Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is no inpatient bed provision north of Dundee for children with mental health problems.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government provided funding to allow the North of Scotland region to increase the number of beds available at Dudhope House, Dundee, for children and young people with mental health problems, from the six beds to twelve beds, which has increased …
24 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Qualifications Agency will meet its target of achieving self-financing status by 2015-16 and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has an objective in its 2015-18 corporate plan, agreed with ministers, to “continue to pursue a business model that would enable SQA to achieve self-financed status, and invest in and improve the Education and Skill…
24 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many landowners have failed to comply with a formal notice issued under its Weeds Guidance in each year since 2009.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Since 2009 one tenant, but no landowners, has failed to comply with a notice issued using the powers set out in the Weeds Act 1959.
24 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many offences regarding (a) the planting and growing of weeds, (b) giant hogweed and (c) Japanese knotweed have been recorded in each year since 2009.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Information on offences relating to the planting and growing of weeds, giant hogweed or Japanese knotweed is not held centrally at this level of detail.
24 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been subject to a (a) summary conviction and (b) imprisonment for an offence under the legislation and guidance introduced to control the spread of giant hogweed in each year since 2009.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (amended most recently by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011) is the principal piece of legislation that deals with the issue of non-native species. It prohibits the planting or causing to grow of no…
17 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances former staff at a care home can be investigated for suspected wilful neglect and abuse.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: A former staff member could be investigated by the police if there is alleged criminality or by a workforce regulator such as the Scottish Social Services Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council if there is an alleged breach of professional conduct. The Care…
16 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what provisions have been made for cycle paths in proposals to dual parts of the A96.
Answer · Keith Brown: Suitable provision for non-motorised users, including cyclists, is an important part of the A96 dualling programme. The preferred option for the A96 Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) was announced on 3 October 2014. Non-motorised user facilities on …
4 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to use and improve Scotland's canal infrastructure in terms of (a) economic development, (b) leisure and (c) tourism.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government provides funding totalling £10 million each year to Scottish Canals to enable it to deliver its statutory duties as well as our canals policy Making the most of Scotland’s canals which we published in 2013. This encourages Scottish Can…
2 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what lessons it has learned from West Dunbartonshire Council raising attainment levels in schools, and whether it will implement these lessons as part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
Answer · Angela Constance: A number of lessons have been learned from West Dunbartonshire Council’s raising attainment levels in school, in particular the authority wide literacy scheme. The Scottish Government invited the Association of Directors of Education to conduct a review (pub…
2 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support public sector staff in (a) identifying and (b) treating issues relating to mental health.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies, including NHS boards and local authorities, to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, incl…
2 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it is carrying out of sickness absence rates in the public sector and what action is being taken as a result.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government holds and analyses sickness absence figures for staff in core Scottish Government directorates and some associated agencies, and has arrangements in place to monitor sickness absence levels closely. This ensures that appropriate action…
2 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the sickness absence rate is for (a) Police Scotland, (b) the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, (c) the Scottish Ambulance Service, (d) the NHS, (e) the college sector, (f) local authorities, and (g) the Scottish civil service in each of the last seven years, expressed as a percenta…
Answer · Shona Robison: In response to (a) the recording and management of sickness absence for police officers and staff is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland. Sickness absence is reported to the SPA board regularly, with papers published on the SP…
1 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy has had with Moray Council and Elgin High School Parent Council regarding delays to the replacement of Elgin High School.
1 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many community mental health teams are operating in each NHS board and how many people are supported by these teams, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The information is not held centrally. NHS Boards are responsible for working with their partners to provide care, services and support which meet the assessed needs of people living with a mental illness across Scotland, in line with their statutory obligati…
24 Aug 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice and support it provides to local authorities and private landlords regarding unauthorised Gypsy/Traveller sites.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government published guidelines for managing unauthorised camping in 2004. These have been reviewed in the past, and we have begun a further review which will involve the Police, local authorities, Gypsy/Travellers, and others.
