Parliamentary questions
Jamie McGrigor
1,122 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether progress has been made in securing a buyer for the Skykon wind turbine tower factory at Machrihanish.
Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister welcomed the announcement on 9 March 2011 that Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Marsh Wind Technology have established a joint venture, Wind Towers Ltd, which has submitted a bid to acquire the Skykon Facility and has secured preferre…
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to bring new jobs and investment to Campbeltown and Kintyre.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government recognises the unique challenges that face Scotland''s rural communities and is firmly committed to maintaining the supportive business environment necessary to secure existing jobs while creating new employment and investment opportun…
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to encourage an increase in wild salmon numbers in the Lochaber and south Argyll areas.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We will continue to work with local managers in District Salmon Fishery Boards and local Fisheries Trusts to maintain and improve the fisheries in these areas.</p>
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is undertaking on wild salmon numbers in (a) Scotland and (b) the Lochaber and south Argyll areas
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Government collects data on the number of salmon caught throughout Scotland. This broad scale information is supplemented with in depth information on the salmon numbers from monitored sites on the North Esk and two tributaries of the Aberdeenshire Dee. In ad…
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons the Lochaber and south Argyll areas seem not to be benefiting from rising wild salmon numbers recently experienced elsewhere in Scotland
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Catches in Argyll show a slight increase over the last 10 years, while the increase in Lochaber is more marked. Whilst these trends in the Lochaber figures are similar to both those of the west coast of Scotland and Scotland although recent catches in the wes…
3 Mar 2011 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Argyll and Bute Council regarding continuing concerns about its funding allocation for 2011-12.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government regularly discusses local government finance issues with COSLA on behalf of all local authorities.</p> <p >Following recent discussions with COSLA on the distribution of the former ring-fenced Supporting People funding, I announced, a…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to extend trunk road status to the Kennacraig to Campbeltown section of the A83.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Ministers keep the trunk road network under continual review. There are no plans to trunk the A83 road between Kennacraig and Campbeltown.</p>
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns regarding the condition of the A83 road in Kintyre.
Answer · Keith Brown: Acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers, Transport Scotland contracts Operating Companies to carry out management, maintenance and repairs to the trunk road network, with routine day-to-day inspections to establish sections most in need of repair. Any remedial…
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding the UK Government plans to reform the Air Travel Organisers’ Licence scheme.
Answer · Keith Brown: We welcome proposed reforms to Air Travel Organisers'' Licensing which will ensure that those booking holidays abroad will benefit from a clearer and more extensive protection scheme.</p>
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding increasing the level of consumer financial protection available to holidaymakers from Scotland who might be affected by travel companies entering administration.
Answer · Keith Brown: Following the collapse of Flyglobespan, we wrote to the former Secretary of State for Transport about Air Travel Organisers'' Licensing (ATOL). We stressed the need for more formal arrangements to ensure that all passengers should be adequately protected agai…
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the new NHS dental centre planned for Oban will be (a) constructed and (b) in use.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Until an outline and full business case have been approved for this project, firm dates cannot be given on when construction work will commence on the Oban Dental Project and when it will come into use. However, NHS Highland has earmarked £2.8 million of publ…
9 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what services NHSScotland provides for patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haeamoglobinuria and whether the Scottish Government will make a statement on this matter
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Services for Scottish patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria are provided by the designated UK specialist centre in Leeds and an outreach clinic is provided by Monklands Hospital in Lanarkshire. This outreach clinic is run by the specialist from L…
9 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason treatment with eculizumab for patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haeamoglobinuria is not funded in Scotland
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland has robust, equitable and transparent arrangements for the introduction of newly licensed and cost-effective medicines to treat all conditions, including those to treat rare conditions, through the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and NHS Quality …
2 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to secure the future of jobs at the Skykon wind tower factory at Macrihanish.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Development International and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are continuing to work closely with Skykon''s administrators, Ernst and Young to help find a buyer for the Machrihanish Skykon site and ensure its long term future.</p>
2 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the document, A Policy for Sika Deer in Scotland, published by the Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage in 1997 reflects Scottish Government policy.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The document <em>A Policy for Sika Deer in Scotland</em> was led by the then Deer Commission for Scotland and was developed and agreed by a Sika working group (staff from the Deer Commission for Scotland, the Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage)…
1 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it continues to support the reintroduction of sea eagles given that evidence has suggested that limited supplies of live or fresh prey in Scotland have been a factor in the reduction of the breeding performance of golden eagles.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The sea eagle was driven to extinction by human persecution over 90 years ago. It is one of our most spectacular native birds and the reintroduction programme is a mechanism to allow population recovery. The sea eagle is one of 32 species within Scottish Natu…
1 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it is conducting of the predation of farmers’ and crofters’ livestock by wild animals and birds.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Studies into eagle (both golden and sea) predation of lambs have been carried out in Lochalsh; Mull; Benbecula, and Wester Ross since the 1980s.</b></p> <p >Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is currently not planning any further studies, but will respond to a…
1 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns that too few options are available to farmers and crofters to protect their livestock from predation by wild animals and birds.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government believes that existing legislation in the Wildlife and Countryside Act already provides sufficient provisions for farmers, crofters or any other person to legally control certain species for the purpose of preventing serious damage to …
1 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what options are available to (a) farmers and (b) crofters to protect their livestock from predation by wild animals and birds.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Currently, farmers and crofters can claim support for the provision of shelters for stock in such areas which makes them less accessible to bird predators, for example, through the Restructuring Agricultural Businesses Option under Rural Priorities. </b></p> …
1 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the A96.
