Parliamentary questions
Brian Adam
1,580 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes exist to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing with the installation of carbon monoxide detectors.
Answer · Des McNulty: Gas safety is a matter reservedto the UK Parliament, and dealt with by the Health and Safety Executive. Installationof carbon monoxide detectors is not mandatory, and we are not aware of any programmesto assist with their installation.</p>
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23043 by Mr Tom McCabe on 2 March 2006, in which European Council meetings its ministers have led the UK delegation during 2006, broken down by (a) minister, (b) subject discussed and (c) decisions taken.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The following table providesdetails of meetings of the Council of Ministers of the European Union in 2006 wherethe UK delegation was led by a Scottish Executive minister.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=605> <thead> <tr> <td width=161…
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider an independent appeals process in its national fostering strategy, as recommended in the Adoption Policy Review Group report, Adoption: Better Choices for Our Children.
Answer · Robert Brown: The consultation paper on a NationalFostering and Kinship Care Strategy invites views on this issue.</p>
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider independent support in its national fostering strategy, as recommended in the Adoption Policy Review Group report, Adoption: Better Choices for Our Children.
Answer · Robert Brown: The consultation paper on a NationalFostering and Kinship Care Strategy invites views on a range of measures that areintended to enhance support for foster and kinship carers.</p>
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider a national protocol in its national fostering strategy, as recommended in the Adoption Policy Review Group report, Adoption: Better Choices for Our Children.
Answer · Robert Brown: The consultation paper on a NationalFostering and Kinship Care Strategy seeks responses on the merits of a nationalprotocol for dealing with and responding to allegations.</p>
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when its consultation document on a national fostering strategy will be completed.
Answer · Robert Brown: The consultation on the NationalFostering and Kinship Care Strategy was published on 6 December 2006. Copies are availableat:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/12/07091551/0">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/12/07091551/0<…
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many foster carers under investigation have had their payments stopped since 1999.
Answer · Robert Brown: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing statutory timescales for investigations into allegations against foster carers.
Answer · Robert Brown: The consultation paper on a NationalFostering and Kinship Care Strategy seeks responses on the merits of a nationalprotocol for dealing with and responding to allegations. It also asks how a balanceshould be achieved between the needs of children and young pe…
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many investigations into allegations against foster carers were completed in under (a) three, (b) six and (c) 12 months since 1999.
Answer · Robert Brown: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many allegations have been made against foster carers since 1999.
Answer · Robert Brown: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
29 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use end-year flexibility to address shortfalls in local authority social work budgets.
Answer · Robert Brown: No. End-year flexibilityis a one-off sum of money and cannot be used to sustain any alleged shortfalls inlocal authority social work budgets.</p>
24 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to gather data on the number of clients undergoing treatment for drug misuse, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) NHS board.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Scottish Drug Misuse Database(SDMD) currently collects information, by NHS board and local authority area, onthe number of ‘new’ clients accessing services. However, the database is being redevelopedto allow for the collection of additional information. T…
24 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to gather data on the number of clients undergoing treatment for alcohol problems, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) NHS board.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Local alcohol and drugaction teams (ADATs) have responsibility for assessing, planning and deliveringalcohol services, including the collection of information about local need and servicecapacity. Each ADAT is required to submit a Corporate Action Plan to the…
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when an announcement will be made on funding for a regional sports centre for north-east Scotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I have today welcomed sportscotland’sdecision to award up to £7 million to support the development of a regional sportscentre for north east Scotland.</p>
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the provision of women prisoners in any new prison in the north east.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Provision for women prisonersis one of a range of factors that the SPS will have to consider should there bedecision to build any new…
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional costs were incurred as result of having women remand prisoners transported to courts during the closure of the women’s unit at Craiginches prison, Aberdeen.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>This information is not available.These escorts are carried out under the Reliance Prisoner Escort Contract and arenot subject to a separat…
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the women’s unit at Craiginches prison, Aberdeen, will reopen.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The SPS has no plans at presentto re-open it for female prisoners.</p>
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the refurbishment of the women’s unit at Craiginches prison, Aberdeen, cost.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>There has been no refurbishmentof the female unit.</p>
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the refurbishment of the women’s unit at Craiginches prison, Aberdeen, was completed.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The female unit has not beenthe subject of refurbishment.</p>
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the women’s unit at Craiginches prison, Aberdeen, closed.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>3 October 2005.</p>
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its intention to fund independent advocacy services for patients with mental health issues directly or through local authorities.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to thequestion S2W-29995 answered on 5 December 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility forwhich can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that independent advocacy services for patients with mental health issues are statutory services and should not, therefore, be supported through the voluntary sector and lottery funding.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There is a duty on health boardsand local authorities under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland)Act 2003 to secure the availability of independent advocacy services for peoplewho have a mental disorder. NHS boards may secure such services by fund…
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the funding of independent advocacy services for patients with mental health issues is due to end, broken by local authority.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to thequestion S2W-29995 answered on 5 December 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility forwhich can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the funding of independent advocacy services for patients with mental health issues is due to end, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Advocacy services are not fundedcentrally. The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 places a duty on health boards and local authoritiesto work together to secure the provision of independent advocacy services andto help people to access the…
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the workload is of independent advocacy services for patients with mental health issues and how this is measured and reported.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many independent advocacy services for patients with mental health issues have been set up since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many independent advocacy services for patients with mental health issues have been set up since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
17 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29166 by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 November 2006, why it excluded the Aberdeen stock transfer result and whether any other similar ballots were not included in the answer.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The councils listed in the replyto question S2W-29166 were those who have undertaken formal independent ballotsof tenants on whole stock transfer proposals since 1999. The 2002 exercise undertakenby Aberdeen City Council was simply a referendum on the princip…
16 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be in a position to give a substantive answer to my question S2W-25665, which was due for answer on 18 May 2006.
14 Nov 2006 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will reconsider the use of a card-only till in the garden level restaurant.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The SPCB recentlyconsidered this issue and agreed to continue with the current arrangements inthe meantime. I would encourage all members to use the cashless system, as itensures that everyone gets through both tills as quickly as possible. To makethe system …