Parliamentary questions
Phil Gallie
528 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the report of the study carried out by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health in Finland which states that the mortality rate for women asociated with abortions is three times the rate for women associated with childbirth and what compa…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive is aware of the existence of this study. All UK health departments are advised on issues relating to abortion by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which will take all good quality published studies into account in the next r…
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17992 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 August 2005, what monitoring of mandatory trawl procedures it undertakes.
Answer · Andy Kerr: In return for the operational independence holding bodies now have in respect of property transactions, they are monitored on their implementation of the procedures contained in the NHSScotland Property Transactions Handbook. The Scottish Executive does not u…
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17992 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 August 2005, why, in light of the mandatory requirement for NHS bodies to carry out trawl procedures, it did not give a positive response to the question.
Answer · Andy Kerr: As question S2W-17992 asked “whether it is general practice for the availability of NHS land and property to be trawled …” and the response indicated that it is a mandatory requirement of current guidance. I believe that I provided a positive response.</p>
16 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding each EU country has received for town-twinning support in each of the last five years and what proportion of the United Kingdom's share has been allocated to Scotland.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18479 on 6 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/weba…
16 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what total sum has been available to all EU countries from the EU budget for town-twinning support in each of the last five years.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-18479, answered on 6 September 2005. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
16 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding Scottish towns and cities have attracted in each of the last five years from EU funding available for encouraging contact through twinning arrangements and what proportion of sums paid to the United Kingdom as a whole this represents.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally.</p>
16 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has provided in each of the last five years to encourage links between Scottish and EU citizens through town-twinning arrangements
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information on the European Commission town-twinning budget is not held by the Scottish Executive. The budget is administered by the Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture. The Scottish Executive has not provided separate financial support…
16 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish towns or cities have twinning links with other EU towns or cities.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally. We are, however, placing on our website (<a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations">www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations</a>) details of known bilateral links…
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that the disposal of NHS land and property achieves full value.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Public Finance Manual(SPFM), issued by Scottish ministers, provides guidance to the Scottish Executiveand other relevant bodies on the proper handlingof public funds, including property. The SPFM includes detailed guidance on thedisposal of surpl…
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what incidences there have been, if it is normal procedure for clawback clauses to be included in sale contracts within the NHS, of NHS bodies failing to include such clauses over the last ten years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: As it is not normal practiceto include clawback clauses it is not possible to answer this question.</p><p>Post-transaction monitoring isan integral part of the internal audit programme within NHSScotland boards withaudit committees responsible for the oversig…
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is normal procedure for the NHS to include clawback clauses in contracts of sale of land or property.
Answer · Andy Kerr: It is not normal practice forclawback clauses to be included when concluding missives for the sale of surplusNHSScotland property.</p><p>However, in every disposal NHSScotlandbodies are required to consider, in the light of professional advice, whether clawba…
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what value the purchaser of the Ayr County Hospital site received from any changes to planning conditions and whether any reimbursement was made to the NHS as a consequence of site value uplift.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS Ayrshireand Arran as successor body to Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The informationrequested is not held centrally.</p>
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to planning conditions were made following the sale of Ayr County Hospital in June 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS Ayrshireand Arran as successor body to Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The informationrequested is not held centrally.</p>
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what clawback clause was inserted into the contract of sale of Ayr County Hospital to cover site enhancement as a consequence of changed planning conditions.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS Ayrshireand Arran as successor body to Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The informationrequested is not held centrally.</p>
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what valuation was placed on Ayr County Hospital and associated land immediately prior to its sale in June 1999 and on what date the valuation was set.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS Ayrshireand Arran as successor body to Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The informationrequested is not held centrally.</p>
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Ayr County Hospital was included in a trawl for possible disposal to other public bodies and, if so, whether there were any positive responses.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS Ayrshireand Arran as successor body to Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The informationis not held centrally.</p>
20 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is general practice for the availability of NHS land and property to be trawled for possible disposal to other public bodies.
