Parliamentary questions

Mike Rumbles

1,089 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

30 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the contract with Autolink Concessionaires Ltd as a model contract when drawing up the trunk roads maintenance contracts with BEAR Scotland Ltd and Amey Highways Ltd.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive considered a number of contracts including the M6 DBFO contract as well as the previous term management and maintenance contracts when drawing up the new term management and maintenance contracts for the trunk road network.

30 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what volume of herbicide has been used per mile of trunk road by (a) BEAR Scotland Ltd, (b) Amey Highways Ltd and (c) Autolink Concessionaires Ltd since the beginning of their respective contracts.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The total volume of herbicide used by BEAR Scotland Ltd and Amey Highways Ltd since 1 April 2001 is as follows: <UL><LI>BEAR Scotland Ltd - 1,371 litres</LI></UL><UL><LI>Amey Highways Ltd - 1,551 litres</LI></UL>BEAR is responsible for 1,270 miles of…

28 Nov 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address any inequalities in funding for the provision of health, local government and policing in the Grampian region compared with allocations for other regions.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Local government and health funding are distributed using the Grant Aided Expenditure methodology, and the Arbuthnott formula respectively. These methods take account of a wide range of factors and are accepted as an objective method of distributing resources…

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the sale of Compound Semiconductor Technologies and why Scottish Enterprise has supported the sale under the terms agreed.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Commercial decisions relating to investment in Compound Semiconductor Technologies are a matter for the founding shareholders of the company, namely Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde.

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce special payments to dental practitioners working in rural areas similar to the "Golden Hello" packages introduced to help doctors in such areas.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Discussions are under way with the dental profession on improved support for dentists in remote areas.

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17949 by Susan Deacon on 18 September 2001, whether the sub-group of the Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce will consider funding a recruitment campaign in other European Union countries to attract dentists to work in the north-east …

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The recruitment of NHS staff is a matter for NHS Boards and there are currently no plans for the Executive to specifically fund a recruitment campaign. The Recruitment and Retention sub-group of the Scottish Advisory Committee for the Dental Workforce is look…

26 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a developer is in breach of planning legislation in circumstances where construction has begun without obtaining planning permission and where retrospective planning permission has been applied for but not yet granted, and what powers are available to local authorities to order wo…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act (1997) (Section 123(1)) states that carrying out development without the required planning permission constitutes a breach of planning control.Planning authorities have the power to serve an Enforcement Notice, …

26 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it costs the NHS to purchase a digital hearing aid.

Answer · Susan Deacon: There are currently 11 different types of digital hearing aids available to NHSScotland through contracts centrally negotiated by Scottish Healthcare Supplies. The prices range from £120 to £535.

17 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17978 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 20 September 2001, whether Highlands and Islands Enterprise's undertaking, in the agreement made under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1987, that it may choose to dismantle and remove the funi…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The capital investment figure relates to the capital cost of the funicular and has since been revised to include additional purchase of associated buildings. To date Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have invested £11.95 million in the total development.…

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average waiting time is for restorative dental treatment at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Answer · Susan Deacon: In the year ended 31 March 2001, the median waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with a Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was 118 days. Restorative dental treatments carried out within the Hospital …

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a centre of excellence in Scotland for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive's strategy for all cancers is to ensure patients have access to the best care possible through multidisciplinary managed clinical networks involving clinicians drawn from among relevant disciplines.There are, therefor…

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant urologists were in post in (a) 1995 and (b) 2000 and how many it expects to be in post in 2005.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the number of consultant urologists in post in 1995 and 2000 is shown in the following table, which should be read in conjunction with the notes. This shows an increase of 33.3% for Headcount and 32.3% for Whole Time Equivalent during this peri…

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates that increased life expectancy will result in an increase in the number of patients being diagnosed with prostate cancer and, if so, what plans it has made to address this increase, particularly in terms of the number of consultant urologists.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The numbers of men diagnosed with prostate cancer is expected to increase, due to the increased numbers of men in the older age groups.It is a matter for NHS boards to assess and provide for local needs, including the numbers of staff requi…

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in each year since 1990.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The table shows the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in each year from 1990 to 1997, the most recent year for which cancer registration data are available :<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 W…

19 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS staff and their representatives regarding NHS pay modernisation and what progress has been made on this matter.

Answer · Susan Deacon: NHS staff and their representatives are fully represented on the Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group, which is considering options for implementation of NHS pay modernisation in Scotland in the light of progress on UK negotiations. A series of pay…

7 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the #9.4 million limit on the amount of public money which Highlands and Islands Enterprise is authorised to spend on the Cairn Gorm funicular railway is breached by Highlands and Islands Enterprise's undertaking in the agreement under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Any variation on the agreement under the terms of section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act as it applies to the Cairn Gorm funicular railway are a matter of discussion between Highlands and Islands Enterprise, CairnGorm Mountain (formerly Ca…

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16947 by Angus MacKay on 8 August 2001, how much of the increase in its grant to Aberdeenshire Council in 2001-02 was ring-fenced for particular purposes.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Of Aberdeenshire Council's total increase in grant of £18.1 million (8.3%), £3 million has been provided through ring-fenced specific grants.

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17272 by Sarah Boyack on 24 August 2001, how much allowance for expenditure on subsidised bus services is included within the general local government finance settlement allocations in the current financial year, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No allowance is specifically ear-marked for expenditure on subsidised bus services within the local government finance settlement. However, provision is made for this area of expenditure within each council's total grant allocation. It is for each council to …

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the staff of the Cairngorms National Park will include individuals with expertise in wildlife ecology, conservation, landscape and experience of other national parks or similar areas.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: It will be for the Cairngorms National Park Authority to determine the qualities required of park staff. However, to ensure it meets the park's statutory aims:<DIR><DIR>of conserving and enhancing the natural and cultural heritage of the area; of promot…

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any compensation will be offered to the Glenshee and Lecht Ski companies if they are adversely affected by the operation of the Cairn Gorm funicular railway.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Each individual ski resort, operating under local environmental conditions, has unique facilities to offer discerning skiing visitors, and will be subject, as with most Scottish businesses, to competing under free market forces. Any future request for assista…

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Highlands and Islands Enterprise estimates it would cost to carry out its undertaking under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1987 (former section 50) to dismantle and remove the Cairn Gorm funicular railway and buildings and reinstate the site.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct Highlands and Islands Enterprise to publish the findings of the second economic appraisal of the Cairn Gorm funicular railway.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Railtrack, or any other body, to ensure that the Cairn Gorm funicular railway is subjected to safety checks on the condition of the rails; what safety checks have been made to date, and whether any relevant safety recommendations made in the report …

Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

3 Sep 2001 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what progress has been made towards achieving the aim of electoral reform for local government.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Executive's commitment to electoral reform, made in its Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government, is underlined by its detailed and continuing considerations of the recommendations made in the Renewing Local Democracy Report.