Parliamentary questions
Duncan McNeil
426 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds will be made available through formula capital to NHS boards for 2004-05.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards have been given a formula capital allocation of £200 million, an average increase over the 2003-04 formula capital allocation of 9.3%. Details of each board’s formula capital allocation are as follows: -</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding…
9 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is giving any direct material support to any organisation seeking to explore the consequences of EU enlargement for Scotland.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive economist group published a report into the consequences of EUEnlargement in 2002. This is available on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/enlargement.pdf.</p><p>Although we are notcurrentl…
9 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to public bodies and other groups to mark EU enlargement on 1 May 2004.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive considers requests to support events to mark EU enlargement on anindividual basis. Scottish ministers have contributed to a number of conferences,debates and awareness-raising events on EU enlargement over recent months andwill continue…
9 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the new tobacco control action plan building on achievements to date which it committed itself to in Improving Health in Scotland: THE CHALLENGE.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Our Tobacco Control ActionPlan <i>A Breath of Fresh Air for Scotland</i> is published today. This is thefirst ever action on tobacco control designed specifically for Scotland. Itbuilds upon and responds to an excellent report by NHS Health Scotland andASH Sc…
8 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) manual workers and (b) managers are currently employed by Scottish Water.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you inresponse to your enquiries.</p>
8 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that Scottish Water represents good value for money to the taxpayer.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Value for money is ensuredthrough economic regulation of the industry by the Water Industry Commissioner.Value for money continues to improve as Scottish Water strives to meet theefficiency targets set.</p>
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve support for clubs and groups to provide coaching for sports and how it will encourage such groups to provide coaching facilities for school children, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive will invest£24 million in the active schools programme over the years 2003-04 to 2005-06and <b>sport</b>scotland is taking the lead in developing the programme. This programmewill look to ensure that links are established between schools and loc…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds will be made available to provide support to localised action and initiatives to divert young people away from crime, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As the partnership agreementcommitted, we will direct £10 million to provide additional support tolocalised action and initiatives to divert young people away from crime. Wehave also allocated an additional £5 million to local authorities in the grant aidedex…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will develop and support mentoring programmes for young people in Greenock and Inverclyde.
Answer · Euan Robson: As part of the Executive’s partnership agreement commitment to provide opportunities for our children and young people to grow and develop, we are committed to develop our support for mentoring programmes for young people. We have not yet started to develop s…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the quality of life fund and health promotion budgets will be used to encourage better access to swimming pools and other sports facilities to the benefit of constituents of Greenock and Inverclyde.
Answer · Andy Kerr: In the three-year spendingreview period, we are more than doubling the money allocated to healthimprovements in Scotland. This will include expanding the active primary schoolsprogramme and supporting a school sports development officer in every secondaryscho…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will develop accreditation schemes to allow greater numbers of people to act as coaches and physical activity trainers and how it will promote New Deal programmes which provide opportunities to train as sports assistants, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Frank McAveety: To achieve our targets ofincreasing participation, it is essential that there are sufficient coaches,physical activity trainers and sports assistants to meet the increased demand. the Executive and <b>sport</b>scotland will consider how best to develop theses…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage and promote local community sports strategies, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Frank McAveety: As part of its work inmeeting the targets set out in Sport 21, the Executive, through <b>sport</b>scotland,will work with community planning partnerships to ensure that local strategiesdeveloped through community planning take full account of the role and nee…
22 Oct 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-690, S2W-1162 and S2W-1163 by Mr Tom McCabe on 27 June and 16 July 2003, why small oxygen cylinders are not currently available on GP prescription.
