Parliamentary questions
Dr Sylvia Jackson
415 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on sites of local, regional, national or international importance (a) in Stirlingshire and (b) throughout Scotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Important sites across Scotland arerun by a variety of public, private, and charitable organisations and help to makethis country a great place to visit. Attractions such as Stirling Castle, whichare run by Historic Scotland, attract many visitors, and lead t…
23 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to establishing a blue plaque scheme similar to that operated by English Heritage.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Historic Scotland is directlyresponsible to Scottish ministers for safeguarding the nation’s historic environmentand promoting its understanding and enjoyment. Information plaques are currentlythe subject of Petition PE1012. Historic Scotland has been asked t…
22 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what percentage of cases over the last four years, where a children’s hearing determined a compulsory supervision requirement for a child who resided with a single birth parent as a result of a residence order made under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, does the compulsory supervision…
Answer · Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31949 on 5 March 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
22 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what percentage of cases over the last four years, where a children’s hearing determined a compulsory supervision requirement for a child who resided with a single birth parent, a child’s place of residence was decided by a residence order made under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.
Answer · Robert Brown: The information requested isnot available.</p><p>A children’s hearing cannotmake residence orders as this is a matter for the court.</p><p>The Scottish Children’sReporter Administration <i>Annual Report 2005-06</i> has information about thenumbers of children…
19 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to extending the Water Charges Exemption Scheme beyond 2010.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive’s generalpolicy is that all customers, including charitable organisations and other organisationswhich serve a public function, should contribute to the cost of the water servicesthat they use. Certain organisations, including some char…
19 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurance can be given that maintenance by Network Rail on the Dundee to Edinburgh railway line is adequate, following delays due to signal failure in the Falkirk area during the rush hour on 6 February 2007.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Maintenance of the railway isan operational matter for Network Rail, who are funded by Scottish ministers underthe terms of the Railways Act 2005. The GBrail network is maintained in accordance with Network Rail’s maintenance managementplan to industry target…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it is introducing in order to enhance capacity-building and self-sufficiency and improve social inclusion in communities in the Stirling parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Des McNulty: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to introduce any newinitiatives to enhance capacity building, self-sufficiency and social inclusionin Stirling. We already have in place a range of nationalprogrammes to tackle such issues, such as the Community …
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding has been allocated for school sport in the Stirling parliamentary constituency in each year since 1999 and what it has been spent on.
Answer · Hugh Henry: From 1999 to 2004 Stirling Councilbenefited from the Lottery funded School Sport Coordinator Programme and also theActive Primary School Pilot Programme (Exchequer funded). Since 2004, sportscotlandhave provided investment to local authorities through Active …
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly residents have received free personal care in the Stirling parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Information on free personalcare is collected at local authority level and is not available forparliamentary constituencies.</p><p>The latest statistics showthat at the end of September 2006 there were 226 older people in care homesreceiving free personal car…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly residents have received a concessionary travel card in the Stirling parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Statistics are only availableby local authority area and cannot be broken down to reflect the number of cardholderswithin particular parliamentary constituencies.</p><p>However, at 5 January 2007 thenumber of national entitlement cards, which give an entitlem…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly residents have received free central heating in the Stirling parliamentary constituency since the programme’s inception.
Answer · Des McNulty: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is asfollows:</p><p>Information is not held centrallyin the form requested covering the Stirling parliamentary constituency but by postcode area. Inthe FK postcode…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has provided to Forth Valley College and how many students have attended the college in each year since 1996-97.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for funding Scotland’s incorporatedcolleges lies with the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council. Ihave asked the chair of the council to write to the member with the requested detailsof funding and student numbers.</p>
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has provided to the University of Stirling and how many students have attended the university in each year since 1996-97.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested isgiven in the following table.</p><p>Main Formula Grants to the University of Stirling and Number of Students: 1996-97 to 2006-07</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=577> <thead> <tr> <td width=83 nowrap valign=b…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the year-on-year improvements have been in (a) coronary heart disease, (b) cancer and (c) stroke mortality rates in (i) the NHS Forth Valley area and (ii) Scotland since 1990.
