Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of the aggregates tax on employment in Scotland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Taxation matters are reserved. The Chancellor's intention is to recycle the revenues from the aggregates tax into a reduction in employers' NI contributions. This can be expected to lead to a net increase in employment.
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide schoolchildren with greater access to qualified coaching in the major sports.
Answer · Allan Wilson: During the recent debate on sport, Sam Galbraith announced that we will develop further the School Sports Co-ordinator Scheme to put more focus on school/club links which will give schoolchildren more direct access to professional coaching. Through <B>sport</…
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to develop and improve the architectural quality of public buildings.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive is committed to developing a policy on architecture for Scotland. We have published a framework for policy development that includes an aspiration for the public sector to act as an exemplar client with regard to design quality.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY…
2 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of collection of the graduate endowment, as currently proposed by it, in each of its first five years of operation.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive is currently considering the detail of the arrangements for collecting the Graduate Endowment. Those liable will be able to choose whether to take out an income contingent loan under the existing system or to pay by lump sum direct to t…
2 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference would be to the cost of collecting the graduate endowment, as currently proposed by it, if the income threshold was raised from #10,000 to (a) #19,000 and (b) #25,000.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: To keep collection costs to a minimum the Scottish Executive has chosen to use the existing income contingent loan system, which operates on a UK basis, to collect the Graduate Endowment. As a consequence there is no flexibility for the Scottish Executive to …
31 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10125 by Mr Jack McConnell on 20 October 2000, whether it will consider amending the standard application form for public appointments to explicitly request details of applicants' membership of other organisations which represent particular interests.
Answer · Angus MacKay: We have no plans to amend the standard application form. The current form is considered adequate to establish a candidate's suitability for appointment and to ensure that any potential conflicts of interest are identified.
27 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will answer parliamentary question S1W-4411 which received a holding reply in February 2000.
Answer · Angus MacKay: An answer has been provided today.
27 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will answer my letter of 28 June 2000 regarding Mr and Mrs Innes and the incidence of cepacia.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A full reply was issued on 24 November 2000.
26 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on research into breast cancer in the last three years in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Cancer is one of three clinical priorities for the NHS in Scotland and a specific research priority.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Details of the funding for breast cancer research are set out in section B of the answer to question S1W-10110.
26 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate for breast cancer has been in Scotland for each of the last three years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information is not held centrally in the format requested.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Various methods are available for estimating survival and each has a different interpretation. Relative survival rates are essentially estimates of the net survival of a group of can…
26 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on research into prostate cancer in the last three years in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Cancer is one of three clinical priorities for the NHS in Scotland and a specific research priority. The Executive's approach to cancer research in general is set out in the answer to question S1W-10110.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Prostate cancer presents particularly…
29 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether applicants for appointment to public bodies are currently asked, or will be asked in the future, whether they are or have been a member of a lobbying organisation or other such group representing particular interests.
Answer · Jack McConnell: In addition to questions regarding an applicant's employment history, the standard application form used for public appointments includes the following question relating to conflicts of interest:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">"Are you aware of any possible conflict …
27 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the drop-out rate was amongst students and mature students in higher education last year.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Information is not collected on "drop-out rates". However, data published on 6 October 2000 for 1998-99, indicates that 7% of young entrants and 13% of mature entrants did not continue their studies following the year of entry to higher education in Scotland …
27 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was committed in 1999-2000, will be committed in the current financial year and is estimated to be committed for any future years for which figures are available, for research into links between cancer and poverty.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive's programme designed to improve the health of Scots and specifically to reduce cancer morbidity in the under 75's by one fifth in the next ten years is set out in the White Paper <I>Towards a Healthier Scotland</I>. A broad raft of initiatives d…
27 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been commissioned and/or undertaken concerning links between malnutrition and poverty since June 1999.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist Office is currently funding eight projects relating to nutrition and details of these are available on the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
27 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many studies have been commissioned since June 1999 into the use of private finance in the NHS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive Health Department has not commissioned any studies into the use of private finance in the NHSiS since June 1999. However, Public/Private Partnerships within the NHS in Scotland are subject to robust guidance and rules which have been de…
19 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which elderly people's organisations the Deputy Minister for Community Care has met in the last six months and which he plans to meet in the next six months to discuss the setting up of a consultative older people's group.
