- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 19 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement the World Health Organisation's international code for marketing breast milk substitutes and, if so, by what date.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is fully committed to the promotion of breastfeeding, which is uniformly accepted as the best form of nutrition for infants.The provisions and restrictions on information, including advertising, relating to infant formula and follow-on formula by manufacturers and distributors are controlled in the UK by the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 1995 (as amended). The Food Standards Agency, Scotland is responsible for advising the Scottish Executive in relation to these regulations. I am advised by the agency that these regulations embrace the principles of the World Health Organisation Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes 1981.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends three-year budgets for local authorities to be set annually on a rolling programme or set every three years.
Answer
The settlement announcements will fit with the Spending Review cycle. The next Spending Review, scheduled for 2002, will allow us to roll forward the settlement for a further three-year period.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 18 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the contribution which harmonisation of VAT on building work at 5% for both new build housing and repair could make to improving the quality of housing stock in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is constantly in touch with the UK Government on a range of matters, including taxation.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 11 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives are in place to ensure that local authorities maximise their non-domestic rates collection.
Answer
Levels of collection of non-domestic rates are generally high. Nevertheless, the Scottish Executive is currently in discussion with Audit Scotland about assembling detailed information on collection rates and the possible introduction of a performance indicator for non-domestic rates collection.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 11 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the extra resources for Greater Glasgow Health Board recommended in Fair Shares for All, the Report of the Arbuthnott Inquiry will be made available.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has already made considerable progress in providing extra resources to Greater Glasgow Health Board in line with the recommendations in the Final Report of the Arbuthnott Committee. In 2000-01 every health board in Scotland has received a substantial increase in its funding of at least 5.5%. Health boards whose share of resources should increase under the Arbuthnott formula have received larger increases in funding. Greater Glasgow Health Board's resources have increased by 7.7%, and this means that in the current financial year this board has received an additional £17.45 million as a result of Arbuthnott.The indicative allocations which have been issued for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will also provide Greater Glasgow Health Board with additional resources over and above the general increase in funding. In 2002-03, all health boards will receive an increase of at least 6.5%, while Greater Glasgow Health Board will receive an increase of 7.3%. In 2003-04 every board will receive an increase of at least 7.4% while Greater Glasgow Health Board will receive 8.2%. This means that in 2002-03 and 2003-04 Greater Glasgow Health Board will receive an extra £6.769 million and £7.263 million respectively as a result of Arbuthnott.By the end of this three-year period, therefore, the total annual increase in healthcare resources for Greater Glasgow Health Board as a result of Arbuthnott will be over £30 million. This is a very substantial additional sum and it reflects our commitment to target resources on areas of need, to improve health and to tackle inequalities in health.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 6 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish an urban task force.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is pursuing a wide range of initiatives of relevance to urban Scotland, including work on social justice, housing, transport, local governance, health, education and the environment. The Executive intends to build on these initiatives in taking forward the Review of Scotland's Cities, announced by the First Minister last year. Further details will be announced before the summer.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 31 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are issued with regard to the quality of school meals
Answer
Local authorities are responsible for school meal provision and content. To assist them with this, Model Nutritional Guidelines for Catering Specifications for the Public Sector in Scotland, were published in 1996.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 30 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, in partnership with local authorities and private owners where appropriate, to secure cemeteries against vandalism, neglect and environmental destruction.
Answer
The Executive recognises the distress felt by the families involved when cemeteries are vandalised or neglected and deplores such actions. These matters are, however, the direct responsibility of the local authorities and private owners concerned.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 29 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what account is taken of football clubs' own financial position in making decisions about the award of public funds to clubs for the establishment of football academies and whether such decisions are subject to any assessment of whether the provision of such assistance to large clubs represents best value.
Answer
As with all Lottery Fund applications and irrespective of applicant, financial need is a factor considered in determining whether an award is made. Value for money and financial viability, both in capital and revenue terms, are other finance-related factors which are assessed by sportscotland before it reaches a decision on an application.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 29 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to investigate Norfolk County Council's Quiet Lanes approach to traffic management to establish whether are any lessons for improving safety on country roads.
Answer
We have no plans to do this. The Scottish rural road network is different in character to English "quiet lanes". The Transport (Scotland) Act does not include reference to quiet lanes as it was felt that they were not appropriate in the Scottish situation. However, we will monitor research work that DETR has commissioned on "quiet lanes" to see if there are any lessons which could be learned on improving road safety.