Parliamentary questions
Bruce Crawford
999 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the person specification, selection criteria and methods of selection used for the post of Chair of NHS Fife.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Details of the personspecification, selection criteria and selection process were all provided inthe background note sent out as part of the application pack. These detailswere also published on the Health Department Public Appointments Unit’s websiteduring t…
16 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants there were for the post of Chair of NHS Fife and how many applicants were selected for final stage interviews and final stage selection processes.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A total of seven applications were received for the position of Chair of Fife NHS Board. Ofthese, four applicants have been invited for interview.</p>
13 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will reply to the letter from my constituent Mr John Winton of 30 November 2003 regarding his treatment, and specifically any lack of beds, at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Mr Winton’s letter of 30November was addressed to the Chief Executive of Lothian University HospitalsTrust, and copied to me for information. I understand that the Division has nowwritten to Mr Winton, addressing his concerns.</p><p>Mr Winton has since writte…
23 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government to promote and protect Scots law and legal institutions.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including thepromotion and protection of Scots law and legal institutions.</p>
23 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the use of English law to govern contracts (a) wholly or (b) partially pertaining to Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: It is a fundamentalprinciple of commercial contracts that parties are free to choose theapplicable law. This principle forms part of the Rome Convention, to which the UK is asignatory, as translated into domestic UK law. The Convention determines the law that…
23 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers are available to it to encourage the use of Scottish professional firms by UK private companies, stating in each case what use it has made of that power.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no powers to intervene in the commercial decisions UK privatecompanies take in respect of their use of professional services. However, ScottishDevelopment International does hold information on Scottish professional firmsas part of …
23 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) the Law Society, (b) the Institute of Chartered Accountants, (c) the Confederation of British Industry, (d) the Federation of Small Businesses and (e) any other business organisation regarding the use of the Scottish professional service sector by UK f…
Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Development International,which is the lead body for inward investment in Scotland, will provideinformation on Scottish companies providing professional services asappropriate to UK firms operating in Scotland as part of a normaloptions appraisal. Ho…
15 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what direction and advice was given to Fife Council regarding the introduction of the Yellow Taxibus service operating principally between Dunfermline and Edinburgh.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: No direction or advice wasgiven to Fife Council regarding the introduction of the Yellow Taxibus service.</p>
15 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been provided for “dial-a-ride” taxi or bus services in Fife in each year since 1996-97, broken down by organisation receiving the funding and the purpose of the funding.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has,to date, provided no funding to any dial-a-ride taxi or bus service in Fife.</p>
13 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for an orthopaedic appointment in (a) Greater Glasgow NHS Board and (b) Forth Valley NHS Board at the end of December 2003.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Provisional information forthe year ended 30 September 2003 shows that the median waiting times for a firstoutpatient appointment with a consultant in the specialty of Orthopaedics,following referral by a general medical practitioner, in Greater Glasgow NHSBo…
13 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets are set by (a) Greater Glasgow NHS Board and (b) Forth Valley NHS Board for the waiting time for a patient to secure an orthopaedic appointment.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: <i>Partnership for Care: </i><i>Scotland</i><i>’s Health White Paper</i>includes the commitment that no patient will wait more than 26 weeks for afirst outpatient at a consultant-led clinic, following referral, by the end of2005.</p><p>As part of the local he…
6 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role police forces play, and what advice they provide, in relation to the funding arrangements for the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Mountain RescueCommittee of Scotland is the representative and co-ordinating body for mountainrescue teams in Scotland.</p><p>The police have primaryresponsibility for all land-based search and rescue, and for this purpose theycall on support from other a…
6 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland has received over each of the last three financial years including 2003-04; how the funding is disbursed, and what conditions are attached to such funding.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Mountain RescueCommittee of Scotland is the representative and co-ordinating body for mountainrescue teams in Scotland. In the last three financial years the onlyExecutive funding directly to the committee has been a payment in 2003-04 of£5,000, to contri…
14 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue making provision to assist those on low incomes to meet their water bills through the Transitional Water and Sewerage Charges Relief Scheme in 2004-05 and, if not, whether it will make alternative arrangements for this purpose.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The current transitionalscheme was set up to provide additional assistance to enable low income householdsadjust to increased water and sewerage charges. The main source of assistanceremains the link between domestic charges and the banding and discount arran…
14 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals are being considered to reduce water charges to industrial customers who consume large volumes of water.
