- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 24 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive which elderly people's organisations the Deputy Minister for Community Care has met in the last six months and which he plans to meet in the next six months to discuss the setting up of a consultative older people's group.
Answer
In the last six months I have met with a range of older people's groups including the Scottish Old Age Pensions Association, Scottish Pensioners' Forum, Better Government for Older People representatives, Age Concern Scotland and the Confederation of Scotland's Elderly to discuss a variety of issues. In our published response to the Royal Commission on Long Term Care we announced our intention to publish an Action Agenda for older people early next year. A key aspect of this will be to answer increased involvement and wider participation to make sure that older people's voices are heard, their contributions recognised and concerns addressed.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 24 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was committed in 1999-2000, will be committed in the current financial year and is estimated to be committed for any future years for which figures are available, for research into links between cancer and poverty.
Answer
The Executive's programme designed to improve the health of Scots and specifically to reduce cancer morbidity in the under 75's by one fifth in the next ten years is set out in the White Paper
Towards a Healthier Scotland. A broad raft of initiatives designed to tackle deprivation and social justice is already underway.
The Scottish Cancer Group has also provided £50,000 for specific research projects, one on deprivation and cancer being conducted by the University of Glasgow Department of Public Health Medicine and one by the University of Edinburgh looking at the link between ethnicity, smoking and cancer.
Additionally, the New Opportunities Fund Healthy Living Centre initiative is also investing £34.5 million in three centres across Scotland aimed at tackling health inequalities of those who live in Scotland's most disadvantaged areas.
The Chief Scientist Office cancer programme currently provides funding for 12 cancer projects at a total cost of £1,520,651, the results of which are expected to provide further insight into cancer in general and therefore likely to be of benefit in cancer aetiology as well as cancer care.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 20 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether applicants for appointment to public bodies are currently asked, or will be asked in the future, whether they are or have been a member of a lobbying organisation or other such group representing particular interests.
Answer
In addition to questions regarding an applicant's employment history, the standard application form used for public appointments includes the following question relating to conflicts of interest:
"Are you aware of any possible conflict of interest which might arise, either personally, in relation to your employment or in relation to your connections with any organisations should you be appointed? If so, please give details."
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 11 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been commissioned and/or undertaken concerning links between malnutrition and poverty since June 1999.
Answer
The Chief Scientist Office is currently funding eight projects relating to nutrition and details of these are available on the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 29 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the outcome of its consultation exercise on the reform of the public appointments system.
Answer
I intend to publish it in November and will make a statement later in the autumn.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a breakdown of monies spent by Scottish Natural Heritage on foreign travel in each of the last two years.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage spent a total of £40,431 in 1998-99 and £41,678 in 1999-2000 on foreign travel.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 4 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the Joint Ministerial Committees which have been set up with UK Government Departments, how many times they have met so far and what they have achieved.
Answer
There are Joint Ministerial Committees on three subjects: poverty and the knowledge economy, which have met twice, and health, which has met three times. Each committee has provided a useful forum for the exchange of information, ideas and best practice on issues of mutual concern.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the Joint Ministerial meeting held on 26 May 2000 to discuss pensioner poverty in the UK.
Answer
At the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on Poverty held on 26 May 2000, the respective administrations agreed a joint programme of work to encourage take-up of benefits and services by pensioners, and discussed their respective social exclusion and anti-poverty strategies.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 31 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7213 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on (a) the Annual Expenditure Report and (b) departmental research from the spend estimates on Publicity and Policy in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02, as contained in table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive 2000.
Answer
Table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report contains current spend estimates for Housing, Publicity and Policy Evaluation plus Committees and Commissions. A breakdown of the estimate for each of these elements was given in the answer to questions S1W-8392, S1W-7213 and S1W-7214. A breakdown of the departmental research element of the Publicity and Policy figure is set out below:
| | 2000-01 £ million | 2001-02 £ million |
Departmental Research | 1.200 | 1.200 |
Research Studies and Surveys | 1.058 | 1.058 |
Economic Support Unit Research | 0.180 | 0.180 |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 31 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7214 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 June 2000, whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on (a) the Annual Expenditure Report and (b) Local Government - Political Restrictions Exemptions Adjudicator from the estimates on commissions and committees in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02, as contained in table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive 2000.
Answer
Table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report contains current spend estimates for Housing, Publicity and Policy Evaluation plus Committees and Commissions. A breakdown of the last two was covered in the answers to questions S1W-7213 and S1W-7214 respectively. A breakdown of the Housing element is set out below:
| | 2000-01 £ million | 2001-02 £ million |
Annual Expenditure Report | 6.500 | 6.500 |
Travelling People | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Grants to Voluntary Bodies | 2.519 | 2.519 |
Housing Publicity | 0.150 | 0.150 |
Energy Action Scotland | 0.094 | 0.094 |
Mortgage repossessions | 1.000 | 1.000 |
Saltire Society | 0.008 | 0.008 |
Rent Assessment Panel | 0.260 | 0.260 |
Valuation Office | 2.500 | 2.500 |
Miscellaneous | 0.001 | 0.001 |
Housing Association Repayments | -1.072 | -1.072 |
A breakdown of the Local Government Political Restrictions Exemptions Adjudicator is set out below:
| | 2000-01 £ | 2001-02 £ |
| Local Government - Political Restrictions Exemptions Adjudicator | 27,000 | 27,000 |
| Adjudicator Salary | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Administrative Costs (Staff, Accommodation and related Administrative Costs) | 22,000 | 22,000 |
