Mr Brian Monteith

7 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2866 by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 October 2003, how much has been spent on advertising the healthyliving advice line in each month in 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Healthy Living callcentre information line is an integral, but only one, facet of a campaigndesigned to raise awareness, stimulate attitudinal and behavioural change aswell as provide advice and information. Expenditure on the campaign over themonths requ…

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the 26 minor projects, budgeted through the “Miscellaneous” section of the Other Enterprise and Lifelong Learning budget in its Draft Budget 2004-05 will be and what each project will cost.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The table details the budget heading and the costs for each minor project asmentioned in the Draft Budget 2004-05 for the years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06.</p><p>Enterprise And Lifelong Learning - Other Miscellaneous - Breakdown</p><table border=1 cellspaci…

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set the annual date for each education authority to publish the report that sets out progress of the authority in meeting objective 25 set out in section 5(6) of the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000 and, if so, whether there have been any publications.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive agreed with education authorities that progress reports would bepublished by the end of January 2003, and thereafter on an annual basis. Wehave received copies of progress reports from all 32 education authorities.</p>

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by local authorities in establishing quality partnerships with bus operators under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2584 on 26 September 2003. 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/we…

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2659 by Lewis Macdonald on 30 September 2003, how much was made available to projects in Scotland from the UK scheme operated by the Department of Trade and Industry, in total and broken down by individual projects.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The offshore windfarm in theSolway Firth is the only project in Scotland tohave applied for and received grant from the UK offshore wind farm capitalgrant scheme.</p>

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2695 by Lewis Macdonald on 30 September 2003, what funds it has made available, in total, under its existing programme budget for the promotion of renewable energy.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: £3 million was madeavailable for the promotion of renewable energy in the financial year 2002-03.A further £1 million has been made available in the current financial year todate, and at the autumn budget revision it is proposed to increase this budgetby a fu…

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it has made available in respect of the change to the licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation (HMO).

Answer · Margaret Curran: I announced on 19 March that£2 million would be made available between 2003-04 and 2004-05. I am pleased tosay that a further £1 milion for 2005-06 has also now been agreed. This fundingis intended to help local authorities improve the management of HMO licen…

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information or indicators it or other publicly-funded organisations publish on the quality of, and expenditure on, local authority maintained roads.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: “Scottish Local Government Finance Statistics”, published by the Scottish Executive, contains important information about local authority roads performance. This publication is available at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00283-00.asp">htt…

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the final report of the Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey, carried out by the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland on behalf of COSLA, and, if so, whether it will make it available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: No final report has beenreceived by the Executive.</p>

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2646 by Nicol Stephen on 1 October 2003, what funding it will make available for the Edinburgh to New York air service for the next three years; how much has been paid from the Route Development Fund for the service to date, broken down by individual…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The amount of the investmentfrom the fund offered to secure the forthcoming service between Edinburgh andNew York is commercially confidential. </p><p>Investment from the fund goesto the airport operator to enhance the discount it offers for new direct air se…

1 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of primary school teachers employed in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 were (i) male and (ii) female.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information on the number andpercentage of primary teachers employed in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 who were (i) maleand (ii) female is available from the Summary of Results of the September 2001 and2002 School Censuses and can be accessed using the following links…

30 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths there have been due to clinical error, negligence, misdiagnosis or other causes that may be attributed to the actions of doctors and clinicians in each of the last three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

30 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors and clinicians have been employed by the NHS in each year since 2000.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The informationrequested is published on the website of the Information and StatisticsDivision of NHSScotland. Scottish health statistics can be accessed via thefollowing link: <ahref="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd">http://www.isdscotland.org/isd</a>.</p>

30 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it and its agencies recognise darts as a sport and what the reasons are for its position on the matter

Answer · Frank McAveety: The recognition of anactivity as a sport is the responsibility of the four home country sportscouncils and UK Sport acting unanimously against set criteria. It is theresponsibility of the sports council of the country in which an application forrecognition or…

30 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S2W-2042 lodged on 13 August 2003.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2042 on 10 November 2003. 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/…

30 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many front-line staff who deal with the public have worked in the public sector in each of the last six years, broken down by profession.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested isnot held centrally. However, statistics on the number of people employed in thepublic and private sector in Scotland from 1996 until 2002 are contained in <i>Public privatesector employment by occupation</i>, a copy of which has be…

24 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings there have been of the Joint Implementation Group on the National Cultural Strategy; when the group last met, and what the membership is of the group.

