Parliamentary questions
Derek Brownlee
680 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in delivering efficiency savings in the Fire Service, broken down by fire board.
Answer · Hugh Henry: A breakdown of efficiency savings by fire and rescue authority is not held centrally. We will be working with authorities to establish how details of savings achieved by individual authorities can best be recorded and collated. The Scottish Executive has take…
4 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in delivering efficiency savings in the police, broken down by constabulary.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A breakdown of efficiency savings, by constabulary, is not held centrally. However, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland’s Best Value report for 2004-05 shows that efficiency savings from all the Scottish Police forces have risen from £7 milli…
22 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to reduce the number of days lost as a result of sickness absence in each of its departments.
Answer · Tom McCabe: A review of the Scottish Executive Managing Attendance procedures was undertaken during 2005 and consideration given to what further actions could be taken to reduce the Executive’s sickness absence below the current level.</p> <p>The revised procedures, whic…
22 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many days have been lost as a result of sickness absence in each of its departments in each year from 1999 to 2005.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The number of sick absence days in the Scottish Executive Core Departments since 2000 is provided in the table below. Included is the percentage of days taken as sick absence as a proportion of available working days. Comparable figures for 1999 do not exist …
22 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number of days lost per employee as a result of sickness absence has been in each of its departments in each year from 1999 to 2005.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The average number of days absence, due to sickness, per employee in each of the Scottish Executive core departments since 2000 is provided in the following table. Comparable figures for 1999 do not exist as the organisational structure was different prior to…
22 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or plans to take, following the suspension of production of Xylocaine® and Citanest® by Dentsply International Inc.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has notified National Procurement, the current contract holder for the supply of dental products to salaried and hospital dental services, of this issue.</p> <p>The Executive will link with the UK Department of Health to monitor the eff…
22 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on dental treatment of the suspension of production of Xylocaine® and Citanest® by Dentsply International Inc.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive is monitoring the situation, but has not at this stage undertaken a formal impact assessment.</p> <p>Alternative supplies of these products are currently available through Septodont and further suppliers are also being sought by DENTSPLY Interna…
19 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21461 by Allan Wilson on 19 December 2005, whether it will publish the letter from the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning to his Whitehall counterpart referred to in the answer.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The content of my letter wasprivate and confidential. I therefore have no plans to publish this letter.</p>
15 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what websites it has created in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06; how much each site cost to create, and how many visitors there have been to each site (a) since its creation, (b) in 2004-05 and (c) in 2005-06.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p>
15 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many posts jointly funded by NHS Scotland and academic institutions are covered by the new form of contract referred to by Lord Warner (Official Report, House of Lords, 1 December 2005; Vol 440, c 404) and on what date the first of these contracts took effect.
Answer · Andy Kerr: At this stage of the discussionit is not possible to quantify how many posts any new form of contract would coverin Scotland. A meeting is taking place between Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, UK Health Departments,the Department for Education and Skills, N…
15 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent by NHS Scotland on academic medical posts in the three years prior to 2005-06 and how much will be spent on these posts in (a) 2005-06 and (b) each future year for which figures are available.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not heldcentrally. Expenditure on academics medical posts is a matter for NHS boards todetermine in consultation with Universities and is spent from within their generalallocations.</p>
15 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many posts are jointly funded between NHS Scotland and academic institutions.
Answer · Andy Kerr: There are currently 432 honorarycontracts in NHS Scotland. This figure indicates the number of doctors who are workingboth in Universities and within the NHS. Information on how these posts are fundedis not held centrally as this is a matter for local agreeme…
15 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the financial implications were for (a) the NHS and (b) academic institutions of the decision in the Court of the University of Glasgow case in respect of the form of contract for clinical academic posts and the consequential impact on VAT for the three years prior to 2005-06 and wha…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The financial implications of the Court of the University of Glasgow’s ruling both for the University of Glasgow and forthe NHS across the UK are still being assessed. As Lord Warner indicated inhis statement to the House of Lords on 1 December 2005, a meeti…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will proceed with the scheme to upgrade the A7 at Glenmayne, announced by the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 20 March 2003, and, if so, when construction is expected to start.
Answer · Tavish Scott: I referthe member to the answer to question S2W-21646on 7 March 2006. 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…
12 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18353 by Tavish Scott on 18 August 2005, when it expects to conclude its review of the Glenmayne scheme.
Answer · Tavish Scott: In developing the design forthis scheme since the original announcement in March 2003, a total of elevenoptions have been considered. In August 2003 consultants were appointed for thedevelopment of the scheme with a project brief being issued on 3 September 2…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what change there has been in the number of civil service posts within the Executive since July 2004.
