Parliamentary questions
George Lyon
214 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information has been collated on the current economic circumstances of the farmers who will be affected by the Knapdale Forest European Beaver re-introduction trial.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: <B><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2>I</B> understand that Scottish Natural Heritage has not collated information on the current economic circumstances of the farmers adjacent to the area at Knapdale they propose for a trial re-introduction of the European Beaver.</F…
7 Feb 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage tourism to islands by reviewing the regulations for the provision of signs for island visitor attractions on the mainland trunk road network.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are no current plans to review the Scottish Executive's Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy
31 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are available to help communities affected by coastal erosion such as those on Seil Island.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive has no specific funds to help communities affected by coastal erosion.<P>The primary responsibility for the protection of land from erosion by the sea lies with the owners concerned. However, under the Coast Protection Act 1949, local a…
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to evaluate the effectiveness of its Improving Regulation in Scotland initiative.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the Member to the answer to question S1W-12913.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it publicises and raises awareness of the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the Member to the answer to question S1W-12913.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints to the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit have concerned regulations relating to (a) devolved matters and (b) reserved matters.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the Member to the answer to question S1W-12913.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the 20 regulations are in relation to which the highest number of complaints have been received by the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit and how many complaints have been received about each of these regulations.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the Member to the answer to question S1W-12913.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any regulation has been amended or repealed as a result of complaints to the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the Member to the answer to question S1W-12913.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual enquiries have been submitted to the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the Member to the answer to question S1W-12913.
30 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses have used the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit since it was established.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Since its inception in November 1998, the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit has had contact with around 160 businesses. Through a series of seminars, correspondence and also its "hotline" and e-mail box, the unit has received over 170 enquiries …
23 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the Grant Aided Expenditure Figure will be for Argyll and Bute Council for the next three years with level playing field support and Better Neighbourhood support also included.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer George Lyon to my answer to question S1W-12724 concerning Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) and Aggregate External Finance (AEF). AEF (including level playing field support and Better Neighbourhoods Services Fund) for Argyll & Bute Council will be £12…
23 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the Grant Aided Expenditure settlement was for Argyll and Bute Council for 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The local government finance settlements are based on Aggregate External Finance (AEF) or Scottish Executive grant. Argyll & Bute Council received AEF of £108.035 million in 1997-98, £107.728 million in 1998-99 and £110.884 million in 1999-2000.<FONT FACE…
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time taken to fill an NHS nursing vacancy is in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-12271 on 25 January.
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS nursing vacancies there currently are in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3>The latest information available centrally is shown in the table.</FONT><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=3 WIDTH=457><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=3 HEIGHT=34><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3><P>Nursing and Midwifery staff vacancies<S…
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors left employment in the NHS in the Argyll and Clyde Health Board area in each of the last three years; what the reasons were for such departures, and what the equivalent figure was for every other health board area in each of these years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The number of career grade doctors who left NHS employment in each of the last 3 years are shown in the following tables, together with the reasons for leaving. The table contains the latest data available and should be read in conjunction with the notes belo…
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses left employment in the NHS in the Argyll and Clyde Health Board area in each of the last three years; what the reasons were for such departures, and what the equivalent figure was for every other health board area in each of these years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The latest information available centrally is shown in the table. There is no information held centrally on reasons for leaving.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4><P>Qualified nursing and midwifery staff in the …
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to implement to address any shortfall in the number of (a) nurses and (b) doctors per 100 beds in NHS hospitals in the Argyll and Clyde Health Board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is a matter for health boards and Trusts to assess and provide for local needs and to determine the staffing levels required for effective service delivery. National recommendations on staffing levels would cut across these responsibilities and would under…
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current ratio of doctors per 100 beds in NHS hospitals is in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The data available centrally does not allow a robust comparison of the staffing levels per bed in each health board area. Given the variation in health needs and healthcare in each area, it is in any case doubtful that such ratios would provide meaningful com…
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current ratio of nurses per 100 beds in NHS hospitals is in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The data available centrally does not allow a robust comparison of the staffing levels per bed in each health board. Given the variation in health needs and healthcare in each area, it is in any case doubtful that such ratios would provide meaningful comparis…
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent doctors are currently employed by the NHS in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The whole time equivalent of doctors working in NHSScotland is shown in the following table. The table contains the latest available data and should be read in conjunction with the notes.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Whole Time Equivalent<SUP>5</SUP> of doctor…
19 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent nurses are employed by the NHS in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The latest information available centrally on how many whole-time equivalent nurses employed in the NHSScotland is shown in the table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIF…
10 Jan 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of the recent Scottish health plan are for the delivery of healthcare in Argyll and Bute.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Our National Health - a plan for action, a plan for change</I> reaffirms the Scottish Executive's commitment to facilitating continuous improvement in a modern, patient-centred NHSScotland. It signals a shift in the development of policy to the delivery of ch…
8 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether salmon feed is routinely tested for levels of dioxins and other man-made pollutants.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that salmon feed is not routinely tested for levels of dioxins and other man-made pollutants.
8 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the salmon farming industry in promoting quality assurance schemes and disseminating best practice to maintain and enhance the industry's reputation for high quality natural produce.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive will continue to support the development of aquaculture within a framework which has proper regard for the environment and in particular the protection of wild fish. Maintaining the highest standards of husbandry, environmental protection and qu…
8 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research is being undertaken to determine if there is a causal link between salmon farming and the decline of wild stocks, particularly with regard to the impact of sea lice.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Fisheries Research Services are conducting a four-year investigation (2000-04) of the interactions of sea lice between farmed and wild stocks. The project will also identify management strategies designed to reduce the risks identified.
8 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it uses to assess the impact of escaped farmed salmon on the native population of salmon in Scottish rivers.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Details of numbers of fish identified as escaped farmed salmon that are caught in net and rod fisheries throughout Scotland are collected as part of the annual exercise to collect and collate catch statistics. Field studies have been carried out into spawning…
8 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any evidence that the levels of dioxins in farmed salmon could harm human health and what ongoing research is being conducted into this matter.
Answer · Susan Deacon: On matters of food safety the Scottish Executive is advised by the Food Standards Agency. After close examination of current research, the agency advises that levels of dioxins in farmed salmon are unlikely to harm human health, where salmon is consumed as pa…
8 Jan 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any of its agencies will be making representations to the BBC or Broadcasting Standards Commission about the content of the BBC documentary Warning from the Wild: The Price of Salmon, broadcast on 7 January 2000.
Answer · Susan Deacon: On the matters of food safety which formed the basis of the programme in question, we are advised by the Food Standards Agency. They have informed me that a formal complaint was sent to the BBC on 5 January 2001, in relation to the manner in which they had co…
22 Dec 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how small island communities such as Tiree and Islay will have the same ability to be involved in the decision-making process of health boards as larger, mainland communities such as Glasgow or Paisley.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-12231.
22 Dec 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will involve local communities in the decision-making process of health boards in rural areas.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-12231.