Parliamentary questions

Alasdair Morgan

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

27 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an alternative strategy to allow the A75 to bypass Dunragit in Wigtownshire in view of the presence of monuments of national importance on the originally preferred route for such a bypass.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Due to the extensive area coveredby the Scheduled Ancient Monument it has not proved possible to design a new road linewhich bypasses Dunragit. Instead a scheme is being designed to improve the trunkroad to the east of the village. This will provide dedicated…

6 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of funding are available for the upkeep and maintenance of small working harbours.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not,in general, subsidise harbour operations or fund associated capital investment.Public money spent on ports infrastructure or operational costs could distort competitionbetween ports. The policy is set out in Modern Ports: A …

6 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the grant aided expenditure allocated to each appropriate local authority takes account of the necessity to dredge small working harbours.

Answer · Andy Kerr: In 2004‑05, grant aidedexpenditure of £2.655 million is allocated to nine local authorities to supportharbours and airports. As agreed with COSLA, the allocation of this support is basedon historical trends in the local authorities’ budgeted expenditure…

6 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are in place to control the quality and extent of information provided by NHS boards to patients regarding appointments and waiting times.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Good quality information is anintegral part of good quality health care, as well as an essential feature of thepatient-focused services that NHSScotland is striving to provide.A Draft Guide to the Productionand Provision of Information about Health …

30 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Justice 1 Committee's 11th Report 2002, Report on Regulation of the Legal Profession.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A number of those recommendationshave already been implemented, as reported in paper J1/S2/04/8/7 which the presentcommittee discussed at its meeting on 25 February (available at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/justice1/papers/j1p04-08.pdf">http://w…

30 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to ensure the continued operation of Kilmartin House Museum.

Answer · Frank McAveety: Although the Scottish Executive provides grant-in-aid for the Scottish Museums Council, it does not providecore funding for the local authority and independent museums throughout Scotland. Thelocal authorities have a statutory duty to make adequate cultural p…

30 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance there is for hospitals and clinics on the transport of patients from rural areas to attend appointments.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Guidance on patients’ entitlementto financial help in meeting reasonable travelling and related costs incurred inattending hospitals and clinics for NHS treatment issued to NHS boards on 21 August1996 in MEL (1996) 70. The Management Executive Letter also out…

19 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual cost to the NHS is of missed consultancy appointments.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not heldcentrally.

11 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6071 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 March 2004, what the reasons are for its decision not to arrange for clinical trials of the anti-dementia drug memantine (Exiba).

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executiveencourages patient entry into clinical trials but has no locus in setting theseup.

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, an assessment of whether any patients have been directed by NHS 24 to inappropriate or inaccessible treatment centres.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS 24 aims to referpatients to the right local service within the appropriate time based on theinformation given by the caller. Referral arrangements are always agreed withlocal NHS service providers.NHS 24 has investigated asmall number of complaints…

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is per call from members of the public to NHS 24.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Currently, the average cost per call to NHS 24 is some £34. By the end of the year, when NHS 24 will beavailable across Scotland, it is estimated that this will be £22.NHS 24 is providing a highquality nurse-led 24-hour service which is currently avail…

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has monitored GPs' out-of-hours call-out rates since the start of the NHS 24 service.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on GP out-of-hourscall out rates is not available centrally at this stage. However, we arecurrently carrying out an evaluation of NHS 24 which will look at issues suchas call out rates. The data is, therefore, being monitored and will be releasedl…

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Her Majesty's Government and Ofgem in respect of the impact of the establishment of a competitive market for three-rate electricity customers using remotely-controlled electricity meters.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Although the regulation of the electricity sector is a reserved matter, we are keeping in touch with Ofgemabout the action that they are taking to facilitate competition for customerswith three-rate tariffs.

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many infringements of agricultural wages legislation have been recorded by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in the last 12 months.

Answer · Allan Wilson: During the period March 2003to February 2004, routine inspections carried out by officials identified 46cases where employers were not fully complying with agricultural wageslegislation. A further seven cases of non-compliance were identified followingcomplai…

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many spot checks officials from its Environment and Rural Affairs Department have made on agricultural employers in the last 12 months to assess levels of compliance with agricultural wages legislation.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Seventy-nine agriculturalemployers were inspected in the period March 2003-February 2004.

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent by each local authority over the last 12 months on supply cover for teachers suspended from duty.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested isnot held centrally.

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many classroom hours were lost through teachers' suspension in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area and type of school.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested isnot held centrally.

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers were suspended from duty in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area and type of school.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested isnot held centrally.

25 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems installations under its central heating installation programme have been carried out because the existing central heating system was broken and beyond repair.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Herresponse is as follows:Up to the end of JanuaryEaga had installed 16,891 central heating systems. Of those 3,647 were systemsthat were broken and beyond re…

25 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5845 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 10 February 2004, how many central heating systems have now been installed under its central heating installation programme, broken down by postcode area.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster,the Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response isas follows:Eaga have set up a websiteon the central heating and warm deal programmes. The address is <ahref="http://www.eaga.co.uk/">www.eaga.co…

25 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5580 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 11 February 2004, what the median waiting time is for central heating installations between initial application and completed installation under its central heating installation programme, broken down by postcode area.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Herresponse is as followsThis information is not heldcentrally.

10 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that compensation payments for NHS patients inadvertently infected with hepatitis C will commence.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Administrative arrangementsfor the establishment of the Skipton Fund, the independent body that willadminister the ex-gratia payment scheme, are being finalised. We hopethat the fund will be in a position to accept and process applications forpayment u…

10 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made regarding establishing a charitable trust through which ex- gratia compensation payments may be made to NHS patients inadvertently infected with hepatitis C.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6150 on 8 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities preparing contracts for school building and refurbishment projects are allowed to specify that a form of renewable energy, such as wood chip, must be used in the central heating systems for the buildings concerned.

Answer · Andy Kerr: It is a matter for localauthorities to decide on the detail of their contracts. The EC publicprocurement directives provide scope for reflecting environmentalconsiderations in procurement, where it is relevant to the subject matter of the contract or based up…

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to arrange for clinical trials of the anti-dementia drug memantine (Ebixa).

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has no plansto arrange for clinical trials of memantine (Ebixa).

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the reclassification of Al'heimer's disease as a terminal illness.

Answer · Tom McCabe: None. The UK health services use the International Classification of Diseases bythe World Health Organisation for all medical conditions, including mentalillnesses.

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend the Safety at Sports Grounds Act 1975 so that the requirement for safety certificates will cover stadia with a capacity of 6,000 or above.

Answer · Frank McAveety: We are currently updatingand collating information gathered on sports ground capacities and related localauthority safety certification across Scotland. This will help us review current policy on safetyat sports grounds and decide whether or not it and curren…

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address any shortage of skilled tradesmen that may affect schemes such as the central heating installation programme.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Herresponse is as follows:We have no evidence thatskills shortages are interfering with taking forward the central heating programme.

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers currently in employment and contributing to pension schemes in the expectation of retirement at 60 will remain able to retire at that age should the Department for Work and Pensions seek to raise the retirement age.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We would confirm that,whatever future changes are made to the pension age, teachers currently in servicebefore 2006 will retain the right to draw their pension at age 60. Currentteachers will be able to continue to earn benefits under the presentarrangements …

12 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has been consulted on the possibility of disposing of waste material at the former Dalquhandy opencast mine in Lanarkshire.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.