Parliamentary questions
Robert Brown
1,531 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to require health boards to make better provision for sign language interpreters in respect of accident and emergency services.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Section 21 of the Disability Discrimination Act requires that people with disabilities are given reasonable access to goods and services and this includes all NHS services.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">A good practice guide to support the implementation of section 21 wi…
2 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to modernise the 999 emergency service by providing text phones for calls by deaf people.
Answer · Susan Deacon: 999 services are already equipped to receive text phone messages through Typetalk, the national phone relay service. I would urge any deaf person wanting this service to contact their local authority social work department who can provide assistance in obtain…
18 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for barium enemas is in the various health boards throughout Scotland and whether there is a recommended waiting time for such procedures.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the average waiting time for barium enemas is not available centrally. Local waiting time guarantees for a first outpatient appointment following a General Practitioner referral for the six main specialities of General Surgery, Orthopaedics, EN…
18 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities currently issue guidelines to schools for the management of asthma.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested is not held centrally. However I have established a working group of officials and other interested groups to produce good practice guidance on the administration of medicines in schools. Advice is also being prepared for Directors o…
18 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of GP practices (a) in Scotland and (b) in each health board area currently offer specialist Asthma Clinics.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the percentage of GP practices offering specialist Asthma clinics is not held centrally. However, many practices are involved in Chronic Disease Management Programmes for Asthma where the practice can receive a payment for providing an organise…
18 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many epilepsy specialist nurses are employed in Scotland and where they are located.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The employment of specialist nurses is a matter for the providers of health care and details of such posts are not held centrally.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>The Scottish Executive understands, however, that there are nurses in all of the major neurological …
18 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many paediatric neurologists are currently in post and how many paediatric neurologist vacancies there are at each relevant hospital in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally. Paediatric Neurology is not identified as a separate specialty in Scotland.
18 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant neurologists are currently in post and how many consultant neurologist vacancies there are in each Scottish health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is given in the following table:<P>Consultant Neurologists employed by NHS Trusts<P>Distribution by Health Board area: as at 30 September 1998<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=527><TR><TD WIDTH="29%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD>…
10 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage cycling and walking and how much financial support it is providing for the promotion of cycling and walking in each of the next three financial years.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has a range of plans to encourage cycling and walking.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Scottish Executive held a major conference on cycling on 6 December, at which I emphasised the important part cycling has to play in an integrated transport po…
10 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any audit is made of the adequacy or otherwise of care plans made in connection with child supervision orders.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: A supervision requirement made by a children's hearing may remain in force no longer than one year. The supervision requirement must be reviewed by a hearing no later than three months before its expiry or at earlier times if circumstances require. At these r…
10 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to legislate to address the implications of the decision of Sheriff Principal Bowen in the case of Conway versus Glasgow City Council (1999) House.L.R.67 by providing hostel dwellers with the right not to be evicted without legal process.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Homelessness Task Force, which I chair, has identified a number of issues relating to current legislation as matters for early consideration, including the legal position of people living in hostels. Its recommendations will be included in the Task Force'…
10 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a Civil Justice Forum along similar lines to the existing Criminal Justice Forum.
Answer · Jim Wallace: When I gave evidence to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee I said "We need a comprehensive and principled approach to the problems of civil justice. Our policy should not be piecemeal. I am, therefore, considering how our policy can be more co-ordinated a…
10 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of secondary schools in each local authority offer courses in Modern Studies to Higher level.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The table below shows the latest available information on local authority schools' plans to offer Modern Studies at Higher level in the 1999-2000 academic session. The information comes from returns collected in August 1999 for the Higher Still Liaison Group.…
22 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1491 by Sarah Boyack on 9 September 1999, who has the power to ban the installation of telecommunications masts in locations such as schools and hospitals, whether it will make representations to said body to ban these masts in such areas and what po…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No government departments or agency has an explicit power to ban such installations as long as the operator complies with all relevant licence conditions, health and safety provisions and planning requirements. If the results of research into the non-establis…
22 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require all local authorities to follow the example of Glasgow City Council and establish a register of all types of telecommunications equipment, including mobile phone transmitter masts, within their area.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Advice on best practice in dealing with telecommunications development is being developed. It will recommend that authorities keep a register of masts and other structures on which telecommunications apparatus could be attached. The aim will be to encourage t…
22 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the specific needs of disabled homeless people.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Code of Guidance on Homelessness already makes provision for disabled homeless people to be regarded as being in priority need for the purposes of the homeless persons legislation. The operation of this and other aspects of the legislation come within the…
22 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to improve business support services and to provide a one stop shop for business advice.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is determined to improve the quality and consistency of business information and advice provided by the Enterprise Network throughout Scotland. For example we are currently working with Scottish Enterprise to implement a number of impro…
22 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-999 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 2 September 1999, whether it has any plans to begin the collection of information on eviction actions.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Information is already available in respect of (a) eviction decrees issued by the courts (but not broken down into categories of tenants as specified in question S1W-999) and (b) actual evictions (from 1998-99) from tenancies with housing associations and co-…
22 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would be prepared to use the mechanism of either its Education Bill or its Local Government Bill to repeal Section 2A of the Local Government Act (1986).
