Hugh Henry

19 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the accountability of its Inquiry Reporters Unit to the Parliament.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have no plans to alter the existing accountability of the Inquiry Reporters unit to the Scottish ministers.

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Manufacturing Steering Group last met, when it next plans to meet and whether the group still has a contribution to make.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group last met on 31 March 2000. The work of the group led to the establishment of the Manufacturing Image Group in June 2000 and the development of a number of initiatives as set out in <I>Created in Scotland - the Way For…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the removal of an HM Customs and Excise Detector Dog Unit will have any adverse effect on the Executive's campaign to reduce the impact of illegal drugs.

Answer · Iain Gray: No. The establishment of regional HM Customs and Excise detector dog teams will benefit Scotland. These are highly mobile and flexible units, each trained in a wider range of skills than was previously available in the smaller, local teams. This means that Cu…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any changes by Her Majesty's Government in resources available for the detection of illegal drugs have been discussed with Scottish ministers responsible for various aspects of anti-drug policies.

Answer · Iain Gray: Scottish ministers maintain contact with the UK Government on a range of drug matters. I recently met the Home Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Anti-Drugs Co-ordination to discuss drug-related issues of mutual interest, including the implemen…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any reduction in resources available for the detection of illegal drugs within Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: No. The Minister for Finance and Local Government announced in his Budget Statement an extra £28 million for tackling drugs in Scotland. £11.78 million of this money will be spent measures over the period 2001-02 to 2003-04 on a package of drug-related enforc…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the co-ordination of local intelligence and information involving the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency will be developed in the absence of a Collection and Co-ordination Unit in Paisley.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17500 on 28 August 2001.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a close working relationship between the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency and HM Customs and Excise in collecting local intelligence and information.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17500 on 28 August 2001.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution local intelligence and information makes to the effectiveness of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency.

Answer · Iain Gray: Local intelligence makes an important contribution to the work of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency in tackling drug trafficking and other serious and organised crime. It helps provide a clearer picture of the extent of these activities and their impact on…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the joint headquarters established by the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency, the Scottish Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and HM Customs and Excise benefited from information provided by the Collection and Co-ordination Unit in Paisley.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17500 on 28 August 2001.

27 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make funding available for the upgrade of long established CCTV operations throughout Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: Since 1996, the Scottish Executive has provided Challenge Competition funding for CCTV in excess of £10 million to over 160 projects throughout Scotland. Whilst priority has been given to the installation of new camera systems, a number of projects involving …

27 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement ministers had in the recent decision to grant planning permission for the mobile phone mast at Bluebell Woods, Johnstone, which overturned the decision made by the planning committee of Renfrewshire Council.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: As with the majority of planning appeals, Scottish ministers delegated determination of this case to the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit. Having delegated determination of the appeal, Scottish ministers had no further involvement in it.

2 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to establish a formal working agreement with local government.

Answer · Angus MacKay: I will, later today, be signing on behalf of the Executive a Partnership Framework with local government, a copy of which will be available from the Parliamentary Resource Centre and on the Scottish Executive Website. The Framework emphasises the importance t…

4 Apr 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to ensure that colleges of further education are subject to the same ombudsman scrutiny as other public sector organisations.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: With regard to complaints by students, all colleges are required to have in place published procedures through which complaints may be pursued. Once a college's own complaints procedure has been exhausted, it is open to a complainant who remains dissatisfied …

23 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to collate centrally information on the number of anti-social behaviour orders which each local authority (a) applies for and (b) is granted and whether it will issue guidelines which will help to simplify the application process for such orders.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There are no plans to collect this information centrally. However, the Executive has commissioned the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland to undertake a follow-up to its survey last year on the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and the extended power…

25 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the appointment of a successor to Lord Osborne as Chairman of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Mr John Marjoribanks will be appointed as Chairman of the Commission with effect from 1 November 2000.

22 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to safeguard vehicle access to Glasgow Airport given the implications which the decision on the recent planning application from IKEA at Braehead could have for the M8.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has been consulted by Glasgow City Council on the likely traffic impact of the IKEA proposals on the M8 and will respond shortly.

