Parliamentary questions
Tommy Sheridan
857 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent, in real terms, on the NHS in each year since 1996-97, showing percentage change year on year.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is set out in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=453><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Year</TD><TD WIDTH="44%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Expenditure at 2003-04 Prices <P>(£ Million)</TD><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIG…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the amount of money a student in receipt of a full grant may have to live on may be less than #3.88 a day once reasonable housing costs have been paid.
Answer · Iain Gray: We are currently in the process of commissioning a Student Income and Expenditure Survey to cover Scottish domiciled students in further and higher education. This will provide us with information on a wide range of costs incurred by Scottish domiciled studen…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether students, their parents or one of their parents need to earn less than #10,000 per year for the student to qualify for a full grant under the current qualification criteria.
Answer · Iain Gray: Young Scottish students studying full-time higher education courses in Scotland from 2001-02 are entitled to have up to £2,050 of their annual loan support replaced by a bursary. The maximum bursary is available to those students whose parental income is unde…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many students in (a) further and (b) higher education (HE) have been eligible for and have received grants; how many received full grants, and how much the full grant was in each year since 1996-97.
Answer · Iain Gray: While information on the number of full-time further education students who have been eligible for and have received grants can be provided, the value of those grants and, therefore, the number of students who received full grants, is not held centrally. The …
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33583 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 February 2003, how many prisoners were detained in each prison in each year given in that answer; how many of these were detained in connection with illegal drugs offences, and how many were detained solely or mainly rel…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The data on receptions are held in such a way that it is not possible to provide an answer to each element of the question. <P>However, the fol…
6 Mar 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body includes in its contracts for the construction of the new Parliament building at Holyrood the requirement that companies comply with legal obligations to self-employed workers with Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) 4 status in relation to …
Answer · David Steel: Trade Contractors appointed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body are required to comply with all relevant statutory requirements, including those contained in the Construction Industry Scheme. The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is not aware tha…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what housing capital expenditure allocations have been made to each local authority since 1996-97, showing the percentage change year on year.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The figures are shown in the following table.<P>Capital Allocations 1997-98 to 2002-03<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=597><TR><TD WIDTH="27%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Local Authority</TD><TD WIDTH="9%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1997-98</TD><TD WIDTH="9%" VALIGN=…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital consent has been for each local authority since 1996-97, showing the percentage change year on year.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Total capital allocations for each local authority since 1996-97, with percentage year-on-year changes, are shown in the table.<P>Local Government Capital Allocations (Housing and Non-Housing)<P>Note:<P>Caution should be applied in comparing capital allocatio…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the grant-aided expenditure settlement has been for each local authority since 1996-97, showing the percentage change year on year.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The following tables show the general revenue grant settlement allocations, with percentage increases, for all councils since 1996-97.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=604><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=33><P>Councils</TD><TD WIDTH="11%…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on detection, conviction, awareness and education programmes and rehabilitation and treatment projects with regard to illegal drug abuse and its associated problems (a) in Scotland and (b) broken down by NHS board area in each year since 1998-99.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive's Policy Unit undertook a "snapshot" study in 1999 to estimate public sector expenditure on drug-related activities. The study estimated that around £56 million per annum is spent in Scotland on targeted programmes and interventions sp…
5 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed within the construction industry and, of them, how many are self-employed and have Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) 4.
Answer · Iain Gray: There were 115,000 people employed in the Scottish construction industry at September 2002. The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the numbers of those who are self-employed and have CIS 4 cards.
5 Mar 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit more funding to support public transport projects in Glasgow than that announced for Edinburgh.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of good public transport services in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and supports projects where need and value for money are demonstrated.
18 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what precautionary measures are in place to protect workers employed at land restoration sites using sewage and, in particular, what monitoring of the health of such workers is carried out.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to health and safety at work. The UK Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive are responsible for the regulation of risks to health and safety arising from work activity in Britain.
