Parliamentary questions

Patrick Harvie

1,454 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

27 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers will lead the newgotiations with the Home Office in respect of the protocol on the removal of asylum seekers.

Answer · Robert Brown: The Minister for Education and Young People is taking the lead, with support from the Minister for Communities and from me.

27 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to complete work on its protocol with the Home Office on the removal of asylum seekers.

Answer · Robert Brown: Discussions with the Home Office are at an early stage. Work will be completed as quickly as possible.

27 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will begin its work on its protocol with the Home Office on the removal of asylum seekers.

Answer · Robert Brown: Work has already begun. Meetings have already taken place between officials from the Executive and the Home Office and further work on the protocol is being taken forward as a matter of urgency.

26 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the open source software working group will next meet and what items will be on its agenda.

Answer · George Lyon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-19481 answered on 24 October 2005 which isavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">http://www.scott…

26 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-7549 by George Lyon on 15 September 2005, what the remit is of the open source software working group.

26 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-7549 by George Lyon on 15 September 2005, who the members of the open source software working group are and how they were selected.

Answer · George Lyon: The members of the OpenSource Software Working Group are noted in the following table.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> Name </td> <td> Position </td> <td> Organisat…

19 Sep 2005 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body who holds the copyright to the video material available from the www.holyrood.tv website and what restrictions are placed on its use by (a) members of the public, (b) organisations and (c) MSPs.

Answer · Andrew Welsh: The Scottish ParliamentaryCorporate Body hold the copyright to the video material on the www.holyrood.tvwebsite. The one restriction on use is that the materials are only for viewingonline; none of the contents of the site are downloadable. This restriction i…

9 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms it will put in place to allow opportunities for the public to formally object to or challenge the content of the second National Planning Framework.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish ministers are keen toencourage people to engage positively with the National Planning Framework. Thepublic will have the opportunity to make representations on a consultative draftof the second National Planning Framework.

9 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the second National Planning Framework will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny before it is published and what opportunity there will be for the Parliament to amend it.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish ministers are committedto ensuring that Parliament has the opportunity to contribute to the developmentof the second National Planning Framework. We will bring forward proposals forparliamentary involvement in the process before the introduction of t…

9 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms and forums will be used to consult the public about the content of the second National Planning Framework in advance of its publication.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish ministers are committedto extensive engagement with stakeholders during the preparation of the second NationalPlanning Framework. The Executive will ensure that all those with an interest aregiven opportunities to express their views on its scope and…

27 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussion with the Home Office or the European Commission in relation to a seminar to examine progress on the implementation of Article 10 of the EU framework decision on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings and what plans it has to contribute to such a …

Answer · Hugh Henry: We discussed this possibility among many others at the planning stage for the UK Presidency of the Council of the European. There are no plans at present to hold a seminar on the implementation of Article 10.

24 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who will sit on the working group to examine its proposals on mandatory blood testing of suspects and when the working group will first meet.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The group will be chaired bythe Very Rev Graham Forbes, provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh. Amember from the UK Advisory Group on Hepatitis and a member from the UK Expert AdvisoryGroup on AIDS have been invited to be members of the group. Other nomine…

16 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances in which the level of service provided in devolved areas will be affected by information contained on the national identity register.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Unless at some time in the future an Act of the Scottish Parliament permits use of the identity card scheme and register in connection with devolved services, these service levels will be unaffected. In the case of the police, powers allowing the Secretary of…

16 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to setting a policy on the use of the national identity register by Scottish public bodies; whether it has considered placing any constraints on what information could be requested by public bodies, and in what circumstances public bodies will be allowed to…

Answer · Tom McCabe: Scottish public bodies will only be able to receive information from the register when the Secretary of State exercises his powers – set out in the bill – to disclose information. Disclosure of information from the register is reserved. If Scottish pub…

16 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of the national identity register for devolved purposes in Scotland would require a specific Act of the Scottish Parliament.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The bill allows the Secretary of State to make provision in future for information from the national identity register to be disclosed to public authorities, including possibly public authorities in Scotland. It is for the Secretary of State to determine the …

