Parliamentary questions
Bristow Muldoon
125 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee to submit its recommendations.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The NHSScotland Resource AllocationCommittee is working to a timetable whereby it will report its recommendations toministers by the end of June 2007.</p><p>Over the months of July, Augustand September 2006, the committee undertook a consultation based on the…
31 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are being made available to NHS boards for 2007-08.
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards have been given ageneral allocation of £6,870.4 million for 2007-08, an average increase over theequivalent 2006-07 allocation of 6.44%. Details of each NHS board’s allocation isas follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <…
8 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the report of the Local Government Finance Review Committee to be published.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I understand that the committeeis making its report public today. I am gratefulto Sir Peter Burt for leading the review and to Professor John Baillie, Peter Danielsand Dr Janet Lowe for all their hard work over the past two years.</p><p>This is a substantive …
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new completions of houses in the social rented sector there were in each of the 32 local authority areas in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 and how many of these were as a result of developer planning gain contributions.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on number of newhouse completions in the social rented sector in each year from 1992 to 2004 ineach of the 32 local authority areas was provided in my reply to Alex Neil in S2W-24608on 12 April 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions …
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses in the social rented sector were sold under right to buy in each of the 32 local authority areas in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of local authoritydwellings sold to sitting tenants are accessible on-line through the data libraryin the publications and data section of the Scottish Executive housing statisticsbranch website at <a href="http://www,scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing…
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses in the social rented sector there were in each of the 32 local authority areas in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Figures on local authority stockas at 31 March of each year are published in the quarterly Scottish Executive StatisticalBulletin (Housing Series)<i> Housing trends in </i><i>Scotland</i><i>: quarters ending 31 March.</i> Thisis available on-line in the publi…
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement the recommendations of the report submitted by West Lothian Council which proposed the introduction of express rail services on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts line.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive response to WestLothian Council’s report in July 2004 highlighted that the study had identifiedkey issues which still need to be addressed. More recently a different service patternachieving more quick journeys which might have wider benefits ha…
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much council tax benefit was paid for each of the 32 local authorities for (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06.
Answer · George Lyon: The information requested, whereavailable, is given in the following table:</p><p>Total Council Tax Benefit Payments(£ Million)</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=160 valign=top> <p align=center> </p> </td> <t…
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rate of local income tax would require to be set for each of the 32 local authorities in order to replace the budgeted yield from council tax for 2006-07, on the basis that local income tax would be paid on all income currently taxed at either the standard rate or the higher rate of …
Answer · George Lyon: Budgeted council tax yields areavailable from council tax returns submitted by councils in March 2006, and areprovided separately in the reply to the answer to question S2W-25172 on 8 May. Thereis no centrally held estimate of local income tax rates that woul…
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19185 by Colin Boyd QC on 28 September 2005, whether there are any further documents which were available to the inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane Primary School that can be made available to the public.
Answer · Colin Boyd: It has recently come to lightthat, due to an administrative oversight, a file of statements that was availableto all parties to the Dunblane Inquiry, is not currently included within the documentsheld at the National Archives of Scotland. Extensive enquiries …
11 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the budgeted yield from council tax is for each of the 32 local authorities for 2006-07.
13 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Lord Advocate will announce his decision on whether there should be a Fatal Accident Inquiry into the deaths of Rory Blackhall and Simon Harris.
Answer · Colin Boyd: Following receipt of a report on the afternoon of 18 August 2005 that 11 year-old Rory Blackhall had, unbeknown to his family, failed to attend Meldrum Primary School that morning, Lothian and Borders Police immediately launched an investigation into his disa…
2 Nov 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the recruitment and retention of science and maths teachers.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive carries out an annual teacher workforce planning exercise that takes into account issues in the recruitment and retention of teachers.</p> <p>As part of the commitment to increase teacher numbers to 53,000 by 2007, recruitment to science and mat…
22 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many sports clubs are registered as community amateur sports clubs, broken down by sport.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Community Amateur Sports Club scheme is administered by HM Revenue and Customs. A list of clubs registered under the scheme is available on their website at:</p> <p><ahref="http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/casc/index.htm">www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/casc/inde…
18 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide any information concerning the outcomes of discussions with the Department for Transport (DfT) on the financial aspects of the UK rail review.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Secretary of State for Transportwill transfer to the Scottish Executive funding sufficient to cover all the responsibilitiestransferred to Scottish ministers by virtue of the Railways Bill currently beforethe UK Parliament.</p><p>the Scottish Executive wi…
12 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with its Partnership Agreement commitment to establish a national transport agency for Scotland to deliver on Scotland"s transport priorities and whether any decision has been reached on where the agency will be based.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Progress with the establishment of the agency continues. The national transport agency’s key responsibilities will be the delivery of major infrastructure projects for rail, tram and trunk roads. It will also be responsible for the development and maintenance…
1 Dec 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on increasing recycling of domestic waste.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We are providing significant resources through the Strategic Waste Fund to improve recycling and composting rates for municipal waste. Both Audit Scotland and Scottish Environment Protection Agency figures show good progress is being made to increase these ra…
