Parliamentary questions
Phil Gallie
528 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since May 1999 archive news releases on its website have been changed by predating announcements.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Website policy is to post news items timeously in conjunction with their release date.<P>On the few occasions when this is not possible, due to error or omission, items are pre-dated and added to the archive. In future, such items will carry a note explaining…
14 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many news releases were in the archive section of its website on 31 May 2002; whether any of these were removed; if so, which ones and whether these were removed or amended to allow for the entry of the announcement on the Judicial Appointments Board made on 12 June 2002, and whether …
Answer · Andy Kerr: There were three items in the archive section of the news website on 31 May 2002. The announcement on Scotsheep 2002 was one of them but was accidentally over-written by another item - £2 million boost for pig industry - which was posted the same day. When t…
14 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why a press release advising of the transmission error that occurred on 31 May 2002 in relation to the Judicial Appointments Board was not issued until the afternoon of 12 June 2002.
Answer · Jim Wallace: A press release announcing the appointment of the new Judicial Appointments Board was issued on 12 June. This advised the media of a transmission error which had occurred on May 30 which was intended to automatically defer release to May 31. The error was not…
14 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why its announcement on the Judicial Appointments Board on 12 June 2002 has been placed in the news archive section of its website for 31 May 2002.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The press release announcing the appointment of the new Judicial Appointments Board was not issued until Wednesday 12 June following a transmission error on May 30. The news release was placed in the news archive on the Scottish Executive website dated May 31…
22 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the inaccuracies in the figures on abuse against women used in its recent campaign have resulted in any videos sent to schools being withdrawn and whether it will give an assurance that no videos using this information will be shown in any school.
Answer · Margaret Curran: There is no inaccuracy that we are aware of in the estimate that one in five women experience threats or force from a partner during their lifetime, which was used in the recent campaign. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) did, however, rule that this …
13 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5139 by Hugh Henry on 9 May 2002, whether it will give details of the six replies received, including from what individual or organisation each such reply was received.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Replies were received from South Ayrshire Council, Heritage Scotland Ltd (the applicant), Robert Drysdale Planning Consultancy (on behalf of the applicant), United for Heathfield (Ayr United supporters), Burness (representing AXA Real Estate Investment Manage…
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost will be to police and fire services of the increase in National Insurance contributions announced in the UK 2002 Budget.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost will be to local authorities in respect of indirectly employed staff of the increase in National Insurance contributions announced in the UK 2002 Budget.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost will be to local authorities in respect of directly employed staff of the increase in National Insurance contributions announced in the UK 2002 Budget.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost to the NHS will be of the increase in National Insurance contributions announced in the UK 2002 Budget.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people the NHS employs (a) directly and (b) indirectly.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A total of 130,028 staff were directly employed in NHSScotland at 30 September 2000, the latest year for which figures are available. The number of all staff indirectly employed by NHSScotland is not available centrally. <P>More detailed information on staff…
19 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can reduce rent levels set for housing benefit purposes by the Rent Registration Service in respect of properties that do not meet acceptable standards.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25242.
19 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are for the Rent Registration Service on reducing rent levels previously set for housing benefit purposes in respect of buildings that do not meet acceptable standards.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25242.
19 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what criteria the Rent Registration Service sets rent levels for housing benefit purposes.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Rent Registration Service sets rent levels for housing benefit purposes in line with legislation drawn up by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and approved by the UK Parliament. <P>The legislation requires the Rent Officer to make a significant…
2 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23033 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 March 2002, what the crime statistics for the Strathclyde Police area reveal for the periods (a) 25 January to 30 January 2002, (b) 1 February to 6 February 2002 and (c) 8 February to 13 February 2002.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.