17 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how often inspections are carried out (a) on levels of sea lice, (b) on levels of pollutants surrounding fish farms, (c) of fish entering the food chain and (d) of the effect of fish farming on wild salmon.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: (a) Marine Scotland’s fish health inspectorate monitors sea lice on fish farms through a programme of sea lice inspections and enhanced sea lice inspections. A basic sea lice inspection is conducted whenever aquaculture facilities in seawater are visited, an …
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the pension deficit or surplus is for each public sector organisation.
Answer · John Swinney: Full actuarial valuations of the Scottish NHS, teachers’, police and firefighters’ pension schemes, based on pension scheme data as at 31 March 2012 have recently concluded. Reports of those valuations by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), together wi…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all further education lecturers will be paid an equal salary for equal responsibilities, regardless of where they work.
Answer · Angela Constance: Ministers remain firmly committed to the introduction of national bargaining. I am encouraged by progress towards harmonisation at a regional level, following the recent programme of mergers. Additionally, employers and staff representatives are putting in pl…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when national pay bargaining will be in place for lecturers in further education.
Answer · Angela Constance: In recent discussions with stakeholders, Ministers have again made clear their commitment to national bargaining. Employers and staff representatives have made good progress in putting in place the necessary structures and processes for national bargaining. I…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how often children under five are screened for development in (a) verbal, (b) motor, (c) social and (d) other skills expected in this age range.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Health reviews are carried out within the first 24 hours and within the first 10 days of life. Motor, social and other skills development are reviewed at six to eight weeks; verbal, motor, social and other skills are reviewed at 27 to 30 months, and there are…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what development checks are carried out on children up to the age of five.
Answer · Maureen Watt: A development review is carried out at 27 to 30 months. There are opportunities to discuss development at the six to eight week health review and at the two months, three months, four months, 12 to 13 months and three to five years immunisation contacts. Visi…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to promote training for postgraduate qualifications relating to visual impairments, including in Braille.
Answer · Angela Constance: In Scotland, the responsibility for ensuring that teachers are appropriately trained under the Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005, rests with education authorities. To support this, the Scottish Government funds the Scottish Sensory Centre…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to broaden the evidence base for psychological therapies in terms of early diagnosis and access to support to prevent mild and moderate depression becoming severe and chronic.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is supporting NHS boards to increase access to psychological intervention at an early stage in the patient journey by training a range of staff to deliver evidence-based low intensity psychological interventions. These are now…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it can ensure that all habitat management plans for energy developments include all protected (a) species and (b) sites.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Ministers have responsibility under the Electricity Act 1989 for electricity generation stations that are greater than 50MW, including wind farms of that scale, and those applications that are less than 50MW are determined by planning authorities. T…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for (a) monitoring and (b) enforcing planning conditions relating to onshore windfarm developments and hydro schemes and whether ring-fenced funding is provided for this purpose.
Answer · Alex Neil: Planning authorities are responsible for (a) monitoring and (b) enforcing planning conditions relating to onshore windfarms and hydro schemes. It is for the landowner, unless otherwise specified, to ensure that the conditions of consent for development on the…
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for silt mitigation in relation to freshwater pearl mussel beds during the development of energy projects and how the process is funded.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Managing the potential environmental impacts of energy or other projects is the responsibility of the individual developer who will be required to ensure that appropriate mitigation measures are undertaken.
16 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to carry out site inspections following onshore energy developments.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) activities are funded through a combination of grant-in-aid support and charging to recover economic costs of its regulatory actions. These support SEPA’s delivery of its statutory obligations with regard to the d…
15 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fish farms have exceeded their sea lice infestation limit in each of the last 10 years, and what action it took.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: There is no statutory limit for a maximum number of sea lice allowable on any aquaculture site or on any individual aquaculture animal. There are sea lice treatment threshold limits within The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) Code of Good Practic…
15 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that fish farms have measures in place to prevent salmon escaping into the wild.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: All authorised fish farm businesses in Scotland are inspected under the Aquaculture & Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 by Marine Scotland for satisfactory measures in place to contain fish and prevent escapes with a range of sanctions available where non-complia…
15 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the (a) establishment and (b) operation of fish farms in river systems that contain wild salmonids.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: As laid out in the National Marine Plan (NMP), with due regard to the marine environment, the Scottish Government supports the aquaculture industry’s targets for sustainable growth of aquaculture. Alongside existing regulatory controls including an Environmen…