Parliamentary questions
Donald Gorrie
955 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any guidelines it provides to companies which are contractually involved in the public sector to ensure they have established and independently assessed minimum standards of ethical practice.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive does not provide specific guidelines on ethical practice to companies which have contractual relationships with the public sector. Scottish Executive contract terms and conditions require that suppliers adhere to national law and regula…
4 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities its departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies have to deliver Best Value, how this objective is achieved and whether any criteria applied and targets set are the equivalent of those for local authorities.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Principal Accountable Officer for the Scottish Administration has a statutory duty of: "ensuring that the resources of the Scottish Administration are used economically, efficiently and effectively". The Principal Accountable Officer appoints Ac…
4 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what Audit Scotland's role is in determining whether local authorities are delivering Best Value and what criteria are used by Audit Scotland.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission (on whose behalf it works) have played a central role since 1997 in developing the Best Value framework, in monitoring its implementation and in working closely with relevant inspectorates to secure a joined-up appro…
4 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the cost to devolved public service pension schemes of a change in family benefits to allow a widow to continue to receive payments after remarriage.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The assessed cost in respect of each year of future service is 0.3% of the public service pay bill. If the change was also to apply in respect of all past service of current members, the further cost is assessed as 3% of the pay bill.
4 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many widows have lost their entitlement to a devolved public service pension through remarriage or cohabitation in each of the last three years.
Answer · Angus MacKay: For the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme the figures are as follows.<P>1997 - 27<P>1998 - 18<P>1999 - 20<P>These represent an average of around 0.05% of the total number of pension recipients.<P>Equivalent figures for the NHS Superannuation Scheme (Sc…
4 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from (a) trade unions and (b) others concerning the operation of (i) the NHS pension scheme and (ii) other devolved public service pension schemes.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive regularly receives representations from trade unions and other interested parties on a wide range of issues relating to the public service pension schemes, including the NHS scheme, for which the Scottish ministers are responsible.
22 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions and convictions there have been under section 50A of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 in sheriff courts in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Section 50A of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act came into force on 30 September 1998. Between then and the end of 1999 a total of 71 persons were proceeded against in sheriff courts where their main offence was under this section. A charge was …
22 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions and convictions there have been under section 27(4) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 in sheriff courts in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The number of people with a charge proved in sheriff courts, where there was a bail aggravation under the relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, was 4,752 in 1997, 6,764 in 1998 and 6,741 in 1999. Final data for the year 2000 are n…
6 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what savings have been made by (a) it, (b) local authorities and (c) the NHS in Scotland over the last three years as a result of electronic procurement methods, in total and as a proportion of procurement spending, and how these figures compare with the equivalent UK figures.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Procurement by local authorities is a matter for the individual body concerned.<P>Savings announced by UK ministers in July this year were for UK central Gove…
2 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in relation to the continuance of the Millennium Volunteers programme.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive is looking at the future of the Millennium Volunteers Initiative in Scotland. A review group is being set up to assess the impact of the initiative, consider its relationship to the wider volunteering contribution made by young people a…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10707 by Peter Peacock on 10 November 2000, whether it is now able to give a definition of Best Value.
Answer · Peter Peacock: As I announced in Parliament in May of this year we are in the process of drafting legislative proposals for consultation in Autumn 2001. These proposals will include a statutory definition of Best Value.
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given in Best Value service reviews to the contribution of the voluntary sector.
