- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 10 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government on NHS trusts in England "poaching" nursing staff from trusts in Scotland.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 10 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what projects valued over #100,000 have been rejected for funding from the New Opportunities Fund in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Lanarkshire.
Answer
This is a matter for the New Opportunities Fund. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 10 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what projects valued over #100,000 have been funded from the New Opportunities Fund in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Lanarkshire and on what dates each such project was approved.
Answer
This is a matter for the New Opportunities Fund. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 10 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS trusts are allowed to "poach" nursing staff from other trusts by offering higher gradings or other perks.
Answer
NHS trusts have local responsibility for the Recruitment and Retention strategies that they adopt. Currently they are also free to vary Whitley terms and conditions of service to reflect their local circumstances. Staff are also free to choose and plan their own movements.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 10 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what applications for projects valued over #100,000 have been received by the New Opportunities Fund from Lanarkshire since 1 September 2002.
Answer
This is a matter for the New Opportunities Fund. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 10 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce NHS dependence on agency nursing staff.
Answer
The Executive is committed to building capacity within the existing nursing workforce through a range of recruitment and retention strategies under the banner of Facing the Future. This includes the Return to Practice programme and increasing the Student Nurse intake. Decisions about the employment of bank or agency staff ultimately rest at local level. All NHSScotland employers are required to take account of and follow Audit Scotland's recommendations in their Temporary Measures report on bank and agency staff.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 9 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the findings of the British Medical Association's report, Towards smoke-free public places, and to encourage the banning of smoking in the workplace.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is well aware of the health risks posed by passive smoking and has consistently pressed for smoke-free facilities in both public places and workplace. To drive forward an increase in smoke-free facilities in public places we launched the Scottish Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places in May 2000. The charter was signed by the four main bodies in the licensed, tourism and hospitality industries, the British Hospitality Association, the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, the Scottish Licensed Trade and the Scottish Tourism Forum. We will be reviewing progress against targets for the charter with the signatories early next year. This will allow us to consider what further action is needed to increase non-smoking provision in public places. In addition the Scottish Executive is working with the Health Education Board for Scotland on a passive smoking communication strategy to raise public awareness of the risks associated with passive smoking. We recognise the workplace is a major opportunity for health improvement. As part of our on-going health improvement drive we will be seeking to accelerate health improvement through workplace-based initiatives. Clearly, robust workplace smoking policies will continue to be central to this programme. Moreover, we will continue to press the UK Government to bring forward an Approved Code of Practice on Smoking in the Workplace which was heralded in the Smoking Kills white paper.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 9 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-30900 and S1W-30904 by Mr Andy Kerr on 21 November 2002, which publications of its Development and Justice departments refer people to the Citi'en's Advice Bureau service for advice and assistance.
Answer
The Development Department issued three publications that contain references to the Citizens Advice Bureau service. These were: Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act 2002; We Are All Responsible, and the Model Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreement. Justice Department issued two leaflets that contain references to the Citizens Advice Bureau service. These were: Summary Cause and Small Claims Procedure, and Complaints Against the Police.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 3 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in order to require that planning consent be granted before licence applications for houses in multiple occupancy (HMO) can be determined.
Answer
Planning and licensing controls are for different statutory and policy purposes and we have no plans to amend the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in the manner suggested. In those instances where the owner needs both a licence and planning permission he or she has a legal duty to obtain each of them. Local authorities may wish to encourage HMO owners to obtain any necessary planning permission in advance of submitting a licence application to avoid the possibility of abortive work.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 3 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding (a) has been available in each year from 2000-01 to 2002-03 and (b) will be available in 2003-04 and 2004-05 to local authorities seeking resources from Communities Scotland for the funding of partial transfers, as referred to in the ministerial statement on housing by the Minister for Social Justice on 7 November 2002.
Answer
I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:The resources provided to councils by the Scottish Executive and Communities Scotland for projects involving partial transfers of housing stock are as follows:
| 2000-01 | £23.507 million |
| 2001-02 | £24.528 million |
| 2002-03 | £9.950 million |
A further £29.5 million will be made available in future years to allow councils to complete these projects.Resources which may be available from Communities Scotland for any other partial transfer projects will be determined in the context of strategic local housing strategies and within the overall level of resources available in the Communities Scotland programme.
