Parliamentary questions

Iain Smith

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

16 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average waiting times are for (a) an initial appointment in respect of chronic pain and (b) subsequent treatment.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. Data on out-patient waiting times is collected centrally at specialty level only and there is no recognised specialty of chronic pain.

16 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional members of medical staff have been appointed to chronic pain clinics since 1 May 1999.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The information requested is not held centrally.

15 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve services for those suffering from chronic pain.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: In addition to local initiatives by NHS boards, we propose to commission a review of the current provision of chronic pain services in Scotland, measured against the recommendations of the Scottish Health Service Advisory Council report on the Management of P…

1 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support will be made available to the fishing industry in 2003.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Assistance will continue to be made available through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) and related Executive funding: and more generally to fishing communities through the enterprise networks and other means. We are also reviewing priori…

13 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a record of its performance against the commitments set out in Making it work together - A programme for government and Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive will today publish Recording our Achievements. This will provide a detailed account of the Executive's performance against the commitments set out in Making it work together - A programme for government and Working toge…

13 Nov 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Scottish fishing industry and what matters were discussed.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I met representatives of the Scottish fishing industry on 14 November to discuss forthcoming fisheries negotiations.

30 Oct 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote environmentally sustainable methods of farming.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is committed to promoting environmentally sustainable farming in a variety of ways. One of the key aims of A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture, which I launched last year, is better integration of agricultural and environmental ob…

25 Sep 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is promoting walking and cycling.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is providing additional resources to local authorities, totalling nearly £22 million over the period 2000 to 2004, for Safer Routes to School and Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects.

11 Sep 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage local authorities to introduce 20 mph speed limits outside schools.

28 Aug 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce its decision on the application for a field scale trial of winter GM oilseed rape at Newport-on-Tay.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am currently considering this matter and will make an announcement shortly.

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first established that GM oil seed rape planted in Scotland had been contaminated with unauthorised seeds supplied by Aventis CropScience Ltd, and when (a) officials and (b) ministers were advised of this contamination.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The presence of unauthorised GM material in seed supplied by Aventis was identified following a routine management audit of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) by the Executive's GM Inspectorate. Initial laboratory tests were inconclusive and it was not u…

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional safeguards it will put in place to guarantee that unauthorised seeds are not planted in any future GM field trials and whether it will give an assurance that no approvals for future trials will be given without such a guarantee.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Ministers sought the strongest possible assurances in relation to the purity of the seed to be planted in the field trials this autumn before allowing the trials to proceed.Ministers will continue to seek additional assurances in relation to the purity of …

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to establish whether there has been any contamination with unauthorised seeds at the GM oil seed rape field trial at Wester Friarton, Newport-on-Tay.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no reason to believe that the seed which has been planted at Wester Friarton contained unauthorised material. The seed in question came from a different seed lot to that used to supply to the two affected field trials in Aberdeenshi…

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since being advised that GM oil seed rape planted in Scotland has been contaminated with unauthorised seeds supplied by Aventis CropScience Ltd and what further action it proposes to take.

Answer · Ross Finnie: On receipt of the information from Aventis, the Scottish Executive and UK Government immediately consulted the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). ACRE were satisfied that the risks posed by the additional GM material were no different t…

19 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for further decentralising the handling of forestry policy and management in the light of the continuing experience of devolution.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Forestry Ministers have agreed the recommendations of the Forestry Devolution Review, a wide-ranging interdepartmental review of the administrative arrangements for forestry post-devolution, which I announced on 22 January. In particular we have accepted that…

19 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the inquiry into the lessons to be learned from the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak of 2001 will be published.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This report has been published today and copies have been made available to the Convener and members of the Rural Development Committee. A copy has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre, (Bib. number 22295) and the report can be viewed on the websi…

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the assessment process for those eligible for free personal care on 1 July 2002.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: All local authorities are putting arrangements in place to ensure that free personal and nursing care is implemented from 1 July 2002.

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the national audit of museum and gallery collections, premises and public services.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The final report of the national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries has been completed and is currently being printed. Scottish Museums Council hope to launch the report in July.

8 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the tourism and export opportunities for Fife from the new Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service.

Answer · Elaine Murray: VisitScotland and the east of Scotland area tourist boards are providing marketing support for the new service. Scottish Enterprise Fife, with local partners, is promoting the potential benefits to exporters.

1 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a minister last visited Bell Baxter High School in Cupar and what matters were discussed.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I visited Bell Baxter High School on 29 April 2002, and, as indicated in the answer given to question S1O-05161 today, discussion focussed on the major building work which is under way and which will result in the school being located on one site.

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who will be Scotland's full and substitute members to the Regional Chamber of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe for the two-year mandate that begins in May 2002.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The names of Peter Peacock MSP as the full member, and Ben Wallace MSP as the substitute member, have been forwarded by the Scottish Executive to the UK Government for submission to the Council of Europe, under the procedure agreed by the government of the Un…

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the current annual pay bill and amount paid in employers' National Insurance contributions will be for each local authority and what the estimated annual amount of employers' National Insurance contributions will be for each local authority in 2003-04 following the chan…

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.

24 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to develop links between the food and tourism industries.

Answer · Mike Watson: We have commissioned research work to look at the opportunities that exist in this area. This will determine the most effective way forward. We are also working closely with The National Food Grading Scheme to encourage greater uptake of local produce within …

6 Mar 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a decision on the proposed GM crop trial at Wester Friarton, Newport-on-Tay.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am able to announce today that the Scottish Executive has approved the release of a GM oilseed rape crop at a further three sites in Scotland this spring. Releases of this crop have only been permitted because of the explicit advice of our expert advisory b…

27 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation there has been on the proposed GM crop trial at Newport-on-Tay.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that people who live in the vicinity of proposed trial sites are provided with accurate information about the proposals and given the opportunity to comment if they wish.In relation to the proposed site near …

25 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on designations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has designated nine bathing waters as sensitive areas, under the terms of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994 (which are intended to implement the obligations of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/…

20 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Audit Commission's report on Environmental and Regulatory Services, what further measures it intends to take to ensure that local authorities take action to improve the recycling of waste.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The 11 Area Waste Plans currently being prepared will identify how local authorities and others can improve waste management, including recycling. We have established the Strategic Waste Fund to assist local authorities in implementing the plans. We also inte…

7 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken, or plans to undertake, any studies on the impact of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/177) on the level of rents charged to tenants in houses in multiple occupation.

Answer · Margaret Curran: When mandatory licensing was introduced in 2000, the Executive agreed that it would review the scheme after its first year of operation. We have therefore commissioned independent researchers from the University of Glasgow and Heriot-Watt University/Edinburgh…

7 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has begun monitoring the operation of the mandatory licensing of housing in multiple occupancy and when it will report on the operation of this monitoring.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive monitors local authorities' implementation of mandatory licensing by means of an annual statistical return. Figures from the first returns, covering the period up to 31 March 2001, were published in the Housing Statistical Bulletin last S…

7 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the cost implications for (a) individual landlords and (b) tenants of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/177).

Answer · Margaret Curran: When the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 was laid in the Scottish Parliament, the Executive provided a Regulatory Impact Assessment setting out the estimated cost implications on groups affected by …