Parliamentary questions
Dennis Canavan
117 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13311 by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005, how much has now been paid out in ex gratia payments to the former members of the Scottish Transport Group Pension funds.
Answer · Tom McCabe: A total of £125.72 million has been paid as at 19 October 2005.</p>
26 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of (a) it, (b) sportscotland and (c) the Scottish Institute for Sport in preparing Scottish athletes with Olympic potential for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Executive provides Exchequer funding to <b>sport</b>scotland who, using also Scotland’s share of the Lottery Sports Fund, deliver Scottish Ministers’ policy on developing sport in Scotland from grass roots to elite level.</p> <p>To develop and prepare Sco…
26 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in relation to the findings of the independent review, Raising the Bar, which recommends the abolition of sportscotland and the setting up of a UK sports foundation chaired by the UK Minister for Sport.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The independent review report, Raising the Bar, does not recommend the abolition of <b>sport</b>scotland. Kate Hoey and Lord Moynihan, who jointly conducted this review, made clear in their letter to the editor of <i>The Herald</i>, published on 28 September …
20 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of S1 and S2 classes in (a) English and (b) mathematics have more than 20 pupils, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested is provided in the following tables, which show that around 8,000 S1-S2 English and Maths classes operated at more than 20 pupils in September 2003 the latest year for which figures are available.</p> <p>Maths S1 and S2. Number and p…
15 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17298 by Tavish Scott on 23 June 2005, whether it will now announce its decision on the relocation of sportscotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The issue of the relocation of <b>sport</b>scotland is still under consideration and an announcement will be made in due course.</p>
16 Aug 2005 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will review the Edinburgh accommodation allowance scheme, in light of recent public concern about some MSPs making personal profit from increased housing values in Edinburgh.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: As Mr Canavan will recollect, the current allowances scheme was considered, and approved, by the Parliament in 2001. The Edinburgh accommodation allowance would only be reviewed in the context of a general review of the members' allowances scheme.</p>
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of itsChoose to See the Full Monty advertisement.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Choose to See the Full Monty was both a poster and part of a television advertisement which ran during the 2004-05 financial year. It is not possible to extract the individual cost because it is an integral part of the overall Healthy Living campaign material…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in which NHS board areas operations for reversal of sterilisation are available on the NHS for (a) women and (b) men.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. Design and delivery of services that meet the clinical needs of patients is the responsibility of NHS boards.</p>
15 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will contact Inveresk PLC and the trade union representative of the 150 workers at Carrongrove paper mill, Denny, to offer all possible assistance to the workers, in light of the proposed closure of the mill.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive is aware of the situation at Inveresk’s Carrongrove paper mill in Denny and, through Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, have already been in touch with the company. Our main concern is for those facing redundancy and as part of the Executive's Pa…
14 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to provide core funding to rape crisis centres after 2005-06.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive fundsrape crisis centres in Scotland under the Rape Crisis Specific Fund. This fund, likethe Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund and Violence Against Women ServiceDevelopment Fund, runs until 31 March 2006.</p><p>We are conducting a…
14 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15209 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 April 2005, whether it will now announce its decision on the relocation of sportscotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: An announcement will be madesoon on the relocation of <b>sport</b>scotland.</p>
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how and why a decision was reached to overturn the proposal to relocate the Mental Welfare Commission from Edinburgh to Falkirk and whether it will provide an assurance that further consideration will be given to this proposal.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Mental Welfare Commission assessed various options as part of the review of their location carried out in line with Scottish Executive relocation policy. On the basis of the commission’s review Scottish ministers were of the view that the commission shoul…
6 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money has been spent on football in each financial year since 1999 and whether it will provide an appropriate breakdown of this expenditure.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Exchequer funding to the Scottish Football Association and to football which was paid through <b>sport</b>scotland is:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=563> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Year</p></td> <td colspan="2…
20 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an up-to-date progress report on the implementation of the action plan arising from the Youth Football Review.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: A Project Implementation Manager has been appointed and recruitment to fill the six regional manager posts is currently underway. Once in place, these regional managers will play a key part in helping establish the regional structures on which progress toward…
