Parliamentary questions

Stewart Stevenson

2,358 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

10 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to close any loopholes permitting PFI/PPP contract holders to avoid paying taxes on these contracts.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has nodevolved functions in relation to the taxation of PFI/PPP contract holders. Companiesestablished for the purposes of PFI/PPP delivery are subject to taxation as anyother company.</p>

6 Oct 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will conduct a cycle of repetitive tests, using the names submitted for the computerised ballot of MSPs’ names for oral questions, the results of which were published in the Business Bulletin of 5 October 2006, to establish how many such tests it is necessary…

Answer · George Reid: The SPCB will not conduct acycle of repetitive tests as described as any such tests would not produceinformative results. The tests could be repeatedly run for the same sample of membersand the outcome is likely to be different every time due to the nature of…

6 Oct 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on what date the algorithm for the computerised ballot of MSPs’ names for oral questions was introduced and on what dates any amendments to it have been introduced.

Answer · George Reid: The algorithm for thecomputerised ballot of MSPs’ names for oral questions was introduced inthe last quarter of 2000. It is a component of the Oral Questions template. </p><p>The algorithm has been enhancedtwice since the Oral Question template’s in…

6 Oct 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what external validation of the algorithm for computerised ballot of MSPs’ names for oral questions has been carried out and when and by whom this was undertaken.

Answer · George Reid: There has been no externalvalidation of the algorithm for the computerised ballot of MSPs’ names for oralquestions. However, a recentstatistical analysis of the frequency of selection and distribution of thefrequency found no indication of bias on the automa…

6 Oct 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on how many occasions Stewart Stevenson MSP submitted his name for the computerised ballot for oral questions between 1 July 2005 and 5 October 2006.

Answer · George Reid: During the period between 1 July 2005 and 5 October 2006selections were made, by computerised ballot, for Question Times taken in 42meetings of the Parliament. On each of these occasions three selections ofnames were made: one for General Question Time and tw…

6 Oct 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will list for each individual MSP who submitted their name at least once for a computerised ballot for oral questions between 1 July 2005 and 5 October 2006, excluding Scottish ministers and the Presiding Officer, the proportion of their submissions which wer…

Answer · George Reid: Under Scottish ParliamentStanding Orders (Rule 13.6A.1) members who wish to lodge an oral General orThemed Question must first submit their names for selection. Under SO Rule13.6A.3 names are selected for each Question Time by computerised ballot on arandom b…

5 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Solicitor General for Scotland will reply to my letter dated 31 August 2006 regarding my constituent, Mr H Garner of Banff.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: A reply to your letter of 31 August 2006regarding Mr H Garner of Banff was issued on 10 October 2006.</p>

5 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice will reply to my letter dated 31 August 2006 regarding my constituent, Mr H Garner of Banff.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I replied to your letter on 18October 2006. I apologise for the delay.</p>

5 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Communities will reply to my letter dated 24 July 2006 regarding my constituent, Mr R Stephen of Cairbulg.

Answer · Johann Lamont: My officials have completed theirinvestigations into the issues raised in your letter and my response has now beenissued.</p>

5 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform will reply to my letter dated 30 August 2006 regarding my constituent, Mr T Carter of Fraserburgh.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I replied to Mr Stevenson’s letter on 3 October 2006.

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people from (a) New Deal for Young People and (b) New Deal 25 plus entered jobs that were not sustained beyond 13 weeks duration in each year since these programmes began.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The UK Government is responsiblefor New Deal programmes. The following data is provided by the Department for Workand Pensions.</p><p>Table 1 and table 2 show thenumber of individuals going into jobs and the proportion which were not sustainedfor 13 weeks for…

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of sex offenders recommended to enter a treatment programme to places available.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The annual rate of completionsfor the prison based Sex Offender Treatment Programme (STOP) programmes is projectedto increase to 85 to 90 in 2006-07 and to 100 completions in 2007-08, compared tothe 60 completions in 2004-05 and the 76 completions in 2005-06.…

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders have received treatment and how much funding has been allocated to programmes for the treatment of such offenders in each year since 1999.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: <b> </b></p><p>Community Sex Offender Programmes.</p><p>The data on numbers on communityprogrammes is at present held at an individual local authority rather than nationallevel. The Executive has developed an accredited Community Sex Offender GroupworkPr…

