Cathy Jamieson

14 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients diagnosed with severe heart attacks can receive life-saving emergency angioplasty treatment at Ayr Hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Coronary angioplasty is not available in either Ayr or Crosshouse Hospitals. Evidence suggests that better results from coronary angioplasty are obtained by dedicated teams in high volume interventional centres.</p> <p >The development of a Primary Percutane…

14 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the travelling times of ambulances transporting severe heart attack patients from rural South or East Ayrshire to Hairmyres Hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Patients with an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and a transit time of less that 40 minutes will be taken directly to the Heart Attack Centre for Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PPCI). This equates to all patients north of a line just s…

14 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances a patient from Ayrshire diagnosed with a heart attack would be treated at Hairmyres Hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Patients with suspected ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) will be triaged in the community by paramedics. ECG data will be transmitted via telemetry to Coronary Care staff to ensure that an accurate diagnosis can be made to identify appropriate patie…

14 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances a patient from Ayrshire diagnosed with a heart attack would be treated at Ayr Hospital’s accident and emergency unit.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Patients self-presenting to Ayr Hospital suffering from non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), or who are not appropriate for primary angioplasty, will be treated at Ayr. The most likely reasons for this will be a clinical decision based on co-morbi…

12 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11976 by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008, whether it will provide details of the recent application for European Regional Development Fund Programme funding submitted by VisitScotland.

Answer · Jim Mather: Four applications were submitted from VisitScotland for the 2007-2013 European Structural Funds ERDF Programme. The New Tourism Growth Fund total project costs £998,827 requesting a grant of £374,560, Green Tourism Initiatives for Business Growth total projec…

12 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11976 by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008, when details will be available on how the European Regional Development Fund Programme funding allocated to VisitScotland will be spent.

Answer · Jim Mather: Discussions are still on-going to finalise technical details relating to the Homecoming Scotland 2009 application submitted to the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland programme. VisitScotland expect to finalise these details in the next few months.</p>

12 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12321 by Stewart Stevenson on 2 May 2008, on what date JST Services withdrew its application for Freight Facilities Grant.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: 2 November 2007.</p>

12 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12321 by Stewart Stevenson on 2 May 2008, whether the current Freight Facilities Grant scheme would have adequate resources to provide the funding required to meet a renewed application to site a railhead at Barrhill.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The budget to support the freight industry, including freight facilities grants, is £14.9million in each of the next three years. Any application for freight grant support for a railhead at Barrhill in the future will be assessed on its own merits against the…

12 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11976 by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the European Regional Development Fund Programme funding allocated to VisitScotland will be spent effectively.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government in partnership with Esep Ltd who are responsible for administering application rounds and post approval monitoring, will fully comply with European Commission Regulation Article 60(b) No 1083/2006. This covers the need for verifying th…

12 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11976 by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008, when it will be in a position to indicate which local rural communities will benefit from the European Regional Development Fund Programme funding allocated to VisitScotland.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Homecoming Scotland 2009 application submitted by VisitScotland to the Lowland and Uplands Scotland European Structural Funds Programme covers all of the designated rural areas under Priority 4 with the exception of Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Gallo…

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Transport Scotland regarding future timetabling of rail services between Ayr and Glasgow.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is progressing timetabling work with First ScotRail in line with proposals in Scotland''s Railways.</p>

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Transport Scotland regarding future timetabling of rail services between Carlisle and Glasgow.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is progressing timetabling work with First ScotRail in line with proposals in Scotland''s Railways.</p>

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Transport Scotland regarding the future timetabling of rail services between Stranraer and Glasgow.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is progressing timetabling work with First ScotRail in line with proposals in Scotland''s Railways.</p>

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average rail journey times have been between Stranraer and Glasgow via (a) Kilmarnock and (b) Paisley in each of the last five years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information is not held centrally, in the form requested.</p> <p >Over the last five years, the timetabled journey time has been around two hours 17 minutes average for trains running via Paisley and two hours 33 minutes average for trains running via Ki…

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the introduction of the dynamic loop will have on rail journey times between Stranraer and Glasgow.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The construction of the dynamic loop provides an opportunity to review the timetables and services in the south west of Scotland. Opportunities to improve journey times across South West will be examined as part of the review.</p>

