Christine Grahame

30 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10766 by Richard Lochhead on 12 March 2008, when the draft regulations requiring puppy and kitten dealers to be licensed by local authorities will be laid before the Parliament.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The draft Regulations on the licensing of dealers in puppies and kittens were laid before Parliament on Friday, 30 May 2008.</p>

30 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006, in particular subsection (8)(11B) of section 70, in order to not apply or limit the obligations under this section in so far as they pertain to common ridings.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Guidance to Local Authorities, published by the Working Group on Marches and Parades in December 2006, makes clear that, if a local authority makes a case why a certain type of procession should be excluded from the notification process, the Scottish mini…

28 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce more average speed cameras and, if so, at what locations.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The potential to introduce more average speed cameras, and at what trunk road locations, will be informed by an assessment of the A77 average speed camera system.</p> <p >The effectiveness of the A77 average speed camera system, installed in July 2005, will …

28 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which roads have average speed cameras; how many there are per road, and when they were introduced.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The A77 trunk road is the only road that has permanent average speed cameras. There are a total of 48 camera locations over a 32 mile length of the route and these cameras were first installed in July 2005.</p> <p >There have been various temporary installat…

28 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what data it holds regarding the accident rate on roads such as the A77 since the introduction of average speed cameras.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government holds accident rate information for all trunk roads in Scotland. The A77 trunk road is the only trunk road in Scotland with fixed average speed cameras; the accident rate for the A77 is listed below. The accident rate is broken down by…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many HM Inspectorate of Education inspection reports have been subject to a complaint in each year since 2001, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: No detailed breakdown of complaint figures are available before 2004-05. The number of inspection reports that have been subject to a complaint for the years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2007-08, broken down by authority are set out in the following table.</p> <tabl…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many HM Inspectorate of Education assistant inspectors in each year since 2001 were formerly qualified teachers, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of assistant inspectors.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Assistant inspectors are appointed by HMIE to undertake a number of days’ work each year. They comprise retired HM Inspectors or others with up-to-date knowledge of and a background in education and services for children and young people, including experience…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many HM Inspectorate of Education assistant inspectors were appointed in each year since 2001.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Assistant inspectors are appointed by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) to undertake a number of days’ work each year. They comprise retired HM inspectors or others with up-to-date knowledge of and a background in education and services for children and you…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many HM Inspectorate of Education inspectors in each year since 2001 were formerly qualified teachers, shown also as a percentage of the total number of inspectors.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The information requested is not held in a format which allows the question to be answered directly. However, HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) currently has 108 inspectors and assistant chief inspectors and from that group, 92 were previously qualified tea…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the guidance issued to HM Inspectorate of Education inspectors to mitigate unnecessary pressure on teaching staff as a result of the inspection process.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: HMIE monitors the feedback it seeks and receives on a constant basis from head teachers, staff and professional associations on its inspection processes. It also commissions regular external, independent research involving parents and other stakeholders. As a…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what courses were attended by HM Inspectorate of Education inspectors in each of the last three years as part of their continuous professional development.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since 2005, all HM inspectors have attended the following corporate events organised by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE). The following table contains details of all events attended by HM inspectors. Some events will have been attended by more than one HM …

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many inspections were carried out by HM Inspectorate of Education inspectors in each year since 2002, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: HM Inspectorate of Education have carried out the following number of inspections per authority since 2002, the figures below include all education authority schools including those schools which are grant-aided.</p> <p >Total Number of Primary, Secondary an…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many HM Inspectorate of Education inspectors there were in each year since 2002.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: HM Inspectorate of Education have had the following number of HM inspectors in post since 2002-03. The number provided is the average number of HM inspectors for the particular year.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=62 v…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the outcome of the consultation on independent scrutiny.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The report of the outcome of the independent scrutiny consultation is now available at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent</a> and copies are available in the Scottish Parliament Information…

