Parliamentary questions
Elaine Smith
1,153 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the areas that have received funding from the Scottish Rugby: Cashback for Communities Street Rugby Programme, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency, in each year since the programme started.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information is not held on the delivery of street rugby. Street rugby forms part of the overall programme delivered as part of the development officers'' remit, to ensure that those young people who engage with Street rugby can be supported by the SRU''s Deve…
14 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it audits the distribution of the Scottish Rugby: Cashback for Communities funding among those organisations responsible for awarding funds.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Rugby does not award grants to external groups so such an audit process is not required. However, Scottish Rugby monitors and audits all of its partnerships involving the investment of CashBack for Communities monies to ensure agreed programmes are b…
14 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that all communities benefit equally from the Scottish Rugby: Cashback for Communities funding and, if so, what policies it has to ensure this.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Rugby is required by the terms of its agreement with the Scottish Government''s CashBack for Communities programme to deliver free rugby playing and coaching opportunities in each local authority area in Scotland, and to meet, ideally exceed, nationa…
14 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding from the Scottish Rugby: Cashback for Communities programme has been distributed to schemes in the Coatbridge and Chryston constituency, broken down by organisation, in each year since the programme started.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Funding by the Scottish Government through the CashBack for Communities programme for rugby is provided solely to the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU).</p> <p >I understand that the Coatbridge and Chryston constituency benefits from this funding through the SRU wo…
14 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the Coatbridge and Chryston constituency to have benefited from the Scottish Rugby: Cashback for Communities programme.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government believes that Coatbridge and Chryston constituency has benefited significantly from the Scottish Rugby CashBack for Communities programme. This is demonstrated by:</p> <p >Primary School Programme</p> <p >The following schools in Coa…
14 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial assistance North Lanarkshire has received from the Scottish Rugby: Cashback for Communities programme, broken down by (a) organisation and (b) contribution.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Through the CashBack for Communities programme, the Scottish Government has invested £45,000 over three years for the three full-time rugby development officer posts, which is invested through partnerships with North Lanarkshire Council and North Lanarkshire …
14 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of where Scottish Rugby Union: Cashback for Communities funding is spent, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Details are as follows:</p> <p >Distribution of Cashback Funding by Local Authority</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 > <thead> <tr > <td width=388 nowrap valign=bottom > <p align=left > </p> </td> <td width=71 nowr…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provided to local authorities regarding opening schools on 6 December 2010
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government does not issue such guidance on or in respect of specific days. Decisions on the opening or closure of schools are best judged and taken locally in light of locally prevailing or forecast conditions.</b></p>
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it provides to local authorities regarding their policies on opening schools during cold weather conditions
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has not issued guidelines on matters which are best judged and decided locally. In a letter of 2 December 2010 to Directors of Education, I drew local authorities'' attention to areas of good practice regarding such decisions. A copy o…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost has been of deploying salt and grit between 29 November and 8 December 2010, broken down by local authority area
Answer · Keith Brown: This information is not held centrally.</b></p>
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it provides to local authorities regarding the amount of salt and grit that they should keep in storage
Answer · Keith Brown: Individual local authorities are responsible for setting their own policy regarding the amount of salt and grit that they should keep in storage.</b></p> <p >The report by the Scottish Salt Group recommended that all local authorities should ensure they had …
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what levels of salt and grit are in storage in each local authority area
Answer · Keith Brown: The salt stocks in each road authority are being monitored by the Scottish Salt Group during the winter. As at 11 January 2011, the stocks recorded in each local authority and trunk road operating company are noted in the following table:</b></p> <table bor…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it provides to local authorities when dealing with prolonged periods of snow and ice
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Guidance on preparing for all types of emergencies for local authorities, and other agencies which are charged by legislation with responding to them, is contained in <i >Preparing Scotland: Scottish Guidance on Preparing for Emergencies</i>, published by the…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police vehicles were stationed on the (a) M80, (b) M8 and (c) M73 on the evening of 6 December 2010
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A total of 44 vehicles were used in this period. </b></p> <p >A unit within Strathclyde Police was established on the morning of 6 December 2010 to help co-ordinate road policing resources. A total of 16 4x4 vehicles were used as part of this.</p> <p >With…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers were stationed on the (a) M80, (b) M8 and (c) M73 on the evening of 6 December 2010
