Parliamentary questions

Andy Kerr

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

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional financial resources will be provided to support the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s decision on the future of accident and emergency services in Lanarkshire.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I referthe member to the answer to question S3W-1507 on 16 July 2007. 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/wa.se…

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will guarantee that the mental health and learning facilities in Lanarkshire designed to bring care closer to patients will be opened on time, in accordance with A Picture of Health, and that any impact of her decisions will not affec…

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will guarantee that the community facilities in Lanarkshire designed to bring care closer to patients will be opened on time, in accordance with A Picture of Health, and that any impact of her decisions will not affect the roll-out of…

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will guarantee that the five community casualty units in Lanarkshire designed to bring care closer to patients will be opened on time, in accordance with A Picture of Health, and that any impact of her decisions will not affect the ro…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As I outlined in mystatement in the Chamber on 6 June, I have instructed the board of NHS Lanarkshireto review their original plans and to produce revised proposals that will enableaccident and emergency services to continue at the three main hospital sites i…

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s view is of the former Medical Director of NHS Lanarkshire’s comments that Lanarkshire cannot support three accident and emergency units and that without changes the service will deteriorate and collapse.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have been clearthat the board’s revised service proposals will be subject to a process of independentscrutiny to assess their safety,sustainability, evidence-base and value for money, and to be satisfied that accounthas been taken of local views.

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing met Professor David Kerr prior to her announcement on accident and emergency services in Lanarkshire and how long each meeting lasted.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In the capacity ofCabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, I had met Professor Kerr once priorto 6 June, for approximately 30 minutes.

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has met in connection with NHS Lanarkshire and how long each meeting lasted.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have met with anumber of people in connection with NHS Lanarkshire on different dates and for differentlengths of time.

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to implement the proposals on the registration of births, deaths and marriages in Scotland outlined in the consultation paper Civil Registration in the 21st Century.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Registrar General has today published his proposals arising from the consultation Civil Registration in the 21st Century. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Some proposals can be implemented without legislation. The Regis…

24 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to close the "digital divide".

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Executive is launching today a strategy designed to achieve universal access to the internet and help close the digital divide in Scotland. The promotion of a digitally inclusive Scotland is a key element in our drive to create a socially just society. <P…

6 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7913 by Sarah Boyack on 14 June 2000, what progress has been made in identifying the candidate Special Areas of Conservation to be proposed to the European Commission.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Nature of Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive in March this year, affirms the Executive's belief that Scotland's nature is at the heart of our common wealth as a nation.As part of our commitment to Scotland's nature, th…

28 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will announce the key performance targets it has set for Fisheries Research Services for 2001-02.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have set the following targets for Fisheries Research Services (FRS) for the financial year 2001-02.Delivery of ServiceTo achieve 93% of the performance targets set in the Schedules to the Service Level Agreement.To achieve 80% of the…

7 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to implement the new EC Water Framework Directive.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The EC Water Framework Directive (2000/060/EC) came into force on the 22 December 2000. The Directive has a wide scope and requires fundamental changes in the way we manage our natural water resources in Scotland. For that reason we propose to transpose its p…

7 Feb 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether membership of the European Union has brought any benefit to Scottish businesses.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Scottish businesses obtain significant benefits from the UK's membership of the EU. The EU is the destination of 63% of Scottish manufacturing exports, with France our most significant overseas trading partner. In the last five years Scotland has attracted £7…

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it is setting for tackling drug misuse in Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive's vision, in line with our national drugs strategy Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership, is of a Scotland whose people choose healthy lifestyles free from the harm of drug misuse. The additional £100 million funding ov…

28 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage the generation of electricity from renewable sources and what progress is being made on the review of the capacity of the Scottish electricity grid to connect more renewables.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The interim report produced by the Network Study Group, which comprised Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy, the Scottish Renewables Forum, Inter-University Centre for Economic Renewable Power Delivery, Ofgem and the Department of Trade and Industry …

22 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is putting in place to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in Scotland.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer Andy Kerr to the answer given to question S1W-11307 on 17 November, regarding publication of a Scottish Climate Change Programme detailing measures in devolved areas to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

16 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish its strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I have today announced publication of the Scottish Climate Change Programme, detailing action in devolved areas that will contribute to the achievement of the UK Kyoto commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the separate UK domestic goal of a 20% re…

26 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the Registrar General has to review the civil registration system.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Registrar General for Scotland has today published a consultation paper on Civil Registration in the 21st Century. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Views on the issues identified in the paper are being sought…

17 Sep 2000 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what cross-cutting measures have been brought forward to address the impact of housing conditions and the environment on the health of Scotland's people.

Answer · Donald Dewar: Improving life circumstances is a key strategic priority for improving the nation's health. The Executive recognises that good housing and a clean environment are essential requirements for good health. The £350 million investment announced this week to help …

4 Sep 2000 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Executive is promoting Scotland's semiconductor industry.

Answer · Donald Dewar: The Executive recognises that the semiconductor industry is extremely important to the Scottish economy. Our comprehensive programme for promoting the industry has resulted in Scotland enjoying the largest concentration of semiconductor plants in Europe.<P AL…

26 Apr 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what factors have contributed to the rise in Scottish manufacturing exports.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The rise in Scottish manufacturing exports clearly demonstrates the ability and commitment of companies in Scotland to perform successfully in the world marketplace. In particular the 6.6% growth in real terms last year was achieved during particularly diffic…

9 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether insulin pen needles and re-usable insulin injection pens can be prescribed on the NHS.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I have agreed that, with effect from 1 March, insulin pen needles and certain re-usable insulin pens should be prescribable by GPs on the NHS.

26 Jan 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the work of the Knowledge Economy Taskforce.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Developing the Knowledge Economy Taskforce met for the first time on 26 January under my chairmanship and agreed the following remit:<DIR><DIR>"To review the progress being made in developing the knowledge economy in Scotland; to identify the key quest…

12 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when appointments will be made to the Food Standards Agency.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I can announce to Parliament that the following appointments by Scottish Ministers have been announced today:Sir John Arbuthnott:		Board Member and Chairman of the Scottish Food…

16 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has completed its consideration of the plan for the Objective 3 Scottish Operational Programme.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Yes. Following consultation with the European Committee, I am arranging for the Plan to be submitted to the European Commission within the next few days. There will be no significant amendments and a copy of the final Plan will be placed in SPICe.

14 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce its proposals for distributing grant and spending guidelines to local authorities for next year.

Answer · Jack McConnell: In my statement to Parliament on 8 December I set out my general approach to the local government settlement for 2000-01. I have consulted the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities about the distribution and the formula applied has been agreed with them. M…