Parliamentary questions
Hugh Henry
645 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10434 by Fergus Ewing on 7 March 2008, how much it expects local authorities to contribute to the funding of places in secure units in 2008-09.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government and local authorities fund the secure estate through the purchasing of beds for young people sentenced to detention, remanded to secure and young people authorised for secure care through the children's hearing system. Local authoritie…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10434 by Fergus Ewing on 7 March 2008, how much it provided to fund places in secure units in 2007-08.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government and local authorities fund the secure estate through the purchasing of beds for young people sentenced to detention in secure, remanded to secure and young people authorised for secure care through the children's hearing system. Local …
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10434 by Fergus Ewing on 7 March 2008, how much it will allocate to fund places in secure units in 2008-09.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government and local authorities fund the secure estate through the purchasing of beds for young people sentenced to detention, remanded to secure and young people authorised for secure care through the children's hearing system. Funding for chil…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide sufficient funding to ensure that there is no reduction in the number of secure places for young people in 2008-09.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is the joint responsibility of local authorities and the Scottish Government, as the purchasers of secure accommodation, to ensure sufficient places to meet the needs of young people in Scotland. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely and im…
13 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates a nationally set local income tax would raise in its first year.
Answer · John Swinney: The government published a paper on 18 March detailing revenue projections for a Local Income Tax. This is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The Bib. number for the publication is 45130.</p>
13 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a nationally set local income tax would raise £1.7 billion in its first year.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government published a paper on 18 March 2008 detailing revenue projections for a local income tax. This is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45130).</p>
13 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much a 1p nationally set local income tax would raise.
Answer · John Swinney: Assuming a local income tax was to be introduced in 2011-12 a 1p nationally set local income tax, based on earned income, is estimated to raise £525 million.</p>
13 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much council tax will have to be replaced in the first year of a nationally set local income tax.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government published a paper on 18 March 2008 detailing revenue projections for council tax and local income tax. This is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45130).</p>
11 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any projects will be started during 2008-09 using the Scottish Futures Trust as the method of financing.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Futures Trust is currently under development. An announcement on further developments will be made when we are ready to inform the Parliament.</p>
6 Mar 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the first project to be built under the Scottish Futures Trust will be announced.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Futures Trust is currently out to consultation with a closing date for responses of 14 March 2008. An announcement on further developments will be made when we are ready to inform the Parliament.</p>
29 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether longer life expectancy will result in increased costs for the NHS.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no definitive answer. Longer life expectancy only inevitably leads to rising costs if age related patterns of morbidity and treatment were to remain static.</p> <p >Along with increasing life expectancy the Scottish population, in common with other …
29 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether per capita costs for healthcare rise the longer a person lives.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The cost of health care for an individual depends on their health. Although it is true to say that on average the costs of treating older people (and very young children) are higher in any given year than for working age people, this is a result of the curren…
26 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guarantees it can give that 125 secure places for young people will be available for 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is the joint responsibility of local authorities and Scottish Government, as the purchasers of secure accommodation, to ensure sufficient places to meet the needs of young people in Scotland. The government will continue to work closely and imaginatively w…
26 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its commitment to bring the number of secure places for young people to 125, what revenue it has allocated to maintain these places for 2008-09.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The commitment to raise the number of secure beds was made by the last administration. Scottish Government and local authorities support the secure estate through the purchasing of beds for young people sentenced to detention, remanded to secure and young peo…
26 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to it's commitment to bring the number of secure places for young people to 125, what revenue it has allocated to maintain these places for 2007-08.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The commitment to raise the number of secure beds was made by the last administration. Scottish Government and local authorities fund the secure estate through the purchasing of beds for young people sentenced to detention, remanded to secure and young people…
26 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many GPs’ surgeries it expects to extend opening hours based on the budget it has allocated for 2008-09.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10322 on 5 March 2008. The budget allocated will pay all GP practices in Scotland to extend their opening hours if they choose to do so.</p> <p >All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on …
26 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been set aside to extend the opening hours of GPs’ surgeries for 2008-09.
Answer · Shona Robison: The extended hours enhanced service will be supported by £16 million of funding (£2.95 per registered patient), of which £9.5 million is new money.</p> <p >The total new money in the Scottish Government's offer to GPs is £19 million. We estimate that this is…
26 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors’ surgeries will extend their opening hours by 1 April 2008.
Answer · Shona Robison: We expect the result of the GP poll in early March. Depending on the outcome of the poll we will be seeking thereafter to finalise the detailed arrangements for extended hours in Scotland.</p> <p >The precise numbers of GP practices providing extended hours …
22 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of abolishing the tolls on the Forth Road Bridge.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Financial Memorandum to the Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill explained that the overall cost to the public purse of abolishing the tolls is the annual loss of net toll income. Net toll income on the Forth Road Bridge is estimated at £10.8 million…
4 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the official visits made by ministers to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, since May 2007.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I visited the Royal Alexandra Hospital on 6 July 2007, to pay tribute to staff at the hospital, as well as to Scottish Ambulance Service staff, for their actions following the incident at Glasgow Airport on 30 June.</p> <p >There have been no other ministeri…
30 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers were in post on 3 May 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Figures on police strength are collected on a whole-time equivalent basis for the Quarterly Strength Return. This is updated on a quarterly basis to reflect returns for 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December. Copies are available in the Scottish Parl…
30 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police hours on the beat could be provided between 7pm and midnight on a Saturday by a constable with five years’ experience.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9218 on 18 February 2008. 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.uk/webap…
30 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police hours on the beat could be provided between 9am and 5pm on Monday to Friday by a constable with five years’ experience.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The day-to-day deployment of police officers is a matter for individual chief constables, but we support their efforts to cut bureaucracy, exploit new technology and free up officer time for redeployment to operational and front line duties.</p> <p >The amou…
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence exists to show that sheriffs allow the excuse in law of being under the influence of alcohol.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: To our knowledge, there is no empirical evidence about the approach taken to sentencing in Scotland in relation to offences committed under the influence of alcohol. However there is ample anecdotal evidence that alcohol is used as an excuse by many for their…
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on the Cabinet Secretary for Justice’s commitment to consider legislative change to prevent there being an excuse in law of being under the influence of alcohol.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We are considering how we may use a future Criminal Justice Bill to make a clear statement in law that being under the influence of alcohol during the commission of an offence will not be regarded as a mitigating factor.</p>
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation is being examined for change to prevent there being an excuse in law of being under the influence of alcohol
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: My officials are examining the current provisions on sentencing and aggravations and decisions will be made in due course.</p>
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether being under the influence of alcohol is an excuse in law.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-6897 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional teaching posts have been created by the current administration.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-4189 on 20 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional teaching posts were created during the 2006-07 financial year.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Information onteacher numbers can be derived from the annual school census. Publication of the 2007 school census in March 2008 will allow the comparison to be madebetween the number of teachers employed in September 2006 and September 2007.</p>
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding method will be used to finance the building of the proposed new prison in the north east of Scotland.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The new prison in the northeastwill be procured using conventional public sector procurement methods. Thegovernment has made financial provis…