Parliamentary questions
Tommy Sheridan
857 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) registered addicts, (b) sei'ures, (c) crimes, (d) arrests, (e) convictions and (f) deaths in relation to illegal drug supply and use there have been in each of the last four years, broken down by drug, and what the cost of drug-related crime has been.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The term "registered addict" is no longer used. Research commissioned by the Executive concluded that there were around 56,000 people in Scotland misusing opiates and benzodiazepines in 2000. A similar study will be undertaken this year.<P>Informati…
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the police made any preliminary survey of the fire at Young Street, Springburn on 21 January 2003 before calling out the green goddesses and whether any such action resulted in any delay to the fire being tackled.
Answer · Hugh Henry: A Green Goddess and the Breathing Apparatus Rescue Team were actioned in response to an emergency call. A police traffic patrol unit was in the vicinity at the time and responded immediately when this call came through. In line with operational orders they as…
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it took 27 minutes for green goddesses to arrive at the fire at Young Street, Springburn on 21 January 2003 and which fire station did the appliances come from.
Answer · Hugh Henry: It took 21 minutes, not 27 minutes, from time of call for the Green Goddesses to arrive at the fire. The Resource Allocation System is set up to identify the nearest Temporary Service Fire Station which was Jardine Street in this instance. The Breathing Appar…
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of emergency fire cover was available in Glasgow on 21 January 2003 and whether the number of fire appliances was lower in relation to their geographical spread than on previous strike days.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The level of emergency fire cover available in Glasgow on 21 January, both in terms of numbers and in geographical spread, was the same as that on previous strike days.
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the job title or grade was of the appellant in each appeal that was heard, or is still to be heard, under section 7.1 of the Scottish Executive staff handbook and the equivalent section of the former Scottish Office staff handbook for the annual reporting years (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32804 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/sear…
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many job appraisal appeals were heard, or have still to be heard, under section 7.1 of the Scottish Executive staff handbook and the equivalent section of the former Scottish Office staff handbook for the annual reporting years (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98, (d) 1998-99, (e) …
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32804 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/sear…
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many job appraisal appeals were received under section 7.1 of the Scottish Executive staff handbook and the equivalent section of the former Scottish Office staff handbook for the annual reporting years (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98, (d) 1998-99, (e) 1999-2000 and (f) 2000-01.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on appeals prior to the appraisal year 2001-02 is not held centrally. However, information collated by personnel teams, which may not be complete, shows that in the 2000-01 appraisal year five appeals were received and heard. Of these, two were up…
13 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Convention on Human Rights has had on provisions within the law that relate to the prevention of racism in health, housing, education and social services.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The specific duties under the amended Race Relations Act to promote race equality, imposed on key public bodies by Scottish ministers earlier this year, will ensure that our public services are fair, accessible and sensitive to the needs of all our communitie…
13 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the UN International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination impacts on provisions within the law that relate to the prevention of racism in health, housing, education and social services.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The specific duties under the amended Race Relations Act to promote race equality imposed on key public bodies by Scottish ministers earlier last year will ensure that our public services are fair, accessible and sensitive to the needs of all our communities.…
11 Dec 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when digital hearing aids will be available on the NHS on the same basis as in England and Wales.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The guidance issued by the Executive to NHSScotland emphasises that the important point is to match the features of the hearing aid to the needs of the patient. <P>The final report of the review of audiology services, commissioned to establish the extent to w…
9 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding for scientific cancer research projects it has made available in each of the last three years and how much it intends to make available for such projects in future years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Over the last three financial years, the Scottish Executive has spent the following on cancer research: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=472><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="18%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1999-2000<P>(£ million)</TD…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to consult organisations and groups providing money, debt and legal advice with regard to the provision of central money advice support functions, other than with those organisations represented on the Steering Group on Central Support for Money Advice.
Answer · Des McNulty: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 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…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Steering Group on Central Support for Money Advice meets and whether the minutes of its meetings are made publicly available.
Answer · Des McNulty: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 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…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether membership of the Steering Group on Central Support for Money Advice is open to organisations and groups providing money, debt and legal advice to debtors other than those already represented on the group.
Answer · Des McNulty: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 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…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used to decide which organisations should be represented on the Steering Group on Central Support for Money Advice.
Answer · Des McNulty: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 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…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations are represented on the Steering Group on Central Support for Money Advice.
