Parliamentary questions

Tricia Marwick

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

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the standards of fire cover can be met if retained and whole-time fire crews are combined and, if so, what research it has carried out to ascertain this.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Mixed crewing of appliances could satisfy existing standards in some circumstances. Current standards of fire cover are directly related to local geographic areas and timed attendance targets. In some areas, the target response does permit the use of retained…

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what examination it has carried out into the recommendations of the Bain inquiry report into the fire service to ensure that the standards of fire cover will continue to be achievable.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Bain Report recommends a move to risk assessed fire cover rather than the current rigid system of response based on property and geographical area. This mirrors proposals contained in the Executive's policy consultation paper published last April. The Exe…

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to question S1O-6265 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 January 2003 (Official Report, c 17397), what the outdated practices in the fire service are.

Answer · Hugh Henry: In response to the supplementary question, the Deputy First Minister mentioned practices such as full-time firefighters not being allowed to work on the same crew as part-time firefighters and the rigid shift system. There are other examples such as the Fire …

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations from the Bain inquiry report into the fire service it intends to implement and what its timescale is for implementation.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Much of the Bain report chimes with our own consultation paper - The Scottish Fire Service of the Future - which we published on 30 April 2002. We are considering the Bain Report carefully against our policy paper in taking forward the modernisation of…

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to repeal section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947 and by what legislative means it will achieve this.

Answer · Hugh Henry: It will be a matter for the next administration in the next Parliament to decide how to improve local decision making and local accountability within the fire service.

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place copies of all responses to The Scottish Fire Service of the Future in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Hugh Henry: We can only arrange to place copies of responses in the Parliament's Reference Centre where consent has been given for the response to be made public. No such consent was sought or given in relation to this consultation document. However, we will write to tho…

27 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place a copy of its submission to the Bain inquiry into the fire service in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive's evidence to the Bain Review, like that of the other Devolved Administrations, was included in the evidence submitted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). The review team made it clear from the outset that evidence submit…

23 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the draft bill on local authority governance.

Answer · Peter Peacock: We have today announced the publication of the Local Governance (Scotland) Bill. Copies of the bill have been distributed to MSPs and placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 26293). It is also available on the Scottish Executive website.

13 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of the advertising campaign for the Scottish Parliament and local government elections in May 2003 (a) in (i) local and (ii) national newspapers and (b) on (1) the radio and (2) television.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33140 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/sear…

13 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which company has been awarded the contract for the advertising campaign for the Scottish Parliament and local government elections in May 2003 and what the value is of the contract.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33140. 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_wa"…

13 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of the proposed advertising campaign for the Scottish Parliament and local government elections in May 2003.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Electoral Commission, which is independent, has responsibility for running the public awareness campaign for the Scottish Parliament elections. The Scottish Executive has this responsibility with regard to local elections as these fall outside the remit o…

13 Jan 2003 · Written Question

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The information requested is not held centrally.

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32551 by Mr Andy Kerr on 3 January 2003, how many public bodies there are in Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There are 150 public bodies in Scotland. Details are contained on the Public Bodies and Appointments website at: <A HREF="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies/">www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies/</A>.

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32551 by Mr Andy Kerr on 3 January 2003, how many of the 49 public bodies have been (a) abolished and (b) declassified since May 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Nineteen public bodies have been abolished and 30 have been declassified (including 28 NHS trusts).Further to my previous answer, the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland and the Health Technology Board for Scotland have been abolished and replaced with N…

6 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24884 by Mr Andy Kerr on 30 July 2002, whether it will update the table on the support that it provides to local government for implementing its initiatives to include a breakdown of the 2003-04 figures.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Table 1 lists specific Scottish Executive initiatives for 2003-04 and associated financial support, including additional funding for existing initiatives, included within general revenue grant (Aggregate External Finance), non-housing capital allocations, Hou…

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31962 on 11 December 2002, where information on the number of applications for grants to remove lead piping in domestic premises is currently held.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32607 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/sear…

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31962 on 11 December 2002, what plans it has to hold the information on the number of applications for grants to remove lead piping in domestic premises centrally.

12 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31962 on 11 December 2002, why the information on the number of applications for grants to remove lead piping in domestic premises is not held centrally.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Improvement and Repairs Grants scheme, under which grants are available for the replacement of lead water pipes, is operated by local authorities using funds from the general capital allocation. Information about applications outstanding at any given time…

11 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies it is planning to establish.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Proposals to establish new non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are under consideration by the Executive but final decisions will not be made until the full options appraisal and exacting scrutiny as required by Public Bodies Proposals for Change hav…

11 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies have been (a) abolished and (b) established since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: A total of 49 public bodies have been abolished or de-classified since 1999. Fourteen new public bodies have been created. Since July 2002 information on public bodies has been available on the Public Body and Appointment Website at: <A HREF="http://www.sc…

2 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in lump sum payments to each of its former special advisers since May 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Since May 1999, 11 former special advisers have received a total of £154,754.25 in severance pay. Individual severance payments are not revealed in order to protect the privacy of the individual. Severance pay is paid in recognition of the fact that it is not…

2 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in lump sum payments to the former Solicitor General, Neil Davidson.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25770 on 6 June 2002. 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/we…

2 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in lump sum payments to the former Lord Advocate, Lord Hardie.

2 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has now been paid in lump sum payments to its former ministers since May 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25770 on 6 June 2002, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parliam…

2 Dec 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer how much Dr Richard Simpson MSP will receive in lump sum payments following his resignation as a junior Scottish minister.

Answer · David Steel: Under The Scotland Act 1998 (Transitory and Transitional Provisions) (Grants to Members and Officeholders) Order 1999 Dr Simpson is entitled to receive a lump sum payment equal to one quarter of his former officeholder's salary. The actual amount payable will…

25 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current level of outstanding grant applications is for the removal of lead piping in domestic premises in each local authority area.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Information on the number of applications for grant to remove lead piping in domestic premises which have not been approved, or have been approved and not paid, is not held centrally.

25 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the cost of overtime payments to police officers during the recent two-day fire strike, broken down by police force area, and whether it will meet the cost of such payments.

Answer · Jim Wallace: All Scottish police forces have been advised that the cost of any necessary activity incurred in connection with the current industrial activity which is additional to, but not in substitution for, that normally incurred by forces will be reimbursed in full b…

25 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of overtime were worked by police officers during the recent two-day fire strike in each police force area.

25 Nov 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer on what date the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) agreed that it would give support in respect of (a) IT, (b) the media office, (c) Standards Committee clerking, (d) the office of the Chief Executive, (e) the office of the Presiding Officer and (f) web site design to the Scotti…

Answer · David Steel: The decision to support The Exchange including through "contribution in kind" was taken by SPCB on 6 February 2001. The minutes of the SPCB were not made publicly available until June 2001. However, the extract of the minutes for that meeting is detailed b…

25 Nov 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what the cost to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has been in staff time in respect of supporting the Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange, broken down by financial year and showing separately the cost of support in relation to (a) IT, (b) the media office, (c) Standards Com…

Answer · David Steel: Modest staff support has been provided to the Exchange since its inception but Parliament staff do not generally keep time sheets logging individual work activities. Staff time spent on supporting the Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange cannot therefore…