- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 29 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist further education colleges to adapt their buildings to the needs of disabled people.
Answer
The Scottish Further Education Funding Council has allocated almost £16 million to further education colleges for investment in capital works in 2000-01. It is for the colleges to decide on the details of capital investment programmes, according to their own assessment of needs and priorities.
In addition to this, I announced on 16 June that I would make available a further £10 million for colleges' capital expenditure this year, particularly to enhance physical access to buildings for students with special needs.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 29 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to attract biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies from Pacific Rim countries.
Answer
Locate in Scotland, in consultation with the Scottish Enterprise Biotechnology Team, is working to attract biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to Scotland. In the Pacific Rim area, this work focuses particularly on Japan.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 29 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liase with the Health Education Board for Scotland to develop a campaign to highlight mental health problems.
Answer
The Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS), which is funded wholly by the Scottish Executive, works closely with the Executive in the development of its many and wide ranging activities, including those covering mental health.
The promotion of mental health is a core aim of HEBS work. In consequence, the board, working in partnership as appropriate with relevant agencies such as the Scottish Association for Mental Health, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Health and Safety Executive, incorporates the topic into all its programmes.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 29 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to provide, for sectors of the economy where skill shortages are evident, a register of skilled and senior management talent who may be on career break, semi-retirement or in part-time employment to enable companies to access expertise on a short-term basis as necessary.
Answer
The Scottish Labour Market Intelligence Unit is being established to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of information which informs decisions and actions in the labour market. One of the roles of the new Unit will be to ensure that information and intelligence is available to employers to predict movement, trends and demands.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 28 June 2000
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the availability of nicotine replacement therapy within the Parliament will be publicised.
Answer
The SPCB's "Policy on Smoking in the Workplace" (Personnel Policy: No 1/1999) was issued by the Personnel Office on 19 November 1999. It was placed in the public folders and all members and staff were advised of this at the time. The policy is currently available in the Personnel pages of SPEIR.
The policy includes the provision of smoking cessation group sessions and nicotine patches at a cost. The Personnel Office will shortly issue a reminder drawing the availability of this service to the attention of those covered by the policy.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 28 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors within the NHSiS are currently suspended on full pay and what is the average length of suspension.
Answer
NHS Trusts are responsible for the operation of staff disciplinary procedures. The Scottish Executive has worked with Trusts and others to put in place a range of measures to improve and streamline the disciplinary process for medical staff. Trusts have been encouraged to consider alternatives to avoid unnecessary suspensions. Where suspension is considered necessary, the new measures will shorten the time that individuals spend on suspension and therefore reduce costs.
We are currently aware of two NHS hospital doctors suspended on full pay. The doctors have been suspended since April and May 2000 respectively. One other doctor, an honorary consultant employed by a University, has been suspended for three years. This suspension pre-dates the recent work to improve the disciplinary process. The circumstances surrounding this case would not have occurred under the revised arrangements but these arrangements cannot be applied retrospectively. We expect those concerned to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of schoolchildren at (a) primary level and (b) secondary level received free school milk, broken down by local authority for the last year for which figures are available.
Answer
Information on the proportion of schoolchildren who receive free school milk in schools is not collected centrally.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 27 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that a representative of Glasgow's owner-occupiers, who share buildings and factoring services with local authority properties, is appointed to the board of the Glasgow Housing Association.
Answer
The Interim Management Committee of the Glasgow Housing Association is being established taking account of the framework document,
Better Homes Stronger Communities, which was published on 10 April. The committee will be composed of tenants, councillors and independents. However, owner-occupiers will be consulted as a transfer proposal is developed. There will also be opportunities for owner occupiers to participate in Neighbourhood Forums and in Area Housing Partnerships.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have indicated that they will consider possible use of the proposed powers on road user charging and workplace parking charges.
Answer
The City of Edinburgh Council have indicated that they are considering using the proposed powers on road user charging. Glasgow City Council and Aberdeen City Council have also expressed an interest more generally in seeing if the powers may be suitable for their areas.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to attract manufacturing companies to Glasgow.
Answer
Locate in Scotland (LiS) is keen to market Glasgow as a location for inward investment projects in suitable cases. In the last financial year (1999-2000) LiS attracted 19 projects to Glasgow which, if fully developed, will provide 2,915 new jobs and safeguard a further 261 jobs. Of these, 190 new jobs will be in manufacturing and a further 113 manufacturing jobs will be safeguarded.
