Parliamentary questions

Richard Baker

2,136 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

12 Aug 2011 · Written Question

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The exact information requested on the number of nurses and doctors employed in the accident and emergency wards of hospitals in NHS Grampian in (a) 2007 (b) 2008 (c) 2009 and (d) 2010 is not centrally available. There is information on headcount and whole t…

12 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses and doctors are employed in the accident and emergency wards of hospitals in the NHS Grampian area.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The exact information requested on the number of nurses and doctors employed in the accident and emergency wards of hospitals in NHS Grampian is not centrally available. Published information on headcount and whole time equivalent of medical staff by special…

11 Aug 2011 · Written Question

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government introduced new account codes for consultancy spending in 2009-10 and comparable figures prior to that year are not available. Core Scottish Government spending recorded on the accountancy system in accordance with internal procedures w…

10 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the First Minister has met banks to discuss lending money to small and medium-sized businesses since 6 May 2011; which banks, and on what dates.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister has met with banking representatives on a number of occasions since 6 May 2011 including Lloyds Banking Group on 17 May, RBS on 29 June and Tesco bank on 1 July. The First Minister considers ensuring the availability of finance for small a…

9 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of people who would pay income tax in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: Under the current constitutional and financial arrangements, the HMRC publication Income Tax Liability Statistics estimates that there were 2.6 million income tax payers in Scotland during 2010-11. The number of people in Scotland who would be liable for inco…

9 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out an analysis of how much the Scottish budget would lose if corporation tax in an independent Scotland was reduced to 12.5%.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is currently engaging with businesses, investors, trade unions, academics and leaders from the third sector and the public sector on the best corporation tax regime for Scotland. Our discussion paper sets out the issues and opportuniti…

9 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent Scotland would pay toward the continuation of the monarchy as Head of State.

Answer · John Swinney: Official expenditure incurred by the Head of State would continue to be met from public funds in an independent Scotland. The Scottish Government’s position is that, on independence, Her Majesty The Queen should remain the Head of State in Scotland.

9 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what international organisations it would anticipate an independent Scotland joining.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: An independent Scotland would be recognised as a state in its own right by the international community and would continue its membership of the European Union, and become a full member of the United Nations and other international bodies, such as the Commonwe…

9 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates social security payments would cost per annum in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland provides estimates of total expenditure on social protection in Scotland, which includes spending on personal social services and social security payments, under the current constitutional and financial arrangements…

9 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent Scotland would lay claim to a share of UK overseas territories.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: No. However, on independence there would be a negotiated agreement between an independent Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom on all relevant interests, assets and liabilities.

9 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on an independent Scotland (a) becoming a member of the European Union and (b) joining the euro.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scotland would continue its membership of the EU. The issue of the euro would be decided by a referendum of the people – until then Scotland will retain sterling. This information is in the white paper, Your Scotland Your Voice, published in 2009 and availabl…

1 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of new starts on the modern apprenticeship programme in 2008-09 (a) progressed into long-term employment and (b) completed the apprenticeship.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: All apprentices in Scotland must be employed throughout the duration of their apprenticeship. Skills Development Scotland, who have operational responsibility for modern apprenticeships, do not collect information about apprentices after they have completed t…

1 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) cars were confiscated and (b) licences were removed from young people (i) racing or (ii) speeding in cars in the Grampian Police force area in 2010-11.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information for 2010-11 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2010-11 Statistical Bulletin. This is due to be published in December 2011. Information on the numbers of cars confiscated or young people racing is not …

1 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour (a) offences were recorded and (b) orders were granted in the Grampian Police force area in 2010-11.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland (ACPOS) has published information on the number of antisocial behaviour offences recorded in Grampian Police Force area in 2010-11. This can be found on pages 27 and 28 of the ACPOS Quarter 4 Report which is o…

29 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all the projects which received funding in 2010 and were unsuccessful in their applications for further funding for 2011/12 were given (a) advanced notification and (b) specific reasons as to the reason that they did not receive further funding.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Every effort was made to notify all projects that submitted applications to the 2011-12 round of the Climate Challenge Fund of the outcome of their application before the public announcement was made. For those projects that were unsuccessful, feedback on the…

29 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the 2011-12 Climate Change Fund remains to be allocated.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: On the 22 March 2011, it was announced that 130 community projects had been successful in sharing £8,264,756 of awards through the Climate Challenge Fund (2011-12). This leaves £2,035,244 to be allocated to community groups in any further round and to cover t…

29 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the projects that were awarded funding from the Climate Challenge Fund in 2010 have been awarded funding for 2011-12.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: From the 130 projects currently awarded funding by the Climate Challenge Fund in 2011-12, 46 were previously successful in receiving funding between 2008-10.

29 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether projects applying for funding from the Climate Challenge Fund for the first time in 2011-12 were given priority over those which had received funding in 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: No priority was given to new projects applying for funding in 2011-12 over those existing projects already in receipt of funding. All project applications were assessed using the core criteria: The community must be at the heart of the decision making proces…

28 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth is taking to ensure that the next spending review implements the proposals in Low Carbon Scotland (the Report on Proposals and Policies).

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s action to meet statutory emissions reduction targets is a collective responsibility across all ministerial portfolios, and all Cabinet Secretaries are currently engaged in discussions in preparation for the Spending Review.

28 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth is taking to ensure that government departments comply with part four of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2004, duties of public bodies relating to climate change.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01934 on 11 August 2011. 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/Apps2/MAQASearc…

4 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of suppliers it paid within 10 days of receiving an invoice in 2010-11.

Answer · John Swinney: During 2010-11 the Scottish Executive paid 94.7% of all invoices within 10 days of receipt. We do not maintain this information on a per supplier basis.

4 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what average number of days after receipt of an invoice it paid suppliers in 2010-11.

Answer · John Swinney: The average number of days taken for an invoice to be paid by the Scottish Executive and its Executive Agencies from the date of receipt in 2010-11 was 6.5 days.

4 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of local authorities met its target of 10 working days for the payment of invoices in 2010-11.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on payment performance by local authorities is not collected by the Scottish Government.

4 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms it has in place to ensure that its suppliers pay their subcontractors within 30 days of receipt of invoice; if there are none, whether it will introduce such mechanisms, and, if so, what mechanisms.

Answer · Alex Neil: In 2009, the Scottish Government amended its standard terms and conditions for goods and services to include a clause which requires payment of valid contractor and sub-contractor invoices within 30 days throughout the supply chain of the contract. At the sam…

4 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of NHS trusts met its target of 10 working days for the payment of invoices in 2010-11.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.

4 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of quangos met its target of 10 working days for the payment of invoices in 2010-11.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive and the bodies that use the Scottish Executive system paid 94.7% of invoices within 10 days during 2010-11. Information on payment performance of bodies outwith the Scottish Executive is not held centrally.

29 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether and, if so, how it plans to protect local sports councils from budget reductions such as those affecting Aberdeenshire Sports Council.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01412 on 25 July 2011. 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/parliamentarybusi…

29 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement by Aberdeenshire Council that Aberdeenshire Sports Council will have its financial support of £38,000 reduced to £1,500 this year and withdrawn next year, whether and, if so, how the Scottish Government plans to support this body so that it can continue its wor…

Answer · Shona Robison: Sportscotland is working in partnership with local authorities to support the continued development of local sports councils by encouraging integration between clubs and their local communities. However, it is for local authorities to determine the level of f…

29 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the promotion of the visual arts in Aberdeen.

23 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what flexibility it has to maintain the current level of employee contributions in local government pension schemes.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Ministers have devolved responsibility for the design and operation of the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland, though general occupational pensions policy remains a reserved matter.