Parliamentary questions

Jamie Stone

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

10 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether drug companies are required to provide all drug research information, published and unpublished, to the Scottish Medicines Consortium prior to obtaining a licence to have the drug distributed.

Answer · Shona Robison: The licensing of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Scottish Medicines Consortium considers products after licensing. The information required from manufacturers is available from th…

10 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions were issued for Prozac in each of the last 10 years and what the total cost was to the NHS in each year.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following table shows the number of prescribed items and gross ingredient cost for fluoxetine (Prozac) for the financial years ending 31 March 1998 to 2007. The data given refer to prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dis…

10 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions were issued for benzodiazepines in each of the last 10 years and what the total cost was to the NHS in each year, broken down by all available drugs.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following tables show the number of prescribed items and gross ingredient cost for benzodiazepines for the financial years ending 31 March 1998 to 2007. The data given refer to prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensi…

28 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make recommendations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding an exemption in VAT rates for the renovation of listed buildings.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The setting of rates of VAT is a reserved matter, but the government is aware of concerns around these particular VAT rules and will continue to bring them to the attention of the UK Government.

27 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal responsibility the Crofters Commission has to investigate alleged financial improprieties within grazings committees.

Answer · Michael Russell: Section 47(8) of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 (as amended) allows the Crofters Commission to make such inquiry, if any, as they deem necessary where there are grounds for believing that any or all of the members of a grazing committee, or the grazings cle…

26 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6387 by Stewart Stevenson on 13 December 2007, what reply the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth received from the Chancellor of the Exchequer and what further representations the Executive will now make to the UK Government on an a…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: HM Treasury's reply on 12 January 2008 confirmed that fuel duty is a UK-wide central government tax and that the UK Government has no plan to introduce regionally differentiated rates of duty. We plan to make a further approach to the Chancellor of …

14 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, following the most recent visit of HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) to Wick High School, what improvements to the infrastructure of the school HMIE considers to be of the highest priority and what discussions the Executive has had with Highland Council about progressing these improvem…

Answer · Maureen Watt: HM Inspectorate of Education has made no recent visit to Wick High School or recommendations concerning its infrastructure. Decisions on the priority of building works in individual schools are the responsibility of the local authority.

14 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it will give to revisiting the local government financial settlement for Highland Council in 2008-09, in light of the impact on local services for children and education resulting from financial cutbacks under consideration by the council.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The funding settlement provides record levels of investment for all local authorities and their are no plans to revisit the allocations for Highland Council.

5 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal protection owners of mobile caravans that are (a) permanent and (b) used as holiday homes have against eviction.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Caravan Sites Act 1968 protects occupiers of mobile homes against eviction and harassment. It stipulates that a site owner needs to go to court to evict a mobile home owner on a protected site, which is defined in section 1(2) of the legislation. A protec…

23 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Highland Council regarding any proposal to close the East Sutherland Learning Centre in Brora and, if the council decides that the centre should be closed, what action the Executive will take to ensure that it remains open.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is for HighlandCouncil to determine the provision of learning centres necessary in its area ofresponsibility.

8 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what outreach public services, such as advice on student finance and concessionary rail and bus travel, it is considering providing through Scotland’s network of urban and rural post offices.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognisesthe role that post offices can play in supporting small businesses and in providinga lifeline to communities in fragile or remote areas. In July 2007, I wrote to thePresident of COSLA noting the government’s wish to encourage…

19 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to alleviate any shortage of ambulance service cover in north-west Sutherland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service’sbudget allocation from the Scottish Government for 2007-08 was £177.8 million, anincrease of 6% on the baseline allocation for 2006-07. It is for the ambulance serviceto decide how to use that funding in providing emergency amb…

13 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will compensate the Scottish pig industry for financial losses resulting from the August and September 2007 foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The pig sector will benefitfrom the additional funding being made available by the Scottish Government todevelop market resilience throughout the red meat sector following the Augustand September outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease. In addition, we havewelcom…

12 Dec 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funds available from the 2007-08 underspend to ensure that improvements on the A9 in Caithness and Sutherland can go ahead.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The spending review allocationsI published on 14 November 2007 will provide sufficient resources to manage and maintainthe trunk road network over the next three years.

