- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund research to inform the design of a vandal-proof locking mechanism for fire hydrants.
Answer
Fire hydrants areinstalled by Scottish Water for the fire and rescue services. Any decision to undertakeand fund research into the design of a vandal-proof locking mechanism for fire hydrantsis a matter for Scottish Water and individual fire and rescue services.
In particular areasof Glasgow, trialling of lockable hydrant caps has beenundertaken, and new methods of protecting hydrants will continue. However, it hasto be recognised that there is a fine balance to be struck between completely securinghydrants against vandals, and ensuring the fire and rescue services and water workershave the access they need. Previous actions taken by the city-wide partnership involvingGlasgow City Council, the police, fire and rescue services and Scottish Water inhot spot areas has resulted in a reduction in such incidents.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it holds statistics detailing the number of incidents of vandalism to fire hydrants.
Answer
This is a matter forindividual fire and rescue services. The information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted research on the amount of water lost due to the vandalism of fire hydrants.
Answer
As this is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to your enquirydirectly.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect its proposed council tax freeze will have on Glasgow City Council’s ability to deliver the best educational opportunities to Glasgow’s young people.
Answer
Discussions are takingplace with local government, as part of the on-going spending review process, witha view to delivering a council tax freeze from 2008-09. At this stage, it is tooearly to speculate on the impact of what may emerge from those discussions. However,irrespective of the outcome, it will remain a matter for each local authority todetermine how it uses the resources at its disposal to meet local needs and circumstances.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will define artists in relation to the grants scheme proposed in the SNP manifesto.
Answer
I am at presentconsidering an appropriate definition of artists for the purposes of the operationof the proposal referred to in the question.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue the policy of support and funding for the Gaelic digital broadcasting channel.
Answer
Gaelic televisionis an important aspect of the promotion of Gaelic in Scotland. We welcome the progress that has been made towards a digital channel andwe are keen to monitor the operation of this to ensure it offers clear benefitsfor Gaelic speakers and to the areas where Gaelic is spoken.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to fund and support the New Arts Sponsorship Awards scheme.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-742 on20 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are for Gaelic-medium education.
Answer
Within theframework of the National Plan for Gaelic, Scottish ministers recognise thevital role that Gaelic medium education plays in creating a sustainable futurefor Gaelic in Scotland. Our priorities will be to look at ways of increasingnumbers within Gaelic medium education at all levels, to ensure there areadequate numbers of Gaelic teachers available and that both pupils and teachershave access to good quality resources and support.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue the policy of prioritising cultural entitlements for Scotland’s people.
Answer
My priority is to expand access to andparticipation in cultural activity. I will consider the evidence ofpre-existing initiatives, such as the Cultural Pathfinder projects, and theresponses to the consultation on the Draft Culture (Scotland) Bill. I will then make proposals.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recognises the success of the New Arts Sponsorship Awards scheme.
Answer
Since its launch inMarch 2006, the Scottish Executive New Arts Sponsorship Awards Scheme, has madea total of 70 awards (36 in 2006-07 and 34 in 2007-08). That is 70 projects whichmight not have taken place without the scheme. I think that is a tremendous achievement.I will now consider proposals about future funding.
