Parliamentary questions
Cathy Jamieson
1,344 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration has been given to returning the trunk road maintenance contracts to the public sector.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The trunk road maintenance contracts are competitively tendered in line with EU procurement rules. Public sector organisations are eligible to tender for these contracts, however, when the contracts were last tendered in 2005 and 2006, no public sector organi…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the trunk road maintenance contracts for the south-west region will be reviewed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The South West Unit trunk road maintenance contract runs from 1 April 2006 until 31 March 2011, with an option to extend until 31 March 2013.</p>
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of the recent adverse weather conditions on the opencast mining industry.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Government officials are in regular dialogue with coal producers in Scotland. Discussions have confirmed that the industry is coping well with the challenges brought about by the recent period of severe weather, with the main issue being around staff…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether support will be provided to the timber industry in light of the recent adverse weather conditions.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30900 on 28 January 2010. 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/Apps…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of the recent adverse weather conditions on the timber industry in (a) Scotland and (b) Ayrshire.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The recent adverse weather has meant considerable difficulties accessing and working harvesting sites and in getting supplies from the forest to processing and biomass plants across Scotland, including Ayrshire. Forestry Commission Scotland has been working c…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment will be made of the adequacy of the response by local authorities to the recent adverse weather conditions.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30898 on 1 February 2010. 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/Apps…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of preparations made by local authorities to deal with the recent adverse weather conditions.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is for each local authority to manage its own winter preparations and to determine how best to meet its statutory duties during adverse weather conditions. We would expect local authorities to review their own planning and response activity.</p> <p >To su…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support has been provided to dairy farmers in Ayrshire during the recent adverse weather conditions.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I have set up a short life working group to assess the extent of the damage caused by the recent adverse weather conditions to farm buildings across Scotland and make recommendations to ministers.</p>
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in how many cases involving domestic violence in (a) East Ayrshire and (b) South Ayrshire a custodial sentence of six months or less has been given in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons Convicted for an Offence<sup>1</sup> with a Domestic Aggravator<sup>2,3</sup> who Received a Custodial Sentence of Six Months or Less, by Approximate Local Authority<sup>4</sup>, 2005…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in receipt of the lower rate of disability living allowance in (a) Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency, (b) East Ayrshire and (c) South Ayrshire were admitted to the free bus travel scheme when it commenced.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.</p> <p >When the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People was introduced on 1 April 2006, existing local authority concessionary cardholders transferred into the new scheme wit…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) copies of all correspondence and notes of discussions between the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and the UK Secretary of State for Health relating to bonus payments for hospital consultants.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government does not routinely put such letters and notes on the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) website. The letter to the Secretary of State for Health in England about a UK wide review of the award schemes for NHS consultants can be …
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of schools have a dedicated librarian, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Michael Russell: The following table sets out the percentage of primary, secondary and special schools that had a dedicated librarian as collected in the 2009 teacher census. This therefore represents the position as of September 2009. Librarians in through-schools are counte…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools have a dedicated librarian, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Michael Russell: The following table sets out the number of primary, secondary and special schools that had a dedicated librarian as collected in the 2009 teacher census. This therefore represents the position as of September 2009. Librarians in through-schools are counted in…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to ensure that local authorities include improving literacy as a key priority in their single outcome agreements.
Answer · Michael Russell: Raising literacy standards for all is a priority for the Scottish Government, and we are working with local government to ensure young people have the literacy skills they will need for learning, life and work.</p> <p >Development of literacy skills is at th…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that all local authorities have literacy as their number one educational priority.
Answer · Michael Russell: Raising literacy standards for all is a priority for the Scottish Government, and we are working with local government to ensure young people have the literacy skills they will need for learning, life and work. </p> <p >Development of literacy skills is at t…
15 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12475 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 May 2008, when it expects the new community hospital in Girvan to be fully operational.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have advised that they expect the new community hospital in Girvan to be operational from 1 May 2010.</p>
15 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12475 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 May 2008, what the reason is for the delay in completing the new community hospital in Girvan.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have advised that the delay in completing the new community hospital in Girvan has been due to a number of unforeseen technical problems that arose during the construction phase, including a key supplier of structural materials being un…
15 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12475 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 May 2008, when it now expects the new community hospital in Girvan to be completed.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have advised that the planned completion date for the construction of the new community hospital in Girvan is 15 March 2010.</p>
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enterprise projects in schools are run using the co-operative business model.
Answer · Keith Brown: Figures supplied to the Scottish Government by the Co-operative Education Trust (CETS) show that approximately 150 schools across the 32 local authorities have run enterprise projects in schools using the co-operative business model.</p>
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have been trained in co-operative education.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government, through its Determined to Succeed (DtS) strategy, has provided £60,000 funding for Co-operative Education Trust Scotland (CETS) during its two-year pilot stage (July 2005-07) to support the work and future development of educational r…
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to teachers who wish to include the co-operative business model as an option in enterprise education.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government, through its Determined to Succeed (DtS) strategy, has provided £60,000 funding for Co-operative Education Trust Scotland (CETS) during its two-year pilot stage (July 2005-07) to support the work and future development of educational r…
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the co-operative model is included in business education in (a) schools, (b) further education and (c) higher education.
Answer · Michael Russell: The steps the Scottish Government are taking to ensure that the co-operative model is included in business education </p> <p >(a) schools</p> <p >The co-operative model is consistent with the experiences and outcomes for learners and resources have been pro…
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what access teachers have to continuous professional development courses that include co-operative education.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government, through its Determined to Succeed (DtS) strategy, has provided £60,000 funding for Co-operative Education Trust Scotland (CETS) during its two-year pilot stage (July 2005-07) to support the work and future development of educational r…
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the Determined to Succeed programme and whether it will continue funding when the present funding arrangements come to an end.
Answer · Keith Brown: Determined to Succeed is now in a second phase as a result of policy decisions based on a formal review of Phase 1 in July 2008. The findings resulted in a continuation of the programme based on the success identified in formal assessment and evaluation.</p> …
7 Jan 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities to establish what artworks of potential national significance are held in their archives but not currently on display.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not had any such discussions directly with local authorities. This is a matter for local authorities themselves to determine. However, through the Recognition Fund, the Scottish Government does offer support for local authority and…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action was taken to clear snow from pavements and footpaths adjacent to the A77 in (a) Ballantrae, (b) Lendalfoot, (c) Girvan, (d) Kirkoswald, (e) Maybole and (f) Minishant between midnight on 23 and midnight on 24 December 2009.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30341 on 15 January 2010. 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/Apps…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times pavements and footpaths adjacent to the A77 in (a) Ballantrae, (b) Lendalfoot, (c) Girvan, (d) Kirkoswald, (e) Maybole and (f) Minishant were treated with salt and grit between midnight on 23 and midnight on 24 December 2009.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30341 on 15 January 2010. 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/Apps…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the A77 south of Ayr was cleared by a snow plough between midnight on 23 and midnight on 24 December 2009.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30336 on 15 January 2010. 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/Apps…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the A77 south of Ayr was treated with grit and salt between midnight on 23 and midnight on 24 December 2009.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30338 on 15 January 2010. 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/Apps…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action was taken to clear snow from pavements and footpaths adjacent to the A76 in (a) New Cumnock and (b) Mauchline between midnight on 23 and midnight on 24 December 2009.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30331 on 15 January 2010. 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/Apps…