Patrick Harvie

30 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what standard and detail of public consultation is required by regional transport partnerships in preparing plans for submission to ministers.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Transport Scotland Act2005 section 6(1)(a) states that each Regional Transport Partnership, beforearriving at its Regional Transport Strategy must consult its constituentcouncils, each Health Board in its area and other persons as it thinks fit.</p><p><i>…

30 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether transport infrastructure projects outlined in regional transport plans must also be reflected in relevant structure plans before they can be approved.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: <i>Scotland</i><i>’s Transport Future: Guidance on Regional TransportStrategies</i> requires that the 7Regional Transport Partnerships have due regard to the National PlanningFramework and other Scottish Executive planning policy documents.</p>

30 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers ministers have in relation to the amendment, rejection or resubmission of regional transport plans.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: <i>Scotland’s TransportFuture: Guidance on Regional Transport Strategies</i> states when considering whether to approve astrategy, Scottish ministers consider, amongst other things, how far the strategywill contribute to the Executive’s own transport objectiv…

30 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescales are for ministerial decisions on the approval of regional transport plans.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There is no statutory deadlinefor the approval of regional transport strategies. The Transport (Scotland) Act2005 section 6(1)(b) required the Regional Transport Partnerships to submit theirfirst transport strategies by 31 March 2007. The document <i>Scotland…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Glasgow Housing Association to proceed to second stage transfer of housing stock and whether additional funding will be required to allow this to happen.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-143 on 1 June 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received on the legality, or compliance with European competition rules, of any decision to award a contract for the construction of the M74 northern extension without there having been a competitive bidding process.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The procurement process complieswith European competition rules. The tender has still to be submitted and the awardwill be subject to the tender demonstrating value for money.</p>

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how its work on community safety will address the distinct needs of members of minority groups in society, such as disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and minority ethnic groups.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is committedto equality and to ensuring that the specific needs of particular communities areaddressed.</p><p>In preparing a community safetystrategy, community safety partnerships are encouraged to undertake a communitysafety audit an…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to meet representatives of the voluntary sector to discuss its future role in policy making and service delivery and the implications of the change of ministerial remit for the voluntary sector from Communities to Finance and Sustainable Growth.

Answer · John Swinney: We recognise that volunteers,voluntary organisations and social enterprises have a major contribution to makeacross our five strategic objectives and we will work closely with the sector toenhance the lives of individuals and communities across Scotland.</p><…

24 May 2007 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it will make progress on the appointment of the Scottish Commission for Human Rights.

Answer · Mike Pringle: The process of appointingthe Chair of the Scottish Commission for Human Rights is not a matter for theSPCB.  The nomination to Parliament of a chair will be made by a selectionpanel of members of the Parliament in line with Rule 3.11 of Standing Orders. Once …

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that electroshock Taser weapons should only be used by specially trained, authorised firearms officers.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The deployment and use of Taserweapons is an operational matter for Chief Constables. These devices are used inaccordance with policy and operational guidance prepared by the Association of ChiefPolice Officers in Scotland. This provides that Tasers will only…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce legislation on the statutory aggravation of hate crimes against disabled and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes. Legislation on this matterwill be brought forward when a suitable opportunity arises.</p>

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to encourage flexi-working and homeworking.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government alreadyhas fully developed policies on flexible and home working for its staff. The extentto which flexible and home working can be encouraged in the public sector is dependenton the nature of individual posts.</p><p>The Scottish Gover…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to increase the use of microrenewable technologies.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Executive is committed toincreasing the use of microrenewable technologies and supports a coherent approachto energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energy consumption and promotinglow carbon technologies are key to achieving sustainable econom…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to increase energy efficiency in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Executive is committed toincreasing energy efficiency in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.The Executive supports a coherent approach to energy policy, recognising that promotingreduced energy consumption and promoting low carbon technolo…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to revise building standards.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:</p><p>Following the revisions introducedon 1 May this year, work has begun on the next major revisions.</p>

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that social and environmental criteria are specified in public sector procurement contracts.

