Parliamentary questions
Jamie Stone
587 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider using Dunbar Hospital in Thurso as a hub for telemedicine.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are no plans to consider using Dunbar Hospital in Thurso as a hub for telemedicine.</b></p>
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the recently announced university status for the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) will progress and develop in light of reductions in funding for the North Highland College part of UHI.
Answer · Michael Russell: The difficult decisions colleges, including those serving the Highlands and Islands, are now being obliged to take to balance their own budgets for next year derive directly from Westminster''s cut of £1.3 billion in the Scottish block grant. We have asked co…
18 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will approach the owners of the Nigg yard regarding the sale of the yard to interested parties.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-12065 on 25 November 2010. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the official report can be viewed at:</p> <p >http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/offici…
18 Nov 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that Scotland reaps the maximum benefit from offshore renewable energy.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scotland''s Offshore Wind Route Map and the Marine Energy Road Map identify the key actions that the Scottish Government and other key renewable industry stakeholders are currently taking forward so that Scotland can reap the maximum benefit from offshore ren…
4 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when funds will be available to Pentland Housing Association Ltd for adaptations to social rented housing.
Answer · Alex Neil: Pentland Housing Association has been allocated a budget of £770,000 to spend on affordable housing this financial year. The association decided to allocate £10,000 of this budget to fund adaptations to its housing stock. Demand for adaptations has exceeded t…
3 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of playgroups on childhood development.
Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37234 on 11 November 2010. 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/Busine…
3 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what communication it has had with local authorities on the funding of playgroups.
Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37234 on 11 November 2010. 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/Busin…
3 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what audit it is undertaking of local authorities’ spending on playgroups.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The importance of play in childhood development is supported by a robust body of research and we believe that playgroups have an important role to play. This is reflected in the Early Years Framework, which was developed by the Scottish Government, COSLA and …
25 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effect of increased levels of bisphenol A on the growth of children.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37097 on 3 November 2010. 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…
25 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider banning the use of bisphenol A in the manufacturing of (a) babies' feeding bottles and (b) all bottles containing food or drink.
Answer · Shona Robison: Food safety controls on materials and articles in contact with food are harmonised at a European level and Scottish Ministers are advised on such matters by the Food Standards Agency in Scotland.</b></p> <p >a. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recen…
25 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the health impact of bisphenol A as used in the manufacturing of plastic bottles.
Answer · Shona Robison: Food safety controls on materials and articles in contact with food are harmonised at a European level and Scottish Ministers are advised on such matters by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland.</b></p> <p >The agency has not done any assessment spec…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service experienced technical problems on 5 October 2010 and, if so, whether there were adverse clinical outcomes attributed to these problems.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36805 on 25 October 2010. 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…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service experienced technical problems on 5 October 2010 that resulted in delays to category B call information being logged and, if so, what the (a) average and (b) longest delay was.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36805 on 25 October 2010. 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…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service experienced technical problems on 5 October 2010 that resulted in delays to category A call information being logged and, if so, what the (a) average and (b) longest delay was.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36805 on 25 October 2010. 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…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service experienced technical problems on 5 October 2010 that resulted in increased ambulance response times.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36805 on 25 October 2010. 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…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service experienced technical problems on 5 October 2010 that resulted in calls being unanswered.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36805 on 25 October 2010. 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…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service experienced technical problems on 5 October 2010 that resulted in a delay to calls being (a) answered or (b) logged.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36805 on 25 October 2010. 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…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls to the Scottish Ambulance Service on 5 October 2010 were dealt with through contingency arrangements and how many of these were category (a) A and (b) B calls.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service has provided the following detail in relation to this incident.</b></p> <p >On 5 October 2010 the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) emergency medical dispatch centres (EMDCs) in Norseman (South Queensferry) and Inverness experie…
5 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reallocate money to fund the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme and, if so, when.
Answer · Jim Mather: We have allocated some £7.5 million to the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) this financial year which will support around 300 projects. Increased funding pressures, alongside the introduction of the feed in tariff and (forthcoming) renewable heat…
17 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases against suspected drug dealers in the Easter Ross area have been dropped since June 2010
Answer · Frank Mulholland: Since June 2010, one case with a charge under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 relating to supply of drugs has been deserted as a result of the absence of an essential prosecution witness. The said witness could not be traced despite the endeavours of the police.…
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many evictions from (a) council and (b) housing association properties there were for antisocial behaviour in 2009.
Answer · Alex Neil: The number of evictions from council houses due to anti-social behaviour is published annually by financial year on the Scottish Government''s website at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/Evictions">http:/…
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has made for the number of new social housing units that need to be created in order to meet the 2012 homelessness target.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34864 on 23 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business…
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has made for the number of homeless individuals there will be by the end of 2012.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has not made projections of the levels of homelessness by the end of 2012, nor of the number of new social housing units that need to be created in order to meet the 2012 homelessness target. The Scottish Government and the Convention …
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring rural social housing development.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government''s Housing Investment Division now deploys the government''s six-fold urban/rural classification for reporting on its Affordable Housing Investment Programme.</p> <p >Housing Investment Division will be in a position to report on rura…
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action it is taking to stimulate rural social housing development.
Answer · Alex Neil: A total of £672 million was spent on the delivery affordable housing across Scotland last year (2009-10) of which £160 million was spent in rural areas.</p> <p >8,092 houses were completed last year, of which 1,859 were in rural areas.</p> <p >Figures for p…
21 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will approve the prescribing of the drug dronedarone.
Answer · Shona Robison: Dronedarone (Multaq), used in the treatment of atrial fibrillation, has been scheduled for review by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) on 3 August 2010. The SMC advice is expected to be available on 13 September 2010. As a licensed drug, dronedarone can…
21 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the building timetable is for the construction of the new Wick High School in Caithness.
Answer · Keith Brown: Funding from the Scottish Government for the construction of a new Wick High School is being made available from 2012-13. The building timetable for the new school will be a matter for Highland Council to determine, in discussions with the Scottish Futures Tr…
21 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the funding from the Scottish Futures Trust for 14 new high schools is secure.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government will be providing funding for all the school projects in Scotland''s Schools for the Future directly to the local authorities concerned. This funding will be provided over the period 2011-12 until 2017-18 and the Government remains com…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it would use in agreeing to any plans by NHS Highland to reduce medical services being delivered via a local hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish ministers involvement in the NHS service change process is determined by whether the proposals are considered to be major. National Guidance is available to NHS boards in CEL 4(2010): Informing, Engaging and Consulting People in Developing Health Car…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans NHS Highland has to reduce medical services being offered to patients via the Dunbar Hospital in Thurso.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We understand from NHS Highland that services at Dunbar Hospital are currently being examined as part of a wider review of services throughout West Caithness.</p> <p >The NHS board have been clear that their objective is to ensure that services in the area m…