Donald Gorrie

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it takes account of the likelihood of the proposed recipient of a grant under the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund being able to make good use of the grant and to continue to be viable.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Projects approved under thethree programme strands of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund (SRPF) were assessedby an advisory group to ensure that proposals presented were achievable and sustainable.</p>

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider widening the definition of "community" in assessing eligibility for Scottish Rural Partnership Fund grants.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: In 2004, a review and full consultationexercise was carried out on the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund (SRPF). We are consideringthe outcome of that review and the fit of the SRPF in the context of our wider ruralpolicy and range of support mechanisms. An ann…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) grant aided expenditure allocation to and (b) actual expenditure by each local authority was in respect of culture and the arts in each of the last three years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The last three years for which information is available on both grant aided expenditure and actual expenditure in respect of culture and the arts are 2001-02 to 2003-04. Information for each of these years, by local authority, is shown in the table below.</p>…

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, whether it is satisfied, as a partner in the Management Plan of Edinburgh World Heritage, that the plan is delivering the objective "to maintain archives and collections relating to the World Heritage in the best possible condition", one of the objectives "of primary importance" referred…

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Management Plan for the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site was launched in July. It was prepared by Edinburgh World Heritage, which is charged with taking forward the implementation of the Management Plan with the support of key partners, …

9 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that cost benchmarks for new social housing reflect the true costs of house building in areas where there is high demand on the building industry.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>Communities Scotland ensures that cost benchmarks for new social housing reflect the true costs of house building in all areas, irrespective…

9 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in its housing budget to allocate additional funds per house to enable new social housing to include sustainable energy-conserving features which will repay the initial capital costs.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>There are no current plans to provide additional ring fenced resources to cover the costs incurred by sustainable energy-conserving features…

1 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has in respect of the involvement by ministers or it in cross-party groups, particularly in relation to conflict of interest.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Ministerial Code indicates that ministers should not take up membership of cross party groups and that on taking up office they should resign membership of any such group to avoid any conflict of interest.</p>

1 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many probationer teachers did not obtain a full-time, permanent post at the end of their probationary period in each of the last three years, broken down by subject.

Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally. However, research carried out by the General Teaching Council for Scotland with the 2002-03 and 2003-04 probationers who successfully completed their probationary year has shown that 96% of respondents are currently tea…

12 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many service users, their carers and parents are represented on The same as you? National Implementation Group and short-life working groups on children, employment, hospital closure, day centres and advocacy.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: <i>The same as you? </i>National<i> </i>ImplementationGroup has 25 members, seven of whom are peoplewho use services or family carers. In addition, implementation is supported by aNational Users and Carers Group which has 18 members, 12 of whom are people who…

11 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to start work on compiling a set of diagnostic guidelines for adults in relation to autism, as recommended by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Council, which is independent of the Scottish Executive, supports and co-ordinates the development of clinical guidelines for NHS Scotland. A SIGN guideline is currently being developed for children and y…

11 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent media reports, what information and figures it has in relation to any increased costs relating to the current works to upgrade the Auchinkilns interchange on the A80 and who will be liable for any such increases.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18253 on 18 August 2005. 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/webapp…

11 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations and individuals are represented on its policy development group considering possible legislation in respect of vulnerable adults; how they were selected, and by whom.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Vulnerable Adults Steering Group is being set up to offer advice to the Scottish Executive on the development of policy on the protection of vulnerable adults. Statutory bodies with an interest and organisations with relevant experience in the field have …

10 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17721 by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 July 2005, which departments will be involved in determining the use of the increased resources available for the implementation of the Russell Commission's recommendations and what the timetable is for an announcement…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish ministers will determine the use of consequential resources. The Minister for Communities is examining how implementation of the Russell Commission’s recommendations could support Scottish Executive volunteering policy. An announcement on this will b…

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what sums were allocated to each local authority for services related to autism for each of the last five years and what information it has on how much has each local authority spent from its allocation and how any unallocated or unspent monies were utilised.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Local authority Grant Aided Expenditure, including allocations for community care for adults with disabilities, is published on the Scottish Executive website at: </p> <p><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/gaestats">www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/gaestats</…

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in response to the recent report from the Royal Society of Chemistry, Sniffing out the Bunsen Burners, highlighting an apparent shortage of chemistry teachers in schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17951 on 16 August 2005. 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/webapp…

1 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what Scotlands share will be of the budget allocation for implementing the Russell Commissions recommendations and whether all of this sum will be used to support volunteering and voluntary organisations in Scotland.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The increase to the ScottishBudget as a result of the allocations announced by the Chancellor in Budget 2005for the implementation of the Russell Commission's recommendations are as follows:£0.855 million in 2005-06; £2.564 million in 2006-07, and £6.36 milli…

16 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for more Executive bodies to hold their meetings in public in the same way as the Scottish Freedom of Information Working Group.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Existing guidance for Executive sponsored bodies contains a number of provisions aimed at ensuring openness and accountability. These include requirements to:</p> <p> Hold open board meetings where practical;</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; …

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that support organisations, which are in the process of appeal in relation to their registration with the Care Commission, are not deprived of local authority funding for services as a result of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (Payments Out of Grants for Housing Support…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The order requires providersof housing support services which are also care services and which are paid bya local authority out of grants provided by the Scottish ministers under theHousing (Scotland) Act 2001, to be registered under the Regulation of Care(Sc…

25 May 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities to ensure that the greatest possible use is made of schools after school hours, at the weekends and in holidays by sports, cultural and community groups, with no charge or low charges.

Answer · Euan Robson: We encourage the fullest possible use of all local authority resources, including school facilities. It is, though, for the local authorities to determine whether or what to charge for community use of such facilities.</p>

18 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the potential adverse impacts were of the Kelvin valley route for the proposed upgrade of the A80 identified during the course of the scheme assessment and in the Consultation Forum in 1996 which it was unable to mitigate successfully and which led to the Minister for Transport's dec…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: There were a range of adverse impacts on ecology, noise levels, water quality, cultural heritage and the landscape character of the area associated with the Kelvin Valley Route which could not be successfully mitigated.</p>

29 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to extend the Choose Life strategy to include older people as a priority group for the prevention of suicides.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: There are no immediate plans to change the current priority groups identified in Choose Life, the Scottish Executive’s NationalStrategy and Action Plan to Prevent Suicide. Choose Life implementation already targets the elderly for suicide prevention support, …

13 Apr 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that the procurement policies of local and national government bodies interpret best value to include taking account of the benefits to the community from developing local community enterprises.

Answer · Tavish Scott: This summer we will publish the “Commissioners’ Guide” which will highlight to the public sector the benefits of contracting with local community enterprises and how this can help the public sector meet its Best Value obligations. This guidance will support t…

6 Apr 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist communities to develop their own social enterprises, including very small businesses.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In December 2004, I announced the opening of the three funding streams for the £18 million Futurebuilders Scotland programme. To date these funds, which are administered by Communities Scotland, have committed some £1.6 million to 45 social economy organisati…

10 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14572 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 March 2005 on the report on the review of arrest warrants, what progress has been made in implementing the 20 recommendations in the report.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Progress is being made in implementing the recommendations of the Short-Term Working Group on Outstanding Warrants.</p> <p>The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is setting up an implementation team to take forward the recommendations th…

2 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of Communities Scotland's practice that, if a housing association secures a grant from an energy-saving organisation, it reduces the housing association grant for that development by an equivalent sum.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>The level of grant approved by Communities Scotland for housing association projects is based on a comprehensive and consistent assessment sy…

2 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has given to Communities Scotland regarding supporting sustainable housing.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>the Scottish Executive promotes sustainable developmentpractices for all housing development grant-fundedby Communities Scotland. This involve…

23 Feb 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to meet COSLA to discuss the practical implications of Sir John Orr's recent report, Review of Marches and Parades in Scotland.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As I announced on 24 January, we are establishing a working group to support the practical implementation of the recommendations of the Review of Marches and Parades. The first meeting of that group, including representatives from COSLA and police association…

23 Feb 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to the British Heart Foundation's campaign to increase the number of specialist heart nurses in the NHS.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There are 65 specialist cardiac nurses in the NHS in Scotland. We are in fruitful dialogue with the British Heart Foundation and are aware of the good work they are undertaking in the area of heart failure nurses. They have supported two heart failure nurses …

18 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrest warrants were not executed by the police in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area; in how many of these cases was the reason for the warrant not being executed due to a delay in its processing so that it overran its time limit; how many prosecutions…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information is onlyavailable centrally on some of the aspects requested. In 2004, a shortlife working group led by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS)was commissioned by the Scottish Executive to carry out a review of the warrantssyst…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to introduce energy-saving measures in buildings that it has responsibility for and what steps it has taken to encourage other public bodies to put such measures in place.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive’s organisational vision is to make the best use of resources in line with its Greening Government Policy. The Executive wishes to set the example on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in both Public and Private sectors, and its formal…