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the introduction of the dynamic loop will have on the frequency of rail services between Stranraer and Glasgow, via Ayr and Paisley.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The construction of the dynamic loop provides an opportunity to review the timetables and services in the south west of Scotland. There are no plans currently to increase the frequency of trains to Stranraer, but this will be kept under review.</p>

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how construction of the dynamic loop on the Kilmarnock to Glasgow rail line will be financed.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The project will be funded using Network Rail''s regulated asset base finance mechanism.</p>

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12318 by Adam Ingram on 6 May 2008, what mechanisms are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the new kinship care allowance, given that information regarding the number receiving payments on 30 November 2007 is not held centrally.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Progress against each of the commitments in the concordat will be reported annually by COSLA at the end of each financial year.</p>

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12319 by Adam Ingram on 6 May 2008, what estimates, it made of the likely take-up of kinship care allowances when calculating funding allocations for local authorities to administer the payments broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The funding for all commitments included within the concordat, such as the commitment for providing allowances for kinship carers of looked after children, was negotiated and agreed with COSLA in the run-up to SR07.</p> <p >The cost of funding all the commi…

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12320 by Adam Ingram on 6 May 2008, what mechanisms are in place to monitor the usage of the specialist information service for kinship carers given that information on the number of individuals who contacted the service is not held centrally.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Monitoring the usage of the Citizens Advice Scotland specialist service for kinship carers will begin when the service is launched later this year.</p>

1 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what cost savings would be gained by replacing a double-crewed ambulance with a single-crewed rapid response vehicle.

Answer · Shona Robison: The proposed adjustments to the emergency fleet mix will enable the Scottish Ambulance Service to deploy an extra 30 emergency vehicles across Scotland in 2008-09. Changes to the fleet mix are not about achieving savings, rather they will enable the service t…

1 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on any proposals by the Scottish Ambulance Service to withdraw double-crewed ambulances from service and replace them with rapid response vehicles staffed by a single paramedic.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government supports the work the Scottish Ambulance Service has undertaken to benchmark its operational practices against those adopted by other UK ambulance services. The greater use of rapid response vehicles represents the decision of the Scot…

1 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing last met the Scottish Ambulance Service to discuss the provision of ambulance services in Ayrshire and Arran.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing met the board of the Scottish Ambulance Service on 30 January 2008. A range of issues were discussed.</p>

1 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many double-crewed ambulances have been in service in the Ayrshire and Arran NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12641 on 13 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

1 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many rapid response vehicles staffed by a single paramedic have been in use in the Ayrshire and Arran NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not available by NHS board area.</p> <p >However, the total numbers of all categories of accident and emergency vehicles for the south west operating division, which comprises Ayrshire and Arran and Dumfries and Galloway, are set…

1 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11338 by Jim Mather on 23 April 2008, how many meetings of the UK Government Coal Forum have been attended by Scottish ministers since May 2007.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish ministers have not attended any meetings of the UK Coal Forum since it was established. However, Scottish Government officials regularly attend the meetings and update ministers on any matters of interest.</p> <p >I met recently with key stakeholder…

1 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11338 by Jim Mather on 23 April 2008, when a Scottish minister last attended a meeting of the UK Government Coal Forum.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish ministers have not attended any meetings of the UK Coal Forum since it was established. However, Scottish Government officials regularly attend the meetings and update ministers on any matters of interest.</p> <p >I met recently with key stakeholde…

30 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants have been awarded since May 2007 under the Strategic Timber Transport Fund and what the value has been of each award.

Answer · Michael Russell: Fourteen applications have been submitted to the fund since May 2007.</p> <p >Seven of the applications have been awarded funding, four are at an advanced stage of assessment, one is to be re-submitted, one has been withdrawn by the applicant, and one has be…

30 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many application have been made to the Strategic Timber Transport Fund since May 2007.

Answer · Michael Russell: Fourteen applications have been submitted since May 2007.</p>

30 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many freight facilities grants have been awarded since May 2007 and what the value has been of each award.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have made two awards of freight facilities grant since May 2007: £192,285 to CSP Forestry and £58,600 to UPM Tillhill for a jointly operated line-side loading project at Rannoch for the transport of timber by rail to Irvine.</p>