Parliamentary questions
Bruce Crawford
999 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the staffing levels in all areas of Fife Primary Healthcare NHS Trust are at an adequate level to reduce waiting lists.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Fife Primary Care NHS Trust is responsible for determining the level of staff employed.
23 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter dated 4 May 2000 to the Deputy Minister for Communities on the subject of the debate on the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Bill.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: I replied to Mr Crawford's letter on 25 May.
17 May 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many health boards are currently, or are considering, consulting with their communities on the future shape of NHS services in their area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive would expect health boards to be involved in a process of ongoing dialogue with local communities and, where appropriate, specific groups with regards to the design and delivery of services. A number of large-scale formal consultation e…
9 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of assistance or grants have been given by Scottish Enterprise, Fife Enterprise or other government agencies to Marconi Simulation (now Alenia Marconi Systems) at its Hillend, Fife operation since 1995.
Answer · Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the Chairman to reply to the member. A copy of the reply will be placed in SPICe.
3 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that the funding for the new Kincardine Bridge crossing will not be met in part or in full by a toll being levied on Kincardine Bridge users.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Crawford to the answer I gave Mr Tosh on 17 December (S1W-2969).
27 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been completed on the Scottish deep mining coal industry following the decision to issue more licences for gas powered power stations in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK.
Answer · Henry McLeish: We are not aware of any such studies having been carried out. Mining Scotland expects to be able to benefit from the availability of operating aid to the coal industry recently announced by the UK Government. In addition, Mining Scotland has a long-term contr…
27 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government to ensure that Longannet coal mine receives maximum support from the investment grant as announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 17 April 2000.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive has maintained close contact with the UK Government to press the case for Longannet mine ever since the possibility of operating aid being made available to the UK mining industry was raised. I understand that Mining Scotland, the mine'…
27 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Longannet coal mine will qualify for additional investment under the scheme announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 17 April 2000 and, if so, how much can it expect to receive.
Answer · Henry McLeish: This is a reserved matter, but I understand that Mining Scotland has informed the Department of Trade and Industry of its interest in applying for operating aid in respect of Longannet mine when such aid becomes available. Any aid to the coal industry must be…
27 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made by staff and trade unions with regard to the proposal to introduce parking charges at Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust sites in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Consultation on their proposals for car parking charges is entirely a matter for the Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. In reaching decisions on proposals to charge for car parking we would expect that NHS Trusts have the interests of patients, staff and visitor…
27 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what has been the increase in real terms in the capital spend budget for the Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust from financial year 1996-97 to 1999-2000 inclusive.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The capital resources available to Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and the two predecessor Trusts for 1996-97 to 1999-2000 is shown in the following table calculated at constant 1999-2000 prices:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=621><TR><TD WIDTH…
14 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for a hernia operation in the Fife Health Board Area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The latest information available for the median waiting time for Fife residents admitted routinely from the waiting list for a hernia operation during the 12 month period to 31 December 1999 was 112 days.
8 Mar 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much land and property Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise companies have sold or disposed of since May 1997; what was the total monetary worth of the sales or disposals, and which government departments have been in receipt of the revenues raised from the sales or disposals.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise companies have sold 796 acres of land and 1,158,000 sq ft of buildings during the period from April 1997 to the end of February 2000.<P>These sales realised income of £62.148 million. Each year Scottish Enterprise …
24 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning will reply to my letter of 3 November 1999 and reminder of 20 January 2000 regarding student finance.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive has no record of Mr Crawford's letter of 3 November 1999 or his reminder of 20 January 2000. However, if the Member cares to send my office another copy, I shall ensure that it receives immediate attention.
24 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial help is available to disabled students who do not meet the eligibility criteria for "Disabled Students Allowance" because, due to their disability, they have to take the fourteen-month, two-day course, as opposed to the full-time HNC course in social care.
Answer · Henry McLeish: As from academic session 1999-2000, Disabled Student Allowance was extended to part-time students undertaking the equivalent of 50% or more of equivalent full time courses. Students on the fourteen-month, two-day social care course should therefore qualify fo…
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the spread of condensate effluent from rendering plants in Staffordshire on Scottish farms and sites, what is the destination of any produce from any of these farms or sites; which abattoirs have received any livestock produced from any of these farms or sites and what …
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-4627.
