- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 30 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government with regard to reviewing the practice of requiring Scottish Executive employees to retire at the age of 60.
Answer
The retirement age of staff of the Scottish Executive is a matter for the Scottish Executive to determine.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 30 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the resources which local authorities will need in order to provide the necessary support for individual school pupils with disabilities whose families have a wish, based on appropriate assessment, for them to attend mainstream schools, and what priority has been given to providing these resources.
Answer
Provision for special educational needs is made within the local government finance settlement. Grant-aided expenditure in 1999-2000 in respect of special educational needs is £169.360 million, an increase of 7.1% on 1998-99. In addition, specific grant of £4.685 million is available to local authorities for in-service staff development and training in special educational needs.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 27 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the number and the percentage of the total number of (a) hospital consultants, (b) junior doctors working in hospitals and (c) GPs, who have resigned due to stress related illness in each health board area in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 to date.
Answer
The NHS in Scotland does not collect data on the specific reasons for the retirement of doctors on the grounds of ill heath. Such information is considered a matter of confidentiality between the retiring doctor and his/her GP.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 26 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer what account has been taken in decisions about the location of the Scottish Parliament building of the report from Halcrow Fox which stated that the Calton Hill site was better than the Holyrood site for urban setting, ease of access and public transport.
Answer
The feasibility studies for the 4 'short- listed' Edinburgh sites were the key documents considered before the decision was made by the then Secretary of State to locate the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood. All of the relevent factors covered in the Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick 'Comparative Transport and Environmental Assessment' were carefully considered when that report was published. The then Secretary of State made clear that on the basis of all the information available to him, Holyrood represented the best option.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 22 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer for an explanation of why no Traffic Impact Assessment has been submitted in respect of the Holyrood Parliament building planning application.
Answer
The Halcrow Fox Transport Impact Assessment was submitted on 11 June as supplementary information to the Notice of Proposed Development (Reserved Matters)" application, which was registered in May 1999. It is available for public inspection at the City of Edinburgh Council Planning Department, 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 22 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer when it was first announced (a) that the cost of the proposed Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood would be #50 million plus VAT, fees etc. and (b) that the total financial provision for the Parliament building at Holyrood will be #90 million excluding landscaping.
Answer
The £50 million construction cost estimate (excluding fees and VAT) for the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood was first announced in Scottish Office Press Release No 29/98 issued on 9 January 1998. The £90 million financial provision was first announced as a grand total in the Presiding Officer's paper circulated to all MSPs on 9 June. Previous answers to PQs provided combinations of the individual cost elements totalling £83.5million.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 21 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make available better statistical information to enable the Parliament to base its decisions on relevant and accurate information.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will make a wide range of high quality, relevant statistical information available to the Parliament and the public. The Executive is committed to the maintenance of high professional standards by its statistical staff, to adherence to the Government Statistical Service Code of Practice and to a continuing programme of improvement to the range and quality of the information available, in consultation with data providers and users. Particular attention will be paid to needs identified by the Parliament.Prior to 1 July a number of initiatives were undertaken by The Scottish Office, in anticipation of increased needs for data following devolution. These included the development of new economic series and enhancements to others, and the establishment of the Scottish Household Survey in February of this year. The first results from the Scottish Household Survey will be published within the next few weeks.A White Paper on official statistics will be published shortly by the UK Government. The Scottish Executive will consider at an early stage what additional arrangements might be needed to ensure the quality and accessibility of statistical information about Scotland. A statement will be issued in due course.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to examine issues relating to liquor licensing laws and to amend the current laws.
Answer
We have no plans at present to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976. However, we will be giving careful consideration to whether it is necessary to review current practice and legislation on liquor licensing.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 12 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer how many recycling sacks or containers have been distributed throughout the Parliamentary complex.
Answer
The Parliament's existing waste disposal arrangements do not currently cover the recycling of waste materials. Parliament staff are at present preparing a specification for a waste management service which will include recycling facilities for waste paper, cardboard, aluminium cans, plastic cups and where possible glass and other plastics. It is hoped that recycling arrangements will be in place by the end of the summer at which time recycling receptacles will be positioned throughout the Parliamentary complex. A notice will issue at that time to inform MSPs and staff of the recycling arrangements.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 12 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer what arrangements have been made for the recycling of waste paper within the Parliamentary complex.
Answer
The Parliament's existing waste disposal arrangements do not currently cover the recycling of waste materials. Parliament staff are presently preparing a specification for a waste management service which will include recycling facilities for waste paper, cardboard, aluminium cans, plastic cups and where possible glass and other plastics. It is hoped that recycling arrangements will be in place by the end of the summer at which time recycling receptacles will be positioned throughout the Parliamentary complex. A notice will issue at that time to inform MSPs and staff of the recycling arrangements.
