Murdo Fraser

20 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met Supporters Direct and what the outcome of any such meeting was.

Answer · Elaine Murray: My officials met Supporters Direct last September to discuss the possibility and practicalities of Supporters Direct extending the service they provide in England and Wales to Scotland. Supporters Direct were asked to submit a written proposal on how this cou…

19 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a national standard method for recording crime statistics.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We seek to promote consistency in the way that police forces record crime through guidelines and audits.<P>We issue guidance through the Criminal Statistics Handbook. The guidance is discussed with police representatives through the Scottish Criminal Statisti…

14 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been of people diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder in each of the last five years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

14 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training in dealing with young people with autistic spectrum disorder is given to members of Children's Panels.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: During pre-service training panel members receive general information on child development and special needs, including reference to autistic spectrum disorder. Recent in-service training and locally organised training events have also addressed autistic spec…

14 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training in dealing with people with autistic spectrum disorder is given to police officers.

Answer · Richard Simpson: Training dealing specifically with autistic spectrum disorder is not provided for police officers. General awareness of the need to deal sensitively with people who may have special needs will, however, be addressed through the new National Equal Opportunity …

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available for the creation of locally based specialist eating disorder services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is for health services and local authorities to work together to organise eating disorders services that meet the assessed needs of their area. To aid local considerations we have published a template for the best organisation of eating disorder services. …

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the recommendations in the Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland on (a) psychological interventions and (b) eating disorders are implemented by health boards and trusts.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The new guidance published is designed to show agencies what needs to be in place where and when to provide good psychological interventions and eating disorder services.<P>The workforce skills, recruitment, training and retention issues are recognised and ar…

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to monitor the performance of BEAR Scotland Ltd over the winter months.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Performance Audit Group (PAG) is appointed by the Scottish Executive to audit and monitor the activities of BEAR Scotland Ltd. BEAR's physical performance is monitored and audited throughout the year by PAG's Field Engineers. During winter months PAG pays…

6 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) procedures are in place for identifying and dealing with, and (b) facilities are available for dealing with and working with any prisoners who have autistic spectrum disorder.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The SPS operates a system of induction and sentence management for prisoners. This, together with the health checks carried out on admiss…

6 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that the port of Rosyth will not become a gateway for illegal drugs imports following the introduction of the proposed ferry service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Fife Constabulary, in discussion with other enforcement agencies, is taking steps to ensure that, following the introduction of the proposed ferry service, a commensurate level of policing would be in place at the port to counter the assessed threat posed by …

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to protect rural schools from the threat of closure.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The principal responsibility for school provision in rural and urban areas lies with the education authorities. There are statutory consultation requirements which authorities must undertake where they propose to close a school. This ensures that there is a f…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to promote the teaching of countryside based skills such as gamekeeping in schools.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The detailed management and delivery of the curriculum in Scotland rests with education authorities and schools. To support the role of schools and education authorities, advice and guidance on the curriculum is provided by the Scottish Executive and other ag…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive a response from the Accident Investigation and Prevention Unit following its meeting with Tayside Police to determine whether remedial safety measures need to be implemented on the A90 at Friarton Bridge.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Accident Investigation and Prevention Unit has reported that discussions with Tayside Police about the fatal accident on the A90 at Friarton Bridge in November 2001 did not identify any road defect or requirement for specific engineering measures to be un…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides in rural areas to activities to divert young people from offending behaviour.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Local authorities and others in rural areas have access to a range of support measures already in place, or being introduced. These include our current Youth Crime Review investment of £23.5 million over three and a half years. Every local authority will carr…

20 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust to ensure that the Eating Disorder Service at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth does not close as the result of any cost cutting measures.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is for the board to consider their position in light of local needs and planned best responses to those needs, against the background of expectation set out in the original Framework for Mental Health and the support group forward agenda which includes spe…

6 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to review safety on the A90 at Friarton Bridge following the recent fatal accident there.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive's Accident Investigation and Prevention Unit will meet with Tayside Police to determine the circumstances of the accident and consider whether immediate remedial measures need to be undertaken.

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the cost of construction of slip roads connecting the A9 northbound carriageway at the Ballinluig junction with the A827 Ballinluig to Killin Road and what the outcome was of any such research.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In 1995 Tayside Regional Council carried out a review of options for providing grade separation of the Ballinluig junction, by providing slip roads connecting the northbound carriageway of the A9 to the A827 Ballinluig to Killin Road. This study took into acc…

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to arrange a ministerial visit to the Ballinluig junction on the A9 Inverness to Perth trunk road in order to inspect the safety of the junction.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to arrange a ministerial visit to the Ballinluig junction. However, officials have visited the site on many occasions to meet with local community representatives, Tayside Police and BEAR Scotland Ltd. Visits have included …

27 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional support is being given to the Scottish tourist industry in view of the potential likely reduction in the number of visitors to Scotland from North America.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: We need to assess the position carefully and provide the right response. We have therefore brought together representatives of the industry and of the support agencies to consider the nature of the problem that we face. VisitScotland and the British Tourist A…

26 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is being made available for farm tourism.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: We announced in August, as part of the foot-and-mouth disease recovery package, that £300,000 would be spent on developing environmentally based tourism opportunities for the farming sector. Initial work has been undertaken. The project will focus on Dumfries…

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct Tayside Health Board to review its decision to withdraw acute services from Stracathro hospital now that the NHS Tayside budget deficit has been written off.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The pattern of acute hospital services in Tayside is a matter for the NHS board, in consultation with its planning partners and the people of Tayside. The decision to withdraw acute services from Stracathro was a clinical safety issue and was not taken on cos…

25 Jun 2001 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister why the boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park have been drawn so as to exclude all parts of Perth and Kinross.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The case for including the Highland Perthshire area was carefully considered. The area has much to offer in terms of high natural heritage value, recreational opportunities and wildlife. However, we felt that to include so extensive an area would reduce the c…