Parliamentary questions
Colin Campbell
340 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Prison Service staff ending their service before they have used their quota of Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) are compensated financially for these hours and, if not, what savings are made from unclaimed TOIL.
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is normal practice for staff leaving the Scottish Prison Service with outstanding TOIL to be reimbursed for these hours.
24 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a moratorium on recruitment for the Scottish Prison Service and, if so, for how long it will operate and until what date.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Prison Service ceased recruitment of prison officers in October 1999, and have decided that they will not resume until surplus staff remaining from recent closures have been fully absorbed, and any other opportunities for improved efficiency take…
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in order to promote economic development and protect jobs in the Prestwick area, it made any representations to the Department of Trade and Industry or Her Majesty's Treasury requesting them to expedite the authorisation of a repayable launch investment loan to BAE systems for th…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including potential job creation in Scotland arising from the A3XX project.
21 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alter accommodation or build new accommodation for any of its existing or proposed departments.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has no current plans to build new accommodation. Significant alterations to accommodation are taking place in St Andrew's House, which is being refurbished, and in the fit-out of a new leased building, the Europa Building, in Glasgow. A…
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to address the Committee of Public Accounts' finding in its July 1999 report The NHS in Scotland: making the most of the estate and other issues, that in 1997 29% of NHS buildings in Scotland did not comply with safety and statutory standards.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive introduced a Safety and Statutory Standards Action Plan in December 1999. The Action Plan was agreed with the Health and Safety Executive. The Action Plan commits the Scottish Executive to the monitoring of compliance. Where there …
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been invested in the last two financial years (a) in each NHS Trust and (b) nationally on (i) backlogged maintenance on fabric and services; (ii) medical equipment replacement; (iii) X-ray equipment; (iv) vehicles, including mobile dental units and patient mini-buses; (v) por…
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It is for individual NHS Trusts to fund local priorities from the resources available.
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what categories of expenditure NHS Trusts have to meet from their share formula allocation other than expenditure on the backlog of safety and statutory works.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the Member to the answer given to S1W-5075
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how funding for safety and statutory works is allocated between NHS Trusts.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Over £45m of capital is allocated annually to NHS Trusts on a "Formula" basis; that is a formula based on Trust income and building and equipment depreciation levels. The annual formula allocations are generally used by Trusts for routine maintenanc…
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding is being made available each year to carry out the backlog of safety and statutory works in each NHS Trust.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Capital resources of over £45m are allocated to individual NHS Trusts on an annual basis for investment in their estate, including the need to carry out any backlog of safety and statutory works.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It is for individual NHS Trusts to determine …
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify, in terms of cost, the extent of the current backlog of safety and statutory works in each NHS Trust.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information in the form requested is not held centrally.
3 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been involved in consultations on the environmental effect of the shelling of the Cape Wrath range by the United States Navy.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Campbell to the oral answer given to Ms Dorothy-Grace Elder on Thursday 16 March (<I>Official Report,</I> column 788).
1 Mar 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute NHS Trust proposes any retraining or re-skilling programmes for staff.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is working closely with the Trust and health board to ensure that robust financial stability plans are produced which will ensure that high quality patient care continues to be delivered within a sustainable financial framework.
28 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Gulf War veterans there are in prison in Scotland and what offences these veterans committed, specifying the total numbers in prison for each specific type of offence.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information is not available.
28 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a co-ordinating body of medical experts within the NHS in Scotland overseeing treatment of Gulf War related illnesses.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-4798.
28 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ex-Gulf War personnel in Scotland are currently receiving treatment through the NHS in Scotland for medical conditions that the patients define as Gulf War related illnesses and what these illnesses are.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The responsibility for Gulf veterans rests with the Ministry of Defence. The issues raised are reserved to the UK parliament.
