Parliamentary questions
Richard Lochhead
2,448 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the whole-time equivalent complement of cardiac surgeons (a) is currently and (b) has been in each of the last three years in each NHS board area, expressed on a per capita basis.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: Information on the whole-time equivalent of consultants in the specialties of cardio-thoracic surgery and general surgery is shown in the following table.<P>Highly specialised cardiac surgery will be undertaken by consultants working in the specialty of cardi…
31 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting time for heart bypass operations (a) is currently and (b) has been in each of the last three years in each NHS trust area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for coronary artery bypass grafts (CABGs), by NHS trust of treatment, in the years ended 31 March 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, are given in the table.<P>Most CABG operations performed on NHSScotland patients are carried out by the three…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26841 by Ross Finnie on 1 July 2002, whether it or its officials had any indication following the Fisheries Council in December 2000 that the European Council of Ministers favoured the introduction of total allowable catches in the deep water fishery…
Answer · Ross Finnie: During working group discussions flowing from the December 2000 council on the introduction of total allowable catches for deep water species a number of member states made it clear that they could support this provided it was accompanied by measures for effo…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or Her Majesty's Government has any right to appeal against the European Council of Ministers' decision to introduce total allowable catches for deep water species off Scotland's west coast.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There is no integral appeals procedure related to decisions taken by the Council of Ministers. A legal challenge could in principle be mounted against EU regulation, but there would need to be good grounds for any such challenge and, in considering such a ste…
30 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any compensation will be offered to fishermen who have effort displaced due to the introduction of total allowable catches for deep water species off Scotland's west coast.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no plans to offer such compensation.
19 Jul 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been taken to address any shortage of NHS dentists in Grampian.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: We acknowledge that access to NHS dental services in Grampian is becoming more difficult. That is why Grampian is one of the designated areas for the £1 million package which we introduced last August as part of a phased programme to improve recruitment and r…
21 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any analysis has been made of the potential impact on Scottish culture and identity of the Communications Bill and, if so, what conclusions have been drawn.
Answer · Mike Watson: The Communications Bill is being introduced to provide a new regulatory framework for broadcasting and telecommunications in the UK. It is not designed to have any particular effect on the culture and identity of Scotland, and no such analysis has been carrie…
21 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers attended the recent European summit in Seville.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No.
19 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of how the management regime for the fishing of deep water species by Scottish vessels adopted by the European Commission Fisheries Council will work and whether there will be any opportunity to amend or replace that proposed regime.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The management regime agreed for deep water species is set out, in detail, in Council Document SN 2746/02 (PECHE) which has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 22207).<P>It introduces a system of Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and qu…
19 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any proposal for the management of deep water species was tabled by it at the recent meeting of the European Commission Fisheries Council and, if so, whether it will give details.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Only the Commission and Presidency have the right to table proposals for consideration by the Council of Ministers.<P>The UK offered comments on the draft proposals throughout the negotiating process which has extended over many months. These comments took fu…
19 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what scientific advice it received in connection with the management regime agreed by the European Commission Fisheries Council for the fishing of deep water species by Scottish vessels.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scientific advice issued by International Council for the Exploration for the Sea in 2000 and revised in early June of this year indicated that many deep-water species were at risk of depletion and made a strong case for substantial reductions in fishing effo…
19 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the management regime for deep water species agreed by the European Commission Fisheries Council had scientific support.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26928.
19 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans in place to deal with any effort displacement resulting from former deepwater vessels returning to traditional demersal fishing following the adoption of a management regime for the fishing of deep water species by Scottish vessels.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The detailed management arrangements in the UK for deep water species remain to be decided following the finalisation of technical detail of the management regime at EC level. However, we do not envisage any specific plans to deal with any effort displacement…
18 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department to increase the level of animal disease surveillance facilities in the past year and what plans there are to increase the level further.
Answer · Ross Finnie: An animal disease surveillance strategy is currently being developed and will be put to stakeholder consultation later this year. Before that strategy has been produced it would be premature to consider any changes to the current level of surveillance facilit…
18 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on animal disease surveillance facilities by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in each of the last three years and what the projected budget is for the next three years.
Answer · Ross Finnie: For financial years 2001-02, 2000-01 and 1999-2000 the figures are respectively £2.0787 million, £1.775 million and £1.2977 million. The projected budget for 2002-03 is £2.107 million.<P>Budget allocations for 2003-04 and 2004-05 have not yet been made.
