Brian Adam

25 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are receiving parathormone treatment, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available centrally. Prescription data collected centrally relate to prescribed items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors. These data are not patient-specific and do not take into account medicine…

23 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it (a) has and (b) can delegate the authority to access ex-directory telephone numbers as part of any telephone survey work that it commissions.

Answer · Andy Kerr: (a) There is no legal requirement to screen out ex-directory telephone numbers from sample lists used for the purposes of market research. The Scottish Executive may therefore access ex-directory numbers for survey work should it wish to do so. </p><p>(b) As …

23 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the use of automated dialling systems in any telephone survey contracts that it awards.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has considered the use of automated dialling systems. Subsequently a number of telephone surveys have been commissioned where research contractors have used this approach.  </p>

23 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted, or plans to conduct, a telephone survey of perceptions of crime levels and, if so, to whom it has awarded a contract for such a survey and whether it will publish the results.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is currently running the Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey (SCVS), which is being carried out by computer assisted telephone interviewing. It was launched in June 2004 and will run continuously until March 2007. The SCVS was devel…

17 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Lothian and Borders Constabulary has incurred costs associated with the policing of the Parliament and, if so, what these costs have been and how they have been met.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Lothian and Borders Police has received additional grant funding from the Scottish Executive over each of the past three years to help meet the additional costs associated with policing in Central Edinburgh, including the area around the Parliament. The Parli…

17 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Fife Constabulary has incurred costs associated with royal protection duties and, if so, what these costs have been and how they have been met.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As I recently stated in Parliament, the policy of the UK Government and the Executive is not to comment on, or otherwise disclose details of, protection measures that are in place for royalty and other public figures as to do so could compromise their securit…

17 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to collect data on the cost of national policing activities, such as royal protection duties, policing of the Parliament and offshore policing, centrally.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Data on local costs will continue to be collected by the forces concerned.</p>

17 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of police funding will be published and what level of detail will be available to ensure public scrutiny of the data collected.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I am currently considering the report submitted by the Police Grant Aided Expenditure working group and expect to be in a position to announce the Scottish Executive’s response to this in the near future. The report will be published in full at that time.</p>

17 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs of national policing activities such as royal protection duties and offshore policing were considered as part of the police funding review.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Police Grant Aided Expenditure working group took all aspects of policing activity into account in arriving at its recommendations.</p>

17 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of police funding will be completed.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I am currently considering the report submitted by the Police Grant Aided Expenditure working group and expect to be in a position to announce the Scottish Executive’s response to this in the near future.</p>

6 Aug 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage Scottish Water to bring forward infrastructure projects in the north and north east of Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I responded on 10 August to your letter of 28 July on the same subject. A copy of my reply has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33464).</p>

28 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure access to all post-graduate courses at higher education institutes through appropriate student support.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Whilst limited public fundingfor post-graduate study is provided for some students, it has never been the policyof this or any previous Government that every student accepted for a post-graduatecourse of study or research at higher education institutions shou…

28 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any post-graduate courses offered by higher education institutes do not attract state funding for fees or student support and, if so, which courses, broken down by institute.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Information on individual courses provided by higher education institutions (HEIs) is not held centrally. It is a matter for each institution to decide on which courses to offer.</p><p>HEIs in Scotland receive support for taught post-graduate provision throug…

7 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly persons' home care packages were funded in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority, detailing the total cost to each authority.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested on home care for older people is shown in tables 1 and 2. Table 1 shows the number of older people receiving home care by local authority from 1999 to 2003.</p><p>Table 2 shows the cost of providing home care for older people by loca…

7 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) residential, (b) nursing and (c) elderly mentally infirm care beds were available in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area and giving the total annual cost of providing the beds in each category.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested on care beds is shown in tables 1, 2 and 3. Figures are given for all care homes for older people and those with dementia. Most homes for elderly residents will cater for those who are mentally infirm.</p><p>Tables 1 and 2 show the n…

7 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have placed embargoes on change of use applications for care homes.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: We are not aware of any local authorities placing embargos on the determination of planning applications for such changes of use.</p>

7 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is has any concerns regarding an embargo by the City of Edinburgh Council on change of use applications for care homes to residential use and what action it proposes to take on the matter.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The City of Edinburgh Council advise that they have no embargo on determining planning applications for changes of use from care homes to residential use. We therefore propose to take no action.</p>

7 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average time taken by Disclosure Scotland is to answer applications for disclosure checks.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9640 on 10 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…

24 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on its consideration of the research organisation assessment exercise carried out by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD).

Answer · Ross Finnie: The outcomes from the Research Organisation Assessment Exercise (ROAE) have been considered as part of the review of the research strategy which has been undertaken by the SEERAD Agricultural and Biological Research Group. A draft research strategy will issue…

21 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Post Office Ltd in support of safeguarding the future of the 14 post office branches in the Aberdeen area that have been earmarked for closure.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Detailed arrangements for the restructuring of the post office network are operational matters for Royal Mail which is answerable to its regulator, Postcomm and the UK Government on all aspects of these reserved matters. A decision to close a Post Office bran…

21 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which projects have received funding from EventScotland and how much funding each such project has received.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The following events have received funding from EventScotland through its international events programme: </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Event</p> </td> <td> <p>Funding Committed</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <t…

21 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated by EventScotland since its inception.

Answer · Frank McAveety: As of 30 June 2004, EventScotland had allocated £1,587,667.50 since its inception.</p>

21 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) royal protection duties and (b) policing offshore installations cost in each of the last four years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p>

21 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many person hours Grampian Police allocated to (a) royal protection duties and (b) policing offshore installations in each of the last four years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested isnot held centrally and is a matter for Grampian Police.</p>

15 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for setting renewable targets for energy as a whole rather than for electricity as one source of energy.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The targets which we have set for renewable electricity reflect our legislative powers and the obligation on licensed electricity suppliers to provide more of their power from qualifying renewable sources.</p><p>We continue to support and increase renewable h…

15 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of energy sources and usage.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Information on electricity generated and consumed in Scotland and sources of electricity generation in Scotland is available through the Scottish Executive’s Environment Statistics website which can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/…

9 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis the basic building block of the Scottish Deprivation Index will be assessed and when the assessment will be published.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 was published on 14 June 2004.</p><p>The Index is based on the data zone geography and includes indicators from the following domains Current Income, Employment, Education, Skills and Training, Health, Housing a…

9 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring procedures are in place to assess whether freight facilities grants succeed in moving freight from delivery by road.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: All freight facilities grant funded projects are monitored on an annual basis. This involves companies operating grant aided facilities providing details of all freight carried each year. This data is then cross-checked against the records of third parties su…

9 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid in subsidies for student loans sold in 1998 and 1999 and whether this represents value for money to the public purse.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The sale of student loan debt has transferred risk to the private sector and released resources for improving public services. Payment of subsidies is an integral part of the process. The Scottish Executive contribution to total subsidy payments from 1998 to…

8 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to introduce a maritime equivalent of the rail company revenue support grant as part of its multimodal policies for removing freight from roads.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We will not be introducing anexact maritime equivalent of the Company Neutral Revenue Support Grant scheme althoughwe will be introducing the Waterborne Freight Grant scheme later in the year. Thisrevenue grant scheme will be aimed at encouraging the developm…