Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of 2008-13 Scotland Rural Development Programme spend by Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate area office.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We do not disaggregate Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) spend at area office level, as each scheme is administered in its own way and not always linked directly to individual area offices. However, we can provide the following breakdown of gross ex…
18 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget remains to be committed in the 2008-13 Scotland Rural Development Programme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The competitive element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) budget is forecast to be nearly fully committed following the Rural Priorities Regional Proposal Assessment Committee (RPAC) in October 2012 and taking account of expected future proje…
18 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of agricultural businesses received funding from the 2008-13 Scotland Rural Development Programme, broken down by Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate area office.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We do not hold details of the total number of agricultural businesses in Scotland. However as a proxy, we have used the total number of RPID customers, (counted as Single Application Form applications), in Scotland. This amounts to 21,747 organisations in 201…
18 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the impact of the 2008-13 Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) on the rural economy in preparation for a new SRDP to begin on 1 January 2014.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has undertaken a First Stage Review, a Mid Term Evaluation, along with annual reports to assess the impact of the 2007-13 Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). The evidence from these reports, alongside the feedback we have rece…
18 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will have a role in implementing the proposals in the Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Bill that has been introduced by the UK Government and, if so, what this will be.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Yes. We discussed this with the UK Government at the Joint Ministerial Committee on 19 September. Although the process is still to be finalised, our expectation is that the Scottish Government will be consulted prior to any decisions being made on the provisi…
10 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the administration of the Croft House Grant Scheme was transferred to the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-09492 on 24 September 2012. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
10 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the administration of the Croft House Grant Scheme by the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate compares with its administration by the Crofting Commission.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Croft House Grant Scheme (CHGS) is a Scottish Government scheme assisting crofters. The Rural Payments and Inspections Division (formerly Directorate) has, since 1 August 2011, administered this scheme on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Prior to that date, …
10 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what average time the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate takes to respond to applications to the Croft House Grant Scheme.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The average time for Rural Payments and Inspections Division (formerly Directorate) to respond to a Croft House Grant Scheme application with a decision, when all information has been received from the applicant, is seven working days. However, the average t…
24 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the amendments tabled to the European Commission’s proposals to reform the common agricultural policy post 2014 by (a) George Lyon MEP and (b) Conservative MEPs that propose changes to sheep tagging legislation and aim to help ensure that any penalty regime affect…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government supports proposals which seek to ensure that the Cross Compliance Regulations are proportionate and fair to all Scottish farmers and crofters. Scottish Government has already obtained and implemented flexibilities which have ensured t…
23 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08829 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 August 2012, how many (a) surgeries and (b) other NHS establishments in Shetland are involved in the rurally-based training option offered to junior doctors.
Answer · Alex Neil: The provision of the GP component of the training programme is through two NHS Education for Scotland (NES) approved training practices in the Hillswick and Lerwick Health Centres. The Gilbert Bain Hospital provides the majority of the hospital experience th…
23 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08829 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 August 2012, how Rural-track GP Specialty Training has been promoted and how many GPs have recently (a) expressed an interest in and (b) signed-up for this.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Rural-track GP Specialty Training (GPST) option was offered as one of 18 GPST programmes in Scotland from the 2012 recruitment round. It was promoted through the Scottish Medical Training website and was featured in an edition of “BMJ Careers” in January…
23 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08828 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 August 2012, what telemedicine facilities are available in Shetland and where these are located.
Answer · Alex Neil: A range of telehealth (which incorporates telemedicine) solutions are detailed in the following table, all of which offer savings on the inconvenience of travelling and the costs associated: Service/Clinic NHS Board/ Organisation Frequency Description De…
22 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the owner of both a not-for-profit company that is limited by guarantee and a private limited company would qualify for fare reductions under the Air Discount Scheme for tickets purchased for his or herself for the same flight when travelling with either company and, if not, what…
Answer · Keith Brown: Travel undertaken by an Air Discount Scheme (ADS) member on behalf of a Private Limited Company would be considered business-related travel and would not be eligible for discounted fares. Travel undertaken by a scheme member on behalf of a not-for-profit comp…
22 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08824 by Keith Brown on 15 August 2012, (a) what months constitute “summer” for the purposes of responses to parliamentary questions and (b) on what date the contract will be published.
