Robert Brown

29 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the needs of blind and partially sighted people in public libraries by increasing the availability of alternative format books and by putting in place a policy to ensure that libraries address the specific needs of blind and partially sighted people.

Answer · Elaine Murray: Statutory responsibility for local libraries lies with local authorities. Each local authority is responsible for determining the level of resources allocated for the library service which they provide for the residents of their area. This includes the purcha…

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue any guidelines to ensure that all epilepsy-related deaths are investigated and recorded in line with best practice.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) is developing clinical standards for post-mortem and organ retention. These standards cover the whole hospital post-mortem process and will therefore apply to any hospital post-mortem examination carried out fo…

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent combating tobacco addiction by each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Comprehensive information for each NHS board is not held centrally. Following the launch of <I>Smoking Kills</I> in December 1998, £1million a year for three years (1999-2000 to 2001-02) was allocated to NHS boards for smoking cessation services and nicotine …

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce smoking amongst students.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive regards action to tackle smoking among young people, including students, as a key priority. A range of smoking prevention and cessation measures targeted at young people is being pursued by NHS boards and the Health Education Board for …

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available for the construction of the Glasgow crossrail project.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Railway infrastructure projects may qualify for financial assistance from either the Scottish Executive's Public Transport Fund (PTF) or Integrated Transport Fund (ITF). Bids under the PTF would have to satisfy eligibility criteria and compete with other bids…

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has spent its full allocation of EU structural funding.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Current estimates suggest that £18 million of funds from the 1994-99 European Structural Fund programmes were committed but were not claimed. This figure cannot be confirmed until these programmes are officially closed later this year.

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the consequences will be for tenants if interim anti-social behaviour orders are linked to security of tenure under section 35, subsections (1) to (3) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25525.

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether interim anti-social behaviour orders, proposed in section 38 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, will initiate the issue of a notice under section 35, subsections (1) to (3) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Interim anti-social behaviour orders are intended to provide for more immediate protection than is possible under the full anti-social behaviour order application procedure. While anyone in breach of an interim order will face the sanctions of a full order, u…

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the current annual pay bill and amount paid in employers' National Insurance contributions are for Communities Scotland and what the estimated annual amount of employers' National Insurance contributions will be for Communities Scotland in 2003-04 following the changes …

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the current annual pay bill and amount paid in employers' National Insurance contributions are for housing associations and what the estimated annual amount of employers' National Insurance contributions will be for housing associations in 2003-04 following the changes …

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.

24 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the increase in National Insurance contributions, announced in the UK 2002 Budget, will have on voluntary organisations.

Answer · Iain Gray: Voluntary organisations will face the same 1% increase in employer National Insurance contributions as all other employers. But they will benefit from a range of budget measures, including the introduction of tax relief for gifts to charity of land or buildin…

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be made on the route for the Glasgow to Edinburgh fast rail link.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Improvements to the Edinburgh to Glasgow service was one of the key strategic priorities in Scotland featured in the Strategic Rail Authority's <I>Strategic Plan</I>, published in January 2002. These proposed improvements will be informed by a number of major…

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when work will begin on the construction of the Maryhill to Anniesland rail link and when the powers to provide this link expire.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The British Railways Order Confirmation Act 1994 conferred powers on the British Railways Board in respect of a rail link between Anniesland and Maryhill. I understand that the parliamentary powers expire in March 2004.<P>There are a number of complex technic…

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the development of summer play schemes in the west of Scotland.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is providing £16.75 million of Childcare Strategy funding in the current year to local authorities to deliver affordable, accessible, good quality childcare, including summer play schemes, to meet the local childcare needs of working pa…

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend its central heating installation programme to private sector houses occupied under rent deposit guarantee terms.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Tenants who have received assistance under rent guarantee/deposit schemes and meet all the eligibility criteria for the central heating programme are eligible for that programme.

