Parliamentary questions
Rhoda Grant
2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress there has been in establishing a management committee for the Sound of Barra Special Area of Conservation; whether the committee is in place, and, if so, (a) what the membership is, (b) what decisions it has made and (c) how much funding it has received.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: There is no management committee in place at present. A local charity, Voluntary Action Barra and Vatersay, was given a grant in 2013-14 and 2014-15 to develop options for a community-led approach to managing the Sound of Barra Special Area of Conservation. A…
5 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on how many of the 309 weekdays between 15 December 2014 and 12 December 2015 rail services on the Far North Line achieved 100% reliability.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Of the 309 weekdays between 15 December 2014 and 12 December 2015, 100 percent reliability (that is, no full cancellations, part-cancellations, or incidents where a train failed to stop where it should have stopped) was achieved on 216 days.
5 Jan 2016 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what socioeconomic impact assessments it has carried out of the new marine protected areas and how many jobs will be lost on shore and at sea in these locations as a result of their designation.
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of people seeking the flu vaccine had received it by (a) 1 November 2015 and (b) 1 December 2015; what percentage has not received it to date, and how these percentages compare with those in each year since 2005.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Influenza vaccine is offered to eligible groups of the Scottish population free every year. These population groups (as defined by their age and/or by the presence of underlying chronic health conditions or by their occupation) have been identified as being a…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to assist people who have not yet received their annual flu vaccine.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Bauer radio stations and local press carried key messaging and relevant case studies, and pharmacies across Scotland displayed posters reminding people to get the vaccine. In light of the lower levels of uptake this year, an additional week of TV advertising …
2 Dec 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote self-help as a form of preventative care.
19 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to identify common (a) land and (b) grazing land and how many acres there are.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: This is a matter for several bodies. The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Government does not have a single definition of common land. Land may be owned in common (i.e. without a single owner) in a variety of circumstances including,…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to train all Scottish Fire and Rescue Service officers in the use of defibrillators.
Answer · Maureen Watt: All operational (uniform) emergency response staff based at community fire and rescue stations, training centres and other identified establishments are trained in basic life support including CPR, and all staff on stations with appliances that carry defibril…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all (a) police vehicles, (b) fire and rescue vehicles and (c) ambulances carry defibrillators at all times and whether all emergency service staff who use these vehicles are trained in their use.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Twenty-one specialist police vehicles carry defibrillators and all staff who operate these vehicles are fully trained in their use. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service holds a register of all vehicles and fixed locations where a defibrillator is installed/ca…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland has added the use of defibrillators to its annual emergency lifesaving course; what percentage of serving police officers is now trained in the use of defibrillators and whether it is on course to have all serving officers trained by the end of 2016.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Police Scotland is in the process of piloting an automated external defibrillator awareness input which will be incorporated into the annual Scottish Police Emergency Life Saving Skills course. This will go live as of 1 January 2016 and will ensure that all o…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects a slow uptake of adult carer support plans and young carer statements in year one of the implementation of the Carers (Scotland) Bill and whether the funding and resources of local authorities are sufficient to meet their new duties in year one.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The estimated demand for adult carer support plans and young carer statements in 2017-18 and the estimated level of resources required to meet the demand in the same year is set out in the Financial Memorandum for the Carers Bill. I believe the Financial Memo…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how carer support will be implemented at the local level under the Carers (Scotland) Bill and how it will determine the allocation of new resources.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: As set out in the Financial Memorandum, all functions created under the Carers Bill which relate to the delivery of services to adult carers will require to be delegated under integration schemes under the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. Al…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide funding for preventative spend for carers' centres to account for expected increased demand.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Financial Memorandum makes clear that the Scottish Government encourages both local authorities and health boards to make the best use of the third sector, to work in partnership with the sector and to fund the sector accordingly. This will include carers…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the estimated £16 million for replacement care will be funded from money included in the financial memorandum to the Carers (Scotland) Bill and, if not, from where.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The estimate of £16 million of the cost of replacement care is a maximum, and it is expected to be significantly less. There should be sufficient flexibility within the existing financial envelope for the Carers Bill arising from the unit cost and demand assu…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how will it fund short break support under the Carers (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Funding for support to carers, including an additional short breaks component, is set out in the Financial Memorandum.
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will continue to provide (a) respite care funds, (b) carer information strategy funds and (c) the change fund under the Carers (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Financial Memorandum for the Carers Bill sets out funding for Carer Information Strategies and for support to carers, including short breaks, from 2017-18 onwards. The Integrated Care Fund (ICF) is providing £300 million to health and social care partners…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional resources for carer support it will provide to fund the implementation of the provisions in the Carers (Scotland) Bill and how these will be allocated.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The estimated level of resources for supporting carers once the Carers Bill is commenced is set out in the Financial Memorandum. The allocations to local authorities, NHS boards and other organisations are also set out in the Financial Memorandum.
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will address the reported funding gap for carers' information services in 2016-17.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Funding for Carer Information Strategies is currently included in baseline funding. Our assumption is for this to continue in 2016-17, subject to the Spending Review process.
18 Nov 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing and what funds it has allocated to make care a more attractive career choice for men and young people.
17 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many acres of land in the (a) crofting counties and (b) rest of the country are designated as common grazings.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: That information is not held centrally. The Crofting Commission administers the regulation of crofting on behalf of the Scottish Ministers and the Chief Executive of that organisation was asked to supply the information. The Crofting Commission has advised t…
17 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to identify common land and how many acres of common land there are.
16 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what days since April 2015 the 06.18 rail service from Wick has been delayed at Muir of Ord due to late running, also broken down by length of the delay.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not routinely hold information on specific delays per service, however ScotRail has provided the following details on incidents of delay since April 2015 affecting the 06:18 service from Wick between Dingwall and Inverness: Date…
4 Nov 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available through the justice system for the protection of children in families experiencing domestic abuse.
2 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reform the crofting (a) compensation arrangements and (b) hardship funds, and what its response is to reports suggesting that people find these insufficient.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government is firmly committed to the future of crofting and the role crofting has to play in helping to make rural communities socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. While there are no compensation arrangements or hardship funds…
2 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it provides to crofting communities in the Highlands and Islands that are affected by extreme weather, and what plans it has to introduce additional measures.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government understands that weather conditions experienced during the spring and early summer of 2015 were challenging for some crofters and farmers. In order to get a better understanding of the issue and to see what might be done assist, a wet …
25 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to complete major capacity and speed improvements to the Highland Main Line with electrification before 2030.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to delivering journey time improvements and greater connectivity for both passenger and freight services operating between Inverness and the Central Belt. That commitment is being delivered in phases. From Decem…
25 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to complete major capacity and speed improvements to the Highland Main Line before 2025.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to delivering journey time improvements and greater connectivity for both passenger and freight services operating between Inverness and the Central Belt. That commitment is being delivered in phases. From Decem…
23 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Futures Trust about the completion of the new Elgin High School.
16 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who has been awarded funding from the extra £20 million announced to help tackle violence against women.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Awards from the additional £20 million resource have been made to Police Scotland (in connection with the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse); Rape Crisis Scotland, Women’s Aid through the Edinburgh Domestic Abuse Courts Service, to ASSIST, to the Scottish …
16 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what changes it has made to the funding arrangements from 2016 for the (a) Equality Fund, (b) Violence Against Women and Girls Fund, (c) Children's Services Women's Aid Fund and (d) Rape Crisis Specific Fund.
Answer · Alex Neil: The UK Spending Review will not be published until 25 November 2015 and we will therefore not know what block grant is available to Scottish ministers and delivery partners until that date. As a result, we are unable to publish a draft budget until after that…