Parliamentary questions
Patricia Ferguson
1,079 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Feb 2016 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will make a decision regarding the possible electrification of the north Glasgow suburban railway line.
18 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it position is on making vaccination against meningitis B available to children under five, with a view to rolling it out to older children in due course.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is committed to protecting youngsters against meningitis B (Men B) which is why we launched a national Men B vaccination programme last year to tackle its effects. All children who are now aged up to nine months should have been offere…
18 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not made vaccination against meningitis B available to babies born before 1 July 2015.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is committed to protecting youngsters against meningitis B which is why we launched a national Men B vaccination programme last year to tackle its effects. All children who are now aged up to nine months should have been offered the va…
10 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when a decision will be made on when the North Glasgow Suburban rail network (Anniesland to Queen St high level) will be electrified.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Electrification of the Glasgow Northern Suburban line is one of a number of options that are being considered as part of the electrification programme post 2019. Development work for the project is being taken forward by Network Rail and cost estimates and a …
6 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many inpatient dermatology beds there are at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow; how many are being used by other disciplines, and how many are available for the treatment of dermatology patients.
Answer · Shona Robison: The latest information available from Information Services Division Scotland (ISD) shows that the average number of available staffed beds available in the dermatology specialty at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow is 11.8, for quarter ending Sep…
1 Feb 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding its funding allocation.
Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister met the leader of Glasgow City Council on 9 December 2015 and discussed a number of issues including the city's 2016-17 local government funding allocations.
1 Feb 2016 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to stop deaths from breast cancer.
18 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any points of disagreement between any legal advice that it has received on its legislative consent memorandum on the UK Government's Trade Union Bill and the Presiding Officer's ruling on its competency.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government have looked at every possibility to oppose and restrict the implementation of the Trade Union Bill in Scotland. This has included engagement with trade unions and other parties to discuss how best to fight the Bill. As part of that pro…
18 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any legal advice that it received prior to submitting its legislative consent memorandum on the UK Government's Trade Union Bill.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government have looked at every possibility to oppose and restrict the implementation of the Trade Union Bill in Scotland. This has included engagement with trade unions and other parties to discuss how best to fight the Bill. As part of that pro…
18 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received legal advice as to the competency of the legislative consent memorandum that it submitted on the UK Government's Trade Union Bill.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government have looked at every possibility to oppose and restrict the implementation of the Trade Union Bill in Scotland. This has included engagement with trade unions and other parties to discuss how best to fight the Bill. As part of that pro…
9 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-04918 by John Swinney on 9 December 2015 (Official Report, c. 15), what advice it can offer to a local authority whose allocation of funding for kinship care is proportionally less than the number of kinship carers in its area.
Answer · John Swinney: With reference to the answer provided to S4W-28903 on 6 January 2016, a number of local authorities, including Glasgow City Council, faced threat of legal challenge by the Equality and Human Rights Commission because of their differential allowances policies.…
9 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-04918 by John Swinney on 9 December 2015 (Official Report, c. 15), whether it considers that the funding formula for kinship care that has been agreed with COSLA is fair, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · John Swinney: The funding allocations made to each local authority in respect of kinship care allowances were calculated using an established formula agreed with COSLA, when all 32 local authorities were still members. Each local authority was allocated a share of the £10.…
30 Nov 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what representations the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy has received from the Minister for Children and Young People regarding kinship care funding.
9 Nov 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance is available for GP practices that encounter problems regarding staffing levels.
9 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning's letter dated 6 November 2015 indicating that she wished to change the Official Report for 5 November 2015, what the correct figure is for student support funds at Glasgow Kelvin College.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Glasgow college region will receive over £18 million in student support funding in 2015-16, which represents an increase of 17% in real terms since 2006-07. The distribution of this funding across the three colleges is still being discussed by the college…
29 Oct 2015 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consideration it has given to the implications for its employees of the proposals in the UK Government’s Trade Union Bill.
26 Oct 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to young people in Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn.
19 Oct 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its views are on bus re-regulation.
21 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing legislation that would lead to the re-regulation of bus services.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government looks to work in partnership with bus operators and local transport authorities to improve bus services and has no plans for wholesale re-regulation. We are, however, looking at the range of existing powers available to authorities to…
21 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on bus operators being required to take into account the effect on communities of decisions they are considering regarding the operation of routes.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government expects bus operators, as responsible businesses, to take account of the impacts of their operational decisions on users and communities. To facilitate this, we will shortly introduce legislation to amend the process for registering ch…
14 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to so-called deep end GP practices in the most socio-economically deprived populations.
7 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it provides to local authorities that wish to invest in environmentally friendly initiatives.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government has treated local government very fairly despite the cuts to the Scottish Budget from the UK Government. The local government finance settlements have been maintained over the period 2012-16, with extra money for additional responsibil…
3 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of the new logo for the Glasgow alcohol and drug recovery service, including design and implementation across the alcohol and drug service.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: It is for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) to commission and oversee the provision of local drug and alcohol services. The Scottish Government would not intervene in local decision making as it is up to ADPs and commissioned services to decide how their a…
31 Aug 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce health inequalities in Glasgow.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Scotland’s health is improving, with people living longer, healthier lives. But despite the best efforts of both this and previous administrations, deeply ingrained social inequalities persist. At its root this is an issue of income inequality – we need a sh…
26 Aug 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what process communities should follow to apply for funding from the Town Centre Communities Capital Fund.
15 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines are included in the (a) ScotRail and (b) Network Rail franchise concerning night-time working close to residential areas.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The requirements set out within the ScotRail franchise relate specifically to the operation of passenger services. Network Rail is responsible for the operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the rail infrastructure in Scotland and must manage this …
15 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) ScotRail and (b) Network Rail franchise has a requirement stipulating that major work on the network is carried out at night
Answer · Derek Mackay: The ScotRail franchise sets out the Scottish Government’s specification for the operation of rail services rather than the delivery of rail infrastructure works. Network Rail is responsible for the operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the rail i…
5 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09440 by Kenny MacAskill on 11 September 2012, whether it has reviewed or is planning to review its policies to ensure that those communities most blighted by crime receive an appropriate share of funds seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Projected funding up to end March 2017 has been committed to Phase 3 of CashBack for Communities. Phase 4 commences on 1 April 2017 and decisions on that tranche will be taken nearer the time. Our consideration of the future focus of CashBack will include the…
1 Jun 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Shona Robison: Ministers and government officials regularly meet with representatives of all health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to discuss matters of importance to local people.
21 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Syzygium 30c and (b) Natrum Muriaticum 1m powder is available to NHS patients.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25339 on 1 May 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybus…