Parliamentary questions
Patricia Ferguson
1,079 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider the outsourcing of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s occupational health services to be privatisation.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is for health boards to determine how occupational health services are provided. Any transition to a Shared Services Model is a journey that needs careful planning and execution, and requires comprehensive understanding of the delivery process including cu…
18 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde concerning the possible outsourcing of its occupational health services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde officials routinely meet to discuss matters of mutual concern and interest, and the Scottish Government is aware of the proposal to possibly outsource occupational health services. Scottish Government …
18 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for children to be assessed prior to receiving speech therapy.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. The planning and provision of NHS speech and language therapy services is for NHS boards to determine based on local priorities.</p>
18 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the mileage rate paid to volunteer drivers working with the Scottish Ambulance Service in 2008-09.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has allocated £183.4 million to the Scottish Ambulance Service for 2008-09 and it is for it to decide how best this money should be used to obtain the maximum benefits for patients all over Scotland, as well as ensuring value for money…
15 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is available to householders whose properties have been investigated under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990: Part IIA.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not provide financial support direct to householders in respect of contaminated land remediation or related works to their properties. Under the provisions of the legislation, local authorities have powers to carry out remediation…
15 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many domestic properties have been found to be contaminated following investigation under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990: Part IIA, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9930 on 4 March 2008. 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/webapp/wa…
15 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many domestic properties have been investigated for possible contamination under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990: Part IIA, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: This information is not collected centrally by the Scottish Government. Under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a statutory duty to inspect their areas to identify land that is contaminated land as defined in the legisl…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what regulatory requirements apply to housing co-operatives.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, ActingChief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Housing co-operatives, like housingassociations, are also known as registered social landlords (RSLs), which meansthey are registered with Com…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to housing co-operatives.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The £93 million allocated fordevelopment of the third sector in the spending review recognises the existing contributionof third sector organisations, including housing co-operatives, and the potentialfor their entrepreneurial dynamism to contribute to transf…
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5748 by Linda Fabiani on 8 November 2007, when it will make an announcement on the outcome of the review of the International Development Policy, showing which African countries it will provide with aid and when such aid will be provided.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: An announcement on the outcomeof the review and future funding will be made soon.</p>
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6487 by Stewart Maxwell on 26 November 2007, which stakeholders have consented to the publication of their response to the review of sportscotland and when the responses will be published.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We have contactedthe stakeholders involved with the review seeking permission to release all availablecorrespondence. We have already received a number of consents and will await allresponses before we publish, subject to freedom of information legislation.</…
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5757 by Linda Fabiani on 6 November 2007, when it will make an announcement on the outcome of the review of legislation covering heritage protection.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I responded to the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland''s reports on heritage legislation and local government on 21 December 2007, and this was supplemented with further information on 29 January 2008. I have asked my officials in Historic Sco…
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5747 by Linda Fabiani on 8 November 2007, when an announcement will be made on the outcome of its consideration of its proposal to merge the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments and Historic Scotland.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The First Ministermade a statement to Parliament on 30<sup> </sup>January, setting out a broad packageto deliver a new, coherent approach to shaping Scotland’s public service.</p><p>As part of this, wepropose to rationalise historic archival, recording and sc…
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5756 by Linda Fabiani on 8 November 2007, when a report on the outcome of the July 2007 Scotland-Malawi Joint Commission meeting will be published.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Following formal clearancefrom the Government of Malawi a copy of the outcomes of the Joint Commission meetingheld in July 2007 was placed on the Scottish Government’s website at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relati…
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5755 by Linda Fabiani on 9 November 2007, when an announcement will be made about the detailed arrangements for the implementation of the artists’ grant scheme.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Further to the response I providedon 9 November, I have no additional information to offer at this stage.</p>
11 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what costs were incurred by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service as a result of the prosecutions that took place following the inquiry into the causes of the Stockline disaster.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The Crown Office and ProcuratorFiscal Service do not routinely record the costs of individual cases. However, officialsare able to estimate the cost of the ICL Tech and ICL Plastics Ltd prosecution frominformation available at £654,000.</p>
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland’s police forces engage with forces internationally to tackle internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8342 on 21 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the retail industry to enlist it in the fight against internet crime.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8342 on 21 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with the banking and financial services sector concerning internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8342 on 21 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the public is aware of the dangers of internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8342 on 21 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government concerning internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8342 on 21 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In 2006, total UK losses foronline banking fraud from scams such as phishing and Trojans reached £33.5 million.There were 14,156 phishing incidents in 2006, up from 1,713 in 2005. “Card Not Present”fraud, including online, phone and mail order fraud, totalled…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what costs were incurred by Strathclyde Police as a result of the inquiry into the causes of the Stockline disaster.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not heldcentrally. Responsibility for the conduct of police investigations rests withchief constables.</p>
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions for breaches of health and safety legislation in the last five years failed in court.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information isgiven in the following table.</p><p>Persons with a Charge not Proved<sup>1</sup>for Offences Related Health and Safety at Work Acts<sup>2</sup></p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p ali…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions for health and safety breaches there were in the courts in each of the last five years.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information isgiven in the following table.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against forOffences Related to Health and Safety at Work Acts<sup>1</sup></p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p align=center>2001-0…
21 Dec 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it expects to make its decision on the future of sportscotland public.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Minister for Communitiesand Sport announced the outcome of the review of sportscotland to Parliament onWednesday 9 January 2008.</p>
19 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how its recent budget announcement will impact on waiting times for the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Cabinet Secretaryfor Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon, announced on 21 November 2007 that weare making £7 million available this financial year to accelerate up to 1,600 installations.If the rate of new applications continues at current levels, accel…
19 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it regards as an acceptable waiting period for those eligible to receive central heating under the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The primary purposeof the central heating programme is to help owners in fuel poverty by improvingthe energy efficiency of their houses. The programme deals with demand for supportaccording to the resources and installation capacity available and the waiting …
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6013 by Stewart Maxwell on 14 November 2007, when it will publish the responses received from key stakeholders in relation to the future of sportscotland.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The review of sportscotlandis not a public consultation and the question of publication of responses hasnot been discussed with stakeholders. We will however invite those who haveresponded to consent to their responses being published, with a view topublicati…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6016 by Stewart Maxwell on 14 November 2007, whether it is committed to the continued existence of the Scottish Institute of Sport.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6016 on 14 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…