Parliamentary questions
Alasdair Morgan
518 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many school board members there are at present in Scotland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not collected centrally.
20 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many school boards there are at present in Scotland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The latest published statistics (from May 1998) show a total of 2,268 school boards in Scotland.
13 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it would understand to be a safety risk under the terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 Section 51 as amended.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Section 51(2C) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, provides that in considering the provision of school transport, education authorities must have regard to the safety of pupils. The provision does not seek to define what constitutes safety in this context.…
13 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether school children's parents or local authorities are responsible for children's safety during journeys to and from school.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The responsibility for the safety of children during journeys to and from school will depend on the circumstances of particular pupils, the journeys they may have to make and the means by which those journeys are undertaken. In many circumstances authorities,…
13 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that sufficient supplies of products used to treat sheep ectoparasiticides are available in the short term given the plans to recall organophosphate dips by the end of January.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There are alternatives to OP sheep dip ectoparasiticides in the form of synthetic pyrethroid dips and non OP pour-ons and injectibles. Looking to the longer term, a major programme of research into alternative strategies to control ectoparasites is being fund…
12 Jan 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional measures, within its own area of competence, it will put in place to ensure the continuance of the current substantial network of rural Post Offices.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Post Office, post and regulation of postal services are reserved matters but the Scottish Executive will continue to ensure that the UK Government is aware of the particular needs of communities in Scotland.
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the progress of the Trunk Roads Cycling Initiative.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is progressing the Trunk Roads Cycling Initiative in a number of areas. It is continuing to promote the portfolio of schemes listed in my answer of 22 November 1999 (S1W-2268) including major sections of the Sustrans National Cycle Net…
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2268 by Sarah Boyack on 22 November 1999, what further cycling facilities attached to trunk roads are planned.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Those improvements for which plans have been made are contained in the list which I published in answer to your question S1W-2268 on 22 November 1999.
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2268 by Sarah Boyack on 22 November 1999, to provide a detailed breakdown of the #450,000 costs involved in providing cycling facilities for the Ayr Road Route of the M77.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The detailed breakdown of the £450,000 cost involved in providing cycling facilities for the Ayr Road Route of the M77 is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><P ALIGN="RIGHT"><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=580><TR><TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT …
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2268 by Sarah Boyack on 22 November 1999, to provide a detailed breakdown of the #88,000 costs of providing cycling facilities on the Bargower section of the A76 and the #99,000 costs of providing cycling facilities on the North of Bowhouse section o…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: In each case, consideration of cyclists' needs resulted in the provision of hardstrips in larger improvement contracts. On the Bargower section of the A76, the installation of edge of carriageway hardstrips cost £88,000. On the North of Bowhouse section of th…
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2268 by Sarah Boyack on 22 November 1999, whether it will explain the difference in the cost of providing cycling facilities on the Harthope Viaduct to Coatsgate section of the M74 and the cost of providing cycling facilities on the Millbank J12 to P…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The difference in cost is attributable to the longer length and more extensive works applicable to the Harthope Viaduct to Coatsgate section. In this case new carriageway construction was required to support the cycleway. Within the Millbank to Parkhead secti…
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2268 by Sarah Boyack on 22 November 1999, to provide a detailed breakdown of the #1,057,500 costs involved in providing cycling facilities for the Harthope Viaduct to Coatsgate section of the M74.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This section was procured within the M74/A74M Design, Build, Finance & Operate Contract and a detailed cost breakdown is not available. The value of the scheme is based on securing 9km of cycleway at an estimated rate of £117.50 per metre length.
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2268 by Sarah Boyack on 22 November 1999, to provide a detailed breakdown of the #138,480 costs involved in providing cycling facilities for the Parkhead to J13 Abington section of the M74.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This section was procured within the M74/A74(M) Design, Build, Finance & Operate Contract and a detailed cost breakdown is not available. The value of the scheme is based on securing 10.215km of cycleway at an estimated rate of £13.56 per metre length.
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2268 by Sarah Boyack on 22 November 1999, which of the figures provided relate to the costs of work already carried out under the Trunk Road Cycling Initiative and whether or not the figures given are all attributable to cycling provision.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: All of the figures given were attributable to provision for cyclists. Those works already carried out are indicated below.<P ALIGN="CENTER"><CENTER><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=3 WIDTH=453><TR><TD WIDTH="28%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=24><FONT FACE="Aria…
9 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government about the closure of rural post offices and the potential for further closures.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government over a range of matters, including those relating to the Post Office. As Rural Affairs Minister, I am well aware of the importance of local post offices for many rural communities throughout …
8 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to reply to my letter of 3 July 1999 to the Minister for Health and Community Care regarding Mr W J Webber.
Answer · Iain Gray: As Mr Morgan will be aware, I wrote to him on 5 January addressing Mr Webber's concerns on care arrangements for people with dementia. I regret the delay in responding. I will be writing shortly in relation to Mr Morgan's further letter of 1 February relating…
8 Dec 1999 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government about the closure of rural post offices and the potential for further closures.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government over a range of matters, including those relating to the Post Office. As Rural Affairs Minister, I am well aware of the importance of local post offices for many rural communities throughout…
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Prison Service with regard to any low levels of morale amongst prison officers.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have met with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service as necessary to discuss prisons issues.
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish prisoners released from Scottish prisons in each of the last ten years have been returned to prison because of re-offending.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not available. However, studies consistently show that a very high proportion of released prisoners are reconvicted within a short time. A 1997 study by Dr David Cooke showed 72% of a sample were reconvicted (though not necessaril…
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 374 Scottish Prison Service posts to be cut will be operational staff, such as prison officers and governors, and how many will be administration staff.
Answer · Jim Wallace: <B><FONT FACE="Arial"></B></FONT><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Operational Staff</FONT></TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">285</FO…
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many empty prisoners' places are maintained in reserve to house prisoners moved from one prison to another in the event of a prison riot.
Answer · Jim Wallace: A variable number depending on the Scottish Prison Service's judgement of the likely operational need.
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with Premier Prison Services regarding the sale of HMP Penninghame, HMP Dungavel and HMP Dumfries.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No.
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to sell HMP Penninghame and HMP Dungavel further to their proposed closure.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Prison Service plans to sell HMP Penninghame and HMP Dungavel on the open market in the new year.
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it is making to ensure that more prisoners in Scottish prisons undertake rehabilitation in open prisons prior to their release.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Currently, only Security Category D prisoners, those who are considered not to be a danger to the public, are given the opportunity to undertake rehabilitation in open prisons prior to their release. The Scottish Prison Service has no plans to change this cri…
3 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what account it has taken of the potential requirement to move large numbers of prisoners from one prison to another in the event of a prison riot or disturbance.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Prison Service continues to have in place appropriate contingency plans.
25 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been received in Scotland from the Common Agricultural Policy in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The table below shows, for the last five years, spending by the Scottish Executive on CAP on-farm payment schemes and Accompanying Measures (Agri-environment and Farm Woodlands). The figures in the table also includes spending on schemes which are permitted u…
12 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has put in place to deal with responsibilities devolved under Parts I and II of the Plant Varieties Act 1997.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Functions relating to plant variety rights, which are governed by the Plant Varieties Act 1997, are dealt with on a UK basis by the Plant Variety Rights Office. This Office, the Controller of Plant Variety Rights and the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal, wh…
12 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with the French Government over the current ban on beef exports to France.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-2805.
12 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with Her Majesty's Government over the current ban on beef exports to France.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-2805.
12 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what sections of the concordats between itself and Her Majesty's Government result in the day-to-day responsibility for devolved matters resting with UK Departments.
Answer · Donald Dewar: Responsibility for all devolved matters rests with the Scottish Executive. The development of bilateral concordats with Whitehall departments has not changed this position.