Mr John McAllion

23 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has conducted relating to the effect on employment in the water and sewerage industry of the establishment of a single Scottish water authority.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The establishment of a single Scottish water authority represents the best means of ensuring sustainable employment in the public sector water industry in Scotland. Whatever the structure there is a need for substantial efficiency savings to deliver public he…

13 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many statutory inquiries have been conducted by Scottish Homes in each year since 1999-2000.

Answer · Iain Gray: None.

13 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many performance audits were conducted by Scottish Homes in each year since 1999-2000.

Answer · Iain Gray: The number of performance audits carried out by Scottish Homes in each year since 1999-2000 is shown in the table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=283><TR><TD WIDTH="30%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Year</FONT></TD…

13 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding has been received by Scottish Homes in each year since 1999-2000.

Answer · Iain Gray: The public funding received by Scottish Homes in each year since 1999-2000 is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=245><TR><TD WIDTH="35%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Year</FONT></TD><TD WIDTH="65%" VALIGN="…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many eviction decrees were granted, and how many of these were in respect of anti-social behaviour, in the periods (a) April to June 2001 and (b) July to September 2001, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Iain Gray: The information requested is not yet available. The number of eviction decrees granted against local authority tenants during the period April to June of 2001 will be available later this month and will be published in the next Quarterly Housing Statistics on…

31 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has (a) undertaken any review of the right of children to give evidence to a commissioner under section 271 of the Criminal Procedures (Scotland) Act 1995 since its introduction, (b) identified any problems relating to this right and (c) taken any steps to encourage the exercis…

Answer · Iain Gray: No, although the Executive intends to undertake research in connection with its forthcoming consultation paper on vulnerable witnesses. This will try to establish how often the measures available to assist such witnesses under section 271 are used, and the re…

31 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since its introduction the right of children to give evidence to a commissioner under section 271 of the Criminal Procedures (Scotland) Act 1995 has been exercised.

Answer · Iain Gray: Statistics on this matter are not collected for the High Court. Since 1995, there have been six Sheriff Court applications to have evidence taken on commission under section 271. All of these were granted. It is not known how many of them related to child wit…

27 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in publishing area waste strategies.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Two draft area waste plans (Forth Valley and Argyll & Bute) have been published for consultation. Options or issues papers seeking public views on the range of solutions being considered have been published for five other areas (Fife, Glasgow & Clyde Valley, …

26 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the provision of speech therapy for children under 5 in the light of the British Stammering Association's Parental Awareness campaign.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We welcome the association's campaign to help raise awareness of this communication problem.<P>Speech and language therapists play an important part in the treatment of stammering and their numbers have increased by 11% over the last four years. <P>A Strategy…

19 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with local authority representatives in relation to the provision of care in the community.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We are involved in an on-going dialogue with Scottish local authorities on many different aspects of community care provision.

28 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take now it has had time to consider the judgement of the English High Court in the case brought under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 involving blood contaminated with the hepatitis C virus.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has instructed NHSScotland to enter into discussions with the legal representatives of any person who has raised an action of the same kind as the decision in the English High Court. These would be actions under the Consumer Protection …

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with the Scotland Office regarding amending the Scotland Act 1998.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Scottish Ministers have regular discussions with Scotland Office Ministers on the operation of the Scotland Act, for example in relation to the exercise of Order-making powers under the Act.

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last reviewed emergency plans for dealing with potential accidents involving nuclear submarines.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Ministry of Defence, emergency services, local authorities and health boards review procedures for dealing with emergencies which may arise at submarine bases at least annually. The procedures are also reviewed in the light of issues raised by actual inci…

3 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to inform its employees of their rights under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Paragraphs 8 and 9 of section A11.14 of the Scottish Executive Staff Handbook set out procedures which staff should follow if they feel they are being treated in a way which:<UL><P><LI>is illegal, improper or unethical;</LI><P><LI>is in breach of a constituti…