Answer · Des McNulty: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 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…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its announcement on 13 June 2002 on funding for central support services for money advice, what steps it has taken, or plans to take, to publicise the #500,000 it is making available for such services and what plans there are to invite organisations, other than Money Advic…
Answer · Des McNulty: The Scottish Executive brought together an ad hoc steering group to advise on the deployment of our £500,000 funding for central support for the provision of money advice in Scotland.<P>The group consisted of networks and organisations which have considerable…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31536 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 28 November 2002, how many unfilled vacancies currently exist for (a) auxiliary nurses and (b) ancillary related jobs, such as portering, cleaning and catering, broken down by NHS (i) trust and (ii) board area.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The information requested in part (a) is available in tables E16 / E17 of the ISD website.<P><A HREF="http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSiS_resource/Workforce/workforce_statistics.htm">http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSiS_resource/Workforce/workforce_statist…
5 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of its "One Scotland. Many Cultures" campaign to tackle racism, the recent statement by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice on sectarianism on 7 October 2002 and its support for, for example, the Healthy Respect project, equal opportunities initiatives in …
Answer · Margaret Curran: We are committed to tackling discrimination and inequality and our Equality Strategy provides a framework for this. We are looking at how best to respond to the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities and are already taking action t…
3 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31556 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 November 2002, whether it is consulted prior to the implementation of any interception warrants in respect of people resident in Scotland; what facility exists for such people to ascertain whether an interception warrant…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 is reserved, but certain limited functions have been devolved to the Scottish ministers in relation to serious crime in or as regards Scotland.<P>The issue of interception warrants by the UK Government in the in…
28 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make special arrangements for patients and visitors to reach designated hospitals in the Greater Glasgow NHS Board area should the proposals for the provision of acute services be implemented.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32145 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/sear…
28 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the accessibility study on acute services considered at the meeting of Greater Glasgow NHS Board on 29 January 2002 and, in particular, the statement that by reducing the numbers of accident and emergency departments in the board area from five to two locations an…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: While I welcomed the publication of the full accessibility study at the end of October 2002, this is only the beginning of the transport planning process, which will form an integral and vital part of the implementation programme in the months and years ahead…
28 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it made its decision on the provision of acute services in Glasgow taking into account the summary of the accessibility study published for the meeting of the Greater Glasgow NHS Board on 29 January 2002.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Yes.
28 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31500 by Iain Gray on 26 November 2002, why it does not hold centrally accurate and complete information about the (a) level of foreign disinvestment and company closures, (b) number of associated job losses and (c) level of public financial support …
Answer · Iain Gray: As indicated in response to question S1W-31500, there are limitations to the readily available information sources. For example, we may not be made aware of job losses if intended redundancies are below the threshold of 20 in any one month at which the Depart…
28 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31551 by Iain Gray on 26 November 2002, what arrangements it makes to liase with Her Majesty's Government in relation to the implementation of the national minimum wage in Scotland and its impact on eradicating poverty and what information it receive…
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a broad range of matters including the national minimum wage, but has no functions in relation to the implementation or the enforcement of the minimum wage.
27 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost would be of (a) a feasibility study into diversification of the white fish fishing sector and (b) paying tied-up boats to help re-seed the fishery with young farmed cod.
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is not possible to supply estimated costs without a more detailed specification of the work envisaged. However, it is important to note that there are only limited opportunities available in terms of new species to exploit onto which fishing effort could b…
27 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost per person of extending compensation to regular crew members of decommissioned white fish fishing vessels would be.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The cost of any such compensation would depend on the parameters agreed for support and the circumstances of the individuals concerned. EC provisions are in place relating to such matters, including in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EC) 2792/1999.
27 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average compensation is paid to skippers/owners of decommissioned white fish fishing vessels.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001, payments totalling just over £24.8 million were made to the owners of 98 fishing vessels. That equates to an average of just over £253,700 per vessel. Individual payments reflected the amount…
27 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated decommissioning costs are for white fish fishing vessels this year and how many, and what percentage of, vessels have been decommissioned.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Ninety-eight vessels were decommissioned under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001 at a cost of a little over £24.8 million. The capacity of these vessels represented a little over 18% of the capacity of the vessels eligible for the s…
27 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of an (a) 50% and (b) 80% tie-up for (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three years for the white fishing fleet.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The overall costs of any such approach would depend on the basis on which eligibility for, and amounts of, such aid was determined. Very substantial levels of aid would be needed if it were to make a significant impact on fishing activity. <P>Any scheme of as…