Parliamentary questions

Derek Brownlee

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

10 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what factors explain the rise in the prescribing of orlistat at NHS (a) Ayrshire and Arran, (b) Borders, (c) Dumfries and Galloway and (d) Lanarkshire.

Answer · Shona Robison: The rise in the prescribing of orlistat is influenced by a number of factors such as the rising levels of obesity in the Scottish population and increased awareness of the potential health risks associated with obesity. Tackling obesity is a high priority for…

23 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the Food Standards Agency regarding the meat inspection system.

Answer · Richard Lochhead : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1001-01.htm">http://www.scot…

16 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing The Government Economic Strategy.

Answer · John Swinney : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0924-01.htm">http://www.scott…

17 Jun 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is on the Independent Scrutiny Panel reviewing the consultation process in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0625-01.htm">http://www.scot…

29 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a central team in place to maintain a strategic overview of the Scottish Government estate.

Answer · John Swinney: There is a central team in place that does maintain a strategic overview of the Scottish Government Estate within Change and Corporate Services Directorate.

29 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a comprehensive database of information on Scottish Government properties and whether it is publicly available in whole or in part.

Answer · John Swinney: There are two comprehensive databases of information on Scottish Government properties. Firstly, the electronic Property Information Mapping Service (e-PIMS) which has been developed by the Office of Government Commerce to record all central government civil …

29 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all of its directorates have in place an asset management plan and whether these are publicly available.

Answer · John Swinney: In line with the recommendations of the Asset Management Review, published in January 2008, Asset Management Plans have been received from all parts of the Scottish Government where a separate plan is appropriate. These are not publicly available as they are …

24 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance has been issued by HM Treasury on the application of International Financial Reporting Standards to the Scottish Government and the broader public sector in Scotland, in particular with regard to the treatment of existing and proposed private finance schemes.

Answer · John Swinney: In line with the HM Treasury conversion timetable, the Scottish Government and other central government bodies will prepare and publish International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) based annual accounts from 2009-10. The Scottish Government and other ce…

23 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it and its agencies paid in employers’ national insurance contributions in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Answer · John Swinney: In the year 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009, £16,715,898.76 was paid in Employers'' National Insurance contributions for the Scottish Government and its agencies.

15 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executivehow much its communications, marketing and advertising budgets have been in each year since 1999.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15204, on 12 April 2005, providing information on advertising spend by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive from 1991-92 to 2003-04. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliam…

15 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executivehow many special advisers it has employed in each year since 1999.

Answer · John Swinney: Special advisers are appointed in accordance with Article 3 (4) of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995 (as amended). The Order in Council gives the First Minister delegated authority to appoint up to 12 Special Advisers. The number in post at any one time…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed by people under 18 in the Scottish Borders in 2006 and of these how many were committed by (a) first-time and (b) repeat offenders and how many of the repeat offenders committed (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five to 10 and (v) more than 10 crimes.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22549 on 1 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…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed by people under 18 in the Scottish Borders in 2007 and of these how many were committed by (a) first-time and (b) repeat offenders and how many of the repeat offenders committed (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five to 10 and (v) more than 10 crimes.

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed by people under 18 in the Scottish Borders in 2008 and of these how many were committed by (a) first-time and (b) repeat offenders and how many of the repeat offenders committed (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five to 10 and (v) more than 10 crimes.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information has been taken from the Scottish Government''s Court Proceedings database and does not include young people who have been referred to the Reporter. The latest year for which data is available is 2007-08 and data has been provided for the thre…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths in the Scottish Borders were (a) alcohol and (b) drug related and of these how many were of people aged (i) under 18, (ii) 18 to 29, (iii) 30 to 55 and (iv) over 55, from 1999 to 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The total numbers of alcohol-related deaths in NHS Borders (1979 to 2007), are given in table 2 of the alcohol-related deaths section of the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) website <a href="http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/deaths/alcohol-…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 15, (b) 15 to 18, (c) 19 to 21 and (d) over 21 were admitted to Borders General Hospital to receive treatment for excess alcohol consumption in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05, (iii) 2005-06, (iv) 2006-07 and (v) 2007-08.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on patients admitted for excess alcohol consumption is not centrally available. However, information on patients admitted for all alcohol-related conditions has been provided instead. The number of patients discharged for all alcohol-rela…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed by people under 18 in Dumfries and Galloway in 2006 and of these how many were committed by (a) first-time and (b) repeat offenders and how many of the repeat offenders committed (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five to 10 and (v) more than 10 crimes.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22544 on 1 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…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed by people under 18 in Dumfries and Galloway in 2007 and of these how many were committed by (a) first-time and (b) repeat offenders and how many of the repeat offenders committed (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five to 10 and (v) more than 10 crimes.