26 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish guidance on the public health aspects of disposal of carcasses of animals slaughtered as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Guidance on Measures to Minimise Risk to Public Health from the Slaughter and Disposal of Animals was issued on 25 April.<P>Copies of the guidance are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision has been taken on the location of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Scottish Social Services Council.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Subject to Parliament approving the principles of the Regulation of Care Bill, it is proposed to co-locate the Scottish Social Services Council and the headquarters of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care in Dundee<B>.</B> The headquarters build…

15 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been under the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 for selling knives and other articles with a blade or point to persons under 16 in each of the last five years; how many convictions resulted from such prosecutions, and how many convicted offenders were (a) fined …

Answer · Jim Wallace: Figures on the number of prosecutions and convictions for the relevant offences under this Act cannot, from the information held centrally, be separately identified from those for other trading offences in the Scottish Executive Justice Department classificat…

15 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been under section 139 or 139A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 in each of the last five years; how many convictions resulted from such prosecutions, and how many convicted offenders were (a) fined and (b) imprisoned.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Sections 139 and 139A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 only apply to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The equivalent Scottish legislation is section 1 of the Carrying of Knives etc. (Scotland) Act 1993 which was repealed on 1 April 1996 and replaced by se…

15 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been under section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 in each of the last five years; how many convictions resulted from such prosecutions, and how many convicted offenders were (a) fined and (b) imprisoned.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 was repealed on 1 April 1996 and replaced by section 47 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995. The available information is given in the table.<P>Persons proceeded against in Scottish courts wher…

15 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been under the Knives Act 1997 in each year since it came into force; how many convictions resulted from such prosecutions, and how many convicted offenders were (a) fined and (b) imprisoned.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Figures on the number of prosecutions and convictions for offences under this Act cannot, from the information held centrally, be separately identified from those for other trading offences in the Scottish Executive Justice Department classification of crimes…

15 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals were (a) murdered and (b) injured in each of the last five years in incidents involving offensive weapons with a blade or which are sharply pointed.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The number of victims of homicide where a sharp instrument was the main method of killing was 66 in 1999, 44 in 1998, 35 in 1997 and 58 in 1996. Figures are not yet available for 2000. Further detail on these and other homicides can be found in the statistica…

25 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the report of the Millan Committee's review of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 and what action it proposes.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has today received the Millan Committee's report of its review of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984. Copies of the report, entitled <I>New Directions</I>, have been placed in the Parliamentary Reference Centre.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The…

3 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has held with Her Majesty's Government relating to alternative models for securing investment in council housing.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive maintains regular contact with Her Majesty's Government on this and other housing issues.

22 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it liaises with Her Majesty's Government on issues relating to asylum seekers resident in Scotland.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.

30 Aug 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the organisation and structure of the NHSiS.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive is committed to a programme for modernising the NHS in Scotland. As part of that programme we are keen to ensure that systems, structures and governance arrangements are in place which support the delivery of modern, patient centred care. We are…

21 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it intends to take in the forthcoming Housing Bill to protect housing association housing from any extension of right to buy.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer Mr McAllion to my answer to the question S1W-7983 on 15 June which sets out how we propose to modernise the right to buy so as to achieve a better balance between the interests of the community as a whole, those tenants who wish to buy and relevant la…

7 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Department of Social Security Ministers in relation to benefit adjustments to match the increases in water charges in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive is in discussion with Whitehall Departments on a wide range of issues.

1 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed by each of its departments and by its agencies and other bodies receiving grants in aid from it, broken down by the responsible department, in each local authority area.

Answer · Jack McConnell: This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

31 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have been held with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the NHS Management Executive to co-ordinate the planning and funding of mental health strategies.

Answer · Iain Gray: The leaders and chief officers of local authorities, health boards and NHS Trusts attended a seminar led by the Minister for Health and myself in November at which joint working and the effective delivery of services for all community care client groups, incl…

17 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with poverty groups regarding the increases in water charges and initiatives to counter any effect on people in poverty.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In taking forward the review of the protection provided to low income households by the current water charging arrangements, my officials are seeking preliminary comments from those with particular knowledge of this subject, including poverty groups, with the…