Parliamentary questions
Shona Robison
1,014 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average multiple sclerosis sufferers that meet the Association of British Neurologists' criteria for disease-modifying drugs have to wait currently to receive prescriptions for such drugs in each NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. Information on waiting times for out-patient appointments with a consultant is collected centrally at specialty level only.<P>A UK-wide risk-sharing scheme for the treatment of eligible patients with multiple s…
16 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has made available for research into the causes of allergies.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. <P>The CSO is not currently directly funding any research projects on …
16 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research is currently being undertaken into the causes of allergies.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Research Register (NRR), a UK-wide research database, records that there are 66 research projects in the UK on the causes of allergies. Details of these projects are available from the NRR, a copy of which is in the Parliament's Reference Centre …
7 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits each minister and junior minister plans to make to each parliamentary constituency between now and 1 May 2003.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The number and location of visits undertaken by Scottish Executive ministers will be dependent upon the invitations received by each minister and other engagements and meetings requiring the attendance of ministers.
1 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what account was taken of the numbers of pensioners in each local authority area when funding was allocated for the national concessionary travel scheme.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: General support for local authority expenditure on concessionary travel is provided through the general Grant Aided Expenditure formula based on shares of retirement age population. The additional resources to fund the enhanced concessionary travel arrangemen…
1 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what account was taken of the frequency of existing bus services in each local authority area when funding was allocated for the national concessionary travel schemes.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30165 today. 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/webapp/searc…
1 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what account was taken of levels of poverty in each local authority area when funding was allocated for the national concessionary travel scheme.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30165 on 24 October 2002. 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.u…
1 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what account was taken of levels of car ownership in each local authority area when funding was allocated for the national concessionary travel scheme.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30165 today. 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/webapp/searc…
26 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the independent task group reviewing the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 intends to look at the vendors of fireworks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: No. General policy on the sale of fireworks is reserved to the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department of Trade and Industry are currently undertaking a review of the legislation and my officials are liaising closely with them on this. Additionally, …
26 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the remit of the independent task group reviewing the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 covers the licensing of vendors of fireworks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: No. The sale and supply of fireworks is a consumer protection matter and therefore reserved. The Department of Trade and Industry is currently considering what action can be taken within the existing legislation to address problems with fireworks. A COSLA Fir…
25 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has given to the Scottish Older People's Advisory Group in each of the last three years and what the money was used for.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive provided one-off funding of £20,000 in 2001-02 to Better Government for Older People (BGOP) towards the development of BGOP in Scotland, including support for the Scottish Older People's Advisory Group.
18 Sep 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authority concessionary travel schemes coming into force on 30 September 2002 provide the national minimum standard for such schemes only.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: None.
11 Sep 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by the task group established to review the licensing provisions of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The independent task group issued a consultation paper on its initial findings on 15 July and the closing date for responses is 4 October. Following consideration of the responses received it is anticipated that the task group will report to ministers with it…
22 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to encourage and support local authority mediation services for neighbourhood disputes.
Answer · Margaret Curran: To encourage and support mediation services, the Scottish Executive funds SACRO to provide a nationwide service from which all local authorities and housing associations can benefit. This involves seminars and training; providing a national consultancy servic…
22 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current waiting times are for people requiring specialist treatment for anorexia nervosa, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information in the form requested is not available centrally.<P>People suffering from anorexia nervosa are treated and supported through mainstream mental health and social work services, and treatment is undertaken in a variety of settings, with very few in-…
22 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people suffering from anorexia nervosa are currently waiting for specialist treatment, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.<P>People suffering from anorexia nervosa are treated and supported through mainstream mental health and social work services, and treatment is undertaken mainly in out-patient settings, with very few in-pa…
20 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the incident at Broughty Ferry beach reported in The Courier on 6 August 2002, any designation of the beach as a bathing water beach should include more stringent safety measures and whether it would be an important step towards its proper management.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Under the EC Bathing Waters Directive (76/160/EEC ), bathing waters are required to be designated based on the traditional numbers of swimmers, and once designated, such waters are required to meet certain water quality standards. Local authorities have power…
20 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an opportunity to promote tourism has been missed given that non-designated beaches do not appear on European maps of bathing beaches.
Answer · Mike Watson: No. VisitScotland actively promotes coastal and marine tourism as part of the Outdoor Scotland brand within its product marketing portfolio, and images of Scottish beaches are frequently used by both VisitScotland and the British Tourist Authority when market…
20 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of applications for bathing water identifications received after the Bathing Waters Review Panel last met.
Answer · Allan Wilson: A Bathing Waters Panel was convened to identify which waters should be identified as bathing waters in Scotland. That system worked well and we would not want to make changes to bathing water designations outwith that or a similar system. Further, we would no…
19 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26602 by Mrs Elish Angiolini QC on 30 July 2002, how many of the reports sent to procurators fiscal under sections 68(1), (2), (3), (5), 69(1), (2) and 70(1) of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 were proceeded with in each of the last three years, br…
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The number of cases containing a charge under sections 68 and 69 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 reported to the procurator fiscal in each of the last three years, and broken down into sheriff court district, can be found in the tables. As stated in the …
9 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to resolve the current dispute between Sodexho and UNISON at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The dispute was a matter between Sodexho and UNISON and has now been successfully resolved through a negotiated settlement undertaken and completed at local level.
9 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Health and Safety Executive will have in investigating claims of clinical waste being left lying in public areas of Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to determine whether it should investigate incidents connected to NHS facilities, in line with its responsibilities in ensuring the health and safety of employees or members of the public under the Health and Sa…
9 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust about clinical waste being left lying in public areas in Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: While my officials have discussed this matter with North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust, it is primarily a matter for the management of the trust and of Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI). <P>The trust has acknowledged that the conditions at the GRI during…
19 Jul 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it intends to make to the recent Office of Fair Trading report on pharmacy services.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive is currently considering the Office of Fair Trading report in detail and, in formulating its response is consulting widely with all key stakeholders.
18 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when a review of the Home Loss Payments established under the Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1973 will take place.
Answer · Hugh Henry: As the Minister for Social Justice explained in her letter of 11 July 2002, we are considering this issue. We do not have a firm timetable for review at present.
5 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is available to businesses wanting to provide disability access when renovating and extending existing premises.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive does not provide financial assistance to businesses wanting to provide disability access when renovating and extending existing premises.
5 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory obligations there are for businesses to provide disability access when renovating and extending premises where disability access did not previously exist.
Answer · Hugh Henry: All new building work, including alterations and extensions, which is covered by the building regulations must comply with the Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990 (as amended). The issue of access to buil…
21 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people took part in the most recent election to the Older People's Advisory Group.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26975 on 4 July 2002.
21 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for electing people to the Older People's Advisory Group.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26975.
20 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the relationship is between Better Government for Older People and the National Pensioners Convention.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26975.