Parliamentary questions
David McLetchie
326 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the actual number and nature was of the serious crimes referred to by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice in his evidence to the Justice 2 Committee on 18 June 2002 as having been referred to the children's hearing system last year.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The number of offences registered per child in the 40 offence classifications has not been collected previously. SCRA's new information technology system, which is currently being rolled out, is now collecting this data. Relevant material will be developed an…
24 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the top 40 categories of offence referred to children's reporters it classifies as serious.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: All offending behaviour is treated seriously by the Executive and by the agencies concerned in youth justice. The Procurator Fiscal decides whether certain offences merit prosecution in court or whether use of alternatives to prosecution or referral to the Re…
25 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18802 by Angus MacKay on 19 November 2001, whether the information given in that answer is comprehensive and accurate given the article in the Scotland on Sunday on 24 March 2002 referring to a failure to compile details of the political affiliation …
Answer · Andy Kerr: As I made clear in the answer to question S1W-20118 on 26 March 2002 and in a letter to the member, a recent audit of data on political activity of current members of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), discovered that in most cases the correct procedures…
13 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated (a) aggregate and (b) per capita cost will be to (i) Lothian NHS Board and (ii) other NHS boards and local authorities affected of re-provisioning care for residents of Binny House, the Sue Ryder Care Home at Ecclesmachan, West Lothian, which is to close on 28 February …
Answer · Hugh Henry: This is a matter for NHS Lothian and the other health and local authority commissioners. The information requested is not held centrally.
7 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fully co-operate with and, if requested, give evidence to the temporary committee of the European Parliament set up to look into the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is committed to learning as many lessons as possible from the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and will co-operate with any requests made by the European Parliament, as we have done with the existing independent UK Inquiries.
31 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the appointees to Scottish public bodies since 1 July 1999 have been (a) women, (b) people with disabilities, (c) people from ethnic minorities, (d) people from outwith the central belt and (e) people from lower socio-economic groups, as identified in paragraph 33 of Public B…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The reporting periods set by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for statistical returns have changed over the past three years. It is not therefore possible to give annual figures. The following table provides details of the number of women, disabled an…
7 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to relocate civil service staff to London; whether any such plans follow a review of its operational needs, and, if some relocation does take place, how many staff will be relocated, showing their grades and designations, who these civil servants will report to and what …
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive wishes to maintain close links with Whitehall departments. No decision has yet been taken on whether these links could be strengthened by establishing a more formal base in London.
5 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what new material will be available to the public as a result of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill in relation to (a) background information on police work and financing; (b) the background to local authority decisions; (c) the administration of the courts, including issues of st…
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is not possible to predict what new information, including in relation to the matters listed, will be made available as a result of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill. Consideration of whether requested information would be disclosed will be on a c…
5 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statistical information which is presently confidential it plans to release as a result of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is not possible to predict what information will be made available as a result of the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill. Consideration of whether requested information would be disclosed will be on a case-by-case basis. <P>The bill w…
5 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its policy to publish responses to its consultations.
Answer · Andy Kerr: It is Scottish Executive policy to lodge a copy of all responses to consultation papers (apart from any marked "confidential") with the Scottish Executive library for public access.
5 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the names of its Special Advisers are, including those working for the First Minister; what the cost is of their collective employment, and whether any positions remain to be filled and, if so, what the anticipated cost of filling them is.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The team of Special Advisers at present comprises the following seven people: <P>Mike Donnelly<P>Jeane Freeman<P>Sam Ghibaldan<P>Tom Little<P>Rachel McEwen<P>Polly McPherson<P>Andy Rowe<P>The estimated salary cost for these seven advisers for a 12 month perio…
5 Nov 2001 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether he has any plans to reshuffle the Cabinet.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This will be a matter for the new First Minister once he or she takes up office.
31 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18719 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 October 2001, what powers it has to introduce legislation for the introduction of compulsory national identity cards.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive could introduce legislation for compulsory identity cards for purposes within the competence of the Parliament, although we have no plans to do so.
17 Oct 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, in view of the termination of the Flour City Architectural Metals Ltd (UK) contract, whether there is any prospect of recovering from Flour City any additional costs in respect of the work awarded to it.
Answer · David Steel: Any additional costs directly attributable to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd's failure to meet contract terms, cannot be quantified for some time, but recovery will be actively pursued. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that,…
17 Oct 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether there was a performance bond or guarantee given by Flour City Architectural Metals Ltd (UK) in respect of the contract that it was awarded.
Answer · David Steel: Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd was contractually obliged to submit a performance bond, but failed to do so. This transgression by the contractor led to the issue of a "notice of failure". A parent company guarantee was provided only days before the …
17 Oct 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer how many other companies submitted a tender for the work awarded to Flour City Architectural Metals Ltd (UK).