Answer · Keith Brown: The reference to “later this summer” in my response to S4W-08824 was intended to indicate that the contract for the new Northern Isles ferry services would be published on the Transport Scotland website after the summer recess. This is still our intention. Th…
14 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there was a contingency plan to ensure that a lifeline ferry service to and from Shetland would have been operated had the proposed strike action on Serco NorthLink Ferries in July 2012 taken place.
Answer · Keith Brown: In response to concerns raised by the RMT union about the new Northern Isles ferry services contract, on 23 July 2012 Serco NorthLink's Managing Director met with representatives from both the RMT and Nautilus. A framework for representative dialogue was agre…
9 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08825 by Michael Russell on 7 August 2012, what informal guidance has been issued.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has not issued informal guidance on school reform to local authorities since the Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education was established.
8 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many agricultural units are being investigated by the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate under the eligible land criteria following the 2012 Integrated Administration and Control System deadline, broken down by area office.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) has selected around 1,150 agricultural units to be inspected under its 2012 inspection programme. This equates to 5% of all single application forms submitted to cover a number of grant schemes with varying c…
8 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many officials have transferred from the Crofters Commission to the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate since the directorate was established.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under the Crofting Cattle Improvement Scheme, the bull stud at Knocknagael Farm transferred from the Crofters Commission to the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (now Division) on 1 August 2011, with the transfer of three permanent members of staff. …
8 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) for what reason and (b) when all S3 pupils will have to register with Skills Development Scotland's website, My World of Work, and how the process will be monitored.
Answer · Angela Constance: There are no plans to make registration on My World of Work compulsory for school pupils. Skills Development Scotland will continue to work with schools and pupils to encourage extensive use of the new service.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to help recruit junior doctors in (a) Shetland, (b) Orkney and (c) the Western Isles.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Recruitment of secondary care junior doctors is coordinated by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) through the Scottish Medical Training process. GP and Foundation trainees are recruited through the national UK recruitment processes. In addition NES has, in par…
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason (a) double and (b) triple duty nurses are being asked to select only one area of speciality and what is being done to cover any resulting gaps in rural provision.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Clinical standards, professional regulation requirements, and public expectations of quality have all increased in recent years and the idea that a single professional could have all the skills required to look after patients with complex chronic conditions a…
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans to reimburse qualifying patient travel costs for counselling appointments.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently two schemes in place to assist patients with the cost of travel to hospital in Scotland. The first is a means tested scheme to help those in receipt of certain DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) benefits; and the second a non-means tes…
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the justification is for composite secondary classes under the Curriculum for Excellence framework.
Answer · Michael Russell: Curriculum for Excellence gives local authorities and schools the freedom and flexibility to design and deliver the curriculum in a way which best meets the needs of their local contexts and learners. This includes the development of individual curriculum mod…
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to local authorities on school reform since the Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education was established.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education was established on 7 July 2011. Since that date the Scottish Government has issued no formal guidance to local authorities on school reform.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08472 by Keith Brown on 2 July 2012, to what timescale it is referring in using the term "in due course".
Answer · Keith Brown: The new contract for the Northern Isles ferry services will be published on the Transport Scotland website later this summer.
19 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many public bodies there have been in each year since 2003.
Answer · John Swinney: Historical information on public bodies in Scotland is available on the Public Bodies pages of the Scottish Government website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/pubs/Information. A list of current public bodies in Scotland is av…
10 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to create any new public bodies in the current parliamentary session.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government operates a presumption against the creation of new public bodies, except where there is a clear need to do so as in the following cases. Through the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill we have announced our intention to establish t…
10 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on the creation of new public bodies.
Answer · John Swinney: We will continue the successful programme of simplification, looking for further opportunities to streamline our public bodies. We will continue to take every opportunity to reduce costs and bureaucracy and improve service delivery. Our presumption is against…
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on fuel poverty and energy efficiency programmes in the last five years, broken down by region, and how much it has spent in Shetland.
Answer · Alex Neil: In relation to fuel poverty and housing energy efficiency programmes, on 6 June 2012, the Scottish Government published the Home Energy Programmes Summary and Detailed Reports for the period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2012: http://www.energysavingtrust.or…
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the breakdown by region is of the £700 million that households are due to save as a result of fuel poverty and energy efficiency programmes, as noted in its press release of 6 June 2012, Drive to tackle fuel poverty, and how much will be allocated to Shetland.
Answer · Alex Neil: Savings are estimated to be those at household level depending on the type of heating system or insulation chosen or accepted by that household. As such they are not “allocated” by Scottish Government. On 6 June 2012, the Scottish Government published the H…