Alex Johnstone

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what national planning regulations there are for the provision of education in relation to new housing developments in urban areas.

Answer · Margaret Curran: There are no legislative provisions which specifically require educational facilities to be included as part of new housing developments. However, <I>National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 3: Land for Housing</I> notes that when assessing the requirement f…

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking, or plans to take, against land speculators who submit planning applications for greenfield sites that are contrary to existing 'oned development plans.

Answer · Margaret Curran: None. The determination of planning applications is a matter for the planning authorities in the first instance. Decisions on planning applications are required to be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwi…

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to tackle urban expansion at the east end of the Dundee City Council boundary.

Answer · Margaret Curran: It is for the planning authority to formulate the development plan for its area within the context of national planning policy guidelines set down by the Scottish Executive. As an updated structure plan for Dundee and Angus has recently been submitted to the …

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the additional health funding announced in the First Minister's ministerial statement on the 2002 Budget will be made available in order to assist in the provision of services by voluntary organisations such as Angus Carers.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details of the allocation of the additional resources for health announced in the First Minister's statement on the budget will be announced at the end of the Spending Review in September.

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take to ensure that the services provided by voluntary organisations, such as Angus Carers, are offered in appropriate cases by GPs and other NHS staff.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: GPs and NHS staff have an important role to play in offering advice and information to patients and carers, and many already do this routinely. The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 will enable Scottish ministers to require NHS boards to prepare &…

12 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the possible impact on Scotland's regional economies of Celtic and Rangers football clubs' attitude to Scottish football in the light of the breakdown of the SPL-TV broadcasting talks.

Answer · Elaine Murray: None. Speculation about the attitudes of Rangers and Celtic football clubs to Scottish football is not a basis on which the Scottish Executive could undertake or commission regional economic impact assessments.

12 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with Rangers and Celtic football clubs following the breakdown of the SPL-TV broadcasting talks.

Answer · Elaine Murray: None on that issue.

10 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been required to change its strategy on boosting golf-related tourism following the events of 11 September 2001.

Answer · Mike Watson: The promotion of golf related tourism is an operational matter for VisitScotland. They have vigorously promoted Scotland's golf product and will continue to do so.

19 Mar 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps can be taken to ensure that Scottish Water is able to place contracts with local companies that traditionally worked with the former water authorities.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The selection of contractors for the delivery of the capital programme is a decision for Scottish Water in light of its obligations to provide services to customers as effectively and efficiently as possible.

18 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its meeting with Angus Council to discuss issues related to the Review of Cities took place, with whom it met and what the outcomes were.

Answer · Iain Gray: Peter Peacock is due to meet with Angus Council and the other councils neighbouring Dundee on 29 April 2002.

18 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an assurance that any changes to the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies will not pre-determine the nature of any changes to local government boundaries in Scotland.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It will be for the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland to determine the nature of any changes to local authority boundaries, including the impact of any changes to the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies, when they are next reviewed.

18 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an assurance that any changes to the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies made by Her Majesty's Government will not lead to a reorganisation of local government boundaries in Scotland.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive has made it clear in the consultation paper on <I>Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps</I> published on 27 March that there are no plans to review local authority boundaries or to reduce the number of councils in the foreseeable future.

18 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it discussed the issue of local government boundaries when it met representatives from Angus Council to discuss the review of cities.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24195.

6 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to tackle fly-tipping in rural areas.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has no such powers. Responsibility for dealing with fly-tipped material, irrespective of the type of land or area, rests with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the local authority in whose area the fly-tipping has taken place.

11 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many falls among elderly and infirm residents of (a) local authority and (b) independent residential and nursing homes have been recorded in each local authority area since 1995.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22961.

11 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many falls among elderly and infirm patients in NHS hospitals have been recorded in each NHS board area in each year since 1995.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22961.

11 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the incidence of falls among the elderly and infirm patients or residents in (a) NHS hospitals and (b) (i) local authority and (ii) independent nursing homes and what action it is taking to reduce the incidence of such falls.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of falls and other accidents experienced by NHS patients and residents in registered care homes is not collected centrally. However, care standards for all residents and patients in all registered care settings are monitored and prevention of accid…

6 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it offers to agricultural machinery rings.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society receives grant support from the Executive to carry out specific services. These include promoting the benefits of machinery ring membership as well as offering strategic, business and developmental advice to indi…

31 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many staff and (b) what percentage of staff employed by each local authority are graded A1 or A2.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested is given in Table 9 of the <I>Joint Staffing Watch Survey: December 2000</I>, published jointly by the Scottish Executive and COSLA in November 2001, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 172…

23 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to monitor the financial impact of the implementation of the aggregates tax on local authorities.

Answer · Andy Kerr: We have no specific plans to monitor the financial impact of the aggregates tax on local authorities. It is for authorities to manage their budgets and purchasing decisions.

16 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the North and West Grampian Rural Labour Scheme has been a success and whether it intends to make grants available to other organisations such as local machinery rings.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The North and West Grampian Rural Labour Scheme is currently in receipt of funding from the Rural Challenge Fund (RCF). While we understand that the project is proceeding well, we will not be in a position to assess whether it has met the objectives set until…

14 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many discharges there were in 2000-01 from the coronary care units at (a) Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, (b) Stracathro Hospital, Brechin and (c) Perth Royal Infirmary.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Discharges from coronary care units at Ninewells Hospital, Stracathro Hospital and Perth Royal Infirmary during the year ended 31 March 2001 were as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=293><TR><TD WIDTH="48%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial…

18 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20470 by Peter Peacock on 11 December 2001, whether it has any plans to review current legislation in order to make it compulsory for local authorities to consult with community councils over the allocation of Common Good Funds.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There are no plans to review current legislation in order to make it compulsory for local authorities to consult with community councils over the allocation of Common Good Funds.

5 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or plans to make, to Her Majesty's Government on behalf of Scottish farmers who are concerned about the effect which the ban by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on carbofuran, carbosulphan and chlorfenvinphos chemicals will have on t…

Answer · Ross Finnie: No representations have been made as the Scottish Executive was involved in the decision to undertake a review of anticholinesterase compounds. The review was announced in May 1998. Approval holders were invited to submit data in support of their products by …

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and other environment bodies under its control, consult on any proposals they have with local individuals, community councils and other local community groups.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Applications to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for permits under the various regulatory regimes that it operates must be advertised in at least one local newspaper. Applications are also placed on SEPA's public register. This allows interes…

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can consult with community councils over the allocation of Common Good Funds and, if so, what action it is taking, or plans to take, to encourage such consultation.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Under current legislation, local authorities have stewardship of Common Good Funds and it is at their discretion as to how they consult on these funds.

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific lessons were learned in its review of the Excellence Fund by studying the Standards Fund administered by the Department of Education and Employment in England.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: As indicated in my reply to question S1W-20247, the Excellence Fund is currently under review. General account is being taken of the Standards Fund administered by the Department for Education and Skills.

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions were reached following its review of the Excellence Fund.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The scope and operation of the Excellence Fund is currently under review by a working group comprising officials of the Scottish Executive Education Department and representatives of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland who are participating …

24 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it currently costs to decommission a wooden fishing vessel in a way that conforms to all relevant environmental requirements.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The costs involved are likely to vary according to circumstances including, for example, the proposed method of decommissioning and the characteristics of the vessel involved.<P>Scheme guidance material made clear that the owners of fishing vessels considerin…

23 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average salary of a local authority employee was in each of the past five years (a) in Scotland as whole and (b) in each local authority.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally.