Parliamentary questions
Donald Gorrie
955 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to fulfil its commitment to treble the number of nurse consultants by 2007.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Partnership Agreementcommitment to treble the number of nurse consultants to 54 by 2007, has beenfulfilled. There are now 59 nurse consultant posts in Scotlandestablished, approved and at various stages of the recruitment process, orvacant.</p>
19 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will involve Rangers and Celtic football clubs and the Scottish Premier League in the development of its Action Plan on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland and in the Task Group on Tackling Sectarianism, particularly in respect of combating any unacceptable behaviour by some fans dur…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: As part of the Action Planon Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland launched in January we areworking in partnership with the Scottish Football Association and <b>sport</b>scotlandto develop a strategy for tackling sectarianism in football. This will belaunched by…
19 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will involve the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland and the Catholic Church in Scotland in the development of its Action Plan on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland, in the Task Group on Tackling Sectarianism or in the Working Group on Marches and Parades.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is involvedin an on-going dialogue with the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland and the CatholicChurch on how to tackle sectarianism. These discussions have allowed the views ofboth to be taken into account in the development of the Action P…
28 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what charges will be made for disclosure checks for applicants (a) applying directly to Disclosure Scotland and (b) applying via the Central Registered Body in Scotland; whether these charges have changed and, if so, by how much.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: From 1 April 2006, the costof applications to Disclosure Scotland will be £20. This replaces the previous feeof £13.60 that has been in place since April 2002. Scottish ministers will continueto cover the cost of disclosure applications for volunteers working…
28 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the projects funded by the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund and, if so, when it will provide this information.
Answer · Robert Brown: The Children, Young People andFamilies Unified Voluntary Sector Fund (UVSF) supports renewable core funding forheadquarter costs, non-renewable project funding and one-off capital grants.</p><p>Details of organisations currentlysupported by the Fund are provi…
28 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be made about the budget and activities of the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund for 2006-07 and when that decision will be announced.
Answer · Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24751 on 19 April 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
28 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been, or will be, taken to ensure that (a) projects funded under the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund will continue to be funded in 2006-07 and beyond and (b) projects are advised about their funding in good time in order to avoid their clo…
Answer · Robert Brown: The fund currently supports renewablecore funding for headquarter costs, non-renewable project funding and one-off capitalgrants to voluntary organisations.</p><p>For 2006-07 it was decided thatapplications would be accepted from organisations in receipt of c…
21 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Supporting People funding has been allocated to each local authority for (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2007-08, showing any year-on-year percentage changes.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The following table givesdetails of Supporting People funding allocations from 2003-04 to 2007-08.</p><p>Expenditure by each localauthority in any year may vary from that allocated, depending on actual serviceprovision commitments and any funding which the Sc…
21 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Supporting People fund spent in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06 and how much has been budgeted to be spent in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Expenditure on Supporting People over the period 2003-04 to 2007-08 is set out as follows.</p><p>The figures for 2003-04 and2004-05 are actual expenditure figures; 2005-06 is the estimated outturn, basedon the latest returns received from local authorities; a…
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23740 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 March 2006, what research it has carried out into patient deaths or serious illness resulting from misdiagnoses by NHS24 and consequent failure to attend a consultant-led accident and emergency hospital.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Whilst specific research intopatient deaths has not been undertaken, NHS 24 and its partner NHS boards communicateregularly and feedback from clinicians in other parts of the service is activelyencouraged by NHS 24 and local out-of-hours services.</p><p>Along…
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23739 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 March 2006, whether a proposal for service change submitted to him without an assessment of the impact of the proposed change on the travel arrangements of patients, carers, visitors and staff, will be returned to the NHS …
Answer · Andy Kerr: When a proposal for a servicechange is submitted to the Scottish Executive for approval, we expect the impactof the proposed change on the travel arrangements of patients, carers, visitorsand staff to be fully assessed. Where this has been carried out inadequ…
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23738 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 March 2006, what criteria patients should use when deciding whether to visit a consultant-led accident and emergency hospital or one of the units referred to in the answer.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Patients with a minor illnessor injury should make use of the high quality advice and support available fromNHS 24. Where appropriate, NHS 24 will refer them to their local hospital-basedCommunity Casualty Unit. These nurse or paramedic led community-based fa…
15 Mar 2006 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans it has to ensure the publication of an annual volume of Scottish Parliament statistics, which provide the basis for answering many questions about the Parliament but have not been published since the 2002 edition.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: Staff turnover in the teamresponsible for their production has disrupted work on later volumes, but wewill publish them as soon as possible.</p>
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prohibition notices have been issued by the fire and safety authorities since 1997 (a) in total and (b) annually in accordance with regulation 12 of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (as amended) and section 10 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (as amended).
Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of prohibition noticesissued by fire authorities in each year from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (the most recentdata available) and in total, is set out in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> …
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enforcement notices have been issued by the fire and safety authorities since 1997 (a) in total and (b) annually in accordance with regulation 13 of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (as amended).