Answer · David Steel: Of the five short-listed contractors invited to tender for the MSP block cladding package, only one company, other than Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd, actually submitted a tender.
17 Oct 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the process of finding another contractor or contractors to undertake the work which Flour City Architectural Metals Ltd (UK) was contracted to undertake will give rise to any delay in the completion of the Holyrood Project.
Answer · David Steel: The work involved in the cladding package for the MSP block, which Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd were contracted to undertake has been re-sequenced in the building programme. The revised arrangements for this package are therefore unlikely to impac…
17 Oct 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the termination of the contract with Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd will lead to any additional costs in respect of the works the company was contracted to undertake in relation to the Holyrood Project.
Answer · David Steel: Procurement options to replace Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd are being assessed following the recent contract termination. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that it is therefore not yet possible to determine if additional co…
17 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by department and by project of the public funds paid and/or committed to organisations and projects based within the Craigmillar district of Edinburgh over the last two financial years and of the funding commitments made in respect of the current and n…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Information on Executive spending is not generally attributable to specific neighbourhoods. However, the available information is as follows:<P>Identifiable Scottish Executive spending in Craigmillar.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=595><TR><TD…
5 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an assessment of the cost implications for owners of residential and nursing homes of the changes in physical standards for care homes recently announced by the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care as part of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 and how…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Earlier this year, the Scottish Executive commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers, and a firm of quantity surveyors, to undertake a national survey of physical standards in existing residential and nursing homes in Scotland. We also consulted on proposed draft ph…
3 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive whether it will list for each year since the declaration of political affiliation became mandatory as part of the system of appointments to public bodies in Scotland (a) the total number of appointments made, (b) the number of appointees who declared a political affilia…
Answer · Angus MacKay: Political activity declarations were introduced by the Commissioner for Public Appointments in 1996. The information they contain is monitored by the commissioner to ensure that all appointments are made on merit after a fair, open and transparent process. Al…
2 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) powers and (b) plans it has to introduce legislation for the regulation of tobacco advertising.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Tobacco advertising is a devolved matter. The Executive is committed to achieving a ban on tobacco advertising and promotion in Scotland which is both effective and enforceable. We do not rule out Scottish legislation at some point, but consider that a UK-wid…
2 Oct 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) powers and (b) plans it has to introduce legislation for the introduction of compulsory national identity cards.
Answer · Jim Wallace: There are no immediate plans to introduce an identity card scheme in Scotland or, more widely, in the United Kingdom. The Executive is, and will continue to be, involved in discussions with the UK Government on this matter.
21 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17371 by Ross Finnie on 22 August 2001, what investigations it plans to make into the circumstances surrounding the managerial restructuring of West of Scotland Water Authority, including the severance package offered to its former Chief Executive Mr…
Answer · Ross Finnie: None, as my answer to question S1W-17371 made clear there are no grounds for such an investigation.
16 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to the possible financial implications of the implementation of free personal care in Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the provision of free personal care for the older people of Scotland.
16 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Treasury in relation to Glasgow City Council's housing debt in light of the proposed transfer of the council's housing stock to Glasgow Housing Association.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Executive has undertaken to ensure that, where proposals represent good value for money and are selected to proceed, resources will be made available to deal with any residual housing debt of those councils who transfer all their housing stock into commun…
2 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult the Independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments on the propriety of the appointment of the former Chief Executive of West of Scotland Authority, Mr Ernie Chambers, to a post with Beattie Media and what plans it has to issue guidance to public bodi…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments advises on the business appointment rules for crown servants. The Chief Executive of the West of Scotland Water Authority is not a crown servant. The post is therefore not covered by the business app…
2 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations it has made or plans to make into the circumstances surrounding the early retirement of the former Chief Executive of West of Scotland Water Authority, Mr Ernie Chambers, and in particular into the severance payment made to him.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Mr Chambers took early retirement as part of a restructuring at WoSWA which reduced the number of directors. He received standard early release terms. There are therefore no grounds for an investigation.
18 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for NHS patients of the ruling by the European Court of Justice in case C-368/98 on the right to seek medical treatment in other European Union countries.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Case C-368/98 concerns a woman from Belgium who obtained orthopaedic treatment in France. The court confirmed the rule that treatment in such cases is to be provided under the conditions applying in the country providing the treatment. The court did not estab…
26 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is with regard to the compensation claim made by Mr Rod Lynch following the termination of his contract as Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourist Board and how much public money has been paid out in respect of this claim to date.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15392 on 8 May 2001.