Parliamentary questions
Scott Barrie
275 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts all of the recommendations contained within the SESTRAN Integrated Transport Corridor Studies report and, if not, which of the recommendations it disagrees with and for what reasons.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The SESTRAN Integrated Transport Corridors Study (SITCoS) was commissioned by SESTRAN and the acceptance of the recommendations is primarily a matter for SESTRAN. Should this work inform the regional transport strategy, setting down the priorities of the part…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many admissions there were to each accident and emergency department in each of the last two years and, of these, how many (a) were taken by emergency ambulance and (b) required an in-patient bed, broken down by hospital.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information is given in the document <i>Accident & Emergency information 2004 - 2005</i>. A copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 38433).</p> <p>Information in the document includes:</p><p>the numbers of attendanc…
25 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure direct public transport links between Fife and destinations other than Edinburgh, in light of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority’s intention to introduce a peak time premium charge for crossing the Forth Road Bridge.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 requires the South-East of Scotland Transport Partnership to draw up a strategy for transport within its region. That transport strategy should include provision for meeting the needs of all inhabited places and meeting the n…
25 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure improvements in the quality, reliability and punctuality of public transport between Fife and Edinburgh, in light of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority’s intention to introduce a peak time premium charge for crossing the Forth Road Bridge.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail project will divert coal traffic away from the Forth Bridge improving reliability of passenger services and providing the opportunity to expand passenger services between Fife and Edinburgh. In addition, the Franchise Agreem…
16 Nov 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the further education sector is adequately funded.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Annual investment in the further education sector is due to rise to around £620 million by 2007-08. This represents an increase of 45% since 2003-04 – the biggest cash increase in further education funding ever seen in Scotland.</p>
11 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Service Reform and Parliamentary Business that the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications will inform the Parliament of the Executive’s proposals for dealing with possible structural issues with the Forth Road Bri…
Answer · Tavish Scott: Consideration is being givento the emerging findings from the bridge cable tests. We have commissioned anindependent analysis of the work done to date and will wait until that work iscomplete before we make any decisions. I will keep the Parliament advised of…
22 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the voluntary organisations to which it has allocated (a) direct grants, indicating the amount awarded in each case and (b) indirect grants, indicating the amount offered in each case, in 2005-06.
Answer · Johann Lamont: I have today arranged for the release of a spreadsheet detailing direct and indirect grants to voluntary organisations in 2005-06. In 2004-05 the Executive will be providing £387 million directly and £136 million indirectly - £523 million in t…
22 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children, as distinct from households with children, live in fuel poverty as defined in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2002.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>The Scottish House Condition Survey 2002 (SHCS2002) estimated that the number of children that live in fuel poverty is approximately 46,000.…
22 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households with children and in fuel poverty, as defined in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2002, are in receipt of a disability benefit related to a child.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>This information is not available from the Scottish House Condition Survey.</p>
22 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households with children and in fuel poverty, as defined in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2002, live in buildings with no central heating systems.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>The Scottish House Condition Survey 2002 (SHCS2002) estimated that the number of households with children and in fuel poverty, as defined in…
22 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households with children and in fuel poverty, as defined in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2002, live in buildings rated (a) poor, (b) moderate and (c) good.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>The Scottish House Condition Survey 2002 (SHCS2002) estimated the building’s NHER rating for households that were in fuel poverty and also c…
21 Sep 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage more people to eat healthily.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Our strategicframework for healthy eating sets out our plan to increase demand for healthierchoices, supported by action to supply that demand with improved access to healthierfood.</p><p>Our strategiesbegin from the earliest stages with parenting support and…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance in answering ministerial correspondence was in the first quarter of 2005.
Answer · Margaret Curran: In the answer given to question S1W-24583, I undertook to continue to report quarterly on the numbers of letters received by ministers and our performance in answering them.</p> <p>In the quarter January to March 2005, 2,899 letters were received for minister…
16 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what Sewel motions it will lodge in the Parliament in connection with the legislative programme of the UK Government announced on 17 May 2005 in the Queen's Speech.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Westminster does not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland unless it has the consent of the Scottish Parliament. This convention – sometimes known as the “Sewel convention” – is an important part of the devolution settlement, signifyi…
11 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Forth Estuary Transport Authority regarding Forth road bridge prepaid voucher holders having to pay an additional 18p per crossing in cash as a consequence of the recent increase in tolls on the bridge.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Executive officials have discussed with the authority the use of discount vouchers at the bridge since the tolls rose on 1 May 2005, in general terms. However, the management and operation of the bridge, including the discount terms and arrangements, are a ma…
9 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on its progress in implementing the Water Framework Directive.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I am publishing today the second annual report on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the <i>Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 – Annual Report to the Scottish Parliament -2004</i>. I am placing copies of this document i…
4 May 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging the continuing professional development of social workers.