Answer · Hugh Henry: Information is not held centrallyon the number of enforcement notices issued by fire authorities in respect of 1997-98and 1998-99. However, the number of notices issued in each year from 1999-2000 to2004-05 (the most recent data available) and in total, is se…
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many exemptions from the requirement to hold fire certificates issued under sections 5 and 8 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (as amended) have been given by the fire and safety authorities since 1997 (a) in total and (b) annually.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of exemptions fromthe requirement to hold fire certificates for each year from 1997-98 to 2004-05(the most recent data available) and in total, is set out in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td …
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire certificates have been issued by the fire and safety authorities since 1997 (a) in total and (b) annually under sections 5 and 8 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (as amended).
Answer · Hugh Henry: The number of fire certificatesissued by fire authorities in each year from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (the most recentdata available) and in total, is set out in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> …
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations will be represented on the group reviewing Sport 21 and what the independent membership of the group will be.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The short life working group,which was established to oversee the development of a delivery plan for Sport 21,is chaired by the Scottish Executive and its members have been drawn from <b>sport</b>scotland,local government, Scottish sport governing bodies, COS…
7 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19268 by Robert Brown on 29 September 2005, when the review of services and outcomes for children and young people looked after by local authorities in Scotland, which was expected to be published in November 2005, will be published.
Answer · Robert Brown: Professor Aldgate’s study willbe published as one of the supporting reports for the review of services and outcomesfor looked after children being undertaken by the Social Work Inspection Agency.The review is in process for publication in May.</p>
7 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning appeals were held in each year from 2000 to 2005, following the refusal of planning permission by local authority planning committees; in how many such appeals the Reporter decided in favour of the developer and against the local authority, and in how many such appeals t…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The number of planning appealsreceived each year from 2000, following refusal of planning permission by the planningauthority, is provided in the following table . The table also details the numberof appeals allowed and whether a community council was involve…
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the position whereby grandparents who look after their grandchildren receive either no financial help or significantly less than other foster carers.
Answer · Robert Brown: We are considering this issuein the context of the draft Adoption Bill.</p><p>We are also awaiting publicationof research on kinship care in Scotland, commissioned by the Social Work InspectionAgency (SWIA) as part of their wider review on looked after childr…
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19268 by Robert Brown on 29 September 2005, when it anticipates that Professor Aldgate's report on kinship care in Scotland will be published.
Answer · Robert Brown: Professor Aldgate’s study willbe published as one of the supporting reports for the review of services and outcomesfor looked after children being undertaken by the Social Work Inspection Agency.The review is in process for publication in May.</p>
3 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the reviews of local economic forums and of Scottish Enterprise are properly co-ordinated.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is notreviewing the existence of Local Economic Forums (LEFs). However, officials haveheld, and will continue to hold, discussions with those involved in LEFs to identifyhow the Executive and forum members can ensure that LEFs make an e…
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government regarding the creation of a national gun register.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has workedclosely with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) todetermine the most appropriate and efficient means of ensuring that theinformation required by section 39 is held by all Scottish Forces, and is indiscussion w…
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21247 by Patricia Ferguson on 14 December 2005, whether it will give an assurance to those organising, employed in or benefiting from, the Active Schools Project funding that there is funding in place to continue the programmes beyond the current per…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive’s £12million per annum contribution towards the funding of Active Schools is a core elementof our grant in aid to <b>sport</b>scotland for the period of our spending proposalsto 2007-08. While we cannot pre-empt the outcome of the 2007 …
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that funding will continue to be available for projects currently supported by the New Opportunities Fund when the fund closes in July 2007 and whether such decisions will be made know to organisations in a timely fashion to avoid uncertainty to the orga…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Executive expects theBig Lottery Fund to announce its new programmes for Scotland inthe spring, which will bring a further £257 million to Scotlandbetween 2006–09.</p><p>The continuation or closureof existing programmes of the New Opportunities Fund is a …
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authorities consult sportscotland and make use of its research and guidance on the configuration and sizing of proposed indoor and outdoor sports facilities in new or refurbished schools and the suitability of such facilities for community use.
Answer · Peter Peacock: In the School Estate Strategy<i>Building our Future: Scotland’s School Estate, </i>published in 2003, both the Executive and COSLA agreed on the importance of all the facilities in new and refurbishedschools, including sports facilities, being a community res…
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that all local authorities develop and publicise their sports pitch strategies in co-operation with sportscotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Local authorities are encouragedto prepare playing field and sports pitch strategies in line with <b>sport</b>scotland’s<i>Planning Policy for the Protection of Playing Fields</i>. A number of local authoritieshave taken advantage of the financial and other s…
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect slow-moving traffic would have on the human environment of those living close to the route of the new motorway resulting from the proposed upgrade of the A80.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Noise and air pollution are assessedin the environmental appraisal for the scheme. An Environmental Statement was publishedwith the draft Orders and is available on the Transport Scotland website. A supplementarystudy was carried out into the public health im…
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the results of its study into traffic levels, as reported in The Herald on 15 February 2006, will have on the road haulage industry.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Faber Maunsell study <i>TermCommission for the Evaluation and Review of Local Authority Road Traffic ReductionTargets</i> was commissioned by the Scottish Executive and published on 13 February 2006.</p><p>Evidence suggests that road trafficlevels are sti…