Mr Duncan Hamilton

14 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what extra funding it is making available to (a) Western Isles Council and (b) Argyll and Bute Council for the implementation of EU directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No decisions have been made on any additional funding for local authorities in relation to this Directive.

18 Sep 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in regard to the restoration of the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry link.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We are currently considering the technical and financial aspects of the initial expressions of interest received, and will shortly consult key local interests on the draft service specification.

13 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10397 by Susan Deacon on 30 October 2000, whether Betnesol eye ointment is now available.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Celltech Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of this product, has advised that it has been out of stock due to production difficulties but will become available during the 4th quarter of this year i.e. from October to December 2002.

23 Aug 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what legal assistance is available to members with the drafting of non-executive Bills and who provides that advice.

Answer · David Steel: Assistance to all members in relation to non-executive bills is available from the Non-Executive Bills Unit to the point of lodging a proposal. Further assistance can be provided where criteria agreed by the SPCB is met. Assistance in the drafting of instruct…

23 Aug 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer how much has been paid for legal advice to assist with the drafting of non-executive Bills in each of the last three years and to whom the money was paid.

Answer · David Steel: The cost of legal advice provided to members to assist with the drafting of non-executive bills is subsumed within the costs of the Legal Services Directorate and the Non-Executive Bills Unit. In respect of the costs of services from expert draftsman there is…

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the board members of Caledonian MacBrayne are subject to any code of conduct which applies to the board members of public bodies.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: As a matter of good practice, Caledonian MacBrayne Limited has adopted the <I>Principles of Good Governance and Code of Best Practice</I> (the Combined Code), as published by the Committee for Corporate Governance in June 1998. It has also adopted the <I>Inte…

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it treats Caledonian MacBrayne as a private company in regard to any aspects of its dealings with the company.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish ministers wholly own Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. Ministers' involvement in the company's affairs is at a strategic level, for example in terms of setting its broad policy objectives, as reflected in the undertaking which defines the company's appro…

21 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of hospital-acquired infection were reported at Inverclyde Hospital in each of the last five years and how this compares to other hospitals (a) in that NHS board area and (b) across Scotland.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

21 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when and where the consultative seminars on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency planned for September and beyond will take place.

Answer · Allan Wilson: As part of the Policy and Financial Management Review of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Scottish Executive is hosting five seminars for SEPA's stakeholders during September.<P>The dates and venues for the seminars are:<P>10 September, The Sta…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made, or plans to make, to the approach from Argyll and Bute Council seeking compensation for the claim made against the council by Kyndal Spirits on Jura for #225,000 as a result of a disruption of local ferry services.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Any such claim for compensation is entirely a matter for the council.

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to ensure the provision of broadband technology to those areas not covered by the commercial market.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27021 on 22 July 2002.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it intends to reply to the application by Argyll and Bute Council to the Public Transport Fund for money to upgrade the Islay - Jura ferry service.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has not yet received an application from Argyll and Bute Council for this project. Bids for this year's Public Transport Fund round are due in by 12 August 2002 and I expect to announce successful bids by the end of October.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ever instructed or directed the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to seek any derogation in respect of the implementation of the European Waste Water Directive.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Last year, the Scottish Executive submitted two applications through the UK Government to the European Commission to permit a less stringent standard of treatment than the norm for the urban waste water discharges at Lerwick and Stornoway. <P>The Commission i…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support Argyll and Bute Council in its efforts to provide a regular and sustainable ferry service between Islay and Jura.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This service is the responsibility of Argyll and Bute Council. However, Scottish Executive officials have met their counterparts at the council to discuss possible ways in which the service might be improved. I understand that these discussions will be reflec…

20 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees have been absent from work owing to sickness for (a) less than one month, (b) between one and two months, (c) between two and three months, (d) between three and six months, (e) between six and 12 months and (f) longer than a year.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information is given for sickness absence recorded during the year 2001-02. Due to the lag in recording sickness information some recent periods of sickness will not have been counted.<P>Figures given are for the total sickness absence accumulated by currentl…

19 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has made available for the treatment of diabetes.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is committed to making substantial increases in the resources available to the NHS. From these, NHS boards will be able to bring about improvements in services for those with chronic conditions such as diabetes. It is estimated that dia…

18 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what extra funding it has made available to Argyll and Bute Council to implement in full the requirements of the McCrone settlement.

