Parliamentary questions

Kenneth Gibson

2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Glasgow City Council will receive #12 million more in cash terms over the next three years under the spending formula announced by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on 7 December 2000 than under the block and formula approach favoured by the council.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Comparisons of the population update and block and formula methods of grant distribution for 2002-03 and 2003-04 suggested that Glasgow City Council would gain around £3.9 million more over the three-year period 2001-04 from the block and formula method than …

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Glasgow City Council is to receive the 27th highest increase in aggregate external finance over the years 2001-02 to 2003-04.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Glasgow City Council's grant allocation was calculated by formula based on long-established methods of establishing each council's need to spend on services. A floor mechanism was also introduced to ensure that all councils would benefit from increases of at …

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how each local authority's aggregate external finance increase for 2001-02 to 2003-04 was arrived at.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Each authority's grant for 2001-02 was calculated using the existing client group based distribution formula adjusted to reflect a number of distribution reviews completed this year. A minimum grant increase (or "floor") of 5% was put in place. For …

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the local authority grant increases announced by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on 7 December 2000, are higher in 2001-02 than in 2002-03 and higher in 2002-03 than in 2003-04.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The grant allocations arise out of the spending plans announced on 20 September, and represent a 10.5% increase in real terms over the three-year period.

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional resources to local authorities over the next three years if inflation exceeds 2.5% in any year.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The increases in grant support announced recently significantly exceed the predicted rate of inflation. It is for local authorities to manage their finances to take account of inflation and other factors just as other public bodies, and the Scottish Executive…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the #1.2 billion additional grant for local authorities over the next three years announced by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on 7 December 2000 will be absorbed by (a) inflation and (b) funding the recommendations of the McCrone Committee.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The total grant figures announced take account of a wide range of factors impacting on local government costs, including the predicted rate of inflation. There is an element included to fund additional expenditure on education, including the recommendations o…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average cost is per hectare of (a) restoring a plot of derelict land and (b) bringing a plot of vacant land to productive industrial use.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally.

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it will give to Glasgow City and South Lanarkshire Councils to reduce the flood threat from the River Cart.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 grants, at a rate of 50%, are available to all councils for the construction of confirmed flood prevention schemes which meet specified cost-benefit criteria. It is a matter for the councils concerned whether to …

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Clyde Port Authority regarding the recommencement of dredging of the River Clyde to minimise the potential for flooding.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Dredging of the River Clyde is not a matter for the Executive and no discussions have taken place with Clydeport Plc - formerly the Clyde Port Authority. The company has powers to dredge part of the River Clyde for the purposes of navigation whilst maintenanc…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage private hire car access to bus and taxi lanes across Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, local road authorities are responsible for all aspects of road safety, road maintenance and traffic management on local roads in their area. It is up to each individual council to consider the need for particular me…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the employment rate of working age males in Glasgow will reach the national average.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: According to the Labour Force Survey run by the Office for National Statistics, in summer 1997 the employment rate for working aged men in Glasgow was 62.0%. This had risen by 3.2 percentage points to 65.2% in summer 2000. Over the same three years, the emplo…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the poor perception of jobs in the service sector amongst males as highlighted in the Action Teams for Jobs Report 2000.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Action Teams for Jobs is a Department for Education and Employment initiative which targets the most disadvantaged areas to help workless people get a job and keep it. The Glasgow Action Team for Jobs believes from their work with clients that this perception…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a community legal service delivered by a range of providers including independent agencies, law centres and solicitors in private practice.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Deputy First Minister has set up a working group to make recommendations about how a "Community Legal Service" might be established in Scotland. The group is broadly based and will report to him in October 2001.

