Elaine Murray

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will repeal the Dumfries and Galloway (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006 (SSI 2006/434) in order that consultation may take place on a successor order in which the name of Ward 13, Annandale East, is replaced with one which more accurately reflects the geography of the ward.

Answer · John Swinney: I am aware of concerns aboutthe name given to Ward 13 in the Dumfries and Galloway (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006(SSI/2006/434) and I am considering the most appropriate way in which torespond to this issue. Initial indications are that it would not be a…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from Scottish Coal regarding the possibility of opening a deep coal mine at Canonbie in Dumfriesshire.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have not received anyrepresentations from Scottish Coal on this issue.</p><p>It would be for the company,in the first instance, to consider the feasibility of opening a deep mine. Anyproposal brought forward would need to be considered against the relevant…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations would govern the disposal of waste from any new deep coal mine in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The disposal of anynon-mineral wastes from deep coal mines, like most categories of waste, isgoverned by legislation deriving from the Environmental Protection Act 1990 andthe Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, notably the Landfill (Scotland)Regulatio…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Ministers would have in determining an application for a new deep coal mine in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-288 on 13 June 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/wa.se…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what public consultation would require to be undertaken by a company wishing to open a deep coal mine in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-288 on 13 June 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/wa.se…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures would have to be followed by a company wishing to open a new deep coal mine in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-288 on 13 June 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will approve the application by the Education for Dumfries and Galloway (E4D&G) consortium to build or rebuild nine new schools in Dumfries and Galloway, including Heathhall Primary School, Lockerbie Primary School, Lockerbie Academy, Moffat “All Through” school and a new Roman…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: These schools areincluded in a PPP project which Dumfries and GallowayCouncil has been working up over an extended period of time, following an Executiveoffer of financial support which was first made in 2002. It is our intention tohonour existing offers of f…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review current plans for improvements to the A75, A76 and A7.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The current investmentprogramme to 2012 will see the delivery of almost £21 million investment in theA75, A76 and A7. The Strategic Transport Projects Review will also examine thelonger term needs of Scotland’s nationally strategic transport network to develo…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the availability of affordable housing in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The budget set for the 2007-08affordable housing programme in Dumfries and Galloway is £12.8 million, with a target of 195 new homes. Decisionson affordable housing investment beyond 2008 will depend on the outcome of the spendingreview process later this yea…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will determine the application by Scottish Power for a wind farm at Harestanes and Ae forest in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Jim Mather: Ministers will determine theHarestanes application after full consideration of all material issues, includingthe findings of the public local inquiry which we expect to receive in June 2007.</p>

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will raise the cap on student numbers in higher education.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are no plans toincrease the cap on student numbers in higher education in 2007-08.</p>

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the regeneration of town centres.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: One of our centralpriorities is to support Scotland’s economic growth. We have already made clear thatone of the ways in which we will do so is by removing or reducing the burden ofbusiness rates for small businesses, many of which are located in traditionalt…

15 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures should be undertaken with respect to the eviction of a private tenant whose landlord has defaulted on the mortgage and the property has been repossessed.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The lender may terminate the tenancyagreement. However, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, for tenants covered byan assured or short assured tenancy, a sheriff may not consider proceedings forpossession unless notice has been served on the tenant in accor…

12 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the proposal to build a 90 megawatt wind-powered generating station extension at Windy Standard in the planning authority area of Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I can announce that Scottishministers have granted consent to this proposal in terms of section 36 of the ElectricityAct 1989. Additionally this consent carries deemed planning permission in termsof the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.</p><p>Thi…

8 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to expand the availability of high speed broadband where download speeds are limited by the poor transmission quality of existing cabling.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive recognises technicalissues such as cable quality can affect the download speeds of existing broadbandconnections and indeed broadband availability itself.</p><p>We have helped to deliver broadbandto every community and to over 99% of Scottish ho…

6 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who the point of contact for MSPs is at Transport Scotland.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Chief Executive ofTransport Scotland, Dr Malcolm Reed, is happy to handle anycorrespondence or queries from MSPs. His contact details are:</p><p>8^th Floor,</p><p>Buchanan House</p><p>58 Port Dundas Road</p><p>Glasgow</p><p>G4 0HF.</p><p>Telepho…

