Parliamentary questions
Jamie Stone
587 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the programme for the broadband upgrade of BT exchanges will reach Drumbeg and Tongue.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government hopes to be in a position to announce the exchanges to be upgraded and indicative timescales by the end of this year. Further information will be posted on our website in due course, at <u><a href="http://www.broadbandforscotland.co.uk…
10 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £25 million invested in developing the Beechwood site in Inverness will be matched by similar investments in other UHI Millennium Institute sites across the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has earmarked £25 million for developing the Beechwood site in Inverness because of the wider economic benefits it sees for the region. Any applications for funding at other UHI Millennium Institute sites would be consid…
10 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits the development of a new UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) site at Beechwood, Inverness, will have on the wider UHI campus network.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28860 on 19 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <u><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/…
10 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial benefit will accrue to Highlands and Islands Enterprise as a result of the development of the new UHI Millennium Institute site at Beechwood, Inverness.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Inverness campus development is an operational project of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask its acting chief executive to write to you in this regard. </p>
10 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out between Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) regarding the desirability of a new UHI site in Inverness and on what grounds the decision was taken.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Inverness campus development is an operational project of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask its acting chief executive to write to you in this regard.</p>
10 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used when consulting on a proposed site for the UHI Millennium Institute in Inverness.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Higher education institutions are independent, autonomous bodies and issues such as campus locations are a matter for them.</p>
12 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the A9 between Helmsdale and Brora.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28190 on 4 November 2009. 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/Apps…
12 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the A9 between Dornoch and the Mound.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28190 on 4 November 2009. 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/Apps…
12 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the A9 north of Inverness.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In addition to those works planned on this route in our current programme, our future plans are set out in the Strategic Transport Projects Review “ Intervention 4, Targeted Programme of Measures to Reduce Accident Severity in North and West Scotland.</p> <p…
8 Oct 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for investment in Scrabster Harbour.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We currently have no plans for investment in Scrabster Harbour. This is in line with established ports policy which is based on a market driven approach to ports investment and funding.</p>
25 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the licensing of influenza A (H1N1) drug Pandemrix to be formalised and whether it will set out its vaccination programme for (a) high risk, (b) priority and (c) other groups, broken down by estimated (i) start and (ii) finish dates.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: On 1 October, the European Commission granted authorisations that will allow the A(H1N1) vaccine Pandemrix to be used to vaccinate people against the influenza A(H1N1) virus.</p> <p >Priority groups were previously announced on 13 August and these are the gr…
23 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it subsidises food and drink trolley services on rail services.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The provision of food and drink trolley services on trains is not part of the specification for services contracted in the franchise agreement and is a commercial matter for ScotRail. The Scottish Government does not therefore subsidise food and drink trolley…
23 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it subsidises food and drink trolley services on rail journeys running north and west out of Inverness
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The provision of food and drink trolley services on trains is not part of the specification for services contracted in the franchise agreement and is a commercial matter for ScotRail. The Scottish Government does not therefore subsidise food and drink trolley…
23 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many tourists use the early morning rail service from Wick to Inverness.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Within the total passenger numbers there is no way of telling how many tourists use the early morning rail service from Wick to Inverness.</p>
23 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommendations are regarding the provision of foodstuffs on long rail journeys.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No recommendations are made regarding the provision of foodstuffs on long rail journeys.</p>
23 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place with ScotRail before the decision was taken to end the food and drink trolley service on the 6.20 am rail service from Wick to Inverness.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The provision of food and drink trolley services on trains is not part of the specification for services contracted in the ScotRail Franchise agreement and is a commercial matter for ScotRail. Therefore no formal consultation is required before ScotRail took …
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what respite care is available to people caring for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information is not centrally available.</p> <p >The Scottish Government included a commitment in the concordat with local government to make progress towards an additional 10,000 respite weeks a year, both at home and in care settings.</p> <p >With COSL…
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support and medical training is offered to people caring for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27240 on 23 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parli…
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available to people affected by a diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis, such as employers and families of the person diagnosed.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27240 on 23 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parli…
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice, in terms of options regarding employment, education or benefit entitlement, is offered to people with myalgic encephalomyelitis after initial diagnosis.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: People with ME-CFS are referred by GP practices to appropriate agencies such as the Department of Work and Pensions for information on benefit entitlement, to Job Centre Plus for advice and support on employment, to local authorities for education advice and …
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many myalgic encephalomyelitis specialists are employed by the NHS, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Public Health Network draft needs assessment for ME-CFS contains a recommendation that the specialist element of the service model it proposes (Tier 3) should consist of a multi-disciplinary team l…
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long the waiting list is for specialist myalgic encephalomyelitis treatment is in each NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information is not centrally available in the form requested. The diagnosis and treatment of ME is mainly undertaken in an outpatient setting. While outpatient waiting times information is centrally available for a first outpatient consultation, it is not…
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist treatment centres there are for myalgic encephalomyelitis, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Specialist services include a CFS/ME Nurse Specialist in NHS Fife. NHS Lothian maintains a specific, specialist diagnostic assessment and review clinic for people with ME-CFS. Access to this clinic is governed by a specific ME-CFS protocol that has been agree…
14 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist training is given to frontline health care staff on recognising the symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: GPs are trained to manage all primary contact with patients and to deal with all problems. Their continuing professional development is supported by NHS boards, NHS Education for Scotland (NES), Deaneries and Royal Colleges.</p> <p >The Scottish Public Healt…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish a full assessment of the impact on the economy of the new licensing legislation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Work is being commissioned by the Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group on Alcohol (MERGA) to evaluate the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and, at my request, the Accounts Commission will also examine the impact of the act. We will consider carefully any re…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided instructions to licensing boards regarding when it expects outstanding licences to have been received by the licensees.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 was implemented in line with the timetable put in place by the previous administration. To be able to sell alcohol from 1 September 2009 applications for premises licenses had to be submitted by 28 February 2009 providing a …
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that licensing boards expedite outstanding personal and premises liquor licences.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: As set out in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 the administration of the licensing regime is a matter for licensing boards.</p>
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensees have not applied for a new personal licence to sell liquor.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.</p>
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many liquor licences were in force on 31 December 2008.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The most recent information available for licences in force is in the Scottish Liquor Licensing Statistics 2007 which showed that there were 17,021 liquor licences in force on 31 December 2007.</p> <p >The number of licences in force on 31 December 2007 does…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) personal and (b) premises liquor licences were (i) applied for and (ii) received by 1 September 2009, broken down by licensing board area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally</p>