Mr David Davidson

16 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to set up a pharmacy Chlamydia screening pathfinder in the independent community pharmacy sector, similar to that proposed by the Department of Health.

Answer · Andy Kerr: <i>The Right Medicine; a Strategyfor Pharmaceutical Care in </i><i>Scotland</i> identifies community pharmacists as having a role inproviding access to advice in various areas of sexual health promotion such as adviceon safe sex and avoiding sexually transmit…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a national access code will be agreed and what issues regarding it have not been resolved to date.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Outdoor Access Code was approved by the Scottish Parliament on 1 July 2004. The access code came into force on 9 February 2005 along with all other remaining provisions of Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to establish statutory right…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to national parks in respect of the regulation of access under new legislation.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The two national park authorities were issued with the Scottish Executive guidance <i>Part 1 Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003: The Guidance For Local Authorities And National Park Authorities</i> on 8 February. All 32 Scottish local authorities were also issue…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue has been generated through speed cameras in the last three years, broken down by police force.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information available, relating to paid fixed penalties collected by safety camera partnerships that have joined the Scottish Safety Camera Programme since it was first piloted in 2001-02, is shown in the following table.  However, information is not held…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many speed cameras have been removed in each of the last three years and from what locations they have been removed.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No fixed site safety camerashave been permanently removed since safety camera partnerships startedoperating in Scotland. Information relating to the removal of cameras beforethe establishment of partnerships is not held centrally.</p>

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new beat officers have been recruited in the last three years, broken down by police force.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Decisions on the deployment of officers between community, response and other roles are operational matters for each Chief Constable and as such, this information is not held centrally. The number of police officers recruited over the last three years by forc…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for housing have been refused in the last three years due to lack of water and sewerage infrastructure capacity, broken down by planning committee area.

Answer · Johann Lamont: This information is not held centrally.</p>

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many organic farms and small holdings are registered, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The data required are given inthe table:</p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Unitary Authority</p> </td> <td> <p align=right>Organic Farms</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <tr> <td> <p>Aberdeen Cit…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many delayed subsidy payments to farmers are outstanding in Aberdeenshire.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are 20 Common Agriculture Policy subsidy payments being processed outside the payment window, arising from farmers in Aberdeenshire. Of these, six are under the Arable Area Payment Scheme 2004, and 14 under the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme 2004. The paym…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many physical assaults on teachers took place in each of the last five years, broken down by education authority.

Answer · Peter Peacock: For the year 1989-1999 statistics were gathered combining all forms of physical violence. From 1999 to 2003 the statistics provided separate information on incidents involving physical violence and incidents in which there was verbal abuse and physical violen…

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many violent crimes have been committed in schools in each of the last five years, broken down by education authority.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information is available on the number of incidents reported to the police of violence or antisocial behaviour against local authority staff. It is for head teachers to judge when an incident in their school should be reported to the police. However, any memb…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to the British Red Cross for the provision of disability aids.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive does not specifically provide support to the British Red Cross for the provision of disability equipment. The Scottish Executive provides considerable financial support to the voluntary sector in Scotland through a variety of direct and…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with trade members of Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board regarding the restructuring of VisitScotland and area tourist boards.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: VisitScotland has used a series of regular newsletters to keep business members of all area tourist boards throughout Scotland, including Aberdeen and Grampian, fully informed of the progress being made with implementing the new tourism network, and the busin…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with trade members of tourist boards in Angus and Tayside regarding restructuring of tourism support.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Trade members of Angus and Dundee Tourist Board had an opportunity to discuss the integrated tourism network directly with VisitScotland at a Tourism Day on 9 February at Discovery Point, Dundee which was organised by the board. The meeting was attended by ar…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with each local authority in north east Scotland with regard to economic development in the next five years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Framework for Economic Development in Scotland sets out the priorities for action for economic development in Scotland, and recognises that economic prosperity is only secured through the efforts and contributions of a wide range of individuals and bodies…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is provided for local authorities in north east Scotland to train special needs teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: In 2005-06, the Scottish Executive will provide Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Angus Council and Dundee City Council with specific grant funding totalling £923,639 to support the professional development and training of staff working with pupil…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for local authorities in north east Scotland for the provision of special needs teaching and the establishment of custom-built facilities.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The main support for local authority net revenue expenditure on special educational needs provision, including teaching staff costs, is provided by the Scottish Executive through the Revenue Support Grant. This is an unhypothecated grant and expenditure on in…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has given to the building or upgrading of local authority care homes over the last three years and what support it plans to give over the next three years, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive does not allocate specific funding to local authorities for the building or upgrading of local authority care homes. This would be a matter for individual local authorities, not all of which operate their own care homes.</p><p>The Scott…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is in discussion with the two harbour authorities in Peterhead with regard to a possible merger.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with both harbour authorities. <br>Peterhead Bay Authority and Peterhead Harbour Trust are presently pursuing plansfor a merger. A Minute of Agreement was signed in January 2005 outlining the proposals with a timet…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to improve the A90 within Dundee.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is currently undertaking a study, in conjunction with Dundee City Council and other stakeholders, to consider the likely traffic impacts on the A90 in the vicinity of the Swallow and Myreside roundabouts, Dundee, as a result of major de…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what directions have been given to BEAR Scotland to appraise the upgrading of the A90 from Aberdeen to Peterhead, including the provision of a dual carriageway along its length.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: No directions have been given to BEAR Scotland Ltd to appraise the upgrading of the A90 from Aberdeen to Peterhead to dual carriageway standard.</p><p>However, the Scottish Executive has commissioned consultants to undertake a Scottish Transport Appraisal Gui…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources Scottish police forces will receive for the additional costs of liaising with the new Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: It is not currently anticipatedthat there will be any additional costs to Scottish police forces arising fromliaison with the new Serious Organised Crime Agency.</p>

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be to the Scottish Block Grant of the setting up of the proposed Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executivecurrently makes an annual financial contribution to the running costs of theNational Criminal Intelligence Service, which will be subsumed within the newSerious Organised Crime Agency. No discussions have taken place about anycontributio…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all facilities supported or run by it meet the requirements of the new disabled access legislation and, if not, when the necessary work will be carried out and how much it will cost.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We take our responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) as an employer and service provider very seriously. Since October 2004, the DDA requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments to the physical feature of their premises…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected number of special needs teaching staff is for all grades in each of the next five years, broken down by education authority.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued on the pupil-staff ratio required for special needs teaching.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive does not issue guidance to education authorities on pupil staff ratios for the teaching of pupils with special educational needs.</p><p>The employment and deployment of school staff working with pupils who have special educational needs…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to whom patients or carers should complain about NHS board services or treatment when local health councils cease to exist.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Patients and carers should continue to complain to the NHS board. Those involved in the provision of care are best placed to investigate concerns raised and provide a response.</p>

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many trained members of staff of local health councils have been offered employment in (a) complaints departments of NHS boards and (b) the new Scottish Health Council.

Answer · Andy Kerr: All local health council staff are eligible to apply for positions within the Scottish Health Council and the recruitment process is in progress. Information on local health council staff offered employment in NHS board complaints departments is not held cent…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what formal qualifications are required for giving advice and support to those seeking to complain to an NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14157 on 28 February 2005. 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/webapp/…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations in Scotland currently have trained staff to provide advice and support for those seeking to complain to an NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14157 answered on 28 February 2005. 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.parliamen…