Parliamentary questions
Alasdair Morgan
518 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the gap is between the average attendance levels in schools serving areas of high and low deprivation as referred to in the education and young people section of its Draft Budget 2003-04.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive published, on 12 November 2002, <EM>Building a Better Scotland - Spending Review Proposals 2003-06, Technical Notes</EM> which explain the basis of the targets in the Draft Budget 2003-04. The full notes are accessible on the Scottish E…
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many persistent young offenders there were in 2000-01.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Children's Reporter Administration annual report for 2000-01 provides data on the number of young offenders going through the hearings system. The data is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20128).
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people currently get access to justice as referred to in the justice section of its Draft Budget 2003-2004.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Annual Report of the Scottish Legal Aid Board for 2001-02 shows that the courts, the board and solicitors made 427,873 grants of legal aid. In addition, between 1 December 1998 and 31 August 1999 - the most recent published information - the In-Court advi…
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current capacity is for community disposals within the justice system.
Answer · Richard Simpson: The current notional capacity for community disposals for which local authorities (and private sector contractor in the case of restriction of liberty orders) are funded amounts to 15,000 over a 12-month period.
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children sentenced to detention by the courts under sections 205 and 208 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 were placed in penal establishments rather than secure accommodation in the last year for which figures are available.
Answer · Jim Wallace: In the year to 31 October 2002, two children sentenced to detention under section 208 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 were initially detained in penal establishments. Both were subsequently transferred to secure accommodation.<P>In the same peri…
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the level of financial support made available to Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary given the increase in the number of asylum applications lodged at Stranraer over the last year.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The general funding made available to Scottish police forces takes account of the wide range of policing functions which they undertake, and the methodology by which allocations are made between forces is reviewed from time to time. Forces also receive additi…
23 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what improvement schemes it anticipates will start on the A75 between Dumfries and Stranraer from now to 2010; whether each scheme is confirmed or projected, and what the planned or projected start date of each scheme is.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The following improvements to the A75 are presently being prepared and their cost has been included in the Scottish Budget settlement for 2003-06. The settlement has ensured that subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, the schemes requ…
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25486 by Allan Wilson on 14 May 2002, what decisions it has made on how to distribute the annual allocation from HM Treasury through the aggregates levy.
Answer · Ross Finnie: As I indicated in my response to question S1W-24840 on 29 April 2002, the assigned budget will receive approximately £3 million per year from 2002-03, as part of the allocation by the Treasury of the proceeds of the aggregates levy. This has been allocated to…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, which project is intended to become the live procurement situation to test-bed a not-for-profit trust in Argyll and Bute.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-5476 on 5 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether it would support the establishment of a Scottish Investment Trust which did not need the government to act as guarantor.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29619 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/searc…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, how it arrived at the position that the Scottish National Party's Scottish Investment Trust proposal would need the government to act as a guarantor.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29619 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/searc…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, what base levels and criteria it used when evaluating the Scottish National Party's Scottish Investment Trust proposal.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29619 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/searc…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether Partnerships UK constitutes "a powerful funding body".
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29612. All answers to written PQs 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">http://www.scottish…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, what the unanswered questions are about a powerful funding body, like a private sector trust, influencing public infrastructure investment.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29619 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/searc…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether it will publish its evaluation of the Scottish National Party's Scottish Investment Trust proposal.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29619 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/searc…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, what the key advantages of public private partnerships are which would be negated under a not-for-profit trust.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The traditional PPP/PFI structure results in the linking of finance, construction and maintenance with the result that the private sector is incentivised to perform, driving efficiency and results. That element is removed under the trust proposal.<P>The Execu…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether it will allow all local authorities to establish not-for-profit trusts once the variant model developed by Argyll and Bute Council and Partnerships UK has been approved.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Non Profit Distributing Organisation model currently being developed with Argyll and Bute Council's schools public private partnership project will take over a year to reach the stage where we can properly assess whether this variant model has been succes…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether any of the shareholders of Partnerships UK, other than the Scottish Executive and HM Treasury, are involved in public private partnership projects in any other capacity than as shareholders of Partner…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29612 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…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether any of the directors of Partnerships UK are also directors of companies participating as the managing agents or contractors in public private partnership projects in which Partnerships UK is also invo…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29612. 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"…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether the involvement of Partnerships UK in developing a variant model of public private partnerships is consistent with its stated commitment to earning an appropriate and sustainable return on shareholder…
Answer · Andy Kerr: refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29612. 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">h…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether the involvement of Partnerships UK with Argyll and Bute Council in developing a variant model in relation to the school buildings programme is consistent with the pivotal role that Partnerships UK sta…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29612. 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"…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether it is appropriate for Partnerships UK to be advising on the relative merits of public private partnerships and not-for-profit trusts.
Answer · Andy Kerr: refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29612. 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">h…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, how long Partnerships UK has been involved in the Argyll and Bute Council project to develop a variant model founded on its public private partnership model.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Partnerships UK have been working on the Argyll and Bute Project for over a year. This role is entirely consistent with its constitution and remit. Partnerships UK (PUK) is a research and developer, not an operator or a major funding body. It works with the S…
20 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, why its press release SEED044/2002 of 25 June 2002 regarding the schools building programme did not refer to support for the variant model.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The press release SEED044/2002 of 25 June 2002 announced levels of investment in schools and not the possible vehicles for delivering schools.
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether it will publish details of the variant model founded on the public private partnership model developed with Argyll and Bute Council.
Answer · Andy Kerr: One of the conditions of receiving funding in SEED Circular 8/2001 is that the Full Business Case should be made publicly available having due regard to issues of commercial confidentiality. Argyll and Bute Council was one of the councils to be awarded fundin…
27 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) on what occasions it has waived the contractual obligation of private contractors under the private finance initiative to obtain a contract of insurance and (b) what insurance policies it has provided to private contractors under the private finance initiative, giving in each case the…
Answer · Andy Kerr: There are no instances where the Executive has waived the contractual obligation of the contractor to obtain a contract of insurance nor are there instances where it has provided insurance policies for private contractors. Other PPP contracts are a matter for…
5 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to review the funding for and provision of dentists.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive has no plans to review the funding for dentists. Increases in the level of fees paid to dentists for undertaking NHS general dental services are recommended annually by the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body (DDRB), which is independent of gover…
5 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to increase the number of dental graduates.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The number of dentists working in Scotland has increased constantly over the last 30 years and by 300 in the last eight years. We are committed to increasing numbers further. The Scottish Advisory Committee for the Dental Workforce (SACDW) advises on the most…
4 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many GPs in each health board area had received training on the assessment of patients prior to the issue of a certificate of incapacity as at 1 July 2002, expressed also as a proportion of the total number of GPs in each area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A full programme of training in what the act involves has been offered to GPs over the past 18 months. This included:<UL><LI>four seminars on the act which were funded by the Scottish Executive;</LI><LI>multidisciplinary training events;</LI><LI>a training vi…
27 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the ministerial statement on 26 June 2002 by the Minister for Finance and Public Services on budget revision, Official Report, col. 13041, which road schemes in 2001-02 were delayed by the impact of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak; by how long, and with what resultant budg…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The following table shows which road schemes were delayed by the impact of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, by how long and the resultant budget carry forward in each case:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP…