Parliamentary questions
Mr Jim Wallace
107 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from, or on behalf of, police forces regarding the level of freedom of information requests received and the costs incurred.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Freedom of InformationImplementation Group includes representation from the police forces. During 2005,members of the group provided indicative information on the numbers of requestsreceived by their respective sectors. This information is provid…
20 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish its response to the issues raised in Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - One year on: A consultation on the operation of the Act after one year in force.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The on-going, limited reviewof the early operation of Freedom of Information in Scotland is providingthe opportunity to consider how the act is working in practice. The outcome of the review will be announced in due course.</p>
13 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost to the Scottish Ambulance Service was in 2005-06 for the use of (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) Coastguard Service helicopters to attend patients in Orkney.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isprovided in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=71 valign=top> <p> </p> </td> <td width=136 valign=top> <p align=center>Ministry of Defence</p> </td> <td width=91 valign=…
13 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Scottish Ambulance Service’s EC 135 helicopter has been deployed to transport patients from or within Orkney in each month since January 2006.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is set out in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top> <p align=center>Month of 2006</p> </td> <td width=337 valign=top> <p align=center>Occasions when EC…
13 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions and at what cost (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) Coastguard Service helicopters have been used to transport a patient from (i) one of the North Isles of Orkney to Balfour Hospital, Kirkwall, (ii) one of the North Isles of Orkney to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and (iii) …
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isset out in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=40 rowspan=2 valign=top> <p> </p> </td> <td width=160 colspan=2 valign=top> <p align=center>Ministry of Defence…
3 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-1257 by Cathy Jamieson on 5 February 2004, what further action has been taken to encourage greater use of mediation services.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive supports a rangeof measures designed to achieve early resolution of disputes and the resolutionof disputes outwith the formal court system. We provide funding for a range of mediation services including funding ofaround £70,000 per annum for two…
12 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards implementation of the Partnership Agreement commitment progressively to introduce a scheme of national bus, rail and ferry concessionary travel for young people, initially for all in full time education or training.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We are currently finalising proposalsfor implementing the Executive’s Partnership Agreement commitment to progressivelyintroduce a national scheme of concessionary travel for young people. I shall makean announcement shortly, giving full details of the scheme…
8 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in how many cases alleging medical negligence against the NHS and NHS boards there has been resort to alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, in each year since 1999-2000.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The number of cases allegingmedical negligence against NHSScotland put forward by the CentralLegal Office for alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, in eachyear since 1999-2000 is seven. The following table provides a breakdown ofcases on a year…
23 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of applications from farmers and crofters to the single farm payment national reserve have been successful, broken down by (a) area covered by each SEERAD area office and (b) application category.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information is set outin the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width="100%"> <thead> <tr> <td width="16%" valign=top> <p>Area Office</p> </td> <td width="16%" valign=top> <p align=center>National Reserve Category<…
23 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of applications from farmers and crofters to the single farm payment national reserve have been rejected, broken down by (a) area covered by each SEERAD area office and (b) application category.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information is set outin the following table:</p><p> </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width="100%"> <thead> <tr> <td width="16%" valign=top> <p>Area Office</p> </td> <td width="16%" valign=top> <p align=center>National Rese…
23 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of applications from farmers and crofters to the single farm payment national reserve are still under consideration, broken down by (a) area covered by each SEERAD area office and (b) application category.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information is set outin the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width="100%"> <thead> <tr> <td width="16%" valign=top> <p>Area Office</p> </td> <td width="16%" valign=top> <p>National Reserve</p> <p>Category</p> …
23 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made by farmers and crofters to the single farm payment national reserve, broken down by (a) area covered by each SEERAD area office and (b) application category.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information is set outin the following tables. Applicants to the National Reserve could apply undermore than one category using the same application form, hence the difference intotals (5,839 applications forms received in Area Offices for 6,918 applicati…
22 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in managerial and administrative posts in (a) the NHS and (b) each NHS board on (i) 31 March 1996, (ii) 31 March 2001 and (iii) the most recent date for which figures are available.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on staffemployed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics websiteunder Workforce Statistics, at: <a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce">www.isdscotland.org/workforce</a>.</p><p>Section G gives details of Aaministrativ…
22 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the annual budget of (a) each NHS board and (b) the NHS was spent on managerial salaries and administration costs in (i) 1995-96, (b) 2000-01 and (iii) the most recent financial year for which figures are available.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Boards’ spending onmanagerial salaries and administration costs are taken from the previous parliamentaryanswer S2W-25425 and shown together in the following data. This includesexpenditure on both administration and management costs.</p><p>The definition …
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has evaluated the effectiveness of the Public Sector Energy Efficiency initiative and, if so, what conclusions have been reached.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We are currently undertakingpost project evaluation of a selection of the local authority projects funded underthe Central Energy Efficiency Fund. A formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the scheme has not yet been undertaken as a number of these projects…
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered making the funding available under the Central Energy Efficiency Fund interest-free and, if so, what the costs and benefits of such a change would be.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Funding available under the CentralEnergy Efficiency Fund is in the form of a grant and is interest-free. The fundingmade available to all individual projects supported under the scheme is also interest-free.</p>
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which public sector bodies are eligible for funding under the Central Energy Efficiency Fund.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Central Energy EfficiencyFund is available to all 32 Scottish local authorities, all 14 Scottish NHS Trustsand Scottish Water.</p>
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the public sector bodies that are eligible for funding under the Central Energy Efficiency Fund have applied for such funding.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: All eligible bodies including32 local authorities, 14 NHS boards and Scottish Water have applied for fundingunder the Central Energy Efficiency Fund.</p>
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to each public sector body under the Central Energy Efficiency Fund and how that allocation was calculated.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive has allocated £15million to local authorities, £4 million to the NHS and £1 million to Scottish Water.The breakdown indicating the allocation to each public sector body is detailed inthe answer to S2W-26313 on 13 June 2006.</p><p>The funding for…
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Central Energy Efficiency Fund has been applied for by each eligible public body, shown also as a percentage of the value of the fund.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The total amount of the CentralEnergy Efficiency Fund that has been applied for by each eligible public body, shownalso as a percentage of the value of the fund is detailed in the answer toquestion S2W-26313 on 13 June 2006.</p><p>All answers to writtenparlia…
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Central Energy Efficiency Fund has been spent by each eligible public body, shown also as a percentage of the value of the fund.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The total amount of the CentralEnergy Efficiency Fund that has been allocated, applied for and spent by each eligiblepublic body as at 31 March 2006, shown as a percentage of the value of the total fund(i.e. £20 million) is shown as follows. The answer to thi…
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending the scope of the Central Energy Efficiency Fund to cover other publicly funded bodies, including Scotland’s universities and colleges.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive will consider overthe course of this financial year, what scope may exist for extending the Fund tocover other publicly funded bodies.</p>
25 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted any evaluation of the conditions attached to the Central Energy Efficiency Fund and, in particular, whether the conditions constitute a barrier to achieving the aims of the fund.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive regularly reviewsthe terms and conditions attached to the Central Energy Efficiency Fund, and willconsider any concerns raised by the bodies involved if they believe that these mayconstitute a barrier to the aims of the fund.</p>
24 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of appeals by farmers and crofters under the EU agricultural subsidies appeals procedures found in favour of the applicant in each year since the introduction of the procedure, broken down by area covered by each SEERAD area office.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The EU Agricultural SubsidiesAppeals procedure became operational in November 2000. The information requestedis set out as follows by year of decision. In addition to cases where the panelupheld the appeal it includes cases where the appeal was resolved in fa…
24 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals have been submitted by farmers and crofters under the EU agricultural subsidies appeals procedure in each full year since its introduction, broken down by area covered by each SEERAD area office.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The EU Agricultural SubsidiesAppeals procedure became operational in November 2000. The information requestedis set out as follows by year of submission.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=114 nowrap valign=bottom> <p …
24 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals by farmers and crofters under the EU agricultural subsidies appeals procedure are currently being processed, broken down by area covered by each SEERAD area office.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The EU Agricultural SubsidiesAppeals procedure became operational in November 2000. The information requestedis set out as follows and shows the number of cases which are in the process. Thefigures include all outstanding Stage 1 and Stage 2 appeals. A furthe…
24 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average time was taken for (a) Stage 1 and (b) Stage 2 of the EU agricultural subsidies appeals procedure in each year since its introduction, broken down by area covered by each SEERAD area office.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The EU Agricultural SubsidiesAppeals Prodedure became operational in November 2000. The information requestedis set out as follows and shows the average days from submission to final decisionby year of hearing. There was a large volume of appeals received in …
24 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many buyers of direct sale fish have registered under the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005.
Answer · Ross Finnie: As of 30 May 396 buyerswere registered with the Scottish Executive under the <i>Registration of FishSellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (</i><i>Scotland</i><i>) Regulations 2005.</i></p>
24 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fish landings were made in Scotland by under-10-metre vessels in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The exact information requestedis not available as under-10-metre vessels do not have to complete a log sheet foreach voyage and often submit a composite landings record covering several voyages.</p><p>The available information heldon the fisheries data base …
24 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scottish fish quota stocks it estimates were landed by under-10-metre vessels in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Quota stocks are allocated toUK Producer organisations on an annual basis, whereas the under-10-metre vesselswhich are not in Producer Organisations are set monthly catch limits by the FisheriesAdministrations. Monitoring of quota stocks and setting of under-…