- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided to the Scottish Society for Autism in each of the last five years; what plans it has to provide future funding to continue and improve services for families affected by autistic spectrum disorder and what funding it plans to provide to ensure the continued existence of the society and its staff post based in Inverness beyond September 2001.
Answer
The Scottish Society for Autism was awarded a total of £129,285 through the Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants Programme for two projects:A Social Inclusion Partnership Project, from April 1999 to March 2002A Positive Interaction Video, from September 2000 to March 2001The society received a social work training grant of £28,000 in 1996-97 and 1997-98 and £26,000 in each of the three financial years 1998-99 to 2000-01.In addition, an offer of a grant of £16,400 was made to the Society on 16 March 2001, to conduct a mapping exercise to help prepare for the national network for people with an autistic spectrum disorder as recommended in The same as you? report.Following the learning disabilities review, we are providing additional funds of £36 million over three years, starting in April 2001, to improve services for people learning disabilities. This will benefit, amongst others, families affected by autistic spectrum disorder.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value of the renumeration package received by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service has been, showing (a) the gross salary, (b) expenses received, (c) the value of pensions benefits and (d) other entitlements, broken down for each of the last five years and the current year.
Answer
I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The available information is given in the Scottish Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts, save as respects reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenditure, which is on the same basis as for other staff.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make arrangements for a reduction from 40 mph to 30 mph in the speed limit on the section of the A830 in the Corpach area which includes the road crossing point used by children attending the Banavie Primary School; what assessment it has made of the risks to children using the crossing of the speed limit remaining at 40 mph, and what representations it has received on behalf of the constituents of Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, including from the Clerk to the Banavie Primary School Board, that the current speed restrictions on this road are too high given the volume of traffic including fish and timber lorries, tourists and local traffic.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has no plans to introduce a 30mph speed limit within the vicinity of the Banavie Primary School. The accident history, traffic flows and pedestrian movements in the Corpach area together with the existence of a School Crossing Patroller and associated signage were all considered in the assessment process. The risk to children is considered to be low.Scottish Executive is aware of representations made by the Kilmallie Community Council concerning this matter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it made representations to the European Commission prior their proposals for changes to the suckler cow and beef special premium schemes being announced and, if so, whether it will detail such representations.
Answer
The European Commission drew up its proposals about possible changes to the Suckler Cow and Beef Special Premium Schemes without consultation. Representations were made to the European Commission at the earliest opportunity following the publication of the Commission proposed regulation. I attended the Agriculture Council on 19 February and officials from my Department attended SCA on 19 February and a Council Working Group on 28 February.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its Road Network Management and Maintenance Division is producing new guidelines on the assessment of development proposals affecting trunk roads; when any such guidelines will be put to the Parliament for consideration, and, if there is no such date set, whether it will set a deadline for the completion of this work and the guidelines being put to the Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Executive, Road Network Management and Maintenance Division are in the process of preparing new guidelines on the assessment of development proposals that affect trunk roads. No specific timescale for the completion of these new guidelines has been set. However, once the guidelines are completed they will be published in draft form for consultation.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the powers under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 have been used in each year since the Act came into force to require that improvements be made to unsatisfactory accesses to trunk roads.
Answer
The information requested is not recorded by the Scottish Executive or its agents.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 21 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive which abattoirs have been licensed under the scheme allowing movement of livestock during the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease; what criteria were used in the licensing of these abattoirs; whether further licences will be issued if more abattoirs are required, and whether there is any provision under the scheme which limits or aims to limit the length of journey between farm and abattoir.
Answer
Scottish Ministers have approved the red meat premises listed below under the arrangements for livestock to go direct from farm to abattoir for slaughter contained in the Foot and Mouth Disease Declaratory (Controlled Area)(Scotland) (No 2) Order 2001. Any further applications for approval will be considered on their merits.Grampian County Pork Ltd (Buckie) Buccleuch Scotch Beef, Castle DouglasSandyford Abattoir Ltd, Paisley Millers of Speyside, Grantown on SpeyJohn M Munro Ltd, Dingwall St Andrews AbattoirBryson Meats Ltd, Strathaven Rhinds of ElginKepak Buchan, Turriff Wick SlaughterhouseMathers (Inverurie) Ltd James Chapman Ltd, ShottsOrkney Meat Ltd, Kirkwall Wishaw AbattoirScotch Premier Meat, Inverurie ABP Bathgate LtdScotbeef Bridge of Allan R Y Henderson & Sons, LinlithgowRobertson's Fine Foods, Ardrossan Scottish Borders Abattoir, GalashielsD S Stevenson, Dunblane Blackwaterfoot Slaughterhouse, ArranMcIntosh Donald, Portlethen G McTaggarts, IslayHighland Meats Ltd, Saltcoats Matheson Jess Ltd, BrechinABP Perth Heather Isle Meats, StornowayBiggar Wholesale Meats Scarinish Slaughterhouse, TireeRamsay of Carluke G D Vivers & Sons, AnnanGrampian County Pork, Matheson Jess Ltd, Dundee Halls Ltd, Broxburn Shetland Pork, ShetlandMagnus Smith, Shetland Shetland SlaughterhouseA K Stoddart, Ayr To obtain approval abattoirs must:
(i) have a current licence under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995;(ii) have adequate facilities to cleanse and disinfect each livestock vehicle before it leaves the premises;(iii) have adequate drainage;(iv) provide full veterinary ante-mortem inspection for all animals, and(v) have adequate management systems to ensure slaughter of animals within 24 hours of their arrival on the premises.Journeys from farm to slaughter must be direct, without a scheduled stop and should be completed within four hours. Longer journeys may be permitted but, where these exceed four hours, two drivers must be used.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many dementia sufferers there currently are in the Highlands of Scotland; how many it estimates there will be by 2006; whether there is an ongoing shortage in the region of nursing homes which are able to provide appropriate nursing care for such sufferers, and what action it intends to take in relation to any such shortage.
Answer
Patients diagnosed with dementia will be treated in a variety of NHS locations depending on the severity of the condition. Many will be seen in general practice while others will be admitted to hospital or nursing home care. At present, it is not possible to estimate the current number of suffers in Highland Health Board area, or the number in 2006.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take in order to ensure the continued use of Balnain House, Inverness as a centre for traditional arts and culture; whether it has allocated any funding for this purpose and, if not, whether it will urge the Scottish Arts Council, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network, or any other body to do so.
Answer
None. The closure of Balnain House was a decision for the company. The Scottish Arts Council continues to support traditional arts in the area and is working with others in the Highland Arts Partnership to develop long-term plans to ensure their sustainable future.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 19 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it has given this financial year to (a) Scottish Opera and (b) Balnain House, Inverness.
Answer
None. The main channel for public funding of the arts in Scotland is the Scottish Arts Council. I have therefore asked the Director of the Arts Council to write to the member with the requested information and to make it available in the Parliaments Reference Centre.
