Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to commission independent research into the accuracy of the assessment system used for Scottish Vocational Qualifications.
Answer · Henry McLeish: We have no such plans. A comprehensive UK-wide review of the NVQ/SVQ system was conducted between 1996 and 1998 during which employers, National Training Organisations (NTOs) and awarding bodies identified the need for improvements to the assessment proc…
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-884 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 27 September 1999, whether it will list the administrative costs covered by the 2.5% of Social Inclusion Partnership revenue budgets allocated for this purpose.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The 2.5% of Social Inclusion Partnerships' revenue budgets which can be allocated to meet administration costs covers the costs of administering the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund grant and includes councils' staff costs, accommodation, printing, stationer…
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1237 by Iain Gray on 14 September 1999, how much funding it is contributing to the UK telephone helpline run by Action on Elderly Abuse.
Answer · Iain Gray: We are providing grant funding of £10,500 over 3 years (from 1997-98) towards a UK telephone helpline run by Action on Elder Abuse.
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of open cast developments by Local Enterprise Company area.
Answer · Henry McLeish: This information is not held centrally. Local authorities, as planning authorities, would hold this information for each authority area.
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make Local Enterprise Companies accountable to the Parliament for their actions.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Local Enterprise Companies (LECs) are contracted by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to deliver economic development and training services and are already accountable through their parent organisations to Scottish Ministers who are acc…
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1209 by Sarah Boyack on 13 September 1999, whether it has any development plans for the A71 and, if so, what they are.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The A71 is a local rather than a trunk road and as such any development plans are entirely a matter for the local authorities concerned.
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1004 by Mr Sam Galbraith, what are the reasons why it does not consider that there should be a change to the upper age limit of 60 for membership of children's panels.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The upper age limit for entry to membership of children's panels is age 60, while the age of retirement from membership is usually age 65. This reflects our policy that panel members should be peers in age and experience of the families likely to come before …
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the cost associated with the compulsory purchase of Pollock estate in respect of the upgrading of the A77 and what is the current position in respect of local authority liabilities for the cost of the purchase.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The compulsory acquisition of the Pollock Estate was undertaken by Strathclyde Regional Council as responsible roads authority. The Scottish Executive has no details of the costs. The responsibility for meeting any outstanding costs arising from the Compulsor…
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1207 by Mr Frank McAveety on 13 September 1999, what communication it has had with the Controller of Audit regarding the effectiveness of the new financial management system set up in East Ayrshire council.
Answer · Frank McAveety: None. It is for the Controller of Audit to report to the Accounts Commission in the first instance.
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the major quantitative survey of New Deal participants in Scotland was commissioned.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Employment Policy is reserved to the UK Government which, therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of the New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisat…
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out in detail how the quantitative surveys into New Deal participants will evaluate and analyse the scheme.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Employment Policy is reserved to the UK Government which, therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of the New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisat…
18 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mammogram units there are in Crosshouse and Ayr hospitals and what the maintenance arrangements are for these.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally. I have asked Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to write to the Member direct with the information he requires.
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-884 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 27 September 1999, whether it will provide an itemised breakdown of the #1.2 million allocated to the dedicated teams to improve programme delivery and co-ordination.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the £1.2million referred to in my previous answer (S1W-884) is given in the tables below.<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=408><TR><TD WIDTH="73%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=17><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>1999-2000</TD><TD WIDTH="27%"…
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-884 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 27 September 1999, what reporting requirements it places on Social Inclusion Partnerships in respect of their expenditures.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The expenditure on Social Inclusion Partnerships' support costs referred to in my previous answer (S1W-884) is governed by a financial memorandum which specifies that partnerships provide an annual expenditure programme prior to the start of the relevant fina…
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the current position of Trade Union representation at Kilmarnock Prison.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited.
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any breach of Kilmarnock Prison's operating contract with the Scottish Prison Service including details of what the breaches have been, when did they occur, how often and what action has been taken.
Answer · Jim Wallace: There has been no breach of contract.
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements are placed on Premier Prison Services in respect of recruitment, employment and training of staff at Kilmarnock Prison.
Answer · Jim Wallace: All new members of staff are required to undergo security vetting. Potential Prisoner Custody Officers have to meet defined minimum academic standards and have a physical examination prior to employment. They must meet certain standards of physical fitness fo…
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to provide detailed breakdowns of staffing at Kilmarnock Prison by occupation category and of what proportion of staff live in the Kilmarnock and Louden post code areas.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Kilmarnock Prison is currently operated by 10 senior managers and 289 prison staff. 37.5% of staff live in Kilmarnock and Loudoun post code areas. 77% live in Ayrshire.
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken an independent audit of the financial affairs of Premier Prison Services, and whether it will review the relationship between Premier Prison Service and Wackenhut Correction Corporation of the United States.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I am advised by the Scottish Prison Service that neither exercise is, in their view, justified in current circumstances.
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive given that England is receiving #260 million for the first two years of the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, how much of the remaining #40 million will be made available to the Scottish Executive over the next two years.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I hope to be able to make an announcement soon.
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in light of the creation of the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in England when is there going to be a similar review of fuel poverty and energy efficiency in Scotland.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Warm Deal, which was introduced on 1 July 1999, is central to tackling fuel poverty and promoting energy efficiency in Scotland. We will be continuously reviewing the scheme to ensure that it best addresses these problems and, of course, will take account…
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Social Inclusion Action Team report will be made available.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Under the Social Inclusion Strategy published in March 1999, the Scottish Social Inclusion Network established 5 Action Teams to examine key areas of social inclusion policy. One Team, the Evaluation Framework Action Team, presented its Progress Report to SS…
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the number of prisoners currently held in Kilmarnock Prison, the duration of sentences, the classification of offences which prisoners have committed and where the prisoners came from.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Kilmarnock Prison currently holds about 500 prisoners. Kilmarnock holds male prisoners on remand as well as the full range of adult male convicted prisoners whose sentences vary from a few weeks to indeterminate life sentences. This reflects the range of offe…
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the value of Scottish Prison Service contract with Premier Prison Services for the current financial year and the next five financial years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The contract is between the Scottish Prison Service and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited,not Premier Prison Services. The net present value of the contract over the full 25 years is about £130m and over the first 6 years is about £52m. (Both figures exclud…
15 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what are the levels of staff turnover at Kilmarnock Prison, Barlinnie Prison, Edinburgh Prison, Peterhead Prison and Perth Prison since April 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The numbers of staff who have left each of these prisons is as shown in the following table:<P ALIGN="CENTER"><CENTER><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=330><TR><TD WIDTH="46%" VALIGN="TOP"><B><P ALIGN="CENTER">Prison<P ALIGN="CENTER"></B></TD><T…
13 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who appointed the Scottish Raptor Group and who are the board members.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I am not aware that such a group exists. The Scottish Raptor Study Groups are groups established on a regional basis to monitor raptors in Scotland. They are voluntary organisations and membership records are not held by the Executive.
13 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-318 by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 14 July 1999, whether it will give details of how, in each year, the money given to the Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) was spent, who the money in each year was paid to, what were…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Basic information on each individual project grant aided by SNH can be obtained from SNH's publication Facts and Figures (a companion publication to its Annual Report) which is laid before Parliament. The level of information requested could, however, only be…
30 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of spending on the National Drug Prevention Initiative.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Office allocation for the Drug Prevention Initiative in the last three financial years of operation was £387,000 each year.
27 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many representatives from Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, each Local Enterprise Company, and each Education Business Partnership attended the annual conference of Education Business Partnerships in North America in each of the last three years, and what was the …
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Enterprise Network has not been represented at the North America conference in the past 3 years. However, a senior member of staff from the Scottish Education Business Partnership Network has attended in his capacity as a member of the International Partn…
27 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by department of the amount of unallocated expenditure for the current financial year and each of the next two financial years.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I will be making a statement later this week about the Executive's proposals for allocating resources in the current financial year and in the next two financial years.