1 Dec 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the shortage of consultants in the NHS.
Answer · Andy Kerr: We continue to build capacity in the medical staff group. NHS consultant numbers have increased by 307 between 2000 and 2003, and continue to rise.</p><p>A number of measures are being taken to address the recruitment and retention of doctors including a revi…
24 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to consult interested parties on the reform of the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA), which has regulatory responsibility for public service pension schemes in Scotland, has today issued a consultation paper on the review of the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland. Copies of which have been p…
8 Sep 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage sport and physical education in schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: We are investing significant funding in active schools and have made a firm commitment to offer at least two hours of higher quality physical education to every young person.</p><p>Both of these initiatives aim to address the poor levels of physical activity …
7 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which operating divisions of NHS Lothian did not meet the budget they were set for 2003-04 and what the level of overspend was in each case.
Answer · Andy Kerr: <p>Before 31 March 2004 “operating division”<i> </i>was generally analogous with NHS trust. Information on the outturn of Lothian NHS Trusts and NHS board for 2003-04 is a matter of public record and the following information has been taken from the annual ac…
7 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many rotas covering junior doctors in NHS Lothian are not compliant with the EU working time directive, broken down by speciality.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We do not hold detailed rota information for doctors in training. However, the following table provides details of NHS Lothian’s assessment of the number of doctors in training who are not compliant with the requirements of the Working Time Regulations (WTR),…
7 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many rotas covering junior doctors in NHS Lothian are compliant with the EU working time directive, broken down by speciality.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We do not hold detailed rota information for doctors in training. However, the following table provides details of NHS Lothian’s assessment of the number of doctors in training, broken down by specialities who are compliant with the requirements of the Workin…
2 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9238 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 July 2004, what percentage of medical students who successfully complete their Pre-Registration House Officer post subsequently practice in a Scottish medical establishment, broken down by medical school of origin.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The table provides details of the school of qualification of Pre-Registration House Officers (PRHO) employed in NHSScotland at the 30 September 2002, and of these, the number subsequently employed as senior house officers (SHO) in NHSScotland at the 30 Septem…
30 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the members of the review team that will conduct the independent review of local government finance.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I am pleased to announce that the following have agreed to conduct the independent review of local government finance:</p><p>Sir Peter Burt (chair)</p><p>Professor John Baillie</p><p>Peter Daniels</p><p>Janet Lowe</p><p>A short biography on each is contained …
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected population growth is of the City of Edinburgh local authority area over the next 10 years.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The latest population projections,published by the Registrar General on 25 February this year, show the projectedpopulation growth in the City of Edinburgh local authority area to be just under two per cent between2003 and 2013.</p><p class=MsoBodyTextIndent>…
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the population was in (a) Livingston, (b) Linlithgow, (c) Edinburgh West and (d) Edinburgh Pentlands parliamentary constituency in each year since 1999.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Annual population estimates areat present only available for local authority and health board areas, although plansare well advanced to prepare small area estimates (which would allow the productionof figures by Scottish parliamentary constituency). Results f…
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the population was in (a) West Lothian, (b) City of Edinburgh, (c) Midlothian and (d) East Lothian local authority area in each year since 1999.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Registrar General’s mid-year population estimates show the population of these local authority areas since 1999 to be:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=463> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Council</p> </td> <td> <p>Year</p> </td> <…
22 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the deployment of junior doctors is driven by patient need.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The employment of junior doctors, as with all other staff, is a matter for NHS boards and their deployment and numbers are not determined primarily for service delivery reasons. They are training grade posts and as such are designed to provide junior doctors …
22 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to ensure that members of the public can hold NHS boards democratically accountable for their actions.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are accountable, throughministers, to the Parliament and thus ultimately to the public. The board of NHSLothian has four local authority elected members appointed as non executivedirectors and meetings of the board are open to the public.</p>