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-05286

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 14 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has spent on housing grants for domestic lead water pipe replacement in each year from 1992-93 to 2002-03.

Question reference: S2W-04319

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2003
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 5 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how it applies current legislation on the control of pigeons in urban environments.

It is the responsibility of Scotland’slocal authorities to monitor and control pigeons within their areas, and totake action where appropriate to address pigeon related problems.

Local authorities have astatutory duty of pest control and there is nothing to prevent measures beingtaken by them where there is genuine evidence of pigeons presenting a threat tohuman health and safety. Ultimately, it is for local authorities to determinewhether a genuine public health or safety risk exists and to take appropriateaction within the context of current legislation. They can also take action,without restriction, to limit the amount of waste food and refuse found aroundthe streets and public places of towns and cities if that is considered to be acause of such problems.

The Environmental Protection(Scotland) Act 1990 imposes a duty upon local authorities to address statutorynuisance issues.

Question reference: S2W-04475

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2003
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 10 December 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra police officers were recruited and/or deployed (a) across Scotland, (b) in each police force and (c) in K division in Strathclyde, in both (i) the period from 1998-99 to 2002-03 and (ii) the last fiscal year for which figures are available.

Information is not held centrally on the assignment of recruits by division within Strathclyde Policenor on the numbers of officers deployed within each division of StrathclydePolice. That information is a matter for Strathclyde Police. Equivalentinformation at force level across Scotland is shown in the following table.

	Officers recruited	Net change in officer numbers
	1998-99 to 2002-03	2002-03	March 1998 to March 2003	March 2002 to March 2003
Central	165	36	49	20
Dumfries and Galloway	131	42	19	-1
Fife	272	79	61	22
Grampian	361	92	67	27
Lothian and Borders	571	23	131	14
Northern	164	34	30	8
Strathclyde	1,600	177	446	149
Tayside	260	24	47	-3
Scotland	3,524	507	850	236

Notes:

(i) Numbersof officers recruited include first appointments, reinstatements and transfersfrom other forces. Source: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary annual statistical returns.

(ii) Allfigures include full-time and part-time officers. Officer numbers fluctuateover time as numbers of recruits/entrants are offset by numbers ofretirements/leavers.

(iii) Sourcefor figures in columns 4 and 5: Quarterly Strength Returns from forces.

Question reference: S2W-04318

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2003
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 9 December 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to develop best practice for local authorities and others in dealing with nuisance caused by pigeons in towns and cities.

There are currently no plans to develop best practice guidance in relation to feral pigeons. The Scottish Executive is not aware of an increasing problem concerning feral pigeons and local authorities have adequate powers to resolve problems which they experience. If Environmental Health representatives believe there is a pressing need to address this issue Executive officials will be happy to meet with them.

Question reference: S2W-04350

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2003
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 8 December 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1429 by Mr Frank McAveety on 6 August 2003, when the action plan for Scotland's museums and galleries will be published.

Question reference: S2W-04317

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 December 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it, or NHS Argyll and Clyde, will take to enhance the quality of breast cancer services in Renfrewshire.

The current breast cancerservice in Renfrewshire is working well. Two one stop multi-disciplinary breastclinics are established at Royal Alexandra Hospital. In addition an innovative appointment systemdeveloped in partnership with primary care has helped ensure that clinicwaiting times are on average less than five days. There are no reported issuessurrounding waiting times for surgery after a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Any further areas forpotential development, including for example benign breast disease surgery,will be taken forward within the context of the local cancer plan.

Question reference: S2W-04320

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2003
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 8 December 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure the future viability of the Scottish Maritime Museum.

The Executive is responsibleonly for the National Institutions. Independent museums are the responsibilityof the trustees. Continued support for the Scottish Maritime Museum fromthe strategic change fund at current levels beyond its expiry in March 2003will be contingent on a management plan to ensure the conservation of certainitems of maritime heritage at present in the care of the trustees. Thedevelopment of such a plan is being discussed with the trustees.

Question reference: S2W-03854

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2003
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 5 November 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards implementing the proposals contained in Non-domestic rates: Returning Prescribed Industries to Conventional Valuation - A consultation paper.

We intend to return thecurrently prescribed industries to conventional valuation at the nextnon-domestic revaluation which is due to take place on 1 April 2005. Thismeans that these industries will be treated in the same way as otherindustries: valued by independent assessors and have the right to appeal theirvaluation. The majority of respondents to the consultation were in favour ofthis proposal.

Ouraims for non-domestic rates are stability and certainty for business andcontinued harmonisation of valuation treatment north and south of the border.As part of this, we must be assured that the resulting valuations for theseindustries are robust. If this cannot be achieved, then we may review theposition. This is a similar position to that adopted in England and Wales.

Question reference: S2W-03246

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2003
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 4 November 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what the year-on-year improvements have been in (a) coronary heart disease, (b) cancer and (c) stroke mortality rates in (i) the NHS Argyll and Clyde area and (ii) Scotland since 1990.

Relevant death rates arepresented in the following table.

Rates per 100,000 Population

	Argyll and Clyde	Scotland
	(a) Coronary Heart Disease	(b) Cancer	(c) Stroke	(a) Coronary Heart Disease	(b) Cancer	(c) Stroke
1990	343	291	175	335	294	157
1991	349	287	171	332	293	157
1992	349	308	164	325	298	155
1993	361	317	188	332	304	165
1994	311	325	159	299	297	151
1995	306	315	173	293	298	152
1996	314	324	146	288	298	140
1997	310	304	148	276	293	137
1998	285	308	150	264	291	136
1999	292	307	153	263	292	134
2000	276	314	159	245	295	134
2001	262	312	152	235	300	131
2002	256	307	145	231	298	133

Notes:

1.The rateshave been calculated using the latest available mid-year population estimates.The rates have not been age-standardised.

2.The International Classification of Diseases, NinthRevision (ICD9), 1990 to 1999, and Tenth Revision (ICD10), 2000 to 2002,categories and codes selected are given below:

(a)Ischaemic heart disease: ICD9, 410–414; ICD10, I20–I25.

(b)Malignant neoplasms: ICD9, 140–208; ICD10, C00–C97.

(c)Cerebrovascular disease: ICD9, 430–438; ICD10, I60–I69.

Question reference: S2W-03245

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 November 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether GPs can refer patients to osteopaths or chiropractors and, if so, whether the costs of the treatment will be met by the NHS.