- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 14 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what existing contracts it has, and what future contracts it expects to sign, with call centres, giving details of the location and nature of each centre.
Answer
The Executive’s Scottish ProcurementDirectorate (SPD) has awarded three contracts which are still in operation for callcentre services; the telephone helpline service contract based in Glasgow, thesmoke free compliance line based in Irvine and the contract for handling public appointments basedin Glasgow.
The pilot for the 24 hour ChildProtection Line was completed in July, and therefore no contract is currently inplace. However, a re-tendering exercise is in its early stages and the contractis anticipated to commence in April 2007.
The SPD does not hold detailsof any other call centre contracts held by other departments in the Scottish Executiveand therefore this information could only provide this information at disproportionatecost.
It is not possible to estimatehow many contracts may be awarded in the future.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 13 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether there are any plans for a UK national water grid and, if there are such plans, what involvement Scottish ministers have had in developing them and what the timescale is, and processes are, for development of such a grid.
Answer
The Executive holds no informationon plans for a UK national water grid and has not been involved in anydiscussion on this issue.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 August 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 11 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many child injuries recorded by each accident and emergency department in each of the last three years related to play equipment such as trampolines, also showing year-on-year changes.
Answer
The information requested isnot available centrally.
NHS treatment for unintentionalinjuries may be provided in a number of health settings including general practice,accident and emergency departments and as an inpatient in a hospital. Data held centrally is not available at a level of detail that would allow the injury type(e.g. play equipment such as trampolines) to be identified.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 11 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the introduction of a levy on plastic bags.
Answer
The Executive recently submittedfurther written evidence to the Environment and Rural Development Committee on theMember’s Bill to introduce a levy on plastic bags. This written evidence can befound at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/environment/papers-06/rap06-25.pdf
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 21 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive when each local authority submitted its report on progress under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to Communities Scotland and whether any reasons were given for late reporting by local authorities and, if so, what the reasons were.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.
Her response is as follows:
The information requested isshown in the following table:
| Local Authority | Date Report Received | Reason for Late Report |
| Aberdeen City | 31-03-2006 | N/A |
| Aberdeenshire | 21-06-2006 | No reason provided |
| Angus | 30-03-2006 | N/A |
| Argyll and Bute | 16-08-2006 | N/A |
| Clackmannanshire | 3-04-2006 | No reason provided |
| Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar | 10-04-2006 | No reason provided |
| Dumfries and Galloway | | Problems with long-term absence through ill health. |
| Dundee City | 27-03-2006 | N/A |
| East Ayrshire | 27-03-2006 | N/A |
| East Dunbartonshire | 29-03-2006 | N/A |
| East Lothian | 12-05-2006 | No reason provided |
| East Renfrewshire | 31-03-2006 | N/A |
| Edinburgh | 3-04-2006 | No reason provided |
| Falkirk | 17-05-2006 | No reason provided |
| Fife | 31-03-2006 | N/A |
| Glasgow | 1-08-2006 | No reason provided |
| Highland | 3-04-2006 | No reason provided |
| Inverclyde | 31-7-2006 | No reason provided |
| Midlothian | 2-07-2006 | No reason provided |
| Moray | 29-03-2006 | N/A |
| North Ayrshire | 12-05-2006 | No reason provided |
| North Lanarkshire | 28-03-2006 | N/A |
| Orkney Islands | 10-04-2006 | No reason provided |
| Perth and Kinross | 3-04-2006 | |
| Renfrewshire | 15-05-2006 | No reason provided |
| Scottish Borders | 7-06-2006 | No reason provided |
| Shetland Islands | 31-03-2006 | N/A |
| South Ayrshire | 31-03-2006 | N/A |
| South Lanarkshire | 14-07-2006 | No reason provided |
| Stirling | 29-03-2006 | N/A |
| West Dunbartonshire | 15-06-2006 | No reason provided |
| West Lothian | 31-03-2006 | N/A |
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 18 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive when the fourth Home Energy Conservation Act Progress Report for Scotland will be published.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.
Her response is as follows:
The fourth Home Energy ConservationAct Report for Scotland will be published during the first quarter of 2007.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 18 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers are at its disposal to compel local authorities that have not yet reported their progress under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to Communities Scotland to do so.
Answer
Under the terms of the Home EnergyConservation Act 1995, local authorities are provided with a timetable to prepare,publish and send to the Scottish Executive their progress report, which must becomplied with as a matter of law. Ultimately this could be enforced through thecourts.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 18 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the deadline was for local authorities to report their progress under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to Communities Scotland.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.
Her response is as follows:
Local authorities were requestedto submit their progress reports by 31 March 2006.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 18 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking against local authorities that have not yet reported their progress under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to Communities Scotland.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.
Her response is as follows:
All local authorities have eithersubmitted their progress report or have provided a date by which their report willbe submitted.
Communities Scotland officialsmonitor and keep the situation under review on an on-going basis.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 14 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that traditionally prepared Scottish mince is not banned by EU legislation.
Answer
This is essentially a matterfor the Food Standards Agency. The Executive has written to the Agencyemphasising the possible difficulties for meat plants and wholesalers caused bythe requirement that mince can only be made from chilled beef within six daysof slaughter. The Executive recognises that this timescale does not apply toretail butchers, who can continue to supply mince made from traditionallymatured meat. The Executive is urging the Food Standards Agency to work withindustry to achieve an outcome favourable to industry and consumers.
