Parliamentary questions
Irene Oldfather
1,035 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it places on ensuring that young people have continued access to modern apprenticeship schemes.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As announced in theSkills Strategy which we launched on 10 September I am pleased to confirm that wewill implement the conclusions of the modern apprenticeship (MA) consultation which demonstratesour on-going commitment to the programme.</p><p>The funding of …
14 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) about the continued training arrangements for those young people currently on the apprenticeship scheme at the MoD’s Beith base, scheduled to cease this month.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3259 on 28 August 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.…
14 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to providing financial support to allow the current apprenticeship scheme at the Ministry of Defence base in Beith to continue when the present scheme ends in August 2007.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The funding of themodern apprenticeship (MAs) programme in Scotland is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The programme is demand led andis reliant on the willingness of employers to recruit, employ and support…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to renew funding support to local authorities for community warden schemes at the end of the current financial year.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Executivefunding to tackle antisocial behaviour is supporting community wardens in everylocal authority area in Scotland. It is for each local authorityto decide how best to allocate the resulting grant across all their antisocial behaviourservices, …
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to education authorities to ensure that children are made aware of high speed rapid response traffic when receiving road safety lessons.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executivedoes not issue specific guidance on this to education authorities. However, “CrashMagnets”, a resource for upper secondary pupils, and a new resource for childrenwith additional support needs, being developed by Road Safety Scotland, hig…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on ensuring road safety for children.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Improving road safetyfor children and reducing the number of children killed or injured on Scotland’s roads is a key priority for the Scottish Government.</p><p>Road Safety Scotlandis implementing a road safety education strategy, which aims to ensure that al…
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing an interim concessionary travel card arrangement for disabled travel card holders under the age of 60 who are awaiting a consultant’s report to confirm their disability when their existing cards expire.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no plan tointroduce an interim National Entitlement Card.</p>
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that NHS boards are aware of the requirement for consultants to verify their patients’ disability in order that they meet the criteria for renewing their concessionary travel cards and whether any action has been taken to encourage consultants to provide …
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: None. The onus is on theapplicant to ensure that they obtain the appropriate supporting documentaryevidence well in advance of their national entitlement card expiring.</p>
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much notice it recommends that local travel authorities give disabled concessionary travel card holders under the age of 60 of when their cards are due for renewal.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland hassuggested that 4-6 weeks prior to the national entitlement card expiring, localauthorities, or their agents, should contact the card holder to explain therenewal process. However, the decision to contact cardholders lies with the localau…
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ensure that people under the age of 60 who are registered deaf and in receipt of a concessionary travel card do not temporarily lose their right to free travel if their existing card expires while they await an audiologist report to confirm their disability in order to q…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The onus is on the applicantto ensure that they obtain the appropriate supporting documentary evidence wellin advance of their national entitlement card expiring.</p><p>As an alternative to the audiologistreport an applicant can submit a letter from a hospita…
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue taking the action on sectarianism recommended by the previous administration in Sectarianism: Action Plan on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland, published in January 2006.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-2163 answered on 3 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility forwhich can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.…
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to tackle sectarianism in communities.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-2163 answered on 3 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility forwhich can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.…
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it places on tackling sectarianism.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Executive takesall forms of religious bigotry extremely seriously and is committed tocontinuing to drive the anti-sectarian agenda forward. By building on theachievements which have already been delivered through initiatives like theAction Plan o…
11 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will challenge the recent guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence which recommends that only one drug, alendronate, be prescribed for the treatment of osteoporosis, given that one quarter of people with osteoporosis are either unable to take alen…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-1938 on 23 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…
11 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the National Osteoporosis Society about improving services for osteoporosis patients.
Answer · Shona Robison: The National Osteoporosis Society is a member of the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland, with which we are working in partnership on implementation of our long-term conditions strategy.</p> <p >The Society was represented on the Falls Working Group whic…
11 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on ensuring that osteoporosis sufferers have access to appropriate treatment, advice and support.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-1936 on 23 July 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…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing funding to communities that wish to become neighbourhood watch areas to assist with their start-up costs.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Executivecurrently provides funding towards the core running costs of the Association of Scottish Neighbourhood Watches.However, there are no currentplans to introduce funding to communities that wish to become neighbourhood watchareas.</p><p>Com…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the number of serving police officers.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: As I made clear during theSafer Stronger debate in June 2007, the Government is committed to deliveringadditional policing capacity during the course of this Parliament. Anannouncement on this will be made in the autumn.</p>
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, on the basis of discussions with the police, how many active, serving officers it considers sufficient to achieve optimum results across Scotland.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Achieving optimum results isnot simply a matter of numbers. We need to help our police forces work smarterand more efficiently to meet the complex challenges of modern policing – bycutting bureaucracy, streamlining processes, exploiting new technology andimpr…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the absence levels have been across all police forces in each year since 1999.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information isshown in the following tables.</p><p> </p><p>Percentage of Working Time LostDue to Sickness Absence for Police Officers</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=552> <thead> <tr> <td width=180 valign=top> <p>…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the wage bill is for police officers on restrictive or recuperative duties.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for individual chief constables.</p>
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified police officers are currently (a) fit for duty, (b) on recuperative duties and (c) on restrictive duties.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for individual chief constables.</p>
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Strathclyde Police and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I met the Chief constable ofStrathclyde Police earlier this month. We discussed matters relating topolicing in Strathclyde and across Scotland as a whole.</p>
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department of Trade and Industry in relation to its ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the closure of the Simclar factories in Irvine and Kilwinning in January 2007 and, in particular, whether the investigation will consider the c…
Answer · Jim Mather: There have been nofurther discussions with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in relationto the circumstances surrounding the closure of the Simclar facilities in Ayrshire.The situation remains that informationabout Simclar is being assessed by the co…
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a commitment to continuing the Air Route Development Fund in light of the impact that it has had on the Ayrshire economy through supporting more flights via Prestwick International Airport.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executiverecognises that improved direct air connections can make accessing Scotland easier and more attractive for business, investment andinbound tourism. We therefore intend to promote and encourage the maintenance andexpansion of Scotland’s i…
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet representatives of North Ayrshire Council to discuss the regeneration of north Ayrshire.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The ScottishGovernment has already been working with Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Companyand local partners, including North Ayrshire Council, Communities Scotland andScottish Enterprise Ayrshire, to assist in the development of comprehensiveregeneration pro…
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on ensuring adequate car parking facilities at train stations on the Ayr-Glasgow route.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executivehas recognised the importance of providing more spaces at stations where capacityis regularly exceeded. Transport Scotland, is workingwith rail industry partners to identify and deliver car park expansion opportunitiesacross the country.…
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with First Scotrail in relation to increasing services on the Ayr-Glasgow route.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have had no discussionswith First ScotRail in relation to increasing services on the Ayr to Glasgow route.</p>
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will progress the upgrading of the A737.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Transport Scotland website at <a href="http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/">www.transportscotland.gov.uk</a> provides the current position on the four improvement projects on the A737 trunk road along with details of other projects in the Scottish Motorw…
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are for the north Ayrshire economy.
Answer · John Swinney: We are committed tofocus government and public services on creating a more successful country, withopportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through improving our rate ofsustainable economic growth.</p><p>We will outline thedetails of how this will be rea…