Colin Campbell

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities are currently subject to investigation by the Accounts Commission.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The last local authority subject to an investigation was Scottish Borders Council due to their Education Department overspend.<P>Auditors appointed on behalf of the Accounts Commission make preliminary enquiries into local authority accounts on matters brough…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the military/civilian nuclear exercise at Rosyth/Glenrothes on 10 October 2001, (a) how successful the exercise was, (b) what kind of incident it was predicated upon, (c) what organisations took part and (d) how many people from each organisation were involved.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The conduct of the exercise and the lessons learned are still under review by the various organisations which participated. It is, however, possible to reply now from the perspective of the Scottish Executive.<P>(a) The exercise was seen to be of value in tha…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18215 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 1 October 2001 and with reference to parliamentary question 12187 answered by Her Majesty's Government on 12 November 2001, what consultations it has had with Her Majesty's Government as to what areas are covered by con…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive has a good relationship with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the sharing of information between us is frequent. We received advice from the MoD on the answer given to the Scottish Executive question on 1 October. I am advised that the…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18619 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 October 2001, what future needs are being considered by the Scottish Prison Service in its review of its computerised prisoner records system; how comprehensive the biographical information held on this system will be, a…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Additional functionality currently under consideration for the Prisoner Records system may contain data on individual prisoners progress in pro…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital bed spaces are available in the event of major emergencies occurring, broken down by health board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. However, NHS Scotland has contingency plans in place in every NHS board for dealing with major emergencies, and these plans are reviewed and exercised regularly. They include arrangements for making available h…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what scale of emergency, or coincident emergencies, would oblige it to seek help from outwith Scotland.

Answer · Richard Simpson: Any requirement to seek help from agencies outwith Scotland would not be solely based on the scale of the emergency or coincident emergencies. It might equally be for specific resources or expertise to augment limited resources in any aspect of an emergency. …

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, as part of its emergency planning responsibilities, what consultations it has had with the Ministry of Defence on the security of key installations in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The protective security of key installations in Scotland is a matter for the UK Government departments with lead policy responsibility for these. Contacts between the Scottish Executive and these departments on emergency planning policy relates to planning fo…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what exercises it has carried out which involve planning for two or more coincident major disasters and what these coincident disasters were.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The Scottish Executive does not itself plan or carry out any emergency exercises. This is undertaken by the full range of emergency services, utilities, operators of sites subject to the Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations and other agencies, usually…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have requested additional funds for emergency planning since 11 September 2001.

Answer · Richard Simpson: No local authorities have requested additional funds for emergency planning following the events on 11 September 2001.

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has allocated for emergency planning in the current financial year.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The Scottish Executive is not advised of local authority planned expenditure on emergency planning in any given year. It is entirely a matter for local authorities to determine their spending priorities, taking into account the resources available to them, an…

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19730 by Iain Gray on 20 November 2000, how much has been allocated to each council for emergency planning through the Grant Aided Expenditure process in the current financial year.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The table shows the amount allocated to each local authority under the Civil Protection element of the Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) assessment.<P>Civil Protection<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=207><TR><TD WIDTH="68%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=20><…

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19734 by Susan Deacon on 20 November 2001, why that answer refers to the answer to question S1W-19012 by Susan Deacon on 8 November 2001 which gives figures on the median waiting times for tonsillectomies at the (a) Royal Alexandria Hospital, Paisley…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment is compiled on a retrospective basis from patient discharge records and is published quarterly. The latest available information is for the year ending 30 June 2001, and figures for that perio…

21 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive at which meetings of the EU Council of Ministers it has (a) been present and (b) spoken during formal sessions since May 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information is given in the table.<P>Scottish ministers attend council meetings as members of the United Kingdom delegation and speak when appropriate.<P>Scottish Minister's Attendance at Council<P>1 July 1999 - November 2001<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CE…

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, either directly or indirectly, regarding allaying concerns about radiation levels from mobile phones and base stations of third generation GSM phones, as an input into the discussions at the meeting of the EU Health Council in Brussels starting on 15 Nove…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-19995.

