- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 13 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is on the Scottish Natural Heritage investigation into the suspected colony of the protected species of Pipistrelle bat nesting in the disused railway tunnel at Thornwood Community Park in Glasgow and whether it will impact on the proposed development at the site.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Natural Heritage and I have asked Professor Roger Crofts CBE, Chief Executive of SNH to reply. His response is as follows:Scottish Natural Heritage has formally consulted Glasgow City Council in relation to a planning application affecting this site. Access to the railway tunnel at Thornwood has been requested by SNH in order to determine the usage of the tunnel, if any, by bats. Until this study has been completed, no assessment can be made of the implications upon the proposed development.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 11 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to report on hutters following consultation on its research paper, Huts and Hutting in Scotland.
Answer
The Executive published its consultation paper on 15 December 2000, inviting views on whether, in principle, the Executive should seek to promote legislation to give greater protection to hutters and the detailed provisions required if legislation were to be introduced.The consultation closed on 9 March and we received a total of 326 responses, some of which after the closing date. Officials are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and once we have considered all the views of interested parties, we will announce our decision on whether to proceed with legislation.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 6 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report on its consideration of a priority dispatch system for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Answer
Health Department officials are currently discussing the costs and benefits of priority-based ambulance dispatch with the Scottish Ambulance Service. Once these discussions are complete, the Executive will decide whether the Ambulance Service should go ahead to prepare a full business case.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 23 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-992 by Mr Jim Wallace on 5 April 2001, what evidence it has to indicate that the allocation by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council of 10 funded Postgraduate Certificate in Education places at the University of Strathclyde is sufficient to support primary Gaelic-medium provision.
Answer
For primary Gaelic-medium the Executive estimates that around 110 newly trained teachers will be required over the next seven years. There are 12 students undertaking a primary teaching qualification who may qualify as Gaelic-medium teachers this year. The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) are continuing to look to all institutions to respond positively to the need for teachers able to teach in the Gaelic medium through normal intakes to the BEd, Primary PGCE and Secondary PGCE courses. The provision of an extra 10 places is a step along the right route to fill any gap in teacher requirements in this area.The largest Gaelic-medium teacher requirements are specified by the Highlands and Islands and within the Glasgow area. The additional 10 funded places awarded by SHEFC to Strathclyde University in session 2001-02 specifically to support primary Gaelic-medium provision will have a significant impact in the geographic areas with the greatest need.SHEFC are continuing to monitor the situation and are seeking to improve information gathered from teacher education institutions which will inform the council's future funding allocations specifically for Gaelic-medium teacher education.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is undertaking with local authorities to ensure that the national athletics teams have adequate year-round training facilities in Scotland.
Answer
sportscotland has ongoing dialogue with local authorities and with the Scottish Athletics Federation about the provision of adequate national facilities for athletics.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide statistics on the incidence of cancer in the west of Scotland as compared to the rest of Scotland.
Answer
Comparative cancer incidence by health board areas for the years 1988 to 1997 is available for 26 cancer sites on ISD online at
http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/cancer/cancer.htm
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the move of the Beatson Oncology Unit within Glasgow is on target.
Answer
The first of the three new linear accelerators within Gartnavel Hospital was used to treat patients earlier this month. The second is due to be commissioned in June and the third by the end of this year. The programme is, therefore, currently on target.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements will be brought about, both generally and specifically for patients, by relocating the Beatson Oncology Unit from its current site at the Western Infirmary to a new site at Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow.
Answer
This investment in state of the art radiotherapy equipment is expected not only to reduce current waiting times from seven weeks to two weeks but also to improve patients' experiences of their care through the provision of modern facilities.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what prosecutions there have been to date for offences relating to the sex slave industry, what sentences were given in each case, whether it plans to create any specific offences relating to this area and, if so, what minimum sentence it will recommend that such offences should carry.
Answer
Responsibility for the laws on immigration and international trafficking in persons is reserved to the UK Government.Criminal law is devolved. Those involved in sexual exploitation could, under Scots law, be committing one or more of a variety of crimes, both statutory and common law, the most serious of which can attract up to life imprisonment.For illustration, the attached table gives details of total convictions from 1995 to 1999 for certain statutory offences relating to procuration, permitting a girl to use premises for intercourse, brothel keeping and immoral traffic.Persons proceeded against for selected sexual offences in Scottish courts under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (S) Act 1995 or the Sexual Offences (S) Act 1976, 1995-99
| Persons with a charge proved |
| Main Crime | Custody | Fine | Probation | Other | Total |
| Procuration1 | 9 | - | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| Householder permitting girl to use premises for intercourse2 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Brothel Keeping3 | 2 | 7 | - | - | 9 |
| Immoral Traffic4 | - | 3 | - | - | 3 |
Notes:1. Includes persons proceeded against under sections 1 and 2 of the Sexual offences (S) Act 1976 or section 7 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) Act 1995.2. Includes persons proceeded against under section 10 of the Sexual offences (S) Act 1976 or section 9 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) Act 1995.3. Includes persons proceeded against under sections 9 and 13 of the Sexual offences (S) Act 1976 or section 8(3) and 11(5) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) Act 1995.4. Includes persons proceeded against under section 12 of the Sexual offences (S) Act 1976 or sections 11(1,4) and 13(9) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) Act 1995.The nine custodial sentences for procuration ranged between 15 months and 10 years. The two sentences for brothel keeping were both of nine months or less.No specific further legislation is presently planned, but the position is kept under review.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 14 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) will report on the Teaching Funding and Research Policy and Funding reviews mentioned in the SHEFC's April 2001 meeting report.
Answer
The consultation period for both these reviews concluded at the end of March. On the Teaching Review, it is expected that revised proposals will be put to the council for consideration in the autumn and for the Research Review, by the end of the year.I have asked the council to keep me in touch with developments prior to any final decisions being taken.
