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-27883

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-24184 and S1W-27027 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 April and 17 July 2002, why the information requested was given in respect of Fife Constabulary but not in respect of the other police forces.

Question reference: S1W-27793

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 19 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to hold a meeting involving direct public interaction similar to practice by the Welsh devolved administration.

Question reference: S1W-27794

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 19 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any study of the competitive opportunities in comparison with England which could be created by providing uniform availability of low pricing for broadband access across Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-27768

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 16 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last issued guidance to departments and agencies in relation to the implementation of policies or practices on disability and racial discrimination.

The Scottish Executive has a range of policies and initiatives to support good practice in respect of disability and racial discrimination. These are subject to regular review and include:Policy/Guidance IssuedDisability Guidance May 2001Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment June 2001Diversity Strategy November 2000The Scottish Executive Equality Strategy, published in November 2000, sets out strategic objectives and a framework of action for the development of policy and practice on equal opportunities.

Question reference: S1W-27767

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive when any member of staff employed by the Scottish Prison Service last met representatives of the Commission for Racial Equality.

Question reference: S1W-27732

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide substantive answers to questions S1W-24637, S1W-24733 and S1W-25240 relating to prisons for which holding replies were provided on 25 April, 1 May and 3 May 2002 respectively.

Question reference: S1W-27728

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has made for responding to requests made on ethical or moral grounds from prisoners held in prisons managed by the SPS or the privately operated prison for vegetarian, vegan or other special diets.

Question reference: S1W-27729

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 15 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many canteens, restaurants or other similar facilities on its and its agencies' premises regularly provide hot prepared meals for staff.

The following table sets out the number of staff restaurants/canteens regularly providing hot food for staff. All of these facilities are able to provide Halal, Kosher, vegetarian, vegan or other special diet meals, when given notice of such requirement.

Organisation	Facilities providing hot food	Able to provide Halal etc meals when notice is given
Scottish Executive	4	4
Historic Scotland	1	1
Scottish Agricultural Science Agency	1	1
Scottish Prison Service	6	6
Scottish Courts Service	6	6
Registers of Scotland Executive Agency	2	2
Students Awards Agency	1	1

Question reference: S1W-27731

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the arrangements made by the Scottish Prison Service for feeding prisoners differ in any respect between those on remand and those convicted.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:Arrangements for providing meals vary among prisons and parts of prisons according to the physical characteristics of the establishments and operational requirements but these variations do not normally relate to whether or not prisoners are on remand. The main difference for remands is in those prisons which operate pre-selected menus which are not generally suitable for remands who may be away to court or released by the time the pre-selected meals are served, leading to high food wastage.

Question reference: S1W-27730

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 July 2002
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 15 August 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its and its agencies' canteens, restaurants or similar facilities can provide Halal, Kosher, vegetarian, vegan or other special diet meals when given notice of any such requirement.