Parliamentary questions

Mr Brian Monteith

1,042 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Qualifications Authority is properly and legally constituted according to the Education (Scotland) Act 1996 and, in particular, whether it has at least 15 board members (including a chairman) of which 12 (including the chairman) have been appointed by the Scottish Exe…

Answer · Jack McConnell: The composition of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is prescribed in section 1 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. At present the SQA comprises 12 members including the Chair and Chief Executive. Seven of these have been appointed by Scottish min…

15 Jun 2001 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-15143 on 9 May 2001, whether he will outline each step in the process of selecting the venue that will host plenary meetings of the Parliament in May 2002.

Answer · David Steel: Both the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and the Parliamentary Bureau will examine various proposals received from local authorities interested in hosting meetings of the Parliament in May 2002. Under Standing Order Rule 2.7 it is for the Parliament to …

13 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14663 by Sarah Boyack on 23 May 2001, how many grants have been awarded under the Powershift grants scheme in each of the last five years for the purchase or conversion of local authority vehicles in (a) Clackmannanshire, (b) Stirling, (c) Perth and …

Answer · Rhona Brankin: A total of £48,360 has been awarded for 40 vehicles to Fife Council in the past five years. No grants have been awarded to Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Perth and Kinross or Angus Councils.

13 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15831 by Sarah Boyack on 11 June 2001, when it expects to be able to announce what measures it is planning to implement as a result of the road safety investigation into the Ballinluig junction on the A9.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The measures which will be implemented as a result of the road safety investigation into the Ballinluig junction include enhanced signing and road markings, together with the introduction of a temporary 50 mph speed limit. In addition, another speed camera wi…

13 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15831 by Sarah Boyack on 11 June 2001, whether it will publish the report and recommendations of the road safety investigation into the Ballinluig junction on the A9.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The road safety investigation report for the Ballinluig junction, in common with all such reports, was not commissioned with a view to external publication. Given that the report contains potentially sensitive information, some of which has been provided by t…

13 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of each improvement scheme undertaken on the A9 between Dunkeld and Pitlochry during 1999-2000 and 2000-01 and what the cost will be of any improvement schemes planned for 2001-02.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No improvement schemes were implemented on the A9 between Dunkeld and Pitlochry for financial years 1999-2000 and 2000-01. Expenditure for the current financial year 2001-02 is currently expected to be £40,000.

13 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred at the Ballinluig junction on the A9 in each of the last five years.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Only records of accidents involving personal injury are held by the Scottish Executive. Details of the accidents which have occurred at the Ballinluig junction on the A9 trunk road for each of the last five years (1996-2000) are as follows: <TABLE BORDER CELL…

17 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve road safety at the Ballinluig junction on the A9.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Following the fatal accident at the Ballinluig junction on 3 April 2001, a meeting was convened with representatives from BEAR Scotland Ltd, the Scottish Executive's Accident Investigation and Prevention Unit and Tayside Police to discuss safety at the juncti…

8 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been or will be put in place to include those local authorities which are not members of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in future pay bargaining.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It is for the Convention and local authorities to consider any arrangements for local authority employers to negotiate on a collective basis with staff about pay levels.

27 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-7163 and S1W-15072 by Susan Deacon on 26 April 2001, whether it can explain the discrepancy in the number of whole-time equivalent qualified school nurses between the two answers.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I regret that the information on the number of whole-time equivalent qualified school nurses given in question S1W-7163 included clinic nurses employed by NHSScotland as well as school nurses. The information in question S1W-15072 is correct. The figures in t…

26 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what restrictions there are on the sale of sweetbreads from calves, lambs or bullocks.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that the sale of the thymus, commonly known as sweetbread, is dictated by EU BSE controls legislation. The thymus is considered Specified Risk Material (SRM) in all cattle aged over six months and cannot be sold. Thym…

26 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13058 by Angus MacKay on 25 March 2001, whether it will provide details of the one Scottish Executive post that has been transferred to the specified local authority areas since July 1999.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The post is within Historic Scotland and involved the relocation of a Health and Safety Officer from Edinburgh to Stirling.

25 Apr 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the publication of the final boundaries of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: We are presently considering the SNH consultation report and we hope to bring forward a draft Designation Order, including proposals for the National Park boundaries, for consultation very shortly. After consideration of the responses to that consultation we …

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has hired any market research firms to carry out any surveys or research relating to education issues within the last six months and, if so, which firms were hired and what the value was of each contract.

Answer · Jack McConnell: We have commissioned one survey from a market research company over the last six months. This was the survey of school and FE staff views on the first year of the implementation of Higher Still. The final agreed completion date was 12 February 2001 with a tot…

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any market research firms have been hired on behalf of the Scottish Qualifications Authority in the last six months to canvass the opinions of parents of secondary school pupils and, if so, which firms are involved and what the value of each contract is.

Answer · Jack McConnell: No market research firms have been hired on behalf of the SQA in the last six months.

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial impact the loss of Crown Exemption for police properties in respect of payment of non-domestic rates is expected to have on Tayside Police in 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The total amount of police grant available in 2001-02, 2002-03 and subsequent years was increased to take full account of the abolition of Crown Exemption from non-domestic rates on operational properties. The budgets for individual forces are set by the rele…

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial impact the loss of Crown Exemption for police properties in respect of payment of non-domestic rates is expected to have on Fife Constabulary in 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15144.

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial impact the loss of Crown Exemption for police properties in respect of payment of non-domestic rates is expected to have on Central Scotland Police in 2001-02 and 2002-03.

18 Apr 2001 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Church of Scotland is expected to utilise the current debating chamber in the Assembly Hall for its General Assembly meeting in May 2002 and, if so, what alternative locations for plenary sessions of the Parliament are being considered.

Answer · David Steel: I can confirm that the Church of Scotland will be returning to the Assembly Hall for their General Assembly in May 2002. The Parliamentary Bureau has therefore instructed that expressions of interest in hosting meetings of Parliament next year at an alternati…