Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-16731

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether funds are available within this year's budget of the Scottish Prison Service and its budget for 2002-03 that would allow renovation work to be carried out at HM Prison Barlinnie to end slopping out and, if so, what conditions will be applied to the use of any such funds for this purpose.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:No, but funds have been made available to upgrade one hall at Barlinnie. The funds must be expended in accordance with the terms of the SPS Financial Policy and Guidance Manual which requires us to secure best value for money from this investment. The project was granted authority to proceed on the basis that it will be delivered, as scoped, in accordance with the agreed budget and commissioning timetable.

Question reference: S1W-17085

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12936 by Mr Jim Wallace on 31 January 2001, when it will bring forward legislation regarding high hedges and what other action it will take following the consultation exercise on this issue.

On 31 January this year I announced the Executive's intention to introduce a statutory remedy of last resort, involving complaints to the local authority and enforcement action in appropriate cases, where other avenues had been exhausted. I also made clear that no commitment could be given at that stage as to when legislation might be brought forward. In view of its substantial legislative programme, the Executive cannot at present give a commitment on when legislation on high hedges might be brought forward.

Question reference: S1W-17032

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 13 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether referrals to Victim Support Scotland have fallen as a consequence of the Data Protection Act and, if so, what steps are being taken to ensure that maximum use is made of victim support services.

Question reference: S1W-16949

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 8 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the contents of the article "Ferris Floods Prison with Heroin" in the Sunday Mail on 1 July 2001 and whether it will investigate whether Brian Ferris is breaking his parole licence.

Question reference: S1W-16729

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 July 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its officials have had discussions with Hydro-Gen Industries on developing fuel cell technology.

Question reference: S1W-16728

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 July 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been involved in organising the seminar on fuel cells to be held in Edinburgh on 29 June 2001, if so, in what way, and why Hydro-Gen Industries was not invited to attend.

The seminar was organised by the Scottish Fuel Cell Consortium, although the Executive assisted the organisers by offering its conference facilities for the event, and by the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office posting details of the seminar on its website (www.energy-efficiency.org). Unfortunately the seminar was cancelled, but details of the rescheduled event are on the website and Hydro-Gen are welcome to attend.

Question reference: S1W-16730

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 July 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have been made aware of the work being done by Hydro-Gen Industries on fuel cell technology, what communication each minister has received on this issue and what action has been taken as a result of any such communications.

Mr Gallie will be aware that he wrote to the previous minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 27 September 2000 concerning Hydro-Gen Industries' involvement in fuel cell technology. Following this, officials from the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise met representatives from the company on 18 December 2000. At this meeting several courses of action available to Hydro-Gen Industries were outlined. It is for the company to take forward these issues.

Question reference: S1W-16610

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 11 July 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what complaints it has received from applicant groups and organisations regarding any difficulties being experienced in using the spreadsheet-based electronic application form for assistance from European Structural Fund programmes.

Question reference: S1W-16611

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 11 July 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address on an urgent basis any problems being experienced by applicant groups and organisations in using the spreadsheet-based electronic application form for assistance from European Structural Fund programmes, in particular any problems caused by the computer memory capacity that the applications form requires, compared with the memory capacity that such groups have available.

We responded to the issues raised by setting up support centres around Scotland, together with a Scottish Executive telephone helpline, to assist applicants. The support centres were staffed by officers from the Programme Management Executives and the Scottish Executive and equipped with hardware and software for use by those applicants experiencing system difficulties. We also commissioned a study by the CCTA to look at the user friendliness of our computer systems more generally and will be considering the report's recommendations over the next few months.

Question reference: S1W-16454

Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 July 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether charges of murder remain in place against Andrew Affleck and Gavin Armstrong in relation to a fatal fire in Irvine on 2 March 2001.