Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Aug 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to ensure sufficient numbers of wild host fish stocks in rivers (a) that currently host freshwater pearl mussel populations and (b) where freshwater pearl mussel populations are in decline.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The range of actions (under initiatives such as the Pearls in Peril EC LIFE Project, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Environment Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) Species Action Framework) at selected locations include the removal of…
15 Aug 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans to reduce the number of Police Scotland divisions and, if so, what input it has had in any discussions on the matter.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: One of the key aims of Police reform was to protect local services in the face of Westminster cuts. When Police Scotland was created, it was decided that a 14 Division structure would be the most effective way to deliver an excellent local policing service ac…
15 Aug 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on increasing the geographical coverage of Police Scotland divisions in order to reduce the number of divisions required.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: One of the key aims of Police reform was to protect local services in the face of Westminster cuts. When Police Scotland was created, it was decided that a 14 division structure would be the most effective way to deliver an excellent local policing service ac…
7 Aug 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how NHS Highland plans to eliminate the £10.5 million projected overspend at Raigmore Hospital without a detrimental impact on waiting times targets.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is publically available on the NHS Highland website within the board papers for the meeting on 12 August 2014. The specific paper is entitled 5.7 NHS Highland Financial Position as at 30 June 2014. This paper can be accessed via the following…
7 Aug 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how NHS Highland can achieve its 2014-15 savings target of £22.4 million without a detrimental impact on patient care.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is publically available on the NHS Highland website within the board papers for the meeting on 12 August 2014. The specific paper is entitled 5.7 NHS Highland Financial Position as at 30 June 2014. This paper can be accessed via the following…
25 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what quantity of (a) antibacterials, (b) sea lice treatments, (c) anthelmintics, (d) fungicides and (e) anaesthetics has been used in the salmon farming industry in each year since 2003.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The following tables provide the information requested. The categories are as defined by Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) who collect the data. Both disinfectants and antimicrobials can contain fungicides and antibacterials. Information regard…
24 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies there are for psychiatrists, broken down by subject area.
Answer · Alex Neil: Vacancy information for all medical psychiatric grades is not held centrally. The information requested is collected for consultants only. Published information on the number of consultant vacancies can be found on the workforce statistics website at: http…
16 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the granting of EU special area of conservation status in 2004 has had on the population levels of (a) freshwater pearl mussels, (b) salmon, (c) otters and (d) sea lamprey.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The River Spey Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is the only SAC in Scotland designated for all four of the listed qualifying features. Scottish Natural Heritage’s most recent assessments of the condition of the River Spey SAC’s qualifying features, and oth…
16 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many single-crewed ambulances have been deployed (a) on weekdays and (b) at weekends in each of the last five years, also broken down by (i) urban and (ii) remote and rural areas.
Answer · Alex Neil: The single crewing of double-crewed ambulances should only happen in exceptional circumstances, such as short notice sickness absence when cover cannot be secured. The Scottish Ambulance Service is working hard to deliver this. The information requested is n…
16 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies there at each level in the (a) Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and (b) Scottish Ambulance Service.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service.
16 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to reduce response times for fire and rescue services in remote and rural areas.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Ministers have set out the strategic direction for fire and rescue in the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2013. Its priorities include requirements for planning operational response in a way which reflects national and local risk across Scotla…
16 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the longest time has been for a fire and rescue service appliance to attend an incident in an (a) urban and (b) remote and rural area in each of the last five years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
16 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average response time has been for the fire and rescue services to attend an incident in (a) urban and (b) remote and rural areas in each of the last five years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
12 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a further breakdown of the information at table 4 of Public Sector Employment In Scotland Statistics for 1st Quarter 2014 to provide details of (a) teaching and (b) non-teaching staff at further education colleges.
Answer · Michael Russell: It is not possible to provide a further breakdown of information contained in table 4 of Public Sector Employment In Scotland Statistics. Information on teaching and non-teaching staff at further education colleges is not collected through these statistics.
