partnership approach to the protection and enhancement of Scotland's environment.<P>We are working with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the farming industry and other stakeholders to improve the guidance available to far…
1 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether police forces take into account the possibility of an inaccurate speedometer in the speeding car when issuing tickets for speeding offences and whether the Executive or police forces have undertaken any research into the effects that inaccurate speedometers in cars may have on the…
Answer · Jim Wallace: Police forces issue fixed penalties or make reports to the Procurator Fiscal on the basis of corroborated evidence of the speed of vehicles. It would be for the defence to introduce any evidence of a faulty speedometer as a defence or mitigation.
1 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to discourage speeding.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is liaising closely with the UK Government on the implementation of the speed policy proposals in the GB road safety strategy <I>Tomorrow's Roads - Safer for Everyone</I>, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Informa…
1 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage businesses to provide more senior positions on a part-time and job-share basis.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Work-Life balance, including encouraging the provision of part-time working and job sharing where appropriate, is a reserved issue. The Department of Trade and Industry launched the Work-Life Balance campaign, with an accompanying Challenge Fund, in March 200…
30 Jan 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce further measures to assist key public sector workers to gain access to the housing market in pressured rural areas.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The answer to questions S1W-28144 and S1W-28145 on 29 August 2002, set out a number of initiatives which are helping to increase the supply of affordable housing in rural areas. Individual projects may sometimes provide housing specifically for essential work…
18 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with taking forward the work of the Renewing Local Democracy Working Group.
Answer · Andy Kerr: We have today agreed a timetable for the next steps in taking forward the work of the working group. Copies of the timetable are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
19 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how Local Enterprise Companies will be covered by the new ethical standards regime.
Answer · Peter Peacock: As a result of the review of the Enterprise Network last year, it was announced that Local Enterprise Companies (LECs) would change to wholly owned bodies of Scottish Enterprise (SEn) and Highland and Island Enterprise (HIE) whilst retaining company status. <…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist and develop local museums.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We have honoured our commitment in the National Cultural Strategy to provide resources of £250,000 for a national audit of all museum collections, buildings and services to establish their relative importance, the first of its kind in Europe. The final result…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect public sports grounds and playing areas from being used for building developments.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive seeks to protect and enhance the land and water resources required for the nation's sport and physical recreation through the planning system. It is part of local authorities' responsibility to take full account in their preparation of developme…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13128 by Jackie Baillie on 12 March 2001, how many households in the private rented sector applied for Warm Deal grants in the 12 months to 30 June 2001, how many such grants were awarded and what percentage of Warm Deal grants awarded during this pe…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Eaga manage the Warm Deal for the private sector. They do not record applications by sector. They record the number of grants awarded. From 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 Eaga received 27,823 Warm Deal grant claims. 941 of these were for tenants in the private r…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to reduce the number of accidents caused by fireworks.
Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3987 on 1 November 2001.
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the percentage of Scotland's power that can be generated from renewable resources.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Earlier this year, we commissioned an update of an earlier assessment of Scotland's potential renewable energy resource, which was published in 1993. This work has nearly been completed by the consultants, and I will be announcing its publication shortly, alo…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15542 by Rhona Brankin on 16 May 2001, what progress has been made in assessing the capacity of the national grid in northern Scotland in order to ensure that Scotland can benefit fully from its renewable energy resources.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The study commissioned to assess the capacity of the Scottish electricity network to connect increasing amounts of renewable generation has now been completed. The results of the study will be published shortly, along with a report into Scotland's renewable r…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving safety on the A84 and A85 trunk roads.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The following progress has been made in improving safety on the A84 and A85 trunk roads:<P>BEAR Scotland Ltd have proposals for improving the A84/A85 junction at Lochearnhead. The construction work is programmed for completion this financial year. <P>The desi…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how is it promoting the Powershift programme in rural areas.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Energy Saving Trust is responsible for publicising the Powershift programme throughout the UK, and does so in a number of ways. We have recently asked the trust to undertake increased promotion of the Powershift programme across Scotland, including in rur…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15395 by Rhona Brankin on 10 May 2001, what progress it has made in improving the protection of Scotland's soil resource.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The recent study carried out by Stirling University on the development of a soil protection strategy for Scotland, which we are currently considering, recommended that the proposed Advisory Committee on Scottish Soils should review the available survey data a…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken by it, local authorities and the enterprise agencies to support and advise small businesses, such as village shops and post offices.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The provision of advice and support for small, medium and large businesses in Scotland is a matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The Scottish Executive continues to work closely with both these organisations to ensure easy acce…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that young people living in rural areas have access to affordable public transport.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive's Rural Public Passenger Transport grant provides support for scheduled services, many of which extend access to affordable public transport including to young people.<P>In addition, the Rural Community Transport Initiative provides sup…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18491 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 September 2001, what specific steps it is taking to promote digital inclusion in rural areas.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: In September we published the Digital Inclusion strategy <I>Connecting Scotland's people</I> - this included initiatives which will promote digital inclusion in rural areas.<P>The public access points initiative will expend some £5 million to create more than…
30 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16773 by Rhona Brankin on 31 July 2001, whether it has made any further progress in promoting social inclusion in rural areas.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive remains committed to promoting social inclusion across Scotland, including in our rural areas. Our understanding of rural social exclusion is being improved as a result of the Rural Poverty and Inclusion Working Group's report, <I>Poverty and So…
24 Oct 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what precautions it has taken in order to limit the number of injuries caused by fireworks.
Answer · Iain Gray: The sale, supply and safety of fireworks are consumer protection matters and as such are reserved. The Department of Trade and Industry runs annual firework safety campaigns and issues firework safety packs to trading standards departments, environmental heal…
23 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14686 by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2001, what progress has been made in the discussions about how the e-Learning Foundation's initiative on the provision of computer equipment for young people might apply in Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive remains very interested in models of private sector involvement to improve investment in and provision of e-learning. We are continuing to explore with the foundation how an extension of its activities into Scotland might bring about a step-chan…
19 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to specific inclusiveness projects which are designed to improve the skills and employability of disadvantaged young people.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Careers service companies and their partners have been allocated the following funding to take forward inclusiveness projects over the period 2001-04:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=453><TR><TD WIDTH="75%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=…
19 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is assisting social economy organisations to set up or expand their existing services.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive launched Social Investment Scotland on 19 September. This new loan fund will assist social economy organisations by providing loan finance, business development support and technical assistance.<P>A review of the Executive's current pol…
19 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency about charges levied for petrol vapour recovery.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to review the charging scheme which covers petrol vapour recovery processes and to propose options for achieving cost recovery. Any proposed changes to the existing charging scheme wo…
19 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to EC Directive 94/63/EC, whether it plans to take forward discretions for small petrol stations where the service station is located in an area where vapour emissions are unlikely to contribute significantly to environmental and/or health problems.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: We are currently considering to what areas the derogation should apply in Scotland. <P>Petrol stations within the size range 100 to 500m<SUP>3</SUP> throughput, for which a derogation could be available, do not need to comply with the requirements of the Dire…
9 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the special railway administrators of Railtrack plc to ensure continuity of rail services in Scotland.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: In October, I wrote to Railtrack's Administrators seeking assurances that Scotland's interests will be positively addressed during the period Railtrack is in administration.