- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid put in compensation to farms affected by emergency prohibition orders related to the Chernobyl incident in each year since 1999.
Answer
The total amount of compensationpaid to Scottish farmers since 1999 as a result of the Chernobyl incidentamounts to approximately £398,000. Details for each financial year are set out inthe following table.
| Year | £ |
| 1999-2000 | £64,000 |
| 2000-01 | £60,000 |
| 2001-2002 | £61,000 |
| 2002-03 | £63,000 |
| 2003-04 | £57,000 |
| 2004-05 | £49,000 |
| 2005 to date | £44,000 |
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 24 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether delivery of the nationwide concessionary travel scheme passes to those who have applied for them will be completed by 1 April 2006.
Answer
We have made it clear throughoutthat the best way to ensure that individuals have the National Entitlement Cardwhich they will need to access the Scotland-wide Free Bus Scheme was to submit theirapplications early. We will make every effort to ensure that everyone who submitteda valid application before 20 March 2006 will receive their entitlement card by 1 April 2006. Thosewho for whatever reason do not have a new Entitlement Card by 1 April will be ableto use their old travel card for local travel for a limited period of time thereafter.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 July 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed in the First Minister’s office in each year since 1999.
Answer
The total number of staff (posts)employed in the First Minister’s private office in each year since 1999 are setout in the following table:
| Year | Staff |
| 1999-2000 | 6 |
| 2000-01 | 6 |
| 2001-02 | 8 |
| 2002-03 | 10 |
| 2003-04 | 9 |
| 2004-05 | 9 |
The increase in the number ofposts reflects the need to engage more effectively with the policy detail and administrativerequirements of an increased legislative and parliamentary programme following devolution.The 2002-03 figure includes one post dedicated to the overall management of MinisterialPrivate Offices which has subsequently been transferred from the First Minister’sOffice to the Cabinet Secretariat.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 July 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of the salaries of staff in the First Minister’s Office was in each year since 1999.
Answer
The costs for staff in the FirstMinister’s office are contained in the following table. These figures are basedon gross pay and include National Insurance and Superannuation costs and overtimepayments. Administration costs are also shown and include travel, hospitality, telecommunications,IT, stationary and other office costs.
| Year | Staff Costs (£) | Administration Costs (£) | Total Costs (£) | Total Costs at 1999-2000 Prices (£) |
| Part-year June 1999-March 2000 | 131,258 | 109,124 | 240,382 | 240,382 |
| 2000-01 | 233,952 | 82,378 | 316,330 | 312,242 |
| 2001-02 | 303,205 | 81,015 | 384,220 | 370,111 |
| 2002-03 | 330,928 | 96,272 | 427,200 | 398,843 |
| 2003-04 | 370,926 | 94,770 | 465,696 | 423,554 |
| 2004-05 | 422,535 | 104,419 | 526,954 | 469,300 |
Increased costs since1999 reflect a range of factorsincluding changes to the grading profile of private office posts to engage moreeffectively with the policy detail and administrative requirements of an increasedlegislative and parliamentary programme and updated rules allowing middle gradestaff in private offices to claim overtime.
Total staff and administrationcosts per member of staff in real terms have increased by less than 0.2% (£104)between 2004-05 and 2000-01, the first full year of devolution (from £52,040 to£52,144).
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 July 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed in the office of the Deputy First Minister in each year since 1999.
Answer
The total numbers of staff (posts)employed in the Deputy First Minister’s private office since 1999 are set out inthe following table:
| Year | Staff |
| 1999/2000 | 3 |
| 2000-01 | 4 |
| 2001-02 | 4 |
| 2002-03 | 4 |
| 2003-04 | 5 |
| 2004-05 | 5 |
The increase in the number ofposts reflects the need to engage more effectively with the policy detail and administrativerequirements of an increased legislative and parliamentary programme following devolution.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 July 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of the office of the Deputy First Minister was in each year since 1999.
