Parliamentary questions
Donald Gorrie
955 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to recognise sports medicine as a speciality and treat it accordingly in terms of funding, training and qualifications.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Matters affecting the regulation of the medical profession, including the definition, recognition and training of medical specialties are matters reserved to a UK and European level under the relevant Directives.
26 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the establishment of a network of GPs interested in sports medicine.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Together with the other home country and UK sports councils, <B>sport</B>scotland is funding the National Sports Medicine Institute (NSMI) of the United Kingdom to develop a Register of Exercise & Sports Care: UK (RESCU). RESCU will identify a network of …
26 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the establishment of a sports-specific first aid certificate for sports coaches.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We have no plans to encourage the establishment of a sports-specific first aid certificate for sports coaches. However, <B>sport</B>scotland's Coaching Team administer a number of workshops on behalf of the National Coaching Foundation. Injury Prevention and …
25 Apr 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that continuing funding is provided by national and local government to voluntary organisations to enable them to fulfil their potential in providing services to the community.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive's direct support for the voluntary sector now stands at record levels: £35 million in 2000-01, an increase of over 30% on the previous year. In addition, £265 million of support was provided indirectly through public bodies such as Scot…
5 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what figures it has on the level of stress-related absence among its civil servants and what measures it has in place or is planning in relation to such absence.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Provisional figures indicate that last year the total sick absence rate in the whole Executive amounted to an average of 8.51 days per staff member. Stress-related illness, however caused, accounted for 6.76% of the total days lost because of these absences. …
29 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to produce an integrated after care service throughout Scotland for young people who have been in care.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We set up the Throughcare and Aftercare Working Group to advise on appropriate arrangements for a one stop shop approach to providing advice and assistance for careleavers. I expect the Group's report later this year following completion of research currently…
29 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is on the possible appointment of a Children's Commissioner.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Following a suggestion from the Scottish Executive last year, the Parliament's Education, Culture and Sport Committee is conducting an inquiry into the issue of a possible Children's Commissioner in Scotland. The committee invited written evidence on 26 Febru…
29 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide core funding to enable Who Cares? Scotland to appoint national support staff to help local workers in their work with young people in care.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We have offered core grant of £122,500 to Who Cares<I>?</I> Scotland for the current financial year. The organisation is currently trying to develop a broader funding base. There are currently no plans to provide additional funding for extra staff.
29 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage or direct public sector bodies to source suppliers from Constructionline registered companies.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive actively encourages purchasers in its departments and executive agencies, and in non-departmental public bodies and NHS organisations in Scotland to use Constructionline when sourcing contractors and suppliers of professional services. …
29 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the experience of the National Advocacy Co-ordinator (NAC) for residential schools, what plans it has to introduce NACs in relation to children and young people for through care and after care, foster care and special needs education.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We have no such plans at the present time.<P>A network of advocacy services for children and young people looked after away from home is currently provided by local authorities in Scotland through joint working with Who Cares? Scotland and the deployment of c…
20 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the composition and remit of the independent committee to conduct a comprehensive review of licensing laws, as announced by the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care during the debate on alcohol misuse on 7 December 2000, will be announced.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We are still considering the composition of the committee but expect to be in a position to make an announcement shortly. The proposed remit of the committee will be:<P>"To review all aspects of liquor licensing law and practice in Scotland, with particu…
15 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider measures to enable a wider age-range of young people to take up Modern Apprenticeships.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: We are abolishing the upper age limit for Modern Apprenticeships to match people of all ages to the job opportunities available.
15 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider enabling 16-year-olds to continue at school whilst taking up an apprenticeship.
Answer · Jack McConnell: 16-year-olds are eligible for Modern Apprenticeships provided they are in employment and the training leads to a Scottish Vocational Qualification at level 3. There are currently no plans to extend Modern Apprenticeships to non-employment settings, including …
13 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it has made to sustain successful projects funded from the Excellence Fund should that source of funding end.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Excellence Fund, as currently constituted, covers the three-year period which ends in March 2002. It funds a number of important initiatives which contribute to our overall objectives of raising standards in schools and promoting social inclusion. We are …
9 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is still a tenable position, in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights, for a Fiscal or officer of the Crown to say that the reasons for taking a particular course of action are confidential.
