Parliamentary questions
Murdo Fraser
2,062 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to the honeybee-keeping industry as a result of American foulbrood disease and European foulbrood disease being found in Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is providing advice, training, surveillance and diagnostic services to the honeybee-keeping industry. The Scottish Government have also introduced a telephone Bee Helpline and have established a Disease Stakeholder Group which is meeti…
23 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated from Edinburgh to Stirling since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26109 on 19 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
23 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated from Edinburgh to Angus since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26109 on 19 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
23 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated from Edinburgh to Perth and Kinross since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: Decisions about the relocation of Scottish Government functions will be considered in terms of ensuring the best use of the existing government estate, providing the best value for money for the Scottish Government as a whole and maintaining or improving the …
23 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the broadband coverage of the Angus glens area.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26107 on 4 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <u><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…
23 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the broadband coverage of the highland Perthshire area.
Answer · Jim Mather: Basic broadband coverage, defined as 512 Kbps, is now generally available throughout Scotland. This is following successful completion of the Scottish Government''s Broadband Reach Project in May 2009. The project, delivered by Avanti Communications Ltd, is p…
23 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans are in place for highland Perthshire in case of a large-scale outbreak of influenza A(H1N1) in the area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government coordinates the response to the current flu pandemic across Scotland, liaising closely with the UK Government and other administrations. The responsibility for local planning in highland Perthshire rests with the Tayside strategic coor…
23 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is providing to local authorities for the provision of public toilet facilities.
Answer · John Swinney: The resources for the provision of public toilet facilities are included within the annual overall block grant provided through the local government finance settlement. It is for each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it, …
8 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what the level of youth unemployment is in Scotland and (b) what information it has on the level of youth unemployment in the United Kingdom.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The official measure of unemployment is based on the ILO (International Labour Organisation) definition and is produced by the Office for National Statistics. Table 1 provides information on the ILO unemployment levels and rates for young people aged 16-24 ye…
8 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people were not in any form of education, employment or training in each year since 1997.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The official source for statistics for Scotland on the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) is the Annual Population Survey. The numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds NEET in each year since 1997 are given in the following table:</p>…
19 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Reformation in 2010.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has no plans to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Reformation in 2010.</p>
11 Jun 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the first project funded through the Scottish Futures Trust will be completed.
Answer · John Swinney: As is made clear in their Business Plan, published on Friday 5 June, the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) is providing advice and guidance to a range of infrastructure investment projects and programmes in Scotland, worth in the region of £2.7 billion.</p> <p >T…
21 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) accidents and (b) fatalities occurred on the A9 between (i) Dunblane and Perth, (ii) Perth and Pitlochry, (iii) Pitlochry and Inverness and (iv) Inverness and Thurso in each of the last five years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The number of (a) accidents and (b) fatalities which have occurred on the A9 between (i) Dunblane and Perth, (ii) Perth and Pitlochry, (iii) Pitlochry and Inverness and (iv) Inverness and Thurso in each of the last five years is as shown in the table below:</…
12 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual student loan accounts were passed to debt collection agencies by the Student Loans Company in each year from 2005-06 to 2008-09.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The following table shows Scottish domiciled Student Loans Company (SLC) borrowers whose accounts have been passed to debt collection agencies in each financial year from 2005-06 to 2008-09.</p> <p >Number of SLC Customers with Accounts Passed to Debt Collec…
6 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a decision on the proposed Calliacher wind farm development.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The last day of sitting of the Calliachar public local inquiry was 4 May 2009. Closing submissions are being submitted in writing, and the last date for this is 27 May 2009. The accompanied site inspection is due to take place on 3 June 2009.</p> <p >It is …
24 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hang a portrait of Her Majesty The Queen in the Scottish Parliament complex.
Answer · Tricia Marwick: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23257 on 7 May 2009.</p>
24 Apr 2009 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consideration it has given to hanging a portrait of Her Majesty The Queen in the Scottish Parliament complex.
