Tommy Sheridan

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2586 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 September 2003, how many Scottish residents have been on the Newcastle waiting list for a lung or heart and lung transplant in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information is set outin the following table,</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p> <p> </p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Lung and</p> <p align=center>Heart/Lung Transplant</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <…

6 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2588 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 September 2003, who the Scottish Transplant Group consulted in developing its Organ Donation Strategy for Scotland and how many groups and individuals took part in the consultation exercise.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish TransplantGroup canvassed views from a number of sources in developing its <i>OrganDonation Strategy for Scotland</i>, including Dr&nbsp;Richard Simpson, who wasat that time preparing a report to the Health and Community Care Committee onthe issu…

26 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will initiate a public inquiry into contaminated blood products in the NHS and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We do not intend to initiatean inquiry. The available evidence does not suggest that those involved at the timeacted wrongly in the light of the facts that were available to them. </p><p>We have indicated that we arewilling to consider any new evidence which …

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take on the recommendations of the Water Customer Consultation Panel's report Principles of Charging for Water and Wastewater.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2537 on 25 September 2003. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/w…

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS hospital auxiliary staff there are in total and how many receive the minimum wage; whether any private sector companies operating within the NHS are paying wages less than the minimum wage and, if so, where, and what action it will take to address this issue.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Statistics relating to the numbersof NHS hospital auxiliary staff can be found on the ISD website at <ahref="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd">www.isdscotland.org/isd</a>.</p><p>All NHSScotland trusts and privatecompanies operating within them have adopted the …

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to run down, close or reduce investment in the Scottish Heart Transplant Unit at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The full range of services atthe Scottish Heart Transplant Unit in September 2001 was resumed on the understandingthat the unit would be reviewed after two years by National Services Division, whichhas responsibility for monitoring all national services. That…

25 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which new air routes, and how many, have been supported by the Route Development Fund and why Glasgow Airport has not yet benefited from any new routes.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Thirteen new direct routes fromairports in Scotland have been subject to investment from the Route DevelopmentFund. These are:</p><p>Edinburgh to Cologne</p><p>Edinburgh to Jersey</p><p>Glasgow Prestwick to Skavsta (Stockholm)</p><p>Glasgow Prestwick to Giron…

24 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-184 by Jack McConnell on 11 September 2003, how many local sports centres, community centres, youth clubs and other facilities providing activities for young people have been closed by local authorities in the last seven years and how many of these f…

Answer · Frank McAveety: As the First Minister previouslystated in his answer, this is a matter for local authorities. The information requestedis not held centrally.</p>

24 Sep 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether any of the companies providing security blast provision at the new Parliament building were changed after 11 September 2001.

Answer · George Reid: Arup continued to provide securityadvice to the design team after 11 September 2001.</p>

24 Sep 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether any company other than Arup Security Consulting Group has been involved in contracts for security blast provision at the new Parliament building.

Answer · George Reid: No other company hasprovided security advice to the design team.</p>

24 Sep 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer when Arup Security Consulting Group was awarded the contract for security blast provision at the new Parliament building.

Answer · George Reid: Arup was appointed as structuralengineers for the new Parliament building on 7 July 1998 as part of the EMBT/RMJMled design team. Provision of security blast advice was instructed as an additionalservice in May 1999.</p>

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals were (a) affected by and (b) became homeless as a result of eviction actions raised, broken down by court, in each of the last three years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The number of eviction actionsraised in each court in each of the last three years is not available. Accordingly,nor is the number of individuals who were (a) affected by and (b) became homelessas a result of such actions.</p>