30 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it expects to spend in 2008-09 on advertising associated with drinking and driving.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The budget for road safety advertising in 2008-09 has not yet been determined. However, the focus in 2008-09 is on rural road driving and the safety issues surrounding this. Where possible, advertising will support drink drive messages but until the budgets a…

18 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training has been given to frontline NHS staff over the last four years to help to reduce the risk of patients falling while in hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is the responsibility of NHS boards to provide relevant training for their staff.</p> <p >Following the work of the falls prevention group, the Scottish Government issued guidance last year which included advice for NHS boards, community health partnershi…

18 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients who were recorded as falling in hospital sustained additional injury as a result in each year since 2003, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12086 on 28 April 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…

18 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the criteria for recording patient falls in hospital are consistent in each NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12086 on 28 April 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…

18 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many falls involving hospital patients were recorded in each year since 2003, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of falls and recording of such falls within hospitals is not held centrally. Recording and investigating the circumstances of falls and subsequent action is the responsibility of NHS boards.</p> <p >Following the work of the Falls P…

17 Apr 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what estimates have been made of energy usage in the Parliament on Wednesday and Thursday evenings compared with that on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: Based on electricity used in the building between 1 March and 19 April 2008, on average 4,141kWh of electricity was used on Monday and Tuesday evenings (18:00 to 24:00) and 4,210kWh on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, a difference of 1.6% in terms of overall…

17 Apr 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body who authorised the changes to workplace lighting in the MSP block.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The decision to reduce energy consumption in the members'' building by changing lighting controls was taken by the Director of Technology and Facilities Management. The Environmental Performance Manager developed the details of the scheme.</p>

17 Apr 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many users were consulted about changes to workplace lighting in the MSP block prior to the lighting above desk areas being permanently switched off at a cost of £8,000.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The lights above desks in the MSP building have not been permanently switched off. The lighting controls in the area have been amended to allow the lights above researcher''s desks to be switched off by the central lighting system when the desks are mostly li…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many covert surveillance operations were carried out by local authorities against (a) individuals and (b) private businesses in each year since 2002, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The use of covert surveillance in Scotland is governed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000. Section 8(3) of the act gives local authorities the power to authorise the use of covert surveillance for the purpose of preventing crime or …

11 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6326 by Nicola Sturgeon on 26 November 2007, whether any changes have resulted in accessing insulin pumps following the consideration by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Answer · Shona Robison: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is currently revising its 2003 multiple technology appraisal of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Publication of the revised version is expected in May 2008.</p> <p >I refer the member to the …

11 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are on insulin pumps, broken down by NHS board and distinguishing between children and adults.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following table, which has been compiled from information supplied by the diabetes managed clinical networks, sets out the number of people with diabetes using an insulin pump in April 2008 in each NHS board area. An earlier survey, undertaken in February…

1 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many communications support posts for deaf and partially hearing people there were in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.</p>

1 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many interpreters for deaf and partially hearing people there were in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not hold centrally the information requested.</p> <p >I am however able to provide information on the number of British Sign Language interpreters registered with the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters (SASLI), by…

14 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) complaints related to incidents of criminality were received by police forces from members of the public and (b) police investigations took place following complaints related to incidents of criminality in each year since 1999, broken down by constabulary.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally. The police recorded crime statistics do not identify whether the crimes recorded were made known to them by members of the public.</p>

14 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints related to breaches under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 were received by police forces in each year since enactment, broken down by constabulary.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested cannot be shown separately, but is contained in the figures shown below.</p> <p >Number of Election Offences Recorded by Police Force Area, 2000-01 to 2006-07.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign…

14 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of fraud were referred to the Procurator Fiscal by police forces in each year since 1999, broken down by constabulary.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The numbers of charges of fraud reported to Procurators Fiscal by police forces in each financial year since 2002-03 are shown in the following table. A further 2,161 such charges were reported to Procurators Fiscal by Specialist Reporting Agencies.</p> <p >…