Answer · Tricia Marwick: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23257 on 7 May 2009.</p>
24 Apr 2009 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for what reason no portrait of Her Majesty The Queen hangs in the Scottish Parliament complex.
Answer · Tricia Marwick: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body are happy to consider suggestions for new acquisitions and to refer these to the Art Advisory Group for their advice in this area.</p> <p >The Scottish Parliament''s Art Collection includes two significant pieces w…
24 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many higher education students have been declared bankrupt or have petitioned for bankruptcy in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The following tables shows Scottish domiciled Student Loans Company (SLC) borrowers who have declared sequestration (been declared bankrupt) in each financial year from 1998-99 to 2007-08. This table includes both those who are currently undertaking higher ed…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the separation distance recommended in Scottish Planning Policy SPP 6: Renewable Energy between wind turbines and the edge of towns and villages also includes settlements and single dwellings.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The 2km separation distance applies to cities, towns and villages. Its purpose is to guide planning authorities in identifying broad areas of search in their development plans or supplementary planning guidance for wind farm proposals over 20 megawatts. SPP 6…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify its guidelines for the evaluation of the significant long-term detrimental impact of wind farm proposals on the amenity of people living nearby proposed sites.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Development plans or supplementary planning guidance should use broad criteria to set out the issues to be addressed by developers. Planning application and, where appropriate, environmental impact assessment procedures should identify the impacts that are li…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the investment provided for Stirling and Dunblane train stations since 2007.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Both stations have benefited from investment, Dunblane £130,000 and Stirling £280,000 from the Scottish Government, First ScotRail and Network Rail since 2007.</p> <p >This includes ticket office refurbishment, height adjustable ticket counter (accessible to…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the investment provided for Perth, Dunkeld and Birnam, Pitlochry and Blair Atholl train stations since 2007.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: All four stations have benefited from new investment, (Perth £350,000 Pitlochry £170,000 Dunkeld and Birnam £50,000 and Blair Atholl £50,000) from the Scottish Government, First ScotRail and Network Rail since 2007</p> <p >Improvements to facilities include …
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what investment plans it has for the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Tayside and its partner NHS boards are currently evaluating the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre project with a view to establishing future capacity requirements and developing options and recommendations for the way forward after the existing contract …
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the flood prevention measures and schemes in Tayside that have been implemented, improved or under construction since 2007.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for Perth and Kinross Council. However, I am aware that since 2007, the council have carried out measures to road drainage in connection with the Milnathort Flood Prevention Scheme, installed a telemetry system in Perth to improve the operati…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people in Tayside have access to an NHS dentist.
Answer · Shona Robison: At 30 September 2008, 64.5% of people were registered with an NHS dentist in Tayside.</p> <p >This does not represent the percentage of people in Tayside who are registered. Registration (numerator) are based on the postcode of the practice where the patient…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what investment there will be for Blair Atholl to promote itself as the southern gateway to the enlarged Cairngorms National Park.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Business partnerships already exist which will be able to build on the opportunities of being in the Cairngorms National Park, and I understand that discussions have taken place between these groups and the Blair Atholl Tourism Association. Local businesses c…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which communities in Tayside have been broadband-enabled since May 2007.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23167 on 7 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Bus…
22 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which communities in Tayside will not be broadband-enabled by June 2009.
Answer · Jim Mather: The former Scottish Executive delivered access to broadband provision to every Scottish community, as defined using census output areas, in December 2005. This was achieved through its £16.5 million Broadband for Scotland project, in which BT, under contract …
21 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19420 by Tavish Scott on 21 September 2005, what the figures for traffic levels on the A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness have been in each month in the last five years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The figures below have been extracted from the Scottish Roads Traffic Database from January 2005 to March 2009. The figures are two-way flows (i.e. northbound and southbound flows combined) and are the average daily flow.</p> <p >Traffic flow data for the t…