- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20231 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, (a) how much it will cost to support the Atlantic fixed wireless network until 2 January 2002, (b) how the sum will be split between it and the Department of Trade and Industry, (c) what the arrangements are with the Department of Trade and Industry to provide such support and (d) how much the messaging service will cost.
Answer
A maximum of £550,000 has been made available to keep the Atlantic Telecom fixed wireless network running until 2 January 2002. The Scottish Executive and Department of Trade & Industry have agreed to split the final costs equally.The cost of the messaging service is negligible and covered by overall running costs.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 19 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many social workers provided social work services within prisons; what the distribution of these social workers was between prisons, and what the ratio of social workers to prisoners was in (i) 1998-99, (ii) 1999-2000, (iii) 2000-01 and (iv) to date in the current financial year.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:The available information is as follows:
Establishment | No. of Social Workers as at 30 November 2001 | Ratio of Social Workers to Prisoners as at 30 November 2001 |
Aberdeen | 3 | 1:67.3 |
Barlinnie | 11 | 1:96.5 |
Castle Huntly | 2 | 1:65.0 |
Cornton Vale | 3.5 | 1:75.7 |
Dumfries | 1.5 | 1:80.0 |
Edinburgh | 5 | 1:125.2 |
Greenock | 3.5 | 1:90.9 |
Inverness | 2 | 1:59.5 |
Low Moss | 2 | 1:168.5 |
Noranside | 2 | 1:56.0 |
Perth | 6 | 1:79.7 |
Peterhead | 5 | 1:57.8 |
Shotts | 6.5 | 1:78.8 |
This information in previous years is not readily available and could not be collected except at disproportionate cost.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of the health-related services required by those with hearing deficiencies is adequate and what plans it has to improve such services.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20636 on 18 December 2001. The answer outlines the scope of the wide-ranging review of audiology services currently under way.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 19 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of prisoners to general practitioners was in each prison in (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000 and (c) 2000-01.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20320 18 December 2001.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what current and future target waiting times it has set for an appointment with an audiologist.
Answer
Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change sets out the Executive's commitment to ensuring that the patient's journey through the NHS is as swift and responsive as possible, and includes a number of waiting times targets in the priority areas of cancer and coronary heart disease. Although I have no present plans to set national waiting times targets for audiology, reducing waiting is a key priority for NHS Boards and they are currently developing local waiting time standards to reflect local clinical priorities.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 18 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any drop in tourist income and, if so, what the drop was, expressed as a figure and as a percentage, in (a) Scotland and (b) each tourist board area between (i) 1999-2000 and 2000-01 and (ii) the equivalent period in 2000-01 and 2001-02 to date.
Answer
The information requested in respect of Scotland will be available shortly. The information requested with regard to Area Tourist Board areas is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 18 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was made available for tourism promotion (a) in Scotland and (b) to each area tourist board in (i)1999-2000 (ii) 2000-01 and (iii) 2001-02 to date.
Answer
VisitScotland is the national organisation with the remit to promote Scotland as a tourist destination. Its marketing budget for the last three years is as follows:
1999-2000 | £8 million |
2000-01 | £9.5 million |
2001-02 | £18 million |
Information on Area Tourist Boards marketing budgets is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether 50 inmates at Glenochil Young Offenders Institution have been decanted to the young offenders institutions at Dumfries and Polmont due to staff shortages as a result of the new staff attendance system and, if so, what action it plans to take, and when, to address this situation.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:A number of young offenders were relocated not as a result of the new staff attendance system, whose effects are beneficial, but as part of the normal operational management of SPS to free up staff for deployment elsewhere.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it currently provides for hearing assessments and services to health boards where there is a higher than national average number of people aged over 60.
Answer
The Executive is providing substantial additional resources to NHSScotland. The allocations given to NHS Boards increased on average by 5.5% in 2001-02 and individual allocations show an increase on average by 6.9% and 7.8% in 2002-03 and 2003-04. The formula used to determine funding takes account of, amongst other factors, the influence of age on the relative healthcare needs of each NHS Board's population.However, it is for NHS Boards to decide how to deploy funds on the basis of their assessment of local needs and priorities for investment. In determining local priorities, NHS Boards take account of national priorities and guidance.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to question S1W-8880, S1W-8892 and S1W-8893 by Henry McLeish on 16 August 2000, how much public money has been expended to date on refurbishment, training and other support in respect of the proposed call centre at Claridge Mill, Selkirk.
Answer
The Scottish Enterprise Borders Annual Report 2000 states that £670,000 has been spent on the refurbishment and training costs at Claridge Mill, Selkirk.Since then, Scottish Enterprise Borders has assisted the company to recruit and train individuals who have been affected by large redundancies by providing training for three individuals, up to a total cost of £7,020. Scottish Enterprise Borders has also contributed 50% funding for training, assessing and testing 11 of the call centre employees who are currently working to acquire their European Computer Driving Licence, at a cost of £3,000.
