Parliamentary questions

Mr Keith Harding

382 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

10 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the task forces, working groups, review groups, action groups and similar committees established by the Minister for Communities and her deputy ministers since 6 May 1999.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Since 6 May 1999 my deputy ministers and I have established the following groups:<UL><LI>Race Equality Advisory Forum</LI></UL><UL><LI>Review of Councils for Voluntary Service</LI><LI>Strategic Review o…

28 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for the Scottish Cancer Group, or any other body within the NHSiS, to collate information on investment in cancer services on a national basis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Cancer Group is actively involved in the ongoing national review of the need and procurement policy for linear accelerators and is also assessing chemotherapy services nationwide and undertaking a series of projected modelling exercises to inform…

28 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-972 by Mr Jim Wallace on 17 September 1999, what total cost was incurred by Central Scotland Police in respect of the disciplinary hearing of Inspector John Bunyan.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I understand that Central Scotland Police met costs for legal fees and expert witnesses for the hearing of a little over £100,000.

28 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Arts Council undertakes any monitoring of the use of its financial support to Variant maga'ine and, if so, what form that monitoring takes.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Arts Council's financial support to Variant is subject to their standard procedures and conditions of grant, which they apply to all allocations of SAC funds. The SAC carries out systematic monitoring at set stages throughout the annual fu…

26 Apr 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Communities last met CoSLA and what issues they discussed.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I last met with CoSLA's Social Affairs Forum on 2 March 2000 to discuss housing matters.

12 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) any Scottish local authorities have moved, or propose to move, to an "executive and scrutiny" model to replace the committee system in the light of The Report of the Commission on Local Government and The Scottish Parliament; (b) any Scottish Council has sought advice from the…

Answer · Frank McAveety: One Scottish local authority has already moved to an executive model and a number of others are developing plans for new policy development and decision-making structures.It is for individual local authorities to decide how best to discharg…

29 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the abolition of advance corporation tax credit for pension funds had on each local authority and their "Band D" council taxpayers in the current financial year and what assessment it has made of the impact in future years.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The level of council tax is a matter for each local authority to decide. Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, £27 million, £38.5 million and £38.5 million was included in the local government settlements for 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001…

29 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what account it will take of the outcome of the proposed private referendum regarding the repeal of section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The debates on the proposal to repeal section 2A as part of our consideration of the Ethical Standards Bill will be informed by a wide range of views, comments and representations from people throughout Scotland. It then falls to members of this Parliament to…

24 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Finance will provide the additional information on non-domestic rate calculation as referred to in column 544 of the Official Report of the Local Government Committee, 8th meeting, on 7 March 2000.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I wrote to the Convenor of the Local Government Committee about this matter on 23 March, a copy of which is available in SPICe.

24 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what total amount was raised in non-domestic rates in 1999-2000, and what total amount will be raised in 2000-01.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Based on the most recent information available, it is estimated that around £1,500.163 million will be raised in non-domestic rates for 1999-2000. We estimate that £1,550 million will be raised for 2000-01, the same in real terms as for 1999-2000.

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Convention on Human Rights will have on local authority planning committees.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In October 2000, provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 will come into force that will make it unlawful for any public authority to act in a way that is incompatible with the ECHR.

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Convention on Human Rights will have on Fire Brigade Boards.

Answer · Jim Wallace: When the Human Rights Act 1998 comes into force in October this year, it will be possible for the actions of fire authorities, in common with those of other authorities, to be challenged in the domestic courts on the grounds that they are incompatible with th…

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Children and Education has any plans to visit Bell Baxter High School in Cupar, Fife.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I have no such plans.

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Convention on Human Rights will have on local authority licensing boards.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is reviewing systematically all its activities in order to ensure compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. The local authorities will similarly require to identify issues where there is a risk of challenge.

21 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Convention on Human Rights will have on police boards.

Answer · Jim Wallace: When the Human Rights Act 1998 comes into force in October this year, it will be possible for the actions of police authorities, in common with those of other authorities, to be challenged in the domestic courts on the grounds that they are incompatible with …

21 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many secondary schools are currently located on split sites.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested is not collected centrally.

