Parliamentary questions

Alasdair Morgan

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

21 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the practical impact would have been of a transfer to another budget line from the Routine and Winter Maintenance Level 3 budget of £10 million per annum during the recent period of severe weather.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A reduction in the Trunk Road and Motorway Routine and Winter Maintenance budget would have resulted in the level of funding made available to the Trunk Road Operating Companies being below that required to meet their commitments for winter maintenance and re…

5 Nov 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to bring forward legislation to introduce the principle of presumed consent for organ donation.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As members know, I personally am sympathetic to a move to a system of opting out, as I''d prefer to call it. We debated this issue on 18 December last year. The motion agreed by the Parliament was that we accept the UK Organ Donation Taskforce recomm…

10 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its view is on the development of carbon-capture coal-fired power stations and their role in Scotland’s future energy procurement strategy.

Answer · Jim Mather: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) and clean coal technologies have the potential to transform the way we generate power and make an important contribution to Scotland''s low carbon future. Scotland is well placed to take a leading role in the development and c…

30 Apr 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to re-examine the regulation of land tenancies to clarify the rights of tenants and rectify any anomalies in the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) 2003 Act in respect of the sale of fixed assets or improvements on quitting a tenancy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We want to promote a viable and dynamic agricultural tenancy sector. I therefore welcome the work of the Tenant Farming Forum on these issues and hope that the forum will be able to reach a consensus on the way forward. I have made clear that the government i…

19 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much grant funding has been distributed under the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 Rural Priorities, broken down by priorities, and what proportion has been allocated to chalet and holiday home developments.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Figures for the total funding distributed under the Rural Priorities scheme of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) are published on the Rural Priorities website at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/Rur…

26 Feb 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress was made in tackling alcohol-related criminal offences over the last festive period.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill : 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/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0226-01.htm">http://www.scot…

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the planning guidelines and Scottish Planning Policies relating to listed buildings to clarify the situation regarding replacement of single-glazed windows by windows with improved heat-retention properties.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Planning Policy for the Historic Environment and the Scottish Historic Environment Policy (SHEP) were both published in revised form, after public consultation, on 28 October 2008; the SHEP included revised ministerial policy on listed building c…

20 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to supporting roof insulation measures, such as insulation in loft spaces with less than 1.2 metres headroom or insulation where both roof and ceiling slope, beyond the traditional loft insulation already supported by the Warm Deal grant.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing announced to the Parliament on 19 November 2008 that the Scottish Government intend to replace the Warm Deal and Central Heating Programmes with an integrated energy assistance package from April 2009, as recomme…

4 Sep 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government about the conduct of future elections in Scotland.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: Ministers and officials have discussed the Gould Report with our UK counterparts on a number of occasions. The Parliament welcomed Ron Gould''s report, including the recommendation calling for the further devolution of executive and legislative powers to the …

19 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by its Education and Training Directorate in conjunction with the Scottish Funding Council in their mapping study of further education provision for students with profound and complex needs.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Lifelong Learning Directorate of the Scottish Government commissioned the BRITE Initiative to carry out a survey of Provision in Scotland’s Colleges for Learners with Profound and Complex Needs in January 2008. The survey is now complete and the …

12 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to encourage the growth of housing trusts.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government currently provides funding for two rural housing trusts through its Housing Voluntary Sector Grants scheme. In 2008-09 Dumfries and Galloway Small Communities Housing Trust has been offered funding of £60,000 and Highlands Small Commun…

29 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of recent fuel prices increases, it believes that current mileage allowances and lump sums payable to NHS staff who use their own cars while on duty should be reviewed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Mileage rates are specified under Agenda for Change terms and conditions and any changes are agreed through the UK NHS Staff Council - the partnership organisation set up in the wake of the introduction of Agenda for Change to oversee the operation of the new…

9 Jan 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to improve the delivery of cancer treatment in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Over the past six years therehas been a significant programme of investment in cancer care across the whole ofScotland.Inparticular, NHS Dumfries and Galloway has streamlined timed pathways for cancerand increased the level of resource focussed on ensu…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area 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…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a review of the learning support provision available in local education authorities for pupils with specific learning problems in reading, writing and spelling and, if significant differences in support provision are found in different authorities, put measures i…

Answer · Adam Ingram: It is possible tohave a range of approaches, across local authorities, to making provision for learningsupport. What is important, however, is that each local authority, through its ownquality assurance procedures, is able to monitor the success of its approa…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to review the present arrangements made by NHS boards covering rural areas for patient transport to specialist appointments in locations far from the patients’ homes, with a view to ascertaining whether there are significant variations in practice between boards.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Action Plan publishedon 12 December 2007 in relation to Better Health, Better Caresets out how we intend to developgreater national oversight of travel management.

