Parliamentary questions
Brian Adam
1,580 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the anti-diesel-spill devices being used by Lothian Buses.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is aware of the anti-diesel-spill devices being used by Lothian Buses. These devices are designed to reduce the overall volume of fuel used by a vehicle which will have environmental benefits. However, the use of such a device is a com…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to investigate the value of having anti-spill devices for diesel-fuelled vehicles fitted as a condition of receiving Bus Service Operators Grant.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The value of having anti-spill devices fitted to buses is a commercial matter for bus operators. As part of the developing Scottish Government policy for buses it is proposed that Bus Service Operators Grant become more environmentally focussed and thereby en…
14 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the UK Government to amend regulations on HGV and bus design to make the fitting of anti-diesel-spill devices compulsory on all such vehicles, including foreign vehicles, using our roads.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The design of vehicles is covered by European standards. EC Directive 70/221 requires that commercial vehicles have in place appropriate measures to ensure that minimum leakage occurs. The anti-diesel-spill devices are designed to reduce the overall volume of…
12 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed in Aberdeen in each quarter since the central heating programme was introduced.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: For the scheme as a whole, information is not held by local authority or parliamentary constituency area, but by main postcode.</p> <p >For the period when Eaga Partnership was the managing agent i.e. before <br> October 2006 information on installations in…
8 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding has been awarded to support neuroscience research in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO primarily responds to requests for funding research proposals i…
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the number of premature births and other poor birth outcomes.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Governmentis committed to constantly improving care provision. The <i>Framework for MaternityServices in Scotland </i>and the report of the <i>Expert Group on Acute MaternityServices </i>(EGAMS),<i> </i>set out a number of principles, guidelines …
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be spent on research into issues concerning premature births in each of the next three years, broken down by funder.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Chief ScientistOffice (CSO), of the Scottish Government’s Health Directorates, has responsibilityfor encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO primarily responds to requests for funding researchproposals in…
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many still births were delivered in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested isshown in the table.</p><p>Number<sup>1</sup> of Still Birthsby NHS Board of Residence and Year of Registration</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=157 nowrap valign=bottom> <p> </p> </…
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many premature babies were born (a) in total and (b) per 1,000 live births in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The latest available informationis shown in the table.</p><p class=nhsrecipient>PrematureSingleton Live Births<sup>1,2 </sup>by Gestation, Health Board of Residence<sup>3;</sup>Year Ending 31 March</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr>…
22 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a safety campaign to highlight the danger of over-filling diesel tanks, given that diesel and oil spills on roads have led to a number of fatalities in the north east this year.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-8741 on 6 February 2008. 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…
22 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take on the enforcement of legislation in respect of diesel and oil spills on roads.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Governmenthas no such plans as the enforcement of the legislation in respect of diesel andoil spills on roads is a matter for the police.</p>
22 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will highlight in its road safety campaigns dangers caused by diesel and oil spills.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Governmentprovides funding to Road Safety Scotland for the development of key road safetyeducation initiatives and publicity messages. Road Safety Scotland’s business planfor 2007-08 does not include plans for a campaign on the dangers caused by …