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive with reference to the disposal of waste from the two mammalian rendering plants at Inverurie and Newarthill, Motherwell at waste-water works, whether any of this waste water is disposed of on land and, if so, at which farms, opencast sites, forestry sites or other sites it is being dispos…
Answer · Ross Finnie: Neither of the two plants in question, Dundas Brothers at Kintore by Inverurie, or William Forrest and Sons (Paisley) Ltd at Newarthill, Motherwell, dispose of waste by spreading on land. Under the Fertilisers (Mammalian Meat and Bonemeal) Regulations 1998, i…
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research there has been to determine whether prions can be transferred from contaminated condensate effluent to cattle via plants or vegetation, when the research was conducted, by whom, what the results of this research were and whether these results are available to the public.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is not aware of any research in this specific area.
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research there has been to determine whether prions, thought to be the cause of BSE and new variant CJD, can be carried in the protein cell of plants.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is not aware of any research in this specific area.
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to which farms, opencast sites, forestry sites or other sites in Scotland the condensate effluent from the Mammalian Rendering Plant in Staffordshire was brought, which contractor bought it, and which contractor was responsible for spreading it at these sites.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-4627.
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which butcher shops, supermarkets or other retail outlets have received meat from abattoirs dealing with livestock brought up on farms, or other sites, which have been spread with condensate effluent brought to Scotland from Staffordshire.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Officials in Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, the local enforcement authority for the area in question, are not aware of any condensate effluent being brought to Scotland from rendering plants in Staffordshire.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Under the F…
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to which Scottish sites the condensate effluent from rendering plants in the UK and Northern Ireland associated with the BSE cattle cull, including the over thirty months scheme, has been brought.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is not aware of any condensate effluent from rendering plants elsewhere in the UK being transported to Scotland for disposal. Enforcement of the relevant statutory controls is a matter for the appropriate local authority.
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out to determine whether condensate effluent from rendering plants associated with the BSE cattle cull is safe to apply to land as fertiliser.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) have considered the practice of spreading rendering condensate on land and have concluded that as a precautionary measure it should be discontinued on land where cattle may graze.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The E…
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3934 by Ross Finnie on 7 February 2000, which waste-water works process waste from the two mammalian rendering plants at Inverurie and Newarthill, Motherwell, what treatment the waste receives and which contractors remove the waste from the water wor…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The first plant, Dundas Brothers Ltd at Kintore by Inverurie, treat their waste on site using their dissolved air floatation and biological treatment plants. This produces a "float" (or "sludge") which is tankered by Dundas Brothers to Bur…
22 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction there has been in the amount of biodegradable waste going to landfill sites in each year since 1995, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The proportion of biodegradable material in wastes going to landfill varies according to the source and the time of year. The information requested is not available for all local authorities, although some authorities have carried out sampling exercises. I in…
15 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Hyundai to begin production at its Dunfermline site and, if there is no expected date for production to begin, whether it or Scottish Enterprise has been in discussion with any other potential operators.
Answer · Henry McLeish: On 20 April 2000 the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise welcomed the announcement that Motorola is to invest £1.3 billion in a state of the art project to be situated at the manufacturing facility in Dunfermline, acquired from Hyundai.
9 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency response plans it has for an accident or incident at the Ministry of Defence weapons and armoury storage facility at Crombie, Fife.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Emergency response plans for accidents or incidents occurring within the Crombie storage facility are a matter for MOD.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>I understand, however, that while the facility is exempt from the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations…
26 Jan 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the Scottish population lives in areas which are currently eligible for European aid and what the equivalent proportion was under the structural funds settlement applying immediately prior to the new settlement.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The special programme for the Highlands & Islands, to replace the Objective 1 programme, is available throughout the Highlands & Islands. The Objective 3 programme for the European Social Fund has been available throughout Lowland Scotland and will remain so.…
24 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where in Scotland the two mammalian rendering plants approved to process specified risk material are situated.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There are two establishments in Scotland approved to render specified risk material (SRM) under the SRM Regulations 1997. These are:<P>Dundas Brothers Ltd, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire<P>William Forrest & Sons (Paisley) Ltd, Newarthill, Motherwell
19 Jan 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has recently provided to Fife Health Board about the development of Fife Acute Health Trusts business plan.
Answer · Iain Gray: The document submitted to the Health Department was a draft of an outline business case: the Department's response explained in some detail the process to be followed to produce a substantive business case and encouraged the Health Board to ensure its specifi…
5 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the case submitted to Her Majesty's Government regarding Scotland's defence in relation to VAT on tolls.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The arguments advanced by the United Kingdom Government at the European Court are summarised in the official <I>Report for the Hearing (Case C-359/97)</I> prepared by the Judge-Rapporteur. A copy of that report is being placed in the Parliament's Information …