Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the outcome of its consultations on the draft volunteering and community action plan.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: <I><FONT FACE="Arial">Supporting Active Communities in Scotland</I>, the draft strategy prepared by the Scottish Active Communities Working Group, was published for consultation on 31 January. Over 120 responses have been received and are currently being anal…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail by health board area the incidence of burkholdaria cepacia in each of the last five years including details of the number of fatalities and the age groups of those affected.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Between 1995-99 29 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 shown by health boards are d…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the effectiveness of the tenant consultation and participation procedures being used by South Lanarkshire Council in respect of establishing the feasibility of housing stock transfers in the area and, in particular, to assess whether the council has give…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The responsibility for consulting tenants about possible housing stock transfers lies with councils.
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the effectiveness of the national strategy for tenant participation within each local authority area.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: In the case of registered social landlords this will be undertaken by Scottish Homes through its performance management system. In the case of local authorities, the Best Value regime provides a monitoring framework for the review of services in consultation …
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the current division of responsibilities between Railtrack, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and local authorities for the maintenance and upgrade of lands surrounding railway bridges, including underpasses.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to review the responsibilities for the maintenance and upgrade of lands surrounding railway bridges.
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty's Government about the failure to date of the New Opportunities Fund to make any awards in Scotland.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Since July 1999 NOF have funded £7.5 million worth of out of school childcare and learning projects across Scotland. They have also allocated nearly £22 million to local authorities for ICT training for teachers and librarians.
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by Department of its own targets and actual performance to date for recruiting New Deal trainees and employees, indicating the target and actual durations of such recruits and details of their employment destinations on leaving or com…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has no individual departmental targets set for its participation in the New Deal programme. The programme is managed centrally and as New Deal staff are cleared for appointment they are assigned directly into departments. The Executive …
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of funding it has provided in each of the last three years and the current financial year to the National Schools for the Deaf and Blind.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested is given in the tables below.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Grant Aid Payments to Royal Blind School and Donaldsons College (£)<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Revenue<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP"> <…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of its actual spend this year and its projected spend for next year on services for people with severe learning difficulties, including a breakdown by type of service provided.
Answer · Iain Gray: Expenditure information does not separate those with "severe" problems from those with lesser needs. The Executive spends about £7.5 million on grants to organisations for people with a learning difficulty or learning disability. Funding for next ye…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of Investors in People Programme spending by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer · Henry McLeish: This information is not held centrally.
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of spending on assistance for individual learning accounts by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer · Henry McLeish: All expenditure on Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) has been directed through the Enterprise Network.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">During 1999-2000 the Enterprise Network spent £1.2 million on developing the ILA model and determining operational requirements, as well…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of financial assistance for new businesses starting up by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive provides direct financial assistance to businesses under its SMART scheme and through Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). A total of £1.1 million was awarded in grants under SMART in the financial year 1998-99, £1.6 million in 1999-200…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of spending on the provision of childcare provision by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The information is not available in the form requested. Resources in respect of the Childcare Strategy, pre-school education and Sure Start Scotland are distributed through local authorities. The figures for 1998-2000 are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of tourism spending by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The breakdown of tourism spend by the Scottish Tourist Board and by the Area Tourist Boards by LEC area is not available. Spend by the Enterprise networks is estimated to be as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="49%" VA…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of information communications technology training by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer · Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and I have asked the respective chairmen to reply to the member. A copy of the replies will be placed in SPICe.
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the Joint Ministerial meeting held on 26 May 2000 to discuss pensioner poverty in the UK.
Answer · Jim Wallace: At the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on Poverty held on 26 May 2000, the respective administrations agreed a joint programme of work to encourage take-up of benefits and services by pensioners, and discussed their respective social exclusion and …
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what process will be used in preparing its response to the UK Raptor Working Party report; what timetable is envisaged; which organisations will be consulted, and whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all the submissions it receives on the matter.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I have asked Scottish Natural Heritage to provide formal advice to me on the recommendations in the UK Raptor Working Group report by spring 2001 and suggested they consult widely with interested organisations. The Scottish Executive will give careful conside…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the process which will be used in preparing its response to the Hawk and Owl Trust Report; what timetable is envisaged; which organisations will be consulted, and whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all the submissions it re…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive will not be making a formal response to the report <I>A Study into the Raptor Predation of Domestic Pigeons</I>, which was completed under contract to DETR to inform the work of the UK Raptor Working Group.
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on commissions and committees contained in table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on commissions and committees for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="46%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">20…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Publicity and Policy contained in table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Publicity and Policy for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below:</FONT><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="28%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P AL…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Equalities contained in table 2.8 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Equalities is not available as the Scottish Executive is developing its equality strategy following a recent consultation. As part of that strategy, a detailed allocation of the Equality Programme Budget will be d…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on the Voluntary Sector contained in table 2.8 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on the Voluntary Sector for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="52%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=36><P></TD><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=36><P ALIGN=…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Partnerships contained in table 2.7 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Partnerships for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="47%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTE…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Listening to Communities contained in table 2.7 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Listening to Communities for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="51%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=36><P></TD><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=36><P AL…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Working For Communities contained in table 2.7 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Working for Communities for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="44%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="28%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">2000-…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund contained in table 2.7 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) Fund for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below. All figures are based on estimated SIP expenditure not actual SIP expenditure with grant paid at 75% of expenditure for 1999-20…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates for Warm Deal contained in table 2.6 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates for Warm Deal for 2000-01 is set below. No decision has been taken on the breakdown of the plans for 2001-02.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates for New Housing Partnerships contained in table 2.5 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The present profile of the current spend estimates for New Housing Partnerships for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="48%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN=…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates for Scottish Homes contained in table 2.4 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates for Scottish Homes for 2000-01 which are based on estimates at December 1999, is set out below. Figures for 2001-02 are not yet available.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="57%" VALIGN…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the capital spend estimates contained in table 2.5 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The capital spend estimates for New Housing Partnerships in table 2.5 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, page 31, relate to work on regeneration and new development partnerships, details of which are listed in Scotland's Budget Docume…