Parliamentary questions

Irene Oldfather

1,035 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

6 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to meet the targets set out in A New Framework Strategy for Multilingualism.

Answer · Keith Brown: The European Union published A New Framework Strategy for Multilingualism in November 2005 and an Education Council Resolution on a European Strategy for Multilingualism in November 2008. Both recognise that multilingualism strengthens the lif…

6 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils sat modern languages exams at higher level in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Answer · Keith Brown: The number of higher exam entries in modern languages by pupils from publicly funded secondary schools in the last five years in given in the following table. Higher Entries in Modern Languages <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <t…

5 Mar 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to the North Ayrshire economy.

Answer · John Swinney: The Government Economic Strategy sets out an approach to growth which is cohesive across Scotland''s regions, including Ayrshire. Through the strategy and - more recently - through our six point programme of economic recovery, we have put sustainable…

12 Feb 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it attaches to improving animal welfare.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government attaches considerable importance to animal welfare. The passing of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 was a significant step in improving the welfare of animals. The act increased the penalties for animal cruelty, impose…

5 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19420 by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009, how much of the £100 to £250 million estimate for the delivery of the package of measures within project 22 of the Strategic Transport Projects Review relates to the delivery of the proposed upgrading of…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The costs for the delivery of the package of measures within project 22 reflect the likely range of funding required to deliver this intervention. These costs will be refined as the more detailed design and development work associated with each of these measu…

5 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19746 by Stewart Stevenson on 28 January 2009, whether it will provide a breakdown by project of the funding allocated to improve transport links between North Ayrshire and Glasgow in 2011-12.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The amounts allocated to improve transport links between North Ayrshire and Glasgow, given in the answer to S3W-19746, can be broken down as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap rowspan=2 valign=bottom >…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has undertaken and what further consultation it intends to undertake on the proposed merger of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20163 on 6 February 2009. 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/Apps…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has produced timescales for any merger of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: Yes. The mechanism for the creation of the new scrutiny bodies will be the legislative provisions included in the Public Services Reform Bill which it is now proposed will be introduced to Parliament in May this year. Implementation work is under way in order…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with key stakeholders about the proposed merger of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The proposals supporting the First Minister''s statement to the Scottish Parliament on 30 January 2008 on Delivering More Effective Government indicated that the future of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWCS) would be reviewed as part of the cons…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the merging of an independent protective body such as the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWCS) with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland would create a conflict of interest in relation to the MWCS’s independence from government.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20151 on 6 February 2009. 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/Apps…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to go ahead with the proposal to merge the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

20 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with key stakeholders in North Ayrshire about the construction of a Kilwinning bypass as outlined in the proposed National Planning Framework for Scotland 2.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Discussions have taken place with representatives from North Ayrshire Council, Statutory Consultees and the land owners likely to be affected by the proposals with a view to identifying the preferred route for bypasses at Dalry and Kilwinning. Transport Scotl…

20 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the findings of the proposed National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 that a bypass at Kilwinning would help to reduce conflict between local and long-distance traffic on the A737 and improve journey time reliability.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Yes. Potential improvements to the A737 have been highlighted in the STPR under Project 22 “ Targeted Road Congestion / Environmental Relief schemes, the purpose of which is to reduce conflicts between strategic and local traffic and to contribute to road saf…

20 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it gave to including the construction of a bypass at Kilwinning as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Included in the recommendations are targeted road congestion/environmental relief schemes on the A737. The priority enhancement on this corridor was identified as a bypass around Dalry. However, as we progress through the development stage o…

20 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to build a bypass at Kilwinning as outlined in the proposed National Planning Framework for Scotland 2.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The STPR has identified a number of strategic transport interventions. Potential improvements to the A737 have been highlighted under Project 22 “ Targeted Road Congestion/ Environmental Relief schemes. Some proposals have been identified, including a bypass …