19 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average quarterly start-up rate of new businesses was between (a) the first quarter of 1995 and the third quarter of 1999 and (b) the third quarter of 1999 and the latest date for which figures are available, and what the explanation is for any reduction in the start-up rate of n…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The following table shows the number of new VAT registrations relative to the adult population for the years since 1995. VAT registrations provide the primary official data on business starts and only annual figures are available. <P>VAT registrations in Scot…
19 Mar 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a shortfall of paediatricians in relation to positions in hospitals and, if so, what steps are being taken to address the situation.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The latest available information on the number of consultant paediatric posts and vacancies is shown in the following table.<P>Paediatrician vacancies in Scotland<SUP>1,2</SUP><P>Headcount at 30 September 2002<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=57…
12 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of allocating resources to policing demonstrations at Faslane during the week commencing 11 February 2002 has been on day-to-day policing throughout Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter falling within the responsibility of the Chief Constable of Strathclyde. However, I am advised that the need to deploy a total of 880 police officers in connection with this demonstration inevitably diverted the officers concerne…
12 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers were involved in policing demonstrations at Faslane during the week commencing 11 February 2002 and to which (a) constabularies and (b) divisions they are assigned.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter falling within the responsibility of the Chief Constable of Strathclyde. However, I am advised that throughout the duration of the Strathclyde Police operation to police these demonstrations, over the period 8 February until 13 F…
12 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what costs have been incurred in respect of policing the demonstrations at Faslane during the week commencing 11 February 2002.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter falling within the responsibility of the Chief Constable of Strathclyde. However, I am advised that the Strathclyde Police operation in respect of policing these demonstrations, over the period 8 February until 13 February 2002, …
31 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now confirm (a) approval of the planning decision taken by South Ayrshire Council on 30 June 1999 for the development at Heathfield in Ayr, which includes a new stadium for Ayr United Football Club, or (b) acceptance of recommendations made by the Inquiry Reporters Unit in…
Answer · Margaret Curran: Neither. As I explained in my letter of 31 January, the Scottish ministers will seek the views of concerned parties on those areas of the public local inquiry report, with which there was disagreement. These will then be taken into account before the Scottish…
31 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of any legal expenses incurred by Heritage Scotland Ltd it will be liable for in respect of the appeal by Ayr United Football Club concerning the club's stadium planning application.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive will be liable for all of Heritage Scotland Ltd's legal expenses incurred (as taxed) up to and including the By Order hearing stage.
31 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much in legal fees it has incurred in preparing a defence against the appeal by Ayr United Football Club concerning the club's stadium planning application.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The information requested is not yet available, but once counsel's accounts are submitted, I shall write to the member with the necessary details and place a copy of my letter in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
31 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why, after several refusals to do so previously, it has abandoned its defence in respect of the appeal by Ayr United Football Club regarding the rejection of the club's original stadium planning application.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Having considered the matter fully, the Scottish ministers concluded that the appropriate course of action would be to concede the appeal on the single ground relating to an implied disagreement with one of the reporters' findings of fact.
21 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many learning providers that have never been the subject of any validity checks by (a) learndirect scotland and (b) Scottish Enterprise have submitted claims in respect of individual learning accounts and how many claims such providers have made.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: All learning providers registered with the Scottish Individual Learning Account scheme and claiming payments have been subject to validity checks by learndirect scotland and Scottish Enterprise.
21 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims for individual learning account (ILA) payments are currently outstanding; how many such claims have been made by providers of training courses linked to ILAs for more than (a) six and (b) 12 months, and how many such providers have on more than one occasion had their serv…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: As claims for payment of ILA-supported learning commenced before 31 January 2002, for which the learner enrolled before 20 December 2001, are currently being accepted, I am not yet in a position to indicate the number of claims currently outstanding.
21 Dec 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-1501 by Mr Jack McConnell on 20 December 2001, what the names are of the learning providers who will be paid before the end of this month.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The names of the learning providers are as follows (in alphabetical order):<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=438><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">2020 Training</FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16>…
17 Dec 2001 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what action is being taken to validate existing learning provider claims for Individual Learning Accounts payments to enable these providers to meet their wage bills prior to the end of 2001.
Answer · Jack McConnell: All current claims are being validated to safeguard public funds. Almost 300 learning providers will be paid before the end of this month. The remainder will be paid as soon as possible thereafter.
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what systems were in place to track any false claimants of Individual Learning Accounts.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Initial checks are undertaken by the Individual Learning Account (ILA) Centre to ensure that the learning provider, the individual learner and the learning provided are all eligible for ILA purposes. Requests for payment are then made to Scottish Enterprise o…
28 Nov 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence led to the suspension of Individual Learning Accounts on 23 November 2001.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Following the discovery of irregularities by officers from the Department of Employment and Skills' special investigations unit, police were called in to investigate alleged fraud and theft involving Individual Learning Accounts. This led to the immediate clo…