- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to replicate Operation Youth Advantage, operated by the army in conjunction with the Northern Constabulary and Grampian Police; whether it considers that schemes which provide diversionary experience for younger people, with a residential course including physical exercise and classes on drugs, alcohol and good citizenship, are the most effective way of turning younger people away from a life of crime, and what action it has taken, or will take, on these matters.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is fully committed to effectively addressing youth crime. As indicated in the answers to questions S2W-2071 (on 5 September 2003), S2W-679 (on 17 June 2003) and S1W-32193 (on 12 December 2002). All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the searchfacility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/wa.search.
It is for individual police forces to determine the extent of their involvement in initiatives such as Operation Youth Advantage.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide recognition for rural general hospitals; how it will ensure that there are hospitals located outwith Scotland's cities that provide 24hour acute services in the long term, and what measures it will take in respect of recruitment training practice to meet these objectives.
Answer
Hospitals in rural areas, including district general hospitals and community hospitals, make an important contribution to the well-being of populations in these areas. Maintaining high quality services in rural hospitals provides a number of challenges to NHS boards, who are responsible for planning sustainable services for the whole population of their area. Many boards are looking at strengthening linkages between rural hospitals and hospitals in larger population centres. The Executive has commissioned Professor David Kerr to undertake a review of NHS services, including how best to provide services in rural areas. The result of Professor Kerr’s work is expected in late spring.
Clearly the recruitment, retention and training of clinical staff is vital to the provision of safe and sustainable services. Several initiatives are under way. These include:
· the establishment of a chair of remote and rural medicine in Stornoway, jointly between Western Isles NHS Board and the University of the Highlands and Islands;
- fellowships in remote and rural general practice;
- an intercollegiate group of the Scottish Medical Royal Colleges is developing plans for specific training programmes in remote and rural medicine, and
a short-life working group is currently assessing a range of retention initiatives aimed at all categories of staff.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the provision of a new sports centre for Grantown-on-Spey; whether it will provide assistance to sports centres in rural parts of Scotland; what arrangements it makes regarding access for children to sports centres, and whether there is a national policy on access for children to sports centres to ensure that as many children as possible participate in outdoor activities.
Answer
The Executive fully supports the development of the new sports centre for Grantown-on-Spey and is delighted that the project has been awarded funding of £300,000 from
sportscotland’s lottery-funded Building for Sport programme.
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure adequate provision of sport and leisure facilities for their residents. As in the case of the sports centre in Grantown-on-Spey, funding may be available from sportscotland through the Building for Sport programme. Applications are assessed by sportscotland against set criteria for the programme and ministers have no role to play in considering individual applications.
With regard to access for children to sports centres, many local authorities already have strategies in place to encourage increased access. However, this is an issue which has been identified as important in achieving targets 1 and 2 of Sport 21. The strategy to deliver these targets is seeking to create or amend existing discount schemes and also consider the provision of transport subsidies to ensure that potential barriers are removed which restricts access to sports facilities and participation in sports programmes.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support the creation of a new building for Lochaber High School.
Answer
It is for The Highland Council to decide on the priorities for the provision of new schools in their area, within the resources available to them. These resources include the financial support we have offered the council for a schools PPP project with a capital value of around £100 million; direct capital grant in the form of a Schools Fund allocation of £4.332 million in 2005-06 rising to £4.751 million by 2007-08, and the substantial resources which the Council can generate within the level they can afford, principally through borrowing, under the prudential framework.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the performance of BEAR Scotland Ltd in relation to road maintenance of trunk roads has been satisfactory and whether the working practices of BEAR Scotland Ltd, including drivers' hours and conditions, are sufficient, and acceptable, for the carrying out of their functions in respect of gritting routes.
Answer
BEAR Scotland Ltd’s performance on trunk road maintenance, which is monitored by the independent Performance Audit Group, has been generally satisfactory. Following an audit by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, it is understood that the Traffic Commissioner proposes to hold a Public Inquiry to hear evidence from Bear Scotland Ltd. In relation to drivers’ hours during bad winter weather. It is possible that any ruling from the Traffic Commissioner following the public inquiry could affect the current interpretations regarding drivers’ hours during winter maintenance operations and in these circumstances it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding bingo.
Answer
The Executive has been and continues to be in regular discussion with the UK Government regarding the proposed new gambling legislation and the implications for Scotland.
The Scottish Parliament has now agreed that the relevant provisions in the Gambling Bill which confer powers on Scottish ministers, including the power to set fees and make regulations on the conditions to be attached to gambling premises’ licensing and permits, should be considered by the UK Parliament.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a ministerial statement following completion of the consultation process in respect of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link.
Answer
No this is not normal procedure for such projects. We look forward to receiving a copy of the Consultation Report from Transport Initiatives Edinburgh Ltd when it is published.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a ministerial statement following completion of the consultation process in respect of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.
Answer
No, this is not normal procedure for such projects. We have been advised by Strathclyde Passenger Transport that the Consultation Exercise for the Glasgow Airport Rail link does not conclude until 28 February 2005. The Scottish Executive looks forward to receiving a copy of the Consultation Report when it is published.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will expedite the publication of the route action plan for the A82.
Answer
We are taking forward the work on the A82 Route Action Plan as a matter of priority. I expect the study to report in October of this year, and the findings will be made public as soon as possible thereafter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Project ATLAS has been a successful use of public funding and if so, whether it will identify the benefits which have been derived from it.
Answer
The Scottish Executive’s broadband strategy is facilitating the rollout and uptake of broadband technology across Scotland. Project ATLAS fits within this overall strategy but is led and funded by Scottish Enterprise. Issues about use of public funding and the benefits achieved are, in the first instance, operational matters for Scottish Enterprise.
