Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Edinburgh will open.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The opening of the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, in Edinburgh, is planned for physical completion by the end of 2016 and operation in spring 2017 following commissioning. This timetable is dependent on the full…
30 May 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is doing to improve the local environment around the canal network.
22 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the financial impact has been of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 on council tax bills.
Answer · John Swinney: The collection of relevant data is underway. This will inform a report to Parliament during this summer in fulfilment of section 66 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
22 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which stakeholders have been contacted regarding the impact of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 on discounts to council tax bills.
Answer · John Swinney: All local authorities have been contacted and are asked to provide a council tax revenue return. The return includes the collection of information on all properties receiving relief from council tax through energy efficiency discount schemes.
22 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring has been carried out regarding the impact of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 on discounts to council tax bills and whether it plans to continue this.
Answer · John Swinney: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 placed a duty on individual local authorities to introduce a discount scheme for council tax for those who make their homes more energy efficient. The Scottish Government has a duty to report to Parliament on the impact …
22 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent investigation by the board’s auditors, what discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding the use of private healthcare providers.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has always made clear our policy is to invest in the NHS in Scotland and to build sustainable services for the benefit of all NHS patients. However, NHS boards retain the option to use the independent sector where necessary to help mee…
22 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it supports the use by the NHS of private healthcare providers.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has made clear that boards may make use of the private sector to deal with short-term capacity issues. Boards should be using their funding to build sustainable local capacity.
22 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been transferred from the NHS to private healthcare providers by each NHS board in each year since 2007-08 and what the cost has been.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of hospital episodes carried out at independent hospitals on behalf of NHS boards in the financial year ending 31 March 2011 is provided in the following table. It is not possible to provide information for earlier years as data is n…
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many postgraduate places will be needed to develop the skills required for the delivery of its 2020 renewable energy target, broken down by discipline.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that we have the skills to capitalise on the opportunities that energy presents for jobs and growth in Scotland. We anticipate that the skills needed to meet the 2020 targets will come from the existing labour …
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been done on the capacity for postgraduate study to contribute to its 2020 renewable energy target.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to skills investment in the energy sector and believes that postgraduate study will play an important role in equipping the sector to help deliver our 2020 renewable energy targets. The Skills Investment Plan for the Ener…
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what postgraduate courses it is supporting to help deliver its 2020 renewable energy target.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that we have the skills to capitalise on the opportunities that energy presents for jobs and growth in Scotland. We anticipate that the skills needed to meet the 2020 targets will come from the existing labour …
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on targeted financial support for postgraduate students in each year since 2007-08, broken down by discipline.
Answer · Michael Russell: There are several funding options for postgraduate students. Support for postgraduate research students is generally provided through the Research Councils with support for vocational taught postgraduate courses provided largely through the Student Awards Age…
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what disciplines it provides targeted financial support to postgraduate students.
Answer · Michael Russell: We do not break down student numbers by discipline as the Student Awards Agency for Scotland does not hold information on which academic disciplines students are studying. Under the Postgraduate Students’ Allowances Scheme the Scottish Government provides £3…
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06879 by Fergus Ewing on 8 May 2012, whether it will provide guidance to Stirling Council in relation to the organisation and delivery of Clan 2014 given its experience with The Gathering 2009.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Clearly it will be important for those involved in the planning and delivery of the Clans 2014 event to take cognisance of the experience gained in the organisation and delivery of the Gathering in 2009 and ensure the necessary lessons learned from that event…
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06877 by Fergus Ewing on 8 May 2012, whether it will publish details of the mechanisms which are in place following the recommendations of the Audit Scotland and Public Audit Committee reports on The Gathering 2009 to provide the necessary accountabi…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has published guidance designed to promote good practice in the governance of public-private sector projects. In addition, relevant recommendations by the Public Audit Committee have been reflected in updated guidance in the Scottish P…
10 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S4W-06873 by Fergus Ewing on 8 May 2012, what potential support options it has discussed with Stirling Council in relation to Clans 2014.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: In order to develop the necessary planning ton support an event of this scale, EventScotland and Stirling Council are working together to appoint specialist consultants to work on a focused and short term project to develop the business planning aspects of Cl…
9 May 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to secure a visit to Scotland by Aung San Suu Kyi during her planned visit to the UK in June 2012.
8 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the views of (a) community groups, (b) local communities, (c) environmental organisations and (d) other stakeholders are taken into account when (i) identifying and (ii) adopting a suitable framework to measure the performance of local planning authorities and what…
Answer · Derek Mackay: Heads of Planning Scotland has recently developed and published the planning performance framework, which has been supported by the Scottish Government. The main output for planning authorities will be an annual performance report, which includes reporting on…
8 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what groups were consulted on the development of the planning performance framework.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The planning performance framework was developed and published by Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS), with the support of the Scottish Government. In doing so, HOPS has engaged with a range of stakeholders from public, private and voluntary sectors.
8 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the planning performance framework measures local authority performance against objectives on (a) climate change, (b) biodiversity and (c) community engagement.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The planning performance framework, developed by Heads of Planning Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government, measures and reports on how planning is delivered as a public service. As such, it is focused primarily on actions taken by planning authorit…
8 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how poor performance by local planning authorities is not exacerbated by reductions in funding for planning departments as a result of reductions in fee levels.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The resourcing of its planning service is a matter for each local authority. Establishing a performance link to fees will ensure that planning authorities place greater emphasis on the quality of service they provide to ensure income is maintained.
8 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the planning performance framework impacts on the funding for local planning authorities.
Answer · Derek Mackay: We have consistently emphasised that there must be an inextricable link between higher planning application fees and guarantees over improved performance. A current Scottish Government consultation discusses a possible new fee structure and fee levels. This c…
8 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the legislative basis is for assessing local planning authority performance against the planning performance framework.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) has developed the planning performance framework to support planning authorities assessing and improving their performance and service standards across their planning functions. HOPS did not require legislation to assess or r…
8 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose is of the planning performance framework.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The framework is to give a more rounded measurement of overall quality in the delivery of the planning service than the current statistical information published on speed of decision-making provides.
2 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06863 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 May 2012, when it expects to receive the full report from Balfour Beattie Workplace on power interruptions at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and whether it will publish that report.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I can confirm that a full report was prepared for and received by NHS Lothian from Balfour Beatty Workplace on 3 May 2012. The full report, which outlines failings and also provides recommendations to minimise the likelihood of such an occurrence in the futu…
25 Apr 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the report into the management culture at NHS Lothian and, if so, what lessons can be drawn from it.
24 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the expected annual income for each local authority will be arising from the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Keith Brown: For empty non-domestic premises, the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.)(Scotland) Bill itself only creates an enabling power to vary empty property relief by future regulations and has no direct financial impact. These regulations will rais…
24 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it (a) has provided and (b) can provide to assist private sector creditors of the Gathering 2009 to recover any money due to them.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Gathering 2009 Ltd was a private company that was neither established nor contracted by the government. The Scottish Government has every sympathy for the plight of the creditors affected by the liquidation of the Gathering 2009 Ltd. This was one of the p…
24 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a guarantee to private sector firms providing services to Clans 2014 that they will receive payment.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The planned Clans 2014 event is a Stirling Council initiative. It will be for Stirling Council to ensure all necessary governance arrangements are in place to support delivery of this event.
24 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on implementing the recommendations in the Public Audit Committee's report, The Gathering 2009, in relation to the organisation of Clans 2014.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06877 on 8 May 2012. 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/parliamentarybusine…