Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

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

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which MEPs attended the First Minister’s National Conversation event in Brussels on 23 April 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Ian Hudghton MEP attended the event personally, and several other MEPs were represented by their assistants.

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing confirmed the authenticity of “Spiderman’s” contribution to the National Conversation in advance of quoting his comments.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7812 on 10 January 2008. 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/webapp…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why, in the context of the National Conversation website, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing considers “Spiderman” to be a reliable source of advice in relation to Scotland’s constitutional future.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Contributors to the National Conversation website may submit comments under any name, as long they do so in line with the criteria used for the moderation of the site. The National Conversation is an open and inclusive debate, where all contributions…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the criteria adopted for moderating the National Conversation website take into account the provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government definition, used in the application of the moderating criteria, that racism “can be indirect, direct or institutional, and that racism is unacceptable in any context no matter who it is perpetrated by or against”, is consistent with th…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in relation to the prospective publication of racist comments on the National Conversation website.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is the practice of successive governments, reflected in the Scottish Ministerial Code and the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, that the fact and content of legal advice is not revealed.

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that there has been any breach of the Race Relations Act 1976 in connection with any of the comments removed from the National Conversation website.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Comments removed by the moderator as a result of the ongoing review of the site are removed because they are considered to breach any part of the moderating criteria set out in the answer to S3W-11333 on 23 April 2008. All answers to written parliamentary qu…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11294 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2008, whether it will publish the 41 pre-moderated comments removed after publication on the website.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to publish the 41 comments removed after publication on the website. The comments were removed following reconsideration against the criteria used to moderate the site. It would therefore be inappropriate for the…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of Choosing Scotland’s Future: A National Conversation have been purchased at a cost of £10 from Blackwell's bookshops.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: To date, 172 copies of Choosing Scotland’s Future have been sold by Blackwell’s bookshops. About 90 further copies have been sold via wholesalers and at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Over 3,000 free copies were distributed to key stakeholders …

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that women taking hormone replacement therapy or the contraceptive pill are forewarned of the possible risk of thrombosis associated with such medication.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In primary care, the risks and benefits of any prescribed medication are discussed during consultation between the patient and their GP. This would include the risks of thrombosis associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the contraceptive pill, w…

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the availability is of thrombophilia screening for individuals considered to be at high risk.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have accepted the advice of the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) that there is no evidence to support screening for thrombophilia in asymptomatic women prior to prescription of oral contraception or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The NSC goes on t…

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been screened for thrombophilia since May 2007.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. We have accepted the advice from the National Screening Committee that population screening for thrombophilia should not be offered. As with all the topics on which it offers advice, however, the committee keeps the evi…

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the renovation work at Dumbarton Sheriff Court will be completed.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The refurbishment and extension of Dumbarton Sheriff Court is currently programmed for completion by the end of January 2009.

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost is of the renovation work being undertaken at Dumbarton Sheriff Court, including all associated fees and the cost of relocation to alternative premises.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The current total estimated cost for the refurbishment and extension of Dumbarton Sheriff Court is £11.75 million.

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what planning developments are currently under consideration by ministers.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A list of the planning developments presently before Scottish ministers is shown in the following table. All notified planning applications currently before Scottish ministers are listed on the Scottish Government website at: <a href="http:/…

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11824 by Stewart Stevenson on 23 April 2008, how many planning applications have been publicly supported by ministers since May 2007; what those planning applications consisted of, and what support was provided.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11824 on 23 April 2008. 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/webapp…

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to bring in independent oversight of the Scottish Ministerial Code, as agreed by the Parliament on 28 February 2008 (Official Report c. 6538) and, if so, what form such oversight will take.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government will bring forward a statement to Parliament on the review of the Scottish Ministerial Code and any related arrangements for scrutiny once the review of the code has concluded.

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a statement to the Parliament on the review of the Scottish Ministerial Code, as agreed by the Parliament on 28 February 2008 (Official Report c. 6538).