Answer · Keith Brown: We are continuing to improve the A96. We are taking forward schemes within the current programme, including bypasses to both Fochabers and Mosstodloch and junction improvements at Threapland.</p> <p >In the longer term, the Strategic Transport Projects Revie…
28 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it expects the impact of the decrease in grant settlement in 2011-12 will be on Argyll and Bute Council services and what its response is to local concerns.
Answer · John Swinney: Despite the biggest reduction in public spending imposed on Scotland by any UK Government, the Scottish Government has protected local government''s share of the Scottish Budget. Within that, Argyll and Bute Council will receive the highest per capita revenue…
28 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons Argyll and Bute Council’s grant settlement in 2011-12 will decrease by 4.94%, almost double the average reduction for the other local authorities.
Answer · John Swinney: Grant funding for Argyll and Bute Council for 2011-12 will reduce by more than the average reduction across all authorities mainly because of two factors within the local government distribution methodology.</b></p> <p >The most significant is in relation to…
24 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has for capercaillie numbers in each geographical area covered by the Capercaillie LIFE Project in (i) each year that the project has received public funding, (ii) 2007 and (iii) the most recent year for which figures are available
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Capercaillie LIFE Nature project Urgent Conservation Management for Scottish Capercaillie ran from 1 February 2002 to 31 January 2007.</b></p> <p >The size of the national capercaillie population is estimated every six years. The most recent published re…
24 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been allocated by (a) it, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies to initiatives to support capercaillie conservation other than the Capercaillie LIFE Project in each year since 1999 and whether it will provide a breakdown of how the money was spent
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Details are as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=655 > <thead> <tr > <td width=76 nowrap valign=top > <p align=center >Body</p> </td> <td width=179 valign=top > <p align=center >Project</p> </td> <td w…
24 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been allocated by (a) it, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies to the Capercaillie LIFE Project in each year since 1999 and whether it will provide a breakdown of how the money was spent
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The EC LIFE Project Urgent Conservation Management for Scottish Capercaillie commenced in 2002 and was completed in 2007. Details of contributions by public body contributors to the project are as follows:</b></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0…
24 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates construction of the new mental health inpatient facility in Lochgilphead will begin.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38998 on 31 January 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busines…
24 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capital funding it will provide to allow the development of the new mental health inpatient facility in Lochgilphead.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The development of this project is at an early stage. NHS Highland has recently submitted an initial agreement which is currently being reviewed by the Capital Investment Group within the health directorates. In the context of a 36.5% reduction of available c…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the need for competition between providers of air services to and from Scotland via Heathrow Airport.
Answer · Keith Brown: Where there is a sustainable market, competition can be beneficial, resulting in lower air fares for the consumer. We believe that such a market exists for air services from Scotland to Heathrow.</b></p>
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the possibility of a reduction in air services to and from Scotland as a result of BAA’s plans to increase domestic passenger charges at Heathrow Airport from April 2011.
Answer · Keith Brown: In the absence of a high speed rail alternative for the foreseeable future, any reduction in Scotland''s connections to Heathrow Airport would be unwelcome. Heathrow''s position as a global hub continues to be very important for Scottish business and for inbo…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it envisages the impact on air services to and from Scotland will be of BAA’s plans to increase domestic passenger charges at Heathrow Airport from April 2011.
Answer · Keith Brown: Removing the domestic charging structure at Heathrow Airport and including domestic air services within a European charge will lead to increased charges for domestic access to Heathrow. We are concerned that this will be a disincentive to airlines to use Heat…