Christine Grahame

4 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cremations there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by crematorium and expressed also as a percentage of deaths in each year.

Answer · John Swinney: This informationis not held centrally.</p>

4 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crematoria there are in Scotland; where these are located, and when they became operational.

Answer · John Swinney: This informationis not held centrally.</p>

4 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1239 by John Swinney on 13 July 2007, whether there is a mechanism for local authorities to apply for specific funding for burial facilities such as crematoria and, if so, which local authorities have applied for such funding in each year since 1999.

Answer · John Swinney: There is noseparate mechanism for local authorities to apply for specific funding. the Scottish Government provides general financial support for Scotland’s local authorities’ core services, including burialgrounds and crematoria, but it is the responsibility…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the new banding grades under Agenda for Change, showing the comparative grades in each health profession and broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It was the view of the Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group (SPRIG), the partnership groupwhich oversaw the introduction of the new system, that an exercise to make availableinformation about overall job evaluation outcomes across Scotland would on…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it holds on the number of staff hours spent in NHS boards across Scotland (a) administering the Agenda for Change recommendations, (b) filling out job analysis questionnaires and (c) administering job matching panels in each year since 2004.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This is not somethingon which work has been undertaken centrally. The Agenda for Change system was agreedin partnership at a UK level between NHS employers, trades unionsand professional organisations and the UKhealth departments. All sides recognise the bene…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff have been evaluated as not matching any of the national job matching profiles, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) health profession.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This level of detailis not held centrally. However, from information to hand I can confirm that in theregion of 7% of the NHSScotland staff covered by Agenda for Change do not matchto existing job profiles and therefore require to fill out a job analysis ques…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how NHS job matching panels, established under Agenda for Change, are monitored and audited to ensure best value.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Spend on job matchingpanels is not audited centrally. NHSScotland is committed to the introduction ofAgenda for Change as quickly and efficiently as possible and it is for each NHSboard to monitor each part of the process to ensure best value is achieved. In …

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time taken by NHS job matching panels is from receiving a job analysis questionnaire from NHS staff to evaluating individual staff members under the new Agenda for Change pay scale bandings.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Job analysis questionnaireswould not go to matching panels but rather to evaluation panels. Matching panelsmatch job descriptions to national profiles. We do not collect data centrally onthe time taken by either evaluation panels or matching panels. The Agend…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff are involved in operating and administering job matching panels, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information isnot held centrally. The Agenda for Change system was agreed in partnership at aUK level between NHS employers, trades unions and professionalorganisations and the UK Health Departments. All sides recognise the benefits of the new system and…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff have had to complete a job analysis questionnaire in each year since the outset of Agenda for Change, broken down by NHS board and health profession.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This level ofdetail is not held centrally. However, from information to hand I can confirmthat in the region of 7% of the NHSScotland staff covered by Agenda for Changedo not match to existing job profiles and therefore require to fill out a jobanalysis quest…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) verbal and (b) written warnings were issued by trading standards officers to establishments suspected of selling tobacco products to underage customers in each year since 2000, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Shona Robison: Data on the numberof (a) verbal and (b) written warnings issued by trading standards by local authorityarea is not held by the Scottish Government. However, we do hold information onthe number of local authorities which issued warnings for underage tobacco sa…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the penalty was for each conviction for the sale of tobacco products to underage customers since 2000.

Answer · Shona Robison: Proceedings wereraised against six people for making underage tobacco sales between 2000 and2005-06, one of whom was admonished. The fine levels imposed averaged £188,with a range from £75 to £300.</p>

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum fine is for those convicted of selling tobacco products to underage customers.

Answer · Shona Robison: The maximum finefor those convicted of selling tobacco to underage customers shall not exceedlevel 4 on the standard scale which currently equates to £2,500.</p>

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions of (a) retailers and (b) licensees for selling tobacco products to underage customers in each year since 2000 resulted in convictions, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available informationis given in the following table. No breakdown of these figures into prosecutionsof retailers and licensees is available from the data held centrally.</p><p>Persons with aCharge Proved in Scottish Courts for Selling Tobacco to Persons …

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) retailers and (b) licensees have been prosecuted for selling tobacco products to underage customers in each year since 2000, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available informationis given in the following table. No breakdown of these figures into prosecutionsof retailers and licensees is available from the data held centrally.</p><p>Persons ProceededAgainst in Scottish Courts for Selling Tobacco to Persons Und…

