Parliamentary questions

Trish Godman

601 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-39548 by Keith Brown on 3 March 2011, on how many occasions ScotRail has been penalised for failing to provide (a) the planned capacity on services and (b) adequate cleanliness on trains and what penalties were imposed, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Keith Brown: ScotRail operates approximately 700,000 trains per annum. The number of occasions ScotRail has been penalised under the Performance Regimes contained in the Franchise Agreement for (a) and (b), in each of the last five years, is as follows: (a) Numbe…

16 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what commitment there is to fund the wheelchair and seating services modernisation programme after the current funding commitment expires.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: By the end of 2011-12, the Scottish Government will have invested the £16 million committed to support the modernisation programme for NHS Scotland''s wheelchair and seating services. Beyond the requirements of the modernisation programme, it is …

16 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the wheelchair and seating services modernisation programme will use goal attainment scaling to identify unmet need, particularly for those people who would benefit from attendant-controlled powered wheelchairs but do not meet the criteria for the pilot.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Goal attainment score is an outcome measurement system currently being trialled locally by NHS wheelchair services, and is not a specific element of the Scottish Government''s modernisation action plan. Clinical Standards for NHS wheelchair servi…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed proposals for the fisheries research vessel, Scotia, to take on fisheries protection surveillance operations

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is not considering using its research vessel Scotia for fisheries protection surveillance operations. Accordingly there have been no discussions on this topic.

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are of reductions in public expenditure for those voluntary organisations and charities that deal with the care and rehabilitation of veterans

Answer · Alex Neil: Project funding of £80,000 is being made available in 2011 to veterans'' organisations through the Scottish Veterans'' Fund. This level of funding is unchanged from previous years. More generally, the Scottish Government does not provide core funding to veter…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed in dismantling offshore structures and installations and whether it has projections of the number of people likely to be so employed in the next five years

Answer · Jim Mather: The information requested is not held centrally. Estimates from Oil and Gas UK suggest that the UKCS (UK Continental Shelf) decommissioning market could support between 8,000 and 10,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2015. The decommissioning market is…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether information is held centrally anent the number of properties built or adapted to rehouse disabled veterans in the last three years

Answer · Alex Neil: The information on the number of properties built or adapted to rehouse disabled veterans is not held centrally.

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with UK transport ministers and officials anent the introduction of financial penalties in respect of train operators failing to deal with (a) overcrowding and (b) dirty trains

Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish ministers are responsible for monitoring and managing the ScotRail Franchise Agreement. The current franchise agreement includes a penalty regime for (a) operators failing to provide the planned capacity on services and (b) a service quality incentiv…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with UK and other EU fisheries ministers concerning the curtailment of the harvesting of bluefin tuna by fishing vessels registered in EU ports

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish fishing fleet does not exploit opportunities for bluefin tuna and Scottish Ministers have had no recent discussions with their UK or EU counterparts about its exploitation by vessels registered in other EU ports.

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding any recent communications to EU fisheries ministers by the International Commission for the Conservation of the Atlantic Tunas and other such bodies anent the likelihood of the extinction of the Atlantic bluefin tuna

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39547 on 1 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="../35500-35999/www.scottish.parliament.uk…

3 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effects Scotland continues to experience as a result of the Chernobyl incident in 1986.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency in Scotland that the last Scottish sheep farm affected by the 1986 Chernobyl accident was released from the monitoring requirements imposed under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 on 21 June 2010.

16 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide funding for the acquisition, demolition and rebuild of properties in the Clune Park area of Port Glasgow.

Answer · Alex Neil: I am aware of the issues in Clune Park. Inverclyde Council is currently developing a comprehensive strategy which addresses the complex housing and socio-economic problems affecting the area. Scottish Government officials are assisting the counci…

16 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Housing and Communities will accept the leader of Inverclyde Council’s invitation to visit the Clune Park area of Port Glasgow in order to view the challenges faced by the local authority and residents.