Answer · Peter Peacock: From the total provision agreed with COSLA, Argyll and Bute Council received £3.1 million during 2001-02, £4.6 million in the current year and will receive a further £6.7 million next year. These allocations include adjustments of £0.3 million, £0.5 million a…

18 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many assessments on free personal care for elderly people are still outstanding in (a) Argyll and Bute NHS Board area and (b) the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Frank McAveety: All local authorities have indicated they will meet the regulatory and legislative requirements to implement free personal care for people currently in receipt of care in their area.

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25425 by Lewis Macdonald on 21 May 2002, whether Caledonian MacBrayne has been guided by either the Executive or Her Majesty's Government in any way and at any time as to the service it could or could not provide on the Gourock to Dunoon route.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25321 on 7 May 2002, which recorded all of the instructions and guidance issued by the Scottish Office or the Scottish Executive to Caledonian MacBrayne on the operation of the Gourock to Dunoon route, da…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to public bodies on the management of stress at work.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Public bodies are responsible for the operation of their own personnel management and health and safety arrangements.<P>The provision of guidance on the management of stress at work is a matter for individual non-deparmental public bodies to consider.

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for dealing with its employees who suffer from stress, work-related stress or a stress-related condition.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive takes staff welfare seriously. The Executive recently asked an independent organisation to conduct a survey of staff to examine work-related stress in detail. The Executive's Management Group committed themselves to giving the issues ra…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are being treated under the NHS for stress or stress-related conditions.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is difficult to estimate the number of people being treated for stress or stress-related conditions because stress is the mechanism that causes people to become ill from a variety of different conditions, and because treatment may be provided by a variety …

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has funded on stress and, in particular, work-related stress in each of the last three years.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has funded three pieces of research on stress in the last three years.<P>The Scottish Executive staff survey has run for three years and is issued to all staff within the Scottish Executive, its agencies and associated departments. Some…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are currently absent from work having been medically diagnosed as suffering from (a) stress, (b) work-related stress or (c) a stress-related condition.

Answer · Colin Boyd: As at 19 June 2002 out of a total of 1,256, there are no members of staff absent having been medically diagnosed as suffering from stress. Three members of staff are absent from work having been medically diagnosed as suffering from a stress related condition…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are currently absent from work on a long-term basis.

Answer · Colin Boyd: As at 19 June 2002 out of a total staffing figure of 1,256, 33 employees are absent from work on a long-term basis, i.e. an absence of four weeks or more.

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees are currently absent from work having been medically diagnosed as suffering from (a) stress, (b) work-related stress or (c) a stress-related condition.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Due to the time-lag in recording, sickness reasons are not available for current sickness periods.<P>In financial year 2001-02, in the core departments 57 officers took medically certified sick leave with reason recorded as stress. This resulted in 3,051.5 wo…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in the Scottish Prison Service are currently absent from work having been medically diagnosed as suffering from (a) stress, (b) work-related stress or (c) a stress-related condition.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>There are currently 118 employees of the Scottish Prison Service absent from work having been medically diagnosed as suffering from a mental he…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in the Scottish Prison Service are currently absent from work on a long-term basis, broken down by grade and region.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The figures are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=436><TR><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P></TD><TD WIDTH="74…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in police forces are currently absent from work having been medically diagnosed as suffering from (a) stress, (b) work-related stress or (c) a stress-related condition.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in each police force are currently absent from work on a long-term basis, broken down by grade.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Only civilian support staff within police forces are formally employees. (Police officers are appointed by chief constables.) Information on the number of employed staff currently absent from work on a long-term basis is not held centrally. The only informati…