Parliamentary questions

Cathy Peattie

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

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed in each (a) college and (b) university in 2009-10, broken down by (i) academic, (ii) non-academic managerial and (iii) other non-academic staff.

Answer · Michael Russell: The following tables contain the full-time equivalent numbers of staff in Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) and colleges in 2009-10. Table 1. Staffing Full-Time Equivalents by Academic/Non-Academic (Management)/ Non-Academic (Other) and C…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many women attending accident and emergency departments on each day from 19 February to 4 March 2011 disclosed, as a result of the gender-based violence action plan, that they were abused by a partner and how many indicated that they (a) had or (b) had not reported the abuse to the po…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-40471 on 18 March 2011. 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/Apps2/…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many women attending accident and emergency departments on each day from 22 January to 4 February 2011 disclosed, as a result of the gender-based violence action plan, that they were abused by a partner and how many indicated that they (a) had or (b) had not reported the abuse to the …

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Routine enquiry of domestic abuse has not yet been systematically introduced within Accident and Emergency services in NHS boards in Scotland, therefore data on numbers of disclosures is not currently held centrally. The National Gender-based Violence Team is…

28 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether meetings have taken place between ministers or officials and representatives of Forth Energy, Scottish and Southern Energy plc and Forth Ports plc regarding proposals for large-scale biomass plants and, if so, (a) on what dates, (b) who attended and (c) what matters were discussed.

Answer · Jim Mather: In order to ensure that all material issues are considered, and Scottish ministers are in possession of all the information they require to determine applications, Scottish Government officials have met with Forth Energy and their representatives, on 25 occas…

2 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken with regard to the announcement by Aptuit of the closure of Scottish operations at Riccarton and Livingston.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister and I met senior Aptuit representatives in January 2011 and through Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International are working with Aptuit''s senior staff in Scotland in the interest of employees affected by this announcement. <…

2 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and the First Minister have met Tim Tyson, the executive chairman and chief executive officer of Aptuit, and, if so, whether it will provide a report of the meeting and any subsequent action arising.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister and I met with Tim Tyson, Aptuit''s Executive Chairman and CEO and Gerry Hepburn, President of Clinical Operations, Scotland on 26 January 2011. A steering group has since been set up involving management, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish D…

14 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider providing financial support for ferry services between Scotland and Norway.

Answer · Keith Brown: Any potential ferry service between Scotland and Norway would have to operate on a commercially viable basis. Strict EU State aid rules provide only very limited scope for financial support.

14 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding the introduction of ferry services between Scotland and Norway.

Answer · Keith Brown: We want to see the expansion of direct ferry connections from Scotland. We are therefore happy to engage with the operators of any proposed new commercially viable ferry service between Scotland and Norway.

14 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the possibility of ferry services between Scotland and Norway.

Answer · Keith Brown: Any ferry service between Scotland and Norway would have to operate on a commercially viable basis and this would be a matter for the prospective ferry operator to consider. We would be happy to consider any commercially viable proposal.

14 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been approached regarding the introduction of ferry services between Scotland and Norway.

Answer · Keith Brown: We have not received any recent formal approach about the introduction of ferry services between Scotland and Norway. During our consultation on the Northern Isles ferry services we received a petition calling for such a service to be introduced.…

1 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who received treatment for hepatitis C achieved sustained viral response to treatment broken down by (a) age group, (b) socioeconomic group, (c) risk group and (d) gender in (i) Scotland and (ii) each NHS board in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Answer · Shona Robison: Information on sustained viral response (SVR) for those patients commencing treatment in the last five years is currently not available at national level in a validated and comparable format. The Scottish Government has invested significant resources…

1 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people received active treatment for hepatitis C, broken down by (a) age group, (b) socioeconomic group, (c) risk group and (d) gender in (i) Scotland and (ii) each NHS board in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Answer · Shona Robison: The number of people who received active treatment for Hepatitis C for the past five years is available in Hepatitis C infection rates and treatment data by age, deprivation, risk group and gender by NHS Board area, 2005 to June 2010 a copy of whi…

1 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are hepatitis C antibody positive, broken down by (a) age group, (b) socioeconomic group, (c) risk group and (d) gender in (i) Scotland and (ii) each NHS board in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Answer · Shona Robison: The number of people who are hepatitis C antibody positive for the past five years is available in Hepatitis C infection rates and treatment data by age, deprivation, risk group and gender by NHS Board area, 2005 to June 2010 a copy of which has been …

1 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with hepatitis C, broken down by (a) age group, (b) socioeconomic group, (c) risk group and (d) gender in (i) Scotland and (ii) each NHS board in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Answer · Shona Robison: The number of people diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C infection for the past five years is available in Hepatitis C infection rates and treatment data by age, deprivation, risk group and gender by NHS Board area, 2005 to June 2010, a copy of which h…

5 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will publish the public engagement strategy required under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The public engagement strategy required under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 will be published by 31 December 2010.

