Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in the decision to establish a National Energy Research Network; what the network's relationship will be with Scottish bodies involved in energy research; what funding the Executive will give to the network; how it will be represented directly, or indirectly, o…
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a UK initiative being led by the Department of Trade and Industry. The process of setting up the UK Energy Research Partnership is still at an early stage and details of the operation of the Partnership are as yet undecided. However, all interested bo…
17 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in the decision to establish a UK Stem Cell Foundation; what the foundation's relationship will be with the Scottish Stem Cell Network; what funding the Executive will give to the foundation; how it will be represented directly, or indirectly, on the board of t…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The UK Stem Cell Foundation is being established by a prominent group of individuals, including Sir Chris Evans of Merlin Biosciences, Sir Richard Sykes of Imperial College, Sir Richard Branson, Professor Lord Winston and venture capitalist Jon Moulton. While…
17 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact in Scotland will be of ending the Stamp duty: Disadvantaged Areas Relief referred to in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget 2005 announcement.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Stamp Duty is of course a matter reserved to the UK Government. Questions on this matter should therefore be directed to Westminster.</p>
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to implement the European Landscape Convention.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I recently gave my consent to the proposal from UK Ministers that the UK should sign and ratify the European Landscape Convention. The main aims of the convention are compatible with our approach to landscape policy and will bring many advantages for Scotland…
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report on HM Prison Kilmarnock, prepared in November 2004 by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, will be published.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The report will be published on 26 April 2005.</p>
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of a meal for a prisoner has been in each of the last five years and what the projected average cost is for each of the next five years.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>The information requested is not available.</p>
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of childhood rickets have been recorded by the NHS in each year since 1960.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Only partial data is centrally held on cases of childhood rickets recorded by the NHS in each year since 1960. Data on the number of cases in people aged 15 and under which were diagnosed in hospital in Scotland, are presented in following table.</p> <table b…
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been to local authorities of making alternative arrangements for pupils excluded from school in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has not commissioned any specific research on the cost of alternative arrangements for pupils excluded from school.</p> <p>Alternative arrangements for excluded pupils may be paid for from a wide range of funding streams within the Nati…
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual cost to local authorities is of the amount of time teachers spend on pupil discipline.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The cost of teacher time spent on pupil discipline has not been estimated. It is difficult to quantify how much staff time (including teachers, headteachers and support staff) is spent on promoting positive behaviour, in the form of policy development, staff …
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances of truancy have been recorded in each of the last 10 years in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This information was not collected prior to 2003-04. Data for 2003-04 is given in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> </p></td> <td> <p align=center>Half Days Absence Due to Truanc…
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of malnourishment in children have been recorded by the NHS in each of the last 25 years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.</p><p>However, the tables below show the number of children who have been admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of malnutrition since 1981 and the levels of under-nutrition in pre-school children (three to ther…
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children it estimates are clinically obese and what the comparative figures were (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 30 years ago.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.</p> <p>However, for those NHS board areas for which this information is available, the following tables show the levels of obesity amongst pre-school children (three to three and a half years) and for school ch…
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual cost is of treating obesity-related illness through the NHS.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
15 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of funding council tax rebates was in each of the last five financial years and is in the current financial year.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Detailed information on the cost of council tax discounts is not held centrally. The local government funding formula, which has been agreed with local authorities through COSLA, takes account of council tax levels by incorporating information on the forecast…
15 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have received a (a) 25% council tax rebate, (b) 50% council tax rebate or (c) qualified for 100% council tax benefit in each of the last five financial years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The table giving the numberof households, broken down by local authority, which were in receipt of 25% and50% discounts as at September in each of the last five years is available fromthe Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 36273). Information on the n…
15 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the industrial action being taken by Careers Scotland with effect from 14 March 2005.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The staff at CareersScotland involved in the industrial action on pay are employed by ScottishEnterprise. My answers to the member’s earlier questions about Careers Scotlandpay matters (S2W-11800 and S2W-11801 answered on 10 November 2004) made clearthat, as …
15 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the actual spending per head is in (a) nursery, (b) primary and (c) secondary schools, (d) further education colleges and (e) universities, shown also as a percentage of the OECD average.
