Parliamentary questions
Lewis Macdonald
2,224 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Scottish Futures Trust has had regarding funding the City Square Project in Aberdeen.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Futures Trust has met with Aberdeen City Council to discuss the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF), its key principles and how it could be used in the Aberdeen area.</p>
17 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a report on energy performance of domestic buildings, as required by section 64(6) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Alex Neil: Section 64(6) of the act requires Scottish ministers to publish a report within 12 months of commencement of this provision on its plans to utilise these powers. This means that ministers must publish this report by 31 March 2011.</p> <p >The Scottish Gover…
17 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a report on energy performance of non-domestic buildings, as required by section 63(6) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is intended to publish a report, as required by Section 63(6) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, by 1 April 2011.</p>
17 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it has sufficient legal powers to set minimum energy efficiency standards in the owner-occupied sector and, if so, under what statute.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33666 on 25 May 2010. 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/Apps2/Bu…
17 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it has sufficient legal powers to set minimum efficiency standards in the private rented sector and, if so, under what statute.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33666 on 25 May 2010. 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/Apps2/B…
17 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it has sufficient legal powers to set up minimum energy efficiency standards in housing and, if so, under what statute.
Answer · Alex Neil: Sufficient legal powers to set minimum energy efficiency standards for new dwellings are available through the Building (Scotland) Regulations. These regulations are made under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. These regulations apply to new dwellings, regard…
26 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33183 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2010, how many of the 180 graduate nurses who took up employment with NHS Grampian in 2009-10 took up a post as a band 5 nurse.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33376 on 29 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busines…
26 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33183 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2010, how many of the 223 graduate nurses who took up employment with NHS Grampian in 2008-09 took up a post as a band 5 nurse.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33376 on 29 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busines…
26 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33183 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2010, how many of the 143 graduate nurses who took up employment with NHS Grampian in 2007-08 took up a post as a band 5 nurse.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian has informed me that the number of graduate nurses who have taken up employment with them in recent years, as band 5 nurses, is as set out in the table below.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=71 valign=top >…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what total savings are being made by NHS Grampian from its revenue budget in 2010-11.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government expects NHS Grampian to provide the highest possible standard of healthcare and it has received a cash increase of £16 million in its 2010‘11 budget. NHS Grampian has advised that it requires to deliver £34 million of savings in 2010‘1…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget reduction is proposed for care of older people by NHS Grampian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. </p> <p >I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33196 on 22 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for whic…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget reduction is proposed for mental health services by NHS Grampian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. </p> <p >I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33196 on 22 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for whic…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget reduction is proposed for dental services by NHS Grampian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.</p> <p >I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33196 on 22 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget reduction is proposed for surgery by NHS Grampian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.</p> <p >I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33196 on 22 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital plans are for NHS Grampian for 2011-12.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian has not yet completed formal approval processes for a capital plan for 2011-12. </p>
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital budget is for NHS Grampian for 2010-11.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian were notified of the formula capital budget for 2010-11 of £28.052 million in March 2010. Further allocations will be made available thereafter to fund central funded programmes.</p> <p >NHS Grampian are in the process of agreeing a financial …
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Grampian regarding savings in revenue budgets.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I chaired the NHS Grampian Annual Review meeting in Elgin on 2 November 2009. A wide range of matters affecting past and present performance and planning for the future were discussed with the board chair and his senior management team.</p> <p >NHS Grampian,…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Grampian regarding the decision to end the Staff Nurse Development programme.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Until 2009, NHS Grampian had a two year Staff Nurse Development Programme which they used as a pathway for newly qualified nurses entering employment.</p> <p >Following discussions at Robert Gordon University''s annual review meetings in 2008 and 2009, at wh…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people graduated with a BA or BA (Hons) in nursing from the Robert Gordon University in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of people who graduated with a BA or BA(Hons) in nursing from the Robert Gordon University is set out in table 1.</p> <p >Table 1</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >RGU</p…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate nurses have taken up posts with NHS Grampian as auxiliary members of nursing staff in 2010-11.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to the question S3W-33185 on 23 April 2010. 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/Ap…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate nurses took up posts with NHS Grampian as auxiliary members of nursing staff in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The employment of auxiliary staff including healthcare support workers is a matter for NHS Grampian who are responsible for workforce planning in their area. NHS Grampian has informed me that they do not keep data relating to graduate nurses employed as auxil…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate nurses have taken up band 5 nursing posts with NHS Grampian in 2010-11.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian has informed me that no newly-qualified graduates have been employed so far in this recruitment year. However, the recruitment year only started in April 2010 and as posts become available during the year, newly-qualified nurses will be able to a…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate nurses took up employment with NHS Grampian in band 5 nursing posts in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian has informed me that the number of graduate nurses who have taken up employment with them is as set out in the following table: </p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=71 valign=top > <p align=left >2007-08</p>…
15 Apr 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on patient care will be of a 5% reduction in departmental budgets in NHS Grampian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government expects NHS Grampian to provide the highest possible standard of healthcare and it has received a cash increase of £16 million in its 2010‘11 budget. NHS Grampian has advised that whilst the local requirement to deliver a 5% savings ta…
31 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how its decision to specify a coal-fired power station at Hunterston as a national development in the National Planning Framework 2 now relates to the duty of the Scottish Ministers to consider the proposal for such a power station submitted by Ayrshire Power Ltd and whether it will make …
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are obliged by the 1989 Electricity Act (Scotland) to consider directly applications for consent for thermal power stations over 50 megawatts of electricity output capacity. Designation as a national development establishes the need for the…
31 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers had with developers and other interested parties on the identification of a coal-fired power station at Hunterston as a national development prior to the National Planning Framework 2 being laid before the Parliament.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The series of discussions which took place regarding the preparation of the Second National Planning Framework are set out in the National Planning Framework 2 Participation Statement and Conformity Report. That is available electronically on the Scottish Gov…
31 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the cabinet had on the identification of a coal-fired power station at Hunterston as a national development prior to the National Planning Framework 2 being laid before the Parliament.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Prior to the Proposed Second National Planning Framework being laid before the Scottish Parliament in December 2008, the document was considered by cabinet correspondence.<b></b></p>
29 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to promote energy from waste by means of the integration of waste management with combined heat and power or district heating systems.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scotland''s Zero Waste Plan is currently being finalised and will be published this summer. Implementing zero waste policies will encourage better resource utilisation through promotion of waste prevention; minimisation; re-use and recycling, and recovery whe…
29 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the National Planning Framework for Scotland regarding the funding and development of combined heat and power or district heating systems in urban areas.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32903 on 22 April 2010 which identified the Scottish Government''s approach to combined heat and power and district heating. The introductory text to the second National Planning Framework for Scotland (NPF2) e…
29 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of proposed policy from the Department of Communities and Local Government for local authorities in England to carry out assessments for the potential deployment of combined heat and power or district heating systems, as set out in its Consultation on a Planning Policy Statement…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The second National Planning Framework for Scotland states that the government is keen to facilitate the development of a more dispersed pattern of energy generation and supply as part of the response to climate change. This will involve encouraging community…