Parliamentary questions

Stewart Stevenson

2,358 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

5 Dec 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning last met her counterpart in the National Assembly for Wales.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I last met the Welsh First Minister, who is my counterpart for industry matters in the National Assembly for Wales, on the 25 October 2001.

3 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it expects to save on the (a) Organic Aid, (b) Rural Stewardship and (c) Farm Woodlands Premium schemes as a result of the introduction of modulation.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There will be no saving of money as a result of the introduction of modulation. On the contrary, modulation will mean that in the period up to 2006 about £114 million will become available for new commitments under agri-environment and woodland schemes than w…

3 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount spent on the (a) Organic Aid, (b) Rural Stewardship and (c) Farm Woodlands Premium schemes was in each year since the introduction of modulation.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The total amount of expenditure up to 31 October 2001 on these schemes since modulation came into operation on 1 January 2001 is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=285><TR><TD WIDTH="74%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=…

3 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount spent on the (a) Organic Aid, (b) Rural Stewardship and (c) Farm Woodlands Premium schemes was in (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99 and (iii) 1999-2000.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The total amounts spent on the Organic Aid and Farm Woodland Premium Schemes in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 are detailed in the table. As 2001 is the first year of operation of the Rural Stewardship Scheme, there were no payments for this scheme in the yea…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17603 by Mr Jack McConnell on 14 September 2001, what progress has been made with the review of swimming provision available to school pupils with particular regard to any findings in respect of such provision in the Aberdeenshire Council area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: A questionnaire seeking quantitative and qualitative information is with local authorities and should provide an up-to-date picture of opportunities available for school pupils. Responses are expected during December after which we will be in a position to co…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what authority litter wardens have to issue penalties to those who litter public places.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Local authority officers (litter wardens) are authorised to issue fixed penalty notices for littering by section 88 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers local authorities have in respect of appointing litter wardens and what resources are available to authorities to help meet the cost of making such appointments.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Under section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, littering is an offence and local authorities have the power under section 88 of the same Act to appoint litter wardens. The general revenue grant the Scottish Executive provides to local authorities …

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19630 by Angus Mackay on 26 November 2001, whether (a) it or (b) the Scottish Prison Service awarded any contract to PricewaterhouseCoopers in relation to the Prison Services Estates Review.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Prison Service awarded a contract (late 2000) on behalf of the Scottish Executive Justice Department to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

23 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19660 by Iain Gray on 16 November 2001, whether it will provide the information requested in respect of each year to date for which the supply of such information would not incur disproportionate costs to the Scottish Prison Service.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>As of Tuesday, 18 December 2001, the Scottish Prison Service houses approximately 251 convicted sex offenders who have been placed on the sex o…

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice will reply to my letter of 29 September 2001 regarding the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review.

Answer · Jim Wallace: A reply was sent by the Scottish Prison Service on 2 November 2001.

21 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs will reply to my letter of 17 October 2001 regarding my constituent Ms S MacDonald of Mintlaw.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: A response was sent to the member on 27 November 2001.

21 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs will reply to my letter of 17 October 2001 regarding my constituent Mrs M Buchan of Peterhead.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: A response was sent to the member on 27 November 2001.

19 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been (a) received and (b) approved for (i) Objective 2 and (ii) Objective 3 funding and how many payments have been made in respect of successful applications in each month since January 2000.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=311><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Western Scotland</FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><…

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the number of households within the Banff and Buchan constituency currently living in fuel poverty.

Answer · Iain Gray: Figures on the number of fuel poor households cannot be disaggregated to constituency level.

13 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative or administrative changes are planned to enable local authorities and police forces to retain money raised from speed and traffic camera enforcement and when any such changes will be introduced.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We are examining what legislative or administrative changes might be required to enable local authorities and police forces to retain money from fixed penalty notices to improve road safety.

9 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many multiple sclerosis sufferers there currently are in the Banff and Buchan parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-12859 and S1W-15296 on 9 February 2001 and 4 May 2001 respectively, which made it clear that information on multiple sclerosis in individual areas is not held centrally.

8 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to prevent the spread of mites and varroa disease in the bee population.

Answer · Ross Finnie: All bee movements to non-infected islands from within the Statutory Infected Area (SIA) are prohibited. As a result, on 8 December 2000 the SIA was extended to cover the whole of mainland Scotland and the Isle of Bute. By this action it is hoped that we will …

8 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number of reported incidences of mites and varroa disease in the bee population in each of the past five years, giving the most appropriate area breakdown available.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Incidence of <I>Varroa destructor</I> in Scotland (number of infested apiaries) is as follows:<P><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=463><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=6><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Numbers of infested apiaries<SUP>1</SUP></FONT></T…

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the request from Aberdeenshire Council to stop-up the right of way at Philorth Avenue/Witchhill Road, Fraserburgh, which was submitted on 8 May 2000, and whether there are any plans to hold a local inquiry into this matter.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Aberdeenshire Council advertised the Aberdeenshire Council (Philorth Avenue, Fraserburgh) Stopping Up Order 2000 on 10 September 1999. There were sustained objections to the Order and in May 2000 it was passed to Scottish ministers for consideration.<P>The Or…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many senior management staff are currently employed at the headquarters of the Scottish Prison Service and how many of these have had work experience within a prison in the last (a) one, (b) three and (c) five years.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The number of staff at SPS Headquarters at Band G or above as at 1 November 2001 was 63.<P>The remainder of the information sought is not…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the Investors in People (IiP) programme in each prison and when IiP status was awarded to each prison.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The information requested is given in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=283><TR><TD WIDTH="47%" VALIGN="TOP">…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison visiting committees have made representations to it or the Scottish Prison Service on the treatment of sex offenders in prisons since 1997; whether it will detail any such representations, and what the outcomes were of any such representations.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">SPS has no record of any prison visiting committee having made representations since 1997 on the treatment of sex offende…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether sex offender programmes are operated at HM Prison Saughton; if so, whether it will detail the programmes which are operated and how many prisoners undertook them in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) so far in 2001 and, if no programmes are operated, why this was and what plans it has to…

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">No CORE STOP 2000 sex offender programmes are being operated as a suitable prisoner group has not yet been identified, but Edin…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders undertook the Stop programme at (a) HM Prison Barlinnie and (b) HM Prison Polmont in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) so far in 2001.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The CORE STOP 2000 programme was not available until the year 2000. Numbers undertaking this programme are:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADD…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders were serving sentences of four years or over in each prison for part or the whole of each year since 1993.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The supply of this information would incur disproportionate cost to the Scottish Prison Service.

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison officers have attained qualifications at higher national diploma level and above since 1997, broken down by qualification and by prison.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The following figures relate to studies supported corporately by SPS. Figures for locally supported studies are not collated centrally.<T…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any performance or achievement related awards that have been made to prisons since 1997.

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long the governor of each prison establishment had been in his or her present position as at 31 October 2001.

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychologists are employed or contracted to the Scottish Prison Service for the treatment of sex offenders and in which prisons they are based.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Psychologists throughout the Scottish Prison Service cover a number of areas, but those with a significant input to the treatment of sex offend…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes exist for serious sex offenders serving sentences of more than four years and in which prisons these programmes are delivered.

Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>CORE STOP 2000 is the predominant Sex Offender programme used in Scotland for prisoners serving more than four years. Also available are the Co…