Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the needs and circumstances of island communities when (a) developing, (b) formulating and (c) implementing policy.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does consider the needs and circumstances of island communities when developing, formulating and implementing policy. For example, each government bill which is introduced to Parliament is accompanied by a policy memorandum which sets …
7 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities or NHS boards will have lead responsibility for data access requests arising from the integration of social care services.
Answer · Alex Neil: The changes in health and social care, including the creation of integration authorities, do not make any difference to how data access requests are handled. As at present, both health boards and local authorities will continue to be responsible for answering…
7 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has used or plans to use information obtained via the registration process for Scottish Government events to contact attendees regarding the independence referendum.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information provided is used by the Scottish Government solely for management of the event for which the details are submitted.
7 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what personal data it receives from attendees of Scottish Government events via the Eventbrite online registration process.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government requests personal data from attendees appropriate to the particular event. For most Scotland’s Future events, the required information is name and email address. For cabinet events, a postal address is also requested.
7 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it seeks to collect the personal data of attendees registering to attend Scottish Government events and, if so, what it does with the information.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government collects a limited amount of personal information for the purposes of registration of attendees at the events. This information is solely used for management of the specific event the person has registered for.
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what EU legislation governing rail transport it refers to in its document, Scotland’s Priorities for EU Reform, and what reforms would be required to allow a state-owned UK company to tender to operate ScotRail services.
Answer · Keith Brown: It is domestic law, the Railways Act 1993, which prevents a state-owned UK company from tendering to operate ScotRail services. We will make that clearer within the document Scotland’s Priorities for EU Reform.
28 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Shetland and the Orkney islands councils under the auspices of the Our Islands Our Future campaign about the introduction of road equivalent tariff on the islands' internal ferry services
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with Shetland and Orkney islands councils in a range of forums including the Our Islands Our Future initiative. In that context I can confirm that fair ferry fares on the islands’ internal ferry services were on…
20 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities or NHS boards will have lead responsibility for freedom of information requests arising out of the joint integration of social care services.
Answer · Alex Neil: The changes in health and social care, including the creation of integration authorities, do not make any difference to how freedom of information requests are handled. As at present, both health boards and local authorities will continue to be responsible fo…
15 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards can guarantee that there is always an out-of-hours GP available on call.
Answer · Alex Neil: From 1 April 2004, the Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004 placed a duty on the 14 territorial NHS boards to provide ‘primary medical services’ for everyone living in the NHS board area. These are the services GP practices provide to patients registe…
15 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on GP dispensing practices; whether this reflects a change in policy, and, if so, when the policy was changed and for what reason.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government recognises that GP dispensing practices play an essential role in the dispensing and supply of medicines to patients in remote and rural areas who do not have access to a community pharmacy. Following our review and consultation earli…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the risk assessment carried out in relation to the implementation of the electronic identification (EID) of sheep.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Veterinary Risk Assessment which is being carried out by our Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks into the non-EID tagging of home bred replacement animals is in the final stages of being completed. A meeting will be held with the representativ…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether specific officials in area Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate offices have been allocated responsibility to scrutinise and inspect Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) 1:2500 maps on a field by field basis so as to assess the permanent grassland classificat…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate’s professional and technical staff carry out all IACS inspections. In order to minimise the impact on farmers, the Rural Payment and Inspections Directorate’s policy is to undertake ‘whole farm’ reviews rather th…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the implementing regulations for the discards ban affecting the Scottish fishing industry will be published and whether they will be subject to public consultation.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Common Fisheries Policy (EU Regulation 1380/2013), published on 11 December 2013, describes the landing obligation and how it will be implemented through regionalisation. The Scottish Government is working with Member States in regional groups to develop …
8 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became independent, what expansion of personnel it estimates would be required to establish and run a separate directorate to deal with fisheries, and how quickly this could be in place.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: While the future number of civil servants working in Scotland will be dependent on a number of factors, including decisions to be taken by the Scottish Government on the overall design and delivery of Scottish policies and services, appropriate resource alloc…
8 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what weight would be given to fishing during EU entry negotiations for an independent Scotland and what it estimates the risk to be of a worse-than-now settlement.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: These negotiations will be about continuation of membership, not new entry. Notwithstanding this, we will give fisheries the priority they rightfully deserve as a key component of Scotland’s economic, social and cultural identity. This administration will ne…
8 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements would be made for ownership of the seabed if Scotland became independent.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Virtually all of the seabed out to 12 nautical miles and Sovereign rights of the UK in the seabed and its resources (excluding hydrocarbons) beyond 12 nautical miles form part of the Crown Estate which is currently administered by the Crown Estate Commissione…
8 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what access an independent Scotland's fishing vessels would have to the waters of EU member states or other coastal states.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We expect member states to welcome Scotland’s continuing EU membership, and under the existing rules of the Common Fisheries Policy we would expect no change to the access opportunities our vessels currently enjoy to the waters of EU member states or other co…
8 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the present EU fishing quota allocation regime for the UK would be the basis of allocations to an independent Scotland, decided by the rest of the UK and Scotland, or whether there would be one allocation for the rest of the UK and one for Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: With regard to quota allocation within an independent Scotland, there is no difference between the current situation and that pertaining under independence, given that these aspects of fisheries management are already devolved and subject to whichever decisio…
8 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its consultation on National Care Standards and whether this will include an option for an obligation to offer provision of arts and creativity as part of the regular care of older people.
