- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 12 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will set targets for each of the next five years for the percentage of paper, glass, aluminium, other metals and plastic used within the Parliamentary complex to be recycled and what is the best present estimate of the amount of these materials currently used and the percentage of each that will be recycled.
Answer
All waste from Parliament buildings is disposed at landfill by City of Edinburgh Council. Facilities Management are currently preparing a specification for a waste management contract which will include recycling facilities for waste paper, cardboard, aluminium cans, plastic cups and where possible glass and other plastics.
At present there are no figures available on the quantities of waste from Parliament buildings. The specification for the waste management contract will require the contractor to provide data on quantities of each waste material recycled and disposed at landfill. In additional, we require to put in place procedures for quantifying materials purchased for use within Parliament buildings. Only when these 2 elements have been established can we look at setting targets for reducing the percentage of waste to landfill and increasing the percentage of waste materials recycled.It is hoped that at the end of the summer a waste management contract will be in place and relevant data can begin to be gathered. It will be next year before we can establish a baseline figure for waste and therefore set realistic waste management targets.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 8 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends in future to provide figures on the number of people suffering from M.E. as a separate category rather than including them in the chronic fatigue syndrome category.
Answer
There are no present plans to change the statistical collection system for ME/CFS. Information is collected from two sources: (1) records diagnoses in a sample of over 60 general practices in Scotland; (2) records hospital inpatient and day case discharges. Diagnoses recording on national systems is based on two types of classification, Read coding and the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Neither of these classification methods allows for the separate identification of ME, for which there is no definitive diagnostic test.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 8 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to withhold future grant payments to the Tenants' Participation Advisory Service Ltd. until it is satisfied that the company has proper financial controls.
Answer
Yes.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 29 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether he will make available to members, information and plans related to the option of creating a Parliamentary complex to include a new chamber and other additional accommodation based at St Andrew's House and the old Royal High School.
Answer
Material from the design feasibilty studies on all the proposed sites for the Scottish Parliament building and a summary of the Comparative Transport and Environmental Assessment were placed in the House of Commons Library on 12 January 1998 by the then Minister of State at the Scottish Office, Henry McLeish. I am arranging for a copy of the same documents to be placed in the Scottish Parliament's Library.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 24 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has appointed a Chief of Staff and if so, from what date, and with what duties and to whom is the person accountable.
Answer
I announced on 20 May 1999 the appointment of a Principal Special Adviser and a Spokesman with effect from 17 May. These are personal appointments, accountable to me, and were made under the authority of the April 1999 Civil Service Order in Council. In due course I will announce the appointment of further Special Advisers to provide specialist and political advice and assistance complementing that of the civil service.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 24 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has appointed an Official Spokesperson and if so from what date and with what duties.
Answer
I announced on 20 May 1999 the appointment of a Principal Special Adviser and a Spokesman with effect from 17 May. These are personal appointments, accountable to me, and were made under the authority of the April 1999 Civil Service Order in Council. In due course I will announce the appointment of further Special Advisers to provide specialist and political advice and assistance complementing that of the civil service.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 23 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has Special Advisers and if so what is the management structure within which they operate.
Answer
I announced on 20 May 1999 the appointment of a Principal Special Adviser and a Spokesman with effect from 17 May. These are personal appointments, accountable to me, and were made under the authority of the April 1999 Civil Service Order in Council. In due course I will announce the appointment of further Special Advisers to provide specialist and political advice and assistance complementing that of the civil service.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 23 June 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is willing to negotiate arrangements with the Church of Scotland whereby the Parliament continue to sit in the Assembly Hall and vacate it each year to allow the General Assembly to be held.
Answer
No. The Parliament has agreed to continue with the Holyrood project to establish a permanent home for the Scottish Parliament.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 23 June 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer whether it is willing to negotiate arrangements with the City of Edinburgh Council to enable the Parliament to have offices and committee meeting rooms near the Assembly Hall on a permanent basis.
Answer
The Parliament has decided to continue with the Holyrood Project to establish a permanent home for the Scottish Parliament. On that basis there should be no requirement for the leasing of office space and committee meeting rooms near the Assembly Hall on a permanent basis.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 23 June 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer what opportunities exist to acquire additional office and meeting room accommodation near the Assembly Hall.
Answer
he requirement for accommodation to support the Parliament's business is being monitored and preliminary investigations are being made regarding the options that may be available to satisfy any additional requirement. Parliament officials have looked specifically at the potential needs for overspill accommodation for the committees and have confirmed the availability of two local venues should this prove necessary.
