Parliamentary questions
Colin Campbell
340 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14252 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 30 March 2001, whether it will name the companies assisted by the Defence Diversification Agency.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: As I stated in my previous reply, the Defence Diversification Agency has assisted over 100 companies and details cannot be made public in order to protect the competitive position of the companies concerned. That position remains unchanged.
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14254 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 30 March 2001, whether it will list the dates, places and agendas of its meetings with the Defence Diversification Agency since its inception, and which Ministers or representatives of the Executive were in attendance a…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: It is not Scottish Executive policy to disclose information of this nature.
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to the Ministry of Defence to offer Scottish educational qualifications at the proposed Army Foundation College at Dundee.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Qualifications Authority already has close links with the Ministry of Defence through its joint venture company, Awards UK. Should Dundee be confirmed as the site for the new Army Foundation College, Awards UK can offer access to the full SQA por…
3 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, representations to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Postal Services Commission regarding the impact on rural areas in Scotland of any moves towards increasing competition in the provision of postal services, in particular any reduct…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government and the Postal Services Commission on a wide range of issues, including moves to promote liberalisation of postal markets. The Executive fully recognises the importance of the universal avail…
27 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what stocks of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine there are in Scotland and, if there are none, what steps it has taken to obtain stocks and in particular whether it has directly or through Her Majesty's Government applied for any of the stocks of the vaccine held in the EU.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Contingency plans are in place to obtain from several sources adequate supplies of vaccine to help combat the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Scotland. The use of the vaccine in Scotland will only be considered where veterinary advice based on science and …
27 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give a substantive answer to question S1W-13248.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Parliamentary question S1W-13248 was answered on 30 March 2001.
20 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to ensure that the criteria laid down by the Royal Colleges which govern the consultant establishment in specialised medical provision take account of areas of sparse population and are not based solely on population totals.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The consultant establishment is decided by the local health board, in consultation with the NHS trusts in its area, in order to provide a modern, flexible service matched to local needs. Criteria produced by Royal Colleges do not govern the consultant establi…
20 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure the availability of maternity services of the highest standard across the Argyll and Clyde Health Board area and whether it will guarantee the continuance of consultant-led maternity services at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Vale of Leven Hospital and the Royal Ale…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The provision of maternity services in Argyll and Clyde is a matter for Argyll and Clyde Health Board and its NHS Trusts. Any proposals for significant change or reconfiguration of maternity services must be subject to comprehensive public consultation. <I><P…
16 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities fund preparatory work on flood prevention schemes which they submit to it for consideration and whether it has any plans to provide funding to cover the costs of such work, irrespective of the outcome of the submission.
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is for local authorities to fund the preparatory work on flood prevention schemes from the resources they have available. The single capital allocation includes provision for flood prevention measures, which may be used to cover scheme preparation costs. I…
16 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12386 by Mr Jack McConnell on 6 March 2001, whether it will list the topics discussed between it and Her Majesty's Government prior to the Inter-Governmental Conference in Nice or, if this information is confidential, whether it will set out the grou…
Answer · Jack McConnell: Discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government are normally conducted on a confidential basis. Part 2, section 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information exempts information whose disclosure would harm the franknes…
16 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to achieve the objectives of the Making it in Renfrewshire Network which involves, among others, the local chamber of commerce and businesses, within the structure and policies set out in Created in Scotland: The Way Forward for Scottish Manufacturing in the 21st Century.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Manufacturing industry is already supported extensively by the Executive and the Enterprise Network and we are anxious to avoid duplicating this role. However, as a result of the work in Renfrewshire, I have asked Scottish Enterprise to review whether the nee…
16 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13571 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 9 March 2001, what representations it has made, or plans to make, to Her Majesty's Government to encourage Scottish businesses, in co-operation with the Defence Diversification Agency, to diversify from defence output t…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Ministry of Defence on a range of issues, including defence diversification. The Scottish Executive and its agencies will continue to work closely with the Defence Diversification Agency to assist companie…
16 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13571 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 9 March 2001, whether it will detail any areas or initiatives which have allowed Scottish businesses to lessen their dependence on the manufacturing of defence equipment and to diversify within the defence industry.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14252.
