Alex Neil

20 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide substantive answers to questions S2W-6394 and S2W-6395 lodged on 24 February 2004 and S2W-6625 lodged on 1 March 2004.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I apologise for the delay inanswering. These questions were answered today.</p>

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff are employed by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd for undertaking its responsibilities as outlined in its contract with the Scottish Prison Service.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>In a contract which is outputbased, the question of how many members of staff are employed is an operationalmatter for the contractor. As a…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3349 by Mr Jim Wallace on 5 November 2003, how much GDP will have to grow in Scotland to achieve the same level as the UK average per head in 2003-04.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The latest Gross Domestic Product(GDP) figures available for Scotland are presented in the Office for National Statistics regionalaccounts. This shows that in 2002 (the latest year available), Scottish GDP wasestimated to be £73 billion at current basic price…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3348 by Mr Jim Wallace on 5 November 2003, how much GDP per person in employment in Scotland will have to grow to achieve the same level as the UK average in 2003-04.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The latest gross domestic productfigures available for Scotland are presented in the Office for National Statistics regionalaccounts. These show that in 2002 (the latest year available), Scottish Gross DomesticProduct (GDP) was estimated to be £73 billion at …

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4485 by Mr Jim Wallace on 9 December 2003, what Scottish GDP would currently be had it increased at the same rate as the UK average since 1997, using the revised version of GDP.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Based on the latest data availablefrom the Office for National Statistics for the value of Scottish Gross Value Added(GVA), if Scottish growth had matched the UK average (excluding extra-regio) between 1997 and 2002,the estimated level of Scottish GVA in 2002…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed progress report on the implementation of each of the 33 recommendations made in Nurturing Wealth Creation - A Report by the Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group, published in February 2003.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I wrote to Dr Chris Masters,Chair of the Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group (SMSG), in November last yearwith a full update of progress towards the recommendations made in Nurturing WealthCreation. A copy of that letter can be found on the Scottish Executi…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to overrule the decision by Strathclyde Joint Police Board to recover legal costs from Shirley McKie.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I understand that the Court ofSession awarded costs to the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police in connectionwith the civil action brought by Ms McKie against the Chief Constable. The ScottishExecutive does not have any powers to overrule the decision to rec…

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what further reforms are planned to Higher Still.

Answer · Peter Peacock: <i>Educating for Excellence;the Scottish Executive’s Response to the National Debate</i> contains three commitments relating to National Qualifications.These are to consult on the future of the Age and Stage regulations; to addressthe relationship between Sta…

1 Apr 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what codes of conduct there are for Scottish parliamentary commissioners.

Answer · Robert Brown: Thereare no codes of conduct in place for commissioners appointed or nominated bythe Parliament. The SPCB will shortly be examining proposals put forward by thecommissioners for a voluntary code of conduct.</p><p>Forthose individuals nominated by the Parliame…

18 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6607 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 March 2004, how often recommendations made to it by the Scottish Medical Practices Committee have been (a) rejected or (b) referred back for further consideration, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish MedicalPractices Committee makes no recommendations to the Scottish Executive when a vacancy for a general practitioner is due to be filled. In termsof the National Health Service (General Medical Services)(Scotland)Regulations 1995 it is for the…

18 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6608 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 March 2004, whether it plans to introduce regulations or proposals to allow consideration to be given to objections by patients to any applicant for a general practice vacancy as part of the (a) interview process and (b…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We would expect NHS boardsto take account of patients’ views concerning any impact on service provision whendeciding to fill a general practice vacancy, and this is enshrined in our “PatientFocus and Public Involvement” framework. However it would be inapprop…

10 Mar 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the completion rate is for people enrolling on the modern apprenticeship programme.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Of thosewho completed or otherwise left the programme between March 2003 and December2003, 52% achieved a modern apprenticeship.</p>

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences under the Data Protection Act 1998 have been processed through the courts since 2001.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available statistics showthat one person was convicted in 2002 in a Scottish court where the mainoffence was under the Data Protection Act 1998. Statistics for 2003 are not yetavailable.</p>

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it takes measures to ensure that staff involved in drafting legislation are not members of organisations with an interest in the legislation and, in particular, whether it would ensure that staff involved in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill are not members of any such organ…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Civil Service Coderequires civil servants, regardless of their personal interests, to giveimpartial and honest advice to ministers. Policy decisions, including thecontent of legislative proposals such as the Nature Conservation (Scotland)Bill, are ultimat…