28 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were cancelled as a result of a lack of beds at each in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area in each quarter of each of the last three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on the number of operations cancelled by NHSScotland is not available. Data is collected on the number of planned admissions to hospital for in-patient/day case treatment which are cancelled. Information is published in <I>Scottish Health</I> <I>S…

28 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions with local authorities in Strathclyde to enable free transport for elderly people to be introduced this year.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has reached agreement with COSLA to enhance existing concessionary travel schemes on a voluntary basis, in order to provide free local off-peak bus travel within existing concessionary scheme areas from 1 October 2002. We expect the Strathclyde …

18 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to launch its Drugs Communications Strategy.

Answer · Richard Simpson: I am pleased to announce that the Deputy First Minister and I will launch the strategy later this morning.<P>Our core message is that all drugs can be dangerous. Through mass media campaigns, a new information line and website, all using the "Know the Score" …

6 Mar 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the next Home Energy Conservation Act report will be published.

Answer · Iain Gray: Not all reports from local authorities have yet been received. When they are, a report to Parliament will be commissioned for publication in late summer or autumn. Copies of individual Home Energy Conservation Act progress reports will be placed in the Parlia…

5 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for social workers (a) in Glasgow and (b) across Scotland as a whole.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Chief Social Work Inspector received a report from the City of Glasgow on 21 February 2002, that there were 39 social worker vacancies in Glasgow.<P>There are no current figures held centrally for social worker vacancies across Scotland.

5 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the library purchase and usage figures as detailed in the Accounts Commission Performance Audit Performance Indicators 2000/2001- Leisure and Library Services - Comparing the Performance of Scottish Councils.

Answer · Elaine Murray: Statutory responsibility for local libraries lies with local authorities. Each local authority is responsible for determining the level of resources allocated for the library service, which they provide for the residents of their area. This includes resources…

28 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that qualified architects in Scotland receive formal and mandatory training and continuing professional development training in meeting the needs of disabled people through the social model of disability and what representations it has made, and to whom, …

Answer · Mike Watson: The regulation of the profession of architect is a reserved matter and the Executive has no jurisdiction over accreditation of courses or the continuing professional development of architects. These matters are the joint responsibility of the Architects Regis…

28 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that architectural students at Scottish further and higher education institutions receive formal and mandatory training in meeting the needs of disabled people through the social model of disability and what representations it has made, and to whom, on th…

Answer · Mike Watson: Regulation of the profession of architect is a reserved matter and the Executive has no jurisdiction over the content of academic courses in architecture. The validation of course content is the joint responsibility of the Architects Registration Board and th…

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21664 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002, what the likely timescale is now for the relaunch of the Individual Learning Account Scheme.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I am keen to make progress in developing a new scheme to encourage the widest possible participation in lifelong learning, but in doing so I want to take the best from the first Individual Learning Account (ILA) scheme while addressing the concerns that have …

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which minister is responsible for the construction industry.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I am the minister responsible for the construction industry as part of my portfolio for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the need to hold young people under 18 years of age in adult penal establishments.

Answer · Richard Simpson: Young people aged 16 to 20, on conviction, are normally detained in a Young Offenders Institution and not in an adult establishment. Those under 16 who are sentenced by a court to detention are normally held in a secure unit of a residential childcare establi…

20 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to help recruit and retain social workers.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive will be working closely with the newly created Scottish Social Services Council and other organisations in the coming months to put together a range of national and local strategies to address this issue.

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been registered on the Child Protection Register in each of the last five years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Child Protection Registers are maintained by local authorities and hold the details of children who are considered to be at risk of abuse or neglect. The following table shows totals for Scotland for the last five years, for which figures are available: <TABL…

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be represented at the UN Special Session on Children on 8-10 May 2002.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A delegation will represent the UK Government at the UN General Assembly's Special Session on Children. It is not expected that this will include members from the Scottish Executive, although it will include two young people, one of them from Scotland.

8 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SE5173/2002 of 16 January 2002, whether the #10,000 threshold on annual income for the charitable relief scheme under the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill will apply to the income of the organisation as a whole or to income derived from the premises for whic…

Answer · Allan Wilson: News release SE5341/2002 of 13 February 2002, available on the Scottish Executive website, announced a revised income threshold of £50,000 per annum for the exemption scheme for charitable organisations currently receiving reliefs on their water charges. The …