Parliamentary questions

Mr Frank McAveety

121 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much green space or recreational land is planned to be developed in each local authority area.

Answer · Johann Lamont: This information is not heldcentrally.

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much green open space used for recreational space was lost to development in each local authority area in 2005.

Answer · Johann Lamont: This information is not heldcentrally.

9 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available for drug education in schools and, of these, what percentage is provided to Glasgow City Council.

Answer · Hugh Henry: There is a range of teachingresources and training opportunities available for drugs education in schools, providedby local authorities and other providers.The provision of training ondrugs education for practising teachers is, as for all in-service tr…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review inter-agency procedures to ensure that all agencies share information and minimise any future risk to children, following recent reports of an 11-year-old girl involved in serious drug misuse.

Answer · Hugh Henry: GettingOur Priorities Right - Good Practice Guidance for working with Children and Familiesaffected by Substance Misuse published by the Executive in 2003 provided a clear framework for practitionersand service providers on working with families where …

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to assist schools and agencies to deal with pupils involved in serious drug misuse.

Answer · Hugh Henry: In schools the Guidelinesfor the Management of Incidents of Drug Misuse provides headteachers andother school staff with guidance on responding to information, allegation orevidence that children are misusing drugs within the school premises orgrounds.…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that sheriffs are aware of their responsibilities when determining the future of children with parents who are drug addicts.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Sheriffs are independent of the Executive and I have no doubt they take seriously their responsibilities for determiningthe future of children of inadequate parents. The Judicial Studies Committee, whichis funded by my department, offers training on these mat…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of funding to address drug misuse has been allocated to Glasgow City Council and what plans it has to increase this share.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The following funding was allocatedto Glasgow City Council in 2005-06 to tackle drug misuse directly.£253,175for arrest referral, this is 44% of the total arrest referral allocation of £581,176.£350,733for Drug Treatment and Testing Orders which…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of drug misuse in Scotland is located within the Glasgow City Council area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: A study by the Centre for DrugMisuse research at the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Centre for Infection and EnvironmentalHealth estimated the prevalence of problematic (opiate and benzodiazapine) druguse in Scotland in 2003. Of the estimated 51,582 p…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of resources it provides to Glasgow City Council to deal with children in families with drug addiction.

Answer · Hugh Henry: There are several Executive fundingprogrammes which benefit children and families with drugs problems.GlasgowCity Council will receive almost £10 million in 2006-07 from the Changing Children’sServices Fund which is intended to improve integration of s…

16 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that smoke alarms meet the British standard for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the specification of product safety. It is the responsibility of fire and rescue services when recommending or installing alarms to ensure that they make reference to relevant standards and guidance.

16 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to issue guidance to fire services in respect of ensuring that smoke alarms meet the British standard for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the specification of product safety. Fire and rescue services have access to the relevant British Standards relating to smoke alarms for hearing-impaired people. In addition, we have made available to the…

9 Nov 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action and initiatives it is undertaking to address high levels of heart disease prevalent in constituencies such as Glasgow Shettleston.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive is deeply concerned by the high levels of heart disease and other long-term conditions in areas of deprivation. We have set a target to reduce premature mortality from chronic heart disease by 27% over the next five years in the most deprived co…

18 May 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the judicial appointments process is working satisfactorily.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The independent Judicial Appointments Board makes recommendations to ministers for appointment of judges, sheriffs principal and sheriffs. I consider that so far the board is working very effectively in improving the transparency of this process.

16 Mar 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address Scotland's record on men's health.

Answer · Andy Kerr: We have made available £4 million over two years to fund 10 well man clinics across the country targeting our most disadvantaged men who are at the greatest risk of poor health. The pilots are being independently evaluated and will contribute to our understan…

1 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are being applied to the choice of headquarters for sportscotland and when it will announce its decision on the location.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The criteria being applied to inform a decision on the location of sportscotland’s headquarters are as recommended by the Executive for all location reviews. These involve a first stage that balances socio-economic benefit with business efficiency equa…

27 Oct 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making on the decommissioning of the Glasgow homeless hostels.

