Parliamentary questions
Michael McMahon
323 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many shared residency and contact orders were granted by Edinburgh Sheriff Court in the last year.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
22 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases for shared residency and contact orders have been dealt with by Edinburgh Sheriff Court in the last year.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
19 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many dwellings there are in each council tax band, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of dwellings foreach local authority and council tax band is shown in the table.</p><p>Number ofdwellings<sup>(1)</sup> on the Valuation List on 1 September 2003</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> </p> </td…
26 Nov 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy it has for assisting football clubs that find themselves in financial difficulties.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The running of football clubs is a matter for their owners and directors and in some cases their supporters and shareholders. It is for them to manage the club’s resources so that the club can operate on a viable and sustainable basis. It isnot for the Execut…
14 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet the commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to update and publish the Scottish Ministerial Code and A Guide to Collective Decision Making.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The <I>Scottish Ministerial Code</I> and the <I>Guide to Collective Decision Making</I> have been up-dated and will be published today. The <I>Scottish Ministerial Code</I>, which was last revised in February 2002, provides a code of conduct and guidance on p…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the pilot youth court in Hamilton will commence.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The youth court sits for the first time in Hamilton Sheriff Court today.
18 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the annual report on its Equality Strategy.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive made available Making Progress: Equality Annual Report in the Parliament today (Bib. number 26548).
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Youth Court Feasibility Group, announced as part of its ten-point youth crime action plan in June 2002, will be available.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Report of the Youth Court Feasibility Group is being published today and is available on the Scottish Executive website and in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 26132). The Executive accepts the report's conclusion and is proceeding with impl…
12 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Annual Report of the Chief Social Work Inspector on services across Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Chief Inspector's report is being published today and copies are available in the Parliament Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 25204 and 25205).
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will fulfil its commitment to conduct an anti-racism campaign.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is launching an anti racism campaign today. The campaign, under the theme of "One Scotland. Many Cultures", has been developed in conjunction with the Commission for Racial Equality. The campaign is built on a solid foundation of race e…
11 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the Equal Opportunities Committee's 6th Report 2001, Consultation on the Implementation of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive presented its response to Parliament today.
24 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with respect to the Standards Commission for Scotland.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Professor Hugh Begg as Convener of the Standards Commission for Scotland and Mr David Stuart Allan as the Chief Investigating Officer. As members of the commission I have appointed Mrs Linda Costelloe-Baker, Prof…
21 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the allocation of the Learning Disability Services Change Fund to local authorities in the financial year 2002-03 will be part of their Grant Aided Expenditure or whether the allocation will be hypothecated for learning disability services.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21379.
21 Dec 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what plans it has to allocate the Learning Disability Services Change Fund in the financial year 2002-03, and whether this allocation will be dependent on the use local authorities made of their allocation from the fund in the current financial year.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The additional change funds of £12 million for 2002-03 are included within unhypothecated general local government Grant Aided Expenditure for that year.<P>Partnership in Practice agreements have been monitored for the extent to which they make use of new and…
11 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making towards implementing the proposals contained in Rate Relief for Small Businesses: Consultation Paper, published earlier this year.
