Annabelle Ewing

10 Nov 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the introduction of the mandatory workforce and workload planning tool for nursing has had on the number of nurses in NHS Fife.

29 Oct 2014 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it will use in determining the suitability of proposals for the location of the national headquarters of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government will assess proposals from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service against the criteria which have been published on the Scottish Government’s website at: http://www.Scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/policies/police-fire-rescue/fire/HQ-loca…

7 Oct 2014 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the development of plans for rail services.

Answer · Keith Brown: I can confirm that after rigorous evaluation it is our intention to award the ScotRail franchise to Abellio ScotRail Limited. The franchise will be of ten years duration with a break point exercisable on the fifth anniversary of its commencement. The new fran…

6 Oct 2014 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking regarding the future of Longannet power station.

22 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the impact on child poverty in Scotland of any UK Government freeze on child benefit.

4 Aug 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the UK Government's proposed renewal of Trident will have on Scotland's public finances.

Answer · John Swinney: In its concluding report, published on 1 July 2014, the Trident Commission estimated the annual net present value of the UK Government’s proposed Trident renewal plans to average £2.9 billion per year. Scotland’s population share of this equates to around £24…

16 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, according to the figures published on 17 June, how many school leavers in Fife went on to positive destinations.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: 87.9 per cent of 2012-13 school leavers in Fife sustained a positive destination in March 2014, similar to the previous year but higher than for 2007-08, when only 83.4 per cent of school leavers in Fife were in sustained positive destinations.

16 Jun 2014 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how people in Scotland can benefit from a written constitution.

5 Jun 2014 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what progress the Parliament is making in meeting its environmental targets.

12 May 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs have been created in Scotland in the last 10 years as a result of inward investment.

2 May 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the payment of the state pension in an independent Scotland.

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps rural villages can take to be included in community payback initiatives.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Those resident in, or representing rural villages, can contact their local authority direct, or the relevant prescribed person in their local authority area, to request inclusion in community payback initiatives. Section 227ZL(1) of the Criminal Procedure (S…

28 Apr 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to increased recourse to foodbanks.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: First of all, we recognise that there is a problem. The Trussell Trust reports that there is a fivefold increase in people who use foodbanks, compared with the previous year and we know from the report that we published in December 2013 that benefit changes a…

24 Feb 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specialist Police Scotland facilities are based in Fife.

10 Feb 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to expand childcare provision.

20 Jan 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of childcare provision in an independent Scotland.

19 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out of trafficking legislation in Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government keeps human trafficking legislation under regular review in dialogue with key stakeholders, in particular police and prosecutors. Trafficking is an international and cross border crime and a partnership approach is the most effective w…

25 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the CashBack for Communities programme in Fife.

21 Oct 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on common agricultural policy funding to be made available to Scotland.

30 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its economic policy protects family budgets.

25 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what PFI contracts to build schools were approved in Fife between 1999 and 2007, what the capital cost was for each and how much will be paid over the lifetime of the contracts.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is available from the Scottish Government website under PPP/PFI Projects (operational) by way of the following link: www.scotland.gov.uk.

23 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether jobs on so-called zero-hours contracts are eligible for support from regional selective assistance.

Answer · John Swinney: Only permanent positions part time (15-30 hours per week – 0.5 full time equivalent) or full time (30 hours or more per week) are eligible for regional selective assistance funding. The minimum conditions period for jobs created under aid for job creation rul…

23 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what procedure local authorities should follow when taking decisions to close schools.

17 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it maintains a record of the number of vehicles using the Forth Road Bridge since the abolition of bridge tolls.

Answer · Keith Brown: On behalf of Transport Scotland, the Scottish Roads Traffic Database operates a number of automatic traffic counters at Echline. These were installed in 2004 to record traffic flows on the bridge. The Forth Estuary Transport Authority is responsible for the …

17 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S3W-38767 by Keith Brown on 27 January 2011, whether it will provide an update on the average annual saving for a commuter since the abolition of tolls on the Forth Road Bridge.

Answer · Keith Brown: On abolition in February 2008, the tolls on the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for cars and light goods vehicles were £1.00 per crossing. This was for the north bound crossing only. This meant an annual cost of tolls of £230 per annum (based on a five day working w…

17 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the abolition of tolls on the Forth Road Bridge on (a) jobs and (b) economic development in Fife.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government took the decision to abolish the tolls on the Forth Road Bridge and the Tay Road Bridge in the belief that it was unfair and unacceptable to continue charging. This introduced equality on all bridges in Scotland, ending an injustice wh…

16 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to mitigate the impact of welfare reforms.

11 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its anti-poverty strategy, what information it has on the number of widowers in Scotland affected by the 1988 contributions cut-off date in social security legislation.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Given that this legislation was implemented before devolution, and is a reserved matter, figures are not collected separately for Scotland by the Scottish Government. The Department for Work and Pensions will be able to advise on the 1988 contributions cut-o…

26 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that the replacement of Disability Living Allowance with personal independence payments will have on (a) disabled people in Scotland and (b) its poverty targets.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Using Department for Work and Pensions forecasts, the changes from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payment is estimated to reduce the number of people in receipt of Personal Independence Payment by nearly 70,000 in Scotland by October 201…

21 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it keeps under review matters arising from flooding incidents in Fife.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government recognises the misery and distress flooding can bring. That is why my officials remain in regular contact with officials from local authorities across Scotland via the various stakeholder groups established to assist with the implement…