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies in single GP practices have been advertised in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 set out the procedures to fill general practice vacancies. It is open to any registered medical practitioner to apply for such a vacancy. The regulations require the NHS board …

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of the advertising of vacancies for single GP practices; how often, and where, such vacancies are advertised, and how long should be allowed for potential applicants to respond to such adverts.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Health Service(General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 provide that any notice of ageneral practice vacancy shall be published by a NHS board in such a mannerthat it considers will bring the vacancy to the attention of prospectiveap…

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the revision of gross domestic product (GDP) and gross value added (GVA) figures has on its estimates of government expenditure and revenue in Scotland for the period covered by the GDP/GVA revisions.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The GVA figures used in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) are those published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which are used to apportion certain items to Scotland based on share of UK GVA.</p><p>New estimates of regional GVA …

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) process and procedure are and (b) timescale is for appeals against recommendations by interviewing committees for applications to fill vacancies in single GP practices.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Health Service(General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 provide that any doctorwho is not selected by a NHS board to fill a general practice vacancy mayappeal to the Scottish Ministers on a point of law. Such appeals may bedetermined…

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used for deciding the outcome of appeals against recommendations by interviewing committees for applications to fill vacancies in single GP practices.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Any appeal to the ScottishMinisters by a doctor who is not selected by a NHS board for a general practicevacancy must be on a point of law.</p>

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with local government complaints procedures.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Local government complaintprocedures are a matter for individual councils. If the individual making thecomplaint is not satisfied with the outcome, it is open to them to approach the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman who can investigate complaints ofmaladmin…

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role patients should have in the filling of vacancies in single GP practices.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The filling of any generalpractice vacancy is taken forward in terms of the NHS (General MedicalServices) (Scotland) Regulations 1995. No specific role for patients isset out in the regulations but it is open to NHS boards, when they are requiredto select a c…

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a review of the National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 and, if so, when such a review will be published.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is proposed that theNational Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland)Regulations 1995 be revoked on 1 April 2004 when the National Health Service(Primary Medical Services Performers’ Lists) (Scotland) Regulations 2004,which are to be laid befor…

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what processes and procedures are followed once interview committees have made recommendations on who should fill a vacancy for a single GP practice and, in particular, how and when these are referred to the Scottish Medical Practices Committee, how and when they are referred to Scottish …

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Where more than oneapplication is received from medical practitioners for a general practicevacancy by a NHS board it is required to select the candidate it wishes to bereferred to the Scottish Medical Practices Committee.  The National HealthService (General…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what account should be taken of patient objections to a particular applicant for a vacancy for a single GP practice by (a) it, (b) the interviewing committee and (c) the Scottish Medical Practices Committee.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Health Service(General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 do not provide for objections bypatients to any applicant for a general practice vacancy.</p>

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often recommendations made by interviewing committees in respect of filling a vacancy for a single GP practice have been (a) rejected or (b) referred back for further consideration, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: When more than oneapplication for a general practice vacancy is received the National HealthService (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 require a NHS board to select theapplication which it wishes to be considered by the Scottish Medical Pr…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a final decision on the Reporter's findings and recommendations in respect of Eden Waste Recycling Ltd's application for the Greengairs area.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: A letter of intention togrant planning permission to Eden Waste Recycling was issued on 5 February. Thisindicated that formal planning permission would not be issued until thesatisfactory conclusion of an agreement, between North Lanarkshire Council andthe ap…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by the Sector Skills Development Agency about the appointment of two partnership managers, their remit, how they will interface with the enterprise network and the funding arrangements for the posts.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has been fully consulted by the Sector Skills Development Agency aboutthe intention to appoint two partnership manager posts for Scotland.We, along with key Scottish stakeholders, including the enterprise ntworks,have been fully involve…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it will make in (a) the current financial year and (b) each of the next three financial years to the funding of the Sector Skills Development Agency.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Sector SkillsDevelopment Agency is presently core-funded to operate across the UK by theDepartment for Education and Skills.</p>

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will apply to reach its final decision on the application by Eden Waste Recycling Ltd for a landfill site in the Greengairs area.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish ministers willseek to ensure that the Section 75 Agreement between North Lanarkshire Counciland the applicant has been concluded to their satisfaction and that it has beenentered in the Register of Sasines. They will also take account of anyrepre…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fingerprint identifications were requested in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The number of fingerprint identifications requested is as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Number</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <tr> <td> <p>2000-01</p> </td> <td> …