7 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many sewage disposal systems are planned in the West of Scotland and elsewhere which incorporate the discharge of diluted untreated liquid sewage into publicly accessible burns, rivers or lochs.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: West of Scotland Water Authority is currently implementing a major investment programme of extension, modernisation and replacement of its existing waste-water collection and treatment systems. This programme has many elements, including the improvement of co…
1 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of its intention to discourage water pollution, it will order a review of West of Scotland Water's plan to discharge diluted untreated liquid sewage into the Kilbarchen burn, Renfrewshire.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I understand that West of Scotland Water proposes to build a storm overflow at Kilbarchan to alleviate a long-standing problem of flooding after heavy rain. The proposed scheme has been examined by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) which is co…
11 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-988 by Mr Jack McConnell on 31 August 1999, whether it will list the local authorities which are giving discretionary rates relief within the terms of the Village Shops Relief scheme, and whether it will list the local authorities where no mandatory …
Answer · Jack McConnell: The attached table indicates those local authorities in Scotland which gave discretionary rates relief and the amounts granted in 1998-99, the first year of operation of the scheme. There are eight local authorities where no mandatory relief is given under th…
15 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money each local authority in Scotland requires to bring the physical condition of all their school buildings up to an acceptable standard.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy for keeping transport moving in inclement weather.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive maintains trunk roads and motorways to allow safe movement of traffic and to minimise delays caused by adverse weather conditions. The winter period starts on 1 October and finishes on 15 May and during this time a dedicated 24 hour win…
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support flood prevention schemes in the West of Scotland region, and whether it will list these schemes and their intended completion dates.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive will consider all flood prevention schemes in the West of Scotland region, or elsewhere in Scotland, that local authorities decide to take forward and submit for confirmation by Scottish Ministers.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Schemes promoted by …
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a national strategy for flood prevention, what criteria are applied to prioritise flood prevention schemes nationally, how it plans to fund flood prevention, and how long it estimates it will take for its plans to be fulfilled.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Primary responsibility for the protection of land from flooding lies with the landowner concerned. Nevertheless, the Scottish Executive has ensured that local authorities have the necessary powers and resources to mitigate the risk of flooding of non-agricult…
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in Scotland are not wind and watertight.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.
1 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to address any unemployment in Unst due to the planned downsi'ing of RAF Saxa Vord and whether it will make additional funds available to Highlands and Islands Enterprise to create alternative employment in Unst.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive and its agencies take very seriously the impact of the planned reduction in activity at RAF Saxa Vord. In recognition of that I visited Unst, along with the Minister of State at The Scotland Office, on 15 and 16 November to meet the isl…
28 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the Ministry of Defence/HM Naval Base Clyde has been or is being fined #30,000 for a diesel leak from an as yet unidentified source in HM Naval Base Clyde.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Neither the Scottish Executive nor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is aware of any such case.
27 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1757 by Henry McLeish on 12 October 1999, whether the conditions applying to recent grants to UNISYS were varied from the norm by taking into account the closure of a UNISYS plant in Scotland and its removal elsewhere in 1991.
Answer · Henry McLeish: No. All RSA offers clearly state the provision that grant can be recovered if a plant or factory which is benefiting from grant assistance closes.
30 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the position of disabled people in Scotland who lease Motability cars and are automatically members of the Automobile Association (AA) but are not eligible to receive the payment to be made to members of the AA in …
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Motability leaseholders receive roadside assistance under the terms of a group agreement arranged by Motability Finance Ltd. They are not themselves members of either the AA or the RAC, who hold the current Motability contract for roadside assistance.
30 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what si'e of grant has been paid to UNISYS in relation to setting up its new venture in Glasgow, and what conditions have been imposed for clawback of the grant should UNISYS subsequently move its operations elsewhere.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Information regarding payment of financial assistance to companies, whether inward investment or indigenous, is commercially confidential. Unisys is eligible for support on exactly the same basis as any other commercial venture bringing investment and jobs to…
29 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide free access by individuals, with no commercial interest, to information contained in the land register.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Land Register is a public register which is governed by the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979. Any individual is entitled to search it irrespective of whether they do so in a personal or business capacity. <P>In terms of section 25 of the Land Registe…
9 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-383 by Mr John Home Robertson on 2 July, how many Scottish Fishery Protection Agency (SFPA) crew hours per annum the surveillance effort in the 6,000 square miles of previously SFPA patrolled seas, which now fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of t…
Answer · John Home Robertson: As I explained in my reply of 2 July, the area in question required very little attention from our patrol vessels. That judgement was based on traditional fishing patterns and information from aerial surveillance. Only six fishing vessels were sighted in that…