Karen Gillon

1 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers in the Clydesdale constituency are in receipt of the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme payments and what the total amount in payment is.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Three hundred and twenty-nine farmers in the Clydesdale constituency area claimed Less Favoured Area Support Scheme in 2009, the most recent complete scheme year. In total, they received payments worth £1,854,324.</p>

1 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers in the Clydesdale constituency are in receipt of single farm payments and what the total amount in payment is.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In 2008, the most recent complete scheme year, 442 businesses in the Clydesdale constituency received payments totalling £11,586,930.32 under the Single Farm Payment Scheme.</p>

1 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in developing the station stopping pattern for the new service between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Carstairs.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: New hourly service commenced on the Shotts line in December.</p> <p >Detailed timetable work is now underway to test and prove the optimum timetable and stopping patterns for the new service between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Carstairs planned for introductio…

1 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many passenger journeys were made on the Larkhall-Milngavie line in (a) 2009, (b) 2008 and (c) 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The number of passenger journeys made on the Larkhall “ Milngavie extension (i.e. the new stations on the Larkhall branch; Chatelherault, Merryton and Larkhall) in 2009-10 was 476,771; in 2008-09 474,882, and in 2007-08 429,246, based on tickets sold specific…

27 May 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any local authorities that have suspended the recruitment of teachers on permanent employment contracts and, if so, what representations have been made on this matter.

Answer · Michael Russell: We have not received any representations regarding local authorities that have suspended the recruitment of teachers on permanent employment contracts.</p> <p >The Scottish Government is fully committed to helping more newly qualified teachers into work. We …

11 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are legal obligations on local authorities to provide free water to primary school pupils.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Yes. Both the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 and the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008 require that all pupils should have free, easy access to fresh drinking water at all times. T…

11 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are timeframes within which NHS boards should determine new pharmacy applications and, if so, what these are.

Answer · Shona Robison: The NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 sets timescales for consultation with interested parties and timescales around when a community pharmacy should open following a successful application. However, they do not set timescales within w…

11 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to NHS boards in relation to new pharmacy applications.

Answer · Shona Robison: Applications to open new community pharmacies are made and considered under the terms of the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009. These regulations were approved by the Scottish Parliament and came into force in July last year. No additi…

11 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what weight it considers that NHS boards should give to the views of local communities when determining new pharmacy applications.

Answer · Shona Robison: Applications to open new community pharmacies are made and considered under the terms of the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009. These regulations were approved by the Scottish Parliament and came into force in July last year. That appr…

11 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has national criteria for the provision of school crossing patrols and, if so, what these are.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not provide any such criteria to local authorities. School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines are, however, made available to all local authorities by Road Safety GB. The guidelines include criteria for establishing school crossin…

11 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding the provision of school crossing patrols.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not provide any such guidance to local authorities. School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines are, however, made available to all local authorities by Road Safety GB. The guidelines include information for local authorities in res…

28 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Borders were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of occupied bed days in NHS Borders where a diagnosis of assault by sharp object is recorded is presented in the following table.</p> <p >Number of Acute Occupied Bed Days^1,2 in NHS Borders Connected with Assault by Sharp Object<sup>3</…

26 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when Historic Scotland last met representatives of the Local Authorities World Heritage Forum to discuss the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: An official from Historic Scotland attended the Local Authority World Heritage Forum (LAWHF) Spring Meeting in Bath on 26 March 2010, during which the 2012 Cultural Olympiad Project was discussed as part of the agenda. The official also met with a consultant …

26 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in relation to Scotland's contribution to the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scotland is involved in all four elements of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad: Ceremonies (we are working with London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) to develop the route and content of the Torch Relay through Scotland); Inspire Mark (two Scottish…

26 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average student drop-out rate is in medical schools.

Answer · Michael Russell: The information requested is not held centrally. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publishes some information annually on non-continuation rates. This is through their higher education performance indicators, for all higher education institutions …

26 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of students accepted by medical schools is normally resident outside Scotland.

