Parliamentary questions

Jamie Stone

587 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

28 Sep 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all pupils leaving school for further and higher education have adequate literacy skills.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has a range of initiatives to improve literacy skills at all levels of education.Literacy standards are improving year on year – as seen in our 5–14 test results.

14 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to boost ecological and environmental tourism in the Highlands.

Answer · Frank McAveety: A range of organisations, including the Tourism Environment Forum, based within VisitScotland’s Inverness Office, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage and Highland Council, work together to promote ecological and environmental tourism i…

8 Sep 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the allocation procedures of rural housing associations.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We have no plans at present to review all the allocation procedures of rural housing associations. However, as their regulator, Communities Scotland reviews each housing association’s allocation process in detail during an inspection. The findings from each i…

7 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the allocation procedures for rural housing associations.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2O-3196 answered on 16 September 2004, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

13 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to ensure that local authorities safeguard and enhance their in-house pools of skilled tradespersons.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has taken a number of measures to ensure that across Scotland we have the best people for the job. This includes encouraging young people to work in trade occupations in local authorities, most notably through the Modern Apprenticeships…

9 Jul 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to further empower local enterprise companies to assist retail businesses.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Local enterprise companies provide a range of business support services which are available to businesses in their area. The extent of support available will depend on the opportunity presented and on the need for assistance. Information on assistance provide…

23 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the shortage of affordable housing in the Highlands.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive, through Communities Scotland, is working closely with Highland Council to direct a housing investment programme of £12 million this year in the Highlands. The level of funding from the Executive to the Highlands for housing has grown by over 14…

22 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have taken place at or near the level crossing at Invergordon Distillery in the last three years.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: As the location of the levelcrossing is within the boundary of the Distillery, and not on a public road,such statistics are not covered by the Executive's road accident statisticssystem.However, NetworkRail has advised that there has been on average on…

22 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any responsibilities to ensure safety at, or around, level crossings, in particular with regard to public highways, public rights of way and private access tracks and, if so, what measures it is taking to carry out such responsibilities.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The responsibility for safety on the approaches to level crossings on public roads rests with the appropriateroads authority. In the case of trunk roads this falls to the Scottish ministers and for local roads this falls to the relevant local authority. <…

21 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the shortage of affordable housing in the Highlands.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the written answer given to question S2O-2933 on 1 July 2004. All answers 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.…

21 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that maintenance of the status quo will be one of the options in NHS Highland's consultation on the the future of maternity services in Caithness and north-west Sutherland.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that NHS Highland will consider the options on 2 August. Ministers will give a view at the end of the process.

9 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in setting up an independent police complaints body.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We said in our partnership agreement that we would set up an independent police complaints body. We will bring forward legislation to do so during the current session of this Parliament.

21 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what each local authority charged for domestic care in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not heldcentrally.

12 May 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to improve provision of impartial debt advice.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I havemade £4 million of new funding available for 2004-05 and 2005-06 to improve theprovision of free, impartial debt advice in Scotland.Thismoney is in addition to the £3 million funding per annum already committed formoney advice, and will be used t…

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether adequate GP out-of-hours cover can be provided for east and central Sutherland from Dingwall or Invergordon.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Health boards are currently developingtheir plans for out-of-hours service re-provision and are being assisted by a nationalout-of-hours working group. This group is comprised of key stakeholders from acrossthe service and includes members from NHS24, the Sco…

21 Apr 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote physical activity as a method of preventing heart disease.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Physical inactivity is acknowledgedas one of the most prevalent risk factors for chronic heart disease (CHD) in Scotland (togetherwith poor diet, smoking and obesity) and inactive people have twice the risk ofCHD than active people. The Health Improvem…

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the review of the livestock improvement scheme and what plans it has for the continuation and improvement of the scheme.

Answer · Allan Wilson: In their present forms, theCrofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme and the support for livestockimprovement have been in place for a long time. We recognise that there areopportunities to refocus crofting support to provide better value for money.That is…

11 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any changes to student support for further and higher education students that will apply for the academic year 2004-05.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I am delighted to announcethe new rates of support for students in further and higher education foracademic year 2004-05. I am today placing in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre details of the rates of those loans, bursaries and grants,which will be a…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the representations made regarding the safety reasons for adding Wick harbour to the list of designated landing ports.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I have agreed to add Wick tothe list of ports designated for haddock landings. The necessary arrangementsand changes to fishing vessel licence conditions will be made as soon aspossible.

26 Feb 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether new members of staff who are UK citi'ens have been told that security clearance will take three months and, if so, for what reason.

Answer · George Reid: All who require regularaccess to the Parliament must satisfy the security checks conducted via the SecurityOffice. These checks take an average of 14/15 working days after the completed securityquestionnaire is submitted. Any delay depends on the information …

26 Feb 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what has been the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest wait for security clearance for a new member of staff who is a UK citi'en.

Answer · George Reid: The information requested (in working days) is set out below:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> MSP Staff </td> <td> SPCB Staff </td> </tr> </thead> <tr> <td> (a) 2 days </td> <td> (a)…

24 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3760 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 November 2003, whether there are now any proposals to change the current regime in respect of the prescription of stoma appliances.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The consultation on appliancecontractors included a number of options for the future supply of appliances,including stoma appliances, which we are continuing to evaluate.

23 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in respect of improving the traceability of second-hand cars after the point of sale.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including operationalmatters for the DVLA on a UK wide basis.

18 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to make charging for council services more equitable for home owners.

Answer · Andy Kerr: We are committed to an independentreview of local government finance. We are working with COSLA on the timing, detailedscope and remit of the review.

11 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to relocate appropriate items held in museums to the areas where they were originally made or discovered.

Answer · Frank McAveety: Museum collections legallybelong to the individual institutions that have either purchased or been giventhem. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for the Scottish Executive to make any plans to relocate items from one museum to another. Museumswill usually …

10 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why its announcement concerning the introduction of digital hearing aids uses terminology such as clinical need and clinically effective option when such terminology has not been used in similar announcements on digital hearing aids in the rest of the UK.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This announcement implementsa commitment in the partnership agreement A Partnership for a BetterScotland.The overall aim of audiologyservice modernisation in Scotland is to ensure that the right infrastructure,equipment and skills are in place a…

5 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the current controls on bovine TB.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I am pleased to announce theissue today of a consultation document on proposals for a new Great Britainstrategy on bovine TB. This seeks views on both long term measures aimed atachieving a sustainable control policy in Great Britain and on short term measur…

5 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the cross runway at Wick Airport.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no current plans to upgrade the cross runway at Wick Airport.

15 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider reducing the speed limit on the A99 as it passes through Thrumster.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no plans to reduce the speed limit on the A99 through Thrumster.However, Village Gateway signing is programmed to be installed before the endof March 2004.

15 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what direction it has given to Scottish Water regarding the adoption by Scottish Water of water pumps and associated mains serving water consumers in rural areas.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has not issued any directions to Scottish Water on these matters.