Answer · Johann Lamont: To date, 417 people from three hostels have been resettled with 103 more to be resettled by the end of this year with the completion of the closure of the 3rd hostel. A much larger number of people have been diverted to more suitable solutions who would, but …

26 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the Scottish Qualifications Authority has for the second year of the Winter Diet pilot.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I have written to the Chair of the SQA to indicate our decision to discontinue the second year of the Winter Diet pilot. Following a review by the SQA in conjunction with those schools and colleges that participated in the first year of the pilot in 2002, it …

8 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has that the proposal for transferring Glasgow City Council's housing stock will be funded should there be a yes vote in the Glasgow housing stock transfer ballot.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The City Council and the Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) have had detailed discussions with funders to ensure that the commitments given to tenants could be delivered. Letters of support from a number of financial institutions active in the social rented ho…

8 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be taken to improve the physical security of current council properties in Glasgow should there be a yes vote in the Glasgow housing stock transfer ballot.

Answer · Margaret Curran: It tenants vote "yes" in the Glasgow housing stock transfer ballot, all homes with a long term future will benefit from improved security measures, such as external doors and security locks. In addition older tenants will receive special home security measure…

8 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be taken to direct new job opportunities towards those currently unemployed in Glasgow should there be a yes vote in the Glasgow housing stock transfer ballot.

Answer · Margaret Curran: If tenants vote yes in the Glasgow housing stock transfer ballot unemployed people in Glasgow will have access to various training programmes which will enable them to take advantage of the many new job opportunities which will be created. The Glasgow Hous…

30 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote the arts and culture in schools.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The Executive works closely with local authorities and the Scottish Art Council to promote all aspects of arts and culture in schools. We are in the final stages of planning a pilot programme of cultural co-ordinators and will make an announcement shortly.

5 Dec 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place on addressing the issue of the sex industry in Glasgow.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Other than the meeting between Mr McAveety and Iain Gray in May on prostitution in the Glasgow Green area, I am not aware of any other discussions that have taken place within the Executive on the sex industry in Glasgow.

7 Nov 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in raising levels of adult literacy.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I published the Adult Literacy Team's report in July. It provides a comprehensive strategy for raising levels of adult literacy and numeracy in Scotland.Funding of £22.5 million between now and 2004 will enable an initial 80,000 people to be helped.

31 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist local authorities in making communities safer.

Answer · Iain Gray: As recently as 31 October, I announced details of a new community safety award programme which will give all council-led Community Safety Partnerships a share of £12 million over the next three years for local community safety initiatives.

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the bid to host the European Football Championships in 2008.

Answer · Mike Watson: The First Minister explained in his statement to Parliament on 23 January that, having considered carefully the practicalities, costs and benefits of staging Euro 2008, the Executive supports a potential joint bid with the Republic of Ireland. Executive offic…

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote and support cultural tourism.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: Cultural tourism was identified in A New Strategy for Scottish Tourism as a product group that demonstrated good potential for growth. We will publish a new Framework for Action early in the New Year. This will include the new strategy for marketing Sc…

10 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs will next make a report to the Parliament on the Scottish Qualifications Authority's progress in delivering the Diet of examinations for 2001.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I have today written to the Convener of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee enclosing the Executive's third report on the Scottish Qualifications Authority's progress towards Diet 2001. Copies will be available from the Parliament's Reference Centre.

21 Mar 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been in the last 12 months in respect of kerb-crawling in the area covered by the "E" division of Strathclyde Police.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Statistics kept by the Crown Office are not broken down by Police Division and the information requested is, accordingly, not available.

13 Mar 2001 · Written Question

Answer · Jack McConnell: I have today written to the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee enclosing the Executive's second report on progress towards implementing the actions agreed following the publication of the Deloitte Touche report on 3 November 2000. Copies h…

17 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage and support disadvantaged young people entering further and higher education.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Executive is committed to ensuring that young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to access further and higher education.In higher education, our proposals for improving student support will particularly benefit those from …