Parliamentary questions

Ian Jenkins

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

1 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to revise the formula that allocates funding in respect of the McCrone settlement to local authorities.

Answer · Andy Kerr: No. Most of the funding for A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century has been distributed as part of the local government settlement, using the formula agreed with COSLA. Each council's allocations for the next three years were announced on 4 Decembe…

27 Nov 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-30166 on 10 October 2002, what the latest position is with regard to arrangements for a ceremony to mark the opening of the new Holyrood building.

Answer · David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body announced on 19 November that the migration to the new building at Holyrood will not take place as planned over the summer recess in 2003. It has been decided, therefore, that there is little point in continuing to de…

9 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in identifying ways to continue to deliver court services locally in Peebles and when it plans to issue the consultation paper on the future of Peebles Sheriff Court.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish ministers gave a commitment to examine carefully the potential to deliver court services at an alternative venue in Peebles if one could be found which met the needs of the court. In line with that commitment the Scottish Court Service (SCS) has m…

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to improve the diagnosis and treatment of victims of organophosphate poisoning and the provision of practical support for them.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Appropriate arrangements are already in place in Scotland, which recognise that general practitioners and other health professionals are best placed to advise and inform patients, and to refer to a specialist in appropriate cases. Though the immediate and lon…

27 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the painting "The Birth of Venus Boy" by Edward Baird has a permanent home on public display in Dundee and whether it will implement a more open and transparent process of decision-making in respect of the disposition of Scottish works of art that have been acq…

Answer · Mike Watson: Decisions by ministers on the allocation of works of art accepted in lieu of inheritance tax are based on the recommendations of a panel of expert advisers. Following their recommendation, we announced on 22 March that the painting was to be allocated to the …

27 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on demand-led special needs education (a) nationally and (b) by each local authority in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is set out in the table in Section 5(i) of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA) (Scottish Branch) Rating Review Actuals of Income and Expenditure, published annually. Copies for the five years from …

28 Jan 2002 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive is considering a ban on formal marks for school work.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has no plans to "ban" any particular approach to classroom assessment.The Assessment Action Group, chaired by Nicol Stephen, is considering the most effective ways of providing feedback to pupils. Methods of feedback will be evaluate…

2 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to maximise the participation of school pupils in the forthcoming debate on the future of school education.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have written to a number of youth and children's organisations, and to all Directors of Education, inviting them to help us gather the views of young people. We will also be using the "Re:action" Consultation Toolkit for children and young people, which we…

14 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is to be made available to Scottish Borders Council for expenditure incurred by the council following the snowfalls which occurred in February 2001.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I am pleased to announce that Scottish Borders Council is eligible for a payment of £291,134 under the Bellwin Scheme. The scheme was activated on 29 August 2001 following representation from the council on costs directly associated with the immediate afterma…

3 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what international comparative studies of educational attainment Scotland is currently participating in.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scotland participated in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment in 2000, which assessed the reading, mathematics and science attainment of 15-year-olds. The results will be published on 4 December 2001. We have agreed to participate in the se…

31 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to audit the quality of training or education provided to holders of Individual Learning Accounts.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: All learning providers participating in the Individual Learning Accounts scheme are required to meet or to be working towards appropriate quality standards such as the Scottish Quality Management System.

30 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations made by the Discipline Task Force in its report Better Behaviour - Better Learning.

Answer · Jack McConnell: As indicated at the publication of the Discipline Task Group report in June, an action plan is being prepared in collaboration with Discipline Task Group members and local government organisations. This should be published shortly and will set out the timesca…

30 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards the publication of the Discipline Task Force's Action Plan and whether any financial resources will be allocated to ensure that its recommendations are implemented.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Executive is working with members of the Discipline Task Group and with local government organisations to complete an action plan, to be published shortly.Funding of implementation falls to the Executive and to local authorities, according to their res…

24 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to promote more effective public participation in the planning process and make the process more responsive to local concerns.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive will issue a consultation paper later this month seeking views on a range of proposals aimed at securing more effective public involvement in planning.