28 Nov 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to improve the health of people in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Governmenthas policies and programmes in place to tackle Scotland’s biggest health challenges – including alcohol, smoking and healthy weightmanagement.Our Health and WellbeingAction Plan will set out our intentions for the delivery of saf…

27 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many registrations there were under each of the quality assurance schemes run by VisitScotland in each year since 1997.

Answer · Jim Mather: A table has been providedin the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43828) which shows thenumbers of establishments participating in all of VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance(QA) Schemes since the year 2000. The schemes were first established i…

20 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why liquid petroleum gas is not allowed as a fuel choice for the central heating programme, particularly in areas where mains gas is not available.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The previousadministration decided at the outset of the programme that due to their higher runningcosts, central heating systems fuelled by liquid petroleum gas should not be partof the programme.

19 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it plans to make to BT Scotland and what other action it intends to take in relation to those rural telephone subscribers who cannot achieve broadband connection speeds over their BT landlines.

Answer · Jim Mather: Extensivediscussions have already taken place between the Scottish Government and BTScotland regarding the broadband reach issue, and it has now been establishedthat BT has no solutions to the reach problem.The government is,however, taking forward a p…

5 Sep 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes have been made available for occupation as a result of rural empty properties grants in (a) Scotland and (b) Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Since 1989, 91homes have been made available for occupation in Scotland as a result of ruralempty property grants. None of these has been in Dumfries and Galloway.

4 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any state aid issues have been raised as a result of the relationship between VisitScotland and the firms operating visitscotland.com.

Answer · Jim Mather: I understand that certain state aid issues have been raised in relation to the business model used by visitscotland.com.These are currently being considered by the European Commission.

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether each diabetes managed clinical network has produced an insulin strategy for its area and whether these strategies include plans for the use of insulin pumps.

Answer · Shona Robison: All 14 diabetes managed clinicalnetworks (have produced an insulin strategy for their area. Only one of thesedoes not currently include plans for the use of insulin pumps, and this isbeing modified, in line with the requirements of the Diabetes action plan.</…

2 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the EU Agricultural Subsidies Appeals procedure provides a fair route for farmers to attempt to overturn decisions made by SEERAD that they do not consider to be justified.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The EU Agricultural Subsidiesappeals procedure has been in operation since November 2000. It has the power toreview decisions made by SEERAD in relation to the refusal, recovery and reductionof a producer’s EU subsidy claim ensuring that SEERAD has been objec…

2 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals have been submitted to SEERAD under the EU Agricultural Subsidies Appeals procedure since its introduction, broken down by appeal stage and SEERAD area office, indicating the number with (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful outcomes.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The EU Agricultural SubsidiesAppeals procedure became operational in November 2000. The information requestedis set out in the following tables for all cases determined. The successful appealsinclude those upheld by the panel and also cases where the appeal w…

21 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a decision to be made on the approval of Lucentis for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Lucentis® (ranibizumab) was approvedon 22 January 2007 by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA). the Scottish Medicines Consortium have this therapy on their work programme and a recommendationis anticipated from them in the next few months.

8 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to monitor the introduction of genetically modified crops to farms in Scotland and whether it has any information on any penetration by seeds of the Roundup Ready canola genetically modified variety of rapeseed patented by Monsanto Inc.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive hassaid it will consult on statutory measures for the coexistence of GM and othercrops, before any commercial cultivation takes place.The Scottish Executive hasno information on any penetration of seeds of the genetically modifie…

26 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to establishing a reciprocal public transport concession scheme with the government of Northern Ireland.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has givenno consideration to establishing a reciprocal public transport concession schemewith the government of Northern Ireland.

26 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will put in place to replace the services provided by One Plus.

Answer · Des McNulty: Alternative provision,either through the local authorities or through new providers, including thevoluntary sector, has now been put in place for the majority of care services,or is in the process of being arranged.The Executive is currentlyin discussi…

26 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the likely impact of the collapse of One Plus on vulnerable families.

Answer · Des McNulty: The Executive and localauthorities are working hard to find alternative providers for services, wherepossible, to reduce the impact of the liquidation of One Plus. This process iscontinuing and good progress is being made, but until this process is further ad…