Parliamentary questions
Kenneth Gibson
2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that intelligent design theory is prohibited from being taught in school science classes.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The curriculum inScotland is not based on statutory prescription. Itis for schools, in the light of the curriculum framework within which they operate,to determine how best they organise the syllabus.</p><p>However, I can confirmthat there are no plans to inc…
15 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage NHS Ayrshire and Arran to expedite the business plan for a new hospital on Arran and its subsequent construction.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have no plans to build a new hospital on Arran.</p>
15 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to carry out an economic impact assessment on the effect on the north Ayrshire economy of the closure of the Hunterston B nuclear power station.
Answer · Jim Mather: I understand thatBritish Energy, the operator of Hunterston B, will make a decision on whether toextend the life of the facility in April next year. The Scottish Executive therefore,has no plans to conduct such an assessment.</p>
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether snaring is an indiscriminate method of taking or killing wild animals under Regulation 41 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 as amended by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007.
Answer · Michael Russell: Interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts in the particular circumstances of the case inquestion. Following the recent public consultation, I expect to make an announcementafter the summer recess on our intentions in relation to the law on snaring.…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government in relation to the regulation of airguns since the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 came into force.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Firearms law andair guns, including the provisions in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, havebeen the subject of regular discussions between officials. We are keeping thematter under close review and shall be holding detailed discussions with UK ministerso…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in discussions with the UK Government about extending the powers of the Executive to legislate on the regulation of airguns.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No such discussionshave yet taken place.</p>
11 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a centre for renewable energy research will be built on or near the site of Hunterston nuclear power station prior to the full decommissioning of that facility.
Answer · Jim Mather: Research into renewableenergy is carried out at a number of institutions in Scotland. The Intermediary Technology Institute for Energy is able to include renewableenergy in its research and development programmes, and renewable and other formsof clean energy …
6 Jun 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure the provision of funding to secure the continuation of the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We recognise the importance of the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service to remote and rural communities and willset out our proposals to sustain the service shortly.</p>
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ChildLine Scotland has increased the number of children it helps since 2003.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Yes.</p><p>ChildLine can currentlyrespond to about 60% of the calls it receives. Recent additional ScottishExecutive funding will allow ChildLine to expand its current services andincrease the response rate to around 80% for this financial year and beyond.</p>
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has increased the level of investment in helplines for young people, including the provision of funding to allow ChildLine Scotland to increase by up to 60% since 2003 the number of children it helps.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executive hasrecently provided additional funding of £536,300 (over 2007-09) to expand thecapacity of Glasgow and Aberdeen Centres and to set up a new base in Edinburgh.</p><p>The Executive has alsorecently invested in a freephone national teleph…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the results were of the three-year reform programme for child protection services.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The findings of the independentevaluation – <i>A Process Review of the Child Protection Reform Programme </i>-can be found on the Scottish Executive website’s publications pages at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/13100337/0">http://www…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are available to local authorities on young runaways under the age of 16.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executive’sguidance pack on Vulnerable Children and Young People, which was published inJuly 2003, contains specific recommendations on young runaways. Localauthorities are expected to have developed local protocols which give effect tothe guidan…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution last met and what matters were discussed.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Working Group on YoungRunaways has not met yet. The first meeting is scheduled for 25 June 2007.</p>
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution has met and what results have emerged from its meetings.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Working Group on YoungRunaways has not met yet. The first meeting is scheduled for 25 June 2007.</p>