Answer
The costs for staff and administrationexpenses in the Deputy First Minister’s office are contained in the following table.Staff costs are based on gross pay and include National Insurance and Superannuationcosts and overtime payments. Administration costs include travel, hospitality, telecommunications,IT, stationary and other office costs.
| Year | Staff Costs (£) | Administration Costs (£) | Total Costs (£) | Total Costs in 1999 Prices (£) |
| Part-year June 1999- March 2000 | 55,009 | 22,101 | 77,110 | 77,110 |
| 2000-01 | 106,467 | 33,299 | 139,766 | 137,960 |
| 2001-02 | 116,924 | 32,527 | 149,451 | 143,963 |
| 2002-03 | 129,436 | 30,736 | 160,172 | 149,540 |
| 2003-04 | 164,149 | 56,459 | 220,608 | 200,659 |
| 2004-05 | 211,962 | 61,324 | 273,286 | 243,383 |
Increased costs since1999 reflect a range of factorsincluding changes to the grading profile of private office posts to engage moreeffectively with the policy detail and administrative requirements of an increasedlegislative and parliamentary programme and updated rules allowing middle gradestaff in private offices to claim overtime. The change in ministerial portfolioresponsibilities on the Deputy First Minister’s office, from Justice to Enterprise,Transport and Lifelong Learning, has also impacted on the requirement for travel,etc.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 23 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23721 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 March 2002, which local authorities have concessionary travel schemes for (a) children aged under 16, (b) 16 to 18-year-olds in full time education courses and (c) 16 to 18-year-olds who are not on full time education courses, not in receipt of jobseekers allowance, living independently and receive a living allowance from social work departments, broken down by (i) year and (ii) local authority.
Answer
The information requested isprovided in the following table. Concessionary travel for young people is a discretionarymatter for local authorities. All 16 local concessionary travel schemes give concessionsto disabled young people under the age of 18 if they meet their scheme’s specificeligibility criteria.
LocalAuthority Concessionary Travel Schemes for Young People
| Scheme Type | 2003 -04 | 2004 -05 | 2005 -06 |
| Children Aged Under 16 | Clackmannanshire (14 – 15) Falkirk (14 – 15) Shetland (5 – 16) Stirling (14 – 15) Western Isles (5 – 16) | Clackmannanshire (14 – 15) Falkirk (14 – 15) Shetland (5 – 16) Stirling (14 – 15) Western Isles (5 – 16) | Clackmannanshire (14 – 15) Falkirk (14 – 15) Shetland (5 – 16) Stirling (14 – 15) Western Isles (5 – 16) |
| 16 -18 Year Olds in Full Time Education | Fife | Aberdeen City Fife | Aberdeen City Fife |
| 16 – 18 Year Olds Not in Full Time Education or in Receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, who Live Independently and are in Receipt of a Living Allowance from Social Work Departments | None | None | None |
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 23 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has to eradicate malnutrition in Scotland.
Answer
Although the Executive is notaware of evidence to suggest Scotland has a particular problem with malnutrition, the NHS QualityImprovement Scotland standards on food, fluid and nutritional care in hospital putScotland at the forefront in the UK for dealing with the issue. These advise that all peopleadmitted to hospital should be screened for malnutrition.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 22 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what investigation has been undertaken into the health impact on the population of areas affected by the Chernobyl incident.
Answer
The only potential effect onpublic health that might be anticipated as a result of exposure to radioactivematerials from the Chernobyl incident is an increase in the incidence of someforms of cancer such as thyroid cancer in children. However, no trends incancer incidence suggestive of an effect of radioactive fallout from Chernobyl havebeen demonstrated by the comprehensive systems currently in place for thecollection and analysis of cancer statistics in the UK. Theresults of various programmes of monitoring of the levels of radioactivesubstances in food and the environment suggest that a detectable increase inany cancer types is unlikely for any areas of the UK.
No specific investigation intothe health impact on the population of areas of Scotland affected by the Chernobylincident has therefore been made.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 21 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from professional bodies or individuals in Scotland with regard to malnutrition rates across all age groups.
Answer
The Executive has received anumber of letters and parliamentary questions from MSPs in recent weeks.
