Parliamentary questions
Michael Russell
1,207 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Feb 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received regarding NHS Highland's provision of dental services to remote rural and island communities.
Answer · Maureen Watt: In the last twelve months two individuals, and one MSP on behalf of a constituent, have written to Scottish Ministers about the provision of dental services in Oban. In the last twelve months one parliamentary question (S4W-21447 answered on 12 June 2014) ha…
26 Feb 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that NHS Highland delivers dental services to remote rural and island communities.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Independent Dentists: A number of specific incentives are available to independent dentists wishing to provide NHS General Dental Services (GDS) in remote and rural communities, and islands. The Scottish Government funds a programme of Scottish Dental Acces…
26 Feb 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its expectations are regarding NHS boards' provision of dental services to remote rural communities.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that patients who wish to have access to NHS dental services are able to do so, regardless of geography. Considerable progress has been made by boards with regard to access to an NHS dentist in rural areas. Th…
25 Feb 2015 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress that has been made with the 2015-16 International Development Small Grants Programme funding round.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I am pleased to announce that funding amounting to a total of £457,207 will be provided to the 15 organisations from our small grants programme 2015-16 for projects to commence in April 2014. Total amount of recommended funding – programme year 2015-16 Type…
6 Feb 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages local authorities under the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 to support third sector and community organisations that provide services in rural areas where individual demand for services might be low.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is committed to developing self-directed support as a way of giving individuals and their families flexibility, choice and control over the support services they receive. The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 give…
6 Feb 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the operation of the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 with regard to ongoing support for third sector and community organisations in rural areas where individual demand for services might be low.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is committed to developing self-directed support as a way of giving individuals and their families, flexibility, choice and control over the support services they receive. The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 giv…
6 Feb 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the statutory guidance accompanying the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 allows local authorities to provide grant aid to community organisations in order to invest in preventative and universal services.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is committed to developing self-directed support as a way of giving individuals and their families, flexibility, choice and control over the support services they receive. The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 giv…
31 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has given to local authorities regarding the Custom and Self Build Scheme launched by Capita and Lloyds Banking Group and whether it will develop a right to build scheme similar to that operating in England.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: It is for local authorities to decide whether they would wish to support this scheme in Scotland, taking account of their particular circumstances and priorities. The Scottish Government’s revised guidance to local authorities on the preparation of local hous…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what status the Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022) will have in relation to the tender for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Ferries Plan will form the basis of the tender specification of the ferry services to be procured for the Clyde and Hebrides network from 2016.
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has evidence suggesting that illegal dredging has taken place in the Firth of Lorne Special Area of Conservation and, if so, whether prosecutions for illegal dredging have taken place, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is inappropriate for Marine Scotland Compliance to comment on the evidence in any live case. However I can confirm that an investigation is currently on going and a case may be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. Until our investigations have concluded you…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a means of monitoring the fishing activity of vessels engaged in commercial fishery no matter their length.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Vessels over 12 metres in length are required by EU Regulation to report their position to their Flag State every two hours, via a Vessel Monitoring System. Marine Scotland has commissioned a trial of an Automatic Identification System fishing vessel monitor…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to designate any part of the Firth of Lorne as a special area of conservation for harbour porpoises.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is awaiting finalised advice from the Joint Nature Conservancy Council and Scottish Natural Heritage on possible locations that may warrant consideration for designation as special areas of conservation for harbour porpoise in the wate…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the Harbour Porpoise Project Board; how often the board has met, and whether it will publish the minutes of the meetings.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Members of the Harbour Porpoise Project Board include all UK administrations and other relevant government departments and agencies, as appropriate. The project board has met on six occasions, as required. The meetings facilitated discussions on policy develo…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its timescale is for designating a special area of conservation for the harbour porpoise.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is awaiting finalised advice from the Joint Nature Conservancy Council and Scottish Natural Heritage on possible locations that may warrant consideration for designation as special areas of conservation for harbour porpoise. This will …
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23708 by Richard Lochhead on 9 January 2015, whether it will ensure that any marine protected area established to protect the common skate recognises that (a) the numbers are still declining, (b) the survival rate as recorded by Neat, Pinto et al is…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura marine protected area (MPA) that was designated in July 2014 does recognise that common skate is critically endangered with declining numbers worldwide. Common skate was identified as an MPA search feature due to its endangered st…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23708 by Richard Lochhead on 9 January 2015, whether it will take account of the conclusions of the research described in the paper in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecoysytems by Neat, Pinto et al, Site fidelity, survival and conservat…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The best available scientific evidence was used to identify proposals for nature conservation marine protected areas (MPAs) in Scotland’s seas, and this included the identification of Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura MPA that was designated in July 2014 for commo…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will allow unbundling of Clyde and Hebrides ferry services to permit social enterprise or community-owned companies to bid to operate single routes where it can be shown that there is local interest in allowing this.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Ministers confirmed in September 2012 they had looked closely at the options available to drive up ferry service standards across the Clyde and Hebrides routes. There was no compelling case to unbundle the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. Where ent…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether long-term pension liabilities in the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services will be included as fixed costs to be met without variance by every prospective tenderer for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is currently exploring the application of pension conditions in the next contract. Scheme liabilities will be a matter for the trustees and subject to the scheme rules and relevant pensions regulatory provisions.