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, either directly or indirectly, on combating stress and depression related problems, as an input into the discussions at the meeting of the EU Health Council in Brussels starting on 15 November 2001, and whether it will detail to whom these representations…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-19995.

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, either directly or indirectly, on the implications for public health of, and any additional demands placed on the health service caused by, the over-prescribing of antibiotics and antimicrobials in human medicine, as an input into the discussions at the m…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-19995.

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, either directly or indirectly, as an input into the discussions on tobacco advertising and sponsorship at the meeting of the EU Health Council in Brussels starting on 15 November 2001, and whether it will detail to whom these representations were made, wh…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scotland's interests at the November Health Council were represented by the UK delegation, led by my Whitehall colleague, the Minister of State for Health, who represented all parts of the United Kingdom. Scottish ministers make regular representations to the…

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who its representatives will be at the meeting of the EU Health Council in Brussels starting on 15 November 2001.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scotland's interests at the November Health Council were represented by the UK delegation led by my Whitehall colleague, the Minister of State for Health, who represented all parts of the United Kingdom.

14 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it plans to make to the Ministry of Defence on the future use of Glencorse Barracks.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the future of Glencorse barracks.

14 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage citi'ens to undertake to donate their organs after their death.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is working with the Scottish Transplant Group, UK Transplant and patient's interest groups to develop a national publicity campaign aimed at raising awareness of organ donation and transplantation. We have supported various promotional activitie…

14 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to bring forward legislation dealing with wildlife issues before May 2003.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1F-1341 on 1 November 2001.

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age is of (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers, broken down by subject area in the case of secondary teachers.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information available on the average age of (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers can be obtained from Table 5 and Table 11 of the statistical bulletin <I>Teachers in Scotland: September 1998</I>, published in March 2000, which is in the Parliamen…

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for tonsillectomies at 31 October 2001 at (a) the Royal Alexandria Hospital in Paisley and (b) the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19012 on 8 November 2001.

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what emergency planning exercises, other than those involving nuclear scenarios, have taken place in each year since 1990, (b) in what locations any such exercises have taken place, (c) what the purpose of each such exercise was, (d) what organisations took part in each exercise and (…

Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally.

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have emergency planning officers in post and how many of these have met with their military liaison officers since 11 September 2001.

Answer · Iain Gray: All 32 local authorities have emergency planning officers. Meetings with military liaison officers take place under the auspices of the eight strategic regional emergency planning groups. These groups have been meeting to review local emergency planning arran…

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funds have been made available to local authorities for civil defence measures in order to prepare for potential emergencies following the attack on 11 September 2001.

Answer · Iain Gray: Civil Defence Grant to Scottish local authorities which was provided direct from the Executive under the appropriate Scottish Regulations ceased with the signing of the Civil Defence (Grant) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 in March this year. Financial support fo…

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funds have been made available to local authorities for emergency planning in the current financial year.

Answer · Iain Gray: Funding to local authorities for emergency planning is provided annually through the Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) process.

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to use the Health Care International hospital in Clydebank in order to alleviate any pressure on health services in the Argyll and Clyde Health Board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Argyll and Clyde NHS Board is responsible for ensuring that appropriate health care arrangements are made for people resident in the board's area. Any decision to use independent providers of health care services would be a matter for the board.

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address any hospital overcrowding resulting from any seasonal increase in illness during the winter.

Answer · Susan Deacon: NHSScotland, along with its planning partners in the local authority and voluntary sectors, have prepared robust plans to deal with the increase in hospital and other health care-related activity typically associated with winter. These plans include provision…

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make additional finance available to end delayed discharge in the Argyll and Clyde Health Board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive believes that people requiring care should be looked after in the setting most appropriate to their needs. It is important that, where patients remain in NHS hospital beds after clinical decisions have been reached that they are ready f…