John Home Robertson

7 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct the trunk road maintenance contractors to make it a priority to take all reasonable steps to keep roads clear and safe when fulfilling the terms of its winter maintenance trunk roads contracts.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a requirement of the Term Contract for Management and Maintenance of the Scottish Trunk Road Network.

7 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct Amey Highways Ltd to pay East Lothian Council for gritting work undertaken by the council on Pencraig Hill on 30 December 2001.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: East Lothian Council has no responsibility to carry out winter maintenance on trunk roads, and the Scottish Executive is not aware of any such work undertaken by the council on 30 December 2001.

7 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the gritting and snow clearance undertaken by Amey Highways Ltd on the A1 on 30 December 2001 and whether it has any access to independent information about the performance of the contractors.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has access to records which Amey Highways Ltd is required to keep showing all winter maintenance operations carried out each day. Independent information on Amey's performance is provided by the Performance Audit Group.

23 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to contain and manage winter viruses in the National Health Service.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS trusts have been reminded that maintaining rigorous hygiene and infection control practices in line with existing guidance are the key to controlling winter viruses in our hospitals. <P>In addition, a new national system of surveillance of hospital-acquir…

28 Nov 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to accommodate additional demand in the NHS over the winter period.

Answer · Hugh Henry: It is very important to make sure that the additional pressures that winter brings to health and social care services do not disrupt care for patients and clients. The NHS and its planning partners have prepared plans which build upon the experience of previo…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to tackle the issue of abandoned motor vehicles following the joint announcement by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs on 31 October 2001 of measures to address the issue.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is aware that abandoning valueless vehicles in the street and other places is a growing problem. We aim to make it easier for local authorities to react by reducing the notice periods which they are required to give before removing a vehicle, as…

18 Oct 2001 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether he will make a statement on the ownership of the land currently being developed as the landscape scheme associated with the new Parliament building at Holyrood.

Answer · David Steel: The idea of incorporating the area of the Royal Park comprising the site of the former Royal High School playing fields as landscaping around Holyrood dates back to Enric Miralles' earliest concept for the Parliament project. The Parliament is the client for …

19 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15092 by Angus MacKay on 26 April 2001, whether its draft budget for 2002-03 is still based on the current rate of basic income tax.

Answer · Angus Mackay: Yes. The Executive has no plans to use the tax-varying power for the term of this Parliament.

15 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16125 by Lewis Macdonald on 31 July 2001, whether it will list the dates of the meetings held between its officials and the Confederation of United Kingdom Coal Producers, whether the interests of any particular companies were represented at these me…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Executive officials engaged in the review of strategic planning met with COALPRO on 23 February and 20 April 2001. The meetings were arranged to discuss the position of opencast coal in that review of strategic planning. The views of COALPRO, as a national re…

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to encourage older people back into the labour market.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: New Deal 50 plus provides financial incentives for older people and has helped find work for over 4,000 people in Scotland since April 2000.<P>The new Careers Scotland will offer all Scots, including older people, a one-stop shop careers guidance service.

31 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its officials have met representatives of opencast mining interests to discuss the application of the draft Lothians structure plan to areas of search for opencast coal.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has met with the Confederation of United Kingdom Coal Producers on a number of occasions over the past few months to discuss issues such as the position of opencast coal in the current review of strategic planning and the impact of revised natio…

30 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of special payments made to prison staff who did not take part in the recent unofficial industrial actions; what consultation was undertaken with representatives of Scottish Prison Service employees about these payments, and what the impact of these selective payments ha…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The cost of payments made or being processed this month under the SPS Special Bonus Scheme, to staff who worked a full shift or more on t…

24 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many abandoned motor vehicles have been uplifted and disposed of by each local authority in each of the last five years; what has been the cost of this activity, and what proportion of the cost is recovered from vehicle owners or insurers.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally.

24 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its consultation paper on the conservation and development of freshwater fisheries.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: As I announced to Parliament during the final debate on the Salmon Conservation (Scotland) Bill in January, I am committed to publishing a Green Paper on proposals for the future management of freshwater fish and fisheries in Scotland before the end of the su…

18 Apr 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it is making to the reform of European Union institutions.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive is contributing through its input to the formulation of the UK position on this issue and also by direct submissions of its own, along with participation in initiatives with other regional governments with legislative powers.