Answer · Ross Finnie: In the 2003-04 charges scheme,customers who consume large volumes of waters had the option to sign up for athree-year agreement at a discounted rate. The details are available onScottish Water’s website at: <a href="http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/index.htm">h…
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Stirling Council with regard to the future of Holy Trinity Episcopal Primary School.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has had no such discussions with Stirling Council.</p>
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the requirements of human rights legislation are being met with regard to the non-attendance of Scottish National Heritage (SNH) at public local inquiries in respect of wind farm applications where SNH have objected to the application.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Interpretation of humanrights legislation is a matter for the courts.</p>
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide additional resources to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to enable it to attend public local inquiries on wind farm applications where SNH has raised an objection to the application.
Answer · Allan Wilson: None.</p>
30 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-411 by Ross Finnie on 18 September 2003, what the outcome was of discussions with Her Majesty's Government following the Ministry of Defence's announcement on 11 September 2003 regarding the decommissioning and storage of nuclear submarines in Scotla…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has discussed proceduralaspects of the consultation process with the Ministry of Defence. We expect tobe kept fully informed of developments.</p>
30 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-588 by Ross Finnie on 9 October 2003, whether any of the area formerly known as Rosyth Royal Naval Dockyard, purchased by Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited in 1997, still has Crown immunity in respect of planning purposes and any other purposes as defin…
Answer · Mary Mulligan: It would be inappropriate tocomment on the planning position of particular sites, as development proposalscould come before the Scottish ministers for a decision. In general, Crown immunityfrom planning controls would extend to development by or on behalf of …
29 Oct 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to improve transport links across the River Forth.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We areworking with stakeholders to identify ways to improve transportlinks, including direct contributions to initiatives such as the expansion of the ferrytoll park and ride facility and the improvement of rail servicesacross the Forth.</p>
22 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ban the commercial growing of genetically modified (GM) beet and oilseed rape.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No decision will be taken onthe possible commercialisation of GM beet and oilseed rape until the results of the farm scale trials and GM dialogue have been fully evaluated. The resultsfrom the trials have been forwarded to the statutory Advisory Committee onR…
22 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now seek GM-free status for Scotland.
Answer · Allan Wilson: It would be contrary to thesingle market objective of Directive 2001-18-EC to adopt a blanket ban on geneticallymodified organisms in Scotland, or a part of Scotland, which could not be justified in terms of protectionof human health, animal health and the en…
22 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of Grant Aided Expenditure has been for Fife Constabulary in each of the last four years, including the current year, and what the actual amount spent on policing in Fife was in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Policing in Fife isprovided almost entirely by Fife Constabulary although officers from a numberof other forces or agencies, such as the British Transport Police, also operatewithin the Fife area. Each year, the Executive sets a level of GrantAided Expenditur…
1 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the political activities, over the past five years or in the five years prior to appointment, of each member of the (a) Fife NHS Board, (b) newly-formed NHS Fife Acute Care Division board and (c) newly-formed NHS Fife Primary Care Division board.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is neither possible norappropriate to detail the political activities of board members prior toappointment. Nor is information held for the newly-formed NHS Fife Acute CareDivision and Primary Care Division as their members are not appointed by ministers.<…
10 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has made to electoral registration officers on ensuring that all marked registers from the Parliament general election in 2003 are returned to the appropriate sheriff clerks and what information it has received that such registers are now with sheriff clerks.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Matters relating to electoralregistration and Scottish Parliamentary elections are reserved and for the ScotlandOffice and the Electoral Commission.</p>
10 Sep 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding the consultation process on the interim storage of laid-up submarines.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Subsequent to the Ministryof Defence's announcement on 11 September, the Executive has been in contactwith the UK Government on this matter, and will be actively involved in thisconsultation process in relation to devolved responsibilities.</p>
4 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many overtaking lanes there are on the trunk road network; what distance each such lane covers, and what the location is of each such lane.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: An overtaking lane, asopposed to a climbing lane, is defined as a widening of a single carriageway toprovide two lanes in one direction whilst the opposing traffic is restricted toone lane. These additional lanes are added to single carriageways on gradientsg…
4 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many crawler lanes there are on the trunk road network; what distance each such lane covers, and what the location is of each such lane.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: A crawler or climbing laneis defined as an additional lane added to a single or dual carriageway ongradients greater than 2% and 3% respectively and longer than 500 metres. Theseadditional lanes provide guaranteed overtaking opportunities and improve safetyan…
27 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for universities to maintain records of the subjects studied in each year and of the number of hours studied per subject.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-428 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_…