- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to legislate on European Convention on Human Rights issues other than intrusive surveillance.
Answer
Yes. I intend to bring forward a Bill to deal with various ECHR issues relating to bail, district courts and part-time sheriffs. The Bill will amend the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 by removing the present restrictions on the power of the sheriff to grant bail. It will therefore be a matter for the sheriff to determine whether to grant bail on the merits of the particular case. The Bill will also amend various aspects of the District Court (Scotland) Act 1975. In particular, it will prohibit the use of ex officio or other councillor justices in a judicial capacity, and introduce statutory security of tenure for Justices of the Peace in their judicial capacity. Finally, it will create a new judicial office of part-time sheriff with statutory terms and conditions to put their security of tenure beyond doubt.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to tackle poverty and social exclusion in areas not covered by a Social Inclusion Partnership, such as Glasgow Kelvin.
Answer
The Glasgow Alliance is the over-arching body responsible for the regeneration agenda in the city. Its partners are Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Development Agency, Greater Glasgow Health Board, Scottish Homes, Scottish Executive, Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector and Scottish Business in the Community.
The Alliance is committed to making Glasgow a more inclusive society. Their strategy and the policies of their partners in relation to education, training, employment, housing and health, seek to enable more people to participate in the social, economic, political and cultural life of the city.
In addition to the work of the Alliance, over £2.1 billion public sector funding went into Glasgow during 1999-2000 from the Scottish Executive Grant. The Scottish Executive also recently announced Special Deprivation Payments of £8.68 million for Glasgow City Council in recognition of the high levels of deprivation and poverty in the city. This payment is over and above the grant support of £1,339 given to the Council per head of population.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken in order to develop an understanding of both the organic and psychological factors affecting myalgic encephalomyelitis sufferers.
Answer
A major research project associated with the Working Group established by the English Chief Medical Officer to devise good practice guidance is studying the causes and effects of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. The Scottish Executive Health Department has observer representation on the Group and is closely monitoring its progress.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive why Scotland only has observer status on the Chief Medical Officer's Working Group on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
Answer
The Working Group was set up by the English Chief Medical Officer, and its remit extends only to producing good practice guidelines for England. It would not be appropriate for Scottish representatives to take a direct part in this. However, we wanted to monitor the Group's work with a view to adopting or adapting the guidelines for Scotland, and therefore sought and were willingly given observer status.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 31 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to issue statutory guidelines for housing associations dealing with women who suffer from domestic violence.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has no such plans. However, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations published Guidance Booklet 10 Good Practice in dealing with Domestic Abuse on 10 March 1999 and this Guidance Booklet was drawn up with the assistance of Scottish Women's Aid. While not statutory it is part of the compliance test applied to all housing associations registered with or wishing to become registered with Scottish Homes. Additionally, the Scottish Partnership on Domestic Abuse will issue Good Practice Guidelines and Service Standards for all Agencies concerned with domestic abuse.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 30 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to assist local authorities and owner-occupiers to tackle disrepair of older tenement properties.
Answer
The improvement and repairs grant system will be reformed by introducing a test of resources to decide the amount of grant. Assistance will be available at rates up to 100% for households on the lowest incomes. All those taking part in common repairs will receive at least a minimum percentage grant. These reforms will help local authorities promote necessary works and encourage owner-occupiers to carry them out.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 24 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans exist to monitor and review the effectiveness of the transfer of powers in relation to traffic wardens from the police to Glasgow City Council.
Answer
Glasgow City Council will submit regular reports to Scottish Ministers on decriminalised parking enforcement in its area. The report will include, among other things, details of Penalty Charge Notices issued and when they were paid, details of cases going to adjudication, cases where no further action is taken and the number of vehicles the Council has removed from the street because they were in breach of parking rules.
As the parking authority, the Council is also required to keep an account of income and expenditure in respect of designated parking places. Statute requires that details of this account are submitted to Scottish Ministers as soon as is practicable at the end of each financial year.
In addition, the Scottish Parking Appeals Service will submit an annual report to Scottish Ministers on the discharge by the parking adjudicators of their functions in the Glasgow area.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 24 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the police will still be responsible for assisting traffic wardens in issuing notices to illegally parked vehicles following the transfer of powers to issue such notices from the police to Glasgow City Council.
Answer
Most parking offences for most roads in the City of Glasgow area were decriminalised with effect from 4 October 1999. As a result, the relevant parking rules on these roads are now enforced solely by parking attendants employed by Glasgow City Council rather than by traffic wardens or the police as was the case previously. The only roads in the Glasgow area where these offences have not been decriminalised are motorways. On these roads, parking offences will continue to be a matter for the police, who are also responsible for the enforcement of all non-decriminalised traffic legislation throughout Glasgow.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 7 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to decide on the location of the centralised children's cardiac service.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-1613.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 7 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any estimate of the impact on other services provided by Yorkhill NHS Trust should children's cardiac services be resited in Edinburgh.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer given to S1W-1613.