Bill Butler

28 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring mechanism has been put in place to judge the effectiveness of the free concessionary travel scheme for elderly and disabled people.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Free local off-peak concessionary bus travel for elderly and disabled people has been delivered through enhancements to the 16 existing concessionary fares schemes operated by local authorities in Scotland.<P>A research project has been commissioned by the Ex…

28 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism is in place to make public whether Scottish Enterprise Glasgow has been successful in achieving its performance targets.

Answer · Iain Gray: Scottish Enterprise sets out intended outputs, as agreed with the Executive, in its operating plan and reports publicly on performance in their annual report. The publication of information on individual Local Enterprise Companies is an operational matter for…

28 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism is in place to make public whether Scottish Enterprise has been successful in achieving its performance targets.

Answer · Iain Gray: Performance targets for Scottish Enterprise which are agreed with the Executive are contained in their annual operating plan. Achievement of targets contained in the plan is reported in Scottish Enterprise's annual report, which is normally published around s…

27 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its report on the progress made against the Statistical Plan 2001-02.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I am pleased to announce that we are publishing the report of progress against the Statistical Plan 2001-02, today. <I>The Chief Statistician's Annual Report 2001-02</I> sets out the progress made against the Statistical Plan 2001-02, which was published in M…

3 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact a Scottish service tax would have on the administration of council tax.

Answer · Peter Peacock: A Scottish Service Tax would replace the council tax. It would be a national tax and would remove the link between local budget decisions and local accountability.

3 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the use of a Scottish service tax to increase public spending would have on the block grant.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There would be no direct impact on the block grant but consideration would have to be given to the loss of £300 million in council tax benefit income to councils.

3 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to introduce a Scottish service tax.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998 is explicit that fiscal policy is a reserved issue.

28 Aug 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made over the summer towards its target for provision of nursery places.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Programme for Government target was to provide a pre-school place for all three-and four-year-olds whose parents wish such a place by 2002. I announced the latest figures, for academic year 2001-02, on 21 August. They show that 96% of four-years-olds and …

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy Scottish Water will implement to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of the recent contamination of the water supply in parts of Glasgow.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No guarantee can be given that there will not be a recurrence of the recent contamination of the Glasgow water supply. The risk of contamination is the same as it has been for over 100 years and it will not be reduced until the existing treatment works at Mil…

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what means are being employed by Scottish Water to tackle the contamination of the water supply in parts of Glasgow.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The principal source of the contamination was Mugdock reservoir. Scottish Water altered the distribution system to avoid using water from Mugdock reservoir until the levels of cryptosporidium in the reservoir fell to an acceptable level.<P>In the longer term,…

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information Scottish Water has on how the contamination of the water supply in parts of Glasgow through high levels of the cryptosporidium parasite occurred.

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is thought that the exceptionally heavy rain during week commencing 29 July caused increased levels of cryptosporidium to enter the Glasgow water supply, but the Incident Control Team chaired by Greater Glasgow NHS Board will produce a full report on the c…

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water allowed a significant interval of time to elapse between the discovery of the cryptosporidium parasite in the water supply serving parts of Glasgow and the relaying of this information to any residents affected.

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is the responsibility of Greater Glasgow NHS Board to determine the significance of increased levels of cryptosporidium in water supplies in the Glasgow area. The health board is also responsible for the nature and timing of any advice relayed to residents…

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date Scottish Water first became aware of high levels of the cryptosporidium parasite in the water supply serving parts of Glasgow.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water first became aware of increased levels of cryptosporidium in the Glasgow water supply on Friday 2 August. This information was immediately passed on to Greater Glasgow NHS Board. However, it was not until levels increased further on Saturday 3 …

19 Jul 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the New Opportunities Fund about the PE and Sport in Schools Programme.

Answer · Mike Watson: We have liased closely with the New Opportunities Fund both before and since the launch of the PE and Sport in Schools Programme, which will provide £87 million across Scotland for sporting activities as well as new and improved sports facilities.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the report of the Expert Panel on Sex Offending, Reducing the Risk: Improving the response to sex offending.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Ministers' response to the report, along with an analysis of the external consultation exercise carried out on the report, has been published today and copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 22120).