10 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many notices of intention to develop which involved the loss of playing fields, it has received from each local authority in each year since 1996.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Since January 1996, 538 notices of intention to develop have been received from councils. However, categorisation for statistical purposes does not specifically identify those involving a loss of playing fields and retrieval of this information could only be …

7 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received proposals for virement between programmes in the Excellence Fund from Scottish Borders Council.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I have noted, with concern, reports about the education budget within Scottish Borders Council. The position is currently the subject of a formal reference to the Accounts Commission. I have also made clear that, following the conclusion of the Control…

5 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current formula used to fund further education colleges has any adverse effect on those colleges with a limited pool of potential students.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Further Education Funding Council supports widening access but it does not set college growth targets, or consequent funding allocations, beyond what individual colleges indicate they can realistically achieve.

26 Jul 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce the outcome of the initial consultation exercise, held last year, which asked for ideas on how the building control system in Scotland could be improved.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The working party set up to consider the responses to the initial consultation and to prepare proposals for a reformed system reported to me at the beginning of April this year. I have approved the issue of a detailed consultation document, based on that repo…

16 Jul 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in its plans to relocate the Scottish Public Pensions Agency.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Following a thorough review of the options for relocating the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA), I can announce today we have decided that the SPPA will be located in the Galashiels area of the Borders, subject to the successful conclusion of negotiation…

20 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to amend legislation to enable civil marriages to take place elsewhere than local registration offices.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has today published a White Paper on Civil Marriages Outwith Registration Offices. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Views on the content of the paper are being sought by 17 August 2001. As is mad…

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that bus companies provide routes and timetables that reflect the expectations of existing and potential passengers.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Local transport authorities are required to secure the provision of public passenger transport services which are not provided on a commercial basis.The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 provides for statutory consultation procedures with local bus users when …

16 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament on 26 April 2001 by the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, whether it proposes any further relaxation in foot-and-mouth disease movement controls.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Foot and Mouth Disease situation in Scotland continues to improve and up to midnight last night only five cases of the disease have been reported this month. While continued vigilance is necessary, I have decided to authorise the following relaxations in …

3 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13189 by Nicol Stephen on 20 March 2001, what progress has been made regarding the provision and funding of pre-school placements for children whose fourth birthday falls in January or February and whose parents wish to defer entry to primary school …

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I accept the five key recommendations in the report of the Deferrals Working Group submitted to me in December 2000. CoSLA and ADES also support them.From August 2001, children who become four in January or February and who, though eligible to start school…

13 Mar 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken as part of its child health strategy to tackle respiratory conditions amongst children.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: Our Child Health Support Group Template for Child Health Services provides a framework for Unified NHS Boards and Trusts to plan, commission and monitor services for children, and defines the essential components of a local child health service. This includes…

30 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of school pupils went to (a) private and (b) state-funded schools in (i) 1979, (ii) 1992 and (iii) each year since 1997, broken down by local authority and in Scotland as a whole.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The information requested is given in tables which have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. no. 11120).

29 Jan 2001 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to address the backlog of repairs and maintenance of school buildings.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Jack McConnell recently announced an additional £17.2 million in the current financial year to assist authorities in dealing with immediate repairs, maintenance and equipment problems in schools. In addition, by 2003-04 capital allocations for local authority…

17 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take, both specifically following the announcement of 40 job losses at Murray Allan in Innerleithen and more generally, to meet the need for investment in job creation, skills training, transport and telecommunications infrastructure in the Borders.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Assistance will be provided to those affected through dedicated local action teams in accordance with the principles outlined in the Scottish Executive PACE framework. I understand that the company has pledged to co-operate fully with the PACE team. The econo…

3 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of convictions was (a) in each category of crime and (b) in total for (i) each police force and (ii) Scotland in 1979, 1987 and in each year since 1992.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in the following table. Convictions for miscellaneous offences and motor vehicle offences, which are classified as offences rather than crimes for statistical purposes, are excluded from the figures.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3…

3 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of recorded crimes was (a) in each category of crime and (b) in total for (i) each police force and (ii) Scotland in 1979, 1987 and in each year since 1992.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in the table.Number of crimes recorded by police force area<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=606><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=17>Police force area</TD>…

3 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of (a) police officers, (b) civilian staff, (c) special constables and (d) police officers was per head of population in (i) each police force and (ii) Scotland in 1979, 1987 and in each year since 1992.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information is provided in the following tables.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=670><TR><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="88%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=11>Number of Police Officers a…