- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 20 March 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer which gla'ed areas of the new Parliament building at Holyrood will use security glass able to withstand external explosions or penetration from projectiles, such as rocks or bricks.
Answer
Government guidelines exist which set out physical security requirements for the construction of certain "politically sensitive" public buildings. The guidelines include glazing specifications. The Holyrood Project Group has informed me that these have been incorporated into the design for the Parliament building complex.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 20 March 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer how the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will ensure that the four water features opposite the entrance to the new Parliament building at Holyrood are maintained at a clean and attractive standard and that the growth of algae and discoloration of the surrounding stonework is prevented.
Answer
The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has informed me that it is intended for the water contained in the "water-feature" pools, at the Parliament buildings' public entrance, to be re-circulated on a regular basis. This process prevents water becoming stagnant and the build up of algae. Routine maintenance will also ensure that the quality of finish is maintained.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 20 March 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer what measures will be taken to ensure that the four water features opposite the entrance to the new Parliament building at Holyrood will not be occupied by water fowl such as Canadian geese, swans and ducks which currently inhabit St Margaret's Loch in the Queen's Park.
Answer
The possibility of wildfowl inhabiting the "water feature" pools at the Parliament buildings' public entrance has been anticipated by the landscape Architects, and is a common problem to be overcome when designing water features. The Holyrood Progress Group has informed me that at the moment the intention is for an underwater pumping system to be installed to discourage any wildfowl from attempting to settle in the water, which will be extremely shallow. However further advice will be taken at the appropriate time.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 16 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost to schools was of additional work arising from the problems with the issue of this year's exam results (a) in total and (b) in terms of (i) person hours and (ii) phone calls.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally. As we have announced (question S1W-9725) the Scottish Executive will consider any claims submitted by authorities in respect of any relevant additional costs.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 9 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many circulars and guidance notes it or the Scottish Office have sent to local authority education departments this year and in each of the past four years.
Answer
Since 1997, the number of circulars issued to education authorities by the Scottish Office and Scottish Executive has been as follows:
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1998 | 9 |
| 1999 | 7 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 1 |
In addition, a range of advice has been provided by the Scottish Office and Scottish Executive, including by HM Inspectors of Schools.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 5 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mathematics class hours have been taught by teachers who are not qualified to teach mathematics in each of the last four years in each local authority area.
Answer
The information requested is not available. Information on teacher qualifications is gathered centrally from occasional teacher censuses. In the period requested such a census was only carried out in 1998. Data gathered from a census could be used to correlate qualifications held and class taken. It is not possible to extrapolate this information to produce a reliable annual figure as sporadic variations within the year such as absence cover will be excluded. Changes in personnel will also not be taken into account. Non-response to the census and data validation issues increase the unreliability of an annual estimate.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to abolish compulsory competitive tendering for support services in the NHS in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Health Plan
Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change, published on 14 December, states that the NHS should secure the provision of support services which offer best value and not just the lowest cost. The plan indicates that contracting out support services will often be appropriate but should not be seen as the norm.
It is for NHS Trusts to decide how to go about securing the provision of support services, in light of current guidance to the NHS and of the direction set in Our National Health. Current guidance issued in 1998 states that, in examining options for the provision of support services, NHS Trusts should consider:
- shared services e.g., with other Trusts, health boards or local authorities;
- in-house partnerships;
- partnerships with the private sector, and
- market testing (including supporting in-house bids).
The key objective remains to ensure the provision of high quality services which support satisfactory patient care and which offer demonstrable value for money.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 1 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations in the Stirling district will lose their relief from water and sewerage charges in the next five years.
Answer
This is a matter for the East of Scotland Water Authority. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 28 February 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Holyrood Project Team will consider relocating the proposed parking bays to ensure that disabled people do not have to cross a road to gain entry to the building.
Answer
The Convenor of the Holyrood Progress Group has informed me that the six disabled parking bays incorporated in the landscaping proposals are intended to improve access to surrounding areas and tourist attractions as well as to the Parliament. Security considerations require the Parliament building to have a protective zone that prevents vehicles parking closer than 25 metres around the building's perimeter. After consultation with the project's access consultants, the pedestrian crossing over the "traffic calmed" Horse Wynd was relocated to provide a direct route to the Parliament's public entrance from the parking bays.
- Asked by: Mr Brian Monteith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 23 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money is expected to be collected in water and sewerage charges in 2001-02, broken down between domestic and non-domestic charges and by each water authority.
Answer
Income to be collected by each Water Authority for 2001-02 is expected to be as follows:
£ millions
| | West of Scotland Water Authority | East of Scotland Water Authority | North of Scotland Water Authority |
| Non-domestic | 128.7 | 73.8 | 84.2 |
| Domestic | 206.5 | 152.9 | 134.7 |
| Other 1 | 9.5 | 22.8 | 12.7 |
| TOTAL | | 249.5 | |
1 "Other" income related to sundry activities such as charges levied for the emptying of septic tanks, sales of assets etc.
