Parliamentary questions
Jamie Stone
587 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration will be given to assisting with the cost of building a pedestrian river bridge in Thurso to replace the bridge that suffered severe storm damage in October 2006.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Highland Council hasidentified storm damage repair works valued at £6.31 million. This included thecosts of repairs for community projects of which the pedestrian river bridge inThurso was one. The Scottish Executive has provided an initial grant of £4mil…
5 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the fitting of controlled emission toilets on trains running north from Inverness.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There is no timetable forthe fitting of controlled emission toilets on the trains running north from Inverness.</p>
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when repairs to the A9 at Scrabster will be completed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The geotechnicalinvestigation into the landslip at Scrabster was completed at the end of May2007. The timing and nature of the works to stabilise the slope will depend onthe engineering assessment of the data currently being collected from monitoringdevices i…
20 Jun 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address alcohol problems among young people.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Governmentis committed to a zero tolerance approach to underage sales, and will hit hard thosepremises and individuals which sell to under 18s. We will also crack down on irresponsibleprice promotions that encourage young people to drink excessiv…
11 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase capital and revenue funding to NHS Highland and the Highland Council to ensure that services provided by the Assynt Centre and Caladh Sona to elderly people in remote areas are safeguarded and improved and that a replacement Migdale Hospital is brought into s…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Both NHS Highlandand Highland Council receive annual increases in capital and revenue funding. However,the use of all available funding, including investment decisions in key services,is a matter for NHS Highland and the council to decide, taking account of l…
11 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to give the control of Scotland’s various common good funds to appropriate elected community councils.
Answer · John Swinney: There are noplans at present, however, the future management of common goods funds andassets will be considered as part of a review of asset management across thepublic sector.</p>
8 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will maintain and boost centres providing for older persons in need of care and support, such as the Laurandy Centre in Wick.
Answer · Shona Robison: Local authoritiesare responsible for providing or arranging services to meet the needs of the peoplein their areas. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people throughoutScotland receive the care services they need and hassubstantially increa…
8 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when residents of the Kylesku area of north-west Sutherland will have universal access to broadband.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-456 on 8 June 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.searc…
8 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when residents of the John O’ Groats area will have universal access to broadband.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-456 on 8 June 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.searc…
8 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the NHS does not contract private dentists to carry out free dental checks, given that it contracts private optometrists to carry out free eye checks.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards make arrangementswith dentists and optometrists providing NHS services in the same way. Optometristslike dentists are independent contractors. Those optometrists wishing to providegeneral ophthalmic services, i.e. free NHS eye examinations, are req…
5 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executiveto what extent it takes Highland Council’s strategy for renewable energy into consideration when granting planning permission for renewable energy projects in the Highlands.
Answer · Jim Mather: Under the Electricity Act 1989,the Scottish Executive only process consent applications to develop electricitygeneration stations over 50MW, with a number of exceptions where the limit is lowere.g. hydro 1MW. Highland Council are consulted on all such applica…
29 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to restore some of the historic titles and rights to Scotland’s royal burghs and other communities.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive has noplans to change the legal status of the royal burghs. We do appreciate the continuationof the burgh charters - these provide much local satisfaction and pride by enablingmany of the traditional and ceremonial roles that such burgh…
29 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enable regular rail commuters to purchase “flexi tickets” to Inverness from starting points north of Tain on the Far North Line.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: First ScotRail have introducedFlexipass tickets on a number of routes where they have evaluated it will be commerciallyeffective. Introduction of Flexipass remains a commercial matter for First ScotRail.First ScotRail currently have no plans to roll-out these…
29 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to increase the number of places available for cycles on trains between Inverness and Caithness.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The 25 trains units that operateon this line are currently undergoing a rolling programme of improvement works fundedby the Scottish Executive. This will see internal refurbishment work on all class158 units, including installing new cycle storage facilities …
13 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any changes to the income assessment threshold for loan support to part-time students in higher education that will apply for the academic year 2007-08.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I am pleased to announce thatthe income assessment threshold for loan support for part-time students studyingin higher education is to be increased from £13,000 to £15,367 for academic session2007-08.</p>