Answer · Alex Neil: I am aware of the issues affecting Clune Park and met with the Leader of the Council and a cross-party group of elected members in March 2010 to hear their concerns. I have also written to the Leader of Inverclyde Council on a number of occasions advising tha…

15 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government on behalf of lower Clyde shipyards regarding awarding a contract for the construction of one or more of the Royal Navy’s military afloat reach and sustainability vessels.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government on behalf of Scottish shipbuilding and other manufacturing sectors. Most recently, the First Minister and the Minister for Parliamentary Business wrote to Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a cost-reduction analysis is underway anent the range of maritime activities and functions that it funds and, if so, what information has been given to the appropriate trade unions.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: No cost-reduction analysis across the full range of maritime activities and functions funded by the Scottish Government has been under-taken. However, within Marine Scotland, some consideration has been given to the opportunity to reduce costs as part of a re…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if the number of Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency vessels were to be reduced, assistance would be requested from the Royal Navy to ensure compliance with the regulations governing the trawling of Scottish fishing grounds.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) was wound up on 31 March 2009. The functions and resources of SFPA were incorporated into Marine Scotland which was launched on 1 April 2009. It is very unlikely that Marine Scotland''s compliance monit…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a reduction in the number of Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency vessels and, if so, whether the affected crew members have been given alternative employment.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) was wound up on 31 March 2009. The functions and resources of SFPA were incorporated into Marine Scotland which was launched on 1 April 2009. The oldest vessel in the Marine Scotland compliance fleet, M…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether recent discussions have taken place anent a reduction in the number of fisheries protection vessels and, if so, what the implications are for the replacement of older vessels.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There have been internal discussions within Marine Scotland regarding the surveillance capability and other resources required for future operational tasking. Marine Scotland is required to operate in a manner which provides best value for the taxpay…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with representatives of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and other interested parties anent the effective surveillance of UK and non-UK-registered fishing vessels in Scottish fishing grounds with a reduced number of fisheries protection ves…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) was wound up on 31 March 2009. The functions and resources of SFPA were incorporated into Marine Scotland which was launched on 1 April 2009. In the last decade the increasing use of real time satellite…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministerial approval has been given for a reduction in the number of fisheries protection vessels operated by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) was wound up on 31 March 2009. The functions and resources of SFPA were incorporated into Marine Scotland which was launched on 1 April 2009. Ministerial consent is not considered necessary or appropria…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with representatives of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency anent a reduction in the number of fisheries protection vessels.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) was wound up on 31 March 2009. The functions and resources of SFPA were incorporated into Marine Scotland which was launched on 1 April 2009. There have been internal discussions within Marine Scotland …

29 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what means NHS boards have at their disposal to ensure that instructions given by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland are implemented by GP surgeries, which are independent contractors.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards have a range of powers under the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts)(Scotland) Regulations 2004 and the National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements)(Scotland) Regulations 2004 in relation to var…

28 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which territorial NHS boards do not plan to establish a wheelchair user and carer group but rather to rely on the networks being established by the wheelchair service.

Answer · Shona Robison: All NHS boards are creating and supporting their own user and carer group or network, as stipulated in the action plan.

28 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for taking forward the wheelchair user and carer group in each territorial NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: All NHS boards have a designated Patient Focus and Public Involvement (PFPI) lead, who has been charged with taking forward the setting up of wheelchair user and carer groups or networks as stipulated in the action plan.

28 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the territorial NHS boards have established a wheelchair user and carer group, as specified under the Wheelchair and Seating Service Modernisation: Action Plan.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Wheelchair and Seating Services modernisation action plan states that each NHS Board must establish a wheelchair user and carer group or network as part of their Patient Focus and Public Involvement (PFPI) structures and processes. User and carer…

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26317 by Shona Robison on 31 August 2009, what funding it provided to the Scottish Football Association from 1999 to 2006.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is already in the public domain and can be found at: <a href="http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/ChannelNavigation/Resources/TopicNavigation/Collections/Annual+Reports.htm">http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/ChannelNavigation/Reso…

24 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32354 by Shona Robison on 23 March 2010 stating that information regarding the percentage of patients assessed as being at medium or high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) receiving either mechanical or pharmacological prophylaxis is not collected…

Answer · Shona Robison: We have not received any audits of prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism from NHS boards since publication of SIGN Guideline 62. In terms of national audits, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland undertook a survey, published in December 2008, which conf…

24 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-32353 and S3W-31208 by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 February 2010 and Shona Robison on 23 March 2010 respectively and in light of the recent statement by Professor Tom Treasure that, “Put simply, all patients without exception should be assessed on being a…

Answer · Shona Robison: Until the revised Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) clinical guideline on Venous Thromboembolism is published this October, we have indicated to NHS boards that they must have in place local protocols to make sure people are treated according…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have established wheelchair user groups as required by the wheelchair action plan.

Answer · Shona Robison: All territorial NHS boards have either established a wheelchair user and carer group, or network, or are in the process of finalising their models of user engagement.

10 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the analysis of responses to its consultation on high hedges and other nuisance vegetation.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-9657 on 25 January 2010 which is available on the Parliament''s website, and can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0225-02.ht…