Parliamentary questions

Mike Pringle

251 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

14 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it gives to families of children recently diagnosed with cancer.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has nofunctions in relation to the provision of financial support directly to familiesof children recently diagnosed with cancer. This is reserved to the Department ofWork and Pensions who are responsible for a range of benefits and ser…

15 Feb 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the risk from airguns.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We all know that airguns in the wrong hands can result in tragic consequences. That is why I have worked closely with UK Ministers to bring in a wide range of measures to strengthen the law, including a new offence of possessing an air weapon in a public plac…

22 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to local authorities on the height of speed bumps and their impact on people with degenerative conditions.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Circular 9/1998, a copy of whichis available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38670) providesguidance to local authorities on the provisions of the Road Humps (Scotland) Regulations1998, including advice on the height of humps. In ad…

22 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has carried out into the impact of speed bumps on osteoporosis sufferers.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive has not carriedout any such studies.

14 Dec 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the use of solar power.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is committedto the development of a wide range of renewable technologies including solar power.We fund the Scottish Communityand Householder Renewables Initiative to provide expert advice and financial assistanceto householders a…

9 Nov 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will retain cancer services at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I want to assure people that nowhere in the advice given to me has the suggestion been made that the childrens cancer unit at the Sick Kids hospital in Edinburgh should be closed.

28 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in respect of plans by NHS Lothian to upgrade psychiatric care wards at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS Lothian has recently completedthe upgrading of the adult acute admission wards at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, followingan investment of £535,000.The refurbished wards providea better environment for patients, including more appropriate separation…

28 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving for the provision of specialist art and music teachers in schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: As part of the Partnership fora Better Scotland commitment to increase teacher numbers to 53,000 by 2007 thereis the provision of 1,000 additional visiting specialists, which includes art andmusic teachers, working across the primary and secondary boundary.</…

28 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional support it will give to providing complementary therapies within the NHS.

Answer · Andy Kerr: It is open to NHS boards to providecomplementary medicine through the NHS in Scotland, funding such provision through their unified budgets.Decisions on whether to provide any particular form of complementary medicine arefor NHS boards to make, based on their…

28 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the resources available for mental health services.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Spend on mental health services by NHS boards and local authorities will draw from the planned year on year increases in allocations to 2007-08. The annual allocation for health in 2007-08 will be over £10 billion and the Grant Aided Expenditure to local auth…

27 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times NHS penalty charge notices issued for evasion of NHS charges have subsequently been removed in each year since 1999.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The aim of penalty charges, andall of the work of NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS), is deterrence - tomake people who should pay for their NHS prescriptions, dental treatment or otherservices but try not to do so think twice about evading charges in f…

27 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times NHS penalty charge notices have been issued for evasion of NHS charges in each year since 1999.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Patient Claims Team of NHSScotlandCounter Fraud Services (CFS) undertake a national programme of checks of patiententitlement to exemption from NHS charges. Penalty charges may be imposed by theCFS where patients are found to have evaded NHS charges. Pati…

21 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service regarding the future of the Protein Fractionation Centre and Alba Bioscience at its Liberton site in south Edinburgh.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Ministers are aware that NationalServices Scotland is conducting a review of the Scottish National Blood TransfusionService’s (SNBTS) blood processing activities located at their Liberton, Edinburgh site.The economics of these activities have been affected by…

13 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any problems in the recruitment and retention of lawyers to the Faculty of Advocates.

30 Aug 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement of an additional £65 million to provide modern facilities for patients and staff in the NHS, how medical practices, such as the Hermitage and Mayfield medical practices in Edinburgh, which have identified new premises but require additional finance in order to…

Answer · Andy Kerr: These fundswill target specific initiatives. Full details will be announced in due course.Practices should continue to liaise directly with their NHS board who are responsiblefor establishing development priorities.

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on responding to correspondence from Scottish MPs on devolved matters and whether any agreement exists with UK government departments to achieve consistent handling of correspondence.

Answer · Margaret Curran: It is Scottish Executivepolicy that all letters from MPs or MSPs on devolved matters are seen andreplied to by ministers. Those that relate to operational matters are repliedto by the Scottish Executive Agency concerned.No agreement exists with UKGover…

25 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to issue advice to NHS boards in respect of their General Medical Services budgets.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The budget for General Medical Services for 2005-06 has been set and NHS boards were issued with their allocations on 7 June 2005.

25 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the General Medical Services budget will be in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The budget for General Medical Services (GMS) for 2006-07 and 2007-08 has not been set at this stage. This is subject to the review of the GMS Contract which is currently on-going.

4 May 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether medical rehabilitation is available to patients who have travelled abroad for a surgical operation that is not available in Scotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: On their return to Scotland, such a patient would normally be referred by their GP to the appropriate specialist in NHSScotland. The specialist would advise on rehabilitation or follow-up according to the patient’s current clinical need in the context of loca…

16 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the Financial Services Strategy Group following its final meeting held on 1 March 2005.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Financial Services Strategy Group (FSSG), a partnership of industry, trade unions and the public sector, was charged with developing a vision and strategy to support the future success of the financial services industry in Scotland. The final meeting of t…

3 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the British Geological Survey on how the Executive can assist the survey's response to the tsunami.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is liaising closely with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on assessing the risk of the UK being affected by a tsunami or similar event. DEFRA has recently commissioned British Geological Survey (BGS) and oth…

3 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging the use of fishing boats to carry out sea and seabed surveys.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Fishing boats make avaluable contribution to fisheries surveys and the Scottish Executiveencourages this through stakeholder groups and through collaboration withFisheries Research Services.

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the grant aided expenditure assessment in respect of road maintenance is for each local authority for (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Provision for GAE (Grant Aided Expenditure) in respect of road maintenance for each local authority in Scotland in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 are shown in the following table.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> Council…

14 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on meeting the Partnership Agreement commitment to review student bursaries.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I am delighted to announce today that in 2005-06 the maximum support provided through the Young Students’ Bursary will increase by 11% to £2,395. We have also reviewed the parental income thresholds which determine eligibility to receive the bursary. From 200…

12 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of the establishment of a UK-wide tribunal service.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have had various discussions with the Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA) as policy has developed on the creation of the new Tribunals Service. The first phase of the service will incorporate the seven most used tribunals, which operate on a GB-wide…

12 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a tribunal service for tribunals with a Scotland-only remit.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have no plans at present to establish a tribunal service for tribunals with a Scotland‑only remit. However, we are in regular contact with the Department for Constitutional Affairs about the creation of the new Tribunals Service, which will include a…

22 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the timescale for responses to the consultation on the reform of civil advice and assistance is less than 12 weeks.

Answer · Hugh Henry: These proposals have already been the subject of separate discussion with key stakeholders. The timescale of less than 12 weeks for general consultation has been set to allow proper consideration of responses in time for the introduction of regulatory change…

22 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of providing temporary accommodation to homeless people has been in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

15 Dec 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government over the proposed introduction of non-jury trials in England and Wales.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2F-1240 answered by the First Minister on 25 November 2004 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search">http:…

8 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-3962 by Tavish Scott on 11 November 2004, which organisations are being considered for relocation from Edinburgh as part of on-going reviews; why the organisations are being included in such reviews at this stage, and whether it will provide a breakd…

Answer · Tavish Scott: There are currently 10 organisations being considered for relocation. The table shows the number of posts under consideration in each of those organisations and the reason for inclusion in the review programme. The eleventh body, referred to in my previous an…