- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 4 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any estimate has been made of additional funding which will be available to the Scottish Budget as a result of any additional revenue raised through the climate change levy and, if so, what the estimate is for the current and next financial year.
Answer
The climate change levy does not come into effect until 1 April 2001. As a result of the levy an additional £3.2 million per year has been made available to the Scottish Budget from 2001-02.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 4 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the care and treatment of elderly people in residential and nursing homes is considered to be part of National Health Service provision.
Answer
The Minister for Health will make a statement on 5 October regarding NHS responsibility for care in residential and nursing homes.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to combat any low morale in the prison service in particular in Peterhead because of any uncertainty over closure.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
In a period of change, Scottish Prison Service Management remains committed to working with staff in the way that it has earned its Investors in People recognition. But the SPS faces competitive challenges requiring us to make significant changes in our working practices designed to improve our competitiveness and increase job security. Our current aim is to proceed without compulsory redundancies.
There is uncertainty over the future of Peterhead. Once a decision has been taken it will be conveyed as soon as possible to those directly involved. Our estates review is focussed on the need to improve the SPS estate and the SPS's competitive position, thereby improving the value for money the SPS provides to the taxpayer and is no reflection on the high standard of work undertaken by our staff.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 3 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9394 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 14 September 2000, whether probationary teachers were ever used as markers previously and, if so, when and how many.
Answer
The recruitment of markers is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. However, I understand from SQA that they are unaware of any probationary teacher having been used as a marker prior to the 2000 exam diet.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 29 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the security of employment of the 1,000 United Biscuits employees in Scotland in the event that United Biscuits is taken over by Nabisco, given that Nabisco is backed by Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst, the same investment firm as Viasystems.
Answer
The Scottish Executive always takes an interest in any proposed take-over which may have employment consequences in Scotland, and would make representations as and when necessary.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 29 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children (a) were involved in and (b) died in accidents in rivers, the sea and other waterways in (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1996-97, (iii) 1997-98, (iv) 1998-99, (v) 1999-2000 and (vi) 2000 to date.
Answer
No information is collected centrally on non-fatal or fatal accidents specifically associated with rivers, the sea or other waterways. The following table presents available information covering all deaths from drowning or submersion, and from water transport accidents, regardless of location.
Deaths aged under 16 years of age, Scotland
Cause of death | ICD9 code1 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| Accidental drowning or submersion | E910 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Submersion (drowning) undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted | E984 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Water transport accidents | E830-E838 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
Notes:
1. International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive with reference to the Scott Wilson Scottish Borders railway feasibility study (page 8) and to the answer to question S1O-2029 by Mr John Home Robertson on 22 June (Official Report col. 711), whether it will now commission a supplementary report into the potential export of timber using the southern section of the line.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not intend to commission a study into the potential export of timber via the southern section of the Borders railway. The Borders railway feasibility study concluded that under current market conditions a south Borders railway would be unlikely to improve the competitiveness of the Border forests with other sources of timber.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 28 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities provide swimming lessons for primary children as part of the curriculum.
Answer
This information is not collected centrally.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 28 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it gives to the teaching of swimming in primary schools and whether it has any plans to introduce a national programme of teaching primary children to swim.
Answer
In Scotland the curriculum is not prescribed by statute and it is for local authorities and schools to decide on the allocation of resources for particular areas of the curriculum.
The Expressive Arts 5-14 guidelines state that it is generally agreed that most pupils should have the opportunity to learn to swim at some time during their primary schooling. Pupils should be taught to be competent in at least one stroke and should learn basic water safety and life-saving skills.
There are no plans to introduce a national programme of teaching primary children to swim.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8788 by Sarah Boyack on 21 August 2000, (a) which organisations, individuals and businesses were asked to give evidence to the Scott Wilson study into the impact on tourism in the Borders of the re-instatement of the northern part of the Borders railway line, and of the entire line to Carlisle; (b) which organisations, individuals and businesses gave evidence; (c) where that evidence can be viewed and (d) whether it will arrange for a copy of the evidence to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
The Borders Railway Feasibility Study examined a wide range of social and economic factors affecting the viability of the project, including tourism. To this end, the study took account of a report by the Scottish Borders Tourist Board (SBTB) on the potential impact on the area's tourist industry of a re-opened railway. This was augmented by detailed discussions with officers of the SBTB, Scottish Borders Council and Scottish Borders Enterprise. The promoters of the feasibility study agreed that this level of assessment was sufficient for its purpose. The conclusions relating to tourism can be found in Volume 2, Part 2, section 3.6 of the full report, which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
