Mr David Davidson

29 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost would be of restoring funding reductions on NHS boards under the Arbuthnott formula.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The purpose of the Arbuthnott formula is to ensure that every NHS board in Scotland receives a level of funding that reflects the size of its population, their levels of deprivation and ill health, and the costs of delivering healthcare in remote and rural ar…

29 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of small businesses eligible for business rate relief (a) applied for and (b) received such relief since the scheme was introduced.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The rates relief scheme for small businesses will be introduced on 1 April 2003.

29 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on trunk road improvements in each of the last three years in each local authority area.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Information on spending on the strategic road network is not held by local authority area. Detailed information on historic spending on motorways and trunk roads is set out in the annual publication <I>Scottish Transport Statistics</I>. Copies of this are hel…

29 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the Comprehensive Spending Review funding will be for trunk road improvement in each of the next three years.

Answer · Iain Gray: Spending plans for the three years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 will be announced in September.

29 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no facility to deal with animal health requirements at Rosyth in order to allow passengers on the Superfast ferry link to Europe to take pets with them and when such a facility will be introduced.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Officials are currently in discussion with representatives of Superfast Ferries regarding the introduction of Pets Travel Scheme (PETS) on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry route. Depending on the progress of these discussions, it may be possible to have an autho…

29 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it (a) spent on advertising and marketing in each year since 1999 and (b) has budgeted for such spending for the current year and each of the next two years.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Spend on advertising in each year since 1999 is detailed as follows. Spending for the next two years is currently under review.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=274><TR><TD WIDTH="69%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1999-2000</TD><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP"><…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which universities and colleges are active in alternative energy research, broken down by field of research and institution.

Answer · Iain Gray: Details of research projects in Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges are not collected centrally by the Scottish Executive. However, the Executive has encouraged the development of the Scottish Research Information System, by Scottish …

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public expenditure there has been on renewable energy research and commercialisation in the last three years and how much is planned over the next two years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Funding for research and development of renewable energy is a reserved matter, and is the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry. The research funds available through the DTI's Sustainable Energy Programme for projects across the UK in each of…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what subsidies are given to renewable energy generating schemes.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As a demonstration of our strong support for the development of renewable energy, the Executive introduced on 1 April this year the Renewables Obligation (Scotland), which provides a strong market incentive for investment in renewable energy generating scheme…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to identify solutions to any gap in energy generation if nuclear generation ceases in Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: The issues of energy generation and security of supply are reserved, and were addressed in the recent Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) report on energy policy to the UK Government. The PIU's recommendations now form the basis of a UK-wide consultation ex…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why all people diagnosed as gluten intolerant do not qualify for exemption from prescription charges.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Exemption from prescription charges on medical grounds is restricted to patients who suffer from one of the qualifying conditions listed in NHS Regulations. The Executive's priority is to focus assistance on those who are least able to pay, so that no-one nee…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why people with gluten intolerance, other than those diagnosed as having celiac disease, cannot obtain gluten-free products on an NHS prescription.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Prescriptions for gluten-free products are not restricted to patients with coeliac disease. These items may be prescribed for any patients who have been diagnosed as suffering from established gluten enteropathies.

18 Jun 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether any black granite being supplied for the new Parliament building at Holyrood is sourced from Zimbabwe and, if so, why Scottish granite was not sourced instead.

Answer · David Steel: No black granite is being sourced from Zimbabwe for the Scottish Parliament. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has informed me that some black granite is required for cladding purposes, to provide a contrast with the other cladding, and supplies of …

6 Jun 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer how many posters and postcards advertising the Parliament website were sent out to organisations such as churches, halls and recreation centres in the north-east prior to the Parliament's visit to Aberdeen and what the total cost of this was.

Answer · David Steel: Ten thousand posters and 20,000 postcards were printed to promote www.Scottish Parliamentlive.com which was hosting the live broadcast of the parliamentary sittings in Aberdeen, at a total cost of just over £2,000. This was done through our in house print con…

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alleviate any potential increase in council tax charges to make up for the rise in National Insurance contributions by local authorities.

