Parliamentary questions

Cathie Craigie

239 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

24 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an equality impact assessment has been carried out as part of the decision-making process that has led to the cessation of funding for the Scottish Sensory Centre as of 31 March 2011.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has a strong commitment to equality and to tackling disadvantage and inequality. Equality contributes to our national purpose and economic targets and to a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. An equality statement on each …

24 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring takes place of locally obtained competencies-based training, as specified by the Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Answer · Michael Russell: Under the terms of the Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005 local authorities are required to employ teachers who are registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland and who have the appropriate professional skills and knowledge for…

24 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities are offered to teachers of deaf children to access nationally accredited continuing professional development courses related to the education of deaf children.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is fully committed to ensuring that teachers continue to develop their skills to help achieve better outcomes for every child and young person. However, it is for each local authority to determine the resources available for continuing…

24 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers of deaf children employed by local authorities wholly or mainly to support deaf children have completed the mandatory training as specified by the Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Answer · Michael Russell: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally. Under the terms of the Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005, local authorities are required to employ teachers who are registered with the G…

24 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers of deaf children are currently working toward attaining the mandatory qualification standards as specified by the Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Answer · Michael Russell: The information requested is not held centrally. Under the terms of the Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005, local authorities are required to employ teachers who are registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland and…

24 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers of deaf children are employed in each local authority area.

Answer · Michael Russell: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in relation to how many breaches of section 61 orders under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 action has been taken in the last three years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Action on any breaches of orders under Section 61 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 is a matter for the relevant enforcing local authority.

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of section 61 orders under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 have taken place in the last three years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The issue of Section 61 Orders, under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, and any breaches of such orders, falls within the responsibility of local authorities.

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve broadband services in urban areas.

Answer · Jim Mather: On 22 October 2010, the Scottish Government published its Digital Ambition for Scotland statement. One of our key ambitions is that next-generation broadband will be available to all by 2020, and that significant progress will be made by 2015. We will…

3 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a rise in hospital appointment cancellations as a result of recent changes to the criteria for use of the patient transport service.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) have confirmed that there have been no changes to the clinical criteria for their Patient Transport Service (PTS). However, as part of delivering its framework Working together for better patient care 2010-1015, wh…

18 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes have residual current devices (RCD) and how many homes in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth do not have RCDs.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on the number of homes which have residual current devices is not held centrally.

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the quality and accuracy of interpreters providing services to its directorates and agencies.

Answer · John Swinney: The quality of services provided under the contracts is monitored by court officials and this is communicated to the Scottish Courts Service and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service contract managers who formally monitor the collaborative contract throu…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of qualification is required by interpreters engaged by it and its agencies.

Answer · John Swinney: Interpreters are expected to hold, where possible, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) (Scottish Legal Option) or have recent experience of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting in the criminal court context. DPSI is not availa…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rate is paid to interpreters engaged by its directorates and agencies.

Answer · John Swinney: The hourly rate paid to the contractors is considered to be commercially sensitive and disclosure of it is likely to prejudice substantially the commercial interest of the contractors.

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many interpreters have been engaged by each of its directorates and agencies in each of the last three years.

Answer · John Swinney: Prior to October 2009 information relating to the use of interpreters was not held centrally. A framework contract was introduced from October 2009 for the provision of interpreting, translation and transcription across the central government sector. Informat…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what annual fees per pupil are charged to local authorities by each grant-aided special school.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Special Schools (Scotland) Grant Regulations 1990 require that grant-aided special schools'' fee levels for local authority pupil placements are approved by Scottish Ministers. The grant-aided special schools provide a range of services to local authoriti…

9 Sep 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it gives to local authorities to support children with additional support needs.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has revised, and in August 2010 published, the Supporting Children''s Learning Code of Practice. The Code of Practice, which has been updated to take account of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 200…

20 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who briefs the Cabinet Secretary for Justice on the case of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi and who attends these briefings

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A range of policy and communications officials contribute to the briefing of ministers on this issue.

20 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how regularly the Cabinet Secretary for Justice is briefed on the case of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Ministers receive weekly briefings during the parliamentary session and at various times during recess, depending on developments.

20 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last had a briefing on the case of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi from East Renfrewshire Council

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There is regular contact between officials of the Scottish Government and East Renfrewshire Council. I have never had a briefing directly from East Renfrewshire Council on the case of Mr Al-Megrahi.

20 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice was last briefed on the health condition of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Officials forward to me a copy of the monthly medical report, which they receive from East Renfrewshire Council. The most recent report was sent to me on 2 September 2010.

20 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last discussed the case of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi with other cabinet ministers.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have discussed the case of Mr Al-Megrahi with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on various occasions in recent weeks, most recently with the First Minister on 9 September 2010.

3 Jun 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what encouragement it gives to local authorities and community organisations to protect natural environments.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Local authorities and community organisations are encouraged to protect natural environments in a number of ways, including involvement in Local Biodiversity Action Partnerships and a range of practical and financial support measures available from Scottish N…

27 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth parliamentary constituency has received a new central heating system under the Energy Assistance Package in each year since it was established.

Answer · Alex Neil: We do not collate information on the Energy Assistance Package by constituency. However, a breakdown by local authority will be included in the report Fuel Poverty Programme 2009-10: Energy Assistance Package, and I will write to you when a copy has b…

27 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth parliamentary constituency were successful in gaining financial support to replace their boiler through the boiler scrappage scheme.

Answer · Jim Mather: As per the answer to question S3W-33965 on 11 June 2010, the Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage online application system captured information on an applicant''s local authority area only. To break it down by parliamentary constituency would be time cons…

27 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to its boiler scrappage scheme were made by residents of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage online application system captured information on an applicants local authority area only. To break it down by parliamentary constituency would be time consuming and costly.

27 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents of North Lanarkshire were successful in gaining financial support to replace their boiler through the boiler scrappage scheme.

Answer · Jim Mather: As per the answer to question S3W-33963 on 11 June 2010, 210 successful applications were received from residents of North Lanarkshire for vouchers under the Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage scheme. Vouchers are valid for 12 weeks and it is up…

27 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to its boiler scrappage scheme were made by residents of North Lanarkshire.

Answer · Jim Mather: The online system logged 210 successful applications from residents of North Lanarkshire for the Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage scheme. The scheme was demand-led rather than area-based and vouchers were issued on a first come, first served basis.…

27 May 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive , in view of latest figures showing that the number of central heating installations under the Energy Assistance Package, including legacy installations, amounted to around half of those carried out in the final year of the central heating programme, whether it considers that the Energy A…

Answer · Alex Neil: I am very pleased with the first year of the Energy Assistance Package (EAP), a four-stage package of help, targeted at people who are fuel poor, and recommended by the independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum. The EAP does much more than the old Central Heati…

13 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Lanarkshire were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of occupied bed days in NHS Lanarkshire where a diagnosis of assault by sharp object is recorded is presented in the following table. Number of acute occupied bed days1,2 in NHS Lanarkshire connected with an assault by sharp obj…