Parliamentary questions
Phil Gallie
528 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has of any waste from the Republic of Ireland being dumped in landfill sites in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Regulation of landfill sites and policing of waste shipments are operational matters for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency assisted, where necessary, by the police.</p>
13 Apr 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what practical difficulties it has encountered in assessing the suitability of local income tax as a means of replacing the council tax.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The independent review we have set up will be undertaking a full investigation into the council tax and other possible tax models, including any practical difficulties. The committee’s report is due next summer and it would be inappropriate to comment before …
7 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the highest award made by the Scottish Legal Aid Board was in the last five years to a person taking legal action against psychiatric services in the NHS.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Legal Aid Board does not hold records specifically identifying cases relating to legal actions against NHS psychiatric services. Information is however available on awards of legal aid for appeals under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984. The…
7 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for legal aid in each of the last five years by people taking civil action against psychiatric services in the NHS and what the percentage success rate was for such applications.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Legal Aid Board does not hold records specifically identifying cases relating to civil actions against NHS psychiatric services.</p><p>Information is however available on awards of legal aid for appeals under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984…
7 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil cases have been brought against psychiatric services in the NHS in each of the last five years for (a) wrongful detention, (b) misdiagnoses and (c) wrong treatment.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
6 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether waste carriers that are not registered as such in Great Britain or Northern Ireland can operate legitimately as waste carriers in Great Britain, including in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15759 on 28 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
6 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15446 by Ross Finnie on 30 March 2005, whether vehicles registered on the Northern Ireland register can operate legitimately as waste carriers in Great Britain, including in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is an offence under section 1(1) of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 (the “1989 Act”) to transport controlled waste to or from any place in Great Britain unless registered as a carrier of controlled waste in accordance with the Controlled Wast…
6 Apr 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the benefits accrued to Scotland as a consequence of the First Minister's presidency of the Group of Regions with Legislative Powers.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The First Minister’s Presidency of REGLEG brought a number of important benefits for Scotland.</p> <p>Firstly, it has enabled Scotland to drive forward the agenda of REGLEG. Under the Scottish Presidency REGLEG lobbied successfully for recognition of an enhan…
30 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners are being prescribed Ritalin and other similar drugs.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>In March 2005, there were fewer than five prisoners being prescribed Ritalin or similar drugs.</p>
30 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners are being prescribed antipsychotic drugs or antidepressants.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>From Pharmacy records available to SPS in March 2005, there were 1921 prescriptions for medications suitable for treatment of psycho…
30 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any experts in the justice system on nutrition and behavioural problems.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>No. The SPS takes advice from a variety of sources on nutrition and behavioural problems. The SPS is establishing a Good Food Group …
30 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been carried out to examine the links between nutrition, diet and behavioural problems.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The following studies havebeen carried out: </p><p>Food Standards Agency UK:</p><p><i>Do food additives cause hyperactivity and behaviour problems in ageographically defined population of 3-5 year olds</i>. Report published November 2002.</p><p>Chronicand ac…
30 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any studies have been carried out in prisons to examine the links between violent crime, antisocial behaviour, diet and nutrition.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>No Scottish study exists that examines the links between violent crime, antisocial behaviour, diet and nutrition.</p><p>We are aware of on…
30 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is being undertaken to assess the value of tagging juvenile offenders and its effect on reducing antisocial behaviour.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Intensive Support and Monitoring Services (ISMS) became available as a disposal of the Children’s Hearing System on 1 April 2005. Use of ISMS will be monitored by the Scottish Executive on a quarterly basis. Research will also be undertaken to fully evaluate …
24 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits will come to Scotland under its devolved responsibilities from the EU constitution.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The new European Constitutionbrings many benefits for Scotland, the UK and Europe as a whole. It establishes a more transparent and accountablestructure, allowing the EU to function more effectively, with a bigger role fornational Parliaments and national gov…
