Parliamentary questions

Roseanna Cunningham

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

5 Feb 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the traditional arts working group that was announced at the traditional music awards in December 2008.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: I am pleased to announce that David Francis has convened a Traditional Arts Working Group. The group will make recommendations to me later this year regarding future support arrangements for traditional arts. Taking part in the group will be: Ruth …

18 Dec 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the importance of the insurance sector to the Scottish economy.

Answer · John Swinney: In its annual reporting process, the Financial Services Advisory Board (FISAB) publishes details of the financial services industry in Scotland, including both the life and pensions and general insurance sectors. In its 2008 Annual Report, FiSAB repo…

11 Dec 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to assist in the development of long distance footpaths.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 provides statutory powers for the designation of national long distance routes. In the past Scottish Natural Heritage has been able to provide some financial support for these projects. Going forward, local authorities will…

27 Nov 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met NHS Tayside to discuss health provision for Perthshire.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:   <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/busines…

16 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is spent on wages for carers of disabled people and whether it is aware that use of an assistance dog, such as provided by Canine Partners, can reduce this by more than a third.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. In the following table, information is presented on the number of local authority social care workers who work directly with adults in each salary band. This information cannot be broken down to extract those who work s…

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve allowances paid to jurors so that they do not lose out financially for performing their civic duty by serving on a jury.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I will shortly publish a consultation paper on a range of juror issues, including juror recompense.

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been fined for non-attendance when called for jury duty in each of the last three years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally, however Scottish Court Service is aware of two potential jurors being fined for non-attendance at Stonehaven Sheriff Court in November 2006.

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of potential jurors called for jury duty did not attend for selection in each of the last three years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

25 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the British Tinnitus Association has partially funded the post of a Senior Research Associate at the UCL Ear Institute in London and, if so, whether audiology services in Scotland will also be able to benefit from this research.

Answer · Shona Robison: The British Tinnitus Association is entirely funding a Senior Research Associate at the Ear Institute, UCL, London. The director has indicated to the Scottish Government that any benefit would accrue to all parts of the UK and confirmed the audiology services…

20 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is with regard to ethical investment of government assets.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government would always wish to ensure that ethical and environmental considerations are taken into account in its decision making. The main types of asset held by the Scottish Government are infrastructure assets or other assets directly related…

6 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on prescription charges and how many prescription prepayment certificates have been issued in each year since May 1999, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Shona Robison: Information on revenuefrom prescription charges and the number of Prescription Pre-payment Certificatesis not available in the form requested.Table 1 shows thetotal prescription charge revenue collected from community pharmacists, dispensingdoctors, ap…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Perth parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on smallbusinesses in the form requested is not held centrally. However, information onthe number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which may be eligible forrelief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is available for the local author…

7 Nov 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what direction is being given to Scottish Water regarding water rates and the application of rateable values.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The introduction ofmeasured charges for non-domestic water customers rather than charges related torateable values is being phased in over four years. To allow this, a programme ofmeter installation is underway for all currently un-metered non-household premi…

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS workers who have received their new salary bandings under Agenda for Change have been made financially worse off as a result, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of NHS staff who have been regraded and broken down by health profession and NHS board in each year…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: None. The ScottishExecutive has made a commitment that no member of NHS staff will receive a reductionin salary as a result of the implementation of Agenda for Change.

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated outstanding amount to be paid to NHS workers is as a result of salary bandings following Agenda for Change.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health boards havetaken different approaches to the assimilation of staff to the new Agenda for Changepay bands and the subsequent assessment and payment of any arrears of pay that aredue. While in general terms the health boards are nearing completion of the…

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS workers were waiting for their new salary bandings to be applied under Agenda for Change, broken down by health profession and NHS board in each year since 2004 and how many are currently waiting.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Implementation of Agenda for Change began in December 2004, with the assimilation of staff to the new pay bands commencing in February 2006. Information on progress with assimilation was collected from health boards from March 2006 onwards. The foll…

16 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop and implement a strategy aimed at meeting the needs of young people with communication support needs in secondary schools and in the justice system, including adequate provision of speech and language therapy.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-32453 on 23March. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

16 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assess the impact of young people in secondary schools and in the justice system receiving speech and language therapy, in light of evidence in 2003 that 26% of young men at HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont had clinically significant communication impairment and 70% …

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: It is for NHS boards and local authoritiesto determine levels of service provision based on local needs.Offenders in HM Prison Polmont are currently assessed foreducational need based on a literacy and numeracy alerting tool which is usedon induction. …

16 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take action to identify the demand for speech and language therapy among young people in secondary schools and in the justice system.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Speech and language services provided to children aredetermined by local authorities in partnership with NHS boards and according tothe needs of each individual child. In the case of young offenders, it is amatter for the Scottish Prison Service to decide the…

15 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the clinical algorithms used by the Scottish Ambulance Service to prioritise 999 calls include one for oncology patients and, if not, whether one will be added.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-32398 on 23 March 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search…

15 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the clinical algorithms used by the Scottish Ambulance Service to prioritise 999 calls allow sufficient flexibility to judge a patient’s condition accurately.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Ambulance Servicerolled out priority based dispatch across mainland Scotland between 2002 and2004. This system prioritises 999 emergency calls to ensure that patients whoare at the most immediate risk receive the fastest response. The ambulancese…

1 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents involving people trapped in moving water have taken place in each fire and rescue service area in each of the last five years and how many of these incidents have resulted in deaths.

Answer · Johann Lamont: This information is not heldcentrally.

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often, and on what dates, from (a) 1999 to 2003 and (b) 2003 to 2007 a Scottish minister has been a member of the UK delegation to meetings of the EU Council when issues relating to genetically modified crops and foods have been on the agenda.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scottish Executive ministershave been in attendance at the following Council meetings when issues relating togenetically modified crops and foods have been substantive items for discussion.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td …

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often, and on what dates, an Executive official has been a member of the UK delegation to any EU working groups on genetically modified crops and foods.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does nothold records of specific official attendance at EU working groups in which geneticallymodified crops and food are discussed. The most recent example where an Executiveofficial attended an EU meeting was COEX-NET (the network gro…

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often, and on what dates, from (a) 1999 to 2003 and (b) 2003 to 2007 an Executive official has been a member of the UK delegation to meetings of the EU Council when issues relating to genetically modified crops and foods have been on the agenda.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: GM Issues have been identifiedin the business of the under‑noted Council meetings, but this list may notbe exhaustive because agendas can change and issues relating to genetically modifiedcrops and food may be raised during discussions of other items. T…

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it consults its EU Office in respect of its policy on genetically modified crops.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scottish Executive policies onGM issues are set by ministers in Scotland. The Scottish Executive EU Office in Brussels providesScotland-based officials with information on EU developments, including those relatingto genetically modified crops.

25 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers in each police force are specifically trained for emergency water rescue situations.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally and is an operational matter for individual chief constables.

24 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many minor injury and illness units there are in each NHS Board area; where they are located; what size of population they cover, and how many nurses are employed in each unit.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot available centrally in the format requested.

18 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a specific number of officers that should be trained in emergency water rescue in each fire and rescue service.

Answer · Johann Lamont: This is not something thatis specified by the Scottish ministers, rather it is a matter for each ChiefFire Officer to decide depending on the likelihood of being called upon toprovide such a service.

18 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was allocated to each fire and rescue service in the most recent year for which figures are available to ensure that sufficient water rescue training is carried out.

Answer · Johann Lamont: Capital and Grant AidedExpenditure allocated to each Fire & Rescue Authority in 2006-07 is shownin the following table.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=198 valign=top> Fire Authority </td> <td width=…