Parliamentary questions

Alex Neil

3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

22 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many dog-bite incidents have resulted in claims for compensation under the Animals (Scotland) Act 1987 in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

22 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many dog-bite incidents have been (a) reported to the police and (b) treated at hospital in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested in part (a) concerning the number of dog-bite incidents reported to the police is not held centrally. With regards to the information asked for in part (b) in relation to the number of dog-bite incidents treated at hospital…

22 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals have been made against fixed penalties issued for dog fouling in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally but with the individual local authorities.

22 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many dogs have been reported to the police as being dangerously out-of-control in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following table shows the number of offences recorded by the police in Scotland in relation to the control and supervision of dogs for each of the last five years. Offences Recorded by the Police in Scotland in Relation to the Control and Supervi…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out any developments in relation to the administrative arrangements for paying pensions to public service pensioners in Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: I have today sent a note to the Convenor of the Finance Committee on this subject. A copy of the memorandum attached to my note has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47178). p

3 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to set up a statutory body to undertake the planning, construction and operation of renewable electricity generating facilities to maximise the use of these natural resources, protect the environment and provide the greatest economic and employment benefits.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has no such plans. However, we will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders to maximise the benefits to Scotland of our renewable energy sector.

27 Nov 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the measures announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s pre-Budget report will have on the level of funding through the Scottish block grant in the current and future financial years.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government received an additional £11 million as a result of the Chancellor''s Pre-Budget Report announcement on 24 November. These additional resources will become part of the total funding available to us to meet the commitments and priorities …

21 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the peak demand for electricity was in each of the last 10 years and on what dates it occurred.

Answer · Jim Mather: From 2005, following the introduction of the British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements, official figures for Scotland are not available separately. However, available information is listed in the following table: <table border=1 cellspac…

13 Nov 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many renewable energy projects Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has objected to on environmental grounds, in particular in relation to the proposed height of turbines, and how many have been delayed as a result.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer Alex Neil to the answer which Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism gave to his question on 11 September 2008 (S3O-4146) on Renewable Energy Planning Applications (Objections). Delays in dealing with planning applications ar…

7 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which authority is responsible for ensuring that the secure future required electricity generating capacity for Scotland, including the planning margin, will be constructed.

Answer · Jim Mather: Individual decisions regarding the location and type of generation activity are largely a matter for the private sector and the generators involved who respond to market signals and incentives within the regulation structure set down by UK legislation. <…

7 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on planning margin being allowed for in planning future required electricity generating capacity.

7 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the present estimate is of peak electricity demand in Scotland that is being planned for in (a) five and (b) 10 years’ time.

Answer · Jim Mather: Predictions of future peak electricity demand are largely a matter for National Grid who operate the electricity transmission scheme across the UK. The Scottish Government are in regular contact with National Grid on a range of issues including discussions ar…

7 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive of the currently installed electricity generating capacity, what capacity is expected to be in place in (a) 2015 and (b) 2020.

Answer · Jim Mather: While we are aware of a number of expected closures of large plants in Scotland over the next few decades, we do not hold precise information on the level of current capacity expected still to be in place at these dates, given the variety of sources of genera…

7 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what, the total installed capacity was for generating electricity, including pumped storage but excluding windpower, at the end of each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Jim Mather: The information requested is not available. Data on the installed capacity of major power producers in Scotland is available for the years 1999 to 2007 from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform at the reference below (DUKES table 5_8):…

10 Sep 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will carry out a review of the performance and effectiveness of the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman’s office.

Answer · Mike Pringle: As part of the annual budget process, the SPCB scrutinises the ombudsman''s annual business plan and budget projections to enable it to see what targets and outcomes are envisaged. In addition, as recommended by the then Finance Committee, the ombudsman subm…

10 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of the fossil fuel levy attributable to Scotland and what plans it has for investing these funds in renewable energy.

Answer · Jim Mather: The balance in the Fossil Fuel Levy Account for Scotland, held by Ofgem, stands currently at just over £120 million. The Scottish Government continues to consider how best to make use of these funds in promoting a range of renewable energy technologi…

26 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its study into North Sea oil will report.

Answer · Jim Mather: The study commissioned by the First Minister to examine the setting up of an oil fund for Scotland will report in October 2008.