Answer · Euan Robson: Through the Scottish Social Services Council we have introduced a number of actions that support the continuing professional development of social workers. This includes registration for all social workers from April 2003 and the requirement to undertake at l…
21 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12513 by Ms Margaret Curran on 23 November 2004, what progress has been made in relation to the bills for which it was anticipated that Sewel motions would be lodged in the Parliament
Answer · Margaret Curran: I announced at the time of theQueen’s Speech that, subject to the Parliament’s consent through a Sewel motion,it was anticipated that ten bills could offer opportunities for making useful provisionon matters within the legislative competence of the Parliament…
21 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in 2005-06.
Answer · Johann Lamont: Scottish ministers have set Registersof Scotland the following key targets for 2005-06:</p><p>Financial</p><p>1. to achieve a return of 15% on net capitalemployed over the three-year period ending 31 March 2006;</p><p>2. to improve efficiencyby 2% when compar…
15 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report on the review of the children's hearings system.
Answer · Euan Robson: Phase 2 of the Review of the Childrens Hearings System will be issued in the next few weeks.</p>
2 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to introduce the scheme to recover NHS costs in cases of personal injury compensation.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive recently completed a public consultation exercise on draft regulations to govern a scheme to recover NHS costs in cases of personal injury compensation. Although the full analysis of the responses to the consultation is still under way, one of t…
1 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to adopt the A8000 as a trunk road and whether it will ensure that the dualling of the road is completed.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for taking forward this local road scheme is a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council, as the responsible roads authority. Funding for the upgrade of the A8000/M9 Spur to dual carriageway is to be provided by the Forth Estuary Transport Autho…
28 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S2O-5043 by Nicol Stephen on 27 January 2005 (Official Report, c 14016-17), what financial penalties have been imposed on the operators of the ScotRail franchise in Fife in the last five years as a result of poor performance.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not yet available. It is held by the Strategic Rail Authority and due to the way in which it is collected, it will take a little time to disaggregate the specific information for Fife. I will write to the member once the informati…
25 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decontamination service will be set up.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive is responsible for dealing with the outcome in Scotland of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) incidents, and for post-incident remediation. The UK Government and Scottish ministers have agreed to set up a Government D…
19 Jan 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is improving the accessibility of public buildings.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has been investing in accessibility improvements in its core buildings since 1995, and will continue to do so.</p><p>The Scottish Executive is also providing funding across a very wide range of relevant activities. For example, we have …
18 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when further guidance for inclusion in the child witness support pack will be issued.
Answer · Hugh Henry: A further two guidance documents for the Child Witness Support Pack are being issued today. These documents are “Information About Child, Young and Vulnerable Adult Witnesses to Inform Decision-Making in the Legal Process” and a “Code of Practice to Facilitat…
17 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to meet its Closing the Opportunity Gap financial inclusion target.
Answer · Johann Lamont: Financial inclusion is a key objective of the Executive’s Closing the Opportunity Gap approach to tackling poverty, by enabling people to use bank accounts, build savings and increasing access to affordable credit. To encourage the development of activities w…
6 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to deal with the sewage which is currently incinerated at Longannet Power Station but will no longer be disposed of in this way as a consequence of the ruling by the Court of Session on waste-derived fuel on 22 December 2004.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Sewage disposal from the publicsewerage system is an operational matter for Scottish Water and its PPP partners.The Executive will continue to ensure, through its environmental regulators, thatchosen methods of disposal comply with environmental regulations.<…
17 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the independent task group reviewing the licensing provisions in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 will be published.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The report of the independent task group has been published today and can be obtained from the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34546) or from the Scottish Executive website at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/society/tglp-00.asp">www.sc…
8 Dec 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it can address public concern over local NHS reforms.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Public concern around proposed changes to their local NHS services is understandable. The NHS must develop ways of engaging the local population in dialogue about how future NHS reforms will take shape and how they will affect the quality of care and delivery…