Parliamentary questions

Cathy Jamieson

1,344 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the upgrading of the A76 has a role to play in the economic development and regeneration of former coalfield areas.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We recognise the importance of effective road and rail links in supporting Ayrshire''s economic regeneration. In this context, Transport Scotland has undertaken significant works to upgrade and improve the safety of the A76 in recent years. …

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with East Ayrshire Council regarding the proposed bypass at Mauchline.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has not had any recent discussions with East Ayrshire Council regarding a proposed bypass of Mauchline. The Scottish Government and Transport Scotland remains committed to improving the safety and operation of the A76 in accordance with the…

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the proposed improvements outlined in the 1996 A76 Route Action Plan at Brackenhill, Polquhirter, Gateside and Cample will be completed.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the safety and operation of the A76, and we have recently invested, or are currently progressing, over £3.5 million of maintenance and safety improvements at a number of sites along the route. <p…

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to meet the A76 Corridor Partnership to discuss the five point action plan on the upgrading of the A76.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has undertaken significant works to upgrade and improve the safety of the A76 in recent years and has provided information to the A76 Corridor Partnership. Representatives of Transport Scotland will be happy to have formal meetings with the…

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve road safety on the A76.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland assesses the safety performance of the A76 trunk road as part of the annual screening of all locations across the network where three or more injury accidents have occurred in the preceding three year period. Further investigations are carr…

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to develop specialist support to enable people with myalgic encephalomyelitis to receive appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Quick Reference Clinical Guide associated with the Scottish Good Practice Statement on myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME-CFS) contains an algorithm showing the generic care pathway for people with ME-CFS. This helps make general p…

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support biomedical research on myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government''s Health Directorates, which has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland, is collaborating with the Medical Research Council (MRC) on th…

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the ME Association and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not had any recent meetings with the ME Association. Representatives of the ME Association had the opportunity of contributing to the development of the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS, and the associated Quick …

24 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally. The needs assessment of myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME-CFS), which we commissioned from the Scottish Public Health Network, and which was published in September, suggests a …

16 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people are scheduled to be supported in 2010-11 by the (a) Skills Development Scotland Lifeskills, (b) Skills Development Scotland Get Ready for Work and (c) Activity Agreement provision, also broken down by age.

Answer · Keith Brown: In 2010-11 Skills Development Scotland will deliver 14,500 places to support young people and adults who want to join the labour market. This includes the Get Ready for Work programme. In the 10 pilot areas for Activity Agreement no formal targets fo…

16 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people were supported in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10 by the (i) Skills Development Scotland Lifeskills, (ii) Skills Development Scotland Get Ready for Work and (c) Activity Agreement provision, also broken down by age.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Get Ready for Work programme is run by Skills Development Scotland. As such, it is responsible for collecting statistical data on the young people who participate. Annual data is published on the participation in the National Training Programmes at: …

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the post office network, in light of its impact on small rural communities

Answer · Jim Mather: I wrote on 16 June 2010 to Ed Davey MP, the UK Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, following his appointment. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52109). I wr…

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sub-post offices receive small business rates relief, broken down by local authority area

Answer · John Swinney: Sub-post offices may be eligible for a discounted business rates bill under various reliefs, including the Small Business Bonus Scheme or the targeted Rural Rate Relief for post offices. However, the number of individual sub-post offices in receipt o…

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its directorates and agencies have contracts with Post Office Ltd and what the annual value is

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not have any contracts with Post Office Limited.

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Secretary of State for Scotland to discuss the operation of post office services, in light of their impact on small rural communities

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not met the Secretary of State for Scotland to discuss this issue.

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Post Office Ltd on the expansion of services available at local post offices, in light of the impact on small rural communities

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Government officials meet Royal Mail Group Scottish representatives on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including services available at post offices. They last met on 17 November 2010.

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities to encourage them to work in partnership with the post office network to allow people to pay (a) council house rent and (b) council tax at post offices

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not issued guidance. The methods available for the payment for council house rent and council tax are for local authorities to determine. However, all councils offer a wide range of methods for the payment of council tax and counci…

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have arrangements with the post office network whereby people can pay (a) council house rent and (b) council tax at post offices

Answer · Jim Mather: With the following exceptions, all of Scotland''s local authorities allow the payment of both council house rent and council tax to be made at post offices. The exceptions are: Orkney, with no facilities to pay either council house rent or council tax at post…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist myasthenia gravis nurses there are and where they are located.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is currently one specialist myasthenia gravis nurse post in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which is funded by the Myasthenia Gravis Association on a two year fixed-term contract. There are also 11 neuroscience/neurology specialist nurses, three in NHS Lo…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 30, (c) 31 to 40, (d) 41 to 50, (e) 51 to 60 and (f) over 60 have myasthenia gravis.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information is not held centrally in the format requested.

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies have been born with congenital myasthenic syndrome in each of the last three years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In the last three years, no babies are recorded in the Scottish Birth Record database as having been born with a diagnosis of congenital myasthenic syndrome.

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) females and (b) males have myasthenia gravis.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information is not held centrally in the format requested. From a representative sample of Scottish general practices, it is estimated that between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2009, 560 females and 480 males consulted a member of the practice team for myast…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent guidance it has issued to local authorities regarding the Charter for Grandchildren.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have not issued any guidance to local authorities regarding the Charter for Grandchildren, which is a non-statutory document.

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Grandparents Apart Self Help Group and what matters were discussed.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government''s most recent meetings with Grandparents Apart Self Help Group were in September 2007 and September 2008. Matters discussed were grandparents'' rights, contact centres, family mediation and kinship care.

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Grandparents Apart Self Help Group regarding the Charter for Grandchildren.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have received a number of letters from members of Grandparents Apart Self Help Group about the Charter. The letters have raised issues about individual cases, the role of local authorities and work in England and Wales.

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to monitor the effectiveness of the Charter for Grandchildren.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have taken no specific action to monitor the effectiveness of the Charter, which is a non-statutory document.

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in (a) South and (b) East Ayrshire will be eligible for the small business bonus scheme in 2010-11.

Answer · John Swinney: Following the 2010 business rates revaluation, the number of properties potentially eligible for small business bonus scheme across Scotland has increased by 12%, from 102,000 in 2009-10 to 114,600 in 2010-11. The actual take-up for 2010-11 will …

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in (a) South and (b) East Ayrshire received funding from the small business bonus scheme in 2009-10.

Answer · John Swinney: The number of recipients and the average savings in 2009-10 for the small business bonus scheme were published on 23 August 2010 and 15 September 2010 respectively. In East Ayrshire, 1,341 properties were in receipt of the small business bonus sc…

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37110 by Stewart Stevenson on 3 November 2010, what local consultation Transport Scotland and Scotrail will undertake as they work on improving the timetable for South West Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: SWesTrans is the regional transport partnership (RTP) responsible for articulating local transport needs in South West Scotland. ScotRail has engaged fully with SWesTrans in its work to date, and will continue to do so in the future. Strathclyde …

3 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the needs of former industrial and coalfield areas in drawing up its budget.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is utilising all available information at its disposal in drawing up its draft budget and has taken forward extensive consultations with delivery partners and communities across Scotland, building on the work carried out by the Indepen…