Answer · Tom McCabe: There has been an overall reduction of 90 full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent staff in the Scottish Executive core departments between July 2004 (4,523.8 FTE staff) and December 2005 (4,433.8 FTE staff).</p>
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20095 by Allan Wilson on 7 November 2005, whether in its regular dialogue with Westminster ministers it has discussed any increase to the rate of Supplementary Corporation Tax.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I wrote to my Whitehall counterpart, regarding oil and gas taxation, in advance of the Chancellor’s statement. I consulted the industry in Scotland before doing so.</p> <p>Scottish ministers became aware of the changes to the rate of the Supplementary Corpora…
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers the proposed replacement of contributions under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 with a planning gain supplement will have on the availability of affordable housing in Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As indicated in the answer to question S2W-21459 on 19 December 2005, we will consider the implications of the proposed planning gain supplement in depth before coming to any conclusions. The impact of such a measure on relevant policies, such as the provisio…
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with, and what representations it has made to, HM Treasury in relation to the proposed replacement of contributions under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 with a planning gain supplement.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Following publication of the Barker Review of Housing Supply in March 2004, which contained a recommendation for a planning gain supplement, Scottish Executive officials discussed the general principles with HM Treasury and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister…
6 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of the third phase of the travel awareness campaign, Choose Another Way, and how much of that sum related to advertising costs.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The travel awareness campaign, Choose Another Way is not running this financial year. The advertising spend for financial year 2003-04 was £219,928 and for 2004-05 was £265,101.</p>
10 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of publishing, printing, distributing and launching One Scotland - One Geography.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The total cost incurred to date in publishing, printing, distributing and launching <i>One Scotland – One Geography</i> on the Scottish Executive website is £618.38. If it is agreed that printed copies of the strategy be produced for public dissemination an e…
1 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19596 by Mr Tom McCabe on 31 October 2005, what its reasons are for having no plans to publish the public sector employment statistics from 1997 to 1999 on a basis consistent with those published for the first two quarters of 2005.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Currently there are no plans to publish public sector employment statistics for 1997 and 1998 on a basis consistent with those published in the first two quarters of 2005. The reason is that data for some areas of public sector employment prior to 1999 is not…
1 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19596 by Mr Tom McCabe on 31 October 2005, whether it has information capable of being published on a basis consistent with the public sector employment statistics published for the first two quarters of 2005.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Data for all areas of public sector employment is not available between 1997 and 1999 on a consistent basis with the data published on public sector employment by the Scottish Executive for the first two quarters of 2005.</p> <p>However, employment data is av…
31 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it is allocating to the Scottish Union Learning Fund for (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08 and from which level 3 budget this will come.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The information requested is given in Table 6.11 of the <i>Draft Budget 2006-07</i> published by the Scottish Executive in 2005, under the same budget heading as contained within your question.</p> <p>A copy of the draft budget 2006-07 is available in the Sco…
27 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18951 by Mr Tom McCabe on 16 September 2005, what the annual rent is of each property that it rents.
Answer · Tom McCabe: At the end of financial year2004-05 the annual rent of each property that Scottish Executive rents is asset out in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=353> <tr> <td> <p>Address</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Town</p>…
26 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government on the importance to the Scottish economy of fiscal stability in the tax regime for UK oil and gas production.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The oil and gas industry makesa significant contribution to the Scottish economy – and the Executive supportsmeasures that would extend the life of production in the North Sea.</p><p>The industry has made representationsto the Executive, the Department of Tra…
21 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial implications for the Executive of the agreement reached at the Public Services Forum in relation to public sector pensions, announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 18 October 2005.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer to the reply to the answer to question S2W-19981 on 16 November 2005. 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/we…
21 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by Her Majesty's Government prior to the agreement reached at the Public Services Forum in relation to public sector pensions, announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 18 October 2005.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer to the reply to the answer to question S2W-19981 on 16 November 2005. 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/we…
21 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made to Her Majesty's Government prior to the agreement reached at the Public Services Forum in relation to public sector pensions, announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 18 October 2005.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Occupational and personal pensions are reserved matters under the Scotland Act 1998 and are the responsibility of the UK Government. However, Scottish ministers have the devolved responsibility for making regulations to establish and maintain public pensions …
20 Oct 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-17769 and S2W-17771 by George Lyon on 1 August 2005, whether it will announce its conclusions on the council tax liability of individual rooms in housing support accommodation in sufficient time for these conclusions to be implemented by local auth…
Answer · George Lyon: Those who responded to the consultation expressed differing views on a preferred route, including those within the housing support sector. We are currently considering the way forward and will make an announcement in due course.</p>