Brian Adam

7 Jan 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on Gypsy/Traveller halting sites.

3 Dec 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage recycling in Aberdeen.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government encourages recycling in Aberdeen in the same way that we encourage recycling across the whole of Scotland. Whether you’re a business or householder, the biggest encouragement to recycle is the availability of a high quality recycling …

27 Jan 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the health impact of a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol would be compared with the UK Government’s proposal to ban the sale of alcohol below the rate of duty plus VAT.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The UK Government''s proposal would create a range of minimum prices, typically in the region of 20 to 25 pence per unit of alcohol depending on the product. This means the retail price of drinks will not change and the policy will have little or no impact on…

26 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road crashes involving (a) oil and (b) diesel spills there have been in each year since 1999.

Answer · Keith Brown: The following table shows the number of reported road accidents where oil or diesel was present at the site. It is not possible to list these liquids separately.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=151 > <tr > <td width=45 nowrap valig…

25 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conclusions are of its review of the Air Discount Scheme

Answer · Keith Brown: I am pleased to announce today that, following our review, the Scottish Government is now seeking the agreement of the European Commission for continuation of the Air Discount Scheme (ADS) from 1 April 2011 for a further four years.</b></p> <p >The ADS provi…

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many milk-related (a) illnesses and (b) deaths there have been in each year since 1980.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The agency responsibility for this policy started from 2000 and therefore we do not hold all of the data requested for each year since 1980.</p> <p >However, the data which is available to the Food Standards Agency suggests that the numbers of cases of food…

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding its policy allowing the sale of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk.</p> <p >The agency is a non-ministerial UK government department operating at arm''s length from ministers. It …

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Food Standards Agency regarding the safety of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk.</p> <p >In 2004 and 2005, three public consultations were carried out on the EU proposals and on the draft Food Hygi…

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are undertaken to ensure that raw cow’s drinking milk is not sold.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under the consolidated EU hygiene rules, which took effect from on 1 January 2006, member states were able to introduce or maintain national rules prohibiting or restricting the placing on the market, within its territory, of raw milk or raw cream. Regulation…

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received supporting the sale of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Since the Food Standards Agency inherited policy responsibility for this matter in 2000, it has received correspondence from five individual members of the public expressing support for the sale of raw drinking milk. In addition it has received five pieces of…

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received supporting the ban on selling raw cow’s drinking milk.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In March 2004, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland consulted with approximately 700 Scottish stakeholders on the European Commission proposals to consolidate and simplify EU food hygiene legislation. In total 26 Scottish stakeholders responded to this…

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the ban on the selling of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk.</p> <p >The ban, which was first introduced in 1983 has subsequently been reviewed in 1995, 1998 and most recently in…

20 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the ban on selling raw cow’s drinking milk.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk. The FSA in Scotland considers that the ban represents the appropriate risk management option for Scotland and ha…

20 Jan 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action the police can take against those responsible for oil or diesel spills on roads.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: People discharging oil or diesel onto a road can be charged with a range of offences depending on the nature and seriousness of the circumstances.</p> <p >Under Common Law a charge of Culpable and Reckless can be brought against the accused. The case can be …

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to people who have completed their treatment for blood-borne viruses.

Answer · Shona Robison: Each <acronym>NHS</acronym> board has, or is affiliated to, a <acronym>managed care network (MCN) </acronym>for hepatitis C. MCNs locally are required to develop care pathways for individuals affected by hepatitis C. The national generic care pathway for hepa…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to help people on long-term therapies to treat blood-borne viruses.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has provided significant funding for hepatitis C treatment, care and support services over the last five years. Under the Hepatitis C Phase 2 Action Plan, which was launched in 2008, the clinical and non-clinical services (including ca…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available for voluntary sector organisations that help people with blood-borne viruses.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has provided £300,000 each year over the last two years to support national voluntary sector activity in respect of hepatitis C. This funding, which has been provided to Scottish Drugs Forum, The Hepatitis C Trust and Mainliners, is in…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recognises the contribution that the voluntary sector can make in educating the public regarding blood-borne viruses and what funding it provides for this.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does recognise the significant contribution that the voluntary sector can make to educating the public regarding blood-borne viruses.</b></p> <p >Through the Hepatitis C Phase 2 Action Plan the Scottish Government has directed £300,00…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recognises the contribution that the voluntary sector can make in keeping people with blood-borne viruses on their treatment pathway.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the contribution that the voluntary sector makes in assisting people with blood-borne viruses during their treatment.</b></p> <p >The hepatitis C action plan specifically recognises the importance of care and support as par…

8 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it requires NHS boards to engage with voluntary sector organisations in meeting the needs of people living with and affected by blood-borne viruses.

Answer · Shona Robison: The voluntary sector has a key role in supporting delivery of blood-borne virus services across the NHS. This is recognised explicitly in the Hepatitis C Phase 2 Action Plan, which requires that each NHS board has or is affiliated to an Managed Care Network f…

7 Oct 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the UK Government regarding health and safety legislation and the police service.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No. Health and safety legislation is a reserved matter for consideration by the UK Parliament. I await the publication of Lord Young''s review of health and safety legislation to see whether there are any consequences for policing in Scotland.</b></p>

6 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance was in answering ministerial correspondence in the first quarter of 2010.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: In the quarter January to March 2010, 8,008 </b>letters were received by ministers and 97% received a reply within our target of 20 working days.</p>

18 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula for funding NHS boards will be fully implemented for each board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In order to ensure there was a smooth transition to new funding arrangements for NHS Scotland the Scottish Government committed to phasing in the target shares calculated by the NRAC Formula by way of differential growth. Under this methodology, all boards co…

24 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative consent motions it will lodge in the Parliament in connection with the legislative programme of the UK Government to be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 25 May 2010.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: In accordance with the Sewel Convention, the UK Parliament does not legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.</p> <p >This is an important part of the devolution settlement, which acknowledges the …

13 May 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Grampian Police regarding its new local policing model.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This government is committed to making our communities safer and stronger places to live. That is why we are delivering on our commitment to provide 1,000 additional police officers in our communities. But there would be no point in having these extra officer…

28 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are being considered by the joint liaison group of the four UK health departments in exploring areas of possible collaboration and progress for the provision of services for people with rare diseases.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33417 on 4 May 2010. 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/Apps2/Bus…

28 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the joint liaison group of the four UK health departments in exploring areas of possible collaboration and progress in the provision of services for people with rare diseases, including in the field of specialist commissioning.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Officials from the four UK Health Departments are continuing to explore areas of possible collaboration and progress in the provision of services for people with rare diseases in line with the EU Council Recommendation''s request for a report on implementatio…

27 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance was in answering ministerial correspondence in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: In the fourth quarter October to December 2009, 7,972 letters were received by ministers and 96 % received a reply within our target of 20 working days. </p>

11 Feb 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding GPs’ recommendations on the physical and mental wellbeing of patients in relation to the employment and support allowance.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are regular discussions with the UK Government on a whole range of issues, including the impact of the Employment and Support allowance for Scottish claimants and the requirements placed on GPs.</p> <p >The Department of Work and Pensions determines th…

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance was in answering ministerial correspondence in the third quarter of 2009.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: In the quarter July to September 2009, 6,659 letters were received by ministers and 95 % received a reply within our target of 20 working days.</p>