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed by people under 18 in Dumfries and Galloway in 2008 and of these how many were committed by (a) first-time and (b) repeat offenders and how many of the repeat offenders committed (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five to 10 and (v) more than 10 crimes.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information has been taken from the Scottish Government''s Court Proceedings database and does not include young people who have been referred to the reporter. The latest year for which data is available is 2007-08 and data has been provided for the thre…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each local authority area in the South of Scotland parliamentary region have been housed in temporary accommodation in each year since 2006.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is in the following table. The table shows, for each local authority area in the South of Scotland parliamentary region, the number of households in temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter having been placed there during a…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths in the NHS Dumfries and Galloway area were (a) alcohol and (b) drug related and of these how many were of people aged (i) under 18, (ii) 18 to 29, (iii) 30 to 55 and (iv) over 55, from 1999 to 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The total numbers of alcohol-related deaths in NHS Dumfries and Galloway (1979-2007) are given in table 2 of the alcohol-related deaths website for the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS): <a href="http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/d…

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 15, (b) 15 to 18, (c) 19 to 21 and (d) over 21 were admitted to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary to receive treatment for excess alcohol consumption in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on patients admitted for excess alcohol consumption is not centrally available. However, information on patients admitted for all alcohol-related conditions is available. The number of patients discharged for all alcohol-related conditions by the …

1 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 and over were convicted of possession of an offensive weapon in the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary area in each year since 2005-06.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is contained in the following table. Persons in the Dumfries and Galloway Police Force Area with a Charge Proved in Court for Handling an Offensive Weapon1,2, 2005-06 - 2007-08 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 …

19 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with HM Treasury about the timing of the next Comprehensive Spending Review at UK level.

Answer · John Swinney: We have raised the timing of the next spending review at both official and ministerial levels over recent months. HM Treasury have not informed us of when the next spending review will take place.

19 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it no longer provides level 4 budget detail on request.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government continues to publish all its budget information at what is commonly referred to as level 3. The amount of budget detailed below this level varies between activities but where available is still provided by the Scottish Government on re…

6 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses will benefit from each discount band of the Small Business Bonus Scheme, also broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Jim Mather: We are currently gathering information at local authority level on the uptake of Small Business Bonus Scheme. Initial indications are that uptake of the scheme amongst eligible businesses has been strong.

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what instances, and to what extent, HM Treasury has applied the policy discussed in paragraph 8.4 of Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly: Statement of Funding Policy, or its equivalent, to reduce the Scottish block grant since 1999.

Answer · John Swinney: HM Treasury has not reduced the Scottish block grant since 1999 in respect of receipts from the sale of assets.

4 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects to receive any consequential increase in funding as a result of the announcement by HM Treasury that the UK Government will lend to PFI projects unable to raise debt finance from the private sector.

Answer · John Swinney: No. HM Treasury have made clear that there are no budget consequentials. However, PPP/PFI projects in the devolved administration areas will be eligible for consideration for support on the same terms as PPP/PFI projects elsewhere. Treasury have also made cle…

18 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29558 by Rhona Brankin on 21 November 2006, whether actual costings are now available and, if so, what these are.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Detailed costings for each sector are not held centrally. The Impact Assessment which considers the costs and benefits of implementing measures aimed at improving the aquatic environment in the Scotland River Basin District in line with the requireme…

18 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29564 by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 December 2006, whether actual costings are now available and, if so, what these are.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 is still in the process of being implemented. In any event, robust information on the costs of implementation is not held centrally as it is for each local authority and their partners to allocate resources for this pu…