11 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 10-month review of the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre pilot at Stracathro Hospital by PricewaterhouseCoopers has been completed; if so, whether the findings of the review will be published; if not, when it will be completed, and whether a draft report of the review will be…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The 10 month interim evaluation of the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre pilot at Stracathro has been commissioned by NHS Tayside. The report is due to go to NHS Tayside Board meeting on 26 June 2008, which will be held in public session.

11 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to update the 2006 Strategic Audit on the Futures Project on a regular basis, and if so, when.

Answer · John Swinney: The Strategic Audit, conducted as part of the Futures Project, was the first long-term analysis of Scotland’s progress in comparison to other countries. This sort of analysis continues within the Scottish Government to underpin policy-making. We will also inc…

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value has been of Scotland’s GDP in each of the last five years.

Answer · John Swinney: At present, there are no official estimates of GDP at market prices for Scotland. However, it is possible to produce an approximate measure by calculating the difference between Gross Value Added and GDP for the UK and applying the ratio to the published Gros…

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of business spend was on research and development in each of the last five years, shown also as a percentage of GDP.

Answer · John Swinney: Expenditure on research and development (R&D) performed in Scottish businesses is given in the following table <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top >   </td> <td valign=b…

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many inward investment projects were obtained by Scotland in each of the last five years and what the value was of each project, shown also as a percentage of total inward investment into the United Kingdom.

Answer · Jim Mather: Table 1 shows the number of involved successes that Scottish Development International (SDI) has reported in each of the last five years. Involved successes are those inward investment projects that SDI has played a significant role in attracting to Scotland.…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to the Shirley McKie inquiry announced on 14 March 2008, it intends to take steps to control the costs of the inquiry.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In the answer to question S3W-11870 on 24 April 2008, I confirmed that the Scottish Government would take all reasonable steps to control the costs of the inquiry. Having particular regard to the terms of the Inquiries Act 2005, measures will be adopted to en…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the first revision of the delivery plans for the new Efficient Government Programme for 2008-11 referred to in the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth’s opening address to the Finance Committee on 13 May 2008.

Answer · John Swinney: We have today published the second iteration of the Efficiency Delivery Plans which contains a disaggregation of the plans for the Education portfolio. Copies of the notes have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45688) and …

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12894 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 May 2008, whether any inconsistencies between the EDIS injury data collection facility and the National Clinical Dataset Development Programme in respect of the recording of data on sporting injuries have been resolved …

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: National Clinical Data Development Programme are currently working with the accident and emergency user group to identify the level of compliance with the nationally agreed standards in each accident and emergency system. The results of this work are expected…

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12894 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 May 2008, what the timescale is for national implementation of the collection of injury data at accident and emergency departments using EDIS.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No timescale has been set. The current position in Scotland and approaches in other jurisdictions are currently being examined.

22 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12894 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 May 2008, which directorate is giving consideration to national implementation of collection of injury data at accident and emergency departments using EDIS.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Medical Officer is assessing the current position and seeking the advice of National Services Scotland from where work on data standards is co-ordinated.

22 May 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S3W-12753 by Alex Fergusson, on how many other occasions the Chief Executive has used his powers under paragraph 5 of the procedures for the advertising of posts and for what posts.

Answer · Alex Fergusson: Since the procedures were put in place in 2000, the exclusion under paragraph five has been used on 11 occasions. The posts are: 2000: Secretary to the Holyrood Progress Group (Temporary) 2001: Two Finance Administrators (Permanent)…

22 May 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S3W-12753 by Alex Fergusson, whether the processes used to staff the Calman Commission were fully consistent with paragraph 5 of the procedures for the advertising of posts, and if so, what was deemed “exceptional”.

Answer · Alex Fergusson: I refer to my answer to S3W-13349. The exceptional circumstance was that the Chief Executive was acting under a general direction of the Parliament. It should be further noted that this is a short-term assignment and does not involve the creation of a new po…

22 May 2008 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S3W-12753 by Alex Fergusson, whether the process used was consistent with both the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body’s procedures for advertising posts which state that “The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is committed to fairne…

Answer · Alex Fergusson: As this post is not part of the SPCB staff complement the method of filling the vacancy did not fall under the agreed procedures for filling posts. However, in assigning a member of staff to this post, the approach was consistent with the SPCB’s procedures fo…