Parliamentary questions

Michael Russell

1,207 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations were consulted before the ScotXed questionnaire was distributed and whether the Catholic Church was included in those organisations.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information required by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) to be collected through the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data (ScotXed) for the September 2002 School Census is detailed on the ScotXed website: http://www.svtc.org.uk/scotx…

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information collection procedures are being replaced by the ScotXed initiative.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The ScotXed (Scottish Exchange of Educational Data) project envisages that, by 2005, all major exchanges of data between ScotXed partners should be electronic. As well as transfers of data to the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED), this will inclu…

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often it has waived the need for local authorities to submit a formal planning application for development of an authority's own buildings since 1 July 1999 and what criteria it uses in order to reach such a decision.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Notice of Intention to Develop (NID) procedure applies where a local authority requires planning permission for a development which it proposes to carry out. Where an objection is received, the authority is required to submit details of the proposal for c…

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in regard to public opposition to the style and nature of the extension to Aberlady Primary School to be funded by a section 75 agreement with Cala Homes.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The design of the extension to Aberlady Primary School was a matter for East Lothian Council to consider, having regard to the provisions of the development plan and other material considerations including public representations on the proposal. The Scottish …

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the planned extension to Aberlady Primary School enhances the school building or the overall appearance of the conservation village of Aberlady.

Answer · Hugh Henry: It is for the planning authority to assess the suitability of building design, having regard to the provisions of the development plan and other material considerations.

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what grounds it concluded that East Lothian did not need to submit a formal planning application for consideration by the Scottish ministers for the extension to Aberlady Primary School to be funded by a section 75 agreement with Cala homes and whether such grounds took account of publ…

Answer · Hugh Henry: As planning authorities are not allowed to grant themselves planning permission, they are required to submit details of the proposed development to the Scottish ministers for consideration as a Notice of Intention to Develop (NID).The Scottish ministers wi…

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in finding induction year places for teacher training graduates with Scottish local authorities from August 2002.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The new Teacher Induction Scheme will be introduced, on target, in August. All primary probationers have now been notified of the local authority they will be working for during their probationary year. All of them have been offered one of their five choic…

22 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the Saltire is always flown from buildings in the care of Historic Scotland.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have already indicated how the guidelines for flag flying on special days will be adjusted so as to ensure that, on St Andrew's Day, Historic Scotland sites with single poles will fly the Saltire. I believe that is the correct decision. We have no plans to …

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the Saltire is flown from public buildings on St Andrew's Day.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26110.

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Her Majesty's Government regarding the days on which the Union flag must be flown from public buildings, including those in the care of Historic Scotland.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26110.

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a list of days on which the Union flag must be flown was issued to Historic Scotland and other public bodies and what days were on that list.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive's Flag Flying Guidelines were first issued in June 2001, following consultations with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (who were responsible, pre-devolution, for guidance on flags). The Executive's guidelines are revised from time to t…

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it will make available to education authorities to ensure that no teacher undergoing a probationary period of training will have his or her temporary contract ended in order to create a place for a student undertaking the new induction year.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Deployment of staff is a matter for local authorities and information on the use of temporary contracts is not held centrally. It is clear from our general discussions with local authorities that a large number of temporary contracts have always come to an…

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many existing temporary staff contracts for teachers in each education authority will be ended by August 2002 in order to make teaching places available for those entering their induction year.

8 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on roads in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 and whether the budget was underspent in either year.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Gross expenditure on the Motorway and Trunk Road Programme during 2000-01 was £202.73 million, which represented an underspend of £14.96 million. Details were set out in the Executive's Resource Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2001, which were laid befor…

8 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it or its agencies make available to blind postgraduate students in order to provide them with electronic equipment and personal readers to allow them to access printed material in the course of their research.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Student Awards Agency for Scotland provides eligible postgraduate students with assistance under the Postgraduate Students' Allowances Scheme (PSAS). Disabled students being funded under PSAS who incur higher course costs because of their disabilities can…

8 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what access blind postgraduate students not funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council have to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland disabled students allowance scheme.

Answer · Iain Gray: Blind postgraduate students whose courses come under the remit of any of the research councils, but who for whatever reason are not being funded by them, are not eligible for any allowances paid by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

8 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the introduction of the career wind down scheme for teachers under the McCrone settlement.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The winding down scheme for teachers will be introduced from August 2002.

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give examples of any information that it would not have told the Parliament previously but that it now would, following the passing of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Jim Wallace: It is not possible to predict what information will be made available after the passing of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill. Consideration of whether requested information will be disclosed will be on a case-by-case basis.Until the bill comes int…

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the condition of roads in the Clydesdale parliamentary constituency, other than the A72.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25325.

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the issue of potholes in roads in the Clydesdale parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Trunk roads in Clydesdale are managed and maintained on behalf of the Scottish Executive by the Operating Companies, Amey Highways and Autolink Concessionaires. The trunk road maintenance contract requires the Operating Companies to carry out regular safety i…

24 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in ensuring that all students training to be teachers who require an induction year starting in August 2002 will be accommodated without affecting any teachers currently on temporary contracts.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive continue to work very closely with local authorities to meet the guarantee of a one-year training contract for all eligible probationary teachers. Considerable progress has been made. Sufficient funding is being made available to mee…