10 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Identity Cards Programme Team, what issues were discussed and what decisions were taken.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive liaises regularly with the Identity Cards Programme Team. Representatives from Public Service Reform and Efficiency Division and the General Register Office for Scotland have attended a workshop on the mechanics of how the ID Card Schem…

26 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scottish Enterprise should be willing to assist Scottish IT companies which operate an open source business model and whether it has issued any guidance to Scottish Enterprise in relation to this matter.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

17 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has collected, as part of its on-going work to create a directory of housing support services, on housing support providers across Scotland and the kinds of services they offer to homeless people.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As explained in the answer to S2W-16652, answered 31 May 2005, work on the directory will not be complete until January 2006. However, the data collection exercise has revealed that there are about 1,350 providers responsible for 7,000 services nationally. Wi…

17 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the creation of a directory of housing support services and when the final directory will be available.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Following independent research, commissioned by the Executive in April 2003, on methodologies for data collection and also a pilot study, completed in April 2004, the Executive commissioned EAC to collect the necessary information and create a full database t…

12 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether electronic entitlement cards will be connected to any national identity register or similar database.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive has no plans to link the entitlement card to any national identity register or similar database. However, within Scotland, there will be a need to develop a link between the entitlement card and an index of entitlement card holders. For e…

12 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what way electronic entitlement cards will be different from any UK identity cards.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The entitlement card programme with local authorities is designed to help ensure that citizens get access to all of the services that they are entitled to, and that access to those services is as convenient as possible. This includes the use of a citizen’s ac…

12 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on plans to introduce electronic entitlement cards for all Scottish citizens and whether such cards would be voluntary.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has made progress in two areas. Firstly, working alongside local authorities as the card issuers, we have completed an evaluation process to: determine the potential for a multi-application entitlement card, including the issue o…

21 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15970 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 April 2005, which sexual health organisations and organisations focusing on HIV and hepatitis C it intends to meet to discuss its proposals on compulsory blood testing and when the meetings will take place.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is taking part in discussion fora on 4 May 2005 organised by HIV-Scotland for organisations involved with HIV, and on 1 June 2005 by Positive Voice for individuals living with HIV. An extension to the consultation deadline has been agreed for th…

14 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been taken home or detained in police custody since the inception of the child safety initiative known as the "Hamilton curfew".

Answer · Hugh Henry: In the first six months of theHamilton Child Safety Initiative (HCSI), which started in October 1997, 200 childrenwere removed from the streets by the police when they had concerns about their safety.The majority were taken home to their parents, with only fo…

13 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations it contacted, or had discussions with, in respect of its proposals for compulsory blood testing prior to the publication on 24 February 2005 of Blood testing following criminal incidents where there is a risk of infection: Proposals for Legislation.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is committed tothorough, effective and appropriate consultation in formulating policy. Prior to the launch of our consultationdocument, Blood testing following criminal incidents where there is a riskof infection, exchanges took pl…

4 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce any central method for recording information gathered in energy performance certificates in order to improve knowledge of the building stock.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows: The Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004, which come into force on 1 May, require local authorities to m…

4 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether EU Directive 2002/91/EC will be fully implemented by 4 January 2006.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows: It is intended that the Directive will be fully implemented by 4 January 2006 with regard to energy performance requ…

4 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all of the procedures necessary to introduce the energy certification of buildings can be introduced through building regulations.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows: Energy certification of buildings can be introduced through the building standards system. All the primary legislati…

4 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will implement the requirements of EU Directive 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows: The EU Directive 2002/91/EC on the Energy Performance of Buildings will be implemented in Scotland by the SBSA, on b…

23 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all necessary properties have been compulsorily purchased to enable construction of the M74 Northern Extension to begin and, if not, how many properties are still to be purchased in this manner.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: No properties have been compulsorilyacquired. Fifteen properties have been acquired on a voluntary basis. The Road Ordersand Compulsory Purchase Order were made on 24 March 2005.The Compulsory Purchase Order enables the Scottish ministers to compulsory purcha…