12 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21669 by Alasdair Allan on 17 June 2014, how many tariff points Higher grade geology commands, and how this compares with each of the geology units that will be available from 2015.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The UCAS tariff score for each Higher (geology included) is: D = 36; C = 50; B = 65; and A = 80. The tariff is attached to a qualification as a whole and not to individual units. Insight, a new online tool for secondary schools and local authorities, will be…
12 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21669 by Alasdair Allan on 17 June 2014, whether the earth sciences qualification will be available from 2015, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the chief executive to write to you.
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is given to Children’s Panel members facing grievance and disciplinary procedures in relation to their work for the Children's Panel.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: This is an operational matter for Children’s Hearings Scotland.
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Children’s Panel members have (a) been recruited and (b) resigned in each of the last five years.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The information requested is in the following table. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 (a) Appointments 508 526 492 114 544 (b) Resignations 395 371 359 353 385 Source: Children’s Hearings Scotland
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the children’s hearings system.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The introduction of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011, which came into force on 24 June 2013, involved a full review of the children’s hearings system. The Scottish Government intends to build on the improvements already introduced by continuing to …
10 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on national pay bargaining for (a) merged and (b) further education colleges.
Answer · Michael Russell: A National Bargaining Development Group was established to consider the structure through which national pay bargaining will take place. The group concluded that national pay bargaining should operate through national joint negotiating committees. All parties…
6 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-21240, S4W-21241, S4W-21243 and S4W-21244 by Alex Neil on 2 June 2014, what the timescale is to develop a strategy for (a) the long-term transformation of residential care, (b) supported housing, (c) co-housing and (d) intermediate care in order t…
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government and its partners in the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the residential care sector will continue to work on the recommendations made by the Task Force on the Future of Residential Care for Older People in Scotland. We hav…
6 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken, in conjunction with the Scottish Qualifications Authority, to ensure that pupils continue to have the opportunity to study geology at Higher level and beyond from 2015.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has advised that the number of entries to geology Higher courses is too low to effectively support a standalone qualification. However, I can confirm that there will be opportunities for young people to study geolog…
3 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when a CT scanner will be operational in NHS Orkney.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is fully aware of the importance of this equipment to the local community and have sought, and received, an assurance from NHS Orkney that it remains committed to bringing a CT scanner to Orkney, as soon as is practicable. The board i…
21 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many severance packages in excess of £200,000 were given to Registers of Scotland staff in each of the last five years.
Answer · John Swinney: Over the last five years, four members of staff left Registers of Scotland on early retirement under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules in force at the time, where the total cost to Registers of Scotland was in excess of £200,000. The annual numbers …
21 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the ICT systems are in place for the collection of the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax from April 2015.
Answer · John Swinney: The IT system for collection of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax is currently in development. The system will take account of the final provisions of the Revenue Scotland and Tax Powers Bill once parliamentary scrutiny has concluded. System development is o…
21 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of providing ICT systems in the Registers of Scotland has been in each year since 2007-08.
Answer · John Swinney: The amounts spent on providing ICT systems in Registers of Scotland for the financial years since 2007-08 are shown in the following table. Year Expenditure 2007-08 £ 8.4 million 2008-09 £11.6 million 2009-10 £10.4 million 2010-11 £15.0 million …
21 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the initial budget of the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL) will be; how much of it has already been allocated to the SCEL; from which budget line the funding will come, and whether the SCEL is on track to be fully operational by August 2014.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL) is on track to be fully operational by August 2014 and has now been incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. Funding of up to £1.3 million from the Scottish Government’s teacher education programme…
21 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many modern apprenticeship starts there were in 2013-14 in each of the growth sectors outlined in The Government Economy Strategy.
Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland is due to publish 2013-14 modern apprenticeship starts broken down by framework on 17 June 2014.
21 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) men and (b) women began a level (i) 2, (ii) 3, (iii) 4 and (iv) 5 modern apprenticeship in each year from 2011-12.
Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland have only been publishing modern apprenticeship starts statistics by level and gender since 2012-13. Therefore this data is currently unavailable for 2011-12. Modern Apprenticeship Starts 2012-13 Female Male Total level 2 …
21 May 2014 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when a new prison will be built in the Highlands to replace Porterfield prison in Inverness.