Answer · Frank McAveety: Wendy Alexander announced on Friday 29 October that the Scottish Executive will repeal Section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986. The repeal will be made within the Ethical Standards in Public Life Bill and we expect this legislation to come before Parliame…
22 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the increase in money for education that will be available in 2000-01 to Glasgow City and South Lanarkshire councils as a consequence of the #80 million extra spending for education announced by the Minister for Finance on 6 October.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The additional money for education announced by Jack McConnell on 6 October has been widely welcomed. Detailed allocations of education resources for Councils will be made as part of the local government finance settlement towards the end of the year.
6 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-93 by Sarah Boyack on 24 June 1999, when the strategic roads review is likely to be published.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I plan to report to Parliament on the review shortly.
6 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with Her Majesty's Government on the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Commission's Report, <I>With Respect to Old Age,</I> makes wide-ranging recommendations on both devolved and reserved matters. The recommendations about social security matters and pensions are reserved to Westminster. The Scottish Executive is in regular…
6 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make decisions on its response to the Royal Commission on Long Term Care.
Answer · Iain Gray: The recommendations in the Commission's report cover a wide range of issues. We are continuing to consider them and will respond as soon as possible.
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide improved resources for the training and employment of British Sign Language interpreters.
Answer · Iain Gray: Additional resources of £28,000 for the training of British Sign Language Interpreters (Levels 1-3) were made available in 1998/99, with a further £8,000 in the current year. Details of the allocations of funding are as below :<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELL…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to ensure the continued existence of the Greater Easterhouse Council of Voluntary Organisations (GECVO).
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I understand that, following a review, the Greater Easterhouse Social Inclusion Partnership Board has agreed that a new organisation should be established to support community and voluntary sector involvement in Greater Easterhouse, and that accordingly fundi…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support plans to establish a passenger and freight rail link to Glasgow Airport in order to reduce road congestion in the Greater Glasgow area.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive intends to deliver a sustainable, effective and integrated transport system. We support in principle cost-effective measures to reduce road congestion, encourage greater use of rail transport and improve inter-modal links.<FONT FACE="Ar…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to respond to the need for more respite care for sufferers from Al'heimer's disease.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has provided local authorities in Scotland this year with over £1.1 billion for social work services. Further increases of £43.4 million (4%) in 2000/01 and £35.7 million (3.1%) in 2001/02 are planned. It is up to local authorities to a…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the advice and information given to patients suffering from Al'heimer's Disease and their carers.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive continues to fund Alzheimer's Scotland Action on Dementia and the Dementia Services Development Centre as the best and most informed agencies to provide specific information, guidance and support for those suffering from Alzheimer's Dis…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of disparities between the different Sheriff courts in Scotland in terms of (a) conviction rates and (b) sentences imposed in the Sheriff summary court.
Answer · Angus MacKay: We hold information on conviction rates and sentencing decisions in the Sheriff courts in our court proceedings database.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">We also publish statistics on this, both in our annual Statistical Bulletin on Criminal Proceedings in Scottish courts,…
23 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the average waiting time in civil cases in the Court of Session between a proof being allowed and the date for proof.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The average waiting time between a proof being allowed and the date for proof for the last 2 quarters is set out in the table below. The period meets the Supreme Courts waiting period target of 19 weeks set by the Lord President. The time for individual cases…