Parliamentary questions

Murdo Fraser

2,062 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

22 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would, in principle, support a subsea cable along the west coast of Scotland for the transmission of electricity.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government believes that subsea electricity transmission options should be explored if we are to fully capitalise on our renewables potential. We are therefore involved in two studies, one of which will examine potential grid links from the west …

10 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any targets have been set for the detection and prosecution of offences as a result of the introduction of test purchasing of alcohol.

Answer · Shona Robison: Alcohol test purchasing operations are intelligence led and thus no targets have been set for the detection or prosecution of offenders following the introduction of test purchasing of alcohol.

10 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions have been recorded in Fife in each year since 2000-01 for offences under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 relating to sales of alcohol to those under the age of 18 and how many prosecutions for these offences are presently pending.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table. The Scottish Government court proceedings database does not hold data on pending cases and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service''s case management system does not record pending cases in a c…

10 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have resulted from the test purchasing pilot scheme for the sale of alcohol to under 18-year-olds in Fife and how many of these were instigated after those being prosecuted had been reported for (a) one and (b) more than one offence of this type as a result of the pi…

Answer · Frank Mulholland: The test purchasing pilot scheme carried out by Fife Constabulary tackled the sale of alcohol to children under 18 in a variety of ways: Advising licensees about ways to ensure compliance Targetting premises that sell alcohol to children</…

8 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many women died from cervical cancer in Scotland in each year since 1990.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data on the number of deaths from cervical cancer is available by year on the information services division website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/cancer_cervix_mort_m.xls. The latest year for which mortality data are available is …

20 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the feasibility reports into the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Pitlochry to be (a) completed and (b) published.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: An executive summary of the feasibility report into dualling of the A9 between Perth and Blair Atholl is available at: <a href="http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/reports/publications-and-guidance/road/a9-perth-to-blair-atholl-route-improvement-stra…

20 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18096 by Tavish Scott on 10 August 2005, which roads have had the highest number of (a) accidents and (b) fatalities in each of the last five years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following tables provide the statistics requested. Each sub-table lists only 20 roads, therefore, in some cases, other roads may have the same numbers of injury road accidents, or fatalities, as the last road shown in a particular sub-table. For example, …

20 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its 10 top priority road improvement initiatives and what action is being taken to implement them.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not operate a top-ten priority list of motorway and trunk road schemes. The Scottish Government''s Motorway and Trunk Road Programme is contained in: <a href="http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/projects">www.tr…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what highest qualifications were attained by school leavers in each year since 1994-95, expressed as a percentage of all school leavers and broken down into (a) none at NQ Level 3 or above, (b) one or two at SCQF Level 3, (c) three or four at SCQF Level 3, (d) five or more at SCQF Level 3…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The available information is given in the following table. Highest Qualifications Attained by Leavers from Publicly-Funded Secondary Schools (Percentages) <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=739 > <thead> <tr > <td width=10…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of S2 pupils did not achieve Level E in reading in each year since 1994-95.

Answer · Maureen Watt: In order to provide detail on the longer time series requested, information has been provided based on teachers'' judgements of reading collected through the Scottish Survey of Achievement and the previous 5-14 survey. The percentage of S2 pupils who…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of S2 pupils did not achieve Level E in writing in each year since 1994-95.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The percentage of S2 pupils who did not achieve level E in writing based on teachers'' judgements in each year since 1999-2006 is contained in the table below: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td colspan=6 > 5…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of S2 pupils did not achieve Level E in numeracy in each year since 1994-95.

Answer · Maureen Watt: In order to provide detail on the longer time series requested, information has been provided based on teachers'' judgements of mathematics collected through the Scottish Survey of Achievement and the previous 5-14 National Survey. The percentage of …

13 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish a proposal for legislation on protecting rural schools.

Answer · Maureen Watt: We intend to publish a set of proposals for comment in the form of a Consultation Paper at the end of April.

