Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Aug 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3640 by Mr Tom McCabe on 28 June 2001, on what date it last discussed the operation of the Scotland Act 1998 with Her Majesty's Government.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has regular discussions with the UK Government about a wide range of matters, including the operation of the Scotland Act 1998. In accordance with the principles underpinning the Memorandum of Understanding, such discussions are normall…
16 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the figures of (a) #35 and (b) #63, as originally set by the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 and revised by the Diligence Against Earnings (Variation) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 as the level of net weekly earnings below which no reduction in respect of earnings arrestments may be made, …
Answer · Jim Wallace: The threshold below which all earnings are exempt from arrestment is set in relation to benefits. The level of £35 per week initially set out in the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 was approximately half way between the short-term supplementary benefit rate for a…
10 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service posts have been relocated outwith Edinburgh since May 1999 and to where they have been relocated.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The relocation of Civil Service posts in Scotland outwith the responsibility of the Scottish Executive is a matter for the Government Departments concerned.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">With regard to action taken on Civil Service and other public sector jobs covered by…
10 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16519 by Henry McLeish on 6 July 2001, what the political duties of the First Minister's parliamentary private secretary are.
Answer · Henry McLeish: My Parliamentary Private Secretary supports me across a broad range of Parliamentary and political activities.
5 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend further education maintenance allowances.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: As of the new academic session we are extending the Education Maintenance Allowance pilot scheme to Glasgow, Dundee and West Dunbartonshire. Together with the existing East Ayrshire pilot, all four pilots are due to run until 2004.
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the performance and output targets are for Quality Meat Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: At the end of July QMS launched its first strategic plan for the Scottish meat industry. The plan highlights strategic priorities and links in 26 specific objectives to these areas. The broad strategic priorities are Quality Assurance, Marketing, Industry Dev…
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive from which sources Quality Meat Scotland receives funding and how much it receives from each source.
Answer · Ross Finnie: In financial year 2000-01 Quality Meat Scotland and its predecessor organisation (Scotch Quality Beef and Lamb Association) received funding amounting to approximately £3.5 million. This included £1.7 million from the Meat and Livestock Commission, £875,000 …
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a specified amount of time has to elapse between board members of non-departmental public bodies relinquishing their positions and their being able to apply for senior staff positions within the same organisation; if so, what this time period is and, in particular, what requiremen…
Answer · Angus MacKay: It is for each individual body to decide whether a time restriction should apply. No time restrictions apply to members of Scottish Enterprise, or the Higher and Further Education Funding Councils.
2 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the recent budget statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government, whether it will give a breakdown of any changes in the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning budget.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Finance Minister's announcement on 27 June stated that the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department will receive an additional £14 million, £4 million and £3 million over 2001-04 to fund foot-and-mouth disease recovery, cultural industries and assistan…
28 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the appointment of the new Chief Executive of visitscotland.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The appointment of the new Chief Executive was announced on 16 July 2001.
28 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has regarding the regulation of airports and whether these include powers to take privately owned airports into public ownership.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998, subject to certain exceptions, the regulation of aviation and air transport is a reserved matter and therefore remains with the UK Government. Therefore the Scottish Executive does not have the power to take priv…
28 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers or rights of consultation it has in relation to takeovers or mergers of companies within Scotland.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Merger control is a matter reserved to the UK Government. However, the competition authorities take full account of relevant views including those of the Scottish Executive.
28 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the British Airport Authority's position as owner of Edinburgh and Glasgow airports acts as a barrier to increasing the percentage of foreign air travellers who are able to fly directly into Scotland and, if so, what representations it will make to Her Majesty's Government reques…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998, matters concerning the regulation of aviation and air transport are reserved to the UK Government. Matters concerning the promotion of direct air services from Scotland will be addressed in the preparation of the…
28 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many grievances have been lodged against the management of the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock since it opened, what the nature of each grievance has been and what the outcome was in each case.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
28 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are currently employed at the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock, how long each staff member has been in post and what the job title is of each staff member.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current procedures are at HM Prison Kilmarnock for referrals of those involved in attempted suicides or self-harming and, in particular, whether such cases are automatically referred to the mental health nurse at the prison.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>All cases of attempted suicide or self-harm are referred to a multi-disciplinary team which includes healthcare staff. These teams may or may n…
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many medical staff are employed and (b) what the ratio is of medical staff to prisoners in each prison.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Apart from the SPS Medical Adviser, no medical staff are directly employed by the Scottish Prison Service.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been lodged about the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock since it opened and what the source was of each complaint.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the turnover of medical staff in HM Prison Kilmarnock was in each year since it opened.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many days of sick leave have been taken by medical staff in HM Prison Kilmarnock in each of the last two years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of security there have been in the health centre in HM Prison Kilmarnock in each year since it opened.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>None.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the grievance procedures that operate in the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Any such matter would be for Premier Prison Services Limited.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times have staff in the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock refused to treat prisoners, what reasons were given for each refusal and whether prisoners being too violent was cited as a reason in any refusal.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions over the past year methadone has been prescribed by nurses at the health centre in HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses are qualified to issue prescriptions for methadone at the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Chief Inspector of Prisons to investigate the management and practices of the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive sees no need to do so. Inspections are a matter for the HMCIP himself who conducted a full inspection of HM Prison Kilmarnock on 20-30 March 2000 and an intermediate inspection on 5-7 and 12 March 2001.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Fatal Accident Inquiries there have been as a result of inmates dying while in custody at HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Two.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of staff bullying have been lodged against the management of the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock since it opened.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the policies and practices adopted within the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock in relation to any downgrading of priority treatment for violent prisoners or prisoners with mental health problems.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Downgrading of treatment has not occurred. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16644.
27 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate current practices for medical supervision of registered mental health nurses at HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16644