Answer · John Swinney: The Executive has already issuedguidance to the wider Scottish public sector on how, and under what circumstances,environmental criteria can be specified in public contracts. The Executive has beenworking with external stakeholder bodies to produce Scottish s…

13 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered, or is considering, the extension of taser use and whether it has been asked by any organisations in Scotland to consider extending the use of tasers.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No. The circumstances and extentto which tasers are deployed are matters for Chief Constables. The current positionof the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is that tasers will notbe routinely deployed and will only be issued to authorised firea…

13 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with the UK Steering Group on Less Lethal Weapons and how its Justice Department is represented on this group.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Scottish policing interests onthe UK Steering Group on Less Lethal Weapons are represented by the Associationof Chief Police Officers in Scotland.</p>

9 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the guidelines on the use of biometric systems in schools, currently being developed by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, will apply in Scotland.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I understand that this guidance is being developed on behalf of the Department for Education and Science and will, therefore, only apply to schools in England.</p><dir><i>The following is a corrected answer (published on 28 March 2007); see below.</i></dir><p…

29 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has published, or intends to publish, a review of the ways in which education authorities encourage equal opportunities, and in particular the observance of equal opportunities requirements, as specified in section 5(2)(b) of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive has no currentplans to review how education authorities encourage equal opportunities and complywith their various statutory obligations in the Standards in Scotland’s Schoolsetc. Act 2000 and other subsequent legislation, some of which will onl…

29 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has published, or intends to publish, a review of the issues covered in the annual statements of education improvement objectives that are required to be published by education authorities under section 5 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000.

Answer · Hugh Henry: We published a performance reporton the <i>National Priorities in Education in 2003</i>. More recently, <i>ImprovingScottish Education</i> and <i>Improving Scottish Education</i>: <i>Effectivenessof Education Authorities </i>review the performance of the educ…

25 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it issues guidance to police on the meaning of the term “reasonable grounds” in section 48(1) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No. It is the responsibilityof individual police forces to develop guidelines regarding stop and search.Police officers have to act according to the law and be able to demonstrate to theCourts that they have done so.</p>

25 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its interpretation is of the meaning of the term “reasonable grounds” in section 48(1) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The act itself provides no definitionof the term “reasonable grounds”. The Executive has not issued any guidance on theterm. Ultimately it is for the courts to determine what grounds are reasonable.</p>

3 Jan 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the funding scheme to promote household composting will operate in urban areas without gardens.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Home composting schemes are primarilydesigned for houses with gardens but the home composting scheme run by the Wasteand Resources Action Programme also includes wormeries and food digesters whichcan be used in the home.</p><p>We are also planning food wastec…

12 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that ministers determining applications under the planning or electricity legislation do not act under an actual or perceived conflict of interest when its departments or agencies have grant-aided work to develop, assess or justify the development proposals under considerat…

Answer · Des McNulty: Decisions on planning applicationscoming before the Scottish ministers are taken by the planning minister, or a nominee,on an individual basis, rather than by Scottish ministers collectively. In takinga decision the planning minister will have regard to the p…

11 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to issue guidance to schools on the use of biometric systems such as fingerprinting

Answer · Hugh Henry: We have no plans to issueguidance to schools on the use of biometric systems.</p>

11 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28275 by Peter Peacock on 26 September 2006, whether the phrase “essential pre-requisite” refers to a legal requirement, a requirement of Executive policy, or a matter of good practice.

Answer · Hugh Henry: It refers to amatter of good practice.</p>

7 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has had meetings with Taser International in the last five years, showing the dates and venues of such meetings.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has heldno meetings with Taser International in the last five years.</p>

7 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been armed with Taser guns or other electroshock weapons in the last (a) year and (b) month and on how many occasions, broken down by police force.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not heldcentrally. Decisions to deploy armed police officers are an operational matter forChief Constables.</p>

7 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on purchasing Taser guns or other electroshock weapons and on training police officers for their use, broken down by police force.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not heldcentrally. Chief Constables are responsible for making decisions on the best useof the resources available to them.</p>