- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what barriers to progress are encountered by refugees and migrants who wish to start new businesses.
Answer
Assessment of the barriers tobusiness start-up, and the mechanisms to addressing these constraints, is an operationalmatter for the Enterprise Networks.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it takes to ensure that persons who fall within the terms of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are treated appropriately under that legislation where they are individuals for whom the Home Office has responsibility.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28565 on 4 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that it complies with EU Directive 92/44/EEC on the application of open network provision to leased lines.
Answer
Telecommunications regulationis reserved and this matter is under the remit of Ofcom, the independent UK-wide telecoms regulator. I canadvise however, that Directive 92/44/EEC was repealed by Article 26 of the FrameworkDirective (Directive 2002/21/EC) and now the Universal Service Directive, implementedvia the UK Communications Act 2003, currently governs leased lines.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what business links it has promoted with Australia and the Australian states and what steps it will take to enhance these links.
Answer
The Scottish Executive, throughits trade and investment arm Scottish Development International (SDI), has beeninvolved in a number of marketing activities to promote business links. These includeattendance at AusBiotech 2005, the main conference and exhibition for the biotechnologyand life sciences industry, and at CeBIT Australia 2006, Australia’s leading informationand communications technology event. SDI also sponsored an Australian British Chamberof Commerce networking lunch in August 2006, at which the British High Commissionerto Australia, the Rt Hon Helen Liddell, spoke about trade and culturallinks between the UK and Australia. SDI will continue to actively promote Scotland as aplace to do business in and with.
The Scottish Executive signeda sister state agreement in March 2006 with the Australian State of Victoria whichwill promote collaboration in the areas of health, education, trade tourism andsocial policy.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether Home Office procedures in respect of the treatment of asylum seekers who have been assessed as having mental health problems ensure compliance with the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer
In general all patients in Scotland willhave access to mental health services under the 2003 act. The Scottish Executivehas no specific obligations towards asylum seekers under the 2003 act. The HomeOffice has an interest in relation to asylum seekers and other persons who are subjectto immigration control. There are protocols in place between the Home Office andlocal agencies in respect of treatment for mental disorder, including treatmentunder the 2003 act of detained asylum seekers.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how successful Scottish Development International has been in creating business links between Scotland and Australia.
Answer
Scottish Development International(SDI) is currently engaging with major Australian companies at executive level toexplore opportunities for investment in Scotland.
Recent successes include theappointment of John Stewart, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive, NationalAustralia Bank to Scottish Enterprise’s International Advisory Board (IAB). TheIAB provides international business advice and a market development perspectiveto Scotland’s economic development efforts. John Stewart has alsorecently become a globascot. The globalscot network harnesses the talents, creativityand commitment of many Scots and friends of Scotland who are active in internationalbusiness around the world. Australian financial services software company BravuraSolutions recently announced its intention to locate in Edinburgh creatingaround 57 jobs of which 50 are high-value jobs.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how successful Scottish Development International has been in attracting inward investment from Australia.
Answer
Scottish Development International’s(SDI’s) focus is on areas that offer the best potential and we intend to targetthe larger companies in the life sciences, energy, financial and related servicesand micro and opto electronics sectors. We are currently working with a number ofsignificant Australian companies offering help and assistance with legal, propertyand intellectual property issues.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that its obligations to asylum seekers covered by the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are met.
Answer
Scottish ministers have no specificobligations to asylum seekers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act2003. The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland has a duty to visit people with mental disorder includingthose who may be subject to the 2003 act. I understand the commission’s visit programmewill include asylum seekers. There are powers under the Mental Health (Care andTreatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 for the Mental Welfare Commission to carry out aninvestigation into the circumstances of the care and treatment received in any casereported to it where it appears to the commission that there may have been deficienciesof care.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what monies are spent abroad on advertising Scotland as a place to invest.
Answer
The Scottish Executive, throughits trade and investment arm, Scottish Development International (SDI), plans tospend £225,000 abroad in 2006-07 on advertising Scotland as a place in which andwith which to do business.
SDI’s total overseas marketingbudget for 2006-07, of which advertising is a subset, is £3 million. Other principalmarket activities funded out of this budget include direct and e-marketing campaigns,public relations, events and exhibitions.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 4 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities in relation to treatment of asylum seekers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has notissued guidance on the treatment of asylum seekers under the Mental Health (Careand Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.