28 Nov 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reintroduce school-based dental services in the most deprived areas.

Answer · Shona Robison: I launched the schoolbased preventive dental service at Methilhill Primary School in Fife on Monday 3December 2007.

26 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many JPs in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross will be eligible to undertake signing duties after the provisions of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 comes into force.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I anticipate thatseven JPs in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross will be eligible to undertakesigning duties after the provisions of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act come into force on 10 December 2007. From 10 December, all local auth…

21 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive .

Answer · Maureen Watt: Levels of investment in school infrastructure in its area is a matter for East Ayrshire Council. The Scottish Budget and the concordat signed by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities provide for significant growth in the cap…

15 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it intends to make to the UK Government regarding the introduction of an area-based derogation in the rate of VAT levied on the sale of motor fuel in the North Highlands.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Cabinet Secretaryfor Finance and Sustainable Growth will write to the Chancellor of the Exchequerabout this matter.

14 Nov 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 500 intended new police officers will be committed to Northern Constabulary.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: As all members areaware, this government inherited a situation where recruitment plans for 2007-08were considerably lower than in previous years. This is why we have brought forwardas a matter of urgency the recruitment of an additional 150 police officers in…

30 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish Gas does not install liquefied petroleum gas systems under the central heating programme.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-4510 on 1 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

17 Oct 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will pursue a welfare scheme for farmers affected by restrictions on the export of cast sows and deer carcases as a result of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I am extremely concernedat the implications for producers of export restrictions arising from the outbreakof foot-and-mouth disease. The European Commission announced further relaxationsin export restrictions last Friday which will help take a lot of pressure…

26 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will grant permitted development rights for domestic micro wind turbines.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Governmentintends to consult on permitted development rights for domestic micro wind turbines.

17 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Sure Start Scotland will continue to operate beyond March 2008 and, if not, what plans it has to establish an alternative funding stream to support community groups, such as Home-Start Caithness.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Governmenthas already started discussions on a new deal for local authorities based on outcomeagreements, including the Sure Start Scotland programme. Theoutcome of these discussions will be known in due course.

16 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to the UK Government and the European Union to prevent the import of Brazilian beef into Scotland and the UK.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Following representationsabout this matter from the Scottish Beef Cattle Association and others I discussedthe position with the then Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Affairson 18 June 2006. As a consequence the UK Government raisedthe issue w…

16 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that homeowners are made aware the benefits of improving energy efficiency in their homes.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentis keen to ensure that homeowners are aware of the benefits of improving energyefficiency in the home. Provision of such information can lead to lower fuel bills,improved quality of life and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.The S…

31 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was raised through statutory penalties imposed for the late payment of council tax and what the administration costs were of collecting and processing penalties in each of the last three years for which information is available, broken down by local authority.

Answer · John Swinney: This information isnot held centrally.

31 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been registered with NHS dentists in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) Scottish parliamentary constituency, (b) Scottish parliamentary region, (c) local authority area and (d) NHS board area.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requestedis given in tables 1 to 4: number of people registered with an NHS dentist; by Scottish Parliamentary constituency; at 31 March 2007: number of people registered with anNHS dentist; by Scottish parliamentary region; at 31 March 2007: …

25 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to the provision of signing duties by justices of the peace after the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 comes into force, to ensure that these duties are carried out by qualified locally-based individuals with relevant local knowledge.

16 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to the provision of justice of the peace signing duties, based on qualified individuals in possession of relevant local knowledge and on geographic location, after the provisions of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 come into forc…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We intend to publicise widelythe forthcoming changes to the arrangements for the signing of documents, and, throughthe Scottish Executive’s links with justices, we will monitor the impact of thereforms on signing services.These include justices appoint…

6 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all vehicular accidents which have occurred at, or in the vicinity of, the Tomich junction on the A9 north of Invergordon in the last 10 years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following table sets outthe details of vehicle accidents which resulted in injury to one or morepersons at, or in the vicinity of, the A9 Tomich Junction over the last 10years. Information about non injury accidents is not held centrally.<table borde…