- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 13 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with Learning Teaching Scotland and others in developing multi-sectoral training packages in infant feeding for all early years staff.
Answer
The Scottish Executive iscurrently working on the development of a food and health delivery plan forScotland which will encompass the infant feeding strategy. A key component of the work will be the development of multi-sectoral training packages for allearly years staff.
The plan is due to bepublished in summer 2007.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 12 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to progress Tram Line 3 to link south-east Edinburgh with the city’s planned tram network.
Answer
City of Edinburgh Council isnot currently progressing Tram Line 3.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 25 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29029 by Tavish Scott on 9 November 2006, when it expects a decision to be reached on the reopening of the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway to passenger traffic.
Answer
Following a recent meeting, Cityof Edinburgh Council are to refresh the business case for the re-opening of theEdinburgh South Suburban Line which I will consider when it is available. No decisionson the future of the line can be made in advance of receiving the business caseand this will need to be assessed along side capacity issues in and around the EdinburghWaverley area.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 14 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support gardening and horticultural activities, including the provision of allotments, in towns and cities.
Answer
The Executive has no direct rolein relation to supporting gardening and horticultural activities. We are howevertaking forward a number of initiatives in areas such as sustainable development,biodiversity, health and physical activity, community involvement and planning forgreenspace and open spaces which may involve and support these activities.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 23 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will act on the recommendation of its Working Group on Hate Crime to introduce a statutory aggravation for crimes motivated by malice or ill-will towards an individual based on their sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.
Answer
We deplore all crime, especiallythat motivated by prejudice of any kind, and are aware of the strength of feelingover this issue
We gave careful considerationto the working group’s recommendation on the introduction of a new statutory aggravationand concluded that the creation of a further statutory offence would work againstour wider objective of improving consistency in sentencing. It is our view thatthe best way forward is to explore the options further in the context of our considerationof the Sentencing Commission’s report on the Scope to Improve Consistency inSentencing, published on 19 September.
Cathy Jamieson met representativesfrom the Equality Network on 25 October when there was a useful discussionabout a statutory aggravation. They agreed to meet again early in the New Year.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 9 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to reopening the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway.
Answer
We are aware of the SESTRAN aspirationto reopen the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway, and the feasibility work that hasbeen undertaken. We are considering this alongside development of our forthcomingNational Transport Strategy and associated rail policy document Scotland’s Railways.A decision on the Edinburgh South Suburban line will be made following publicationof these documents.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 23 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to control the use of jet skis in coastal areas.
Answer
The Maritime and Coastguard Agencyhas issued advice confirming that it is regarded as best practice for owners ofjet skis and other leisure vessels to observe the International Regulations forPreventing Collisions at Sea at all times. All craft should also continue to complywith local regulations and it is the responsibility of local and harbour authoritiesto consider whether there is a need to regulate the use of jet skis using localbyelaw powers.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 23 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is working with local authorities to address noise nuisance and other disturbances from the use of jet skis in coastal areas.
Answer
It is the responsibility of localand harbour authorities to regulate the use of jet skis using local byelaw powers.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nora Radcliffe on 10 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the creation of the advisory group in January 2006, what progress has been made in reviewing and developing the use of the Parliament¿s crèche facility.
Answer
I was pleased to be invitedto chair the Crèche Advisory Group in considering how to maximise the potentialof the crèche facilities.
The SPCB agreed in March tothe group’s interim proposal to extend the use of the crèche facilities to allpass holders on a six month trial basis at a market rate.
Thegroup’s final report and recommendations have been considered by SPCB thisweek. I am delighted to announce that SPCB have agreed to all the group’s recommendationsto promote the crèche more proactively and also to trial Saturday opening of the crèche for families visiting at weekends, in an effort to make best use of the tremendous facility we have here at Holyrood. The crèche will also be madeavailable for Parliament-led events.
TheSPCB has also noted the frustrated demand for the Parliament’s educationprogramme with 400 schools – that is 12,000 pupils - being turned away in2004-05. The SPCB wishes to consider the further engagement opportunitiesoffered by the current crèche space. It has commissioned work on a feasibilitystudy to consider converting part of the crèche into an additional education unit.This would not in any way upset the existing level of service which supports upto 10 children at any one time. This would continue. But it could greatly toenhance the education programme.
The Corporate Body willconsider the outcome of the extended passholder pilot, the Saturday opening andthe impact of increased promotional activity in October, when it will also havethe results of the feasibility work on converting part of the existing crèchespace for educational use.
- Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop the role of social enterprise in addressing health inequalities.
Answer
A Partnership for aBetter Scotland (Bib. number 27591) gives a commitment to encouragelocal compacts between local authorities and the voluntary sector, and toimprove partnerships with health boards. In order to further encourage localcompacts, the Scottish Executive commissioned an independent consultant tocarry out a mapping and research exercise. Local compact good practice guidancehas now been produced and will be launched and disseminated widely on 28 March 2006.
The forthcoming socialenterprise strategy to be published in draft shortly will also seek to developthe role of social enterprises in addressing health inequality.