22 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is following the progress of the planning application from IKEA at Braehead and whether this matter will automatically be referred to it for consideration.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is aware of the planning application for an IKEA store at Braehead. Should Glasgow City Council be minded to grant planning permission for the development, the application will require to be notified to the Scottish Ministers as it comp…

22 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with parents' bodies, the teaching profession and local authorities the benefits of introducing flexibility in minimum class si'es.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Authorities have flexibility at local level in deciding how Excellence Funding of £48.2 million is directed towards meeting the target that all children in P1 to P3 are taught in classes with a 1:30 teacher to pupil ratio by August 2001, while maintaining par…

22 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from parents' representative bodies, the teaching profession or local authorities in relation to any difficulties caused by the requirements for minimum class si'es.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: We have not received representations from parents' representative bodies or unions about difficulties encountered in meeting the minimum class size target for P1 to P3. The Scottish Executive is working with education authorities to see how Excellence Fund re…

21 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to ensure that priority for supply teaching posts is given to qualified teachers not in receipt of a retirement pension from the teachers' pension fund.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The employment of supply teachers is a matter for local authorities. I would expect them to ensure that all teaching jobs go to the most suitable applicants.

17 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to tackle patterns of persistent offending among young people in Scotland.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has been considering how best to deal with persistent young offenders and will make an announcement shortly. We have supported a number of pilot projects which address the problems and behaviour of persistent young offenders.

10 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to address any under-achievement of teenage boys in Scottish schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-5762.

26 Apr 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that trade union members in Scotland can access similar learning opportunities to those available in England and Wales through the Trade Union Learning Fund.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has agreed in principle to a Trade Union Learning Fund for Scotland; and also to the establishment of a Trade Union Working Party on Lifelong Learning to consider how trade unions can continue their valuable contribution to the developm…

8 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the Joint Action Committee on child poverty.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Joint Ministerial Committee on Poverty held a preliminary meeting on 9 December 1999 when the Minister for Children and I represented The Scottish Executive. The Committee will meet again shortly when its terms of reference and future work programme will …

2 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review legislation to ensure more effective enforcement in preventing sales of tobacco to underage children.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We have no such plans. We are, however, working closely with CoSLA, ACPOS and trading standards representatives in Scotland to ensure better enforcement and help shopkeepers comply with the law.

12 Jan 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering the establishment of a Trade Union Learning Fund and whether it has any plans to make funding available to it.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We have no plans to establish such a Fund for Scotland, but Trade Unions have long made a valuable contribution to workplace learning in Scotland which we intend to build on. This has been helpful in the development of key lifelong learning initiatives such a…

8 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the establishment of a Trade Union Learning Fund.

Answer · Henry McLeish: I should like to apologise for the delay in responding. Trade Unions have long made a valuable contribution to workplace learning in Scotland, and that experience has been valuable in the development of key lifelong learning initiatives such as the Scottish U…

24 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, following the publication of the Housing Green Paper Investing in Modernisation: An Agenda for Scotland's Housing, whether it will give an assurance that there will be an early debate on current allocation policy and legislation.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I announced my proposals for the forthcoming Housing Bill in early December. Parliament had a full debate on these proposals, together with other housing issues, on 13 January. The Homelessness Task Force is likely to publish its initial recommendations aroun…

10 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the introduction of individual learning accounts in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: All four administrations in the UK are working together to develop a framework for the launch and operation of Individual Learning Accounts next year. Plans for the UK framework, including the procurement of an administrative and customer services provider, a…

28 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that out-of-centre and out-of-town retail centres will not be classed as town centres for the purpose of applying the policies contained in the National Planning Policy Guideline 8.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The classification is a matter for local councils, having regard to the guidance in NPPG 8: Town Centres and Retailing. The NPPG distinguishes between town centres, out-of-centre and out-of-town retail developments. The definition of town centres in the NPPG …