5 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sites listed in the Scottish Water Register of Assets containing private water pumps owned by domestic customers have been declared surplus to requirements and sold off by public auction in each of the last 10 years; how many pumps were on each site; how many pumps were shared an…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This information is not held centrally and I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to reply to the member.

5 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sites listed in the Scottish Water Register of Assets contain private water pumps owned by domestic customers; how many pumps are on each site; how many pumps are shared and how many customers can access each pump.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This information is not held centrally and I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to reply to the member.

15 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a commencement order will be made for section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A commencement order has been made which will bring section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 into force on 6 October 2010.

25 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of babies born with hepatitis C in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is estimated that approximately 10 hepatitis c infected babies are born in Scotland annually. Therefore it is estimated that approximately 100 babies infected with hepatitis C have been born in Scotland over the last ten years.

25 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of under-19s infected with hepatitis C.

Answer · Shona Robison: Health Protection Scotland estimates that 150-200 people under the age of 19 are infected with hepatitis C in Scotland. Fifty-seven of these under 19s have been diagnosed and are currently alive and chronically infected.

25 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many under-19s have been diagnosed with hepatitis C in (a) Scotland and (b) each NHS board area.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following table details the number of under 19''s that have been diagnosed with hepatisis C by NHS board area and a total for Scotland as at 31 March 2010. <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=626 > <thead> <tr > <td width=136 va…

24 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sea passenger movements on the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route were recorded in each month since January 2008.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is shown in the following table: Rosyth-Zeebrugge Ferry Service-Passenger Traffic Volumes <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=102 valign=top > Month …

24 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with representatives of Norfolkline and DFDS since they took over as the operators of the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have had frequent meetings with Norfolkline/DFDS since they re-launched the route in May 2009. Official meetings have been conducted through a steering group and two sub-groups covering freight and passenger issues.

24 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support has been provided to the operators of the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Waterborne freight grant of £520,000 was paid to Superfast Ferries in 2005. Direct marketing assistance was provided from Scottish Enterprise totalling £2,852,054, and approximately £3.9 million in marketing support for inbound passengers was contribu…

6 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) deaths and (b) group B streptococcal infections were recorded in neonates in each of the last three years, also broken down by rates per live birth.

Answer · Shona Robison: (a) The number of neonatal deaths and rates per 1,000 live births are published annually by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) and can be accessed via the following link: <a href="http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-an…

6 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34738 by Shona Robison on 16 July 2010, what consideration has been given to the merits of using the enriched culture medium method for testing pregnant women for group B streptococcus carriage as compared with those of the standard swab/culture meth…

Answer · Shona Robison: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has considered the evidence for screening based on the use of the Enriched Culture Medium (ECM) test to detect carriage of group B streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy. Health professionals are concerned that…

28 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the freight facilities grants awarded in the last five years showing the amount of traffic that it was anticipated would switch from road to rail or water as a result of the work being funded.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This information can be found on the Scottish Government website using the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Transport/FT/FFGTableofawards.

24 Jun 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to help first-time buyers.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government spent a record £95 million in 2009-10 on continuing to help first time buyers through the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers. We are now also developing more innovative forms of affordable housing, for example through a £2.5 mil…

22 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the use of the enrichment culture method test for screening pregnant women for group B streptococcal infections.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is given independent advice on screening by the UK National Screening Committee. The UK National Screening Committee currently recommends that a national screening programme for Group B Streptococcus should not be introduced. The evalu…

22 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the operation of the Home Report system, taking account of the suspension of Home Information Packs in England and Wales and the impact of this on the housing market there.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is currently undertaking an interim review of the Home Report which aims to establish whether any alteration is required to improve its effectiveness and operation. The review, which was commissioned in December following the …