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many eviction actions have been raised in each court in each of the last three years and how many evictions subsequently took place.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W–2874 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">ht…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set any targets for the sei'ure of Class A drugs by weight over the next three years and, if so, what these targets are.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: New targets for the Scottishpolice for 2004-06 were announced in March 2003. These were jointly agreed followingconsultation between the Scottish Executive, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland andthe Convenors of police authorities. The targe…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the legal aid budget will be increased in each of the next three years, expressed also as a percentage.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The current provision for legalaid, as published in <i>The </i><i>Scottish Executive</i><i>: Draft Budget 2004-05</i>, is £146.86 million in 2003-04, £147.86 million in 2004-05and £151.21 million in 2005-06. This equates to an increase of £8.86 million (6.4%)…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether provision for construction of the M74 is included in its budget for motorways and trunk roads for the next three years and over how many years the total expenditure on construction of the M74 will be spread.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I can confirm that the budgetfor motorways and trunk roads makes provision for preparatory work on the M74 in2003-04 and 2004-05. Budget provision for construction begins in 2005-06. Usingconventional procurement procedures, the expenditure on construction of…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will allocate to fire service training for each of the next three years.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Under Spending Review 2002, theamount allocated for fire service training is £5.6 million per year for 2003-04,2004-05 and 2005-06. This pays for the running of the Scottish Fire Services College and alsofor fire service personnel to attend courses held by ou…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its proposed expenditure on 20 mph 'ones around schools will allow every primary school to secure a 20 mph limit and, if not, what additional expenditure would be required to achieve this objective.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: On 26 September, the Scottish Executive announced details of additional funding for local authorities to spend on20 mph schemes around schools and related safety projects. Provision across Scotland of upto £5 million will be available in 2003-04 and provision…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in meeting its target to reduce persistent young offending by 10% by 2006.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S1W-29728 on 7 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…

19 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) has been committed to date and (b) will be made available to Glasgow Airport from the route development fund and how many new routes have been secured for Glasgow Airport as a result of Executive action and/or the use of route development fund money.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: To date, no routes to or fromGlasgow Airport have been subject to investment from the Interim RouteDevelopment Fund. New routes from Glasgow would be eligible, provided they meet the same Scotland-widecriteria that apply to the fund. The fund cannot be used t…

19 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to promote and support organ donation through organ donor cards, in particular through the NHS UK Transplant's Vote for Life scheme, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Encouraging people to carry organ donor cards and to add their names to the NHS Organ Donor Register maintained byUK Transplant has always been the main focus of the Executive’s organ donation publicityinitiatives. </p><p>In relation to the Vote for Lifeschem…

17 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it entered into detailed discussions with South Lanarkshire Council and the Home Office on educational provision by day release for children held for longer than six weeks at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Scottish ministers meet regularlywith Home Office ministers and have discussed matters relating to Dungavel, includingthe provision of education. Since the publication of the HM Chief Inspector of Prisonsand HM Inspectorate of Education reports, discussions h…

17 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it expects to spend under PFI/PPP schemes in each of the next three years, broken down by individual project.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Anestimate of the amount the Executive expects to spend under PFI/PPP schemes ineach of the next three years, broken down by individual project, is shown inthe following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> </p> …

15 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the treatment of those who use cannabis in Scotland in comparison with the treatment of those who use cannabis in England and Wales and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The police have a duty to upholdthe law. Possession and supply of illegal drugs, including cannabis, is illegalunder the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Cannabis will remain an illegal drug followingits reclassification from Class B to Class C. </p><p>In England an…

15 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to issue specific instructions and guidance to chief constables in regard to the treatment of persons who use cannabis in light of the new instructions issued to police forces in England and Wales.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2F-206 on 18 September 2003, which is available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search">http://www.scottish.parliament.u…

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost annually to provide all residential care and home provision for elderly people in the public sector and whether bringing such provision fully into the public sector would improve the standards of care and security for elderly people.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Complete costings relating tothe provision of residential care and the provision of care at home services isnot currently available. The great majority of care home places are, however, alreadyfunded by local authorities, to varying levels depending on the fi…

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the increase over the past four years in driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Road Safety Campaign(SRSC), funded by the Executive, runs publicity campaigns on both drink and drugdriving and works closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland(ACPOS). The SRSC’s next planned activity in relation to drink-…

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to fully fund animal welfare.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive fund the enforcement of animal welfare on-farm and in abattoirs. I haveno plans for additional funding of animal welfare.</p>

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what share of water capital expenditure costs is funded by (a) customers, (b) borrowing and (c) other sources, broken down by domestic and non-domestic user for each of the last five years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water’s operatingand capital costs are met from a combination of revenue and borrowing. For thethree former water authorities and Scottish Water, the information is availablefrom the audited accounts as laid before the Scottish Parliament. Bib. numbe…

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1979 by Nicol Stephen on 1 September 2003, what powers are envisaged for the National Strategic Transport Authority and whether they will include ownership or regulatory powers.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We opened the consultation onthe new transport agency and regional partnerships on Wednesday 17 September. Theconsultation paper <i>Scotland’s Transport - Proposals for a New Approach to Transportin Scotland</i> is available in the Parliament’s Reference Cent…