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: S2W-07641

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 5 May 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how it disposes of computer equipment that becomes surplus to requirements.

The Scottish Executive operatesa disposal policy for its computer equipment which offers alternative disposal routessubject to the estimated market value and volume of the equipment identified fordisposal.

1. Trade-in of surplus equipmentwhen an order for new computer equipment is placed with the supplier.

2. Tender invitations to suppliersto uplift and dispose of obsolete computer equipment.

3. Secure and environmental disposalof obsolete computer equipment.

4. Donation to voluntary or charitableorganisations.

Question reference: S2O-02173

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 29 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to establish accessible community-based health facilities.

Question reference: S2O-02174

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 29 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has in place to reduce the impact of plastic waste on the marine environment.

Question reference: S2W-07640

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by John Scott on 28 April 2004

To ask the Presiding Officer how it disposes of computer equipment that becomes surplus to requirements.

It is SPCB policy that allequipment be re-used wherever possible within the Parliamentary estate orexternally for sale or gift.

Equipment that cannot bere-used by the SPCB is checked for faults and has all its data and softwarepackages fully removed by our disposals contractor, the Disposal ServicesAgency. The contractor works with the Scottish Parliament to ensure that ITequipment is being made available to pre-approved target markets such asScottish based schools, charitable and voluntary organisations. The SPCBreceives a share of any sale of the items; this is paid into the Scottish Parliament income account. If Parliament staff, MSPs and their staff wish topurchase such items an order form can be found on the Facilities Managementpages of SPEIR. It should be noted that individuals are highlyunlikely to be able to obtain equipment they have been using in their workingenvironment as no equipment will be identifiable.

The contractor will exhaustall possibilities for re-use, upgrade and sale before considering recycling. Allequipment beyond repair is disposed of in a manner that minimises the impact onthe environment, with as many components as possible being recycled.

Question reference: S2W-07337

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 28 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult interested parties after the publication of the research by the Central Science Laboratory on the interaction between racing pigeons and birds of prey before taking any action including proposing legislative change.

Question reference: S2W-07335

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 28 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are taking place between Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Homing Union before the publication of the research by the Central Science Laboratory on the interaction between racing pigeons and birds of prey.

Question reference: S2W-07334

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 28 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the research commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Homing Union on the interaction between racing pigeons and birds of prey to be published.

Question reference: S2W-07205

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the income from car parking facilities at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is used to offset the overall charges to the NHS for facilities management at the hospital.

Question reference: S2W-07206

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1504 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 August 2003, what guidance is given to NHS boards regarding charging for car parking at hospitals.

Following the review of car parking arrangements across NHS sites in Scotland and certain lessons learned recently in the introduction of car park charging at hospital sites, the guidance issued in 2000 has been updated.

The revised guidance which will apply to all future car parking schemes has been issued to NHSScotland by way of a Health Department Letter today. This guidance applies both where car parking facilities are being provided and/or managed by NHS boards and by private sector providers.

Car park charging should not be introduced as a means of generating income but charging may be justified if it is to:

· cover any significant costs in providing parking facilities (e.g. capital charges, maintenance costs, administration costs, security costs, security lighting, CCTV);

· cover the cost of providing new or improved parking facilities or making existing facilities more secure, and

· better manage car parking facilities by discouraging unauthorised users (e.g. fly-parkers) but in so doing, measures taken to discourage unauthorised users must not be detrimental to the car parking arrangements for staff, patients and visitors.

Where charges are made, NHS boards should adhere to the following principles:

NHS boards must be able to demonstrate the level of income generated from car parking and how it has been utilised;

before introducing or substantially revising car park charges, NHS boards must consult with staff, the public and any relevant bodies or organisations;

sufficient car parking space and concessionary car parking rates should be available to staff and consideration should be given to providing concessions to certain categories of patient (e.g. patients attending regularly for dialysis or radiotherapy), and

a reasonable proportion of parking spaces should be set aside for disabled parking. In determining disabled parking spaces, the needs of disabled persons should be fully considered (e.g. wide spaces, no kerbs or steps, preferably under cover, and located at different entrances to the NHS facility).

Where fly parking is a particular problem, in discouraging unauthorised users, NHS boards should investigate ways to control such parking, other than introducing excessive daily charges for all car-park users. Such options may be:

· to check at manual barriers the validity of parkers between, say 7 am and 10 am (e.g. staff id, appointment card, details of the patient they are visiting); or

· to limit the availability of car parking space by keeping certain car parks closed until 10 am and, say, designating car parks “staff only” and “out-patients/day-patients only”, and

Where there is no option but to discourage or control the level of unauthorised parking by charging excessive daily rates, arrangements must be put in place to ensure that patients and visitors who are legitimately parked in the car park all day are given a concessionary rate.

In all cases charges should reflect a reasonable balance between the perceived needs of staff, patients and visitors, the cost of car parking generally in the area, and the costs of maintaining car parking facilities. Widespread charging of excessive rates to staff, patients or visitors cannot be justified.

Question reference: S2W-07338

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 28 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the research commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Homing Union on the interaction between racing pigeons and birds of prey is the same research as that agreed to by the Transport and the Environment Committee following consideration of petition PE8.