Answer · George Lyon: The information requested isgiven in the following table. Index numbers (1990 = 100) have been included to aidthe consideration of year-on-year improvements.</p><p>Selected Mortality Rates,per 100,000 Population, 1990-2005</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cel…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it or NHS Forth Valley will take to enhance the quality of breast cancer services available to people in the Stirling parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS Forth Valley is part of the West of Scotland Cancer Network. Thisnetwork brings together all of the professions and disciplines involved in thecare of patients with particular cancer types, including breast cancer, to helpensure that the best possible qua…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of doctors in NHS Forth Valley has increased since (a) 1997 and (b) 1999 and, if so, by how much.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The number of doctors in NHS Forth Valley hasincreased over time, as shown in the following table. The overall picture for Scotland isalso given. Latest available data is at 30 September 2005.</p><p>Table 1:Medical Staff<sup>1</sup> by Time and NHS Board</p><…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the increase has been in police numbers in Central Scotland Police since (a) 1997 and (b) 1999.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-30465 on 21 December 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, since the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 came into force, how many times dispersal powers have been used; how many premises have been ordered to be shut down due to intimidation, noise or disorder; how many motorists have been warned or had their vehicles seized, and how m…
Answer · Johann Lamont: Data on use of the measures inthe Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 are collected on a six-monthly basis and thelatest figures held centrally cover the period from 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2006. Figuresfor dispersal, closure and vehicle seiz…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage healthier lifestyles and tackle obesity and, in particular, childhood obesity.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is takingforward a wide range of activities which aim to encourage Scotland’speople to lead a healthier lifestyle and I refer the Member to the First Minister’s Health Improvement Annual Report <i>Delivering a Healthy Scotland:Meeting t…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what costs to (a) the NHS and (b) the Scottish economy are attributable to obesity.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for extending the healthier Scotland campaign to further raise awareness of a range of healthy living issues for the well-being of Scotland and its communities.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Healthy Living campaignsare on-going and address the Scottish Executive’s priority health improvement topics.These are:</p><p>Food and Diet;</p><p>Physical Activity;</p><p>Tobacco;</p><p>Drugs;</p><p>Alcohol;</p><p>Sexual Health, and</p><p>Mental Health.<…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have made use of the healthy living programme’s website and publications since the programme’s inception.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Since January 2003 the healthylivingwebsite has received 988,434 visits. Since January 2004 a total of 47,243 requestsfor information, through the website and helpline, have been fulfilled. These containone or more of three packs of information covering healt…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the healthy living programme.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The healthy living campaign wasevaluated as part of <i>NHS Health </i><i>Scotland</i><i>’s 2004-2005 Communication Tracking Survey</i>. The survey can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/2646-RE045Final%202005.pdf">http:…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much in agricultural subsidy payments has been paid to farmers in the Stirling parliamentary constituency in each year since 2003.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The total of agricultural subsidypayments in each year since 2003 are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=57 valign=top> <p>Year</p> </td> <td width=132 valign=top> <p align=center>Amount</p> </td> …
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be allocated from the Executive’s fund to refurbish trains and improve stations, announced on 19 December 2006, which will benefit Stirling, Dunblane and Crianlarich stations.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The investment of over £20 millionannounced on 19 December 2006 will deliver additional passenger benefits throughoutScotland. Passengers at Stirling and Dunblane will benefit from additional TicketVending Machines, CCTV Help Point Induction Loops and some re…
21 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic, social and environmental benefits have arisen as a result of the designation and management of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Loch Lomond and TheTrossachs National Park was designated in 2002. To date there has not been an assessmentof the economic, social and environmental benefits arising from thedesignation; while many of the benefits which the National Park designationsought…
14 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29880 by Ms Margaret Curran on 15 November 2006, what analysis it has made of the proposed UK Climate Change Bill; what steps it intends to take to introduce similar provisions in Scotland, and whether it will bring forward a legislative consent moti…
Answer · Ross Finnie: We do not yet know the detailedproposals to be included in the bill and therefore do not know to what extent theywill have a bearing on Scotland and in particular its effect on devolved matters. Weare working with the UK Government as thedetail of the propose…
23 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why new public sector buildings, including hospitals, are not eligible for grants or assistance to encourage the inclusion of energy efficiency measures similar those available for private sector construction projects.
Answer · Allan Wilson: New public sector buildings,including hospitals, are eligible for assistance from the Carbon Trust’s designadvice scheme, which aims to improve the energy efficiency of buildings at thedesign stage.</p><p>Eligible public sectororganisations, including local a…
7 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it issues licences for the killing of red-breasted mergansers and goosanders during the period from the beginning of April to the end of July when the birds may have dependent young.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Licences to shoot red-breastedmergansers and goosanders to prevent serious damage to fisheries are only issuedfrom 1 September up until the end of April. This period is set to avoid the mainbreeding season of the birds.</p>
7 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated breeding population is of (a) red-breasted mergansers and (b) goosanders and what information it can provide on how the numbers and distribution of these birds have changed in the last 10 years.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive does nothold this information centrally but is aware of the following;</p><p>Red-Breasted Mergansers</p><p>The most recent estimate of numbersof breeding red-breasted mergansers are:</p><p>561 males (299 to 915, 95% ConfidenceLimits)</p…