Answer · Andy Kerr: As part of the Spending Review 2002, we are looking with COSLA at the future funding requirements for local government, taking into account all relevant cost pressures. We will announce the outcome of the Spending Review, including local government allocation…

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has in the development of sector training councils.

Answer · Iain Gray: Sector Skills Councils are being developed by employers as UK-wide organisations, with support from a new UK-wide Sector Skills Development Agency. They will replace the former National Training Organisations and will be licensed jointly by the Secretary of S…

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address any lack of qualified central heating technicians in order to complete the central heating initiative.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Eaga currently have a sufficient number of sub-contractors working under the central heating programme which enabled them to meet their target of installing 3,550 central heating systems in 2001-02. The nature of the programme is itself encouraging new entran…

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund employers who provide approved apprenticeships at the same level as funding that follows students to further education colleges.

Answer · Iain Gray: The funding generally reflects the differences between work-based and college-based training. Detailed funding is an operational matter for the enterprise networks and for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, respectively.

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to eliminate any growing financial deficits in universities.

Answer · Iain Gray: Responsibility for the financial health of higher education Institutions lies primarily with the management of those institutions. Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) is responsible for monitoring and funding them.<P>Funding for the SHEFC in 200…

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether eating disorders are a major and growing condition and what level of priority it gives to such disorders in the planning of resource allocation.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Nationally there is evidence of an increased incidence and prevalence of eating disorders. However, this may, in part, result from greater awareness of the condition. <P>In terms of resource allocation, it is for each NHS board to consider the most appropriat…

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will facilitate the establishment of a dedicated eating disorder centre in every NHS board area which will provide residential as well as out-patient services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The health department published guidance in October 2001 on the provision of eating disorder services. At that time, NHS boards were asked to assess the needs of their local population for all aspects of eating disorder services, including in-patient care. It…

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has provided for eating disorder services and what specific sums have been allocated to each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No separate financial allocations are made for eating disorder services within the funds allocated each year to NHSScotland. It is for each NHS board to agree the level of investment to make in consideration of assessed local needs and following the guidance …

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what upper limit it places on the waiting time for a first assessment at consultant level for patients with an eating disorder.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No upper limit has been set but our work on waiting is founded on bringing down the longest waits.

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the exact remit is of VisitScotland and what performance indicators were set for it.

Answer · Mike Watson: VisitScotland has statutory responsibility under the Development of Tourism Act 1969, as amended by the Tourism (Overseas Promotion) (Scotland) Act 1984, to encourage people to visit Scotland and to encourage the provision and improvement of tourist amenities…

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much European funding has been received for tourism purposes and to whom such funding was distributed in each of the last three years.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Under the current round of Structural Fund Programmes, allocations of funding are not specifically earmarked for tourism purposes, though eligible tourism-related projects are considered for funding where they meet an appropriate programme measure and the oth…

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the research being carried out by Glasgow Caledonian University in regard to tourist information centres.

Answer · Mike Watson: Neither the Scottish Executive nor VisitScotland have commissioned such research.

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a substantive answer to my question S1W-25098 lodged on 16 April 2002 in respect of the publication of access criteria for e-tourism ltd by 30 April 2002.

Answer · Mike Watson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25098, which made clear that the criteria for advertising on the site will be covered by the business plan.

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it gave area tourist boards only 10 days to consider and sign contracts for involvement in e-tourism ltd.

Answer · Mike Watson: The detail of the negotiations is a matter for VisitScotland and the area tourist boards (ATB), who are partners in the Joint Venture. Three ATB Chief Executives are members of the project board.

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to incorporate area tourist boards within VisitScotland or Scottish Enterprise.

Answer · Mike Watson: I will be announcing shortly how I intend to take forward the review of the area tourist boards network and do not intend to pre-empt the outcome.

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of what procedure it will follow, including what consultation procedure it will use, in its review of area tourist boards.

Answer · Mike Watson: I will be announcing shortly how I intend to take forward the review of the area tourist boards network.