Parliamentary questions
Bill Butler
673 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new Scottish Health Council will be able to speak on behalf of patients and the general public.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am committed to the establishmentof the Scottish Health Council with Local Advisory Councils that will monitor andassess the performance of the NHS in their effective involvement of the public andthe delivery of patient-focussed services. It will also suppo…
9 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government about the economic impact of allowing more flexibility for asylum seekers undertaking employment whilst awaiting a decision in respect of their asylum applications
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Home Office is responsible for all immigration and asylum matters, including whether asylum seekers are able to work. The Executive has not made any specific representations. However I regularly meet with the Home Office and discuss a number of issues at …
9 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representation from Glasgow City Council seeking permission to make representations to Her Majesty's Government about relaxing employment restrictions in respect of asylum seekers, as referred to in The Herald on 28 May 2003.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive has not received any such representations from Glasgow City Council.
9 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum has received about the percentage of asylum seekers holding (a) professional and (b) construction skills qualifications
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Refugee Integration Forum completed its work with the publication of an action plan in February 2003. However, the Scottish Executive in conjunction with the Scottish Refugee Council has recently carried out an audit of the skills held by asylum …
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to the draft Civil Contingencies Bill.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As part of a UK-wide consultation process, the Scottish Executive is today publishing for comment the draft Civil Contingencies Bill on the Scottish Executive website and placing it in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 28011). It is being made wi…
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include matters pertaining to industrial relations in its review of governance and accountability in the further education sector, especially in light of the recent employment tribunal judgement regarding Motherwell College
Answer · Jim Wallace: The outcome of the ministerial review of governance and accountability in the further education sector was announced on 28 March. While the review did not propose any substantial change to industrial relations arrangements, I do expect all further education c…
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the industrial relations record of the further education sector has been compared with the rest of the public sector.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive does not maintain central records concerning industrial relations within individual further education colleges. Industrial relations are primarily a matter for college boards of management and representatives of the staff. <P>I recognis…
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to improve the quality of college management in the further education sector.
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is key to the success of our further education colleges that they are governed and managed to the highest standards in order to ensure the quality of service delivered to students and communities. <P>The Scottish Further Education Funding Council is respon…
26 Feb 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce levels of re-offending by those leaving prison.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive is working to reduce re-offending rates by developing better throughcare services, as recommended by the tripartite group in its recent report. This sets out a programme to strengthen the support provided for prisoners on their release from pris…
19 Feb 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the Central Heating Installation Programme.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive announced yesterday that it is investigating claims in relation to the contract for the delivery of its central heating programme by the Eaga Partnership. The Eaga Partnership has offered its full co-operation with this investigation an…
12 Feb 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into communities.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Considerable progress has already been made with the integration of asylum seekers and refugees into communities. The implementation of the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum Action Plan, published on 19 February, will continue this progress and make a real d…
4 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce details of the proposed assessment of services for people with mental disorder as promised during Stage 1 proceedings on the Mental Health (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am pleased to announce that Dr Sandra Grant OBE, the former Chief Executive of the Scottish Health Advisory Service, has agreed to lead this work, with the following remit: <P>"To undertake a comprehensive assessment of existing mental health service provis…
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to it by educational and church organisations regarding concerns about the children of asylum seekers being separated from their peers who will continue to be educated in the mainstream local authority education system.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have received correspondence from the Church of Scotland Education Committee and the Catholic Education Commission. I have also recently met with these organisations.
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, and with whom, regarding children of asylum seekers being educated in Dungavel House immigration removal centre.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has had discussions on a range of matters relating to education within Dungavel with representatives of the Scotland Office, the Home Office, South Lanarkshire Council and HM Inspectorate of Education.
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the children of asylum seekers or their parents/guardians have any right under Scots law to object to being educated in an accommodation centre.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This would be a matter for the courts to determine in the light of the applicable legislation, once any accommodation centre has been established.
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can indicate when it will be consulted by the Home Office on the establishment of any accommodation centre in Scotland.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Decisions about the siting of accommodation centres within the UK are a reserved matter and are the responsibility of the Home Office. Under the terms of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, there is an obligation on the Home Secretary to consult…
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32773 by Ms Margaret Curran on 7 January 2003, whether it has any plans to consult on the education provision at accommodation centres for children of asylum seekers once it has been consulted by the Home Office and what the timetable for both consul…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive expects to be consulted by the Home Office if and when the Home Office identifies an accommodation centre site in Scotland. Any decision to consult on the education provision would only be made after those discussions with the Home Office.
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was appropriate to include asylum seeker and refugee categories under National Identity in the 2002 Scottish School Census form.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Information on National Identity and Ethnic Background was collected in the School Census through the ScotXED project for the first time in September 2002.<P>For the 2003 School Census, asylum seekers and refugees will not be specified by SEED as categories u…
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what actions local authorities are taking in respect of the provision of education for the children of asylum seekers.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not collected centrally, although we recognise the positive and high quality work already being done by local authorities to respond to the particular educational needs of the children of asylum seekers. One of the purposes for which the S…
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what right to pre-school education the children of asylum seekers have.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The position of children and asylum seekers and refugees as regards provision in pre-school education is the same as for any other child of pre-school age resident in a local authority area. Prior to 1 April 2002, local authorities had the <I>power</I> to sec…
22 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what right to education the children of asylum seekers have.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Under the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, children of school age, including the children of asylum seekers, have a right to be provided with school education directed to the development of the personality, talents, and mental and phy…
22 Jan 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the current shortage of social workers in children's services.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I announced a 12-point Action Plan for the social services workforce on 18 April last year. This is being delivered in full. The current recruitment and awareness campaign has had a significant impact. It is clear from responses that many people aspire to a c…
14 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of any impact of the requirement under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 that the children of asylum seekers be schooled outwith the state sector in purpose-built accommodation centres.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The education of the children of asylum seekers in accommodation centres is a reserved matter.
14 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made of any benefits to state schools of having the children of asylum seekers form part of the school roll.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: No formal assessment has been made by the Scottish Executive of any benefits to state schools of having the children of asylum seekers form part of the school roll.
14 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made of the educational performance of asylum seekers' children that attend state schools.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has not made any assessment of the educational performance of asylum seekers' children in state schools.<P>Information on individual pupils in publicly funded schools who are asylum seekers is being collected for the first time in the 2…
14 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children of asylum seekers are being educated in the state sector.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The number of pupils being educated in publicly funded schools in Scotland is collected in the annual School Census conducted in September. However, information on the number of pupils in schools who were asylum seekers has not been previously collected in th…
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to direct NHS boards to ensure that any lack of provision of dedicated mother and baby units for women with post-natal depression is addressed swiftly.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30982 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 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for any lack of dedicated mother and baby services for women with post-natal depression.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30982 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 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are no facilities available in any hospital to allow a mother with post-natal depression to continue to care for her baby whilst undergoing treatment.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Currently there are no dedicated units for mother and child admissions. However, at the discretion of clinicians and NHS trusts arrangements can be made locally in individual cases. <P>Our guidance on post-natal depression services highlights the consideratio…
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any monitoring of the free concessionary travel scheme for elderly and disabled people will include an analysis of any problems encountered regarding the bus companies' understanding of the guidance issued in respect of what constitutes the free concessionary travel area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. Decisions on the operation of concessionary fares scheme, including contractual negotiations with bus operators, are a matter for local authorities.