Colin Campbell

18 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8131 by Sarah Boyack on 4 July 2000, why the decision on preferred bidder status for the Northern Isles Contract planned for July 2000 was not made until October 2000 and, in particular, whether financial, technical or administrative factors caused t…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Costed bids for the Northern Isles passenger ferry services contract were received on 23 June 2000. Evaluation of the bids proved more complex than expected involving detailed analysis of the costs, liabilities and service involved. The financial plans were a…

18 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it plans to take to ensure that ship design capability in Scotland will be able to meet demand in the future.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Shipbuilding companies in Scotland, many of which have a world-wide reputation for their design capability, are best placed to decide how to meet future demand for ship design. Shipbuilders are supported by world-class shipbuilding departments at several Scot…

18 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to accelerate decisions on the Northern Isles Contract given the likelihood of an increase on ship construction orders being triggered by the ending of the 9% intervention subsidy for merchant ships on 31 December 2000.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The timetable for the tendering of the 2002-07 Northern Isles passenger ferry services subsidy reflected the ending of the existing subsidy contract in summer 2002 with the present operator, P&O Scottish Ferries, and the full implementation of new safety …

14 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or local authorities have statutory obligations to issue flood warnings.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Neither the Executive, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency nor local authorities have a statutory duty to issue flood warnings.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has powers to provide and operate flood warning systems. A Memo…

14 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent its ministers and officials were involved in preparatory work for the recent Inter-Governmental Conference in Nice and, if any were involved, who they were, what topics they addressed, and how much time any such work took in total.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive was fully consulted in the preparation of the UK lines for the IGC and fed in its views where appropriate. This has been an ongoing process. Since issues such as the extension of Qualified Majority Voting cover a wide range of policy ar…

14 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its ministers or officials were at the Inter-Governmental Conference in Nice.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-11903.

14 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4798 by Susan Deacon on 19 July 2000, whether it is funding any medical research into Gulf War related illness in co-operation with Her Majesty's Government in Scottish hospitals, universities, or research centres.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is not directly funding any research into Gulf War related illnesses.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">However the Executive in collaboration with UK Departments provides funding for the MRC, one of the agencies through which the UK Government as a wh…

14 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4798 by Susan Deacon on 19 July 2000, what arrangements the NHSiS has made with the Ministry of Defence regarding the provision of appropriate treatment for ex-service personnel suffering from Gulf War related illnesses.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to Michael Russell's question S1W-932 in July 1999, which outlined the arrangements.

7 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10872 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 November 2000, what proportion of the costs projected for the period 2001-02 to 2003-04 by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland was accounted for by the proposed increases in staff and how many addition…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The costs projected for the period 2001-02 to 2003-04 by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland were based on broadly maintaining current levels of service. But the Scottish Executive has made available 100% grant to specifically boost police nu…

4 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11237 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 29 November 2000, what the extent is of the increased high flows in the River Clyde in the last 25 years; where these occurred; whether they pose any potential flooding problems, and what steps are being taken to prevent …

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Further to my previous reply, information on flows in the River Clyde is not held by the Executive. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency do, however, hold such information and I have asked the agency's Chief Executive to provide you with the information…

4 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11236 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 29 November 2000, whether it assesses flood prevention needs on a strategic basis or responds to bids by individual councils and, if the former, how this is done.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: In order to review and develop its flood prevention policy and to assess the resources required to meet flood prevention needs, the Executive is informed by its bilateral contacts with councils, the biennial reports published by councils under the Flood Preve…

22 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate how many jobs have been lost in the past year as a result of the declining value of the euro against sterling and what percentage any such losses represent of lost jobs in each sector of the manufacturing industry.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Changes in manufacturing employment reflect a range of factors, of which exchange rate fluctuations are only one. Data from the Civilian Workforce Jobs series show that there were 289,000 employee jobs within manufacturing in June 2000, a fall of 12,000 from …

15 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has received in the last full year and how many it has received regarding (a) human sewage in water courses; (b) animal or chemical fertiliser pollution in water courses; (c) quarries, in particular, (i) noise at quarries, (ii…

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested is primarily a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and may be obtained from SEPA. Information about noise from quarries is a matter for local authoritie…

15 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the level of water has increased in the River Clyde in the last 50 years and what impact this has had on Clydeside.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Executive does not hold information on water levels in the River Clyde. However, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency holds records of flows from their network of gauging stations in the Clyde catchment, some of which date back 40 years. We understa…

