Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-06043

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 February 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 26 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many expert advisers are currently working as temporary civil servants; how many such advisers are full-time; what grade they are; how they are distributed across departments, and how these numbers have changed on an annual basis since the establishment of the Parliament.

The information requested is set out in the following table:

Number of expert advisers currently working as temporary civil servants

Number full-time

Grade

SCS

Departmental split

2 - Enterprise, Transport & Lifelong Learning Department

1 - Education Department

1 - Office of the Permanent Secretary

1 - Justice Department

Number of expert advisers appointed since establishment of the Parliament

1 - February 2001 - October 2002

1 - February 2001 - March 2003

1 - June 2002

1 - May 2003

1 - August 2003

1 - January 2004

1 - February 2004

Question reference: S2O-01343

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 26 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the next steps in the Clyde waterfront regeneration project will be and what level of investment, over what period, is being committed to the project.

Question reference: S2W-06078

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 February 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 24 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are currently employed in its performance and innovation unit.

Two members of Scottish Executive staff currently work in the performance and innovation unit, althoughit is able to draw on inputs from a wider range of staff. One is Mr Nick Parker,who took up post as head of the unit on 2 February. One of his first tasks isto plan the programme of work for the unit in the months ahead, within areas ofactivity determined by ministers. Staff resources will be built up on the basisof this assessment. It is envisaged that a substantial proportion of the staffengaged on individual projects will be seconded by organisations outwith the Executive rather than employed by the Executive.

Question reference: S2O-01289

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 February 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 12 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to improve the enforcement of bus regulation by traffic commissioners.

Question reference: S2W-05796

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of doctors in NHS Argyll and Clyde has increased since (a) 1997 and (b) 1999 and, if so, by how much.

The following table showsthe number of consultants in NHS Argyll and Clyde and the difference between2002, the latest available information, and the figures for 1997 and 1999.

Number of Consultants in NHS Argyll & Clyde as at 30th September

	1997	1999	2002	Difference between 2002 and 1997	Difference between 2002 and 1999
WTE	174.3	177.5	200.0	25.7	22.5
Headcount	185	191	211	26	20

Notes

1. Whole Time Equivalent(WTE) adjusts the headcount to take account of part time staff.

2. WTE is calculated bydividing the contracted hours by the conditioned (normal) hours for the groupof staff.

Source: Medical and DentalCensus

ISD Scotland

Question reference: S2W-05405

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 23 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of doctors in the NHS has increased since (a) 1997 and (b) 1999 and, if so, by how much.

The table below shows thenumber of consultants in NHSScotland and the difference between 2002, thelatest available information, and the figures for 1997 and 1999.

Table 1: Whole TimeEquivalent and Headcount of Consultants in NHSScotland as at 30 September

	1997	1999	2002	Difference between 2002 and 1997	Difference between 2002 and 1999
WTE	2,755.6	2,920.5	3,180.8	425.2	260.3
Headcount	2,940	3,123	3,397	457	274

Question reference: S2W-05402

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been an increase in the number of teachers in publicly-funded schools in Renfrewshire since (a) 1997 and (b) 1999 and, if so, by how much.

The information whichanswers this question is available from a range of Scottish Executive Education Department statistical publications. For ease of reference, thenumber of full-time equivalent (FTE) pre-school, primary, secondary and specialschool teachers is given in the following table.

FTE Teachers in PubliclyFunded Schools in Renfrewshire

	1997	1999	2002
Primary	715	740	731
Secondary	837	880	868
Pre school	27	29	30
Special	73	77	91
Total	1,652	1,726	1,720

Since 1997 there has been aslight increase in the overall number of teachers employed in Renfrewshire. Overthe same period the overall number of pupils has declined slightly.

Question reference: S2W-05404

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of qualified nurses and midwives in the Argyll and Clyde NHS Board area has increased since (a) 1997 and (b) 1999 and, if so, by how much.

The following tables showthe number of qualified nurses and midwives in the Argyll and Clyde NHS boardthe difference between the most recent figures (31 March 2003) and the figuresfrom 1997 and 1999 (as at 30 September).

Table 1a: Headcount and WTEof Qualified Nurses in the Argyll and Clyde NHS Board Area as at 30 Sept 1997 and 1999 and 31 March 2003.

	1997 at 30 Sept	1999 at 30 Sept	2003 at 31 March	Difference Between 2003 and 1997	Difference between 2003 and 1999
WTE	2,343.6	2,376.9	2,607.9	264.3	231
Headcount	2,766	2,807	3,024	258	217

Source: National ManpowerStatistics from payroll ISD Scotland

1. Whole-time Equivalent(WTE) adjusts the headcount to take account of part-time staff.

2. WTE is calculated bydividing the contracted hours by the conditioned (normal) hours for the groupstaff.

3. Prior to 2003 informationwas published annually at 30 Sept. From 2003, figures are published biannually- latest available are 31 March 2003.

Table 1b: Headcount and WTEof Qualified Midwives in the Argyll and Clyde NHS Board Area as at 30 Sept 1997 and 1999 and 31 March 2003

	1997 at 30 Sept	1999 at 30 Sept	2003 at 31 March	Difference Between 2003 and 1997	Difference between 2003 and 1999
WTE	265.3	260.6	246.8	-18.5	-13.8
Headcount	344	335	304	-40	-31

Source: National ManpowerStatistics from payroll. ISD Scotland

1. Whole-time equivalent(WTE) adjusts the headcount to take account of part-time staff.

2. WTE is calculated bydividing the contracted hours by the conditioned (normal) hours for the groupstaff.

3. Prior to 2003 informationwas published annually at 30 Sept. From 2003, figures are published biannually- latest available are 31 March 2003.

Question reference: S2W-05453

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 22 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will offer for kerbside collections of recyclable material from domestic residences in Renfrewshire.

Question reference: S2W-05403

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the increase has been in police numbers within (a) Strathclyde Police and (b) “K” division of Strathclyde Police since (i) 1997 and (ii) 1999.