Answer · Alex Neil: As I set out in my parliamentary statement on 8 May 2014, the Scottish Government will publish a consultation on the review of National Care Standards in the next few weeks. The consultation will seek views on taking a human rights based approach to developin…
8 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the basis was for the First Minister's assertion on 28 April 2014 that, if an independent Scotland did not assume EU membership, it could lead to “the fishing fleets of 12 countries being denied any access to Scottish waters and as a result, their access to Norwegian waters, which i…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The First Minister made very clear that given Scotland’s prominent and central role in European fisheries it is in the interests of the other member states that Scotland has a smooth transition to independent membership of Europe. He also made the point that …
7 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how athletes and their families were informed that a "Scotland House facility" offered them a home from home during the 2012 London Olympics and how many attended as visitors.
Answer · Shona Robison: Sportscotland worked directly with the British Olympic Association on inviting athletes and their families to Scotland House during the 2012 London Olympics. More than 3,000 visitors came to Scotland House. Further information on Scotland House can be found …
6 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many sheep inspections (a) have taken place and (b) are planned during the current lambing season, broken down by Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate area office, as reported in The Scottish Farmer on 18 April 2014.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate have carried out two sheep and goat identification and traceability inspections during the traditional Scottish lambing season, one in the Ayr and one in the Perth area office commands. The inspe…
2 May 2014 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance is being provided to deliver ophthalmology services in Shetland.
30 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20338 by Kenny MacAskill on 28 April 2014, what the established procedures are for its official engagement with Parliamentary committees; which of these procedures it followed in the case of the Public Audit Committee’s draft private report on its s…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Government has followed the agreed ‘Protocol between the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government in relation to the handling of Committee business’ in its dealings with the Public Audit Committee. http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Parliament…
17 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a civil servant attends each public engagement event relating to its white paper on independence with the task of ensuring that there is no discussion of matters that would be subject to the outcome of the 2016 election in the event of a Yes vote.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is holding a programme of activity to inform the people of Scotland about Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland and to debate and discuss the issues in the white paper with the public. Civil servants attend each even…
17 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether limits are placed on the tasks that civil servants attending public engagement events relating to its white paper on independence can perform in order to prevent the use of public money for party political purposes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is holding a programme of activity to inform the people of Scotland about Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland and to debate and discuss the issues in the referendum with the public. The purpose of the events is to …
17 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether civil servants attending public engagement events relating to its white paper on independence receive guidance on how to deal with discussion concerning matters that would be subject to the outcome of the 2016 election in the event of a Yes vote.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is holding a programme of activity to inform the people of Scotland about Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland and to debate and discuss the issues in the white paper with the public. The events present the public w…
15 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will explain how it will "boost economic returns" to Scotland's islands, as per the statement by the First Minister reported in The Scotsman on 14 April 2014.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Through the Islands Areas Ministerial Working Group, chaired by the Minister for Local Government and Planning, discussions continue with Orkney, Shetland and Eilean Siar councils on a range of issues important to island communities, including how to maximise…
10 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20162 by John Swinney on 9 April 2014, when it will publish its 2013-14 expenditure on public engagement events relating to its white paper on independence and whether this will include a breakdown of the costs of each event.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20162 on 9 April 2014. The Scottish Government will publish cost information on the public engagement programme when expenditure for 2013-14 is finalised. All answers to written parliamentary questions are ava…
7 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated for the accommodation costs of security staff at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Answer · Shona Robison: Final financial negotiations continue, however, current allocation is assessed at £896,000