Parliamentary questions
Duncan McNeil
426 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct in Scotland a trial similar to the small scale trial of drug treatment for mesothelioma sufferers which is currently underway in Newcastle General Hospital.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I would refer you to the answer given in response to question S1O-2598 on 30 November 2000.
23 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Scientist Office would consider favourably applications for research into treatments of mesothelioma.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The CSO would be pleased to receive research applications into treatments of mesothelioma, which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set learndirect scotland, the Scottish University for Industry
Answer · Henry McLeish: I have set<I> learndirect scotland </I>the following targets for the period from 16 October 2000 to 31 March 2002. I will be monitoring performance and will review the appropriateness of the performance measures and level of future targets in the light of exp…
4 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when new regulations governing the environmental impact of developments under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 will come into force.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations have been laid before the Parliament and came into force today. Any application for consent under section 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 received by the Scottish Executive on…
29 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Deputy First Minister's announcement on 27 September 2000 regarding the justice budget, what share of (a) the #165 million extra for local authorities for funding policing and (b) the #93 million extra for central government funding for police will be allocated to Greenock…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information is not yet available. The provisional local government settlement allocations to individual councils will be announced in December.
19 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it received to its consultation on the Annual Expenditure Report Investing in You.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The attached note provides a summary of the responses to the consultation on <I>Investing in You</I>.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">SUMMARY OF CONSULTATION RESPONSES ON <I>INVESTING IN YOU<OL></I><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><LI>When the Annual Expenditure Report, <I>Investing in …
19 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to use the Scottish variable rate of income tax as part of the forthcoming draft budget.
Answer · Jack McConnell: As promised in the Partnership Agreement and the <I>Programme for Government</I>, the Scottish Executive has confirmed, again, that it has no such plans.
11 Sep 2000 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what steps are being taken to use new technologies in promoting social and digital inclusion.
Answer · Donald Dewar: Earlier today, I launched the Executive's wide-ranging plans for creating a Digital Scotland. I stressed that above all there must be digital inclusion to ensure that everyone in Scotland benefits. Much work is already underway: providing access to computers …
3 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set any performance targets for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 2000-01.
Answer · John Home Robertson: For the financial year 2000-01 I have set the following targets:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><P>Aerial surveillance</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Per cent of hours flown on task</TD><TD WIDT…
10 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what loans Greenock Morton Football Club has received from the Football Trust, on what terms the loans were granted and what proportion of the loans has been repaid.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The issues raised in this question were dealt with in the letter sent to you on 9 October 2000 by Ms Rhona Brankin, the then Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport, a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures were in place to ensure that the #60 million received by professional football clubs from the Football Trust during the past decade (a) was spent effectively and (b) delivered value for money for the taxpayer.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures were in place to monitor the ways in which the #60 million received by professional football clubs from the Football Trust during the past decade has been spent.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria football clubs must meet to be eligible for funds from the Football Trust.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the package of #600,000 offered to Greenock Morton Football Club from the Football Trust and sportscotland will remain available to any future owner of the club.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures exist for ensuring that funds allocated to football clubs from the Football Trust are spent effectively.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures exist for monitoring in what way funds allocated to football clubs from the Football Trust are spent.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how the #500,000 received by Greenock Morton Football Club from the Football Trust has been spent.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
21 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when Greenock Morton Football Club received #500,000 from the Football Trust, as referred to in its press release SE1741/2000.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I apologise for not replying earlier to the member, and will write to him immediately.
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Partnerships UK will have a role in supporting Public/Private Partnerships in Scotland.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I am pleased to be able to announce that the Executive will take a financial interest in Partnerships UK, launched today, in a bid to ensure Scottish projects and interests are safeguarded.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Public/Private Partnerships have a significant role…
31 May 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to target investment in skills and lifelong learning to the job vacancies that currently exist.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive fully appreciates the need to articulate learning, training and skills development with opportunities for employment. Our <I>Programme for Government</I> has been designed to create the conditions for a lifelong learning culture; and al…
16 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage greater use of the occupational health services provided by the NHSiS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Occupational Health and Safety Services Strategy <I>Towards a Safer Healthier Workplace</I> made clear that, as a source of trusted specialist advice on occupational health, the NHSiS should promote and facilitate the development of high quality occupatio…
16 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the level and standard of the occupational health services provided by the NHSiS compares to those provided in England and Wales and elsewhere in the European Union and what plans it has to improve the level and standard of occupational health services provided by the NHSiS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the level and standard of occupational health service provision outwith Scotland is not available. The Scottish Executive's aim is clearly set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Services Strategy <I>Towards a Safer Healthier Workplace</I…
28 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role technology can play in reducing the amount of time police officers spend on administrative duties and increasing the time available for prevention and detection of crime.
Answer · Jim Wallace: There are many ways in which new technology can help to reduce the time police officers spend on administration. Electronic links with the procurator fiscal, for example, as part of the Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems project (ISC…
28 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what drug rehabilitation services are available for offenders in Scottish prisons.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Scotland's prisons offer a range of drug rehabilitation services to meet the needs, aspirations and motivations of their populations. These range from awareness programmes to improve knowledge levels and motivation for change, through one-to-one counselling, …
27 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to maximise the amount of police officers' time which is spent on front-line duties.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The deployment of police officers is entirely an operational matter for chief constables. However, the Scottish Executive is committed to having policies in place which ensure that the maximum number of police officers are available for policing duties. This …
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4483 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 3 April 2000, when figures will be published on employees who have been prosecuted for employing children in industrial undertakings in the last 12 months.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Statistics on the outcome of court proceedings in 1999 are expected to be available by November 2000.
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4481 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 3 April 2000, which 16 local authorities have revised byelaws in place on child work permits; which 10 local authorities have submitted bylaws on child work permits for confirmation, and which six local authorities are eng…
Answer · Sam Galbraith: As shown in the table below, 19 local authorities now have revised byelaws in place, nine have submitted byelaws for confirmation and four are engaged in local consultation.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">UPDATE ON BYELAWS<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=67…
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of concerns expressed by Argyll and Clyde Health Board about high levels of heroin abuse in the Greenock and Inverclyde area, what future provision is being made for increased rehabilitation services for drug users.
Answer · Iain Gray: Spending on drug treatment by health boards is being boosted by £6 million over a three-year period, bringing annual spend to over £11 million. This does not include HIV/AIDS expenditure, some of which is drug related. Health boards are also free to use resou…
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect proposals to remove access to water in the draft Land Reform Bill will have on the Scottish tourist industry, in particular in relation to water sports and activities.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Executive is committed to legislate to introduce a statutory right of access to land and inland water, subject to a Code of responsible behaviour. The legislation will benefit Scottish tourism by enhancing the opportunities for people to engage in recreat…
10 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available on the progress of the New Deal for Lone Parents in (a) Scotland and (b) Inverclyde.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of the New Deal for Lone Parents throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive.<P ALIG…