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role public consultation will play in the tendering process for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Ferries Review involved extensive public engagement and consultation from the spring of 2009 through to the publication of the Ferries Plan in December 2012. The plan sets out the level and type of ferry services to 2022 which will be applied to the Clyde…
29 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will issue an invitation to tender to operate the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services for a six year period from 2016; what the stages of the tendering process will be; when the closing date will be, and when the successful bidder will be announced.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The new contract will take effect from 1 October 2016. I will make an announcement shortly confirming the approach and project timeline, including the key stages of the tender process.
27 Jan 2015 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress made in relation to the Malawi Development Programme funding round 2015-18 and on its response to the recent floods in Malawi.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I am pleased to announce that funding from our Malawi Development Programme amounting to a total of £9,245,384 over three years will be provided to 20 projects during the period 2015-18. The Scottish Government responded to the recent floods in Malawi on 21 …
26 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will seek to have delegated to the First Minister the responsibility for appointing or approving appointments of senior civil servants previously held by the Prime Minister.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-24166 on 9 February 2015. 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/parliamenta…
26 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the UK Government has implemented recommendation 4.21 of the Commission on Scottish Devolution and, if so, when it came into effect, what posts in Scotland it applies to, and whether it will apply to the appointment of a new Permanent Secretary.
Answer · John Swinney: The UK Government accepted recommendation 4.21: Recommendation 4.21: The responsibility for appointing, or approving appointments of, senior civil servants to senior posts in the Scottish Government should be delegated by the Prime Minister to the Head of th…
22 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much was paid in planning fees to (a) it and (b) local authorities by wind farm developers in each of the last five years and what average fee was paid per turbine.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has received the following in fees in relation to applications for on-shore wind developments under s36 of The Electricity Act. A proportion of the fee paid to the Scottish Government (2/3) is passed to the relevant planning authority.…
22 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24001 by Alex Neil on 21 January 2015, whether it has made an assessment of the impact on achieving renewables targets if the maximum planning fee for wind farm developments is raised to the same level as applied in England, Wales and Northern Irela…
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government consulted on proposals to amend the planning fee structure in 2012. As part of that consultation comments were invited on a draft Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment based on the proposed changes. Responses included some concern …
22 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24001 by Alex Neil on 21 January 2015, what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding raising the maximum planning fee for wind farm developments to the same level as applied in England, Wales and North Ireland.
Answer · Alex Neil: Following discussions with planning authorities and business representatives, the Scottish Government consulted in 2012 on proposals for a revised structure for planning fees, including the introduction of a new category for wind farms and an ‘across the boar…
22 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24001 by Alex Neil on 21 January 2015, whether it will bring forward proposals to allow the maximum planning fee for a wind farm to be increased to the same level as applied in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Answer · Alex Neil: Planning fees and fee maxima in Scotland were subject to an ‘across the board’ increase of approximately 20% in 2013 followed by a further 5% increase in 2014. The Scottish Government is not considering further increases at the present time. Larger wind farm…
13 Jan 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what planning fees apply to proposed 17-turbine wind farm developments, and how these compare with the fees charged in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland.
Answer · Alex Neil: Any planning application to install wind turbines is considered, for the purposes of fee calculation, as an application for the erection, alteration or replacement of plant or machinery. As such, the fee is calculated based on the area of land covered by the …
12 Jan 2015 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist dairy farmers contracted to First Milk who have been notified over the weekend of a further reduction in price and the postponement of payments due.
18 Dec 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what sentences were given to people convicted of (a) illegal trawling, (b) illegal dredging and (c) damage to static fishing gear in the Argyll and Bute parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-23731 on 9 January 2015. 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/parliamentar…