18 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what precautionary measures are in place to avoid (a) water and (b) aerosol contamination at land restoration sites using sewage.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The spreading of sewage sludge on non-agricultural land can be carried out subject to conditions set out in the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, in order to ensure that the environment is protected. The activity is regulated by Scottish Environmen…
18 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what land restoration sites are currently using sewage and, in respect of each such site, where the sewage is sourced and what monitoring of the (a) local environment and (b) health of the local population is carried out.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Information on the location of sewage sludge spreading activities is not held centrally. The spreading of sewage sludge on non-agricultural land can be carried out subject to conditions set out in the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. The activity …
18 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) volume and (b) percentage of sewage produced has been used in land restoration sites in each of the last three years.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows: <P>Scottish Water currently recycles sewage sludge cake to land reclamation sites. The sewage sludge cake, which is composed of 75% water and 25% of the …
18 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how Scottish Water treats sewage.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows: <P>There are a number of different ways sewage is treated and many factors considered in an area before treatment occurs, but in general raw sewage goes …
18 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive at what locations Scottish Water (a) holds, (b) treats and (c) otherwise disposes of sewage.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows: <P>There are 825 wastewater treatment plants and 1,106 public septic tanks throughout Scotland in which sewage is collected, treated and disposed of. Inf…
14 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector workers are still not in receipt of the national minimum wage.
Answer · Iain Gray: Responsibility for the national minimum wage is reserved to the UK Government. Such questions should be addressed to the Department of Trade and Industry.
14 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector workers would have benefited if the national minimum wage had been set at #5.00 an hour.
Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34072 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
14 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the level of pay currently applicable to staff employed by contractors operating under contract to it and on how these levels of pay compare to its employees in comparable posts.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive normally buys goods and services from contractors at market prices, following open and competitive procurement. It does not hold information on its contractors' current levels of pay, nor does it monitor its contractors' rates of pay, s…
14 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees are paid the national minimum wage.
Answer · Andy Kerr: All staff in the Scottish Executive core departments are paid above the national minimum wage.
14 Feb 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer how the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body agrees pay structures for Parliament employees and what action has been taken to determine whether the lowest rate of pay for employees is adequate.
Answer · David Steel: Following a Grading, Structure, Efficiency and Pay Review and with the agreement of the Parliamentary Staff Trades Union Side, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) introduced a new pay and grading structure for parliamentary staff from 1 April 200…
12 Feb 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will decide in which city the new indoor football and sporting complex will be located.
Answer · Elaine Murray: We are currently considering the report from the consultants commissioned by <B>sport</B>scotland to review their property portfolio and examine the scope for possible indoor and outdoor facilities that will be a focus for the development of selected sports. …
3 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government seeking an explanation for any reduction by the Office for National Statistics in the si'e of the sample of local authority areas used in its New Earnings Survey.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive maintains close links with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and works closely with the UK National Statistician. The Scottish Executive is a member of the New Earnings Survey (NES) users group and is being consulted on the Distri…
3 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the average weekly gross wage in Orkney and Shetland.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive does not hold any information on the average weekly gross wage in Orkney and Shetland. <P>The New Earnings Survey, which collects information on average gross weekly earnings for full-time staff on adult rates, does not have published i…
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many smoking-related deaths there have been and how many people smoked regularly in each age group in each of the last four years.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: It is not possible to give precise figures on premature deaths resulting from tobacco use. However, it is estimated that each year more than 13,000 people in Scotland die from smoking related diseases, including lung cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke.…
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) alcohol-related deaths and (b) registered alcoholics there have been in each of the last four years.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: There is no universally accepted definition of an alcohol-related death. The following information relates to deaths certified as due to alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic cardiomyopathy and mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol.<P>Deaths Due to Alc…
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) arrests, (b) convictions and (c) deaths relating to heroin supply and use there have been in each of the last four years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive criminal statistics cover recorded crimes rather than persons arrested. Within those statistics, supply or possession of heroin cannot be separately identified from the numbers of all recorded crimes for illegal supply or possession of drug…
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) arrests, (b) convictions and (c) deaths relating to cannabis supply and use there have been in each of the last four years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive criminal statistics cover recorded crimes rather than persons arrested. Within those statistics, supply or possession of cannabis cannot be separately identified from the numbers of all recorded crimes for illegal supply or possession of dr…