Parliamentary questions

Rhoda Grant

2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in hospitals in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Orkney, (c) Shetland and (d) Western Isles were directly associated with alcohol-related conditions in each of the last three years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of acute occupied bed days which are directly attributable to alcohol-related conditions is not held centrally. Information on acute occupied bed days is recorded on the SMR01 dataset. SMR01 has space for up to six diagnosis…

15 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new outpatient attendances there were in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Orkney, (c) Shetland and (d) Western Isles in each of the last three years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of new outpatient attendances for the last three financial years ending 31 March in Highland, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles is shown in the following table. Number of New Outpatient Attendances <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cell…

15 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related accident and emergency admissions there were in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Orkney, (c) Shetland and (d) Western Isles in each of the last three years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of alcohol-related accident and emergency admissions in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Orkney, (c) Shetland and (d) Western Isles is not available centrally. Information on the number of accident and emergency (A&E) attendances w…

15 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychiatric bed days in hospitals in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Orkney, (c) Shetland and (d) Western Isles were directly associated with alcohol-related conditions in each of the last three years.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are no psychiatric inpatient facilities within NHS Orkney or NHS Shetland. Information on the number of psychiatric bed days which are directly attributable to alcohol-related conditions is not held centrally. Information on psychiat…

15 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S3O-8282 by Adam Ingram on 5 November 2009 (Official Report c. 20919), what progress has been made in bringing together a meeting of key local authority representatives to learn from those authorities that are delivering effective su…

Answer · Adam Ingram: Following the release of the latest Children Looked After Statistics on 24 February 2010, I now intend to consider with local authorities what further support, through meetings or otherwise, they would find useful in discharging their duties to looked after c…

4 Feb 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive , of the 251 new schools referred to in the SNP press release of 25 January 2010, SNP build more schools than promised, how many were planned or under construction prior to May 2007.

Answer · Michael Russell: Given normal lead-in times for major capital projects, it is not unexpected that planning and construction began on a number of the 251 schools prior to May 2007. This was the same situation faced by the first Scottish Executive administration. Of the school …

14 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the conclusions of the traffic capacity study carried out by Scotland Transerv on the A9 Longman roundabout to be published.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland recently received the report and this is currently being considered. It is expected to be published in March and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50129).

7 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available to older people who are housebound due to the current weather conditions and how such information is relayed.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is working with local authorities and local radio to help individuals in communities find help for themselves and others. We are publicising “ through the Weather Wise section of the government''s website “ local authority help…

7 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a helpline for older people who are housebound due to the current weather conditions through which they can access essential goods and services.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local authority social work departments operate emergency helplines and when contacted will ensure that all vulnerable housebound people receive essential goods and services whenever possible. The Scottish Government, local authorities and voluntary organisat…

7 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency funding is available to ensure that no older person is unable to access key services due to the current weather conditions.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provide cold weather payments to those in receipt of income related benefits, including pension credit, when specified criteria are met. Payments of £25 are made when the area in which the person lives is, or is fore…

7 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what services are available to older people who are housebound due to the current weather conditions to enable them to purchase groceries and other essential items.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local authorities, health boards, voluntary organisations and private care providers are working hard to ensure that housebound people receive the help they need during the severe weather conditions, including assistance with purchasing groceries and other es…

16 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29603 by John Swinney on 11 December 2009, whether staff continue to be paid while attending the mobile blood transfusion units visiting Scottish Government buildings during working hours.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government staff are afforded opportunities to donate blood during working hours. In addition Scottish Government staff continue to be paid whilst donating blood at the mobile blood transfusion units visiting the Scottish Government buildings.

16 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons Moray Council’s round one bid for new-build council home funding was unsuccessful.

Answer · Alex Neil: Moray Council received £1.2 million subsidy from round one of the incentivising council house building fund to help build 48 new houses. In round two, Moray applied for £1.125 million to help build 45 new houses. In round two, an expert group compris…

16 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons Shetland Islands Council’s round one and two bids for new-build council home funding were unsuccessful.

Answer · Alex Neil: An expert group comprising COSLA, the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO), a local government finance officer and the Scottish Government considered all applications against the agreed principles and criteria. The group provided an …

8 Dec 2009 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: The allocations made by the Scottish Government, to which local authorities also add their own resources, are shown in the following table. Mental Health Specific Grant was absorbed into the main local government settlement from April 2008. The fundi…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it offers its staff the opportunity to donate blood at private or organised group sessions and whether such staff continue to be paid while taking time to donate blood.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government staff are afforded opportunities to donate blood during working hours by attending the mobile blood transfusion units visiting the Scottish Government buildings.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8551 by Fergus Ewing on 25 January 2008, whether it considers that Inverness Sheriff Court continues to be fit for purpose.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Inverness Sheriff Court continues to be fit for purpose. The sheriff court accommodation has been progressively modernised over the years and although split over adjacent buildings, the current volume of court business is manageable within this three court …

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to include top class facilities for sport, including a 50-metre swimming pool, in the new campus for Inverness College.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is for the owners of Inverness College to determine the range and level of sporting facilities to be developed on its campus. On the matter of a 50 metre swimming pool, this has not been identified as a priority within Scottish Swimming''s facility strateg…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to establishing a centre of sporting excellence in Inverness to aid the development of talented sportsmen and women in the Highlands and Islands disadvantaged due to the distances required to travel to access top class training facilities.

Answer · Shona Robison: It would be for the Highland Council, in partnership with key stakeholders including the Highland Institute of Sport, to determine if a centre of sporting excellence is appropriate to help with the development of talented sportsmen and sportswomen in the High…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure that all areas of Scotland enjoy an equitable share of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has been very clear that hosting the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games should provide a lasting legacy for the whole of Scotland. We set out how all of Scotland can benefit from hosting major events in the website A games legacy for …

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation to next report.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: TAGRA are currently finalising their work on the impact of the NRAC formula on remote and rural areas. I expect them to report these findings to me early next year.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what reports the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has made to ministers in the last year.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation last reported to ministers in September 2008.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has met in the last year.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has met four times in the last year.