Maureen Watt

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have left the profession in each year since 1999.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-12214 on 25 November 2004, which details the numbers of teachers leaving employmentrelevant to your request from the Scottish Executive Teacher Flow Survey.</p><p>All answers to writtenparliamentary questions ar…

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that the Patients’ Forum reflects the diversity of the population and what outcomes have resulted from views expressed through the forum.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Each community health partnership(CHP) is required to maintain an effective and formal dialogue with its local communitythrough the development of a local Public Partnership Forum. Guidance on the establishmentof Public Partnership Forum can be found at:</p><…

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place with the public about the Netherley spur of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The connection north from Stonehavenvia Netherley was included in the public consultation held last year. Since my announcementon 1 December 2005 my officials and the AWPR Managing Agent have held discussionswith affected parties along the route and will cont…

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) Aberdeen Council and (b) Aberdeenshire Council about the funding of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Discussions have taken placewith both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council about the funding forthe project. These discussions are continuing and I expect an agreement to be concludedshortly.</p>

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what protocols are in place for school dentists to refer patients on to other (a) NHS and (b) private dentists.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The school dental service nolonger exists. A limited range of functions of the former school dental servicewere transferred to the Community Dental Service in the 1970s Protocols are availableto refer patients to other NHS services. However, they differ betwe…

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many school dentists are employed in each local authority area.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The School Dental Service nolonger exists. A limited range of functions of the former School Dental Servicewere transferred to the Community Dental Service in the 1970s.</p><p>Information on the number ofCommunity Dental Service dentists employed across NHSSc…

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend rail links into the Deeside area to the west of Aberdeen.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We currently have no plans toextend rail links into the Deeside area. However, we are committed to deliveringa more accessible transport network in Scotland and we are willing to consider proposals for rail enhancementsand improvements which demonstrate viabi…

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend rail links into the Formartine and Buchan areas to the north of Aberdeen.

Answer · Tavish Scott: There are no current plans toextend rail links into the Formartine and Buchan area.</p>

22 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many school nurses each local authority employs in (a) nursery, (b) primary and (c) secondary schools.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

18 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its departments and agencies have (a) overspent or (b) underspent their budgets in each year since 1999, broken down by department, agency and amount of overspend or underspend.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The following table sets outthe Scottish Executive’s and its External Bodies’ outturn variance against budgetfor the period from 1999-2000 to 2004-05:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td rowspan=2 valign=top> <p align=center…

18 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the installation of speed cameras has had on the number of casualties in areas within the range of such cameras.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The independent Four-Year EvaluationReport on the National Safety Camera Programme published by PA Consulting and UCL(December 2005) concludes that safety cameras throughout the UK continue tomake a significant and valuable contribution to the reduction of ca…

18 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated for the creation of (a) all-weather pitches and (b) other outdoor sports facilities in each year since 1999.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Funding has been provided to<b>sport</b>scotland to support the implementation of the National and RegionalSports Facilities Strategy and the development of facilities through the Lotterysupported Building for Sport (BfS) programme. Under the Facilities Strat…

18 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions it places on local authorities regarding the allocation of support for learning resources.

Answer · Robert Brown: It is for local authorities,taking account of their own individual circumstances, to decide how to allocatesupport for learning resources in order to provide for children and young peoplewith additional support needs.</p>

18 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with Aberdeen City Council about the council’s investigation into the possible construction of a community stadium.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: No.</p>

15 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25540 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2006, what ambulance cover has been available in each town in Aberdeenshire and Moray in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The following two tables showthe ambulance stations based in the NHS Grampian area, which covers Aberdeenshireand Moray, and whether they were on full-time or on-call working patterns since1999.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> …

12 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes are in place to assist new entrants to the agriculture sector.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are no dedicated schemesaimed specifically at assisting new entrants to the agriculture sector. Our priorityis the creation of a profitable and sustainable agriculture industry which providesreal opportunities for all farmers entering and wishing to rem…

12 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the companies authorised to discharge radioactive waste into the sea and the sites where discharge takes place.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the independentregulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which has provided the informationdetailed in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Co…

12 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies are authorised to discharge radioactive waste into the sea.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the independentregulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). SEPA has authorised32 companies under the terms of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to dischargeradioactive waste to the sea.</p>

4 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what value eco-tourism contributes to the Scottish economy.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The term eco-tourism cancover a very wide spectrum of tourism activities related to the appreciation ofScotland’s environment in one form or another. At one end of that spectrum arecarefully planned visits to view our superb wildlife; Scotland isregarded as E…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to reduce ambulance cover in rural towns and villages in Aberdeenshire and Moray and which communities will be affected by any such plans.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish AmbulanceService constantly monitors its performance to ensure that resources meetdemand. There are no plans to reduce ambulance cover. The North East Divisionof the Scottish Ambulance Service, which covers Aberdeenshire and Moray, is tryingto re…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support or encouragement it has given to VisitScotland or other tourist bodies to promote Doric or Lallan Scots language tourism.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive considersScots and its regional forms to be an important part of Scotland’s distinctive linguisticand cultural heritage. VisitScotland is therefore encouraged to promote Scots languagetourism where it is appropriate to do so. For exampl…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has given to organisations to promote Doric or Lallan Scots in each year since the inception of the Parliament.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executiveconsiders Scots and its regional forms to be an important part of Scotland’sdistinctive linguistic and cultural heritage. The Scottish Executive does notoffer financial support directly to organisations for the purpose of promotingScots.…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of fatal and serious road accidents is taken into account when decisions are taken about whether to upgrade trunk roads.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The assessment of proposals fornew and improved roads does take account of fatal and serious accidents along withother criteria.</p><p>Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more informationif required.</p>

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy in place to target road safety campaign advertising on areas that suffer from high levels of fatal accidents.

Answer · Tavish Scott: No. The Scottish Executive provides funding to Road SafetyScotland (RSS) for the development of key road safety education initiatives andpublicity messages. Campaigns by RSS aremainly undertaken on a national basis and focus on the main causes of casualties.T…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on road safety campaign advertising in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Spending on road safety campaignadvertising is given in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=86 valign=top> <p align=center>Year</p> </td> <td width=89 valign=top> <p align=center>Spending</p>…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on pedestrian safety improvements on each trunk road in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Pedestrian safety improvementson trunk roads are delivered as part of larger schemes on the trunk road network.It is not possible therefore to quantify how much of the overall spend relates topedestrian safety improvements.</p><p>Transport Scotland hasthe ope…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on road safety improvements on each trunk road in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The following table shows howmuch has been spent on accident remedial schemes on each trunk road in the financialyears 2001-02 to 2005-06. Expenditure prior to 2001-02 is not available on a roadby road basis.</p><p>Road safety improvements arealso delivered a…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on upgrading each trunk road in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Details of expenditure on upgradingeach trunk road in each year since 1999 are shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Route</p> </td> <td valign=top> <p align=cent…

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatal accidents there have been on each trunk road in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of fatal accidentson each trunk road in each year since 1999 (January 1999 to December 2005) is asfollows: </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p>Trunk Road</p> </td> <td valign=top> <p>1999</p>…

19 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18139 by Rhona Brankin on 26 August 2005, whether any review of the effect of measures introduced under its land reform agenda will be undertaken in a spirit of openness and transparency, involving public consultation, and whether it will also welcom…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: As I indicated in the answer to the earlier question on 26 August 2005, the Scottish Executive intends to report to Parliament later this year on implementation of existing land reform measures. At the same time, we will consider the need for, and scope of, a…