- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 4 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when the internal review group on the funding formula for the police is due to report and whether it intends to publish the report or make a statement to the Parliament.
Answer
The review is being undertaken jointly by the Scottish Executive, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, as part of the arrangements through which we consult local government on grant distribution matters. Its completion is dependent on the results of a major analysis of police workloads across Scotland, which is expected to be undertaken later this year.
The conclusions of the review will help to inform consideration of the local government finance settlement allocations which are laid before the Parliament each year.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider, either on its own or in co-operation with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, funding safety testing of cross loaded timber carrying vehicles by the Transport Research Laboratory.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the safe loading of road vehicles and has no plans to fund the safety testing of cross loaded timber carrying vehicles.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is guidance on any kind of part cross loading of vehicles carrying timber such as, for example, where three sections of logs are loaded on to an articulated vehicle and the middle section only is cross loaded.
Answer
The safe loading of road vehicles and any related guidance are matters reserved to the Westminster Parliament.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 13 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages that after its housing stock transfer proposals are implemented the local authority strategic function will include determining adequate levels of housing provision for victims of domestic abuse and violence and monitoring the level of such provision by housing associations.
Answer
The Code of Guidance on Homelessness, to which local authorities must have regard in applying the homelessness legislation, provides guidance on how local authorities should apply the legislation to those households affected by domestic disputes.
The forthcoming Housing Bill will introduce new duties on local authorities to produce homelessness strategies and on Registered Social Landlords to accept homeless people when requested by local authorities. Both local authorities and RSL's will be regulated on the performance of these duties by the Executive Agency replacing Scottish Homes.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments has been consulted on issues relating to prisons since 1 June 1999 and on which issues.
Answer
The association is consulted regularly by the Scottish Prison Service on visiting committee matters. It may also from time to time be consulted on matters that may affect or be of interest to its constituent visiting committees such as the Scottish Prison Service's review of its estate.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has prepared any contingency plans to deal with the possibility of the USA imposing tariffs on Scottish goods as a result of the US Carousel Act of May 2000.
Answer
We have been working closely through Scottish Trade International with the Scotland Office and the Department of Trade and Industry, to do all we can to avert the threat of US tariffs. We will continue to lobby hard until this dispute is resolved.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct the Scottish Prison Service to make available secure facilities in every prison for the materials and equipment used by the Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments.
Answer
No. While space within establishments is at a premium, the association will in most cases continue to have available facilities which are shared with other uses.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments is independent from the Scottish Prison Service.
Answer
The Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments is, and has been since its creation in 1988, independent of the Scottish Prison Service. Although funded by SPS, the association is wholly separate from it, and its members are appointed by individual visiting committees to represent their interests.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what are the statutory duties of the Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments.
Answer
The Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments has no statutory duties.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 5 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ring-fence funding for the Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments in order to facilitate it carrying out its statutory duties.
Answer
I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
The Scottish Prison Service already allocates a specific budget each year to cover the cost of the association's activities, and expenditure incurred in respect of the association is paid direct from that budget. It has no plans at present to make any change in these arrangements.
