Parliamentary questions
Peter Peacock
1,395 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the accident and emergency unit at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Dr Gray''s Hospital has a level 2 accident and emergency unit.</p>
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to employers regarding pay regulations and fulfilment of contracts for individuals who have been advised by their doctor through a fit note that they might be able to undertake certain duties at work.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Advice provided on a fit note is between the issuing doctor and their patient. The Department for Work and Pensions has issued guidance for employers through various channels such as ACAS, Business Link and HMRC regarding the implications that the fit note ma…
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the impact that fit notes have on individuals returning to work.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Department for Work and Pensions will carry out an evaluation of the fit note and the impact it has on individuals returning to work. The Scottish Government will support this evaluation through the cross-government Health, Work and Wellbeing strategy. Th…
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to employers or employees regarding fit notes, in particular the differences between fit notes and sick notes, which they replaced in April 2010.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Med 3 medical certificate, commonly known as the fit note, is a document produced by the Department for Work and Pensions and is a matter reserved to the UK Government.</p> <p >The DWP have issued guidance for employers and employees as well as healthca…
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives it is undertaking to encourage individuals who have been on sick leave to return to work through phased or amended duties.
Answer · John Swinney: HR advisors work closely with staff who have been on extended sick leave, to determine what support they require to return to work. Some staff are encouraged to return to work on a phased basis, with reduced workloads. This can reduce the overall time that st…
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of Forestry Commission Scotland’s research information notes on consenting new planting.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: New woodland creation proposals are considered in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard and its associated Guidelines, which are currently under review. Forestry Commission Scotland''s (FCS) recently revised guidance on Environmental Impact Assessment is a…
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to revise the guidance to land managers on forest planning, contained in Forestry Commission Scotland’s publication, Forest Design Planning.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Forestry Commission''s publication, <i >Forest Design Planning “ A Guide to Good Practice</i>, will be considered for revision when the current review of the UK Forestry Standard and its associated guidelines has been completed. The review is expected to …
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what training has been received on UK Forestry Standard requirements and compliance by non-Forestry Commission Scotland staff who are acting as Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) case officers.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Applications to the SRDP''s Rural Priorities which relate to forestry are normally allocated to Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) staff. FCS staff also advise and assist non-FCS staff in respect of any woodland elements in other cases.</p>
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much new woodland and forestry planting has been carried out without land management grants since 2007.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: It is estimated that up to 600 hectares of trees (most of which are Christmas trees) have been planted without grant-aid since 2007.</p>
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it applies the UK Forestry Standard to woodland creation on agricultural land.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The UK Forestry Standard, and its associated guidelines, sets standards for the planning, design and management of new woodland throughout Scotland, including on agricultural land. The standard is used to assess proposals for new woodlands that are submitted …
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued by Scotland’s Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) on the location of new woodland away from sites that are important for (a) biodiversity and (b) the historic environment.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) is the SEARS organisation responsible for providing guidance on woodland in relation to biodiversity and the historic environment. Guidance on the location of new woodland includes the Scottish Forestry Strategy which identi…
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the UK Forestry Standard is applied to the location of new woodland on (a) undesignated and (b) designated wildlife sites.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The UK Forestry Standard, and its associated guidelines, sets standards for the planning, design and management of new woodland. It applies throughout Scotland to undesignated sites and to designated wildlife sites (where, depending upon the nature of the des…
2 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it has received for support from the WATERS marine energy scheme; who made these applications; what the total support sought by each applicant is, and what companies have been successful in the first sift of such applications by Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Mather: The £12 million WATERS fund is being managed by Scottish Enterprise, who have provided the following information.</p> <p >Thirty-one applications, totalling £74 million were received for support from the WATERS marine energy fund, making this an extremely co…
2 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to amend the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 before 30 June 2010 to ensure that equipment vendors are permitted to sell equipment at fencing tournaments and fencing coaches are able to sell equipment to club members without being required to hol…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No. The knife dealers licensing scheme came into force on 1 June 2010 with exceptions to the licensing requirements in respect of fencing. We will monitor the operation of the act and consider if further action is necessary.</p> <p >The act only requires a l…
2 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 will have a detrimental effect on the sport of fencing due to the requirement to have a trader’s licence for each premises in each local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No. The sport of fencing can continue under the requirements of the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 that was passed under the previous administration.</p>
