Parliamentary questions
Kenneth Gibson
2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long it takes a trainee to qualify for a Scottish Vocational Qualification at level three.
Answer · Henry McLeish: There is no specific timescale attached to the completion of a Scottish Vocational Qualification at any of the five levels available. SVQs demonstrate a candidate's ability to undertake a particular job to national standards of occupational competence rather …
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many working days were lost through mental illness in the last year for which figures are available.
Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally.
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact mental illnesses have on patients suffering from physical ailments.
Answer · Iain Gray: A range of impacts from confusion to misunderstanding can apply. The role of carers, family and practitioners is key to helping the patient reduce this additional stress where it occurs. The aim of all concerned is to provide appropriate support and care to m…
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to eliminate any discrimination against individuals with mental health problems.
Answer · Iain Gray: The <I>Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland</I> encourages all care agencies to promote mental health and engage actively in health promotion, including action to de-stigmatise mental illness.
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards establishing mental health specialisms in general practice.
Answer · Susan Deacon: General Practitioners (GPs) do not specialise in the sense that hospital doctors do. For information on the training of GPs in the area of mental health, I refer to my answer to question S1W-8024
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who would have jurisdiction over an individual suffering from mental illness in prison and who would deal with any possible lapse in care.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Prison Governor, supported by medical and nursing staff, has responsibility for the physical and mental wellbeing of al…
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a definition of what it considers to be mental illness and mental disorder.
Answer · Iain Gray: No action on such a definition is envisaged by the Executive in advance of the report of the Millan Committee which is reviewing mental health legislation.
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve training and levels of understanding of general practitioners in relation to mental health.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The content of vocational training for general practitioners (GPs) in the UK is a matter for the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP). The JCPTGP works in close collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners (R…
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to streamline funding mechanisms for voluntary organisations.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Executive is committed to three-year core funding for voluntary organisations, and to working with other funders to promote a stable funding environment for the sector. The Executive published Good Practice Guidance on funding of voluntary organisations o…
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that National Lottery funding for successful mental health projects continues on a permanent basis.
Answer · Iain Gray: Decisions on National Lottery Charities Board (NLCB) funding are a matter entirely for the NLCB Scotland Committee.
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liase with the Health Education Board for Scotland to develop a campaign to highlight mental health problems.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS), which is funded wholly by the Scottish Executive, works closely with the Executive in the development of its many and wide ranging activities, including those covering mental health.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The promot…
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish waiting lists for patients with mental health problems.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on waiting lists is collected centrally only for hospital inpatients and day cases. Most consultations and treatments for patients with mental health problems are undertaken on an outpatient or day hospital basis and, therefore, information on the…
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the mental illness grant was in real terms in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answer · Iain Gray: Total Mental Illness Specific Grant has remained stable at £18 million per annum since 1996-97 and is provided on a 70:30 ratio between the Scottish Executive and the local authorities through their Grant Aided Expenditure. The Scottish Executive's contributi…
15 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether revenue support to Glasgow City Council in 2001-02 will be reduced; if so, whether it will provide an estimate of by how much and whether it has held or has any plans to hold discussions with or make representations to the council over their preparation for a 4% reduction in spend…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The level of grant Glasgow City Council will receive from the Scottish Executive for 2001-02 has yet to be determined. I expect to announce the provisional local government settlement for that year in December. The assumption used by the council in its forwar…
14 Jun 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the availability of nicotine replacement therapy within the Parliament will be publicised.
Answer · David Steel: The SPCB's "Policy on Smoking in the Workplace" (Personnel Policy: No 1/1999) was issued by the Personnel Office on 19 November 1999. It was placed in the public folders and all members and staff were advised of this at the time. The policy is curre…
14 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors within the NHSiS are currently suspended on full pay and what is the average length of suspension.
Answer · Susan Deacon: NHS Trusts are responsible for the operation of staff disciplinary procedures. The Scottish Executive has worked with Trusts and others to put in place a range of measures to improve and streamline the disciplinary process for medical staff. Trusts have been …
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that a representative of Glasgow's owner-occupiers, who share buildings and factoring services with local authority properties, is appointed to the board of the Glasgow Housing Association.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Interim Management Committee of the Glasgow Housing Association is being established taking account of the framework document, <I>Better Homes Stronger Communities</I>, which was published on 10 April. The committee will be composed of tenants, councillor…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure all new homes built in Scotland are fitted with smoke alarms.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990 (as amended) require that all new homes are fitted with smoke alarms.
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to minimise pollution of the River Clyde.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for the protection of the quality of the River Clyde. It routinely monitors chemical, biological and hydrological parameters to gauge the health of various sectors of the river. Water authoritie…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support, expertise and encouragement it is providing to the Glasgow CrossRail project.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Glasgow CrossRail scheme is a Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive initiative. The Scottish Executive has not been approached by SPTE for public funding or any other support.
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the impact of the Glasgow Housing Stock Transfer on owner-occupiers who occupy buildings which are also partly tenanted.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The framework document, <I>Better Homes Stronger Communities</I>, which was published on 10 April, outlined a package of initiatives which could be developed to promote owner occupation and to assist existing owners. These will be considered further as a tran…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have indicated that they will consider possible use of the proposed powers on road user charging and workplace parking charges.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The City of Edinburgh Council have indicated that they are considering using the proposed powers on road user charging. Glasgow City Council and Aberdeen City Council have also expressed an interest more generally in seeing if the powers may be suitable for t…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths are attributed in each of the last three years for which figures are available to (a) smoking and (b) atmospheric pollution.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not held centrally.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It is not possible to give precise figures on deaths resulting from tobacco use. However, it is estimated that each year more than 13,000 people in Scotland die from smoking-related diseases, …
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to examine teachers' pensions and exit strategies with a view to allowing teachers to leave the profession.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Following the publication of the McCrone Committee's Report, I announced that over the summer months a series of bilateral meetings are scheduled with the key parties leading to implementation discussions in the autumn. During this period a number of issues a…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it envisages for local government as employers in modernising the education service.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: We know that local authorities share our vision of a modern, adaptive education service. We are pleased to be working in partnership with them to address the McCrone recommendations and on other issues. We do not envisage any change in the role education auth…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local government will remain the custodian of the education service.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: We have no plans to change the role of education authorities from that currently set out in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill.
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will invest in (a) road infrastructure, (b) rail infrastructure and (c) land reclamation in Scotland each year from 2000-01 to 2002-03 inclusive and what proportion of this investment will be spent each year in Glasgow.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Details of the Executive's expenditure plans to 31 March 2002 are in the Annual Expenditure Report entitled <I>Investing in You</I>. A copy is available in SPICe. Bodies other than the Executive have responsibilities for road infrastructure, rail and land rec…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many manufacturing jobs were created in Scotland in each of the last five years through inward investment and how many of these jobs were in Glasgow.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The table below contains details of the number of manufacturing jobs attracted to Scotland through inward investment in each of the last five years and how many of these jobs were in Glasgow.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=505><TR><TD WIDTH="1…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to attract manufacturing companies to Glasgow.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Locate in Scotland (LiS) is keen to market Glasgow as a location for inward investment projects in suitable cases. In the last financial year (1999-2000) LiS attracted 19 projects to Glasgow which, if fully developed, will provide 2,915 new jobs and safeguard…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the economic infrastructure of Glasgow.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Scottish Enterprise Glasgow has a budget of £50.253 million for 2000-01, its functions include safeguarding employment, enhancing skills, promoting industrial efficiency and international competitiveness and furthering improvements to the environment.<P ALIGN…