-  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Thursday, 12 April 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Wendy Alexander on 26 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive in what way the proposals contained in the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's consultation paper on future recurrent funding of research in universities, Review of Research Policy and Funding, promote an inclusive approach to public policy.
                                
Answer
                                    I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15062.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Thursday, 12 April 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Wendy Alexander on 26 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made or plans to make to the proposal in the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's consultation paper on the future recurrent funding of research in universities, Review of Research Policy and Funding, that those areas of research that receive a quality rating in the Research Assessment Exercise of three or less will not be funded.
                                
Answer
                                    I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15062.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Thursday, 12 April 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Wendy Alexander on 26 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive whether and, if so, to what extent, the proposals contained in the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's consultation paper on the future recurrent funding of research in universities, Review of Research Policy and Funding, favour the more traditional subjects such as law at older universities.
                                
Answer
                                    I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15062.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Colin Boyd on 23 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the inquiries arising from the Chhokar case to report.
                                
Answer
                                    In my statement to the Parliament on 29 November 2000 I indicated that Dr Raj Jandoo had been asked to submit his report into the family liaison arrangements by April this year. I did not indicate a timescale for Sir Anthony Campbell's inquiry into the professional decision making in the case.The Deputy First Minister and I have recently agreed with Dr Jandoo that his inquiry should cover not just the family liaison arrangements in the case but should also consider and comment on racism and its possible impact on the police investigation of the case because of an overlap between that and family liaison issues.In view of the extension to his remit we now expect Dr Jandoo to report by the end of May. We expect Sir Anthony Campbell to report within the same timescale. However the precise timing of the reports is a matter for Sir Anthony and Dr Jandoo.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Susan Deacon on 20 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive  why NHS waiting times in Glasgow are on average longer than elsewhere in Scotland.
                                
Answer
                                    A variety of factors affect waiting times. There is no evidence that inpatient and day case waiting times in Glasgow are poorer than those for Scotland as a whole. Across Scotland, almost 50% of patients wait less than a month for treatment, and over 80% of patients who go on to the waiting list are treated within three months.The Scottish Executive's commitment to reducing waiting at every stage of the patient's journey and to ensuring that journey is as swift and responsive as possible is reaffirmed in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change. The NHS in Glasgow shares this commitment and is moving this agenda forward for the benefit of patients in its area.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Jackie Baillie on 9 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to owner occupiers in former Scottish Homes housing in Anderston, Glasgow who are now facing bills of up to #35,000 over 30 years as their share of common maintenance costs in the Scottish Homes stock transfer.
                                
Answer
                                    Responsibility for meeting the costs rests with the owners in the first instance. However we recognise that in the circumstances surrounding the Glasgow stock transfer the owners may require some assistance and the Framework Agreement states that a package of new initiatives will be developed to offer assistance.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Jackie Baillie on 9 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Homes will consult on their options appraisal for stock transfer in Anderston, Glasgow and how many tenants and how many owner-occupiers will be consulted.
                                
Answer
                                    Scottish Homes has established an Options Appraisal Group to consider future options for this stock. Membership of the group, which first meets tomorrow, will include Scottish Homes, the Anderston Tenants & Residents Association and individual tenants and owner-occupiers. The group is due to report on options in July of this year.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Friday, 23 March 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Sarah Boyack on 6 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it can give to passengers on the Glasgow Underground that the lines will be cleared of debris and that services will return to normal as quickly as possible, following a derailment on 22 March 2001.
                                
Answer
                                    The operation of the Glasgow Underground railway system is the responsibility of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE). I understand that SPTE reinstated full services on 29 March.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Monday, 02 April 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Jim Wallace on 5 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the First Minister what steps are being taken to ensure an adequate supply of Gaelic medium teachers.
                                
Answer
                                    The supply of Gaelic medium teachers continues to be a priority for Scottish Ministers. The Executive asked SHEFC to pursue ways to increase the supply of Gaelic-medium teachers for introduction in academic session 2001-2002. SHEFC have responded by allocating 10 funded places to Strathclyde University for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education specifically to support primary Gaelic-medium provision.
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
 
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                                            Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2001
                                        
 
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                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Jim Wallace on 4 April 2001
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects criminal record certificates under Part V of the Police Act 1997 to be available.
                                
Answer
                                    We are aiming to align as closely as possible the start date in Scotland with that in England and Wales and we now expect the certificates to become available here from 1 January 2002 following full and proper testing of the systems being put in place to process applications.