Answer · Michael Russell: This is a matter for the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The information requested is not held centrally.</p>

25 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reviewing compulsory purchase powers available to local authorities.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In February 2010 Scottish ministers agreed the Scottish Law Commission''s current work programme which includes a review of the law relating to compulsory purchase.</p> <p >To help local authorities make the best use of the compulsory purchase powers availab…

25 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on limiting a council tax discount for those who install energy efficiency measures in their home to those customers who use Scottish Gas as their installer.

Answer · John Swinney: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 places a duty on individual local authorities to introduce a discount scheme. It is for each local authority to decide how its scheme should operate in practice.</p> <p >An important consideration for the local authorit…

25 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA regarding the provision of a council tax discount for those who install energy efficiency measures in their home.

Answer · John Swinney: There have been a number of discussions with COSLA (involving ministers and officials) regarding provision of a council tax discount scheme since the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 was passed. While it is for each local authority to decide how its scheme …

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support has been given to New Lanark World Heritage Site since 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since 2007 Historic Scotland has provided New Lanark World Heritage Site with £974,300.00 of financial support. Furthermore, as one of the three main partners involved in the management and preservation of New Lanark, Historic Scotland provides advice and sup…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many world heritage sites have a full-time co-ordinator funded by the Scottish Government.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Historic Scotland fully funds a full time co-ordinator for the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. They also plan to provide funding to support posts for the Antonine Wall and New Lanark World Heritage Site.</p>

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it would cost to fund a full-time co-ordinator for the New Lanark World Heritage Site.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The estimated cost of funding a full time co-ordinator for New Lanark World Heritage Site is £45,000 per annum. This figure takes into account the annual salary, National Insurance and superannuation contributions.</p>

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund a full-time co-ordinator for the New Lanark World Heritage Site and, if so, when the appointment will take place.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Historic Scotland has previously funded the position of a full time co-ordinator for New Lanark World Heritage Site and is committed to funding a post to develop the World Heritage Site Management Plan. Discussions between Historic Scotland, New Lanark Trust …

5 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued, or intends to issue, advice to staff about ensuring that unnecessary lighting, IT equipment and other mains-powered electronic equipment is switched off when not in use.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government promotes to all staff its Environmental Policy which includes the commitment to use energy efficiently to minimise greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency campaigns have taken place in the largest Scottish Government buildings and …

5 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all non-essential mains-powered electronic appliances and devices across its estate are switched off when not in use.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32228 on 11 March 2010. 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/Apps2/…

5 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all non-essential IT equipment across its estate is switched off when not in use.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government have implemented a set of policies and applications to reduce power consumption and costs of its IT systems. Power policies on PCs, laptops and printers ensure that these devices are switched to low power states when not in use. PCs an…

5 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31764 by Richard Lochhead on 4 March 2010, what action it is taking to ensure that all unnecessary lighting across its core estate is switched off on a daily basis.

Answer · John Swinney: Where practical, computer-controlled Building Management Systems (BMS) are replacing manual systems to improve energy efficiency benefits. As part of our target to reduce our environmental impact, the lighting system at the largest Scottish government buildin…

12 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it allocated to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in each of the last five years.

Answer · Alex Neil: The amount of grant offered to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust over the last five financial years to March 2010 is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=107 valign=top > <p align=center >F…

12 Feb 2010 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will participate in the Earth Hour event taking place at 8.30 pm on 27 March 2010.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will participate in the Earth Hour event taking place on the 27 of March 2010.  All non essential lighting in the building will be switched off.  However, a number of lights must remain on at all times to comply with…

12 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will participate in the Earth Hour event taking place at 8.30 pm on 27 March 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government will take action to support Earth Hour by switching off all non-essential lighting, as far as possible, across its core estate, at 8.30pm on Saturday 27 March 2010. We will also encourage widespread participation in the event across Sc…