- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 17 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether specific evaluative analysis is available regarding the Full Time Education / Training Strand of the New Deal programme in Scotland and, if so, whether it will publish its findings.
Answer
Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing Scottish organisations, as indicated in the answer to S1W-1367 (also answered today). Information about the evaluative analysis regarding Full-Time Education and Training is included in that answer.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 16 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how many working lone mothers in Scotland are classed as living in poverty, as defined in 'Women, Health and Poverty: an Introduction, S Payne (1991)'.
Answer
This information is not available at present. I understand that the limitations of the Scotland samples in currently available survey sources do not allow the working lone mothers subgroup of the population to be reliably monitored. However, the new Scottish Household Survey should allow estimates for this subgroup to be made from around mid-2000.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 15 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-87 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 29 June, whether it is planning a reduction in total expenditure in Social Inclusion Partnership areas over the next three years and, if so, what the reasons are for this.
Answer
We have no plans to reduce expenditure under the Social Inclusion Partnership fund over the next three years. The figures in my previous reply showed the funding which has been currently allocated to the Social Inclusion Partnerships listed. In addition there is an amount of £17 million which will be allocated as appropriate nearer the time. The total amount will therefore not reduce.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 15 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport and the Environment will respond to the request to meet an all-party delegation to discuss the accident rate on the A77.
Answer
I have responded to the requests confirming my intention to make an early visit to discuss the A77 trunk road between Fenwick and Malletsheugh.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 15 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the operation of the Milton refuse tip, Milton Road, Kilmarnock, whether any illegal tipping of waste materials has taken place at this site, and what the estimate is of the cost and timetable for any clearance works which need to be undertaken.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), as controlled waste regulator, has responsibility for reviewing such operations.
I understand that in February 1999 SEPA became aware that waste soils were being spread for restoration purposes on the former Milton refuse tip by a contractor acting on behalf of East Ayrshire Council. SEPA pointed out that this activity required a Waste Management Licence and the deposit of the soils was stopped forthwith.The material already placed is suitable for the purpose of restoration and the Council has applied to SEPA for a licence to continue. I understand that SEPA intend to issue a licence to allow the Council to complete restoration work and do not intend to require removal of the soil already placed. There will, therefore, be no cost involved for clearance works.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of which Local Enterprise Companies in Scotland are constituted on the basis of company membership; what rights are bestowed on member companies in such Local Enterprise Companies, and what restrictions are placed on non-member companies in particularly on their rights to speak at Annual General Meetings of the Local Enterprise Companies.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and I have asked the Chairmen to write to the member and I will arrange for a copy of the replies to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the rules governing the appointment of board members of Local Enterprise Companies and specifically whether such appointments are all on an individual basis and, if so, why only council leaders are appointed as local authority nominees.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and I have asked the Chairmen to write to the Member and will arrange for copies of the replies to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-805 by Sarah Boyack on 23 August 1999, whether it will confirm that the concessionary travel scheme will cover disabled people as well as blind people.
Answer
The concessionary travel scheme concerned relates to travel by blind people only.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to deal with the issue of elderly abuse in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is determined to ensure that older people in our communities, whether at home or in residential care, are protected at every level. We are contributing to the funding of a UK telephone helpline run by Action on Elderly Abuse which provides confidential support for anyone suffering from abuse. We have set up the National Care Standards Committee to draw up new care standards. We have announced that we will set up an independent Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care to register and inspect all care homes, day care and home-based care. And we are introducing arrangements to register the social care workforce, including in the first tranche, heads of residential establishments.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional cost would be involved in making the provision of school meals universally free in Scotland.
Answer
The cost of providing free school meals to the 108,481 pupils in Scotland who took up their entitlement in 1997/98 was £52.3M.On that basis, the total cost for all school pupils to receive free meals would be approx £365M, an additional cost of approx £312.7M.
