Jackie Baillie

7 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will monitor the success of the single survey and purchasers’ information pack.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-173 on 6 June 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.searc…

7 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will implement the single survey and purchasers’ information pack to improve the experience of house purchasing.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-173 on 6 June 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.searc…

1 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invite trade unions to be represented on its council of economic advisers.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister will makea further statement to Parliament on the council’s role and membership before thesummer recess.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that care staff and medical staff are able to reach the population of the Rosneath Peninsula during blockades of HMNB Clyde by the Faslane 365 protesters.

Answer · Shona Robison: Maintenance of road access isan operational policing matter and is the responsibility of the relevant Chief Constable.NHS Highland and the Scottish Ambulance Service regularly consult with the policeto ensure that disruption to those requiring medical service…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrests of people participating in the Faslane 365 protests at HMNB Clyde have resulted in prosecutions.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The information requested isnot available. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case ManagementDatabase records details of the charges against each accused in terms of the specificcommon law or statutory offence that is alleged to have been commit…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-11927 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 February 2007, how many arrests there have been during the Faslane 365 protests at HMNB Clyde.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: From 1 October 2006 to 3 June 2007, 785people have been arrested, by either Strathclyde Police or the Ministry ofDefence Police, in relation to the Faslane 365 campaign.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to allow unhindered access for emergency vehicles during the blockades on the A814 caused by the Faslane 365 protests at HMNB Clyde.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Maintenance of road access isan operational policing matter and is the responsibility of the relevant Chief Constable.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are being made to ensure that the education of young people is not disrupted as a result of the Faslane 365 protests at HMNB Clyde.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-445 on 13 June 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.se…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local pupils from the Rosneath Peninsula have missed examinations this summer due to blockades caused by the Faslane 365 protests at HMNB Clyde.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Argyll and Bute educationauthority is responsible for arrangements to transport pupils to school and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is responsible for the setting of examinations.I understand that, for the duration of the exams, the authority put…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been deployed in relation to the Faslane 365 protests at HMNB Clyde and whether alternative police cover was provided for communities from which these officers were drawn.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The organisation of police operationsin Strathclyde, including the deployment of police officers to this operation fromacross the force, is a matter for the Chief Constable of Strathclyde.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been of deploying police to cover the Faslane 365 protests at HMNB Clyde.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The organisation of police operations,including the allocation of resources to this operation, is a matter for the ChiefConstable of Strathclyde.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will develop financial education in preventing debt.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We will consider the need forfurther development of financial education in the 2007 review of the <i>FinancialInclusion Action Plan</i>.</p><p>The Curriculum for Excellenceacknowledges the contribution financial education makes to ensuring that all youngpeopl…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how low-income borrowers can be provided with a route to financial inclusion.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We will work with thefinancial services industry to provide borrowers with access to products andservices, including basic bank accounts, and with third sector lenders (creditunions and community development finance institutions) to offer affordablecredit.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to deal with over-indebtedness.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We will support the money advicesector to help those with problem debt. We will increase individuals’ ability touse financial products and services through financial education, both in and outof school. We will support third sector lenders (credit unions, and…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what new initiatives it will develop to support credit unions.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We will consider the needfor further activity to support credit unions in the 2007 review of theFinancial Inclusion Action Plan. As social enterprises, credit unions areincluded in the strategic aims of <i>Better Business - a strategy and actionplan for</i> <…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is provided for credit unions.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We are providing £500,000 in2007-08 to support credit unions. As social enterprises, credit unions areincluded in the strategic aims of <i>Better Business - a</i> <i>strategy andaction plan for social enterprise in </i><i>Scotland</i> published in March2007 w…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities arising from accidents on the A82 have been recorded in each year since 1999.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following table shows thenumbers of fatal accidents and fatal casualties on the A82 trunk road in each year since 1999.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=44 valign=top> <p align=center>Year</p> </td> <td widt…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents have been recorded on the A82 in each year since 1999.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following table shows thenumber of injury accidents on the A82 trunkroad in each year since 1999.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=52 valign=top> <p align=center>Year</p> </td> <td width=119 valign=top> <p…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what commitment it has made to improve the A82 and what projects have been carried out.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-395 on 13 June 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what investment it intends to make to improve the A82.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The A82 Tarbet to Fort WilliamRoute Action Plan recommended a ten year improvement programme at a cost of £90million. The outcome of this study will feed into the Strategic Transport ProjectsReview which will examine the needs of our national strategic transp…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a report from the Scottish Health Council on the community engagement process undertaken by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the review of services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the questionS3W-35 answered on 31 May 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite. The search facility for which can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any members of the community engagement panel involved in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s review of services at the Vale of Leven Hospital who are satisfied with the process or the outcome of that review.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35 on 31 May 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. The searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.searc…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to keep healthcare local, following NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s plans to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital and transfer services to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35 on 31 May 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. The searchfacility for which can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what different models for anaesthetics provision have been considered to sustain services at (a) urban, (b) rural and (c) semi-rural hospitals.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Individual NHS boards are responsible for designing safeand sustainable services that meet the needs of their local population. In doingso, NHS boards reflect policy guidance provided by the Scottish Executive and relevantclinical guidelines and professional …

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what services it considers to be core hospital services.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no definitive listof core services although our manifesto expressly included accident andemergency and maternity services as services that the public would expect tohave local access to. Of course, all services must be able to be deliveredsafely and …

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to the BBC on 20 May 2007, who will be on the independent scrutiny panel to consider NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's plans to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35 on 31 May 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. The searchfacility for this can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_w…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to the BBC on 20 May 2007, how the plan to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital will be independently scrutinised.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35 on 31 May 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. The searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.searc…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to the BBC on 20 May 2007, what weight will be given to patient need and public opinion when considering NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's plan to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is imperative thatNHS boards engage with patients and the public,and that their views are fully taken into account, as proposals for service changeare developed. I have made clear that I will introduce a process of independentscrutiny of boards’ proposals …

17 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what savings have been identified in the (a) civil service and (b) ministerial team as a consequence of the changes made to departmental structures and to what extent these savings are real or notional.

Answer · John Swinney: Changes made to departmentalstructures will result in real savings of a minimum of £300,000 per year in thecivil service and a minimum of £230,000 per year in terms of ministerialchanges. Further savings are likely to become apparent over time. A number ofSco…

17 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many special advisers will be appointed; what their specific responsibilities will be, and what the total annual cost of the posts will be.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister has todayconfirmed six full-time appointments, one part-time appointment, one unpaid part-timeappointment, and one short-term appointment until the end of July 2007. All of theseappointments are conditional on satisfactory security, health …