Answer · Andy Kerr: We will introduce a rates relief scheme for small businesses with effect from 1 April 2003. This scheme has been devised after careful consideration of the responses received to the consultation paper we issued earlier this year.<P>An estimated 70% of Scotlan…
7 Nov 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to allow local authorities to introduce speed restriction measures in built-up areas.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Local authorities have power to set speed limits on local roads in built-up areas and elsewhere. In particular, local authorities have power to set 20 mph speed limits where they are considered appropriate. Other speed limits below 30 mph require the consent …
17 Oct 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any timetable for implementation is being prepared in response to the Race Equality Advisory Forum report, Making it Real: A Race Equality Strategy for Scotland.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive will publish its response to the Race Equality Advisory Forum (REAF) report by the end of January 2002. This response will detail work in hand, and plans for further action based on the report's recommendations. <P>However, responsibili…
5 Sep 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to tackle coronary heart disease.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Coronary Heart Disease/Stroke Task Force's report, received by the Scottish Executive recently, covers a wide range of work, from primary prevention to cardiac rehabilitation. The Executive is now carrying out a comprehensive consultation exercise to help…
29 Aug 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can supply further details about the arrangements for the review of Scotland's cities.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Since the First Minister's announced that a Review of Scotland's Cities would be undertaken, the Executive has carried out preparatory work for the first phase of the work programme. The second phase of external discussion and consultation is now under way. A…
29 Aug 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can supply further details about the arrangements for the review of Scotland's cities.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Sounding Board, which I chair, and the Academic Panel have now been established to inform the work of the review, which is due to report in the new year.<P>The review will be open and participative. Peter Peacock and I will be visiting each of the cities …
7 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the reports by Sir Anthony Campbell and Dr Raj Jandoo on the Chhokar case will be completed and published.
Answer · Colin Boyd: As I have always made clear, the timing of these reports is a matter for Sir Anthony and Dr Jandoo. I understand that both are working on their final reports and that these will be submitted to me as early as possible. Dr Jandoo has written to me to explain t…
31 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to take forward the proposals in its paper Protecting Children: Securing their Safety - a pre-legislative consultation paper on the establishment of an index of adults unsuitable to work with children.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Consultation responses showed support for the proposal to set up an index of adults unsuitable to work with children. I have published today a policy position paper, which confirms our intention to proceed with legislation to create the index, and responds to…
24 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its Statistics Plan for 2001-02 and whether there has been any progress in relation to other aspects of national statistics in Scotland.
Answer · Angus MacKay: I am pleased to announce that we have published the second Scottish Executive Statistics Plan, for 2001-02, for consultation, today. We received a number of useful comments on the first plan, which have influenced the development of our proposals for 2001-02.…
8 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Charity Law Review Commission will publish its report and recommendations.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Charity Law Review Commission is today publishing its report <I>CharityScotland</I>, and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Parliament's Information Centre. I very much welcome the publication of the report and look forward to reading…
20 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics it holds on acts of vandalism on railway lines in Lanarkshire in the last year, in particular, those on the Edinburgh/Shotts/Glasgow line and the Motherwell/Mossend South/Coatbridge line.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Safety and security on the railway is a reserved matter. The prevention of vandalism and trespassing on the railway is the responsibility of the railway industry and the British Transport Police (BTP).<P>The Scottish Executive holds no statistics on acts of v…
5 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is currently available to support groups helping individuals suffering from the side effects of hormone replacement therapy.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is open to national voluntary organisations involved in health-related activities, which complement those provided by the NHS, to apply for funding assistance under section 16B of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. Health boards also have del…
12 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the membership of the Care Development Group will be announced.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I am pleased to be able to announce today the membership of the Care Development Group.<U><P>Chair </U><B><P>Malcolm Chisholm,</B> Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care<U><P>Members</U><B><P>Professor David Bell</B>, Department of Economics, Universit…
7 Feb 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its measures to ensure that this year's school examination diet is successful are progressing as planned.
Answer · Jack McConnell: here are now monthly reports from SQA and monthly meetings of the Ministerial Review Group chaired by the Deputy Minister for Education. Meetings between the Executive and the SQA take place regularly at both ministerial and official level.<FONT FACE="Arial">…
6 Dec 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that ethnic minorities have access to mainstream services.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive's Equality Strategy, which was launched on 6 November, sets out a framework of action for taking forward the Executive's commitment to equality, including the mainstreaming of equality into policy development, service design and deliver…
29 Nov 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve the rail network.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: In July the Deputy Prime Minister announced a 10-year investment programme for the railways of £60 billion. Over the last two years a total of £50 million of Public Transport Fund and Freight Facilities Grant has been committed to rail projects in Scotland. O…