Answer · Iain Gray: In the last six months I have met with a range of older people's groups including the Scottish Old Age Pensions Association, Scottish Pensioners' Forum, Better Government for Older People representatives, Age Concern Scotland and the Confederation of Scotland…
6 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) miles of trunk road and (b) railway stations there are in each local authority area.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The number of miles of trunk road by local authority area is contained in Table 5.2 of the 2000 edition of the <I>Scottish</I> <I>Transport</I> <I>Statistics,</I> which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">There are 33…
5 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail by health board area the incidence of burkholdaria cepacia from 1991 to 1995 including details of the number of fatalities and the age groups of those affected.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Between 1991-95, 26 cases of this infection were reported to the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health. The centre received no reports of fatalities as a result of this infection. The age profiles of those affected, by health board, are shown…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7205 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimates on the Annual Expenditure Report from the estimates for new housing partnerships in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02, as contained in Table 2.5 of the Annual…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Following submission of bids by councils, the New Housing Partnership Steering Group earmarked £15.5 million in 2000-01 and £7.9 million in 2001-02, of NHP funds for feasibility and other works related to stock transfer. To achieve consistency of awards, the …
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7207 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimates for grant payments in respect of Social Inclusion Partnerships current expenditure in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02, from the estimates on the Social Incl…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: From 2000-01, up to 40% of expenditure incurred by Social Inclusion Partnerships will be reimbursed by the Scottish Executive in the form of a grant from the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund in the same year in which the expenditure is incurred. The remainin…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7207 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimates on the Annual Expenditure Report from the estimates on the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02, as contained in table 2.7 o…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I refer Alex Neil to the answer I gave to question S1W-8398 on 24 July 2000.
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7208 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimates on (a) the Annual Expenditure Report, (b) pathfinder costs and (c) supporting social justice aims from the estimates on Working For Communities in (i) 20…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The breakdown of Pathfinder costs is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=369><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Working for Communities</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">2000-01<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Plans</TD><TD WIDTH="…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7210 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimates on (a) the Annual Expenditure Report and (b) support cost payments to Social Inclusion Partnerships, regeneration partnerships and the Glasgow Alliance f…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Grant payments to meet support costs incurred by Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) are paid to those Social Inclusion Partnerships which were established as Priority Partnership Areas in 1996, to the remaining New Life Partnerships, and to the Glasgow Alli…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7212 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will detail the spend to date on research and consultative work regarding equalities contained in Table 2.8 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive 2000.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: For the period April to June 2000, over £14,000 has been spent on research and consultation within the Equality Programme Budget. This includes the costs of analysing the responses to the Scottish Executive consultation paper, <I>Towards an Equality Strategy<…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7213 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on (a) the Annual Expenditure Report and (b) departmental research from the spend estimates on Publicity and Policy in (i) 2000-01 and (ii)…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report contains current spend estimates for Housing, Publicity and Policy Evaluation plus Committees and Commissions. A breakdown of the estimate for each of these elements was given in the answer to questions S1W-8392, S1W…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7214 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on (a) the Annual Expenditure Report and (b) Local Government - Political Restrictions Exemptions Adjudicator from the estimates on commiss…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report contains current spend estimates for Housing, Publicity and Policy Evaluation plus Committees and Commissions. A breakdown of the last two was covered in the answers to questions S1W-7213 and S1W-7214 respectively. A…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will request Her Majesty's Government to make representations to the European Union regarding the current status of the Irish derogation on the level of somatic cell count for milk and what estimate it has made of the impact of this derogation on the Scottish dairy industry.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We are in regular contact with the UK Government on a range of issues, including matters relating to the dairy industry in Scotland. As the majority of Scottish dairy herds meet the somatic cell count standards the Scottish Executive does not believe that the…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review variations in prices of drugs for animals available in Scotland compared to other countries in the European Union and whether it will publish details of any measures it intends to take to improve the competitive position of the farming industry.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The authorisation and marketing of veterinary medicines is a matter reserved to the Westminster Parliament. Obviously it is in the Scottish farmers' interest that these should be as competitively priced as possible.
7 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the future of Scottish Development Overseas.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The future of Scottish Development Overseas is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the Chairman of Scottish Enterprise to reply. A copy of the reply will be placed in SPICe.