Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new cases of diabetes have been reported through the NHS in each of the last 25 years and, of these, how many have been reported in children.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Comprehensive data on the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes in Scotland is currently not available, other than for children with type 1 diabetes; see table.</p> <p>New Cases of Type 1 Diabetes in Children: 1984-2003</p><table border=1 cellspacin…
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for healthy eating information packs it has received.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Seven thousand one hundredand eighty seven healthy eating packs were sent out between Jan 2004 and midMarch 2005.</p><p>Three different packs areavailable (weight management, physical activity, healthy eating). The totalnumber of packs sent out was 23,009 for…
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures the success of its Healthy Living campaign.
Answer · Andy Kerr: A comprehensive monitoringand evaluation programme has been in place since the launch of the healthyliving campaign. We are tracking awareness and understanding of the TV adverts.We are monitoring the number and type of calls to the advice line and level oftr…
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on its Healthy Living campaign and how much it plans to spend in each of the next five years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: For the two and a half yearperiod October 2002 to end March 2005 the total amount spent on the healthyliving campaign was £6 million. Thisincludes the costs of the media and communications campaign, the helpline, bulkdistribution of healthyliving packs, and t…
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils are enrolled in the (a) state and (b) independent sector, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The latest information available on the number of pupils enrolled in publicly funded schools by local authority area can be found in the publication <i>Pupils in Scotland</i>, <i>2004</i> which can be accessed through the following link:</p> <p><ahref="http:/…
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it prioritises resources between arrests for minor offences, such as crossing a double white line on a road, and police action in respect of falsification of information within a prison in relation to suicide watches.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Decisions on the use of resources is an operational matter for chief constables.</p>
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether action should be taken in respect of any criminal activity within HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: It is for the police to investigate any reports of criminality, including those committed within penal establishments.</p>
22 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any policy stating that the police are not obliged to investigate criminal investigations made in a televised documentary.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what checks are now made on fingerprint evidence prepared by the Scottish Criminal Record Office prior to it being submitted for actual or potential use in (a) a police investigation or (b) court.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Fingerprint identifications by the Scottish Fingerprint Service, which is part of the Scottish Criminal Record Office, are undertaken using robust verification procedures. The processes used are subject to internal quality assurance and to external independen…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times fingerprint evidence prepared by the Scottish Criminal Record Office has been withheld or withdrawn in a trial in (a) each of the last two years and (b) the current year to date.
Answer · Colin Boyd: I refer to the answer given to S2W-3454, answered on 12 November 2003. 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/webapp/wa.…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who takes the final decision in respect of when a report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on an individual establishment is published and what criteria are used when deciding on the publication date.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: HM Chief Inspector of Prisons is independent of ministers and sets the date of publication of reports. The date of publication is dependent on when the report is completed and returned from the printers.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service has provided staff turnover figures for HM Prison Kilmarnock for the current year and each of the last three financial years and, if so, what the figures are.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>The SPS does not hold this information as staffing matters at HM Prison Kilmarnock are a matter for Premier Prison Services.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce legislation to reform the powers of the Minister for Justice in respect of the directions which she can issue to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Legislation is not required. The authority which ministers delegate to SPS is set out in the Agency's Framework Document. The Framework Document has recently been revised and is available online at <a href="http://www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/framework/default.asp"…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been to it and its agencies in the current year and each of the past three financial years of monitoring (a) the performance of HM Prison Kilmarnock and (b) its compliance with the contract between the Scottish Prison Service and Premier Prison Services to run the prison.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>(a) I refer the member to the answer to S2W-15474 on 14 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on …
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it or its agencies have to expand HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>The SPS has no such plans.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency has taken following the allegations of drug trafficking and misuse made in the BBC documentary on HM Prison Kilmarnock broadcast on 9 March 2005.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Any action to be taken following the allegations made in the BBC documentary on HM Prison Kilmarnock is a matter for Strathclyde Police to consider in consultation with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action the First Minister has taken following the allegations made in the BBC documentary on HM Prison Kilmarnock broadcast on 9 March 2005.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15436 on 14 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on t…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Lord Advocate has taken following the allegations of criminal behaviour made in the BBC documentary on HM Prison Kilmarnock broadcast on 9 March 2005.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The content of the BBCdocumentary broadcast on 9 March 2005 has been fully considered by the Procurator Fiscalat Kilmarnock in consultation with local officers of StrathclydePolice. Where allegations of criminal conduct are made they are considered bythe Proc…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Justice has issued any instructions to the Scottish Prison Service or the Chief Inspector of Prisons following the allegations made in the BBC documentary broadcast on 9 March 2005 about HM Prison Kilmarnock and, if so, what these instructions were.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Prison Service is responsible for monitoring the operation of the contract with HM Prison Kilmarnock. I refer the member to the answer to S2W-15194 on 14 April 2005, which outlines the actions taken in the light of the allegations contained in th…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its Justice Department officials have visited HM Prison Kilmarnock in each of the last six years; what positions they held, and what they reported from each visit and to whom.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not available since aggregate records are not maintained on the number, purpose and outcome of visits by Justice Department officials to HM Prison Kilmarnock or any other prison.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any comparative analysis of the performance of prisons and, if so, whether it will publish the last three such analyses.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The reports of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons into the performance of individual establishments are published routinely. In addition t…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of lives which could have been saved within HM Prison Kilmarnock had the correct procedures been followed in relation to suicide watches.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>All deaths in custody are regrettable, but it is not possible to provide an estimate of the kind sought because so many factors and issues…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the statement made on behalf of the Chief Constable of Strathclyde police, as reported in the Sunday Herald on Sunday 20 March 2005, that the police do not investigate claims made by a documentary.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I am aware of the comments made on behalf of the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police. The investigation of specific allegations of criminal activity is a matter for the Chief Constable.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of investigations undertaken by the police into alleged incidents within prisons and other incidents outwith prisons resulting from allegations made in televised documentaries in each of the last 20 years and what the outcomes of these investigations were.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any provisions in any guidelines for the police which prevent a chief constable investigating allegations made in a BBC documentary and, if so, what provisions.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of land is made up of (a) motorways, (b) A class roads and (c) B class roads.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Department of Transport (DfT) produces estimates of the total land area that is covered by all roads in Great Britain. DfT estimates that motorways accounted for 0.02% of the area of Scotland in 2001, and that A roads accounted for 0.20%. DfT's calculatio…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the consequential funding under the Barnett formula of the decision announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget 2005 to abolish charges to pensioners while in hospital for each of the next three financial years.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The 2003 Budget announced that all pensioners in hospital would continue to receive their state pension entitlement for stays of up to 52 weeks. Budget 2005 announced that this will now be extended so that all those entering hospital from April 2005 will cont…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the consequential funding under the Barnett formula of the decision announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget 2005 to subsidise free local bus travel for pensioners for each of the next three financial years.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The increases to the Scottish budget as a result of the allocations announced by the Chancellor in Budget 2005 to support free off-peak local area bus travel for those aged over 60 and disabled people in England from April 2006 are as follows: £35.7 million i…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has provided in the current year, and will provide in each of the next three years, for the new Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing; how the centre applied for funding; which ministers were involved at each stage of the funding decision-making process; what criteria we…
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive has offered the Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing grant funding of £92,000 from the Health, Education and Communities budgets to support action research training in confidence focused interventions and targeted networking events for key public…
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the appointments for which it is responsible but which fall outwith the remit of the Scottish Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive does not maintain a central list of the appointments that fall outwith the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. However, details of all regulated ministerial public appointments are published on the Executive’s Public Appointments …