Parliamentary questions

Michael Matheson

1,154 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Mar 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of HM Revenue and Customs.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government officials are in contact with HM Revenue and Customs as a matter of routine. The most recent ministerial meeting at which HMRC was represented was a meeting involving the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism held on 22 February 2010…

11 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what body has responsibility for the regulation of railways in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Office of Rail Regulation is the independent safety and economic regulator for the rail network across Great Britain.

1 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is being provided to encourage bus operators to purchase hybrid buses.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As part of the recently announced £740 million three year funding package for the Scottish bus industry, incentives will be provided for Low Carbon Vehicles (LCVs), including hybrid buses, within the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG). These vehicles will rec…

21 Jan 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to increasing the number of buildings that require to have fire sprinkler systems installed.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: An automatic fire suppression system such as a sprinkler system is required in new enclosed shopping centres and as a result of the Building Regulation changes which were introduced on 1 May 2005, in all new residential care buildings; sheltered housing compl…

18 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 2011 census will contain questions on an individual’s health and finances and, if so, what the reasons are for including such questions.

Answer · Jim Mather: We will shortly be asking Parliament to approve the draft Census (Scotland) Order which will set out the proposed 2011 census questions. In line with Scotland''s Census 2011: A Government Statement, laid before Parliament in December 2008 (Bib. number…

7 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to consult any bodies about possibly extending to them the coverage of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: To confirm that the Scottish Government will consult on extending the coverage of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act to the following bodies: Contractors who build and maintain schools Contractors who build and maintain hospitals</…

1 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24295 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 June 2009, how it plans to monitor whether its guidance to dentists is adhered to.

Answer · Shona Robison: As part of its inspection procedures NHS boards check to ensure that relevant patient information is displayed within practices. Checks are also undertaken by Practitioner Services of NHS National Services Scotland, which is responsible for processin…

1 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24295 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 June 2009, whether guidance has been issued to dentists in relation to the need to advise patients of the arrangements for maximum charges for NHS treatments.

Answer · Shona Robison: Guidance has not yet issued. This will be included in the next Memorandum which issues to dentists.

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the British-Irish Council Summit held on 13 November 2009.

Answer · Michael Russell: On 13 November 2009, the States of Jersey hosted the thirteenth Summit meeting of the British-Irish Council, attended by ministers from all the member administrations. The focus of the summit included useful discussions on the global financial situation and i…

16 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to alter the qualification criteria for the Blue Badge scheme and whether it considers that local authorities should have discretion in the provision of such badges.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is currently carrying out a review of the Blue Badge scheme in Scotland, in order to ensure that it is up to date and relevant to those who need to use it. We have established a working group with representation from local authorities,…

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the £1.109 million provided to Citizens Advice Scotland in 2009-10 to assist in increasing its capacity for giving advice throughout Scotland, whether similar funding will be made available in 2010-11.

Answer · Alex Neil: Our spending proposals for 2010-11 are set out in the draft budget, published on 17 September.

2 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the note to Table 10 on page 15 of the Scottish Diabetes Survey 2008 that some NHS boards may be reporting some cases of insulin-treated type 2 diabetes as type 1, whether it will estimate the current number of such cases in each NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Diabetes Survey Monitoring Group has asked the diabetes managed clinical network in each NHS board to check the position. As the 2008 diabetes survey indicated, NHS Tayside data on numbers with each type of diabetes are considered to be …

2 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with type 2 diabetes are prescribed insulin in each NHS board area.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. The Diabetes Survey Monitoring Group is, however, considering whether the Scottish diabetes survey should in future include reporting of insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.

22 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to support the implementation of the forthcoming NHS Quality Improvement Scotland clinical standards for neurological health services.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) is developing an implementation and improvement plan to accompany the formal launch of the standards in January 2010. Central to this will be work with individual NHS boards, healthcare professionals and the public t…

22 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland clinical standards for neurological health services will be published.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) intends to launch the clinical standards for neurological health services formally in January 2010. They are currently available on the NHS QIS website to allow those with an interest in neurological services to begi…

28 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the plenary meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on 16 September 2009.

Answer · Michael Russell: The First Minister and I attended the plenary session of the Joint Ministerial Committee on Wednesday 16 September. It was a constructive meeting, providing the opportunity for an open exchange of views. We discussed how best the four administration…

28 Sep 2009 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what evidence there is to support the Scottish Government’s plans to tackle alcohol misuse.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1001-01.htm">http://www.scot…

11 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the Conveyancing and Feudal Reform (Scotland) Act 1970 and, if so, what its plans are.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Amendments to the Conveyancing and Feudal Reform (Scotland) Act 1970 are planned through a Debtor Protection Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament shortly. The Bill will take forward our commitment to implement the legislative recommendations …

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its paper, Europe and Foreign Affairs: Taking Forward our National Conversation.

2 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to promote the use of more environmentally friendly buses.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0910-01.htm">http://www.scot…

5 Aug 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a decision regarding the proposed M876 slip road at Glenbervie.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I recognise the close interest which the member has shown in the Scottish Ministers'' decision into the proposed M876 slip road at Glenbervie following the public local inquiry. The matter remains under active consideration and a decision will be ann…

22 Jun 2009 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the outcomes of the Scottish Government’s Alcohol Summit will be taken forward.

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24186 by Stewart Stevenson on 4 June 2009, whether Larbert residents of properties affected by passing coal trains are eligible for compensation under Part 1 of the Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1973.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act (Scotland) 1973 refers to compensation caused by the use of public works. The public works in this case is the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway, which does not extend to Larbert. The railway at Larbert was operational prio…

3 Jun 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory powers are available to local authorities in preventing damage to the local environment.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There is a wide range of legislation and statutory powers available to local authorities to prevent and abate damage to the local environment. This includes the Statutory Nuisance provisions within the Environmental Protection Act 1990 together with …