Parliamentary questions
Rhoda Grant
2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out with the farming industry to assess the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17468 on 14 November 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/App…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme while the rest of the United Kingdom is not doing so.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Veterinary advice and the analysis by EPIC is that mass vaccination campaign against bluetongue virus 8 would be in Scotland best interests. In the light of this advice and evidence of likely take up under voluntary initiatives industry stakeholders advocated…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Industry representatives requested a compulsory approach to bluetongue vaccination as the veterinary advice and experience with eradicating other strains of bluetongue elsewhere in Europe is that a mass vaccination is the only strategy likely to avoid blueton…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17468 on 14 November 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/App…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17468 on 14 November 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/App…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17468 on 14 November 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/App…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme should the rest of the United Kingdom not undertake compulsory vaccination.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17468 on 14 November 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/App…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17470 on 14 November 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/App…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of reduced exports, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The choice between a compulsory or voluntary vaccination scheme has no impact on export potential. The potential trade impact arises from being part of a bluetongue protection zone and vaccination and subsequent development of immunity will allow live animal …
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of any assessment of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17468 on 14 November 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/App…
4 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment was carried out of the potential impact on Scottish farmers, in terms of cost of the vaccination, of undertaking a compulsory bluetongue vaccination scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: As part of the work of the work with stakeholder organisations to develop the Scottish bluetongue vaccination strategy the Scottish Government commissioned its Centre of Excellence in epidemiology (EPIC) to assess the impact of a number of potential bluetongu…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people did not proceed with a central heating installation after being informed of their personal contribution under the new capped regime.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Since the cap was introduced by the previous administration in January 2007, the managing agent has indicated that around 133 householders did not proceed with their central heating application, after being informed of their contribution.</p> <p >It is likel…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards will be built in to protect people who cannot raise funding privately or through equity release under the care and repair scheme to be in place from April 2009.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scheme of Assistance provisions which are being introduced under the previous Administrations Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 give local authorities wider powers to help homeowners repair, improve and adapt their homes. Authorities will need to consider to wh…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to ask householders to raise capital privately under the care and repair scheme to be in place from April 2009.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17301 on 12 November 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/App…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is planning to change the care and repair scheme into an equity release scheme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has no plans to change the care and repair scheme into an equity release scheme. The aim of the Scheme of Assistance provisions, which are being introduced under the previous administration''s Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, is to give lo…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether grant payments under the care and repair scheme to be in place from April 2009 will be capped.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: When devising its criteria for giving assistance using powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, it will be for each local authority to decide whether it gives any grants for repairs and improvements and, if so, at what level. There will be no statutory mini…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when grant payments will be available under the care and repair scheme to be in place from April 2009.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Each local authority will need to establish its criteria for giving assistance using powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 which are expected to come into force from early 2009. It will be for each authority to decide in what, if any, circumstances, grant…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of the care and repair scheme to be in place from April 2009.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is working with the Care and Repair Forum on ways to support the Care and Repair movement to adapt to the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Statutory guidance on the act is expected to be issued in early 2009. However,…
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding sources are available to elderly people who are required to make a contribution to their central heating installation under the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: When the cap was introduced in January 2007 by the previous administration they did not introduce any separate funding sources to cover householders contributions. However, it is unlikely that a householder would be required to make a contribution if they sel…
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise awareness of its central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government website contains information on the programme including a video of a householder who has benefited from a central heating installation.</p> <p >The managing agent is responsible for raising awareness of the programme and undertakes a …
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a cap, based on geographical area, on the number of central heating installations under the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: There is no cap based on geographical area.</p>
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which costs it covers to install an oil-fired central heating system under the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The cost to install a standard oil-fired heating system of up to seven radiators with all necessary insulation is covered, up to the cap limit, which was introduced by the previous administration in January 2007. However, it is unlikely that a householder wou…
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners’ central heating systems were installed in the (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Argyll and Bute, (d) Shetland, (e) Western Isles and (f) Orkney council areas in each of the last eight quarters.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Information is not held by local authority area.</p>
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it calculates to be the cost of supply and installation of an oil-fired central heating system in a three-bedroomed house in the Western Isles.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The average cost of an oil-fired central heating installation in a three-bedroom house in the Western Isles, as indicated by the managing agent, is shown in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td widt…
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to allow housing associations to access the £100 million to be brought forward under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme if their local authority is unable to match fund by 40%.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: There is no requirement for match funding from individual local authorities to be available to allow housing associations to access the accelerated £100 million funding.</p> <p >I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-15759 on 16 September, S3W-1…
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what allowance is made in NHS board and local government grant allocations to compensate for higher fuel costs on Scottish islands.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: For NHS boards, the formula which is used to allocate funding for Hospital and Community Health Services and GP prescribing to boards takes into account the unavoidable excess costs associated with island locations. This ensures that the particular issues rel…
24 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been in hospital awaiting a care home bed in the (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Argyll and Bute, (d) Shetland, (e) Western Isles and (f) Orkney council areas in each of the last eight quarters.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is provided in the following table. This is extracted from the delayed discharge census for each of the last eight quarters and is based on the principal reason codes that suggest the outcome for the patient on discharge will be a ca…
10 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15488 by Shona Robison on 3 September 2008, whether the results of the recent consultation on the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service strategy for the next five years and beyond have been published.
Answer · Shona Robison: The response to the recent public consultation on the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service''s strategy for the next five years is now available on their website <a href="http://www.scotblood.co.uk/">www.scotblood.co.uk</a>. On 31 October 2008, printed …
9 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who it consulted regarding the withdrawal of funding to fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17002 on 21 October 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/weba…
9 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it asked for the views of fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands when notifying these clubs in May 2008 that funding was to be withdrawn.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17002 on 21 October 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/weba…