24 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it will play in complying with REGLEG's Declaration of Edinburgh in respect of promoting a "yes" vote in the forthcoming referendum on the EU Constitution.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive will play an appropriate role in informing the public about the EU Constitutional Treaty, as well as about the benefits of EU membership more generally.</p>
24 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial provision it has made in 2005-06 in respect of the promotion of a "yes" vote in the referendum on the EU Constitution in light of REGLEG's Declaration of Edinburgh.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Financial provision for any information activities about the EU Constitutional Treaty will be considered as part of the normal planning process.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the drivers of vehicles travelling not on the Register of Waste Carriers retain a duty of care for the waste they transport.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The duty of care in Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 applies to all who import, produce, carry, keep, treat or dispose of controlled waste.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Register of Waste Carriers is maintained on a UK-wide basis.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There are separate registers for Great Britain, and for Northern Ireland.</p>
21 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many waste operators not on the Register of Waste Carriers have been detected on Scottish roads since the register's inception and, of these, what proportion has been from (a) Northern Ireland, (b) the Republic of Ireland and (c) other European Countries.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
16 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals have been made following the setting of minimum sentences for life prisoners in each of the last four years and, of these, how many have been (a) accepted, (b) rejected and (c) determined.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> </p></td> <td> <p>Leave To Appeal</p></td> <td> <p>Appeals</p></td> <td colspan="5"><p> </p></td> …
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) male and (b) female life prisoners are currently serving their sentence and what average length of time such prisoners are set to serve.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>The available information on prisoners who are currently serving a life sentence is given in the table:</p><p>Information on Life Sentence…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost in legal aid has been of appeals against minimum sentences to be served by life prisoners in each of the last four years and what estimates have been made of the legal aid costs of such appeals in each of the next three years.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Legal Aid Board records information which allows the identification of costs for criminal appeals relating to appeals against sentence and appeals against conviction and sentence. Their systems do not specifically identify appeals by life prisone…
14 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rules are now in place to govern administrative penalties, as incorporated into the December 2004 EU Fisheries Council agreement.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We have sought approval from the European Commission of arrangements whereby, in return for an additional day at sea per month for vessels using over 120mm mesh nets, the fishing licences of vessels observed to be breaching cod recovery regulations will autom…
18 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ban the shooting of birds or animals as a sport.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The shooting of birds or animals is not recognised by the Sports Councils in the UK as a sport.</p><p>The shooting of wild animals or birds will be outside the scope of the new Animal Welfare Legislation which we hope to introduce to Parliament in September.<…
18 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ban angling as a sport.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive has no plans to ban angling as a sport.</p>
16 Feb 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the overall cost to local authorities would be if they were to meet in full the spending requirements placed on them by Executive legislation passed by the Parliament since its inception.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive funds around 80 per cent of local authorities’ revenue expenditure on core local services with the council tax making up the balance. </p><p>This provision is built into the three-year funding settlements from the Executive.</p><p>Funding for co…
31 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether recruitment, training and retention of children's panel members is sufficient to meet panel commitments and what progress is being made with the review of the Children's Hearing System.
Answer · Euan Robson: With respect to recruitment and retention I refer the member to the answers given to questions S2W-12918, answered on 22 December 2004 and S2W-13227. answered on 21 January 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's…
31 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what applications are being considered to increase declared net capacity of the hydroelectric stations at (a) Kinlochleven, (b) St Fillans, (c) Mossford, (d) Shin, (e) Quich, (f) Finlarig, (g) Grudie Bridge and (h) Culligran.
Answer · Allan Wilson: There are no applications before ministers for consent to increase the capacity of any of these hydroelectric stations.</p>
31 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the declared net capacity is of the hydroelectric stations at (a) Kinlochleven, (b) St Fillans, (c) Mossford, (d) Shin, (e) Quoich, (f) Finlarig, (g) Grudie Bridge and (h) Culligran.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is contained in <i>The Renewables Obligation – Ofgem’s first annual report</i> published in February 2004. The report is available via Ofgem’s website at:</p><p><a href="http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/">www.ofgem.gov.uk</a>.</p>