Parliamentary questions
Bill Butler
673 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many football banning orders have been applied for by police since their introduction in 2006, also broken down by police force and giving numbers in respect of sectarian behaviour, racist behaviour and other forms of disorder.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Since the legislationcame into force on 1<sup> </sup>September 2006, 245 cases requesting FootballBanning Orders have been reported to procurators fiscal across the country. Of these,48 were for sectarian offences and nine were for racial offences. The remain…
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support further academic research into sectarianism in Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Governmentrecognises the important contribution that academic research can make in helpingto develop work to tackle sectarianism and religious intolerance. While we do notdirectly support academic research our own analytical services teams have c…
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address sectarianism in workplaces and ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees, regardless of their religious affiliation.
Answer · Jim Mather: The STUC are currentlyfacilitating research into Sectarianism in the Workplace and will report the researchersfindings to the Executive in the near future. Once received, we shall review anyoutcomes and make our decisions on that basis. Of course, it remains …
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage anti-sectarian project work in schools.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Executive hasannounced a £100,000 fund to support anti-sectarian project work in schools. EducationAuthorities are currently working with schools to submit funding bids.</p>
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been successfully prosecuted under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available informationabout charges reported to the procurators fiscal which involved a religious aggravationand where a conviction was recorded is given in the following table. The figuresexclude charges where no verdict has yet been reached.</p><p>Number…
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been charged under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available informationabout charges reported to procurators fiscal where the charge involved a religiousaggravation is given in the following table.</p><p>Number of ChargesReceived by Procurators Fiscal where the Charge Included a ReligiousAggravation in T…
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to bring forward to challenge sectarian attitudes in universities and further education colleges.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In academic year 2006-07 the Scottish Executive funded the National Union of Students Scotland to deliver a campaign to both raise awareness of the issue of sectarianism in further and higher education and to challenge sectarian belief and behaviour amongst s…
8 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to continue to challenge sectarianism in and around sports grounds.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: As one of theactions in the strategy to tackle sectarianism in football – <i>Calling Full</i><i>Time on Sectarianism</i> – a nationwide anti-sectarianism weekend of actionwill take place at SPL football grounds on 24 and 25 November 2007 followed by a four we…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give due consideration to the feasibility of responding to aspirations among asylum seeker children to undertake degree level study as recommended in the HM Inspectorate of Education report, Joint inspection of services for children of asylum seekers in Glasgow City Counci…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Safeguarding the wellbeingand protecting the human rights of all children, including those of asylumseeking families or those that have sought asylum in their own right, is anissue which I take very seriously. These children have the same human rights asother…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise awareness among employers about the provision of support for employees with epilepsy.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-577 on 14 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website; the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is doing with teachers and pupils in schools to raise awareness of epilepsy.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-577 on 14 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website; the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle any discrimination and stigma associated with epilepsy.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-577 on 14 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website; the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to ensure that the family and carers of Scots with epilepsy receive the necessary information and education that they require in respect of the condition.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-577 on 14 June 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website; the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to ensure that people with epilepsy receive the education and information regarding their condition that they require.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government understandsthe importance of providing the best possible information to people with epilepsy,especially at the time of diagnosis. Improved access to better information and educationon epilepsy helps to achieve our aim of making people,…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the 40,000 Scots with epilepsy have access to the medical treatment that they require.
Answer · Shona Robison: The SIGN Guidelines on the diagnosisand management of epilepsy in adults (Guideline 70) and in children and young people(Guideline 81) set out the best evidence relating to the management of epilepsy.NHS boards are expected to implement these Guidelines throu…
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link on 31 May 2007 were within projected estimates.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-499 on 29 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link on 4 May 2007 were within projected estimates.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: At 4 May 2007 the estimated cost of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Linklay in the range £550 to £650 million and was within project estimates.</p>
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs of the planned Edinburgh tram network on 31 May 2007 were within projected estimates.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-497 on 29 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs of the planned Edinburgh tram network on 4 May 2007 were within projected estimates.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: At 4 May 2007, theestimated cost of the Edinburgh Tram network lay in the range £500 to 545 millionand was within project estimates.</p>
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected financial cost of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link was on 31 May 2007.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No new cost estimatewas received from TIE ltd, promoter of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link, between4 May and 31 May 2007. The cost estimate is reviewed regularly as part of normalproject monitoring by Transport Scotland.</p>
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected financial cost of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link was on 4 May 2007.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: At 4 May 2007 the estimated cost of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Linklay in the range £550 to £650 million.</p>
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected financial cost of the planned Edinburgh tram network was on 31 May 2007.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No new cost estimatewas received from City of Edinburgh Council, promoter of the EdinburghTram Network, between 4 May and 31 May 2007. The costestimate is reviewed regularly as part of normal project monitoring by TransportScotland.</p>
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected financial cost of the planned Edinburgh tram network was on 4 May 2007.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: At 4 May 2007 theestimated cost of the Edinburgh Tram network lay in the range £500 to 545 million.</p>
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings took place between 4 and 31 May 2007 involving Scottish ministers and Executive officials in relation to the effect on traffic congestion in Edinburgh and the Lothians of the abolition of tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ministerial appointmentswere confirmed by Parliament on 17 May 2007. There wereno meetings in relation to the abolition of tolls and effects of this prior to then.</p><p>Since then, therehave been three comprehensive and wide ranging meetings between Scottish…
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings took place between 4 and 31 May 2007 involving Scottish ministers and Executive officials to discuss the projected financial cost of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There have been severalmeetings between ministers and officials to discuss a range of transport issues.</p>
4 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings took place between 4 and 31 May 2007 involving Scottish ministers and Executive officials to discuss the projected financial cost of the planned Edinburgh tram network.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There have been severalmeetings between ministers and officials to discuss a range of transport issues.</p>
23 May 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are for transport.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The ScottishExecutive’s priorities for transport are:</p><p>full utilisationof our transport infrastructure and our investment in it;</p><p>delivering theright infrastructure for business success, and</p><p>a focus on theneeds of Scottish commuters, working t…
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of the full implementation of all strands of the agreement reached in March 2006 between the Executive and the Home Office regarding the treatment of asylum seeker families.
Answer · Robert Brown: The Minister for Education and Young People provided a detailedwritten update on the implementation of the March 2006 agreement to the Communitiesand Education Committees on 20 March 2007, and a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Cent…
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the lead professional arrangements between Glasgow City Council and the Home Office which formed part of the agreement reached with the Home Office in March 2006 in respect of asylum seeker families.
Answer · Robert Brown: We have reached agreement with theHome Office and with Glasgow City Council on lead professional arrangements whichshould ensure that the rights, needs and interests of children in asylum seekerfamilies are given earlier and on-going consideration.</p><p>The …
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has produced concerning the welfare of children moved to Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre.
Answer · Robert Brown: The operation and management of Dungavel is the responsibilityof the Home Office which has a set of Operating Standards which includes those centresdealing with families with children. The Home Office also has a Child ProtectionPolicy issued centrally and ens…