13 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that it is appropriate to trap and translocate sparrowhawks from around pigeon lofts during the sparrowhawk breeding season and whether it has previously made any statements on this.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government will not support any project that runs the risk of trapping and relocating adult sparrowhawks while they have eggs in their nest or dependent young. Scottish ministers are not aware of any previous public statements being made on this …

13 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a trial to trap and translocate sparrowhawks from around pigeon lofts (a) commenced and (b) will end, and who will carry out this task.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10994 on 15 April 2008. 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/webap…

7 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake research to discover whether combined multiple vaccines can aggravate underlying medical conditions leading to features of autistic spectrum disorder.

Answer · Shona Robison: There is a wealth of scientific evidence that vaccines do not cause autism and as such there are no plans to undertake any further research in this area. The Scottish Government and the Medical Research Council (MRC) have however taken forward a jointly funde…

7 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to introduce single vaccines in place of combined vaccines as a choice to parents.

Answer · Shona Robison: The childhood immunisation programme in Scotland does not offer single vaccines routinely and there are no plans to change this policy. Offering single vaccines, with time lags of a month or more between the three, would leave a child at risk from mumps, meas…

7 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake research to establish levels of mitochondrial dysfunction in the autism population in Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government and the Medical Research Council (MRC) have taken forward a jointly funded research programme in relation to autism, based on the agenda outlined in the MRC review of autism research. The MRC has now committed over £3 million to new re…

7 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to screen out all children with mitochondrial dysfunction from the vaccination programme.

Answer · Shona Robison: The details of the judgement in this case are sealed and much of what is being publicly suggested is speculation. What is known is that the child in question has an extremely rare genetic metabolic condition and as part of her neurological signs and symptoms,…

7 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in light of the judgement by the US Attorney General on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services which found that combined multiple vaccinations received by a child significantly aggravated an underlying mitochondrial disorder predisposing her to defi…

21 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland will be appointed.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I have appointed an interim Chief Executive for Skills Development Scotland and intend to advertise the substantive role in the near future. The substantive Chief Executive will be appointed following an appropriate recruitment and selection process.

21 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the board of Skills Development Scotland will be appointed.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Applications for the positions of chair and board members of Skills Development Scotland are currently being considered. I expect to announce the appointment of Chair of Skills Development Scotland in April and the board members thereafter.

21 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when Skills Development Scotland will publish its mission statement.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Skills Development Scotland will set out its vision statement and business principles when it publishes its operating plan for 2008-09.

21 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when Skills Development Scotland will be formally established.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Skills Development Scotland was registered as The Skills Development Scotland Co. Limited on 20 December 2007.

31 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) crimes, (b) non-sexual crimes of violence, (c) serious assaults, (d) crimes of rape and attempted rape, (e) crimes of housebreaking, (f) crimes of vandalism, (g) crimes of handling an offensive weapon, (h) drug crimes and (i) murders have occurred in each of the last 10 years…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The requested information is given in the following tables. Total Number of Crimes Recorded by the Police, 1997-98 to 2006-07, by Local Authority Area <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=120 nowrap valig…

31 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers there have been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) police force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information held centrally cannot provide a breakdown of the number of police officers by local authority. With regard to the number of whole-time equivalent police officers by police force area, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4664 on 17…

31 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on policing in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) police force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on expenditure by local authorities on the police is not held centrally. The Police Granted Aided Expenditure figures (£000) for the last 10 years are as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <t…

24 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports national or local locational guidance for siting onshore wind farm developments.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government believes that Scottish Planning Policy (SPP6) Renewable Energy provides a sound national policy context for addressing onshore wind development. We want to see the SPP''s provisions taken forward urgently, with local authorities engagi…

24 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the existing national planning guidance on renewable energy developments.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government believesthat Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Renewable Energy provides a sound nationalpolicy context for addressing onshore wind development and there are no plans toreview it.Since the publication of SPP6and to facilitate its…

24 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to reduce the number of speculative planning applications for onshore wind farms.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Under planning legislationthere are no powers to prevent planning applications being made. However, the preparationof up-to-date policies by planning authorities which reflect Scottish Planning Policy6 Renewable Energy should provide greater certainty for dev…