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the members are of the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Invitations have recentlyissued to the following organisations for membership of a proposed nationalworking group on young runaways:</p><p>Aberlour Child Care Trust</p><p>Association of Chief PoliceOfficers Scotland (ACPOS)</p><p>Association of Directors ofSo…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have taken steps to provide short-term refuges for children and whether it plans to issue guidance to local authorities on this matter.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Executive does not havespecific plans at present to issue guidance to local authorities on thismatter, nor does it hold information centrally about steps taken by localauthorities to provide short-term refuge. To address the issue of short-termrefuge at a…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available for local authorities to safeguard young runaways who are at risk of harm under section 38 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Specific resources madeavailable by the Executive to local authorities to safeguard young runawaysare:</p><p>a guidance pack which issuedto Child Protection Committees in July 2003 on vulnerable children and youngpeople which makes recommendations about the c…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations of Missing Out – Young Runaways in Scotland it has implemented.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In response to therecommendations of this report, the Executive has:</p><p>provided substantialadditional support to ChildLine and ParentLine;</p><p>funded, on a pilot projectbasis, the Running Other Choices (ROC) project run by Aberlour Child CareTrust, and<…
29 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to raise outcomes in schools with unacceptable levels of educational attainment.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are committed to workingwith education professionals to help every child, in every school, achievetheir full potential.</p>
29 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were defined as homeless in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The numbers of applicant householdsassessed as homeless under the homelessness legislation by local authorities areshown in the following table.</p><p>Number of ApplicationsAssessed as Homeless by Local Authority: 1996-97 to 2005-06</p><table border=1 cellspa…
29 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of affordable housing.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Affordable housing is broadlydefined in <i>Scottish Planning Policy 3: Planning for</i> <i>Housing</i> as follows“Housing of reasonable quality that is affordable to people on modest incomes. Insome places the market can provide some or all of the affordable …
24 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what disruption it considers is caused to the families of children sent from Scotland to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for treatment.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Government is well awareof the difficulties families experience when a seriously ill or injured childis treated at a considerable distance from home. Everything possible is done toensure that the disruption caused is kept to a minimum. An initial assessme…
24 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 14 were sent to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 2005 from Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: Between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2007, fourScottish children were seen at Stoke Mandeville. As there have been no newreferrals of Scottish children to Stoke Mandeville since 1994, each of the fourchildren concerned received a short-stay review of their rehab…
24 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of sending young people under 14 years to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for treatment was in the last financial year, including the cost of flights, meals and accommodation, and how much it would have cost to provide specialist paediatric staff at the Queen Elizabeth National Sp…
Answer · Shona Robison: The clinical costs of such referrals in 2006-07 was £18,909. Information on the associated costs of travel, meals and accommodation is not available centrally, as it is the responsibility of the NHS board of residence of each child to fund these costs.</p> <…
24 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used in the decision that children younger than 14, as opposed to any other age, must be sent to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire for treatment of their spinal injuries.
Answer · Shona Robison: Since its designation as anational service in 1992, the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit hasbeen able to admit children aged 12 years or over. This may be related to themove from primary to secondary education. It may also avoid any difficultiesw…
24 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to open a paediatric spinal assessment facility or recruit specialist staff to the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injury Unit at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Queen Elizabeth NationalSpinal Injury Unit is able to assess and manage children aged 12 or over whoare admitted with acute spinal injuries. It also offers support, through itsliaison and outreach services, to all children in Scotlandwith spinal injuries.…
24 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no spinal assessment facility in Scotland for young people under the age of 14.
Answer · Shona Robison: Children under 12 with acutespinal injuries but no neurological damage are managed either in the RoyalHopsital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, or the Royal Hospital for Sick Childrenat Yorkhill, Glasgow, with input from the Queen Elizabeth National SpinalInjuri…
23 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to devolve budgets and decision-making to community council level.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive willlook at what steps are required to give greater responsibilities to communitycouncils.</p><p>With regard to any statutorydevolution of budgets and decision-making powers to community councils, the Executive intends to seek the views…
23 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to remove barriers to the construction of affordable housing.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We recognise the acute shortageof affordable homes that exists in many areas of Scotland and are committed to improvingthe supply and affordability of housing. We are developing a range of initiativesto achieve this objective and will be pursuing these over t…
23 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what practical steps it will take to improve educational attainment in schools that significantly underperform in terms of academic attainment.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are committed to workingwith education professionals to stretch every child to achieve their fullpotential and will be considering at an early stage our particular commitmentto raising the achievement of the poorest performing 20% of school pupils, withinc…