Rhoda Grant

12 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what conditions people are routinely offered speech therapy.

Answer · Alex Neil: The purpose of a speech and language therapy service is to provide evidence-based services that anticipate and respond to the needs of individuals who may experience speech, language, communication or swallowing difficulties. The reasons for these difficultie…

5 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Highland Council about the infrastructure and capital investment required to meet the needs of communities in the Highlands and Islands.

4 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned on the cost effectiveness of the shingles vaccine, Zostavax.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has not commissioned research on the cost effectiveness of the shingles vaccine Zostavax. The Scottish Government and all other UK Health Departments take advice on immunisation issues from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immun…

1 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many and what percentage of the population were of pensionable age in each local authority area in the last year for which information is available, and what the projected figures are for 2033.

30 Oct 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to public transport for people with mobility issues.

29 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements have been established at UK level for joint ministerial discussions on the Crown Estate since the publication of the Scottish Affairs Committee report, The Crown Estate in Scotland; whether any meetings have been held, and, if so, what was discussed and what the outcome…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The UK Government’s response to the Scottish Affairs Committee’s report on The Crown Estate in Scotland announced a Scottish Inter-Ministerial Strategic Group to meet annually to consider the activities of the Crown Estate. The strategic group was due to have…

28 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scotland-based health researchers or methodologists the Chief Scientist Office has funded under the same or a similar scheme to the funding of 18 research professorships by the National Institute for Health Research.

Answer · Alex Neil: Scotland has a Senior Clinical Fellowships scheme open to doctors and dentists. It is funded by the Scottish Funding Council and the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrews, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The level of individuals awarded these fellowships would …

7 Oct 2013 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government plans to implement a wage rise for NHS workers in Scotland.

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many and what percentage of the population was of pensionable age in each local authority area in the last year for which figures are available, and what the projected figures are for 2033.

Answer · John Swinney: The estimated number and percentage of pensionable age population in each local authority for 2012 and the latest available projected figures for 2033 are shown in the following table. Number and percentage of pensionable age population for 2012 and 2033 L…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many and what percentage of the population was of working age in each local authority area in the last year for which information is available, and what the projected figures are for 2033.

Answer · John Swinney: The estimated number and percentage of working age population in each local authority for 2012 and the latest available projected figures for 2033 are shown in the following table. Number and percentage of working age population for 2012 and 2033 Local Aut…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were diagnosed with a form of dementia in the last year for which information is available, broken down by (a) type of dementia, (b) local authority area and (c) NHS board, and what the projected figures are for 2033.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on how many people were diagnosed with a form of dementia as at June 2013 by local authority area and by NHS board is contained in tables (1) and (2).This information is not broken down by type of dementia as this is not held centrally. Projected…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what transport companies run services on routes that are (a) eligible for and (b) exempt from inclusion in the national concessionary travel scheme.

Answer · Keith Brown: (a) A list of the 258 bus operators who operate services within the Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People scheme is provided in the following table. (b) The Scottish Government do not hold information on those operators that are not eli…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what routes are (a) eligible for and (b) exempt from inclusion in the national concessionary travel scheme.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: (a) The Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People scheme allows for travel across Scotland as well as cross border travel to and from Berwick-upon-Tweed or Carlisle. (b) Any other cross border services or services not operated within Scotl…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what types of transport are (a) eligible for and (b) exempt from inclusion in the national concessionary travel scheme.

Answer · Keith Brown: (a) The Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People scheme allows for free bus travel on all local registered and long-distance bus services. (b) No other forms of transport are eligible to access the Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older a…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what grounds travellers can be excluded from using the national concessionary travel scheme.

Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland acting on behalf of the Scottish Ministers have the authority to withdraw or suspend a cardholder’s access to the Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People scheme when: (a) It is identified that the cardholder has knowing…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the eligibility criteria are for travellers to use the national concessionary travel scheme.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People scheme is available to anyone who is a resident of Scotland and is aged 60 or over and/or meets the eligibility criteria as follows: They receive Disability Living Allowance under the higher r…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has ensured that the new live attenuated influenza vaccine is evaluated.

