Parliamentary questions
Adam Ingram
1,244 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to bring sheriff courts into line with English and Welsh magistrate's courts by extending the time of appeal against the withdrawal or refusal of a driver's licence due to an advancing psychiatric condition from 21 days to six months.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no such plans. The 21-day time limit for lodging appeals (in non-criminal matters) with the sheriff court is set by the Act of Sederunt (Summary Applications, Statutory Applications and Appeals etc. Rules) 1999. Under these rules courts have the discr…
25 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to review the process of driving licence withdrawal from a person with a deteriorating psychiatric condition.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including driver licensing.
25 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fund initiatives such as the project set up by Facilitate Scotland which offers telephone counselling for people with mental health illnesses.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive currently funds a range of voluntary bodies in the mental health arena which provide various types of support, including telephone helplines, for people with mental health difficulties. In addition, we are currently planning the introdu…
25 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to raise the profile of depression amongst 16 to 25-year-olds.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is developing a national programme to improve the mental health of the Scottish population. To drive that process, I am chairing a National Advisory Group, consisting of a range of stakeholders across health, education, social justice, …
25 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives have been set up by each local authority since 1999 to assist people diagnosed with depression.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The information requested is not held centrally.
25 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently diagnosed as suffering from depression, broken down by (a) gender, (b) age and, (c) NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The available figures for depression are based on those from a sample of GP practices for the year ending December 2000.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=604><TR><TD WIDTH="8%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="11%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Ari…
17 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the powers under the British Railways (No. 3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 can and will be transferred to Strathclyde Passenger Transport.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22010.
17 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21310 by Lewis Macdonald on 16 January 2002, why there has been a delay in the Order in Council under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998 to transfer legislative competence to the Parliament in respect of the promotion and construction of railways be…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Officials from the Scottish Executive and from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions have been working steadily through the details of implementing the McLeish settlement since devolution. Orders implementing previous parts of it have…
17 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect Railtrack pulling out of the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link will have on the competency of the British Railways (No. 3) Order Confirmation Act 1994.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22010.
17 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the proposed date is for work to start on the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link and when it will become operational.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is keen to see the Larkhall-Milngavie project taken forward. That is why we have continued to support Strathclyde Passenger Transport, following Railtrack's announcement that it was withdrawing its support last December, to try and iden…
15 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what amount has been automatically deducted from students' travel expenses awarded by the Students Awards Agency for Scotland in each of the last three years and how this amount is calculated.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: In the last three years, the amount which the Awards Agency deducts from travel claims has been as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=604><TR><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Session</FONT></TD>…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance the NHS 24 helpline will give to those with a mental illness.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS 24 recognises that there is a real need to provide support for people with a mental health illness and have taken this into account in developing the clinical decision software that will be used by its nurses. Clinical algorithms have been developed for c…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what directions have been given to Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority regarding security measures since 11 September 2001, by whom, and why any such directions were given.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Security and safety are reserved matters. It is not our policy to disclose details of security measures.
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20918 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 January 2002, why no evaluation has been carried out and whether it is confident that Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority has been carrying out its statutory duties.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive maintains close contact with the authority, the constituent councils and other interested parties involved in the delivery of public transport in the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) area. We are aware of no substantial evidence …
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20917 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 January 2002, what specific issues were discussed at its meetings last year with representatives of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: In the last year the Executive has met bilaterally with the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority to discuss the following issues.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=328><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Issue</…
10 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Ministry of Defence regarding the provision of helicopter search and rescue services within Scotland and in particular at HMS Gannet.
Answer · Richard Simpson: None. The Executive, which is consulted on civil search and rescue matters, but for which the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions has lead responsibility, understands that MoD's plans will not affect civil search and rescue capabilities …
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist units, professionals and additional resources are available in each health board area for deaf and deafblind people diagnosed with a mental illness.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards and local authorities will decide what resources to allocate to any specialist provision for this care group reflecting the needs of their area. On an individual level, assessments should always take account of the whole person with care responses …
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation paper on mental health services for deaf and deafblind people by its Principal Medical Officer will be made available to the Parliament.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21433 om 29 January 2002.
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an application to the Chief Scientist Office for research funding involving staff based outwith Scotland would be processed as normal and whether the fact that non-Scottish employees would be working on the project would affect awarding decisions.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The involvement of staff based outwith Scotland would not affect the processing of a research grant application or affect the decision to award grant provided that the principal grant holder is a permanent salaried member of staff in a Scottish institution an…
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria must be met in order for an application for funding from the Chief Scientist Office to be successful.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Research proposals to the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) are assessed on the basis of their scientific quality and potential relevance to the health of the Scottish people. The principal research grant holder must be a permanent salaried member of staff in a Sc…
8 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the Scottish Council on Deafness's Mental Health and Deaf People Task Group's application for funding from the Chief Scientist Office in 2001 was turned down.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Council on Deafness' application for funding from the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) was turned down on 1 November 2001 because it lay outside the remit of CSO's research grant scheme which requires that the principal research grant holder must be …
19 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20444 by Lewis Macdonald on 11 December 2001, when the Order in Council under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998 to provide legislative competence to the Scottish Parliament in respect of the promotion and construction of railways will be laid and b…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I anticipate that the Order in Council under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998, to provide legislative competence to the Scottish Parliament in respect of the promotion and construction of railways, will be laid and brought into force during the first half …
19 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20444 by Lewis Macdonald on 11 December 2001, when it was informed of the decision to give the Scottish Parliament legislative competence over the approval of the promotion and construction of new railways in Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The transfer to the Scottish Parliament of legislative competence for the promotion and construction of new railways in Scotland formed part of a package of measures for railways devolution announced on 31 March 1998 by Henry McLeish, the then Scottish Transp…
17 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how, and to whom, it promotes the use of Records of Needs.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: It is the responsibility of education authorities in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to establish which children in their area have pronounced, specific or complex special educational needs which require continuing review. If a child is assessed as…
17 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many educational psychologists have specific training in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, broken down by health board area.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Educational psychologists are employed within local authorities.<P>Data is not collected centrally on individual educational psychologists' levels of professional training in particular specialist areas of psychology, such as attention deficit hyperactivity d…
17 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any guidance issued to educational psychologists regarding the follow-up action after diagnosis of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the use of a Record of Needs in this situation.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Guidance issued by the Scottish Executive refers to the circumstances under which any child with special educational needs (SEN) requires a Record of Needs. It does not refer in detail to any particular disorder such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorde…
17 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any guidance issued to local education authorities regarding the use of a Record of Needs.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive issued general guidance to local authorities on Records of Needs legislation and good practice in <I>Circular 4/96 - Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs: Assessment and Recording</I> and the <I>Manual of Good Practice</I>. F…
17 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications or experience classroom assistants require before entering the classroom environment.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The guidance issued by The Scottish Office to Directors of Education in April 1999 about the implementation of the Classroom Assistants initiative, sets out the following minimum entry standards which prospective Classroom Assistants are required to demonstra…
17 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities regarding the use of classroom assistants.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Office issued detailed guidance to all Directors of Education in April 1999 about the implementation of the Classroom Assistants initiative. The guidance, which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 13145), covers issues …
11 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority or from the local authorities represented on it regarding funding and what responses it has given in each case.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: SPT have welcomed the Executive's decisions to increase capital allocations by 43% for the three years to 31 March 2004, to support through grant and borrowing consent the £23 million Larkhall to Milngavie rail projects and to provide £14 million from the 4th…