Parliamentary questions
Kenneth Gibson
2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to accommodate the recommendation in the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee's 3rd Report 2000 Housing Stock Transfer that a multi-agency task force be establish for each stock transfer proposal with a specific remit to ensure that maximisa…
Answer · Margaret Curran: This is a matter for the parties involved in developing transfer proposals. A multi-agency Housing and Employment Working Group operating at an all-Scotland level is identifying the mechanisms required to maximise employment opportunities and inclusion benefi…
24 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that neighbourhood forums established to consult on Glasgow stock transfer proposals consult with tenant associations and that those tenant associations relay information to and from their own tenants.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Neighbourhood Forums were established by Glasgow City Council. The activities and procedures of these organisations is a matter for the council.
24 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that information given to council tenants in Glasgow with regard to the stock transfer proposals is accurate.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive's <I>Guidance for Local Authorities on Housing</I> <I>Transfer to Community Ownership</I> sets down procedures that local authorities are expected to follow in carrying out their statutory responsibilities in respect of consultation with tenants…
24 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the #13 million earmarked for Glasgow City Council in connection with the development of its stock transfer proposal has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date.
Answer · Margaret Curran: By the end of the last financial year £8.4 million had been allocated to the Glasgow stock transfer initiative and £6.9 million of that had been drawn down by Glasgow City Council.
24 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage more females to take up modern apprenticeships.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is working with the Enterprise Network to target Modern Apprenticeships in non-traditional sectors, including hospitality, early years and childcare, IT and health and social care. Many of these sectors offer apprenticeship opportunitie…
24 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12264 how much Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Eilean Siar, Highland and West Lothian Councils spent in each year from 1996-97 to 2000-01 in utilising their discretionary powers to enable tenants to purchase a home on the open market.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The information requested is not held centrally.
24 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what VAT implications there will be for the cost of improving homes following the proposed Glasgow housing stock transfer.
Answer · Margaret Curran: VAT implications will depend on the specific details of the transfer proposal.
23 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of any impact which non-dredging of the River Clyde will have on water levels along the course of the river in forthcoming years.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The need for maintenance of water courses is a matter for the riparian land owners concerned: decisions on dredging of the River Clyde are not for the Scottish Executive. Commissioning of any specific assessments is also a matter for the riparian landowners i…
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to initiate a national inquiry into the pay and conditions of nursery nurses with a view to producing a report and recommendations.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive recognises the crucial role that well qualified,<FONT SIZE=2> highly motivated staff play in delivering quality early education and childcare services. The Executive is working hard to support skills development in the sector and improv…
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a special unit for patients sent for psychiatric assessment by the courts.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS and other agencies will continue to offer a range of care settings and services available for those referred for assessment by the Courts. The individual needs and considerations will continue to inform which setting or service is appropriate in each …
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it takes to ensure that deafblind people are able to access specifically trained one-to-one support workers when assessed as requiring such support.
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessments are carried out into the needs of deafblind individuals and what qualifications a person carrying out any such assessment must possess.
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it takes to ensure that the services provided to deafblind people are appropriate and in formats and methods accessible to them.
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been carried out on the number of children and adults who are deaf and blind for the latest year for which figures are available.
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition of deafblindness is.
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the recommendations made in the Scottish Office Social Work Services Inspectorate's 1998 Report, Sense and Progress, are carried out.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: In examining services for the Chief Social Work Inspector's Annual Report for 2002, officials will seek up to date information on local progress in implementing the recommendations of <I>Sensing Progress</I>.<P>A working group consisting of representatives fr…
12 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to meet the targets set out in the action plan in the Action for Inclusion report by University Scotland.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: We welcome the publication by Universities Scotland of the Access to Achievement and the Action for Inclusion reports. We agree that partnership between higher education institutions, further education colleges, local authorities, schools and other providers …
12 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it would seek to use the income tax varying power to (a) raise or (b) lower the basic rate of income tax.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has undertaken not to use its tax varying power to increase income tax during the current Parliament. Our draft budget for 2002-03 is based on the current rate of basic tax.
12 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many students have dropped out of (a) further and (b) higher education in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Data for all students undertaking further and higher education at higher education institutions and who leave before completion each year for which information is available is provided in the table:<P>Students in Higher Education Institutions in Scotland 1994…
12 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives who qualified in 2000 have found employment in the profession.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.
12 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11138 by Susan Deacon on 24 January 2001, whether the Code of Practice on Openness for the NHS in Scotland requires Health Board drugs and therapeutics committees to make public the minutes of their meetings and forthcoming agendas and, if not, wheth…
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15083.
12 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11138 by Susan Deacon on 24 January 2001, what measures are in place to monitor Health Boards' compliance with the Code of Practice on Openness for the NHS in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15083.
12 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11138 by Susan Deacon on 24 January 2001, how successful the Code of Practice on Openness for the NHS in Scotland has been in ensuring that internal committees of individual Health Boards do not operate under any presumption of privacy.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Code of Practice on Openness for the NHS in Scotland makes a presumption of openness and accessibility of information to the public but also permits some information to be withheld. This includes information about internal discussion and advice. Health …
6 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it is taking to make nicotine replacement therapies available free of charge.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A Statutory Instrument to amend Schedule 10 of the National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 has been laid in Parliament to come into force on 30 April 2001. This will allow GPs to prescribe nicotine replacement …
6 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that money is available to fund nicotine replacement therapies as outlined in its announcement on 14 March 2001.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Health Boards received an average increase in Unified Budgets of 6.5% for 2001-02 to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations. This uplift is considered to be adequate to cover in year pressures on prescribing expenditure including those arising …
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the IT project for people with learning disabilities implemented by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council at its Westfield Resource Centre can be implemented by Scottish local authorities.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The West Vale Resource Centre for people with learning disabilities, run by Knowsley Council Social Services, has developed an IT project for around 60 service users who attend the centre. The project has demonstrated significant benefits for people with lear…
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the number of information officers and public relations staff working for it.
Answer · Tom McCabe: None.
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to investigate Norfolk County Council's Quiet Lanes approach to traffic management to establish whether are any lessons for improving safety on country roads.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: We have no plans to do this. The Scottish rural road network is different in character to English "quiet lanes". The Transport (Scotland) Act does not include reference to quiet lanes as it was felt that they were not appropriate in the Scottish sit…
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends three-year budgets for local authorities to be set annually on a rolling programme or set every three years.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The settlement announcements will fit with the Spending Review cycle. The next Spending Review, scheduled for 2002, will allow us to roll forward the settlement for a further three-year period.
3 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to encourage an extension of Moray Council's Fair Travel Scheme to other local authorities.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive welcomes discounted fare initiatives such as the Fair Travel Scheme in Moray, which is a joint initiative between Stagecoach Bluebird and Moray Council. It is a matter for individual local authorities and public transport operators to c…