2 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that those provisions of the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 that come into force on 1 June 2010 will have unintentional consequences for several sports, including fencing.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No.</p>
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to bring forward for general consultation the application to amend the Scottish farmed salmon Protected Geographic Indicator criteria, as announced by the Minister for Environment on 10 March 2010.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I understand that the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation has decided that at this time they no longer wish to pursue an amendment to the Scottish Farmed Salmon PGI specification.</p>
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider placing a security mark on all NHSScotland official papers relating to employees’ sick leave in order to combat fraud.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Fraud against the NHS is taken very seriously and anyone caught using fraudulent documents will be pursued vigorously.</p> <p >All data relating to periods of sickness absence in NHSScotland is held in a secure national database; reports from this database …
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure the integrity of NHSScotland fit notes and prevent the use of fake fit notes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Fraud against the NHS is taken very seriously and anyone caught using fraudulent documents will be pursued vigorously.</p> <p >The Med 3 medical certificate, commonly known as the fit note, is a document produced by the Department for Work and Pensions for …
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any advertising of services to provide individuals with fake documents that resemble NHS fit notes and what steps it is taking to investigate and take action against anyone offering such notes for a fee.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are aware of a number of websites that are selling fake fit notes. This is not illegal. It only becomes illegal when someone receives a payment or advantage, for instance paid time off work, through use of a fake fit note.</p> <p >Fraud against the NHS i…
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost to the economy was of days lost to work due to the fraudulent use of sick or fit notes in each of the last three years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. The management of sickness absence across the public and private sectors is a matter for individual public bodies, private companies and other employers.</p>
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcomes were of the independent inquiry held into the Infectious Salmon Anaemia outbreak in Shetland announced in early 2009 by the Minister for Environment.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The draft report into the Infectious Salmon Anaemia outbreak in Shetland is currently being finalised. The draft will then go to additional external experts for comment, before publication in August of this year.</p>
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the proper procedures were followed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency when it was considering the closure of its laboratory building in Dingwall.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Any proposed changes to SEPA''s organisational structure and to the way it delivers its services are operational matters for the agency itself. I am aware that SEPA informed all Line Managers of Dingwall based staff of the decision to close the Dingwall labor…
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would expect the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) management to consult SEPA staff prior to taking decisions that significantly affect staff.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I can confirm that SEPA is fully committed to the wellbeing of its staff and SEPA senior management fully engage with staff before taking decisions that will significantly affect SEPA staff. Any proposed changes to SEPA''s organisational structure and to the …
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Scottish Forestry Strategy targets can be met without damaging existing or proposed European wildlife sites.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Yes. The Scottish Forestry Strategy, launched in 2006, set challenging targets across all its key themes, including environmental quality and biodiversity.</p>
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what Forestry Commission Scotland’s policy advice is on the creation of new designated wildlife sites.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) serves as the Scottish Government''s forestry directorate and is consulted where necessary on any forestry issues that may arise when creating new designated wildlife sites. Although the detail of such advice depends on part…
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the ecological basis and the design guidance are for the creation and management of moorland fringe on the national forest estate.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: An interface area between moorland and forestry, rather than a hard edge, provides a mosaic of habitats which can create a suitable home for a range of species, including black grouse in particular. Other species which can benefit from a lower density canopy …
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of twinflower in Scotland’s native pinewoods.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Twinflower was noted to be present in 77 sites in Scottish woodlands in 2008 in the progress report of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, based on partial survey information. Most of the sites are in native pinewoods. The species is recorded as declining. The F…
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider the decision of its reporter to grant consent for an incineration plant at Invergordon.
Answer · John Swinney: This appeal was determined by a reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers. The decision is final subject to the right of any aggrieved party to appeal to the Court of Session within six weeks of the decision notice. This means that neither the reporter nor Sco…
25 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the concerns of local residents resulting from the recent decision by its reporter to allow consent for an incineration plant at Invergordon.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals has received written representations from local residents concerning this decision and will respond to each letter individually.</p>