6 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether property number 39 in the Glasgow-Carlisle Special Road (M74) (Water of Milk to Ecclefechan) Compulsory Purchase Order 1992 remains in the possession of the Scottish ministers.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I can confirm that plotnumber 39 in the Glasgow-Carlisle Special Road (M74) (Water of Milk to Ecclefechan)Compulsory Purchase Order 1992 remains in the ownership of the ScottishMinisters.</p>

23 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what scholarships or grants, other than the UK Dance and Drama Awards, may be available to Scottish-domiciled students undertaking dance and drama training in England.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Full details of the supportavailable to Scottish-domiciled students at higher education-level undertakingdance and drama training in England can be found on the Student Awards Agency Scotlandwebsite <a href="http://www.saas.gov.uk/">www.saas.gov.uk</a>. </p><…

23 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consult on any changes to the current exemption scheme from water and sewerage charges after it expires in 2010 and, if so, when and how the consultation will take place.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-31878 on 2 March 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…

22 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31677 by Tavish Scott on 19 February 2007, how the progress of major road works, such as the repairs undertaken to the A7 at Langholm in January 2007, is monitored and how it ensures that inconvenience to the public and local businesses caused by tru…

Answer · Tavish Scott: The implementation of majorroadworks, such as those undertaken on the A7 at Langholm, is managed and monitoredby the trunk road operating company on behalf of Transport Scotland. Carefulplanning of roadworks is important in reducing the impact on local commun…

21 Feb 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with representatives of the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Funding Council regarding the proposed withdrawal of the university from the Crichton Campus in Dumfries.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Deputy Minister, officialsand I have discussed the matter with representatives of the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Funding Council on a number of occasions. Only last week,the Deputy Minister had a discussion with the Chair of the Scottish Fundi…

19 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will take forward its commitment to publishing a renewed statement on architecture policy, as announced in its response to the Cultural Commission report in 2006 and following its recent review and public consultation on architecture policy.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I am pleased to announce thelaunch today of Building our Legacy, our new statement on architecture policy. Thestatement sets out what we believe is an ambitious agenda, responding to emergingchallenges and building further upon theaims of Scotland’s policy on…

16 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action an individual can take against someone who has lied in an affidavit.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: If an individual considers thatthe evidence provided by a person in an affidavit is false then they should bringthis to the attention of the court dealing with the proceedings in which the affidavithas been lodged. The court will then decide what course of ac…

16 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied to assess whether an elderly person is entitled to free nursing care and whether local authorities have any flexibility in applying such criteria.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Nursing care payments are providedto self-funders in care homes. Local authorities carry out an assessment of theperson’s needs in relation to activities of daily living, difficult behaviours andcomplex clinical need. There must be appropriateregistered nurse…

16 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 15 February 2007 (Official Report c. 32261), what sections of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 preclude ministers from instructing the Scottish Funding Council.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Section 9 of the Further andHigher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 sets out how ministers can make grants to theFunding Council. Section 9 (11) precludes ministers from setting terms and conditionsrelating to the funding of particular institutions.</p>

16 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the population of each local authority area entered higher education in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The proportion of the total populationof each local authority area that started a higher education course in (a) 2003-04and (b) 2004-05 is shown in the following tables. The data for 2005-06 are not yetavailable.</p><p>Entrants to Higher Education2003-04 as a…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Coproxamol will continue to be obtainable on prescription in Scotland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Licensing of medicines is reservedand is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.</p><p>The agency has advised that Coproxamolis being phased out of the market gradually to give patients time to discuss theirtreatment wit…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending its funding of Pass Plus to Dumfries and Galloway, in light of the number of young drivers killed on the region’s roads over the last year.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The six-month pilot targets theGrampian Police area where there have been a particularly high and worrying levelof fatal accidents involving young drivers. The scheme will be monitored to evaluateits success in increasing the uptake of Pass Plus, compared wit…

12 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS QIS has made any recommendation about the use of Sutent as a treatment for renal cancer and, if so, what recommendation it has made.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Medicines Consortiumnoted this month that Sutent ® (sunitinib) is not recommended for use within NHSScotland for the treatment of advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma afterfailure of interferon-alpha or interleukin-2 therapy.</p>

7 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions were attached to the traffic regulation order which closed the A7 in Langholm from 15 January 2007.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The closure of the A7 at Langholmwas included in the South East Unit Trunk Roads Area (Temporary Prohibitions ofTraffic, Temporary Prohibitions of Overtaking and Temporary Speed Restrictions)(No. 12) Order 2006 which was made on 28 December 2006 and came into…