27 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-2421, S3W-2423, S3W-2425, S3W-2426, S3W-2427 and S3W-2428 by Frank Mulholland QC on 22 August 2007, how the Scottish Government monitors the effectiveness of the fatal accident inquiry system, given the level of information and data specifically re…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Procurator Fiscalis responsible for investigating all sudden, suspicious, unexplained, unexpectedor accidental deaths and will consider, based on all the facts and circumstances,whether a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) is necessary.</p><p>Current legislatio…

27 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the annual number of vehicles using each trunk road, not including those in the south-west and north-west of Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3236 on 4 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

23 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to assist people who are terminally ill to have a choice of high-quality palliative and end-of-life care.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government believes that palliative care should be available to anyone suffering from any life threatening progressive condition from the time of diagnosis onwards and expects NHS boards to ensure people''s needs are met through a range of servic…

23 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that terminally ill patients have the choice to die at home.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards have arole to ensure a care package is provided which offers appropriate medical careand support for every patient, including end of life services. As far as possible,they should ensure that the needs and wishes of the patient and their family arem…

23 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the provision of palliative care.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish governmenthas made a clear commitment to ensure that palliative care is available toanyone who needs it and NHS boards have a responsibility to work with thevoluntary sector to ensure its availability in accordance with local needs andrequirement…

17 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24414 by Tavish Scott on 28 March 2006, what the projected cost of national concessionary fares scheme provision for companions of older and disabled travellers requiring assistance to travel is for 2007-08.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There is no separatecategorisation for concessionary cardholder companions in Transport Scotland’s concessionary claim process. Therefore it is not possibleto identify separately this element of concessionary travel. Projections are basedon total concessionar…

17 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24414 by Tavish Scott on 28 March 2006, how many (a) applications have been received and (b) travel passes issued for companions of older and disabled travellers requiring assistance to travel under the national concessionary fares scheme since April…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Information suppliedto Transport Scotland indicates that since the introduction of theNational Entitlement Card and Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and DisabledPeople, 1,064,059 applicationshave been received and processed to date.</p><p>The following…

17 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrests proceeded under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 in each year since its enactment, broken down by sheriff court district if available or sheriffdom.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requestedis not held centrally.</p>

17 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many actions under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 proceeded to a power of arrest in each year since its enactment, broken down by sheriff court district if available or sheriffdom.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requestedis not held centrally.</p>

17 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for interdicts with power of arrest attached have been pronounced under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland ) Act 2001 in each year since its enactment, broken down by sheriff court district if available or sheriffdom.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requestedis not held centrally.</p>

15 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the major shareholders of eTourism Ltd, expressed as a percentage of ownership of the company and showing the location of each shareholder's headquarters.

Answer · Jim Mather: The major shareholdersof eTourism Ltd., their percentage ownership and the location of their headquartersare:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p>Tourco Ltd (VisitScotland)</p> </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom>…

15 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much revenue has been lost from members leaving VisitScotland.com in each year since 2002.

Answer · Jim Mather: Visitscotland.comis not a member organisation, but a commercial enterprise set up to provide Scottishtourism businesses and accommodation providers a route to the quickly expandingsector of the market which wishes to use the internet to research and book holi…

15 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members have left VisitScotland.com in each year since 2002.

Answer · Jim Mather: Visitscotland.comis not a member organisation, but a commercial enterprise set up to provide Scottishtourism businesses and accommodation providers a route to the quickly expandingsector of the market which wishes to use the internet to research and book holi…

15 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding VisitScotland.com (eTourism Ltd) has received for each year since 2002.

Answer · Jim Mather: eTourism Ltd,trading as visitscotland.com, was established in 2002 as a Public Privatepartnership joint venture company, with total funding of £7.5 million beingprovided by its shareholders including VisitScotland. One quarter of thefunding, or £1.875 million…

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20070 by Hugh Henry on 8 November 2005, how many debt arrangement schemes there have been in each year since 2005.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The statutory DebtArrangement Scheme came into force on 30 November 2004. There have been 149 debt payment programmes approvedin 2005-06 and 113 debt payment programmes approved in 2006-07. There have been50 debt payment programmes approved between 1 April 20…