27 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in formulating the new European Regional Development Fund programme.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive undertook apublic consultation on the draft operational programmes for Lowlands anduplands Scotland and the Highlands and Islands for the 2007-13 period. Thisconsultation ended on 8 January 2007 and responses are currently being analysed. The re…
9 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public highways cross railway lines in each local authority area, broken down into crossings which have (a) full, (b) half and (c) no barriers.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of Railway LevelCrossings (broken down by crossing type) that are crossed by a public highway (road),in each local authority area are listed in the following table:</p><p>Level Crossing Type</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <t…
9 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether orthodontic patients can be reimbursed for work undertaken privately due to a lack of available NHS specialists.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: It is not the practice of NHSboards to reimburse patients for work undertaken privately.</p><p>The Executive is working withNHS Highland to improve orthodontic services and waiting times.</p>
9 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will allocate for kerbside recycling in the rural Hghlands in 2007-08.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Through the Strategic Waste Fundwe have awarded Highland Council with £4,261,609 for recycling in 2007-08, of which,£3,832,192 is for kerbside recycling.</p>
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it is developing to assist town centres and retail businesses located in town centres that are being effected by large out-of-town retail outlets.
Answer · Des McNulty: Scottish planning policy supportsthe protection and enhancement of town centres and indicates that they should bethe first choice for new shopping developments. However, planning policy is notconcerned with regulating competition. In addition, our support for…
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress NHS Highland is making in achieving a maximum 26-week waiting time for orthodontics.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: To assist NHS Highland in achievinga maximum 26-week waiting time for orthodontics, the Executive has provided theboard with an additional £250,000 capital and £85,000 revenue funding.</p><p>The board is finalising a planfor 2007-08 which will set out the act…
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists there are in NHS Highland and what the average number is of patients per dentist.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: At 30 September 2006, there were161<sup>1 </sup>NHS general dental practitioners in NHS Highland. The average numberof registered patients per dentist was 620.</p><p>Source: ISD Scotland.</p><p>Note: 1. The number (headcount)of NHS non-salaried and salaried p…
31 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the recruitment of secondary school teachers in Caithness.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The recruitment of teachers isa responsibility of each local authority.</p>
11 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish draft statutory instruments following the review of householder permitted developments.
Answer · Des McNulty: We expect to consult on proposedchanges to householder permitted development rights later in 2007.</p>
11 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider granting permitted development status to small domestic wind turbines to encourage the use of renewable energy.
Answer · Des McNulty: The Executive is strongly committedto increasing energy from all renewable energy sources, including micro-generation.Research was commissioned in 2006 to consider the scope of extending permitted developmentrights for some micro-generation projects. Official…
20 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the broadband reach issue.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We are today publishing findingsfrom our work with independent consultants which examined the reach issue and potentialsolutions.</p><p>We have implemented the largestUKbroadband project of its kind with BT which has brought access to every Scottishcommunity …
14 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what further action it can take to help Scotland’s universities and colleges exploit commercial opportunities overseas and become more internationally competitive.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scottishministers have encouraged our universities and colleges to exploit commercial overseasopportunities. However, I am pleased to be able to announce today that we have agreedthat Scottish Development International (SDI) will now provide support to colleg…
6 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what increases are planned for the mental health specific grant funding in 2007-08 and subsequent years.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Funding for the MentalHealth Specific Grant will be maintained at £20 million, as published in the <i>Scottish</i><i>Exec</i><i>utive Draft Budget 2007-08</i>. Future funding levels will be consideredduring Spending Review 2007.</p><p>These significantresourc…
5 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to approve the use of the drug pleconaril and what the timescale is for any such approval.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Licensing of medicines isreserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare productsRegulatory Agency (MHRA). Before a medicine can be placed on the UK market itmust have a marketing authorisation either from the MHRA or from the EuropeanMedic…
27 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the maximum level of £20,000 for home improvement grants will be increased.
Answer · Des McNulty: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows:</p><p>The work to implement theScheme of Assistance, based on Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, will includean assessment of whether such a…