Parliamentary questions
Ken Macintosh
1,334 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the importance of core funding for organisations such as Adoption UK Scotland.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government recognises the important contribution that the third sector makes to supporting our economic recovery, creating employment and skills opportunities as well as improving public services and supporting communities. There is a range of su…
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in its Review of The Unified Voluntary Sector Fund and Other Funds 2011-12.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Expert Group, chaired by Julia Swan, has now submitted its report and recommendations to the Minister for Children and Young People. The Scottish Government’s response to the report will be published in due course.
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many adopted children receive support in accessing education.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 requires local authorities to assess the need for support, including accessing education. Monitoring of this is a matter for local authorities and this information is not held centrally.
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that adopted children and young people should continue to be regarded as looked after.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government’s priority for all children who are at risk of, or are in care is to provide them with a safe, stable, nurturing and permanent home at the earliest opportunity. For children whose needs are best met by being adopted, the Adoption and …
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors post-adoption support for families.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government does not routinely monitor the delivery of post adoption support. This is the responsibility of each local authority. However, the Scottish Government is currently reviewing the Adoption Services Plans provided by local authorities in …
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many adoptions have broken down in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Data on the number of adoptions that have broken down in each of the last 10 years is not held centrally.
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the number of families who have been unsuccessful in adopting in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Data on the number of families who have been unsuccessful in adopting in each of the last 10 years is not held centrally.
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the number of families who have adopted in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Data on the number of families who have adopted in each of the last 10 years is not held centrally. The total number of adoptions from 2002 to 2010 is 3,886 including familial adoptions.
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where it, employers, colleges and others will obtain sectoral labour market information when the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils closes.
Answer · Angela Constance: The UK Commission for Employment and Skills are currently producing Sector Skills Assessments (SSAs) containing sectoral information at the Scottish level.
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the work carried out by the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils continues following its closure.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils will continue to work on a UK-wide basis. In its revised form the alliance will continue to position SSCs effectively by: Promoting SSCs as the primary voice of employers on skills issues Representing SSCs’ interests i…
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the new gas qualifications will be accredited to replace modern apprenticeships in the gas industry.
Answer · Angela Constance: Modern apprenticeships in the gas industry are not being replaced. Energy and Utility Skills, the Sector Skill Council for the gas industry, are currently developing new qualifications which will be submitted to the Scottish Qualification Authority for accred…
16 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to replace modern apprenticeships in the gas industry.
Answer · Angela Constance: Energy and Utility Skills, the Sector Skill Council for the gas industry, are currently developing new qualifications which will be submitted to the Scottish Qualification Authority for accreditation in due course.
29 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the use of 0845 telephone numbers by Scottish Water.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06545 on 24 April 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…
29 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much income 0845 telephone numbers generate for Scottish Water.
Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Water receives no income from its 0845 telephone number.
29 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made of the impact of 0845 telephone numbers on disadvantaged communities.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has not conducted any studies to assess the impact of 0845 telephone numbers on disadvantaged communities. A recent review by the industry regulator, Ofcom, found that the use of 0845 numbers can have a bigger impact on those who use …
29 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much income it derives from using 0845 telephone numbers.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not derive any income from using 0845 numbers.
29 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy on the use of 0845 telephone numbers has changed to reflect the greater use of mobile phones.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has not issued specific guidance on the use of 0845 telephone numbers but would expect public bodies to be guided in their use of such numbers by best practice as recommended by the industry regulator Ofcom. A recent review by Ofcom f…
29 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the use of 0845 telephone numbers by public bodies.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has not issued specific guidance on the use of 0845 telephone numbers but would expect public bodies to be guided in their use of such numbers by best practice as recommended by the industry regulator Ofcom.
29 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the services it provides and the relevant directorates that operate an 0845 number and also the telephone numbers.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government currently uses a non geographic number, 0845 774 1741, as its published central contact number. The Directorate for Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities provides a helpdesk for the Rural Payments Online service and for the Scottish…
28 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S4W-00960 and S4W-04842 by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 June 2011 and 18 January 2012 respectively, what evidence it is collecting to monitor the implementation of guidance CMO (2012) 1 - Guidance to Further Strengthen the Safe and Effective Use of New Medici…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The guidance issued under cover of SGHD/CMO(2012)1 was published on 13 February 2012. This reminded NHS boards of their responsibilities to maintain an overview of the effectiveness of their local arrangements for the introduction of new medicines, including …
28 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been done to assess the (a) effectiveness and (b) suitability of the individual patient treatment request process.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Individual Patient Treatment Requests (IPTRs) provide an opportunity for NHS boards to undertake local clinically-led consideration of medicines which the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has advised are not recommended for routine use. Such consideration…
14 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider having a specialist clinician review individual patient treatment requests for the provision of the drug, eculizumab.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government guidance published on 13 February 2012 clarified that NHS board Individual Patient Treatment Request (IPTR) panels are expected to include a practising medical consultant with (or with access to) specialist medical knowledge of the relevan…
13 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider limiting the number of pre-application (a) notifications and (b) consultations that a developer can propose.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce such as restrictions.
13 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take to protect communities from proposed developments that they consider to be unnecessary.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government oversees the Scottish planning system, which operates to balance competing interests over the use and development of land. Primary responsibility for considering individual proposals falls to planning authorities. Scottish ministers ha…
13 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider implementing a time limit between the pre-application consultation and the submission of the formal planning application for major developments.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce such a time limit. The existing arrangements strike a balance between involving communities, and providing a clear, proportionate system to applicants.
7 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be to local authorities of plans to reduce empty property rate relief on commercial property.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06087 on 21 March 2012. 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/parliamentarybu…
7 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much empty property rate relief on commercial property is worth to local authorities.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06087 on 21 March 2012. 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/parliamentarybu…
7 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local government buildings qualify for empty property rate relief.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government proposes to reform the relief offered to non-domestic empty properties from 1 April 2013 to introduce incentives to bring commercial property back into economic use. However, no changes are proposed to the level of relief offered to e…
7 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out an impact assessment on its plans to reduce empty property rate relief on commercial property.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04878 on 17 January 2012. 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/parliamentary…
16 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next conduct a valuation of the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme.
Answer · John Swinney: The next valuation of the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme will be undertaken as part of the longer term scheme reform.