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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-08932

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 17 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when I will receive a reply to my letter of 22 March 2000 to the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care regarding my proposed Al'heimer's and Dementia Care Bill.

Question reference: S1W-08880

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 16 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive who authorised payment of #670,000 for a call centre in Selkirk.

Question reference: S1W-08893

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 16 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the #600,000 spent by Scottish Enterprise Borders on securing and adapting premises in Selkirk specifically as a call centre and the further #70,000 spent retraining redundant workers as call centre operators was an appropriate expenditure of public funds given the failure so far to secure a call centre.

In its Final Report in March 1999 the Borders Working Party highlighted a shortage of readily available industrial premises as being a major impediment to the attraction of inward investment into the area.

The Borders Working Party also highlighted the success which Scotland is enjoying in the attraction of call centres and proposed that an advanced build call centre facility be created in the Borders. That facility was created at Selkirk.

Question reference: S1W-08892

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 16 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, following expenditure of #600,000 by Scottish Enterprise Borders (SEB) on securing premises in Selkirk for a call centre and #70,000 on retraining redundant workers specifically as call centre operators, what efforts are being made by it and SEB to ensure that call centre companies are located in the Borders.

The Selkirk call centre is being actively promoted by Scottish Enterprise Borders and the Rural Unit of Locate in Scotland.

Locate in Scotland has considerable experience in attracting call centre operators to Scotland and this expertise is being used in relation to Selkirk. Confirmation of the inclusion of Selkirk in the recently approved Assisted Areas Map for Scotland will be an additional marketing advantage in favour of Selkirk.

Question reference: S1W-08881

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 16 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Borders small businesses applied for funding from Scottish Enterprise Borders in 1998-99, 1999-2000 and so far this year, how much each application was for and, of those that were successful, what amount was allocated to each.

Details of individual applications for grant from local enterprise companies are not published to protect the commercial confidentiality of businesses. A summary of awards to small businesses in the Borders is given in the tables below:

1998-1999	Approved Applications	SE Borders Funding	Private Funds Levered
Start-up	290	£235,800	£1,808,984
Small Firms Development Programme	93	£64,400	£64,400
New Venture Development Programme	29	£132,000	£264,000
Total	412	£432,200	£2,137,384

1999-2000	Applications/ Approvals	SE Borders Funding	Private Funds Levered
Start-up	275	£206,969	£1,572,964
Small Firms Development Programme	154	£102,800	£102,800
New Venture Development Programme	64	£199,000	£398,000
Total	493	£508,769	£2,073,764

2000-2001 (to 31 July)	Applications/ Approvals	SE Borders Funding	Private Funds Levered
Start-up	112	£66,500	£505,400
Small Firms Development Programme	45	£49,760	£49,760
New Venture Development Programme	36	£119,800	£239,600
Total	193	£236,060	£794,760

Question reference: S1W-08883

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 14 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of all deaths were in the age groups (a) 65-75 and (b) over 75 in the winter periods of 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99

The following table gives information on deaths registered in Scotland of persons aged between 65 and 75 years and persons aged over 75 years in each winter month over the period January 1995 to March 2000 as a percentage of all deaths registered in that month. Figures for deaths in 2000 are provisional.

	Persons aged between 65 and 75 years							Persons aged over 75 years
	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	1995		1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
January	28	27	25	26	24	24	51		55	57	54	58	59
February	27	28	27	27	24	25	53		52	53	54	59	54
March	28	27	26	26	25	25	52		52	53	55	55	54
December	28	27	27	26	24		53		53	53	55	57

Question reference: S1W-08878

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 14 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the young people in the Borders who have found employment through the New Deal since its introduction are still in employment and what the nature of that employment is.

Question reference: S1W-08879

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 14 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what the mean wage is of young people in the Borders who found employment through the New Deal since its introduction.

Question reference: S1W-07782

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 14 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what contacts it has had with whom and when with regard to the Borders cashmere industry and the implications of a possible 100% or more import tariff being imposed by the industry's main export market, the USA, and what assessment it has made of any effect this will have on the 2,000 industry workers and the current value of the industry's order book.

Question reference: S1W-08877

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 14 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, of the young people in the Borders who found employment through the New Deal since its introduction, (a) how many are no longer employed, (b) how long did the average employment last and (c) what was the nature of employment.