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the number of student nurses who drop out of training colleges due to a perceived poor quality of clinical placements offered.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We have continually urged universities and NHS Trusts to work together to minimise the drop-out rate of student nurses and midwives, by addressing a range of issues including:the preparation of the clinical mentors who support students duri…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact "family friendly" policies would have in retaining trained and skilled staff within the NHSiS.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The introduction of family friendly policies is expected to improve morale and show that NHS Scotland cares about its staff. It sends the message that NHS Scotland is serious about recruiting new staff and retaining its staff by offering them the ability to w…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage flexible working practices in the NHSiS which would allow doctors, nurses and ancillary staff to combine work with caring responsibilities.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Our National Health: A Plan for Action, a Plan for Change makes clear that all NHS employers will be required to meet or exceed best practice guidance on family-friendly policies as part of the new Staff Governance Standard. To help employers, guidance…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it is having with health boards and NHSiS Trusts to improve hygiene levels in hospitals.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The main responsibility for ensuring adequate hygiene levels in NHS hospitals in Scotland lies with NHS Trusts. Our National Health: a plan for action, a plan for change, published on 14 December, makes clear that the Scottish Executive expects every N…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that laboratories use consistent reporting criteria and definitions of infections with regard to methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus.

Answer · Susan Deacon: A sub-group of the Health Department's Advisory Group on Infection is currently working up proposals for a national surveillance system for hospital-acquired infection, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The group is considering wha…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it is having with health boards and NHSiS Trusts to reduce the incidence of infection by methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Preventing and controlling hospital-acquired infection (HAI), including infections attributable to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is a key priority for the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: a plan f…

8 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities there have been due to methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus in each of the last three years, broken down by health board area.

Answer · Susan Deacon: All information on cause of death collected when a death is registered is held on public registers. The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) collates this information and codes the cause of death data using the World Health Organisation's International…

7 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to encourage tourist visits to Scotland.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Tourist Board and the British Tourist Authority are responsible for encouraging tourist visits through the generic marketing of Scotland as a tourism destination. A New Strategy for Scottish Tourism, published in February, contains many ne…

6 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the standard general practitioner training to four years with a minimum of two years in general practice by 2005.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The length and content of vocational training for general practitioners is a matter for the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP), which is a reserved body with a UK wide remit.

6 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce general practitioner list si'es in areas of deprivation and greatest health need.

Answer · Susan Deacon: While the statutory Regulations set overall limits on list size, they do not provide a mechanism to control list size in particular circumstances.The needs of areas of deprivation and greatest health need are addressed through other means -…

6 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking or plans to take to ensure effective and systematic implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Making it Work Together - a Programme for Government emphasised our commitment to improving the lives of our nation's children and set out a range of targets to…

5 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the statement by the Scottish Housebuilders Association that targeting more land for housebuilding could contribute to a reversal of the anticipated population decline in the area covered by the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2000.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-11774.

5 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the estimate by the Scottish Housebuilders Association that reducing housebuilding activity in the area covered by the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2000 by 14% will cause a loss of almost 3,000 construction jobs in the area.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The SHBA's objections and representations will be taken fully into account in reaching a decision on the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan.

5 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the population decline in Glasgow and the Clyde Valley which the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2000 anticipates will continue year on year for the next 16 years.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Executive will continue to work with relevant authorities, agencies (including the Glasgow Alliance) and other interests to address population decline in the area.

5 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to recruit and retain speech and language therapists in schools.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Education authorities are required to make adequate provision for pupils with speech and language impairment. Grant-aided expenditure of £6.5 million per year from April 1999 is available to local authorities for speech and language therapy services for pupil…

28 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to minimise any disruption to the Glasgow courts caused by recent industrial action by Unison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Local authorities are responsible for the running of their respective district courts. The industrial action of UNISON arises out of a dispute between the relevant local authorities and UNISON on behalf of its members. The Procurator Fiscal sought where possi…

28 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Ministerial Working Group considering the implications of the Kerley Report was formed, on what dates it has met and on what dates meetings are scheduled.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Deputy Minister for Local Government announced on 27 June that the findings of the Renewing Local Democracy Working Group would be taken forward initially by an ad hoc Ministerial Working Group chaired by the First Minister. The group has met on 22 August…