Christine Grahame

13 May 2013 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the use of electronic tagging of offenders as an alternative to short-term sentences.

18 Feb 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what educational opportunities there are for people who have retired.

11 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received free personal care in each year, broken down by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on the number of people receiving free personal care in each year is collected at local authority level. It is not available by (a) parliamentary constituency, but the local authority has been used to estimate the number of people receiving free p…

11 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been of free personal care provided in each year since it was introduced.

Answer · Alex Neil: The cost of personal care provided in each year is given in the following table: Table: Expenditure on Free Personal and Nursing Care, 2003-04 to 2010-11 Year Self-funders receiving FPNC in a Care Home Clients aged 65+ receiving …

11 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many households will be affected by the so-called bedroom tax in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13026 on 5 March 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…

11 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many single bedroom rented households there are in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The number of single bedroom rented households in each local authority is estimated to be as follows: Local Authority Number of single bedroom rented households Aberdeen City 16,000 Aberdeenshire …

11 Feb 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the budgetary impact of the so-called bedroom tax.

5 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the practice of using the names of deceased children as identities for undercover officers has been the practice in Scotland and, if it has not made enquiries into this matter, whether it will do so.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The practice of using the names of deceased children as identities for undercover officers has never been the practice in any of Scotland’s eight police forces or the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency. This has been confirmed by Chief Constable House…

4 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research there is into the (a) prevalence and (b) treatment of lipoedema.

Answer · Alex Neil: We are unaware of any on-going or completed research studies examining the prevalence or treatment of lipoedema in Scotland. The Scottish Government funds medical research through the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) which has responsibility for encouraging and …

4 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what treatment is available on the NHS for (a) cancer and (b) non-cancer patients with lipoedema.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Patients may be referred to lymphoedema services as some of the treatment options for lymphoedema may be of benefit to people with lipoedema. In some cases, clinicians may consider referring patients for consideration of tumescent liposuction which would be d…

4 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of lipoedema have been recorded in each of the last five years.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

31 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for species licences to use snares to capture mountain hares have been made since 2006; how many have been granted, and for what reasons licences were not granted.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Four applications for a licence to snare mountain hares were received between 2006 and June 2011 by the Scottish Government, as the appropriate licensing authority at that time. Two were granted and two were refused. The applications that were refused did no…

31 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the legal basis is for the licensing regime operated by Scottish Natural Heritage regarding the use of snares to capture mountain hares.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Mountain hares are listed on Schedule 3 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) considers that snares are non-selective traps and a licence is therefore required under Regulation 44 of the above Regulations…

31 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that it complies with the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats regarding the (a) use of non-selective traps to capture protected species and (b) the reporting requirements under article 9.2.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The requirements of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats as regards the use of non-selective traps to capture protected species are implemented in Scotland through the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 19…

29 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the criteria for access to the Rare Conditions Medicines Fund and whether the fund will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis or allocated across NHS boards.

Answer · Alex Neil: The operational arrangements for managing the Rare Conditions Medicines Fund are still in development. Advice for NHS boards will be provided in due course.

23 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S4W-07746 by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 June 2012, how the £7.5 million is allocated, broken down by year.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The £7.5 million referred to in question S4W-07746 is comprised of £2.5 million in each of the financial years 2012-13, 2013/14 and 2014-15. In 2012-13 this is broken down as follows: Initiatives Community Food and Health Scotland £723,000 * Healthyliving…

14 Jan 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last communicated with NHS Borders and what issues were covered.

10 Dec 2012 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the legalisation of drugs given the potential impact on its justice and health policies.

3 Dec 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support will be given to new entrant farmers during the transition to area payments under common agricultural policy reform.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government is fighting the cause of new entrants in the ongoing CAP negotiations to ensure that they are properly catered for from day one of the new CAP regime. This includes measures to ensure new entrants are allocated payment entitlements and th…

19 Nov 2012 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its flood prevention programme.

12 Nov 2012 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on reports of a so-called turf war between the chief executive of the Scottish Police Authority and the chief constable for Scotland.

7 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the proposals to integrate social work and healthcare, what processes will be in place to include the third sector.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government made a commitment in its proposals for Adult Health and Social Care Integration to ensure a clear role for representatives from the third Sector within Health and Social Care Partnership arrangements. The detail of the legislation is c…

29 Oct 2012 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Borders Railway will be operational.

22 Oct 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides for research and development.

30 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the percentage uptake was of the Young Scot National Entitlement Card in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The following table includes the percentage of card holders, of those who are eligible, in each local authority area. It does not include cards that have expired or are pending approval. Local Authority 5 June 2007 7 January 2008 1 April 2009 1 April 201…

30 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Young Scot National Entitlement Cards have been issued in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The following five year breakdown includes the total number of active cards at each report date. It does not include cards that have expired or are pending approval. Local Authority 5 June 2007 7 January 2008 1 April 2009 1 April 2010 28 January 2011 …

26 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provision is made in the penal system for people who are identified as being on the autism spectrum.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Health professionals conduct a comprehensive health assessment for all prisoners on reception. Responsibility for the delivery of prisoner h…

26 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training is given to (a) sheriffs and (b) judges to identify the possibility of someone appearing before them having an autistic spectrum disorder.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to matters that are the responsibility of the Lord President, under his powers within Part 2 of the Judiciary & Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, and for which Scottish ministers are not accountable.

26 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training is given to prison staff to identify the possibility of prisoners having an autistic spectrum disorder.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service does not provide specific training to prison staff to identify the possibility of prisoners having an autistic s…

26 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training is given to police officers to identify the signs of autistic spectrum disorders.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The training of police officers is an operational matter for Chief Constables. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland have informed me that the probationer training programme includes specific training on autistic spectrum disorders and that fur…