Answer · Peter Peacock: One of the core principles of Best Value is the requirement for local authorities to consult with stakeholders where appropriate. Indeed the Best Value Task Force report, which set out how Best Value should be implemented in Scotland, stated that effective co…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is provided to the voluntary sector in the current financial year by (a) the Scottish Executive including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, (b) local authorities and (c) the NHS, broken down into (i) time-limited project funding, (ii) core funding for administ…
Answer · Angus MacKay: The information pertaining to direct support of the voluntary sector by the Executive in 2000-01 is currently being compiled. An announcement by the Minister for Social Justice is imminent. The funding provided by non-departmental public bodies, the NHS and l…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what implications the review of voluntary sector law and regulation by the Performance and Innovation Unit, announced by the Prime Minister on 3 July 2001, will have for Scotland.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Performance and Innovation Unit review will consider how the regulatory and legal framework could better enable voluntary organisations to thrive and grow; encourage the development of new types of organisations where needed; and ensure public confidence.…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15864 by Peter Peacock on 1 June 2001, how many local authorities are undertaking a rolling programme of Best Value service reviews; which local authorities have developed Public Performance Reporting Frameworks; which local authorities are making in…
Answer · Peter Peacock: All local authorities have voluntarily undertaken a rolling programme of best value reviews of all their services and will be or have already publicised the results of these reviews locally. In addition from April 2000 all local authorities have developed the…
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the independent committee which is to review alcohol licensing legislation, as announced on 7 December 2000, will begin work and what its timetable will be.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I am pleased to announce that Sheriff Principal Gordon Nicholson QC has accepted my invitation to chair this committee.<P>Sheriff Principal Nicholson will bring his wealth of experience and expertise to the post. This committee is crucial to modernising our l…
6 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in implementing its plans to modernise the workings of the Scottish Executive and increase its accountability.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Executive is committed to modernising government for Scotland. The modernisation programme is designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Executive. It focuses on key developments in leadership, business planning, performance management, d…
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has given to the views of the Royal College of Nursing regarding recruitment drives targeted at countries with shortages of nurses and what action it plans to take to encourage NHS Trusts to reduce expenditure on overseas recruitment and increase it on the training of fo…
Answer · Susan Deacon: I have just announced my intention to bring together nursing leaders and education providers for a "summit" on recruitment and retention.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Recruitment of nurses is a matter for individual NHS Trusts to determine in the light of loca…
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in setting up the seminar on football supporters' trusts as announced by the Deputy Minister for Sport, the Arts and Culture on 8 March 2001.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Following discussions I have had with the football authorities and supporters' organisations, arrangements are being made for a conference in the autumn to consider the role of football clubs in their local community. The formation of supporters' trusts will …
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13554 by Susan Deacon on 17 April 2001, when its Health Department/NHS working group on standards of hospital cleanliness will report; who will enforce the agreed standards, and how enforcement will be undertaken.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The joint Scottish Executive Health Department/NHS working group's report has been received and is being actively considered. The draft standards prepared have already been passed to the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) for review and further work…
23 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the nature is of any requirements placed on local authorities under the Best Value regime and what local authorities must do to comply with any such requirements.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Best Value is currently being taken forward on a voluntary basis in Scotland, and as such there are no formal "requirements" placed on local authorities by legislation or by the Scottish Executive with which local authorities must comply. Neverthele…
22 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will collect information on the cost to the NHSiS and local authorities in each of the last three years, in legal costs and compensation payments, of pedestrians falling because of defective pavements, and whether it will ensure that local authorities give the maintenance of p…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The priority given to the maintenance of pavements, and the amount of any legal costs or compensation payments arising from defective pavements are properly matters for local authorities themselves. No such costs have had to be met by NHSScotland.
22 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make hospital-acquired infection a notifiable disease.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There are no plans to make hospital-acquired infection (HAI) a notifiable disease within the generally accepted use of the term under the Public Health (Notification of Infectious diseases) (Scotland) Regulations 1988. We are undertaking a comprehensive revie…
22 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12809 by Susan Deacon on 7 February 2001, in what way degree nursing students, as distinct from diploma nursing students, receive significantly more financial support than students studying other disciplines.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Honours Degree student nurses receive assistance towards their living costs by way of a means-tested NHS bursary (which does not need to be repaid) and a non-means-tested student loan, in roughly equal proportions.<P>Students studying other disciplines in Sco…
22 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12809 by Susan Deacon on 7 February 2001, whether the current review of the support arrangements for nursing students will address (a) reimbursement of all travel expenses connected with clinical placements and (b) students' housing needs.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The review of the support arrangements for nursing students will cover all living cost support for nursing students, including the costs of accommodation and travel costs connected with clinical placements.
22 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to offer financial or other support to the Salvation Army for its proposed alcohol addiction unit in Inverclyde.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The funding of local alcohol addiction services operated by voluntary and charitable organisations is a matter for the health board and local authority.<P>We are presently consulting on the development of a national Plan of Action on alcohol misuse, and expec…
22 May 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what materials used by the Parliament are subsequently recycled; how much of each material is sent for recycling, and what targets the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has for future recycling.
Answer · David Steel: The Parliament recycles approximately eight tonnes of waste paper per month. It also has procedures in place for the recycling of aluminium cans, vending cups, cardboard, toner cartridges and is considering an outlet for recycling glass.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZ…
22 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what materials currently used by it are subsequently recycled; how much of each material is sent for recycling, and what targets it has for future recycling.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive aims to recycle office waste in all main buildings. The current recycling figures are shown in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=595><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=3><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3><P>Recycled …
18 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have published Best Value plans; whether it will make copies of these plans available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, and what action is being taken against any local authority that has not published a plan or has published an unsatisfactory plan.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Scottish local authorities are not required to publish a "Best Value" plan (unlike in England and Wales). However, under the voluntary approach adopted to Best Value to date in Scotland, all local authorities are expected to undertake a rolling prog…
16 May 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the funding made available to assist businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is disbursed to those businesses immediately.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The distribution of resources to assist businesses directly is a matter for the relevant local authority and the Enterprise Networks. Guidance has been issued to all councils on the measures they can take to help businesses with their rates including immediat…