28 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with (a) learning difficulties and (b) profound and complex needs aged (i) under five, (ii) 5 to 16 and (iii) over 16 there are in each local authority area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information is not available in the form requested. The table, however, gives the number of pre-school children and primary and secondary pupils, with special educational needs, by local authority area. The School Census collects data on pupils with speci…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to improve the nature conservation system.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Our programme for government, <I>Working Together for</I> <I>Scotland</I>, committed the Scottish Executive to improve the system of nature conservation to work with local communities to achieve effective protection for nature.<FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUS…

12 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the invitation recently sent to private contractors concerning the secondment of road and engineering staff to its Road Network Management and Maintenance Division to local authorities.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Secondments of road and engineering staff are secured on the basis of competition between competent providers, judged on the basis of quality and price. There is no reason why local authorities should not be invited to put forward bids for seconded staff and …

7 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2873 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 February 2001, whether any new measures are required to effectively protect those who are subject to threats, harassment or intimidation by animal rights protestors; if so, what plans it has to introduce such measures and …

Answer · Jim Wallace: We believe that the law in Scotland can deal adequately with intimidating and threatening behaviour. We do not therefore see an urgent need in Scotland for the type of measures proposed by the Home Secretary.

7 Feb 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that there is an increase in the availability of affordable rented accommodation.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: Last month we announced an increase in our target for the number of affordable houses to be built in the three years to March 2002. We will now fund the construction of 20,000 new and improved homes in rural and urban areas across Scotland. We are well on tra…

2 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement made during the Alcohol Misuse Debate on 7 December 2000, when it will launch the consultation process leading to the development of a national plan for action.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is today launching an inclusive consultation process which will last until 30 June and lead to the production by the end of this year of a comprehensive plan for action on alcohol misuse. This will emphasise the partnership nature of po…

31 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make it its policy to minimise the number and scale of areas designated in structure plans for opencast coal mining.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: There are no plans to revise existing policies. Structure plans are only expected to show broad search areas where opencasting may be acceptable. Local plans should define these areas in more detail. Planning authorities must still assess individual proposals…

4 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources are available for investment in research infrastructure in Scottish higher education institutions in the current year.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Executive is committed to building a modern knowledge economy in Scotland, underpinned by world-class scientists, and world-class research equipment and facilities.<FONT SIZE=2> The new knowledge produced by scientists and researchers in Scotland brings s…

12 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consequential funding it has been allocated in respect of Her Majesty's Government's plans to develop Internet and Learning Access Points and a government general practitioner service through post offices or by other means, and how any such resources will be applied.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive received a funding consequential of £3.5 million as a result of money being allocated in England for the support of pilots of Government General Practitioners (GGPs) and Internet Learning &amp; Access Points (ILAPs). All funding consequentials c…

27 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place at the recent meeting of the Fisheries Council in Brussels.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I attended the Fisheries Council in Brussels on 17 November as part of the UK delegation.<P>The Council discussed the future policy for management of fleet capacity, building on the Commission's mid-term review of the operation of the current Multi-Annual Gui…

20 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Scottish Forestry Strategy (SFS) and whether the SFS will lead to a review of woodland grants.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Forestry Strategy is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The strategy contains a commitment to review the Woodland Grant Scheme and the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme to ensure that greater …

16 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision exists for (a) applicants and (b) objectors to appeal against decisions by the Forestry Authority concerning consents for new commercial plantations, and whether it has any plans to introduce amendments to the relevant regulations to ensure equal appeal rights for all parti…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: In general, landowners do not require consent to plant trees, unless the proposed tree planting is likely to have significant effects on the environment. Where this is the case, the landowner must prepare an environmental statement and submit this to the Fore…

16 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are being made for representation from all sectors of the forestry and timber industries in the new training organisation associated with LANTRA and whether there are any plans for the Forestry Commission to cease funding the Forestry and Aboriculture Safety and Trainin…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: In preparation for the formation of a new forestry and timber industry group within the Lantra National Training Organisation, forestry Ministers for Scotland, England and Wales have encouraged the forestry and timber industries to set up a team to negotiate …

16 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the answer to S1W-2072 from Richard Lochhead was approved by the then Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs, and why that answer was not conveyed to the Parliament and to Mr Lochhead until 26 September 2000.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The then Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs approved the answer to S1W-2072 on 3 November 1999 but, due to an administrative error, the question was not shown on the tracking system. The question was answered as soon as this was discovered.

8 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's pre-budget statement will be in Scotland.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The Chancellor's cash freeze on all road fuel and oil duties and a carefully targeted package of measures for road transport equivalents worth a 4p real terms cut in duty for motorists and 8p for hauliers will help all road users in Scotland and especially th…