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A total of 136 officers were deployed on these roads during this period.</b></p> <p >A unit within Strathclyde Police was established on the morning of 6 December 2010 to help co-ordinate road policing resources. In the region of 40 road policing officers w…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the updating of the Traffic Scotland website to prevent motorists from joining the M73, M80 and M8 during the recent severe weather conditions
Answer · Keith Brown: The Traffic Scotland website is updated in real time once information has been validated by the Traffic Scotland operator. During the recent severe weather conditions information about the M73, M80 and M8 was regularly updated to reflect the changing road and…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information was given to prevent motorists from entering gridlocked motorways such as the M73, M80 and M8 during the recent severe weather conditions
Answer · Keith Brown: Information about the condition of the motorway network was provided to motorists via the Traffic Scotland website, Variable Message Signs (VMS) and the media as follows: </p> <p >(1) Pre-trip Advice</p> <p >On the advice of the police the following Traff…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many buses ran between Coatbridge and Glasgow on each day from 29 November to 8 December 2010
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold detailed information on bus service operations centrally including those between Coatbridge and Glasgow. We expect bus services to run to their registered timetables, albeit that we are well aware of the severe weather ex…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the frequency of updates from First ScotRail regarding the number of train services running in December 2010 as a result of the cold weather conditions
Answer · Keith Brown: The provision of timely and accurate information by ScotRail and Network Rail is essential. We welcome the independent review commissioned by the Office of Rail Regulation into passenger information during disruption and will want the industry to ensure the r…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average annual percentage of trains run on time between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street stations
Answer · Keith Brown: The passenger charter punctuality measure for the Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street route is trains arriving within 10 minutes of the timetabled arrival. For the year to March 2010 95.8% of trains arrived on time or within 10 minutes and for the nine…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of trains ran on time between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street stations on each day from 29 November to 8 December 2010
Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally.</b></p>
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average annual percentage of trains run on time between Coatbridge Sunnyside and Glasgow Queen Street stations
Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally.</b></p>
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of trains ran on time between Coatbridge Sunnyside and Glasgow Queen Street stations on each day from 29 November to 8 December 2010
Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally.</b></p>
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many train services were cancelled as a result of the severe weather conditions between 29 November and 8 December 2010
Answer · Keith Brown: ScotRail has provided information which shows that 11,434 ScotRail train services were cancelled between 29 November and 8 December 2010.</p>
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans were put in place to assist the NHS and emergency services in reaching people in need in Coatbridge and Chryston during the recent severe weather conditions
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire put in place a number of continuity measures to ensure staff were fully supported in reaching patients during the recent severe weather conditions.</b></p> <p >The board identified key clinical staff and their home addresses so that they cou…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what activities the army carried out to assist with the poor weather conditions between 29 November and 8 December 2010
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The armed forces have made a valuable contribution to Scotland''s winter resilience, assisting a number of Scottish communities during the recent period of severe weather. Whilst the Scottish Government assisted responder organisations by providing them with …
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authority areas made use of the army during the period of poor weather between 29 November and 8 December 2010
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The armed forces have made a valuable contribution to Scotland''s winter resilience, assisting a number of Scottish communities during the recent period of severe weather. Whilst the Scottish Government assisted responder organisations by providing them with …
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been of involving the army in assisting with the severe weather conditions between 29 November and 8 December 2010
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The armed forces have made a valuable contribution to Scotland''s winter resilience, assisting a number of Scottish communities during the recent period of severe weather. Whilst the Scottish Government assisted responder organisations by providing them with …
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many army vehicles were used to deal with matters arising from the severe weather conditions between 29 November and 8 December 2010
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The armed forces have made a valuable contribution to Scotland''s winter resilience, assisting a number of Scottish communities during the recent period of severe weather. Whilst the Scottish Government assisted responder organisations by providing them with …
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the army regarding how to respond to problems caused by cold weather conditions
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) has been working 24 hours a day for the duration of the period of extraordinary weather which Scotland has been experiencing, carrying out a monitoring and co-ordinating role. Dialogue with the army has been ens…