15 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether research has been undertaken to ascertain any flooding impact on Clydeside of the cessation of dredging of the River Clyde by Clydeport Authority.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Executive does not hold details of this research but understands that studies into this matter were carried out by the former Strathclyde Regional Council.<P>Since 1997 all local authorities have been required to publish biennial reports on flooding, thes…

2 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of Scotland's Chief Constables have made requests in the last twelve months for additional funding for personnel; whether these requests were made orally or in writing; what these requests amounted to in terms of cash and personnel numbers, and whether requests were met and, …

Answer · Jim Wallace: Police authorities have responsibility for setting police force budgets, taking into account the resources made available by the Scottish Executive through police grant for funding current expenditure within local authority Grant Aided Expenditure. Provision …

1 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any evidence of concentrations of breast cancer in the vicinity of high voltage cables and, specifically, whether there is a higher than average incidence of breast cancer in the village of Brookfield, Renfrewshire.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The collective results thus far of epidemiological studies of breast cancer risk among adults living in the vicinity of high voltage power lines do not indicate a clear link between proximity to such lines and the occurrence of breast cancer.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY…

1 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the total number of police officers were absent from duties for any reason at any time in the last whole year for which figures are available.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This information is not held centrally in the form requested. Individual forces do supply details of the numbers of absences due to sick and maternity leave but do not provide information on absences for other reasons, such as training, secondments or unpaid …

6 Sep 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that adequate, comfortable and appropriate housing will be available to cope with the predicted rise in the percentage of the population made up of older people.

Answer · Frank McAveety: Local authorities have resources at their disposal to meet the housing needs of all Scotland's population, including older people. Total resources of around £345 million are available this year for capital expenditure on local authority housing stock. In addi…

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number, value and si'e in tonnage and length of vessels to be included in the Northlink ferry contract.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Northern Isles Ferry Contract will involve the payment of subsidies for the provision of lifeline ferry services to the Northern Isles. It will not be a contract for the purchase of vessels. Bids have been invited on the basis of a detailed specification …

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision is to be made with regard to the award of the Northlink ferry contract.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Costed bids for the Northern Isles Contract were received on 23 June, and a decision on preferred bidder status is planned for July.

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what tendering process is being used for the Northlink ferry contract and what measures it has in place to ensure that all tenders are afforded equal and fair consideration.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive has taken steps throughout to ensure equal and fair competition for the Northern Isles passenger ferry services contract. Bidders were shortlisted against agreed criteria, and invited to submit technical proposals and costed bids. We are now com…

13 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any strategies in place or in preparation to deal with the local and national economic and social impact of the closure of the Royal Ordinance Factory at Bishopton and what are the details of any such strategies.

Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave to question S1W-7915

13 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the staff or shop-stewards of the Royal Ordinance Factory at Bishopton, the local authority, local enterprise companies or local community and business representatives with regards to the future of the factory; what conclusions or decisions were reached, a…

Answer · Henry McLeish: On 5 November 1999, I established the Bishopton Working Group to identify ways of creating new, sustainable jobs through the redevelopment of this important site which is expected to be closed by BAE SYSTEMS in 2002. Membership of the group, chaired by Peter …

13 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government with regard to the future of the Royal Ordinance Factory at Bishopton, what decisions or conclusions were reached and whether it intends to have any future discussions with them on this matter.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.

24 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the age profile of teachers in Scotland is by (a) gender and (b) employment in primary or secondary education.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The most recent information on the age profile of teachers in Scotland by (a) gender and (b) employment in primary and secondary education is for 1998 and is available from SPICe.

24 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what means prison officers have of protecting themselves against assault and what means of restraint are available to them.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows;<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">All prison officers are issued with staves which they are trained to use to defend themselves if they were physically attacked…

24 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of officers leave the Scottish Prison Service annually due to (a) retirements through age, (b) ill health and (c) other reasons.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Based on the average number of staff employed during the year, the percentages of officers who left SPS in the financial year 1999-2000 are:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Retirement thro…

24 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers in the Scottish Prison Service are on salary levels such that they are eligible for Family Credit.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Eligibility for Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), which is a matter for the Inland Revenue, does not depend solely on income. SPS have been notified of 26 members of staff to receive WFTC, of whom 17 are prison officers.

24 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what are (a) the establishment of prison officers at each of the Scottish prisons, (b) the numbers of prison officers at each of the Scottish prisons for the last five years and (c) the staff shortage nationally, expressed as a percentage of the establishment for the last five years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The attached table shows, for prison officers, the establishment and staff in post (SIP) on 1 April, insofar as past data are available. In no year has there been a shortage.<B><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"></B><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Number of Pris…