Parliamentary questions
Brian Adam
1,580 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance was in answering ministerial correspondence in the first quarter of 2008.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: In the quarter January to March 2008, 9,329 letters were received by ministers and 94% received a reply within our target of 20 working days.</p>
20 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of the review of home loss payments for property acquired by compulsory purchase.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The outcome of the review will be announced shortly.</p>
20 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the UK Government to introduce a pilot scheme similar to the Fresh Talent initiative to address significant shortages of Indian chefs in Scotland.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I am aware of the concerns of the Asian restaurant trade in relation to the new migration system. We intend to explore a range of options with the Home Office which will make it easier for those who are skilled to work here and to remain in Scotland.</p>
20 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government concerning the changes in immigration rules affecting the recruitment of Indian chefs in Scotland.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Cabinet Secretary for Justice wrote to the Home Secretary on 25 January 2008 to raise concerns that the new system would make it more difficult to employ chefs with specific skills from the Asian sub-continent.</p>
29 May 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in resolving outstanding issues related to out-of-hours, shift and on-call payments as part of the Agenda for Change.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Remuneration arrangements for “out-of-hours” and “shift work” have been taken forward under the heading “unsocial hours”. New arrangements have now been agreed and have been set out in a redrafted Section 2 of the Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions entitl…
17 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed new Scottish Natural Heritage headquarters in Inverness will have any provision for the collection of solar energy.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is provided in the following table. It should be noted that Aberdeen City Council was formed following local government reorganisation in 1996-97 so figures for 1995-96 do not exist.</p> <p >Aberdeen City Council</p> <table border…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce any further ring-fenced funding for the NHS and the basis of such funding.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Spending priorities for health in Scotland, covering the period 2008-09 to 2010-11, were announced in the Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 on 14 November 2007. This will form the basis of the funding to be allocated in respect of these health funding init…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has announced all of the funding allocations for NHS boards for 2008-09, including ring-fenced money.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No. The main 2008-09 baseline funding allocations for NHS boards were announced on 8 February 2008. Further funding will be allocated to NHS boards during 2008-09 in respect of specific developments as they are agreed.</p> <p >Overall spending plans for heal…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing financial support for nurses attending return-to-practice courses to achieve Nursing and Midwifery Council requirements.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government provides up to £1,500 to support former nurses and midwives to complete return to practice courses and go back to work in NHS Scotland. This funding is linked to an offer of employment in NHS Scotland. Since 2002, £1.2 million funding …
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length is of return-to-practice courses for nurses.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The lengths of return to practice courses, which include up to 45 days supervised practice, vary according to the needs of the individual so as to meet the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council for return to practice.</p>
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses have received financial support for return-to-practice courses on their return to practice after career breaks in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The requested information is set out in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center > </p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center >2005</p> </td> <td v…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses have self-funded return-to-practice courses on their return to practice after career breaks in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11226 on 14 April 2008. 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/webap…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses who have returned to practice after career breaks in each of the last three years have attended return-to-practice courses, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11226 on 14 April 2008. All answers to 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/Busines…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses have returned to practice after career breaks in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. However, since the return to practice initiative was introduced in 2002, a total of 804 nurses and midwives have returned to practice and received funding to do so.</p>
18 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance was in answering ministerial correspondence in the fourth quarter of 2007.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: In the quarter October to December 2007, 8,337 letters were received by ministers and 94% received a reply within our target of 20 working days.</p>
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours have been spent by Scottish Government, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and other officials in answering all parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests in relation to (a) the proposal from Trump International for a golf course at the Menie estate and…
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The core Scottish Government has since December 2007 dealt with, or is in the process of dealing with, more than 175 parliamentary questions and 130 freedom of information requests about issues relating to these planning proposals. Responding to these, along …
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost has been so far of answering all parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests in relation to (a) the proposal from Trump International for a golf course at the Menie estate and (b) planning developments in Aviemore.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11071 on 16 April 2008. 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/webapp…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether students at the Aberdeen dental school who are in receipt of a dental bursary will have their fees paid.
Answer · Shona Robison: Yes. I announced on 19 February 2008 that the Scottish Government will meet the costs of the £1,775 per year tuition fees for the students studying at the new Aberdeen Dental School. These students will also be eligible to apply for the dental bursary.</p>
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether students at the Aberdeen dental school will be eligible for the dental bursary scheme.
Answer · Shona Robison: Yes. The students studying at the new Aberdeen dental school will be eligible to apply for the dental bursary of £4,000 per year in return for an undertaking to work in NHS dental services in Scotland for a period of up to five years following qualification.<…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in retaining dentists in the NHS as a result of the dental bursary scheme for students.
Answer · Shona Robison: In the 2007-08 academic session, 462 students studying dentistry at Glasgow and Dundee dental schools are in receipt of the dental bursary and undertake to work in NHS dental services in Scotland for up to five years following qualification.</p>
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of graduates who complete their GP training in Grampian subsequently take up posts within Grampian medical practices.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not centrally available. Details of Information on staff employed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce">www.i…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are in the medical grading structures of clinical departments in acute care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not centrally available. However, details of vacant consultant posts are published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics at <a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce">www.isdscotland.org…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many medical training posts are being held open to allow successful candidates to defer taking up the appointments.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Details of vacant medical posts are published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics at <a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce">www.isdscotland.org/workforce</a>. The specific information requested is not available central…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescales are for implementing any new agreement on extended opening hours for general medical practices.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We expect the result of the GP poll early in March. Depending on the outcome of the poll we will be seeking thereafter to finalise the detailed arrangements for extended hours in Scotland with Scottish General Practitioners Committee (SGPC) in time for implem…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints (a) it and (b) each NHS board have received from patients about the level of access to their GPs and associated services as a result of opening hours in each of the last three years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not routinely collected by the Scottish Government or NHS boards.</p>
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what input Scottish ministers and officials have had to the negotiations on extending the opening hours of general medical practices as part of the four nations’ discussions.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The GP contract is a UK contract negotiated on behalf of the Scottish, English, Welsh and Northern Irish Health Departments, by NHS Employers with the GP Committee (GPC) of the British Medical Association. In consultation with ministers, officials discuss nat…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards a negotiated settlement on extended opening hours for general medical practices to be feasible or desirable.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We believe that the current offer to GP practices, which will reward Scottish GPs for extending their opening hours, is both fair and reasonable.</p> <p >When NHS Employers presented the offer to the GP Committee (GPC) of the British Medical Association, in …
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards reaching a negotiated settlement on extended opening hours for general medical practices.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish ministers and officials continue to have constructive dialogue with representatives from the Scottish GP Committee of the British Medical Association (BMA).</p> <p >The current offer to GP practices promotes flexible access for the people of Scotlan…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage public and private bus and HGV fleet operators to consider using anti-diesel-spill devices as used by Lothian Buses.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The use of anti-spill devices is a commercial matter for bus and HGV operators.</p>
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the use of anti-diesel-spill devices by Lothian Buses helps to promote environmentally-friendly sustainable public transport.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Any device that reduces the overall volume of fuel used by a vehicle will have environmental benefits however, the use of anti-spill devices is a commercial matter for operators.</p>