Patricia Ferguson

2 Jul 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it can offer the 140 employees of Diageo in Port Dundas in Glasgow and the 900 employees Scotland-wide in light of the announcement by Diageo that they are to be made redundant.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise were informed by Diageo on 30 June 2009 that there would be an announcement the next day. However, neither the Scottish Government nor Scottish Enterprise was informed of the nature and extent of Diageo''s inten…

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24096 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2009, whether it continues to pursue an international development policy.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. The Scottish Government''s international development policy, which was published in May 2008, continues to make good progress across all strands.</p>

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered extending its international development work to include South America.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has no plans to extend the geographical focus of its international development policy to include South America and we have already committed the majority of the available international development fund resources for the period to the e…

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in taking forward its Indian Subcontinent Development Programme.

Answer · Michael Russell: The consultation phase of the South Asia Development Programme (the name of which has been confirmed following feedback from stakeholders) has been completed. Advice on the scope and funding approach for the programme will be announced in due course.</p>

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances it would reject an application for the exceptional closure of a school.

Answer · Keith Brown: In each case, the individual circumstances are carefully considered. Concerns which may lead to an application being rejected would usually focus around the potential loss of education to the pupils affected and the extent to which parents or parent organisat…

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a minimum notice period required prior to the granting of an exceptional closure request for a school.

Answer · Keith Brown: Although Section 133(4) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 does not specify a minimum period of notice, ministers require adequate time to give any such application appropriate consideration.</p>

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it expects education authorities to undertake prior to applying for the exceptional closure of a school.

Answer · Keith Brown: The expectation is that authorities will have consulted parents or parent representatives at the school.</p>

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual schools have been affected by the rejection of applications for exceptional closure from education authorities.

Answer · Keith Brown: There were 34 schools affected in applications that were either partially refused or where the number of days applied for was reduced.</p>

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for exceptional closures of schools by education authorities have been rejected in the last 12 months.

Answer · Keith Brown: None of the 70 applications was rejected outright, although in a number of cases individual school approval was refused or granted for a reduced number of days'' closure.</p>

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for exceptional closures of schools have been submitted to the Scottish Government by education authorities in the last 12 months.

Answer · Keith Brown: There have been around 70 applications for exceptional closures of schools submitted in the last 12 months, applications which in some cases covered more than one school.</p>

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it gives to education authorities wishing to avail themselves of the exceptional closures provision in respect of schools.

Answer · Keith Brown: No formal guidance has been issued. Under the Schools General (Scotland) Regulations 1975, schools are required to be open for a minimum of 190 days per year. If there are exceptional circumstances which, in authorities'' consideration, make it unreasonable t…

17 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that planning authorities are provided with guidance on implementing the sustainable development duty placed on them by the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Guidance on planning and sustainable development will be provided through the consolidated <i >Scottish Planning Policy</i> when it is finalised, and through the<i > National Planning Framework for Scotland</i>.</p>

17 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that planning authorities comply with their sustainable development duty as required by the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 places a new duty on planning authorities to exercise their development planning functions with the objective of contributing to sustainable development. In the first instance, it is for planning authorities to consider h…

17 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what factors it took into account in deciding to reduce its proposed statutory guidance on sustainable development from 52 paragraphs in Statutory Guidance on Planning and Sustainable Development: Consultation Paper published in March 2007 to the two paragraphs in Scottish Planning Policy…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The decision to incorporate statutory guidance under Section 3E of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 into the draft consolidated <i >Scottish Planning Policy </i>reflects the Scottish Government''s commitment to proportionate and practical national planni…

17 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that sustainable development and sustainable economic growth must include a recognition that there are environmental limits.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Yes, as reflected in our Government Economic Strategy.</p>

17 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UK Sustainable Development Strategy remains Scottish Government policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24913 on 13 July 2009. 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/B…

17 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Sustainable Development Strategy remains Scottish Government policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government remains committed to sustainable development, as defined in the 2005 UK shared framework for sustainable development, <i >One future “ different paths</i>. This commitment is reflected in the Government Economic Strategy, which superse…

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been received concerning the quality of food in hospitals managed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the last two financial years, broken down by hospital.

Answer · Shona Robison: The total number of complaints received by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde concerning the quality of food in hospitals in the last two financial years, broken down by hospitals, is shown in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 …

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to replace cook-freeze facilities in hospitals with conventional catering facilities.

Answer · Shona Robison: Plans of this kind are operational matters for individual NHS boards. </p>

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to replace cook-chill facilities in hospitals with conventional catering facilities.

Answer · Shona Robison: Plans of this kind are operational matters for individual NHS boards.</p>

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much per day is spent on food for each inpatient in hospitals where conventional catering systems are used.

Answer · Shona Robison: No information is held centrally on how much per day is spent on food for each inpatient in hospitals where conventional catering systems are used. <i >Scottish Health Service Costs 2008</i> presents information on catering costs per patient consumer week, by…

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much per day is spent on food for each inpatient in hospitals where the cook-freeze system is used.

Answer · Shona Robison: No information is held centrally on how much per day is spent on food for each inpatient in hospitals where the cook-freeze system is used. <i >Scottish Health Service Costs 2008</i> presents information on catering costs per patient consumer week, by health …

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is spent per day on food for each inpatient in hospitals where the cook-chill system is used.

Answer · Shona Robison: No information is held centrally on how much is spent per day on food for each inpatient in hospitals where the cook-chill system is used. <i >Scottish Health Service Costs 2008</i> presents information on catering costs per patient consumer week, by health b…

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the quality of food provided to hospital inpatients.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of nutrition to patients and through our Improving Nutritional Care Programme we have taken steps to improve the whole experience of nutrition in hospitals including improving the standard of meals. One aspect…

10 Jun 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many portions of fresh fruit and vegetables patients in hospitals operating a cook-chill system receive on a daily basis.

Answer · Shona Robison : <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0618-01.htm">http://www.scot…

26 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Housing Association (Management) will retain factoring responsibility for domestic properties, previously owned by Glasgow Housing Association, following second stage transfer.

Answer · Alex Neil: Glasgow Housing Association will remain as factor following Second Stage Transfer in respect of any factored block unless and until a proprietors'' meeting is called and a vote is taken in respect of appointing a new factor.</p> <p >As part of the arrangemen…

21 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Housing Association will retain factoring responsibility for domestic properties previously owned by it following second-stage transfer.

18 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals operate a cook-chill process for inpatient food.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: </p> <p >The NHSScotland hospitals which operate a cook-chill process for inpatient food are listed below by NHS Board area:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=308 > <p align=left >NHS Grampian</p> </td> <td width=…

18 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities are operating projects as part of the Youth Music Initiative.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Arts Council have advised me that all thirty two local authorities are operating projects as part of the Youth Music Initiative.</p>

18 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider funding climate change adaptation projects in developing countries from its environment budget.