Parliamentary questions
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
566 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the Scottish Prison Service did not spend its allocated budgets for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 and why resources available from the underspend were not reallocated to tackle any issues of overcrowding and staff morale.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The underspend in 1999-2000 and 2000-01 was primarily due to the timing of expenditure on committed capital projects, in…
17 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated underspend of the Scottish Prison Service is in 2001-02.
Answer · Jim Wallace: £8-12 million.
17 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether rehabilitation in open prisons will be made available to female prisoners prior to their release as is the case with male prisoners.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The SPS is currently evaluating the need for such a facility.
5 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of proposals for pilot projects in Manchester and London for night and weekend courts, whether it intends to introduce a similar scheme in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Currently there are no plans to introduce night and weekend courts in Scotland. However, the Scottish Executive will note with interest any lessons to be learned from the pilot projects in England.
5 Sep 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in analysing the 3,500 representations received during its consultation on the draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Good progress is being made. The issues raised are being considered, prior to decisions on what changes should be made to the draft Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament later this year.
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage, it will consider extending Access Management agreements to cover salmon spawning grounds.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Natural Heritage and Local Authorities have powers under Section 49A of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 to enter into management agreements to preserve or enhance the natural beauty of the countryside or to promote the enjoyment of the countrysid…
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what compulsory purchase powers exist and whether it will detail each occasion on which such powers have been used in the last ten years, giving the cost in each case.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Compulsory purchase powers are contained in general Acts of Parliament. They are available to government departments, most government agencies, local authorities, bodies with statutory obligations, bodies subject to a regulator and other bodies who have obtai…
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any distinction is made between a bridleway and a footpath in the draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The draft Land Reform Bill makes no distinction between a bridleway and a footpath. However, under section 20 and 21 of the draft Bill, local authorities would have powers to delineate paths for particular purposes. For example, paths could be delineated for …
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates will be the annual cost of upkeep of the proposed core path network.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We propose to place a duty on local authorities to establish core paths following consultation. The cost of upkeep of core paths will depend on many factors including the extent of the network; the ratio of new to existing paths; the overall level of use; and…
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many crofters there currently are.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No exact figures are recorded, but we believe there are around 12,000 tenants and owner-occupiers of crofts, who together with families amount to around 30,000 people resident on crofts.
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many crofting communities there are and what the average si'e of a crofting community is.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The phrase "crofting communities" is a generic term, describing communities involved in crofting and located on or associated with crofting land. Like other communities, the areas and numbers of people included may be as wide as one decides e.g. one…
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Community Right to Buy proposals in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, whether this right will be demand-led and, if so, what its policy will be if the Land Fund resources become exhausted and there is a backlog of applications.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill places no limit on the number of land registrations which can be made by community bodies.<P>The New Opportunities Fund's Scottish Land Fund is one possible source of funding for community land purchases. Any future alloc…
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of establishing a core path network, whether extra countryside rangers would need to be employed as a result of the establishment of the network and, if so, what the estimated cost of the extra rangers would be.
Answer · Jim Wallace: With regard to the cost of establishing core paths I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O - 3689.<P>We anticipate that the implementation of a right of responsible access will require the employment of additional access officers and rangers, b…
24 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of Countryside Management Agreements, and in particular Access Agreements, administered by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been since the inception of SNH.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. The information requested is not held centrally.
21 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many crofters, and what percentage of their total number, have purchased or own their own crofts; how many crofters have purchased their crofts from the state or public sector since the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 came into force, either directly or through crofters' trusts, and what…
Answer · Ross Finnie: 3,534 crofts are owned by crofters, representing 20% of all crofts.<P>A total of 45 crofters have purchased their crofts directly from Scottish ministers since the enactment of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993. The land so acquired represented some 3% of the …
21 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what budgetary estimate it has made in respect of possible costs, including compensation to be paid, arising from implementation of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jim Wallace: In developing the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill for introduction to Parliament, the Executive will continue to consider all likely costs relating to access, the community right to buy and the crofting community right to buy.<P>The Executive is required to publi…
21 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details regarding the proposed operation of the Scottish Land Fund including its remit, functions, membership, responsibilities and jurisdiction.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The operation of the New Opportunities Fund's Scottish Land Fund is a reserved matter for the Department of Culture Media and Sport. Can I invite the member to write to Stephen Dunmore, Chief Executive of the New Opportunities Fund.
10 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in considering proposals to reopen the Waverley line.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scottish Borders Council has appointed consultant Turner & Townsend to lead the project towards its next major stage. This is to seek parliamentary approval for the promotion, construction and reopening of the line to the central Scottish Borders.
10 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the proposal to construct an underpass at the Sheriffhall roundabout on the A720 Edinburgh city bypass is at and what its policy is in respect of this.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive has no plans to construct an underpass at the Sheriffhall Roundabout.
10 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases under consideration by procurator fiscals offices were marked "no proceedings" due to a lack of resources in each of the past three years.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The following number of cases were marked "no proceedings" due to Procurator Fiscal staff shortages:<U><P>1998-99</U><P>Elgin		3<P>Kirkcaldy	88<P>Paisley	6<U><P>1999-2000</U><P>Elgin		1<P>Kilmarnock	2<U><P>2000-01</U><P>Peebles	1<P>No …
2 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to any potential for the liability of land managers to increase as a result of the access rights proposed in the draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill and whether it has any plans to review the provisions of the Occupier Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 in the lig…
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is not our intention that the liability of landowners in respect of those visiting their land should increase as a result of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. Our present view is that the existing law in respect of Occupiers' Liability, in particular the Oc…
1 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12456 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 February, what the current timetable is for the introduction of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill following its consultation on the draft bill and when any amended version of the draft bill will be available for public scr…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive remains committed to introducing the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill to the Scottish Parliament at the earliest opportunity. Over 3,500 responses were received during the extended consultation period for the draft Bill and Draft Scottish Ou…
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the targets set by the Home Office to ensure equality in recruitment, promotion and any other aspects of the fire service apply in Scotland; if not, whether any equivalent targets have been set and, if so, by whom, and whether it will outline the details of any such targets.
Answer · Iain Gray: No. However, I launched the "Fairness and Equality" Guidance Framework for the fire service in Scotland on 18 December 2000. Copies of the framework have been made available at every fire station in Scotland.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Since then the Scottis…
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many court cases relating to organ retention are currently being brought against hospitals by parents.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We are not aware of any court cases related to organ retention having been brought by parents against any NHS Trust in Scotland. We understand, however, that some claims are being considered.
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many parents have applied to hospitals for information about organ retention to date and whether the information requested was given in each case.
Answer · Susan Deacon: By the end of June 2001, NHS Trusts had received 1,745 parental enquiries regarding retention of organs at post-mortem. We understand that in each case, the parents were given as much information as the Trust could supply.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies were given intrauterine transfusions due to rhesus incompatibility in each year from 1965 to 1975.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information is available centrally for 1975 only.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Centrally held obstetric information identifies six babies who were given intrauterine transfusions in 1975. It is not possible from available information to identify if these transfusions we…
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to assist parents to obtain information from hospitals about organ retention.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Each NHS Trust has nominated a member of staff with a sound understanding of the sensitive issues involved to act as the initial contact point for parents and other relatives wishing to obtain information about organ retention. NHS Trusts are aware of the nee…
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S1W-14802 by Susan Deacon on 4 May 2001, how many letters it has received from Scottish Parents for a Public Enquiry into Organ Retention since 12 April 2001, how many it has replied to and whether it plans to have a meeting with the parents' group.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Since publication of the report on the first phase of the work of the independent Review Group on the Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem, six letters have been received from this group. A comprehensive reply has been sent which addresses the issues raised in …
4 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be funds available from the Scottish Prison Service budget for 2000-01 through year-end flexibility and, if so, whether such funds, or a portion thereof, will be used to end slopping out at HM Prison Barlinnie.
Answer · Angus MacKay: No final decisions have been taken on the allocation of End Year Flexibility accruing from 2000-01 budgetary underspends to any Scottish Executive department/agency.
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will collect information on the number of speakers of the 60 ethnic community languages spoken in Scotland as a first language.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive is currently considering ways in which it might be able to access more detailed information about the prevalence of ethnic community languages in Scotland.