- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidelines are in place for local authorities for provision of street furnishing, such as lamp-posts and signs, to be marked with contrasting bandings in order that people with visual impairment can identify them more clearly and, if not, what steps will be taken to introduce such guidelines nationwide.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is inthe process of preparing revised guidance to help local authorities to preparelocal transport strategies which the Scottish Executive would expect to addressissues of accessibility. Local transportstrategies are produced voluntarily by local authorities. However, the ScottishExecutive strongly recommends that local authorities produce local transportstrategies in accordance with guidance issued under the Transport (Scotland)Act 2001.
The Department for Transporthas published a guide, Inclusive Mobility – A guide to best practice onAccess to Pedestrian and Transport Infrastructure, which is available toall local authorities and will be recommended in the local transport strategyguidance.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33587 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 February 2003, when responses to the consultation, Patient Rights and Responsibilities - A draft for consultation, will be made available.
Answer
In line with the Scottish Executive guidance on good practice in consultations, the responses to theconsultation paper
Patient Rights and Responsibilities are available onScottish Health on the Web at
www.show.scot.nhs.ukand in the Scottish Executive Library.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 15 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions between its police division and Lothian and Borders Police regarding the funding of a combined Sheriff courthouse and police facility in Peebles.
Answer
Discussionsare continuing with Lothian and Borders Police about financing options for thisproject in 2004-05.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Euan Robson on 14 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1687 by Euan Robson on 18 August 2003 and to his letter dated 19 November 2003 advising that the report of the Chief Social Work Inspector would be sent to Scottish Borders Council on the 21 November 2003, whether the Executive has now received that report and when it will be published.
Answer
Scottish Borders Council provided the Chief Inspector of Social Work with commentson his report at the end of December 2003. The report is being finalised by theinspectorate in the light of this process and the Chief Inspector will send itto ministers shortly. This inspection had a broad remit and there wasinevitably a great deal of material to examine. No formal timescale forpublication has been set, but ministers expect to publish the report as soon aspossible after its receipt.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 13 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the question S1W-33587 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 February 2003, what the timetable is for introducing the updated patients charter.
Answer
Patient Rights andResponsibilities was issued fornational consultation last year and a revised document is currently beingdeveloped by the Scottish Consumer Council to reflect the comments received.The revised draft will be circulated amongst the key stakeholders for finalcomments and it is intended that the final document will be ready for issue byApril 2004.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 12 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-932 by Nicol Stephen on 11 December 2003, when it received the business case for the Borders railway and when it expects to make an announcement in respect of its additional funding contribution to support construction of the railway.
Answer
The initial business casewas received on 4 November 2003. Following an initial analysis further informationwas requested from the Waverley RailwayPartnership and this was received on 2 December 2003.That information is now being considered and an announcement will be made oncethat consideration is complete.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 12 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many seminars it is holding for local newspapers to discuss improving communications with it and what the cost of such seminars is to the public purse.
Answer
The Executive is planning tohold a seminar for local newspaper editors on 15 January 2004.
Final costs for the seminar,to include buffet lunch and transport to the Parliament, will depend on thenumbers attending, but are not expected to exceed £700. Attendees are expectedto travel to Edinburgh at their own expense.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 15 December 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 12 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a full or abridged copy of the Borders railway business plan will be made public and, if so, when.
Answer
Publication of suchdocuments is a matter for the promoter. The Waverley Railway Partnership is thepromoter of this project.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 12 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding for the Borders railway will be raised by each relevant local authority; how this funding will be raised; what its position would be if local authorities do not raise the expected funding, and what its position would be if the Strategic Rail Authority does not deliver its expected funding for the project.
Answer
The amount of and means ofraising funding contributions is a matter for the Waverley Railway Partnership.It is the promoter’s responsibility to assemble and deliver the funding packagefor the railway and it would be premature for the Scottish Executive to anticipate the outcome of the promoter’s efforts.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 7 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has provided to the NHS this year to respond to winter pressures.
Answer
On average we have increasedthe allocations to NHS boards by 7.8% for 2003-04. From this increase NHS boardshave set aside around £12 million to address specific winter issues, supportedby the £11 million spent by the Executive on the flu vaccination programme.