16 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13571 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 9 March 2001, whether it will detail all activities on which it and the Defence Diversification Agency have worked and are currently working in order to encourage the widest exploitation of defence-derived technology.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Defence Diversification Agency, in partnership with the Scottish Enterprise Network and the Scottish Executive, has so far assisted over 100 companies, both large and small, in Scotland. In accordance with the Code of Practice on access to Government info…
21 Feb 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or will make to Her Majesty's Government regarding the potential impact on employment in Scotland of a defence diversification policy and budget which provides increased assistance to companies diversifying as a result of Ministry of Defence savings in Sco…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with HM Government on a wide range of issues, including Ministry of Defence activities in Scotland. The Scottish Executive is currently working with the Defence Diversification Agency to achieve the shared aim of e…
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or will make to Her Majesty's Government in relation to the potential impact on the local economy of any decline in Ministry of Defence orders placed with the Defence Diversification Agency at Rosyth and what the outcome of any such representations has bee…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with HM Government on a wide range of issues, including Ministry of Defence activities in Scotland. The Scottish Executive is currently working with the Defence Diversification Agency to achieve the shared aim of e…
12 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any reduction in the total funds available to local authorities, from both the Executive and from non-housing capital provision, for flood prevention measures and what its budget for flood prevention is for the current financial year.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: There has been no reduction in the funding made available to local authorities for flood prevention and coast protection, in fact there has been an increase.<P>The Executive made provision of £4 million this financial year for major flood prevention and coast…
12 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and any other relevant bodies regarding the environmental consequences of any global warming leading to raised sea levels, with particular reference to the low-lying coastal locations of …
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Executive has regular discussions with the United Kingdom Government and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on a range of environmental issues including the impacts of climate change. Active consideration is being given to the issue of sea-level r…
9 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the implications for rural communities of any impact which the proposed changes to EC Directive 97/67/EC on the common rules for the development of the internal market for postal services will have on the economic…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including moves to promote liberalisation of European postal markets. The Executive is committed to the maintenance of the universal service throughout …
7 Feb 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a national strategy for flood prevention.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Executive is responsible for flood prevention policy in Scotland and we have no plans at present to establish a specific national strategy for flood prevention. However, given that the risk of flooding in Scotland is predicted to increase as a consequence…
2 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the amount of recycled aggregates that will be substituted for virgin aggregates as a result of the proposed aggregates tax.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Executive has no functions in relation to the proposed aggregates tax. It is expected that the tax will lead to an increased use of recycled aggregate. No figures are available predicting the increase in use of recycled aggregates or the reduction in use …
1 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal and (b) serious injuries have occurred in sand and gravel and hard rock quarries in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information as it has no functions in relation to health and safety matters in quarries. This is a reserved matter for which the Factory Inspectorate within the Health and Safety Executive is responsible.
1 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal and (b) serious injuries have occurred in the open cast and deep mine coal industry in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is a reserved matter. Responsibility for policy on health and safety in the coal industry lies with the Mines Inspectorate, part of the Health and Safety Executive.
31 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have distributed all of the funding allocated to them under the Excellence Fund to their schools; what proportion of funding each of the local authorities which have not distributed all of their funding to schools has retained centrally; whether any such centrally…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Executive does not collect information at the detailed level which would be necessary to identify the extent to which Excellence Fund resources are distributed for direct spending by schools. In terms of the grant offer letter and the claim forms which ha…
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether staff transferring from one health trust to another within the same health board area are entitled to carry with them any accrued statutory maternity rights entitlement, or time earned towards such entitlement and other employment rights, or whether these are lost as a result of …
Answer · Susan Deacon: The legal position depends on the reason for the transfer. Provided transferring staff have continuity of employment (as legally defined), then they will retain any rights (including maternity rights) which they have accrued.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all flood prevention schemes that have been funded since 1 July 1999 and those applications currently under consideration.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Flood Prevention Schemes which have completed the statutory process, including confirmation by the Scottish Ministers, and which have been funded since 1 July 1999 are:<P>Moredun, Paisley Flood Prevention Scheme;<P>River Kelvin Flood Prevention Scheme, and<P>…
25 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money is paid to the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust and how this money is paid; what system is used to allocate unemployed people to employers and thereafter to courses; what monitoring of the course standards takes place to ensure that personnel sponsored …
Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask them to write to Mr Campbell with the information requested.
24 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which further education colleges currently run courses for the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The following colleges of further education currently run courses for the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Angus College <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Ayr College <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Banff & Buchan College of Further Education<P ALIGN=…
11 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many former members of the Ukrainian 14th SS Gali'en Division and other former SS troops reside in Scotland; how many of these are deemed to be war criminals, and what action it intends to take in this matter.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information on residents in Scotland. The Executive does, however, take the view that war crimes are among the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. We believe that those responsible for commi…
11 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12056 by Mr Jack McConnell on 4 January 2001, what specific issues it made contributions to in the preparations for the Inter-Governmental Conference in Nice; at what stage in each of these issues it was involved, and how often and to what extent the…
Answer · Jack McConnell: Discussions between the Executive and the UK Government are normally conducted on a confidential basis. Scotland and the United Kingdom have every reason to be satisfied with the very successful outcome of the Nice summit.