Parliamentary questions
Brian Adam
1,580 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff each NHS board employs primarily to tackle MRSA.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Many staff have infection control as a component part of their job plan. There are no staff employed by NHS boards whose primary task is to deal with MRSA. Infection control nurses are employed to improve prevention and control all healthcare associated infec…
23 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of MRSA there have been in each NHS board in each year since 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: A national mandatory hospital infection surveillance system was introduced in 2001 to monitor MRSA blood infections. The surveillance is operated by Health Protection Scotland (formerly Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health) and it produces q…
23 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what enhancements and encouragements it offers local authorities to establish their own workplace nursery schemes.
Answer · Euan Robson: Local authorities receive Childcare Strategy funding from the Executive to enable them to meet local childcare needs across their area, including those of working parents. Employers may be entitled to tax relief on the provision of workplace nurseries or chil…
23 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities run their own workplace nursery schemes.
Answer · Euan Robson: The provision of workplace nurseries is a matter for individual employers to consider. The Executive does not hold centrally any information on workplace nurseries operated by local authorities.</p>
23 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to lead a taskforce to help workers at Richards of Aberdeen back into employment.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative provides a framework for local public sector agencies to respond to large scale redundancies quickly and effectively. A local response to the situation faced by workers at Richards of Aberdeen…
23 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council, Amicus, Jobcentre Plus or the liquidators or workers at Richards of Aberdeen following the announcement regarding Richards of Aberdeen.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Through our economic development agency, in this instance, Scottish Enterprise Grampian, we have liaised with Aberdeen City Council and Jobcentre Plus with a view to providing assistance and guidance to the employees and the company following the job losses.<…
19 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a transitional fund to help local authorities who are adversely affected by the allocation of the Supporting People grant and, if so, what criteria will be used to disburse the funding.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Transitional funding will be provided to those councils most affected by the redistribution process. Proposals in this area have been included in a revised package on allocations currently under discussion with COSLA.</p>
18 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers or civil servants have been invited to attend a national Supporting People conference run by the Career Development Centre and, if so, who will be attending.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am not aware of any invitation having been received from the Career Development Centre.</p>
17 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of the area mapping exercise carried out for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) by DTZ Pieda Consulting covering all colleges; how data gathered as part of the exercise will be used by the SFEFC, and how much of the data will be p…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S2W-8716 and S2W-8721, answered on 16 June 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p><p> <a href="http…
17 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of the cost benchmarking exercise carried out for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) by KPMG covering all colleges; how data gathered as part of the exercise will be used by the SFEFC, and how much of the data will be published an…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The cost benchmarking exercise commissioned by SFEFC represents an important element of its campaign for financial security within the sector. Progress to date is as planned and the first outputs from the first stage of the exercise were provided to colleges …
17 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to complete the review of marches and parades.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The First Minister commissioned Sir John Orr to carry out an independent review of the arrangements for marches and parades in Scotland. Sir John is due to submit his report around the end of the year and it will be published shortly after it has been receive…
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce legislation to give local authorities more powers to force owners to maintain derelict commercial properties to a decent standard.
