Parliamentary questions

Scott Barrie

275 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many school students in each local authority area currently have a record of needs and what proportion of the total school roll in each area this represents.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is given in the table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=606><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=3 HEIGHT=17>Pupils Of Publicly Funded Schools With A Record Of Needs: 1999-2000</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDT…

17 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the Scottish Society for Autism in developing guidelines for police authorities on dealing with people with autistic spectrum disorders.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We are presently considering proposals jointly submitted by the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society to take forward the establishment of a national network, as recommended in the review of services for people with learning disabiliti…

17 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Home Office regarding the development of guidelines for police authorities on dealing with people with autistic spectrum disorders.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There have been no discussions between the Executive and the Home Office about this matter. It is for Chief Constables to make local arrangements for the practical care of individuals coming to its attention. Each force will have agreed a course of action or …

17 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Society for Autism regarding autistic spectrum disorders.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We have had discussion with the Scottish Society for Autism about their proposal to implement recommendation 7 of The same as you report of the review of services for people with learning disabilities. The society is also a member of the Users' and Car…

15 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Strategy for Victims will be published.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Strategy for Victims, and the Scottish Executive Justice Department Action Plan which sets out what the Justice Department plans to do to support the strategy, is published today. A copy of each document will be placed in the Parlia…

23 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans any changes affecting Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I have reviewed the role and organisation of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools.I attach great importance to quality assurance in the education system; and the contribution which the Inspectorate can make to supporting education authoritie…

22 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to revise the guidance it offers to fostering and adoption agencies on assessing prospective clients.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We aim to publish a new code of practice to help local authorities improve their recruitment, selection and assessment of foster carers early next year. We are currently involved in discussion on the development of UK national standards for adoption and will …

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish specialist resources for those suffering from Aspergers Syndrome and acute psychosis other than long-term psychiatric units.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-11351.

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the services available to people who suffer from a dual diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome and acute psychosis.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Services for individuals diagnosed within the autistic spectrum disorder are provided by health boards and local authorities, based on their assessment of the needs of their respective areas. Increased awareness and better understanding of all mental illness …

17 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve awareness of Aspergers Syndrome.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-10424.

31 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to respond to the Procedures Committee 1st Report 2000, Preliminary Report into the Volume of Written Parliamentary Questions and the Scottish Executive's Speed of Response, and whether it will produce a further audit of parliamentary questions following that produced o…

Answer · Tom McCabe: I have today placed in SPICe copies of the Executive's response to the Procedures Committee report together with copies of the Executive's audit of written parliamentary questions asked of the Scottish Executive over the period 1 January to 30 June 2000. In i…

26 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to harmonising Scottish school holidays.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Following representations received about different dates set in different areas, officials wrote to authorities in February to ask how holidays were currently co-ordinated between authorities and what could be done to improve liaison in the future. In respons…

24 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it proposes to publish the Scottish Ministers' Annual Report on the discharge during 1999 of duties in relation to further education in Scotland, as required under Section 1 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Ministers' Annual Report on Further Education in Scotland for 1999 has been published today, and has been laid before the Scottish and Westminster Parliaments. Copies are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).<P ALIGN="J…

24 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the implications of the case of Sharp v Thomson (1997 SC (HL) 66) for the law in relation to the purchase of heritable property from a registered company whose assets are subject to a floating charge.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive is aware that the case of Sharp v Thomson raised a number of issues in relation to the purchase of heritage from registered companies. To ensure that the implications of this case are fully considered and the wider context of curre…

10 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is regarding the proposed improvements at the Inchmichael junction on the A90.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The contract for the construction of the Inchmichael Interchange is to be awarded today. This forms part of the Executive's on-going programme to improve safety on this important strategic route.

9 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to respond to the consultation on Best Value in Local Government: Next Steps.