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any new agreements have been made with Her Majesty's Government following the Steven Beech case.
Answer · Jim Wallace: In response to concerns raised about the operation of certain provisions relating to Sex Offenders, the Parliament has given its approval to the UK Parliament amending the Police Reform Bill to the Sex Offenders Order system, as provided under the Crime and D…
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received any prior warning that the European Commission would support the introduction of total allowable catch limits as a means of regulating the deep water fishery and whether it will give details of the sequence of events leading to the decision at the recent European Fishe…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Commission's proposals for the management of the deep water fishery involved both total allowable catches and licensing (effort control). On 6 June, the Council Secretariat circulated the Spanish Presidency compromise proposal for discussion at the Counci…
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a scientific case was presented by the European Commission to support its change of policy over the regulation of the deep water fishery off Scotland's west coast.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No.
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it plans to take following the European Commission's support for the introduction of total allowable catch limits for deep water species and whether it plans to make representations against this decision.
Answer · Ross Finnie: At the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 11 June, it was decided that total allowable catches will be adopted for some deep sea species. It was also agreed that a permit system should be introduced for vessels landing deep sea species. Some details of th…
12 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many compulsory purchase orders were instigated and successfully completed by each local authority in each of the last five years, broken down by categories where appropriate.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The information held by the Executive is to be found in the table.<P>The Executive holds information only on those compulsory purchase orders submitted to the Scottish ministers as confirming authority. We do not hold information on those orders instigated by…
12 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Rural Development last met the Scottish Fish Merchants' Association and when the next scheduled meeting will be.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I last met the Chief Executive of the Scottish Fish Merchants' Federation on 18 April 2002. The Chief Executive wrote to me on 5 June 2002 requesting a further meeting and my office is in the process of setting this up.
6 Jun 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what lessons the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) can best learn from the Parliament's recent visit to Aberdeen and whether it will detail any consultation which will be held on this matter.
Answer · David Steel: The Corporate Body was responsible for the resources used by the Parliament in supporting the visit to Aberdeen and it will wish to review how the exercise was managed and financed. I anticipate that this will be discussed by the SPCB in September of this yea…
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail all specific correspondence it has had with Her Majesty's Government in connection with the new 10% supplementary charge to the existing corporation tax on oil and gas company profits announced in the UK Budget 2002 and its impact on the Scottish economy.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including taxation matters.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings, and on what dates, the Minister for Rural Development has had with European Commissioner Fran' Fischler to discuss the Common Fisheries Policy.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I met Commissioner Franz Fischler on 10 June 2002 to discuss the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). I have also had informal conversations on the CFP in the margins of various Fisheries Councils.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when each of the ministerial visits to drug agencies in the Grampian area in May and June 2002 were originally arranged.
Answer · Richard Simpson: Agreement was reached with Aberdeenshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) at the turn of the year that I would meet with the DAAT and visit local drug agencies during the Parliament's presence in Aberdeen at the end of May. Arrangements had to be revised d…
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been admitted to hospital as a result of (a) alcohol and (b) drug abuse in each of the last five years and this year to date, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: Information on hospital discharges relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care, rather than individual patients. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years).<P>The recording of alcohol/drug…
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any additional funding has been given to Fife Constabulary to meet any additional expense of providing security for His Royal Highness Prince William at the University of St Andrews and, if so, how much.
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is our policy not to comment on, or otherwise disclose details of, protection measures that are in place for royalty and other public figures, as to do so could compromise their security.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown by police force of the #1.4 million allocated to forces following the terrorist attacks in the United States of America on 11 September 2001.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The funding was spread across all eight Scottish forces. Just over half was allocated to Strathclyde Police and Lothian and Borders Police, with the balance spread amongst the other six forces.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was, showing any consultancy costs separately, of the Scottish Police Activity Analysis 2001 to (a) it and (b) each police force.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The cost to the Scottish Executive was £22,200, which was all consultancy costs. Information on costs incurred by police forces is not held centrally.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the overtime budget for each police force was in each of the last three years and this year to date (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of the overall wage budget for each force.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information on overtime budgets for each police force in each of the last three years and this year to date is not held centrally. Actual expenditure on overtime for the latest three years available is shown in the first table below. The second table shows ov…