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government will bring forward a statement to Parliament on the review of the Scottish Ministerial Code when that review has concluded.

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-6782 and S3W-7754 by Bruce Crawford on 3 December 2007 and 15 January 2008, when it will publish the updated version of the Scottish Ministerial Code.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: A review of the Scottish Ministerial Code is currently in progress. An updated version of the code will be published once the review has been completed.

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-6783 and S3W-7755 by Bruce Crawford on 3 and 20 December 2007, when the review of the Scottish Ministerial Code will be complete.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12133 on 30 April 2008. 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/webapp…

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authority tenants in West Dunbartonshire who are unable to pay the full cost of the Community Alarm System are exempt from any community alarm charges, as promised by the local authority, and whether it considers that such exemption should also apply to tenan…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Charging for community alarm services is a matter for local authorities to determine. Local authorities are best placed to decide these matters, taking account of COSLA guidance on charging for non residential accommodation. Those who may not be able…

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the increased charges set by West Dunbartonshire Council for the continuing use of its Community Alarm Service to be reasonable and fair for older people.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Around 600 clients will receive a reduced charge under the new charging arrangements in West Dunbartonshire. Local authorities are best placed to decide what charges are appropriate and fair in their area, taking account of COSLA guidance. Those who …

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware that MEPs will be in Strasbourg on 23 April 2008 when the First Minister plans to hold a National Conversation in Brussels and what action will be taken to avoid such events coinciding in future.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The First Minister was in Brussels as part of a long standing arrangement to visit the European Seafood Exposition. The National Conversation event was scheduled around this commitment, and was attended by a wide range of individuals and organisations.

21 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what engagements the First Minister has on Wednesday 23 April 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: On 23 April, the First Minister was in Brussels to attend the European Seafood Exposition and help promote Scottish seafood. He also used the opportunity of being in Brussels to host a seminar on the National Conversation and hold meetings with Commissioner B…

21 Apr 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S3W-10742 by Tricia Marwick on 20 March 2008, when additional staff have been employed to process freedom of information requests.

Answer · Tricia Marwick: Further to our reply to question S3W-10742 we confirm that an additional member of staff was employed to process freedom of information requests between 18th February and 28 March 2008.

21 Apr 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S3W-10741 by Tricia Marwick on 20 March 2008, whether it will identify the two journalists from two different newspapers who have submitted the highest number of freedom of information requests and provide the number of those requests.

Answer · Tricia Marwick: Further to our reply to S3W-10741 we confirm that during 2006, 2007 and in 2008 to date we have received 158 freedom of information requests from Paul Hutcheon currently of The Sunday Herald and 176 freedom of information requests from Tom Gordon curr…

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the working group examining the removal of Trident from the Clyde will report.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: As set out in its remit, the working group will report regularly to ministers. It will do so via the Minister for Parliamentary Business, who chairs the group.

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs, including staff time, involved in the working group examining the removal of Trident from the Clyde.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: To date, Scottish Government expenditure on the Working Group on Scotland without Nuclear Weapons has totalled £41.60. Calculating the costs associated with officials making arrangements for the working group on Scotland is not possible, as relevant …

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the working group examining the removal of Trident from the Clyde is considering the loss of all jobs at Faslane and Coulport or a proportion of such jobs and the justification for doing so.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Working Group on Scotland Without Nuclear Weapons has been asked: In the event of a decision to remove nuclear weapons from HM Naval Base Clyde, to examine the economic impact and to identify options for the development of alternative employment …

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish on its website the minutes of meetings and any supporting papers considered by the working group examining the removal of Trident from the Clyde.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: Minutes of the working group will be published on the Scottish Government website within three months of each meeting. It is intended that Scottish Government papers from the meetings will also be published.

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the working group examining the removal of Trident from the Clyde.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The remit of the Working Group on Scotland without Nuclear Weapons may be found on the Scottish Government website at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/swnw-working-group/remit">www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/swnw-working-group/re…