Answer · Frank McAveety: We have extended the period of consultation by three weeks to accommodate a number of organisations who asked for more time to prepare their responses. The consultation period will now end on 20 October 2000. As a result of this extension we now intend to res…

2 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a consultation paper on arrangements for establishing a permanent Scottish Parliamentary Ombudsman as required by section 91 of the Scotland Act 1998.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I have today published and laid before the Parliament a consultation paper, Modernising the Complaints System. It is available on the Scottish Executive's website. The paper seeks views on a range of issues to be addressed in framing the Act of the Sco…

21 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the outcome of the spending review for the environment in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We have made additional provision for expenditure on the environment in Scotland by the Scottish Executive and local authorities of almost £190 million in total over the next three years (2001-02 to 2003-04) - a major funding package to deliver on our commitm…

20 Sep 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to protect and enhance Scotland's beaches.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We are taking action on a number of fronts to protect and improve Scotland's beaches and bathing waters in order to encourage tourism and recreation.Our Programme for Government includes a commitment to bring Scotland's 60 designated…

13 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scotland's Chief Constables regarding the use of leg restraints.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There have been no discussions between the Executive and Forces about this matter. It is for Chief Constables to determine the use of particular equipment in their Forces consistent with their obligations under the ECHR. I understand that Fife Constabulary tr…

13 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult on the implementation of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have today published for consultation the following documents:Draft codes of practice for Attorneys appointed under Part 2Withdrawers authorised under Part 3Local authoritiesDraft regulations on Certificates in relation to powers of attorney und…

30 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress has been made in implementing the Land Reform Action Plan published in August 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I am pleased to announce that the fourth progress report of action to implement our wide-ranging and extensive Land Reform Action Plan is published today. All MSPs are receiving copies.From this, members should note that we now plan to laun…

30 Aug 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed plans it has for the implementation of the transfer of funds for people under 18 leaving local authority care from the Department of Social Security to local authorities.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: We are currently reviewing throughcare and aftercare arrangements for careleavers, including the best use of resources to be transferred from DSS. I have sent up a working group with representatives from local authorities, relevant public agencies and volunta…

24 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the turnover of staff at each prison including Kilmarnock has been in each of the last three years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Information about staff turnover at Kilmarnock is not collected by the SPS as it is a matter for Premier Prison Services …

24 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow GPs to charge patients for appointments.

Answer · Susan Deacon: There are no plans for such charges. We remain committed to a National Health Service which is free at the point of delivery.

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it expects the National Archives of Scotland Executive Agency to achieve in the financial year 2000-01.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have set the National Archives of Scotland the following key targets for 2000-01:<UL><LI>To maintain administration costs at 18% of total current expenditure and direct service provision at 82%.</LI><LI>To increase the…

1 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions have been taken since the launch of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) in March to ensure that there is a coherent and consistent approach to dealing with companies in difficulty across Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Local response teams have been established across Scotland and are currently working on contingency plans for improving their dealings with companies. On Tuesday 25 July, I launched the PACE website, (<A HREF="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pace">www.scotland.gov…

20 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the report to the UK Government of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Transsexual People will be available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The Interdepartmental Working Group on Transsexual People reported to the UK Government just before Easter.Copies of the report have today been placed in the libraries of the United Kingdom Parliament. The report will also be available on t…

6 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the annual reports of the Commissioners appointed under the Interception of Communication Act 1985, the Security Service Act 1989 and the Intelligence Services Act 1994 will be laid before the Parliament.

Answer · Jim Wallace: A copy of the Interception of Communications Commissioner, Lord Nolan's annual report for 1999, together with copies of the Intelligence Services and Security Service Commissioner, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual reports, were laid before Parliament on 4 J…

6 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4422 by Mr Jack McConnell on 1 March 2000, when it expects to make available to the Parliament a report on the cost of answering parliamentary questions.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The main part of the study into the costs of answering parliamentary questions has now been completed. However, the data collected over the survey period is still being analysed and it will not be possible to complete the study before the summer recess. Rathe…