Answer · Tom McCabe: As Iannounced on 6 October 2003, GP prescribingof portable oxygen will be introduced in April 2004. The timing of its introduction is designedto ensure that an effective means of supply and distribution will be in placeto meet the needs of all patients in Sco…
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to empower local authorities to take action against security lights on domestic properties that are causing a nuisance to neighbouring householders and, if no such measures are in place, whether any plans exist to introduce legislation in respect of such measure…
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Environmental ProtectionAct 1990 contains the main legislation on statutory nuisance and enables localauthorities and individuals to take action to secure the abatement of astatutory nuisance. However, light pollution is not defined as a statutorynuisance…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide childcare support for those in work, training or education in Greenock and Inverclyde, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Margaret Curran: <i>A Partnership for a BetterScotland</i> refers to the announcement,as part of the Scottish Budget for 2003-06, that £20 million funding would be madeavailable in 2004-06 to help ensure that child care was not a barrier for peoplein disadvantaged communities…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the proposed Lifelong Learning Forum will be established and what information is available on its role and structure, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I expect the first meeting of the Lifelong Learning Forum to take place later this year. The forum will provide the opportunity to bring together the key stakeholders in lifelong learning to discuss areas of mutual interest. I will announce information on the…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will achieve its goal of encouraging local authorities to give school pupils the opportunity to experience enterprise initiatives at first hand in Inverclyde, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1763 today. 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/search…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will operate pilot projects in Greenock and Inverclyde of any new initiatives as a result of its report Determined to Succeed: A Review of Enterprise in Education, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive’s response to Determined to Succeed: A Review of Enterprise in Education</i> (DtS) sets out our strategy for expanding the provision of Enterprise in Education (E in E). It puts local authorities (LAs) at the heart of delivery and, consequently,…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the target date is for the introduction of the improved Individual Learning Account scheme and Business Learning Accounts, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The introduction of the successor to the Individual Learning Account scheme is targeted for mid-2004 with BLA pilots due to be introduced from autumn 2003.
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the proposed merger of the Higher and Further Education Funding Councils, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland, will have on James Watt College, Greenock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The merger proposals are currently at a very early stage and no final decision will be taken before a full consultation has been undertaken to enable the views of all major stakeholders to be aired and the pros and cons of the proposal considered fully. Beari…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how Greenock and Inverclyde will benefit from the planned 16% increase in higher and further education funding by 2006, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: In the Executive's lifelong learning strategy <I>Life Through Learning; Learning Through Life</I>, published in February 2003, we outlined our vision for lifelong learning in Scotland, which "is to provide the best possible match between the learning opportun…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will increase the number of modern apprenticeships and training opportunities that are available in Greenock and Inverclyde, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has committed to increasing the number of modern apprenticeship places in Scotland to 30,000 by 2006 as outlined in <i>A Partnership for a Better Scotland</i>. The detail of the number of places available in Greenock and Inverclyde is…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop partnerships between educational institutions and business in Greenock and Inverclyde, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is committed to developing partnerships between educational institutions and business to offer more apprenticeship and training opportunities as outlined in <i>A Partnership for a Better Scotland</i>.</p><p>The detail of how this will b…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will increase the family income ceiling for student bursaries, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The family income ceiling for student bursaries, as referred to in <i>A Partnership for a Better Scotland</i>, is being reviewed as part of the Review of Funding for Learners. An announcement on any increase in the ceiling will be made in due course.</p><p>Th…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will review the eligibility criteria for student bursaries, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The eligibility criteria for student bursaries, as referred to in <i >A Partnership for a Better Scotland</i>, are being reviewed as part of the Review of Funding for Learners. An announcement on changes to the eligibility criteria will be made in due course.…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether regenerating and making full use of the lower Clyde forms part of its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to realise the potential of Glasgow.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Cities Review clearly recognises the important role that cities have to play in the economic and social regeneration of their surrounding regions. As the Glasgow economy develops so the benefits will be felt in the wider city region, including areas such …
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits will accrue to the Greenock and Inverclyde economy from the fulfilling of its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to extend broadband connectivity to every area of Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The benefits of broadband to businesses are well catalogued. These benefits, which include reduced business costs and improved access to markets, can significantly boost the economy of the areas in which these businesses are located. Broadband also offers mor…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how companies in Greenock and Inverclyde will be able to work with it to increase their investment in research and development, in line with its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The news release concerned lottery funding for sports facilities in general. The Executive will continue to work with <b>sport</b>scotland to complete a programme of new and refurbished sports facilities, including swimming pools, across the country.</p><p>De…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will focus its continued efforts, through Scottish Development International, to encourage inward investment on areas of persistently high unemployment, in line with its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: As outlined in the Global Connections Strategy, the Executive recognises the need to provide opportunity for all parts of Scotland. Scottish Development International is therefore charged with creating sustainable employment across a wide range of areas in se…
30 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how businesses in Greenock and Inverclyde will benefit from its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to encourage business expansion through the continued use of Regional Selective Assistance, the Scottish Co-investment Fund and the new Business Start-Up Fund.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive continues to work closely with the Enterprise Networks to improve the quality and effectiveness of support for business start-ups and growth businesses throughout Scotland.<P>Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) is the main national sche…