Parliamentary questions
Tricia Marwick
552 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive at what stage the Equality Unit had an input to the Education and Training (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6691.
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive at what stage the Equality Unit had an input to the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Bill.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6691.
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive at what stage the Equality Unit had an input to the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: It is the responsibility of sponsoring departments to assess the equal opportunities implications of their policy and proposed legislation. The Equality Unit has a role to assist departments in that process as part of the mainstreaming of equal opportunities.…
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the precise remit is of the Equality Unit.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The remit of the Equality Unit is to support the Executive in the delivery of its commitments on equal opportunities.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">To that end the Equality Unit has the following role:<DIR><DIR><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">to provide support to Ministers on equali…
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6286 by Jackie Baillie on 9 May 2000, what the running costs budget of the Equality Unit is, specifying in particular the number of staff and their salaries.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Further to my answer to your question S1W-6286 on 9 May 2000, I should clarify that, as outlined in the recently published document <I>Investing in You: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive,</I> the planned programme expenditure for Equalities …
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-956 by Sarah Boyack on 1 September 1999, when it intends to make the study of fast ferry links on routes between Granton, Rosyth and Burntisland available.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Copies of the Phase 1 and 2 reports of the Cross-Forth Passenger Ferry Study produced by Napier University were placed in the Parliament's Information Centre on 10 May.
10 May 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet the management and workforce of Kvaerner Methil to discuss the future of the yard.
Answer · Henry McLeish: I am due to meet Kvaerner's Executive Vice President, Jan Jorgensen soon to discuss the future of the Methil fabrication yard. In the meantime the Executive is working closely with the fabrication sector throughout Scotland, including Kvaerner at Methil, as i…
26 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change adoption laws in Scotland.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I would refer Ms Marwick to the answer I gave to question S1W-5426.
26 Apr 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have had CCTV installed as a result of the Dunblane tragedy and how many have not.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The installation of CCTV equipment is one of a range of measures which education authorities and schools may consider as a means of improving school security. Information on the security measures in place at individual schools is not collected centrally.
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is of its Equalities Unit for 2000-01 and what its proposed budget is for 2001-02.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The programme budget for the Equality Unit for 2000-01 is £500,000. The Executive's spending plans for 2001-02 are outlined in the recently published document <I>Investing in You: Annual Expenditure Plans of the Scottish Executive</I>. In that publication an …
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force in its report From Exclusion to Inclusion in December 1999 can be implemented without legislation.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-5656.
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 156 recommendations made by the Disability Rights Task Force in its report From Exclusion to Inclusion in December 1999 fall within the powers of the Executive.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-5656.
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which department has responsibility for considering the recommendations made by the Disability Rights Task Force in its report From Exclusion to Inclusion published in December 1999.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer the member to the answer given to S1W-5656.
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the 156 recommendations from the Disability Rights Task Force which were published in its report From Exclusion to Inclusion in December 1999.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The UK Government has already announced its intention to legislate to implement the Task Force's recommendations on education. A consultation paper on the measures to be included in the legislation was issued by the Department for Education and Employment on …
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for an information campaign to raise public, commercial and industry awareness of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Executive is currently considering the matter of awareness raising for Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. That consideration will be informed by discussion with the Department for Education and Employment and the new Disability Righ…
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it has had since July 1999 with the National Disability Council.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: There has been regular contact between the Scottish Executive and the National Disability Council (NDC) since July 1999. We look forward to working with the new GB-wide Disability Rights Commission (DRC) which will formally replace the NDC on 25 April 2000.<P…
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to meet the Disability Rights Commission.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-5654.
28 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for a formal consultation strategy, across all departments, with the Disability Rights Commission.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-5654.
24 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the rights of private rented sector tenants in the forthcoming housing bill and to give local authorities the power to prosecute private landlords in cases of alleged illegal eviction.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Where private sector tenants are unlawfully evicted, legal remedies are available to them through civil action, arising from breach of contract by the landlord. In addition, the Procurator Fiscal can prosecute the private landlord for the summary offence of u…
22 Mar 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any assessment of the impact on social inclusion of the abolition of Mortgage Interest Relief at Source (MIRAS).
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Responsibility for taxation policy, including the abolition of MIRAS, rests with Her Majesty's Treasury. The Treasury advise that, because of current low interest rates, even after the withdrawal of MIRAS, the average monthly mortgage will cost £300 a month l…
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many adoptions were granted in the years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The following table sets out the information which is recorded on the number of adoptions which were granted in the years 1995 to 1999.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="27%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Year</TD><TD WIDTH="1…
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many freeing orders were applied for and how many were granted in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information is not available in the form requested. The following table sets out the information which is recorded on the number of freeing orders which were granted in the years 1995 to 1999.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="…
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any studies which have been carried out which examine the continuing of links with natural parents after adoption.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: <I><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica">Adoption Now - Messages from Research</I> which the Department of Health published in September 1999, brings together in a single volume the most recent studies on adoption. Chapter 5 of the report deals with issues surroundin…
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide guidance to local authorities about the maintaining of contact with natural parents and relatives after adoption.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: No. Current adoption legislation does not preclude contact with natural parents and relatives after adoption. Guidance on the legislation issued in 1996 includes the nature and management of such continuing contact.
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to bring forward legislation or amend existing legislation to allow continuing contact with natural parents and relatives after adoption.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: No. Current adoption legislation does not preclude contact with natural parents and relatives after adoption. Guidance on the legislation issued in 1996 includes the nature and management of such continuing contact.
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the current legislation on adoption.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: No.
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4521 by Sarah Boyack on 2 March 2000, whether it will give details of the UK-wide consultation exercise on overhauling road traffic regulation law and whether it will provide specific details of the consultation it had with and the representations it…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: On 8 August 1996 the previous Government announced a thorough overhaul of road traffic regulation law. A consultation document was issued seeking comments on specific proposals relating to traffic regulation orders, parking controls, speed limits, traffic sig…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fund Gingerbread Scotland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer to my earlier response of 17 March to Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) on the issue of funding for Gingerbread Scotland.
28 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister, in making recommendations to Her Majesty's Government in respect of the recent appointment of full time sheriffs, took account of the political affiliations of those recommended for appointments and, if so, which of the sheriffs appointed have been members of p…
Answer · Jim Wallace: No.
24 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the advice regarding the implications of the European Convention on Human Rights for temporary Sheriffs which it received from the Crown Office and to provide details of the action that was taken following receipt of this advice.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The content and source of legal advice to Ministers is confidential.