Answer · Peter Peacock: In 2003-04, the latest year for which figures are available, gross revenue expenditure per head by local authorities was £2,295 per pre-school recipient, £3,537 per primary pupil, and £5,058 per secondary pupil.</p> <p>In 2002-03, the latest year for which fi…
15 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much gross and net revenue has been raised in each of the last three years from toll charges on the (a) Forth, (b) Tay and (c) Erskine road bridges.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Revenue raised from toll charges at Forth and Tay road bridges is a matter for Forth Estuary Transport Authority and Tay Road Bridge Joint Board respectively, both of which publish annual accounts.</p> <p>Revenue raised by toll charges at the Erskine bridge i…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of its block grant was spent on providing free school meals in each of the last five years and what proportion it estimates will be spent on free school meals in each of the next five years.
Answer · Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive provides local authorities with funding to administer their school meals service, but does not specify how much of this resource should be targeted on the costs or subsidy of meals. The estimated total cost of free school meals for the …
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much income local authorities made from the sale of school meals in each of the last five years and what the projected income from schools meals is for local authorities in each of the next five years.
Answer · Euan Robson: The income that local authorities received from school meals in the last five years is shown in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p></td> <td> <p align=center>Total Income (£000)…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary and secondary pupils have been enrolled in schools in each of the last five years and what the estimated number is for each of the next five years.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Details of the number of primary and secondary pupils enrolled in schools in each of the last five years are set out in the census bulletin <i>Pupils in Scotland 2003</i> which can be accessed by the following link <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bul…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage a greater take-up rate of free school meals amongst those pupils entitled to them.
Answer · Euan Robson: Statutory provision exists to ensure children from lowest income families receive free school meals. The Scottish Executive continues to invest in the Hungry for Success programme in order to revitalise the school meals system for all pupils, whether or not t…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary and secondary pupils are entitled to free school meals, expressed also as a percentage of the total school population.
Answer · Euan Robson: The information requested is given in the Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication, School Meals in Education Authority Schools 2003-04 which was published on 30 June 2004. Copies of the publication are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of its free school meals programme in each of the last five years; what the projected total cost is for each of the next five years, and what the cost would be if the take-up rate was 100% of pupils entitled to a free school meal.
Answer · Euan Robson: Free school meals are provided by local authorities. The estimated total cost to local authorities of free school meals for the last five years was as follows: £33.4 million in 1999-2000; £29.3 million in 2000-01; £28.7 million in 2001-02; £27.5 million in 20…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of a single school meal under its free school meals programme was in each of the last five years and what the projected average cost will be for each of the next five years.
Answer · Euan Robson: </p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>1999-2000</p></td> <td> <p align=center>2000-01</p></td> <td> <p align=center>2001-02</p></td> <td> <p align=center>2002-03</p></td> …
10 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14923 by Ms Margaret Curran on 10 March 2005, whether it will publish the percentage of replies to ministerial correspondence issued in 20 working days, broken down by minister.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The information for correspondencereceived in the month of January 2005 is contained in the table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Minister</p> </td> <td> <p>Percentage of Replies Issued in 20 Working Days</p…
10 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out its own investigation into the allegations made in the BBC documentary broadcast on 9 March 2005 in respect of 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>I have met the Chief Executive of the Premier Custodial Group to discuss the issues raised by the broadcast, and the SPS Director of…
10 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what breaches of Premier Prison Services's contract with the Scottish Prison Service have taken place in HM Prison Kilmarnock and what action the Minister for Justice will take to address such breaches.
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 S2W-15194 on 14 April 2005 by Cathy Jamieson. All answers to written parliamentary questions are avail…
10 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Justice has reviewed the evidence from the BBC documentary broadcast on 9 March 2005 on drug trafficking and abuse in HM Prison Kilmarnock and what action she will take.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows: These matters are the responsibility of SPS which is monitoring closely the provider's action plans, the appropriate application of perform…
2 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement the recommendations made in the Tenth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Getting the Balance Right: Implementing Standards of Conduct in Public Life, published in January 2005.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Tenth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, <i>Getting the Balance Right: Implementing Standards of Conduct in Public Life</i>, was submitted to the Prime Minister on 19 January 2005 and the UK Government will respond in due course. The Sco…