Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

4 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate has been made of the number of additional disposals which could be made available if the age of criminal responsibility was altered as set out in the recent report of the Scottish Law Commission Age of Criminal Responsibility.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Implementation of the Scottish Law Commission's recommendations would not lead to any significant difference in the number of children dealt with by the children's hearings system. The recommendations would prevent prosecution of children aged eight to 11 inc…

4 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions in each of the past three years the actions of directors of social services did not conform to the recommendations made by children's panels.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally. <P>It is the statutory responsibility of the local authority to give effect to supervision requirements made by children's hearings. If they are unable to do so, then they should bring the case back to the hear…

4 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many secure accommodation units for young people there currently are, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The following table shows the number of Scotland's secure accommodation units, the number of places within them and where they are located. <P>Secure Accommodation for Children in Scotland, 2001:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=472><TR><TD WIDT…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time taken between petition appearances and the serving of indictments was in each sheriffdom in each of the last ten years.

Answer · Colin Boyd: This information is not available for the period requested. The figures in the following tables cover the last four financial years and show, by reference to the percentage of cases, the time taken between appearance on petition and the service of the indictm…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time taken to bring a case to trial was in each sheriffdom in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The average number of weeks between pleading diet and trial diet in sheriff/stipendiary summary courts are detailed in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=593><TR><TD WIDTH="15%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=10><P></TD><TD WIDTH="8%" VA…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date in 1975 the first death of a baby who had been given an intra-uterine transfusion occurred and where the death occurred.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally and would require a major piece of research at disproportionate cost for local agencies to provide the information requested.

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it has given to the Scottish Organisation on the Removal and Retention of Organs (SORRO).

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Organisation on the Removal and Retention of Organs<B> </B>(SORRO), which acts as an independent support group for parents distressed by past practice in relation to organ retention at post-mortem, is a self-financing organisation. The Executive …

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether rhesus incompatibility is the only reason a baby would be given an intra-uterine transfusion.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The majority of intra-uterine transfusions are performed as a result of rhesus incompatibility. However, figures provided in the answer to question S1W-19221 on 16 November 2001, include a number of others where the transfusion is identified, but the reason i…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-16813 and S1W-19221 by Susan Deacon on 1 August and 16 November 2001, how many of the babies given intra-uterine transfusions lived longer than four weeks in each of the years from 1975 to 2000.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in Table 1 for years 1980 to 1998.<P>Information for 1975 to 1979 is not available centrally.<P>Information for 1999 and 2000 is not available centrally at present.<P>Table 1 Intrauterine transfusion - Scotland:<P>Number of …

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions on the dualling of the A1 north and south of the border and what the proposed timescale is for any such work.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which has responsibility for the A1 south of the border, is currently carrying out a multi-modal study of the route between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Newcastle. The Scottish Executive is represented …

16 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to continue its discussions with Her Majesty's Government and other interested parties in regard to the proposed railway station at Edinburgh Airport, should its commercial viability be established.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive intends to continue its discussions with all stakeholders about a proposed rail link to Edinburgh Airport.

16 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the abandonment of the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit (CERT) scheme has increased the commercial viability of the proposed railway station at Edinburgh Airport and whether its policy on the proposed station been reassessed following the abandonment of CERT.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Sinclair Knight Merz have been commissioned to undertake a detailed financial and engineering study into rail links to both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. They are aware of the abandonment of City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit (CERT) in favour of the West Edinb…

16 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences were committed by eight- to 12-year-olds, what the breakdown was of the offences involved in each case, and how many of these offences were referred to a court, all in each of the last 10 years, broken down by each category of offence.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the following table for the ages from eight to 12 inclusive. Data for 2001 is not yet available. Information on the types of offences committed by children referred to the Reporter is not collected centrally. <P>No. of of…

16 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what offences were committed by eight- to 12-year-olds in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Since 1996, statistics relating to the children's hearings system have been a matter for the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA). Recent national statistics are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 18780).<P>Previously, T…

14 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much rural land is currently held by each local authority under the Common Good Fund and whether such land is being managed in the best way to ensure sustainable development or the well-being of the communities on whose behalf the land is held.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally.

10 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost per prisoner place in the Scottish Prison Service was in each of the last 10 years and what expenditures are included in calculating that cost.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Recording of average annual cost per prisoner place was first introduced by the Scottish Prison Service in respect of 1994-1995. The cost…

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to implement the report by the Scottish Law Commission, Report on Child Abduction, and what the timetable is for the report's implementation.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no plans to implement the <I>1987 Scottish Law Commission (SLC) Report on Child Abduction</I>. The law in this area has developed since 1987. The common law crime of abduction has been used more frequently to deal with the taking of children, and Sect…

2 Jan 2002 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the funding being made available by Railtrack for the Forth Rail Bridge will be honoured by Railtrack or any successor body and what plans it has to ensure the safe upkeep of the bridge.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I understand that maintenance of the Forth Rail Bridge will not be affected by Railtrack Plc's being in administration.

10 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences involving air guns there were in each of the past 10 years, broken down by those committed by persons aged (a) under 16 and (b) 16 and over and what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government on the control of such weapons.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Crimes and offences recorded by the police in which an air weapon was alleged to have been used in Scotland over each of the past ten years are given in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=599><TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP" C…

7 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not yet given a substantive answer to question S1W-19393, lodged on 25 October 2001, and when it will do so.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Question S1W-19393 was answered today.

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what developments there have been with regard to upgrading the A8000.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The A8000 is a local road and therefore the responsibility of City of Edinburgh Council. I understand that a public exhibition of the council's plans was held in Kirkliston on 4 and 5 December, and will move to South Queensferry and Edinburgh over the next tw…

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19413 by Susan Deacon on 9 November 2001, how many digital hearing aids available through contracts negotiated by Scottish Healthcare Supplies have been issued to patients in each year since 1999 and what proportion of all hearing aids issued to pati…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The latest figures from Scottish Healthcare Supplies show that for the period from June 1999 up to the end of September 2001 a total of 710 digital hearing aids were drawn off the central contract.<P>Digital aids became available via the central contract in J…

20 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS funding for audiology services will be increased and, if so, at what rate in each year for which estimates have been made.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is providing substantial additional resources to NHSScotland. The allocations given to NHS Boards increased on average by 5.5% in 2001-02 and will increase on average by 6.9% and 7.8% in 2002-03 and 2003-04. It is for NHS Boards to decide how to…

20 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4069 by Iain Gray on 15 November 2001, whether the Lord Advocate was consulted formally on the recent appointments of Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The First Minister took account of the views of the Lord Advocate before making a nomination to the Prime Minister.

19 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19584 by Jackie Baillie on 14 November 2001, for which languages there are qualified interpreters and how many interpreters are available for each language.

Answer · Iain Gray: The information requested is not held centrally. <P>The Executive commissioned a literature review of research, policy and practice relating to translating, interpreting and communication support services across the public sector in Scotland earlier this year…

19 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19584 by Jackie Baillie on 14 November 2001, what the 60 languages are and how many speakers of each language use it as their first language.

Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally. The report referred to in the previous answer is available from the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17796).

12 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how expenditure of public money under the Scottish Land Fund is audited.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Details of the audit procedures exercised in relation to the New Opportunities Fund's Scottish Land Fund are 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 Oppo…

12 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures will be put in place to ensure that expenditure of public money on community land buy outs represents best value for money or delivers public benefits.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Funding to assist community land purchases under the right to buy provisions of the forthcoming Land Reform (Scotland) Bill is likely to come from a variety of sources, both public and private. Where public funds are involved, the usual checks for value for m…

7 Nov 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for delay in appointing a new Lord President to the Court of Session and a new Lord Justice General.

Answer · Iain Gray: On Tuesday 13 November, the appointment was announced of the Rt Hon Lord Cullen who succeeds Lord Rodger as Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General. The Prime Minister made the final recommendation to Her Majesty the Queen after consul…

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budgetary provision is for the employment of police officers both in total and broken down by police force in the current financial year.

Answer · Iain Gray: The information requested is not held centrally.