- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 9 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that it meets the demand for experienced and skilled legal practitioners to support the needs of asylum seekers.
Answer
This is in the first instance an issue for the Law Society of Scotland. I understand that the society has written to the local faculties and associations to highlight the particular issues involved in asylum cases, has recently held a conference for practitioners on this subject and is planning a further training event for early 2002. However, the Executive has agreed to fund a pilot project under Part V of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 in which the Scottish Legal Aid Board will employ two suitably qualified solicitors to handle asylum casework in the Castlemilk and Sighthill areas of Glasgow and to develop local expertise in the relevant issues.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 November 2001
To ask the First Minister what evidence the Scottish Executive has of any increase in the number of racial attacks since 11 September 2001.
Answer
The police have reported a number of incidents across Scotland linked to the 11 September atrocities. But it is too early to say whether there is an increasing trend in racist incidents. I have made absolutely clear that racist attacks have no place in today's Scotland and will not be tolerated.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 8 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the outcome of the consultation on the Review of Strategic Planning and the timetable for the implementation of any recommendations.
Answer
The consultation period on the Review of Strategic Planning closed on 31 October. We have received over 250 responses and an independent consultant has been appointed to analyse these responses. He will report at the end of January next year and his report will be published. A seminar will be held in January to provide initial feedback to consultees. I intend to announce conclusions in the spring.The timetable for any changes to the arrangements for strategic planning will depend on the conclusions reached and, in particular, on whether primary or secondary legislation is required to implement the outcome of the review.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 7 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what processes will be put in place to enable Historic Scotland to seek external advice and to select external advisors once the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland has been abolished.
Answer
Through Historic Scotland, the Scottish Executive is currently consulting on the proposal to abolish the Historic Buildings Council of Scotland as part of the Review of Public Bodies and also on the proposal that, if the council were abolished, expert advice would continue to be sought from external sources, but in a more focussed, more inclusive and less institutional way.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 7 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what checks and balances it intends to establish in relation to Historic Scotland and (b) how the built heritage will be protected, once the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland has been abolished.
Answer
Through Historic Scotland, the Scottish Executive is currently consulting on the proposal to abolish the Historic Buildings Council of Scotland as part of the Review of Public Bodies. Historic Scotland is the part of the Scottish Executive which supports Scottish ministers in carrying out their statutory responsibilities for the protection and presentation of Scotland's built heritage. Historic Scotland is directly accountable to Scottish ministers and the checks and balances applied are the same as with any other equivalent Executive agency.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 1 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of public consultation will be on the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority plans for the development of the Partick Interchange.
Answer
Consultation on individual Public Transport Fund Bids is a matter for the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) as the promoting authority for this project.I understand that to date SPTA has consulted with industry partners, the statutory rail bodies, local authority officers, emergency services and rail user groups in the area. In addition a presentation of the full outline of the proposals was held for these organisations plus Glasgow City Council Planning officials on 3 September 2001.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when Eaga Partnership (Scotland) will publish a replacement information leaflet on the central heating installation programme for pensioners in private rented accommodation and what further arrangements are in place to publicise this scheme to older people in private rented and owner occupied accommodation.
Answer
A new leaflet will be available in November. Eaga are contracted to publicise the programme and will be doing so through a variety of media and by working with the many organisations who have access to the client group to develop referral mechanisms and strategic partnerships. A series of multi-agency seminars are planned over November and December and a series of media events will be undertaken over that time. A major promotional campaign will begin in February 2002.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the working group chaired by the Chief Medical Officer on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis will be published.
Answer
The working group, which was chaired by Professor Allen Hutchinson, has now presented its report to the Chief Medical Officer in England. Arrangements for publication of the report will be announced in due course.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 26 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3531 by Susan Deacon on 6 June 2001, when Health Department officials will report on their discussions regarding priority-based ambulance dispatch and whether it will undertake further consultation based on the outcome of the discussions.
Answer
It is for the Scottish Ambulance Service to consult on proposals for operational changes. I understand that the service, in preparing the case for priority based dispatch, has consulted widely within NHSScotland, including clinicians, patients and patient representatives. The Scottish Executive has now asked the service to develop its proposals to the stage of a full business case. This will include proposals for the implementation of priority-based dispatch, including arrangements for any further consultation which the service proposes to undertake.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 25 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to simplify the system of student financial support.
Answer
We have introduced a number of measures which have simplified the system of student financial support. We have aligned the levels of support in both sectors so that students in comparable circumstances will receive the same rate of maintenance support, which will be subject to a contribution from their parents or spouse above the same income threshold. The process of applying for student support for students in higher education has also been simplified. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland has established an electronic link with the General Register Office which removes the need for most applicants to submit original birth certificates. A system of sample checking income details has reduced the volume of supporting documentation that students and their families have to provide. The agency is also developing a system which will eventually allow student support applications to be made via the internet and to be processed almost automatically. In addition, we are integrating the two existing systems of support for pre-registration nursing students.The student support system in higher education will also become more simple over the next few years as new students increasingly fall within the new arrangements introduced this year and the various pre-existing schemes fall out of use.