Answer · Frank McAveety: There have been four meetingsof the Joint Implementation Group on the National Cultural Strategy. The group lastmet on 13 January 2003. Core membership of the group consists of senior representativesfrom COSLA, the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen, Nati…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve safety measures on the A84 and A85 between Stirling and Tyndrum.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The following works on the A84have been completed this financial year: </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Route</p> </td> <td> <p>Location </p> </td> <td> <p>Measures</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <tr> <td>…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether sufficient funding is given to Stirling Council to maintain the road infrastructure in its area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Funding for local roads and bridges forms part of the general Local Government Finance settlement. As part of this, Stirling Council will receive above inflation increases in revenue support of 9.1% this year, and of 5.5% and 4.0% over the next two years. It …

22 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much the healthyliving line cost to (a) establish and (b) run on a monthly basis since inception.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The cost of setting up the healthylivingline was £33,696 (£39,592.80 inc. VAT). The monthly running costs are as follows:</p><p>Operational Costs (£) of Healthyliving AdviceLine During 2003</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> …

22 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many food professionals have called the healthyliving line in each month since it was established.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to say howmany health professionals have called the healthyliving line as this informationis not collected as part of the routine monitoring of the line.</p>

22 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls there have been to the healthyliving line in each month since it was established.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The number of calls to the healthylivingadvice line since launch have been as follows:</p><p>Number of Calls to the HealthylivingLine from 6 January to 31 August 2003</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Month</p> </td> …

22 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive from how many phone numbers there have been calls to the healthyliving line in each month since it was established.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available.The healthyliving advice line is a confidential service and caller phone numbersare not recorded or tracked.</p>

16 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was given in the form of grants and subsidies to new and existing on-shore and off-shore wind farms in each of the last five years and what expenditure it intends to commit for such wind farms for 2004-05.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We announced on 28 August thisyear that the Executive will contribute £194,000 to Talisman Energy (UK) to assistin the development of a demonstration project for the world’s first deep water offshorewind farm. This commitment will be met from our existing pro…

15 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provided funding for the bid to bring direct New York flights to Edinburgh.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The forthcoming Edinburgh toNew York (Newark) air service will be the subject of investment by theRoute Development Fund. This service will be aimed at improving business links andinbound tourism to Scotland.</p>

10 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Scottish Natural Heritage to produce the revised Scottish Outdoor Access Code for approval by ministers and the Parliament.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act2003, the production of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code is a matter for ScottishNatural Heritage (SNH). I understand SNH are currently considering the commentsreceived following their consultation on a draft code and expec…

9 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1857 by Andy Kerr on 5 September 2003, whether it will publish each campaign's media schedule or make the information available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isgiven in a set of Scottish Executive advertising media schedules for 2002-03, a copy of whichhas been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 29267).</p>

9 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1857 by Andy Kerr on 5 September 2003, whether it will provide any information it has on the monthly pattern of expenditure on newspapers, radio, television and any other spending on advertising and marketing for 2002-03.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Any such pattern is formed bythe scheduling of campaigns. The actual recorded payments are, however, determinedby the date of receipt and payment of invoices.</p><p>The scheduling of a number of the Executive’s campaigns are influenced by seasonal factors. Fo…

8 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1857 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2003, how much each of its departments spent on advertising in 2002-03, broken down by campaign.

Answer · Andy Kerr: &nbsp;</p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Health Dept</p> </td> <td> <p>Justice Dept</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p> </p> </td> <td> <p>Spend (£)</p> </td> <td> <p> </p> …

8 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W- 2296 by Mr Andy Kerr on 4 September 2003, whether it will provide financial support to assist local authorities with any costs incurred by them due to compliance with the Euro Preparations Guidance, issued by HM Treasury in June 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive will not be providing financial assistance to local authorities in orderfor them to follow the HM Treasury guidelines issued in June 2003. Costs incurredby local authorities in this regard are staff time involved in euro preparationspla…