- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to tackle increases in male unemployment in the Falkirk area.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is very conscious of the particular problems of areas such as Falkirk and we shall seek to ensure through investing in jobs and skills, fostering enterprise and encouraging the growth of new businesses that we create sustainable economic growth and employment opportunities for all members of the community.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of West of Scotland Water Authority's centenary launch on 31 October 1999 will be and what the cost of any similar events held by other water authorities in the last three years was.
Answer
West of Scotland Water Authority did not hold a centenary launch on 31 October. But later this month the authority plan a centenary launch of the SS Sir Walter Scott, owned by the authority and which sails on Loch Katrine, which supplies Glasgow's drinking water. WoSWA estimate the average cost of one of the steamer's sailings with catering to be around £1,000-£1,500.There have been no events by the other water authorities of the type referred to above.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 28 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist owner occupiers of Orlit homes who are experiencing difficulties in selling their properties due to their inability to obtain prefabricated reinforced construction certificates.
Answer
The Orlit house type was designated as defective under the Housing Defects Act 1984. The Act provided financial assistance for the owners of defective houses bought from a public sector authority before 26 April 1984. The assistance was well publicised and was available for a ten-year period ending on 30 November 1994. No further assistance is available.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding is provided to police forces to ensure that they adequately comply with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer
It is for Scottish police forces to comply with the law, including any relevant provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, from within the resources available to them.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 16 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in order to reduce the time taken for the completion of assessments for special educational needs.
Answer
Current Scottish Executive guidance to education authorities recommends that the assessment and recording process should not exceed 6 months.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many disabled students have attended courses at university, higher and further education establishments over the last five years.
Answer
Information on students in Higher Education Institutions in Scotland who have declared a registered or unregistered disability is provided in the table below. This includes all full-time and part-time students regardless of domicile and level of course. Information on disability is not currently collected from students attending Further Education Institutions.
Table 1: Students with a Disability in Higher Education Institutions in Scotland (HESA statistics)
| | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
| Total | 3,402 | 2,774 | 5,556 | 6,220 | 6,787 |
It is proposed that students attending institutions in Scotland in receipt of the Disabled Students' Allowance paid by the Students Awards Agency for Scotland should be exempt from the Graduate Endowment when the new student support arrangements are introduced in 2001-02. The total numbers in receipt of such an allowance are:
Table 2: Scottish students in receipt of Disabled Students' Allowance in Scotland in 1998-99 (SAAS statistics)
| Location of institution | Higher Education Inst. | Further Education Inst. | other | Total |
| Scotland | 599 | 219 | 12 | 830 |
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number of hospices in Scotland whose NHS funding between 1998-99 and 1999-2000 has increased, remained the same or decreased.
Answer
NHS funding as a percentage of running costs compared to 1998-99 has increased for four hospices, remained the same for two hospices and decreased for six hospices.Total NHS funding for the 12 hospices has increased from £7,289,800 in 1998-99 to £7,921,800 in 1999-2000 which represents a cash increase of 9%.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of financial resources is provided to Central Scotland Police in order to address issues of emergency planning in the Grangemouth refinery area.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer I gave to question S1W-3745.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amend building regulations in relation to the provision of housing for disabled people.
Answer
An amendment to the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 14 December 1999, to come into force on 17 April 2000, introducing substantial new provisions to give disabled people access to new dwellings.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive which health boards and NHS Trusts apply charges for services they provide to local hospices.
Answer
The only item of any significance for which health boards and NHS Trusts apply charges to local hospices relates to pharmaceutical services.There is no uniform approach to the way in which hospices' drug costs are met. The degree to which a health board supports the pharmaceutical element of a hospice's work is a matter for negotiation between health board and hospice when discussing the terms of their service agreement each year.