Answer · Neil Davidson: It is considered that the practice of keeping reasons for prosecution decision making confidential is compatible with ECHR. The Convention does not give victims any general right to have cases prosecuted but the Article 8 right to respect for private life doe…
8 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that staff transferring from local authority employment to the employment of private contractors who have been awarded trunk roads maintenance contracts are offered continuity of their pension arrangements.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1F-00910 on 15 March 2001.
2 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to co-ordinate different programmes designed to help young people in disadvantaged areas.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The main means of co-ordination is the preparation of Children's Services Plans, which is a requirement of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. The Executive is currently taking forward a review of planning requirements for children's services in conjunction wit…
1 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to legislate to widen the definition of rape.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans to change the definition of rape. There is a sufficient range of sexual offences at common law, for all of which the maximum penalty on indictment in the High Court is life imprisonment.
1 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide support for young people after they have been involved in a court case about violence or abuse which affected them.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive funds Victim Support Scotland to provide practical and emotional support to all victims of crime, through specially trained volunteers.<P>In addition, the Crown Office, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, social work depart…
1 Mar 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 ways student nurses receive more financial support than students studying other disciplines.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Student nurses receive funding support by way of a non-means tested bursary and other allowances where appropriate. Generally other students in higher education are eligible to apply for support in the form of paid tuition fees and a partly means tested repay…
27 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to legislate to treat incitement to sectarian violence as a crime in the same way as incitement to racial violence is dealt with in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No. Existing criminal law is sufficiently robust and flexible to respond to crimes of violence and incitement to violence. In addition, guidance has been issued that any evidence of religious motivation or hostility should be brought to the attention of the P…
27 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or the Scottish Office issued guidance relating to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to parallel the guidance issued in England by the Home Office.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Office issued guidance on the Scottish provisions on racially aggravated offences in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in September 1998, prior to the Act coming into force. Further guidance on the main Scottish provisions in the Act was issued in …
27 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include, in the guidance given to schools about their curriculum, guidance in support of lessons about personal financial planning and debt avoidance.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive in partnership with Learning and Teaching Scotland, the Financial Services Authority and The Royal Bank of Scotland has already provided education authorities and schools with advice and teaching materials on a range of issues relating …
27 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward guidance to prevent electoral returning officers from appearing in press photographs featuring only one of the candidates in a forthcoming election, or acting in any other way which could be seen to promote an election candidate.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Arrangements relating to UK, European and Scottish Parliamentary elections are all reserved matters, while arrangements relating to local government elections are devolved matters. The Executive is not aware of any cases which suggest that Returning Officers …
26 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will arrange to visit and assess the 44 private training providers which were not visited as part of its Study of the Full-Time Education and Training Option in Scottish Colleges and Private Training Providers.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing organisations.<P>There are no plans to extend the study to th…
26 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many poinding applications have been made by or on behalf of each local authority, in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Poindings proceed on the authority of the extracted warrant. No applications for poinding are therefore made. The table sets out the number of poindings effected under the summary warrant procedure for Council Tax arrears and Community Tax arrears for the yea…
26 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many warrant sales have been carried out on individuals in domestic residences by each local authority in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Warrant sales are normally conducted in auction houses. They can only be carried out in domestic premises where the occupier thereof and, if he is not the occupier, the debtor gives consent in writing. No records are kept centrally of the number of occasions …
26 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what asbestos-related guidelines were in place in 1990 when the Scottish Office evacuated New St Andrews' House on the grounds of the presence of asbestos.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The guidelines on asbestos current in 1990 were contained in the Department of the Environment Booklet (Asbestos Materials in Buildings) issued in Scotland under Scottish Development Department Circular No 32 in 1986.<P>The asbestos present in New St Andrew's…
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require local authorities to change local tax collecting arrangements so that council tenants pay their rent and council tax together.
Answer · Peter Peacock: We have no such plans at present. However, we will consider carefully any recommendations from the "It Pays to Pay" Working Group, which we have established to look at options for improving council tax collection. The group includes representatives …
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities exist in each health board area for the diagnosis of developmental dyspraxia and how many adults have been assessed as suffering from developmental dyspraxia in each health board area in each of the last five years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.