Parliamentary questions
Brian Adam
1,580 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward plans to upgrade the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty to dual carriageway.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The scheme to upgrade the 9km section of the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty to a dual two-lane carriageway was considered in the Strategic Roads Review. The review concluded that the scheme should be held in abeyance. It will, in due course, be considered …
14 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review any decisions taken regarding safety improvements on the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: A review of the safety measures that were implemented as part of the Balmedie to Tipperty Route Accident Reduction Plan in 1996 is currently underway. This review is being undertaken as part of a road safety investigation for the section of the A90 between no…
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase the bridging finance for health boards in managing the change from inpatient to care in the community for long-term patients with mental health problems.
Answer · Iain Gray: Health boards are expected to plan to meet any necessary bridging costs from within their unified budget.
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has made or will be making available to health boards concerning relatives wishes in respect of long-term patients with mental health problems being considered for care in the community.
Answer · Iain Gray: Guidance issued to the NHS and local authorities in 1996 and remains relevant. That guidance includes advice on the need to keep patients, their families and carers informed and involved at all stages where a transfer from hospital to alternative care in the …
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many long-term beds are intended to be retained in the NHS for the care of patients with mental health problems, broken down by health board area.
Answer · Iain Gray: It is for each health board, in consultation with their NHS Trusts and local authority care partners, to determine on an ongoing basis, the levels of hospital and community-based care required to match the assessed and ongoing needs of their local population.
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many long-stay patients with mental health problems are planned to transfer to care in the community, broken down by health board area.
Answer · Iain Gray: The information is not held centrally.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The organisation and balance between hospital and community provision is a matter for local discussion and agreement between individual health boards and their local authority partners.
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many long-stay patients with mental health problems have been transferred to care in the community in each of the last 10 years, broken down by health board area.
Answer · Iain Gray: Statistics on discharges and transfers from mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units are published annually in Scottish Health Statistics by the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">This is available from the Inf…
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any offices which it owns or leases are empty or not fully occupied.
Answer · Jack McConnell: St Andrew's House in Edinburgh is not fully occupied during the refurbishment of the building.
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail offices which it currently owns or leases.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Details of the 19 leased offices in which the Scottish Executive has staff are set out in my reply to Mr Adam's Question of 16 June 2000 (S1W-07546). The<B> </B>Scottish Executive has staff in the 24 Crown owned offices set out below:-<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACIN…
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed by its departments in offices which are leased.
Answer · Jack McConnell: 1,106 staff of the Scottish Executive are employed in leased buildings.
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of its departments have leased offices; where they are located, and when these leases are due for renewal.
Answer · Jack McConnell: With the exception of the Department of Health all of the Scottish Executive departments (including Corporate Services and the Finance Group) have staff in leased offices.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Leased offices are present in the locations set out in the table belo…
25 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to allay any public concerns regarding the forensic science service and in particular fingerprinting services.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Following the recent expressions of concern about the integrity of the fingerprint service at the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO), HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMCIC) was invited to undertake an inspection of the acquisition, examination and pre…
24 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to link the amount of Resource Transfer Funds for patients resettled from psychiatric hospitals to the community to other increases in funding in the NHSiS.
Answer · Iain Gray: The levels of resource transfer negotiated between the care agencies will continue, as now, to reflect local needs, changes to the local pattern of care and all available resources.
24 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase the level of the Mental Illness Specific Grant.
Answer · Iain Gray: There are no current plans to increase provision for Mental Illness Specific Grant.
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the current availability and provision of specialised mental health information and advice services, and its plans for future provisions.
Answer · Iain Gray: Health boards, NHS Trusts, local authorities, local health councils, the Scottish Health Advisory Service, the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland and the voluntary and private sector currently provide a range of information and advice on mental health.<P …
9 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider redressing any anomalies in council tax liability for householders in non-permanent homes by adjusting the banding arrangements, by offering appropriate rebates or by any other means.
Answer · Jack McConnell: We do not propose any changes to the existing council tax liability or banding arrangements at present.
9 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any amendments made to council tax liability and banding since its inception.
Answer · Jack McConnell: We have made The Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Amendment (No.2) Order 1999.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Order substitutes a new paragraph 2 in Schedule 1 to the 1997 Order so that the exemption for dwellings undergoing major repair work or structural al…
9 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households in Scotland reside in non-permanent homes such as caravans, mobile homes and chalets.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The information requested is not held centrally.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6090 by Mr Jack McConnell on 28 April 2000, when it expects to be able to publish firm cost estimates with regard to any or all of the ancillary works associated with the Holyrood Project and whether road realignment and landscaping costs are likely …
Answer · Jack McConnell: Firm cost estimates for these works are not yet available and can only be produced after the Holyrood design and external works proposals have been finalised.
2 May 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body's planned programme of consultation with MSPs will be over the next Holyrood Parliament to ensure that the project is completed within the stated timescale.
Answer · David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will continue to report to MSPs about the Holyrood Project, including the achievement of construction progress within the agreed timescale. Information will also be provided on specific issues when appropriate. Our ne…
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the guidelines to health professionals concerning the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Codes of practice are required under section 11 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, containing guidance on the exercise of functions under the Act. Draft codes, including a code for persons authorised to carry out medical treatment or research …
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations are ongoing into the causes of Enteromorpha growth in the River Ythan and when a report will be available.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department is currently funding one project in this area. The aim is to develop a protocol for identifying UK <I>Enteromorpha</I> species and to identify those species occurring in the Ythan estuary. The research is also i…
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the trends are in nitrate levels in the River Ythan; whether it is projected that these levels will breach the guideline of 50 milligrams of nitrates per litre of water and, if so, when.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency and its predecessor, the North East River Purification Board, have measured nitrate concentrations in the Ythan catchment on a regular basis since the early 1960's. Whilst there have been year-to-year variations in t…
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current level of nitrates is in the River Ythan, its tributaries and its estuary.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) continues to monitor the River Ythan and its major tributaries. The table summarises the results obtained during 1999 from the lowest monitoring sites on each tributary and from the lowest freshwater monitorin…
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the scientific grounds are on which it designated the River Ythan as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Ythan Nitrate Vulnerable Zone has been designated on the basis of criteria set out at Annex IA(3) of the EC Nitrates Directive(91/676/EEC) i.e. that the estuary is eutrophic, or in the near future may become eutrophic.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">During its 1997 re…
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Scottish Football Association requesting that the participating clubs in this year's Cup Final, and those in future years, be given equal allocations of tickets for the event.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: No. The allocation of tickets for the Scottish Cup Final is a matter for the Scottish Football Association.
25 Apr 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-6118 on 25 April 2000, what the estimated costs are of the Holyrood Project Team until the new Parliament building is completed.
Answer · David Steel: The cost of the Holyrood Project Team whose members are staff of the Parliament, is met from Parliament's annual "running cost" budget which in 2000-01 amounts to around £38.7 million. The Holyrood Project Team budget for 2000-01 is just under £480,…
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing planning legislation or conditions relating to sites for proposed renewable energy schemes.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Guidance is contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy (NPPG 6). This guidance is currently being reviewed and will be issued for consultation shortly.
17 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5627 by Susan Deacon on 11 April 2000, whether the scope of the internal investigation into Hepatitis C infection due to contaminated blood products will include consideration of and recommendations on compensation.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6273.
17 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5627 by Susan Deacon on 11 April 2000, when the internal investigation into Hepatitis C infection due to contaminated blood products will be completed and when the report will be made public.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6273.