12 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid, or will pay, to Holyrood Communications Ltd in respect of the Africa Conference on 16 May 2005.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Following a competitive tendering exercise, run in conjunction with the Scottish Procurement Directorate, in which six companies were invited to submit tenders to facilitate the 16 May conference, Holyrood Communications’ fixed price bid of £12,470 (excluding…
10 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to the provision of railway stations at High Bonnybridge, Allandale or Castlecary.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive awarded Falkirk Council £450,000 from the Public Transport Fund to undertake a feasibility study to improve rail services along the A80/M80 corridor. The study includes provision of a new station and park and ride facility at Allandale/…
11 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the up-to-date position is regarding available funding, commencement date and completion date of the A8000 spur.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for taking thisproject forward is a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council, as the responsibleroads authority. The Forth Estuary Transport Authority is to provide funding forthe project. We are working closely with both authorities to ensure …
16 Mar 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in reducing S1 and S2 English and mathematics classes to a maximum of 20 pupils.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Good progress is being made in training the additional teachers required to meet our commitment to reduce S1/S2 maths and English classes to a maximum of 20. In academic session 2004-05, entries to the postgraduate teacher training course in mathematics rose …
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, S1 and S2 English and mathematics classes have 30 or more pupils, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-11142 on 15 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/weba…
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which locations are still under active consideration for the relocation of sportscotland's headquarters and when it expects to reach a decision on the matter.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: To ensure future negotiations with property developers or landlords are not compromised, and to make sure the staff of <b>sport</b>scotland and unions are the first to know the outcome, there will be no announcement of locations under consideration until mini…
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which media have been used in its advertising campaigns, including newspapers, magazines, radio and TV channels, in each year since 1999 and how much money each has received.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information in the form requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> <p>Media types which have been used by the Scottish Executive for the financial years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 are de…
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which individuals and agencies it has used in its advertising campaigns and what payments have been made to them in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Executive. Actors and agencies are sub-contracted by the advertising agencies on the Scottish Executive contract.</p>
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of its advertising campaigns in terms of achieving their objectives and value for money.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Executive advertising campaigns are measured in a number of ways to ensure that they meet their objectives and obtain value for money. This includes research into levels of awareness, changes in attitude and changes in behaviour. Levels of response to campaig…
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising and other publicity on minimising the risk of skin cancer in each year since 1999.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has no direct expenditure on advertising or other publicity since 1999 to date but has contributed to a number of initiatives aimed at increasing skin cancer awareness.</p> <p>For example, NHS health boards provide information on sun sa…
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) department and (b) project or campaign.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-26485 on 3 July 2002 providing information on advertising spend by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive Departments from 1991-92 to 2001-02.</p> <p>For information on the Scottish Executive‘s advertising spen…
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that all local authorities provide all schoolchildren with the opportunity to learn to swim by the time they leave primary school.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The primary responsibility for the delivery and management of the teaching of swimming within the curriculum rests with local authorities.</p> <p>The audit of school swimming provision conducted by Scottish Enterprise Education Department in 2001-02 revealed …
11 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase swimming facilities in, and for, schools in order for all primary school children to have the opportunity to learn to swim.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Executive provides significant support for capital investment by local authorities through capital grants and support for borrowing. It is up to each local authority to determine its own asset management and capital investment programmes according to loca…
2 Mar 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to Scottish Enterprise about the level of fees paid to celebrities for appearances at events organised by the Scottish Enterprise Network.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has notissued guidance to Scottish Enterprise on the level of fees paid to celebritieswho appear at events organised by them. The Scottish Executive does however provideguidance on the procurement of services generally and Scottish Ente…
23 Feb 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to give more support to people with dementia.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Free personal care removes the added worry of financial hardship for people with dementia in care homes. This also benefits families and carers.</p><p>We have also raised the quality of care expected in care homes and have established the Scottish Commission …
23 Feb 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Scottish Water about fishing rights on reservoirs.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have had no recent discussions with Scottish Water about fishing rights on reservoirs.</p>