21 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect will be on the leadership of the Beatson Oncology Centre when the current secondment of Dr Bryson comes to a close at the end of September 2002.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The recruitment process for the post of Medical Director has commenced.

20 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it makes available to support initiatives that translate research work on cancer into new diagnoses or treatments.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland.<P>At present CSO is directly funding 58 research proj…

20 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that there is a sufficient level of strategic workforce planning with respect to professions allied to the health service, particularly in regard to therapy radiographers.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: <I>Planning Together</I>, the final report of the Scottish Integrated Workforce Planning Group, was published in January 2002 alongside the Scottish Executive Health Department's proposals for establishing a comprehensive workforce development infrastructure …

20 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to encourage an adequate number of students to study therapy radiography.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I recently announced that the Scottish Executive Health Department will fund additional student places in 2002-03 for the Allied Health Professions (AHPs). This will include additional therapeutic radiography student places. These places are in addition to th…

20 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Beatson Oncology Centre should operate outwith the North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust on a permanent basis.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is of paramount importance that the momentum in appointing sufficient, appropriately trained, professional and support staff at the Beatson Oncology Centre is sustained, and that the second phase in taking forward the plans to relocate the centre at Gartna…

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in tackling indiscipline in schools and in addressing concerns over violence against teachers.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Discipline Task Group (DTG) report<I>, Better Behaviour - Better Learning</I> made 36 recommendations aimed at improving discipline in schools, many of which will also impact on violent or threatening behaviour exhibited towards school staff. These recomm…

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting initiatives to encourage people to stop smoking.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive is pursuing a wide range of measures to reduce levels of smoking. This includes funding for health education and prevention activities, smoking cessation services and provision of NRT and Zyban on prescription. <P>This week I launched t…

14 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the conclusions of Professor Arthur Midwinter in his report Grant Distribution and the Mismatch Effect: An Assessment of its Impact on Councils Since Reorganisation that there is a "pressing need" to address difficulties faced by the local authorities covered by t…

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25877.

14 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the findings of Professor Arthur Midwinter in his report Grant Distribution and the Mismatch Effect: An Assessment of its Impact on Councils since Reorganisation that there is "clear evidence of the erosion of grant income" to the six local authorities covered by …

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25877.

14 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will agree to the request by the leaders of Glasgow City Council, Argyll and Bute Council, Dundee City Council, Inverclyde Council, Midlothian Council and West Dunbartonshire Council for a meeting to discuss restoring any money that the councils lost following the reorganisati…

Answer · Andy Kerr: Peter Peacock and I have already met a number of the councils involved. I am currently evaluating Professor Midwinter's report. I will meet with COSLA next month to talk about the spending review and the distribution of resources for all local authorities and…

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reached conclusions on the proposal to abolish the Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board following the announcement on the outcome of the review of non-departmental public bodies on 21 June 2001.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have reviewed comments on this proposal, but conclude that these do not present persuasive arguments for retention of the board. Our assessment remains that the policy of introducing competition with solicitors in relation to executry and conveyancing serv…

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits would result from the construction and completion of a rail link to Glasgow Airport, with particular regard to the economy of (a) Glasgow and (b) the west of Scotland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Our current study will include detailed assessments of the local and national economic benefits generated by the link to the airport. These assessments will be carried out once the consultants have identified the preferred route options, later this year.

24 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the issue of young runaways.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-05126.

17 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the introduction of school classroom assistants has led to any identifiable improvement in the quality of children's education.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Yes, their introduction has led to an identifiable improvement in children's education. In January 2000, the Scottish Executive commissioned the Scottish Council for Research in Education (SCRE) to evaluate the classroom assistants initiative. Its interim fin…

8 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the next Conference of the Commonwealth Education Ministers will be held in Edinburgh in 2003.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I am delighted to confirm that the 15th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers will be held in Edinburgh in the late autumn of 2003.<P>This will be a major international conference bringing together Education Ministers from the 54 states of the Common…