16 Jan 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in de-cluttering the environmental landscape.
Answer · Michael Russell: The First Minister will makea statement to Parliament later this month on the simplification of public services.Meanwhile, work continues on the development of an integrated delivery service forthe shared land management customers of nine environmental and ru…
5 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many objections to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route came from addresses without an AB postcode; what proportion of the total number of objections that constitutes; what the cost of handling these objections is likely to be; what part of that cost will be borne by Aberdeen City Co…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A total of 9,379 objections were received. Analysis shows that a total of 6,723 households submitted an objection. Of this 1,752 (26%) were from outwith the AB postcode area and came from other parts of the UK and overseas.</p> <p >Each objection was analyse…
17 Dec 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the Policy and Financial Management Review of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: The review is nowcomplete and the report is being published today. The Mental Welfare Commissionfor Scotland have seen the report and in general acceptthe recommendations. The commission is implementing its own action plan for changefollowing the review.</p><…
5 Dec 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether access rights supersede any interdicts imposed by sheriffs.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Sections 9(a) and9(b) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 state that conduct excluded from accessrights includes: being on or crossing land in breach of an interdict or other orderof a court, and being on or crossing land for the purpose of doing anything …
5 Dec 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is lawful for interdicts to be in place without limit of time and, if so, whether it has any plans to change this position.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes it is lawful forinterdicts to be made without limit of time. Interdicts may be permanent (withoutlimit of time) or interim. An interim interdict is awarded at the court’s discretionand is an immediate remedy which may be applied for during the process of …
9 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement a ban on the sale of tobacco products from vending machines.
Answer · Shona Robison: The ScottishGovernment currently has no plans to implement a ban on the sale of tobacco productsfrom vending machines. However, reducing the availability and attractiveness oftobacco products to young people, including through much more rigorousenforcement of…
9 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research on the impact that the rise in the minimum legal age for tobacco sales will have on the number of young people who illegally buy cigarettes from vending machines.
Answer · Shona Robison: While there arecurrently no plans to commission specific research in this respect, we will beable to identify any changes in the number of 13 and 15-year-old smokers whousually purchase cigarettes from vending machines through the Scottish SchoolsAdolescent L…
9 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the rise in the minimum legal age for tobacco sales will have on the number of young people who illegally buy cigarettes from vending machines.
Answer · Shona Robison: It is too early tosay what impact there has been. However, we will continue to monitor reported salesfrom cigarette vending machines by 13 and 15-year-old smokers through the ScottishSchools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS). We will also…
9 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research is available on the illegal purchase of tobacco products from vending machines by young people.
Answer · Shona Robison: In 2006, 10% of 13and 15-year-old smokers who participated in the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyleand Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) reported obtaining cigarettes from vending machines.</p>
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the waiting times for the assessment of eligibility for, and the installation of, central heating systems under the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:</p><p>Up to a further £7million has been made available this financial year to accelerate installationsfor the most vulnerable who are eligible for t…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the criteria for those in urgent need due to medical circumstances to receive installation of central heating systems under the central heating programme before the onset of winter.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have already confirmedthat the fuel poverty programmes would be reviewed and this is currently underway.We have in the meantime put in hand arrangements to accelerate installations thiswinter for the most vulnerable eligible applicants who are without heati…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the performance of Scottish Gas in delivering the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:</p><p>Over 7,000 centralheating systems have been installed since April 2007 and additional resources toinstall around 1,500 extra systems has been p…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is between application and installation under the central heating programme in each local authority area.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:</p><p>Information is notheld in the format requested. However, information is held on the national averagewaiting time from application to installati…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of applicants under the central heating programme received their new system within five months of application in the most recent year for which figures are available, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:</p><p>This information isnot held centrally. However, information is held on the national average waitingtime from application to installation and is…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why figures for the central heating programme are published by postcode area and not constituency or local authority area.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The centralheating programme is a national programme and performance figures are collectedat postcode level as this is the most useful level of data for monitoring performanceto ensure that the programme is delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible…
5 Nov 2007 · 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 that will be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 6 November 2007.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Sewel Conventionprovides that the United Kingdom Government will not normally legislate with regardto devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.This is an important part of the devolution settlement, signifying respect fo…
1 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many neonates were transferred to England as a result of lack of beds, staffing or facilities in Scotland in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: No neonates were transferredto England as a result of lack of beds, staffing or facilitiesin Scotland in each of the last three years.</p>
1 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many out-of-area admissions to neonatal beds have been made in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information isnot held centrally, however, we are aware of issues within neonatal services, andare currently carrying out a comprehensive review of this service, through a dedicatedneonatal sub-group of the Maternity Services Action Group. The Scottish G…