Answer · Andy Kerr: It is a mandatory requirementof the NHSScotland Property Transactions Handbook that NHSScotland bodies carryout trawl procedures, in accordance with departmental guidance, to identify anyrelevant interest in a property and to deal direct with any prospective …
11 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminal cases of alleged assault by women against men have been dropped in each of the last 10 years and what the reasons were for such cases being dropped.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The information requested isnot available. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s operational case-trackingsystem records details of charges but this does not include searchable informationabout the gender or age of victims.</p>
28 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17390 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 June 2005, whether any person can take individual legal action for defamation if they consider that their reputation may be damaged by a website such as that of Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Any individual can bring a defamationaction to protect his or her reputation. </p><p>Under the Defamation Act 1996a person has a defence in defamation proceedings if: they can show they are notthe author, editor or commercial publisher of the statement compla…
28 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17390 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 June 2005, whether Scottish Court Service officials routinely take action in cases of alleged defamation of individuals in respect of matters that do not directly affect their departmental interest.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The SCS officials do not routinelytake action in cases of alleged defamation of individuals in respect of mattersthat do not directly affect their departmental interest.</p>
28 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17390 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 June 2005, whether it is aware that the website referred to remains up and running.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is aware that the website referred to remains up and running.</p>
28 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17390 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 June 2005, whether it is satisfied that the actions of Scottish Court Service officials did not contravene section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As was explained in S2W-17390,as the content of the website appeared to include material that was potentiallydefamatory, SCS officials felt it appropriate to draw this possibility to the attentionof the service provider. That was the extent of the SCS actings…
17 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Court Service has been involved in any attempt to have the website of the organisation, Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers, closed down and, if so, what costs it has incurred.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The existence of this organisation’s website became known to the Scottish Court Service through a leaflet being distributed to members of the public. As the contents of the website appeared to include material that was potentially defamatory, officials felt i…
16 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals regulates the effectiveness and activities of traffic commissioners in Scotland on issues involving heavy goods vehicles and, if not, which government body does.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Matters concerning the regulation of the Traffic Commissioners for the Scottish Traffic Area in relation to road freight are reserved.</p> <p>The role of the Council on Tribunals and its Scottish Committee is to keep under review and to report on the constitu…
16 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals regulates the effectiveness and activities of traffic commissioners on issues involving public service passenger buses and taxis.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The role of the Council on Tribunals and its Scottish Committee is to keep under review and to report on the constitution and working of tribunals, including matters such as the rules of procedure under which tribunals operate. The Traffic Commissioner for th…
16 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its Justice Department regulates the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The committee's statutory role,and that of its parent body the Council on Tribunals, is to advise and report tothe Lord Chancellor and the Scottish ministers on the constitution and working oftribunals, and to report on such particular matters with respect to…
5 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16183 by Ross Finnie on 3 May 2005, whether it will direct the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to remove or suspend Fermanagh Waste Recycling from the Scottish register of waste carriers.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No. It would not normally be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to direct the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to individual cases, and the Executive is confident that the Agency is able to carry out its responsibility for maintaining th…
26 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will remove Fermanagh Waste Recycling from the Register of Waste Carriers.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not maintain the Register of Waste Carriers. The register is maintained for Scotland by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The agency is not, however, responsible for maintaining the respective registers in other parts of …
22 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to prevent waste from the Republic of Ireland being dumped in Scottish landfill sites.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Waste from the Republic of Ireland may legally be landfilled in Scotland, providing it is imported into the UK in line with the provisions of the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994 and other applicable legislation. Where waste from the Republic …
22 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the dumping of waste from the Republic of Ireland in Scottish landfill sites is legal.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Waste from the Republic of Ireland may legally be landfilled in Scotland if the requirements of the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994 and the European Waste Shipment Regulation (259/93) are met, as well as all Scottish legislation relating to t…