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been found guilty of committing an offence specifically involving child victims in each year since 1999.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information isgiven in the following table. The statistics relate only to convictions where bydefinition of the offence the victim involved was a child. Convictions for otheroffences which involved a child victim, for example assault, cannot be …

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of teachers to pupils has been in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested canbe found in tables 6.2 and 7.2 of the 2005 Teacher Census. This can be accessedusing the following hyperlink:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/03/28083648/0">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/0…

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment or research has been undertaken in relation to drug deaths among recently released prisoners.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The Scottish Executive published<i>The National Investigation into Drug Related</i> <i>Deaths in Scotland 2003</i>in August 2005. This rese…

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average and (b) longest wait has been for patients with morbid obesity to receive surgery in order to aid weight reduction in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The specific information requestedis not available. Current coding systems are not sensitive enough to distinguishobese from morbidly obese patients, nor is there a single code to identify surgeryto aid weight loss.</p>

4 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with morbid obesity have received surgery in order to aid weight reduction in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not availablein the format requested. Current coding systems are not sensitive enough to distinguishobese from morbidly obese patients, nor is there a single code to identify surgeryto aid weight loss.</p>

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed as suffering from clinical obesity in each NHS board area in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally in the format requested.</p><p>The Scottish HealthSurvey 2003 gives the prevalence of obesity in those aged 16 and over by local NHSboard areas. Details can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/h…

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vehicle occupants have been fined for non-wearing of seat belts in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information isgiven in the following table.</p><p>Seat Belt Offences with a ChargeProved in Scottish Courts Resulting in a Fine (Main Penalty), 1995-96 to 2004-05</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=top> <p a…

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) adult and (b) child cyclists have been (i) injured and (ii) killed in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The information requested canbe obtained from the figures which are given in tables 6 and 7 of <i>Key 2005 RoadAccident Statistics</i> and in the <i>Summary road</i> <i>accident and casualtystatistics</i> table (which covers the years from 1994 to 2004, inclu…

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital meals were left untouched in each year since 2001-02, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of patient main meals in each year.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not collectedcentrally.</p>

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS hospitals have rented (a) all and (b) part of their wards to pharmaceutical companies for experimental treatments in the last 12 months.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p>

26 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2707 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 October 2003, how much it expects to spend under each PFI/PPP schemes listed in each of the next 25 years and any schemes subsequently approved.

Answer · Tom McCabe: An estimate of the amount of the unitary charge in each of the next 25 years for PPP projects that are either operational or have reached financial close is shown in the following tables. The unitary charge is the amount paid by the public sector procuring bo…

26 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses currently employed by the NHS will have reached the retirement age of 60 in each year from 2005 to 2020, broken down (a) into those with SRN, SEN, RMN or other qualification and (b) by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Table 1 shows the number of registeredand enrolled nurses and midwives as at 30 September 2005, aged between 45 and 59, who will reach the age of 60 in each year from2006 to 2020. Table 2 shows the information split by NHS board.</p><p>Table 1 Registered and …

19 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27625 by Rhona Brankin on 28 August 2006, when it expects Dr Gemmell to respond.

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it expects to spend under PFI/PPP schemes in each of the next 30 years, broken down by project.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The estimated annual expenditureto service the Scottish Executive’s PPP roads projects is shown in the followingtable:</p><p>Estimated Annual Unitary Charge(£ Million)</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p align…

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28112 by Mr Tom McCabe on 13 September 2006, how the absence of centrally held procurement cost data impacts on the Executive’s ability to implement the McClelland Report on procurement.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The report highlighted the lackof consistent data as a concern. In implementing the report’s recommendations the Executive intends to undertake additional work on identifying procurement expenditureacross the public sector. It should be noted, however, that t…

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28112 by Mr Tom McCabe on 13 September 2006, how the absence of centrally held procurement cost data can be reconciled with the Executive’s Efficient Government plans to make savings from procurement.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The McClelland Report makes anumber of recommendations which are designed to deliver improvements in procurementpractice which will in turn ensure that vfm saving are secured. Delivery of plannedEfficient Government savings is not considered to be dependent o…

13 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses currently employed by the NHS in Scotland will have reached their normal retirement age in each year from 2005 to 2020, broken down (a) into SRN, SEN, RMN or other qualification and (b) by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: While Scotland hasa slightly aging nursing and midwifery workforce, the age characteristics of thisparticular workforce are “normal” and “healthy”.</p><p>Table 1 shows the number of registeredand enrolled nurses and midwives as at 30 September 2005, aged betw…