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3756 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 6 March 2000, which budget the additional #600,000 funding offered to the Hampden rescue package will come from, given that all estimated end-year flexibility within the Education, Culture and Sport budget has been allocat…

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to my answer to question S1W-4931

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the fiscal fine scheme to assess its impact on minor offences.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has no such plans at present. However, a clearer picture of the operation of fines arrangements generally should emerge from a research study we have commissioned on fines and fines enforcement. The study should be completed by the end of this y…

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether savings from the assisted places scheme, over and above those already made available for a Hampden rescue package, will be used to provide any additional funding now to be committed to Hampden.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer Mr Harding to my answer to question S1W-3438.

1 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has had to pay out in interest payments on overdue debts to firms with less than 50 employees in each year since the Late Payment Act 1998 came into effect.

Answer · Jack McConnell: This information is not held centrally. Payment arrangements are a matter between local authorities and individual suppliers.

1 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage local authorities to provide full access to their records for the Accounts Commission, in order that it can monitor more effectively local authorities' settlement of payment to private suppliers and contractors.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Section 100 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 provides auditors a right of access to all documents relating to the accounts of a local authority. Section 1 of the Local Government Act 1992 provides that the Accounts Commission may require local auth…

1 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage local authorities to improve the speed with which they settle payments to private suppliers and contractors.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Payment arrangements are a matter between local authorities and individual suppliers. As noted in my response to question S1O-332, I spoke to Councillor Norman Murray, President of CoSLA, asking him to draw to the attention of councils the requirements of the…

24 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to ask all local authorities to undertake investigations into possible benefit frauds by their employees.

Answer · Frank McAveety: Social security benefits including housing and council tax benefits are reserved matters and are the responsibility of the DSS. The Secretary of State for Social Security has said that the Benefits Agency will continue to work with councils to stamp out fraud…

23 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the number of surgeons and oncologists specialising in lung cancer for each health board.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Centrally collected data includes numbers of surgeons and oncologists employed in the NHS in Scotland. Recognised specialist/specialty functions are identified, for example, urological surgery, plastic surgery, ear/nose and throat surgery. Tumour specific int…

26 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3488 by Mr Jack McConnell on 11 January 2000, how many jobs have been lost in local government in each of the last two financial years and to date in the current year and whether any of these job losses were a direct result of budgetary reductions.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Staffing levels are a matter for local authorities themselves. Available figures for local authority staffing levels show an overall decrease of 2,161 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff for the period 1997-98, a further decrease of 1,859 for the period 1998-99,…

24 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether health boards are able to contribute capital funding to housing associations and local authorities to facilitate adaptations to (a) allow disabled tenants to remain in residence; (b) to alleviate future health problems of disabled tenants, or (c) where there would be an improvemen…

Answer · Iain Gray: Any tenant seeking an aid or adaptation to their premises should in the first instance raise the matter with their landlord.Health boards may, if they think fit, make payments to local authorities and housing associations for, among other m…

18 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2224 by Mr Frank McAveety on 25 November 1999, whether it has received the full account of Stirling Council's practice in relation to the co-option of individuals to council committees which it requested and whether it is satisfied that Stirling Coun…

Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer to my previous replies of 14 December and 11 January to questions S1W-2867 and S1W-3390. We received the chief executive's response on 7 December, and it was in the light of that that I wrote to the leader of the council on the lines described in my r…

14 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3438 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 11 January 2000, how much of the savings generated by the abolition of assisted places in schools have been utilised to fund Scottish Opera and the National Stadium Project at Hampden.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The package to assist Scottish Opera will draw on £1.1 million savings resulting from the phasing out of the assisted places scheme. No savings from the assisted places scheme have been used to provide funding for the National Stadium Project at Hampden.

14 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take to ensure that local authorities materially improve their performance in respect of the proportion of waste recycled.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The National Waste Strategy: Scotland, which we adopted in December, sets out the framework for Scotland to move towards more sustainable waste management. It is clear that a great increase in the amount of recycling by local authorities is needed.<P ALIGN="J…

14 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3438 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 11 January 2000, what level of resources are still available from end-year flexibility arrangements.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: All estimated end-year flexibility within the education, culture and sport budget has been allocated.