Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many lung cancer patients are being treated by the NHS.

Answer · Alex Neil: The number of lung cancer patients who are currently being treated by the NHS is not centrally available.

9 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS lung cancer nurse specialists there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 2010-11.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on how many NHS lung cancer nurse specialists there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 2010-11 is shown in the following table. It should be noted that a change in the definition of a clinical nurse specialist in 2011 means that …

18 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional trial diets have been set aside at the (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh domestic abuse court; how many sheriffs have been allocated to these, and how many of them have experience in dealing with domestic abuse cases.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the chief executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

18 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current maximum wait is for a case to go to trial at the (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh domestic abuse court.

18 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases are waiting to go to trial at the (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh domestic abuse court.

18 Dec 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce guaranteed access to wraparound childcare for parents of primary school children.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government appreciates that the need for childcare does not stop when children start school. That is why I have asked the Early Years Task Force to look at what sort of care could be offered for school aged children.

16 Dec 2013 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister when the Scottish Government will publish the next set of statistics for the Scottish Welfare Fund.

10 Dec 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle fuel poverty.

5 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-18478 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 December 2013, whether the risk registers for the home energy efficiency programmes will be published and, if so, when.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland risk registers monitor progress towards the outcomes set out for these programmes. The registers are reviewed and updated regularly in accordance with risk management principles. There are no plans to publish…

2 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what talking therapy services each NHS board provides.

Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. While the Scottish Government sets the policy direction for the delivery of and access to psychological therapies, it is for Health Boards to determine the level and nature of the demand in their local areas. The Sc…

2 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are accessing talking therapies in each NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on how many people have accessed psychological therapies in each NHS board area is published by ISD Scotland in Psychological Therapies Waiting Times in Scotland http://www.isdscotland.org/Publications/index.asp. The latest publication took place …

2 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are waiting to access talking therapies and what the (a) average and (b) longest wait is in each NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on how many people were waiting to access psychological therapies in each NHS board area is published by ISD Scotland in Psychological Therapies Waiting Times in Scotland: http://www.isdscotland.org/Publications/index.asp. The latest publication …

2 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the waiting times are for talking therapies in each NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: The waiting times for psychological therapies in each NHS Board are published quarterly by ISD Scotland in Psychological Therapies Waiting Times in Scotland http://www.isdscotland.org/Publications/index.asp. The latest publication took place on 26 November 20…

27 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how Healthcare Improvement Scotland will ensure that there is widespread geographical representation on the National Chronic Pain Steering Group.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Membership of the National Chronic Pain Steering Group has recently been reviewed. Additional individual patient membership has been invited from across Scotland. Susan Archibald was invited to join the group in recognition of her work at a national level sec…

21 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned on whether the reported increase in amoebic gill disease at salmon farms since 2003 is related to an increase in imports of salmon ovum.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has not commissioned research into amoebic gill disease that relates to increased imports of salmon ova. However, Marine Scotland Science has developed a programme of research on amoebic gill disease, and further research has been comm…

21 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether not (a) collecting and (b) publishing data on (i) salmon mortalities and (ii) sea lice infestations at salmon farms could have an impact on the marine environment, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) collects and publishes data on mortalities as part of the Agency’s contribution to the Scotland’s Aquaculture Database http://aquaculture.scotland.gov.uk. This web-based resource provides detailed information …

21 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency plans to (a) collect and (b) publish data on (i) salmon mortalities and (ii) sea lice infestations at salmon farms.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) collects and publishes data on mortalities as part of the agency’s contribution to the Scotland’s Aquaculture Database http://aquaculture.scotland.gov.uk. This web-based resource provides detailed information …

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17590 by Margaret Burgess on 14 October 2013, when in November the final report and research findings will be published.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The fieldwork for the food aid scoping study has been completed. The contractor has only very recently submitted the finalised, proofed report and research findings. While it is not possible to give a precise publication date, it is anticipated that the final…

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-18026 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 November 2013, whether it will set out how the risk management section of the Scottish Public Finance Manual applies to fuel poverty targets.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) risk management section is directly applicable to the ongoing monitoring of the fuel poverty targets. It states that ‘effective risk management should improve policy and decision making, reduce fire fighting and focus…

11 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the effectiveness of the national 5 and higher mathematics unit assessments.

4 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it can provide from the culture and external affairs budget to the paddle steamer, the Maid of the Loch, so that it can sail again on Loch Lomond.

31 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17593 by Nicola Sturgeon on 29 October 2013, for what reason it has not replicated the functions of the Social Security Commissioners.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Social Security Commissioners deal with matters that are reserved to the UK Government.

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17159 by Shona Robison on 3 October 2013, what action it is taking to tackle poverty and deprivation in black and minority ethnic communities.

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17283 by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 October 2013, what assessment it has made of whether it will eradicate fuel poverty by 2016.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has a statutory duty, ‘to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that people are not living in fuel poverty in Scotland by November 2016’. We are committed to helping Scottish families heat their homes affordably and we are doing e…

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17283 by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 October 2013, whether it has undertaken a risk analysis of whether it will eradicate fuel poverty by 2016.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We continue to monitor progress towards the 2016 target through the fuel poverty statistics published in the annual Scottish House Condition Survey. This year’s survey will be published in late 2013. Risk is monitored in accordance with the criteria set in t…

28 Oct 2013 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take to deal with the reported underrepresentation of women on the boards and senior management teams of public bodies.

9 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17159 by Shona Robison on 3 October 2013, what specific action is being taken to tackle poverty and deprivation in black and minority ethnic communities.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are committed to tackling the long-term drivers of poverty through early intervention and prevention. In Spring 2014, we will publish a revised Child Poverty Strategy which will focus on maximising household resources and improving children’s wellbeing and…

9 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17292 by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 October 2013, when data will be published regarding the number of households assisted by the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Councils have until the end of September 2014 to complete works carried out using HEEPS funding for 2013-14 as part of area-based fuel poverty schemes. They will provide monitoring information to the Scottish Government after that date. Information on the fin…

9 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17291 by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 October 2013, what information is being collected now and what specific monitoring information is being proposed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government monitoring of ECO and of the general progress of projects will be on two levels: (1) Local authorities will complete monthly reports on activity which will cover work completed in the previous months, works started on site and works commi…

1 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made with COSLA on the funding of the council tax benefit successor scheme for 2014-15.

Answer · John Swinney: Our draft Budget includes a commitment to roll forward the Scottish Government’s contribution of £23 million in 2014-15 to continue to mitigate the estimated £40 million gap in funding from the UK Government for Council Tax Benefit successor arrangements. COS…