Parliamentary questions
John Scott
560 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is currently available to GPs to assist them in diagnosing tick-borne diseases in general and Lyme’s disease in particular.
Answer · Shona Robison: Health Protection Scotland currently publishes guidance on tick borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, on its website and distributes guidance to NHS boards for dissemination to clinicians. The information can be accessed at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.docum…
7 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how reliable diagnostic tests are for Lyme’s disease and what can be done to improve their efficiency.
Answer · Shona Robison: Lyme disease is a notifiable disease, but clinical presentation of Lyme disease is highly variable and asymptomatic infections do occur, which can mean that a diagnosis based on clinical suspicion of the disease is often difficult and that some cases may go u…
7 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to produce medical guidelines on dealing with tick-borne diseases.
Answer · Shona Robison: Health Protection Scotland currently publishes guidance on tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, on its website and distributes guidance to NHS boards for dissemination to clinicians involved in treating members of the public.</p> <p >The Ministerial Gr…
6 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to actively engage tourist businesses in Ayrshire and across Scotland in the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations to ensure that the tourism industry achieves the maximum benefit from the celebrations and that Scottish businesses are better marketed abroad.
Answer · Jim Mather: The genesis of Homecoming 2009 was Robert Burns'' 250th anniversary and hence the programme starts with an Ayrshire flavour. The main objective of Homecoming is to attract additional visitors to Scotland next year, and thus yielding benefits to many businesse…
30 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there should be a zero-catch quota for elasmobranches, in light of International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advice on such types of fish.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government agrees with the ICES advice that there should be no directed fisheries on these species. However, a zero total allowable catch in a mixed fishery in which elasmobranches are an unavoidable bycatch will inevitably lead to discards. Ther…
30 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effect of a ban on the discard of elasmobranches and whether it would consider excluding such types of fish from any such ban.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not believe that targeted fisheries on vulnerable elasmobranches should be allowed. Equally the Scottish Government does not support measures that will inevitably lead to discarding. Therefore, the Scottish Government is looking f…
25 Sep 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had on the issue of co-payments for health care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The issue of co-payments for health care has been considered recently by the Petitions Committee. The Scottish Government responded to the Committee on 3 September 2008. Specifically, in relation to co-payments, the current guidance issued to NHS boards will …
4 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the bluetongue vaccination programme will commence.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government''s industry bluetongue stakeholder group has agreed that any vaccination campaign is best undertaken during the winter vector free period when the climate is less favourable to virus transmission. The precise timings of the vaccination…
2 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it has taken the decision to exclude the food and drink sector from support being directed to adult modern apprenticeships, in light of the older age profile within this sector.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The changes announced to the modern apprenticeship programme ensures that public investments supports the Government Economic Strategy. We have committed to target new support for MA 20+ to construction, engineering and related sector, where we know our inves…
2 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase and improve vocational training within the food and drink sector.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s Skills Strategy – Skills for Scotland – outlined the importance of employers in ensuring that the education, training and qualifications systems in Scotland were responsive to their needs. The strategy also states that a sectoral app…
2 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the food and drink industry as a career option in schools.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The key aim of Curriculum for Excellence is to help prepare all young people in Scotland to take their place in a modern society and economy by delivering opportunities to develop skills for life and skills for work. This includes options for young people to …
25 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13791 by Richard Lochhead on 13 June 2008, how many applications it has now received during the first stage of the Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities application process.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: As at Monday 14 July, a total of 1367 completed first stage first stage applications (Statements Of Intent) had been submitted under the Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities mechanism of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.</p>
25 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13971 by Richard Lochhead on 13 June 2008, how many applications it has received to the Scottish Rural Development Programme, excluding Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities, broken down by funding mechanism and showing how many applications…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: A total of 16,263 applications have been received to date under the Scotland Rural Development Programme, excluding Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities. The number of applications approved and rejected, for each of the seven mechanisms, is shown in…
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make applications for the Scottish Rural Development Programme Apple Mac-compatible and, if so, how much it estimates this would cost.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: With limited resources at its disposal, and conscious of the fact that it is spending taxpayers’ money, the Scottish Government decided to limit its initial development of its SRDP data capture suite of programs to meet the widest possible audience – which by…