Answer · Michael Matheson: At the end of the current flu season, the childhood flu vaccination pilots will be evaluated by the Scottish Government, Health Protection Scotland and NHS health boards representatives involved in the pilots. This will include an evaluation of the vaccine.

26 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Ministers can delegate final decisions on approving compulsory purchase orders and, if so, to whom.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Where the Scottish Ministers are acting as the confirming authority in relation to a compulsory purchase order, the decision whether or not to confirm the order may not be delegated to a third party.

26 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what account the Scottish Ministers must take of the public interest when considering the approval of compulsory purchase orders and what other criteria they must meet.

Answer · Derek Mackay: In deciding whether or not to confirm a compulsory purchase order, the Scottish Ministers will consider each case on its merits considering whether the acquisition of the property by compulsory means is proportionate and in the public interest weighing the ba…

26 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether a site can be designated as a (a) site of special scientific interest and (b) special protection area without the approval of the Scottish Ministers.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: A Site of Special Scientific Interest can be notified without the approval of the Scottish Ministers. The power to notify such sites is conferred on Scottish Natural Heritage by the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. A Special Protection Area under Dir…

26 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many compulsory purchase orders for land were requested by each (a) local authority and (b) Scottish Government agency in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011 and (iv) 2012 and how many were approved by the Scottish Ministers.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The following table shows all compulsory purchase orders received and which have been confirmed, or are in the process of being confirmed, by the Scottish Ministers from 2009 to 2012 where the local authority was the acquiring authority. The Scottish Governm…

25 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it would cost to introduce the road equivalent tariff scheme for all vehicles using (a) south west and (b) Clyde services.

Answer · Keith Brown: The cost to introduce a Road Equivalent Tariff (RTE) scheme for all vehicles (cars and commercial vehicles) on South West Services is estimated to be £4.4 million. The cost to introduce RET scheme for all vehicles (cars and commercial vehicles) on Clyde Serv…

25 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it would cost to reinstate the road equivalent tariff scheme for all vehicles using Western Isles services.

Answer · Keith Brown: The cost of reinstating Road Equivalent Tariff for Commercial Vehicles on routes to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree is estimated at £3.5 million per annum.

25 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all schools have adequate internet connections.

24 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-16862 by Alex Neil on 18 September 2013, how many new programmes have been funded since 1 January 2010.

Answer · Alex Neil: No new programmes have been funded since 1 January 2010.

11 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to The Review of NHS Pharmaceutical Care of Patients in the Community in Scotland.

4 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of eligible women has been screened for cervical cancer in each of the last 10 years, also broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) age group.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Eligible women are invited to attend cervical screening once every three years and by convention uptake rates are reported on the previous 3.5 years. The latest figures on the percentage of eligible women who have been screened for cervical cancer in each of …

4 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) diagnoses of and (b) deaths from cervical cancer there have been in each of the last five years, also broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: Cervical cancer incidence and mortality data is published by ISD Scotland at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Cancer-Statistics/Female-Genital-Organ The number of a) new diagnoses (incidence) of and b) deaths from cervical cancer for 2007 to…

28 Aug 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the owners of the former Kishorn oil yard in Wester Ross to regenerate the facility.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Kishorn Port Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2013. HIE has agreed to contribute up to £106,500 towards the cost of Kishorn Port's masterplanning process. Kishorn Port is seeking permission from Hi…

27 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what ongoing research programmes have received funding of more than £500,000 from the Chief Scientist Office since 2009.

Answer · Alex Neil: Research programmes are usually defined as a series of research projects linked through a single offer of grant funding. The following ongoing research programmes have received funding since 1 January 2009:- Applied Research Programme Grant – “Living well wi…