Answer · Johann Lamont: We have no plans to introduce new legislation to give local authorities further powers in this area. Planning authorities already have the powers necessary to deal with land or buildings the condition of which is adversely affecting the amenity of their distr…
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the proposed job cuts in the benefits processing service in Grampian, Tayside and Fife.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Social security is a reserved matter for the Department for Work and Pensions. The Executive is in regular contact with the department on a variety of issues.</p>
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to conference centres to help them attract major conferences.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is fully aware of the importance and value of business tourism, which is worth around £1 billion a year to the Scottish economy. VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit aims to make Scotland one of the world’s foremost destinations for co…
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation to allow police forces to seize cars and motorbikes of “boy racers” causing chaos and disruption in communities.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 , which received Royal Assent in July 2004, contains measures to enable the police to seize vehicles being used in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public. Regulations, required …
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Aberdeen Haudagain roundabout traffic survey has been completed and, if so, what the findings of the survey were and what plans it has to upgrade the roads in this area.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: A detailed traffic model for the Haudagain roundabout will be completed in early December. This model will then be used to test and assess various options for improvement and we anticipate this work to be completed during April 2005. Decisions on whether any …
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any directions to local authorities about the future funding of projects previously funded by social inclusion partnerships.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Advice to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs), which includes local authorities as partners, was first issued last year when we published …
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any communication with local authorities regarding the future funding of projects previously funded by social inclusion partnerships.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Communities Scotland has been in communication with Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs), which include local authorities as partners, abou…
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to directly fund projects previously funded by social inclusion partnerships that do not receive funding from community planning partnerships.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has no plans to directly fund former SIP projects from the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF).</p><p>The new Community Regeneration Fund has combined and replaced both the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund and the Better Neighbourhood Services Fu…
15 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has given to community planning partnerships regarding the future funding of projects previously funded by social inclusion partnerships.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Advice to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) was first issued last year when we published guidance on integrating Social Inclusion Partne…
5 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a no fault compensation scheme for NHS patients who suffer medical accidents.
Answer · Andy Kerr: There are currently no plans to introduce a no fault compensation scheme for NHS patients who suffer medical accidents.</p><p>In 2002, in response to the reports published earlier that year by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Church of Scotland, the Sco…
3 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed new Scottish National Heritage headquarters in Inverness will have any provision for the collection of solar energy.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Yes. The design meets the stringent energy targets demanded by the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology “excellent” rating. One of the key elements of the proposal is that the building will be passively ventilated using solar g…
3 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the grounds on which local authorities can seek to refuse applications to purchase housing under right to buy.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has no plans to review the grounds on which local authorities can seek to refuse applications to purchase housing under the right to buy. The Executive, as required under section 52 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, will report to Parliament b…
3 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Aberdeen City Council, whether the council’s budget was discussed and what the outcome was.
Answer · Tavish Scott: I met AberdeenCity Council on 1 October 2004 where the Counciladvised me of their funding concerns.</p><p>Following themeeting, the council has since written to the Executive outlining their concernswhich are primarily in relation to funding children’s servic…
3 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing “Thistle Awards” for success in each of the niche markets promoted by VisitScotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: VisitScotland’s “Thistle Awards”are firmly established as the most prestigious tourism awards in Scotland, andcover a very wide range of activity. Although consideration has been given to introducingan award for each of the niche markets promoted by VisitScot…
27 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the criteria for allocating funds from the Changing Children’s Services Fund and, if so, whether it will consider the level of referrals for placement by children's panels as a factor.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The 2005-06 allocations for the Changing Children’s Services Fund were announced in 2003. From 2006-07 the fund will be progressively re-aligned towards on-going frontline delivery of improved children’s services through transfer to local authority Grant Aide…
27 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the criteria for allocating funds from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund and, if so, whether it will consider crime levels as a factor.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Better Neighbourhood Services Fund programme has already been fully allocated and the programme will cease operation in 2005-06.</p>
27 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make further allocations from the Cities Growth Fund and, if so, when and on what basis.
Answer · Tom McCabe: In <i>Building a Better Scotland: Spending Proposals 2005-2008</i>,we announced that we would maintain in real terms our support for Scotland’s sixcities through the Cities Growth Fund in 2006-07 and 2007-08. </p><p>Funding of £40 million for 2005-06 has alre…
22 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, as part of its regional sports development strategy, it has any plans to support the provision of 50-metre competition-standard swimming pools and, if so, where such pools would be located and how they would be supported.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Of the 10 successful bids made under the national and regional sports facilities strategy, one included provision for a 50-metre competition-standard swimming pool. That was by the City of Edinburgh Council who were allocated £4 million towards the upgrading …
22 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many 50-metre competition-standard swimming pools there are in Scotland and where they are located.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: There are four 50-metre swimming pools in Scotland of which two meet the depth requirements of competition-standard pools. They are located at the Tollcross Leisure Centre in Glasgow and the National Swimming Academy in Stirling. The latter is used primarily …