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that all means enquiry courts will again be fully operational.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: All means enquiry courts under the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service are fully operational. We do not hold information on the operation of means enquiry courts held in district courts as these are the responsibility for the relevant local authority…
12 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the implementation of Agenda for Change will be completed and how the proposed completion date compares with the initial projected completion date.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is estimated that implementation of Agenda for Change in Scotland, including payment of arrears, will be completed by 31 December 2008. The initial UK wide target date for completion was October 2005 but this was not met throughout the UK.</p> <p >Clearl…
12 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of implementation of Agenda for Change has been, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally. Implementation of Agenda for Change is still on-going and final costs will not be known until this process is complete.</p>
12 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many health professionals, including ambulance staff, have experienced reductions in salary levels as a result of the implementation of Agenda for Change, broken down by (a) health profession and (b) NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A commitment has been given that no member of NHS staff will receive a reduction in salary as a result of the implementation of Agenda for Change. Although the process is not yet complete, less than 4% of staff are on pay protection as a result of Agenda for …
12 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ongoing appeals on decisions made under Agenda for Change are taking place, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Latest available data is at 30 April 2008 and suggests that of the 157,000 staff already assimilated, review requests covering 39,745 staff have been lodged with 13,723 being accepted and put forward to the formal review process.</p>
12 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost is of backdated pay under Agenda for Change, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally. Implementation of Agenda for Change is still on-going and total costs of backdated pay will not be known until this process is complete.</p>
12 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why NHS boards were not asked to implement national job description pay scales in order to achieve consistency and equal pay for each work group across board areas.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Whilst job descriptions are often similar, they do contain unique elements and as such, implementing national job descriptions would have disadvantaged staff and created equal pay issues.</p> <p >Agenda for Change is a UK-wide agreement which was developed i…
12 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons have been learned in the implementation of Agenda for Change.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Implementation of Agenda for Change is on-going at present and as such no final assessment has yet been made. However, discussions between Scottish Government, staff representative groups and employers take place on a regular basis to consider and learn from …
6 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it has received to the Scottish Rural Development Programme and, of these, how many have been (a) accepted or (b) rejected.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities opened for first stage applications on 7 April 2008. The second stage of the application process is due to open on 7 July 2008 and the first assessment round will be held later this summer. As a result, we have …
6 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the application process to the Scottish Rural Development Programme has now been fully implemented.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme is being delivered through eight different funding mechanisms: the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme, Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation, the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme (CCAGS), Skills Develo…
29 May 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage breastfeeding.
Answer · Shona Robison: We recognise the importance of breastfeeding and have provided NHS boards with a HEAT target to assist them in increasing the number of babies who are exclusively breastfed.</p> <p >We have recruited an Infant Nutrition Co-ordinator for Scotland, who will wo…
28 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a fishing catch limit for tope.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Catches of tope by the Scottish fleet are at low levels. I currently have no plans to introduce a fishing catch limit, although I will keep the situation under review.</p>
6 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review and simplify the process for applying for funding for the restoration of active churches.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Repair Grants for Places of Worship Scheme is run by Historic Scotland in collaboration with the Heritage Lottery Fund. The scheme was reviewed recently and an online application form is currently under development and will be available shortly.</p>
6 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of demand for funding through Historic Scotland for the restoration of active churches was in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The value of applications for funding received by Historic Scotland under the Repair Grants for Places of Worship Scheme for 2006-07 and 2007-08 was £2,226,452 and £2,660,761 respectively.</p>
6 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated to Historic Scotland in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09 for the restoration of active churches.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: No specific allocation is made by the Scottish Government to Historic Scotland for the restoration of churches. Historic Scotland allocates funding for grants, including those to places of worship, from its overall budget.</p> <p >In 2006-07, Historic Scotla…
15 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s new pay structure contains a mechanism to ensure a correlation between length of service and pay position for all posts.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11882 on 22 April 2008. 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/webapp/wa.sear…