Richard Baker

30 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Grampian regarding the average waiting time for specialist chronic pain treatment.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20932 on 13 May 2014 which sets out the Scottish Governments support for chronic pain services. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for …

30 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to NHS Grampian to help address the average waiting time for specialist chronic pain treatment, and whether it plans to provide additional support.

Answer · Alex Neil: Our consultation report published on 28 April 2014 sets out our response to the recent consultation on the ‘Future Provision of Specialist Residential Services in Scotland’ as well as setting out our position on progressing improvements in the provision of lo…

30 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the figures in the Healthcare Improvement Scotland report, Chronic pain services in Scotland: Where are we now?, which suggest that the average waiting time in NHS Grampian for specialist chronic pain treatment is 21 weeks longer than the national average.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government welcomes the Healthcare Improvement Scotland ‘Chronic pain Services in Scotland: Where are we now?’ report as an important benchmark for the improvement of chronic pain services. It is vital that all those seeking to improve chronic p…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it would implement a policy of not allowing foreign fishing vessels access to Scottish waters in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20915 on 24 June 2014. 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/parliamentarybu…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what cost assessment it has made of implementing a policy of not allowing foreign fishing vessels access to Scottish waters in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s policy proposes Scotland's continuing membership of the EU following independence and therefore the scenario referred to in the question will not arise.

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it sought from representatives of the fishing industry in (a) Scotland and (b) the north east before the First Minister made his comments on fishing policy in his speech in Bruges on 28 April 2014.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The government engages regularly with the fishing industry on a wide range of issues. Engagement with the fishing industry on the benefits of independence continues.

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal advice it sought or received before the First Minister made his comments on fishing policy in his speech in Bruges on 28 April 2014.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The First Minister was simply explaining why it was in the interests of other member states that Scotland has a smooth transition to becoming an independent member state of Europe given the significant contribution Scotland makes to existing agreements involv…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic impact on the fishing industry in (a) Scotland and (b) the north east of an independent Scotland not agreeing a common approach to fishing rights with other nations.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scotland is one of Europe’s most prominent fishing nations and is at the heart of many complex and delicate international fishing agreements. It is therefore in the interests of the other member states that Scotland has a smooth transition to independent memb…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding per capita it provides to NHS Grampian and how this compares with other NHS boards.

Answer · Alex Neil: This information is publically available on the Information Services Division Scotland website in the ‘NHS Costs’ section. The most up to date figures relate to the financial period 2012-13 and are provided in the following table: NHS Board Net Operating Ex…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many inpatient beds there were in NHS Grampian in 2012-13.

Answer · Alex Neil: There were 2,365 average available staffed beds for all specialties in NHS Grampian in 2012-13. The number of available staffed beds by NHS board is routinely published by Information Services Division and is available on the beds section of their website: h…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many construction companies were registered in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire in 2013.

Answer · John Swinney: The latest official statistics for enterprises operating in Scotland by local authority are available from the Scottish Government Businesses in Scotland 2013 publication. The publication shows that: As at March 2013, there were 650 registered enterprises in…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many construction workers were employed in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013.

Answer · John Swinney: The preferred source for employment estimates by industry at local authority level is the Business Register Employment Survey. The latest available data are for 2012. In 2012, there were 5,600 people working in the construction sector in Aberdeen City and 8,…

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS Grampian patients have (a) been offered and (b) received treatment from NHS boards outwith Scotland in each of the last five years.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information is not available centrally on how many NHS Grampian residents have been offered treatment outwith NHS Grampian or on how many NHS Grampian residents received treatment outwith Scotland. Information, although limited is however available on NHS Gr…

19 Mar 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS Grampian to address waiting times for treatment.

25 Feb 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the procurement process and construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

19 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff there were in each (a) local authority, (b) executive non-departmental public body (NDPB), (c) advisory NDPB, (d) public corporation, (e) tribunal office, (f) executive agency, (g) non-ministerial department, (h) NHS board and (i) other significant national body in each ye…

Answer · John Swinney: The information requested on staff numbers is as follows: (a) Local Authorities Information on the number of staff in each local authority in each year from 2007 to 2012 is published as part of the public sector employment quarterly estimates. The latest ve…

19 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time for arthritis treatment is in Grampian and how this compares with other NHS boards.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is not collected centrally. Information is only available at speciality level. Most patients with arthritis will be treated in primary care. For those who do require to be referred to an acute hospital they will be covered by the cur…

19 Feb 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions ministers have had with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils and public sector agencies in the north east regarding the recruitment and retention of staff.

11 Feb 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the timescale for fatal accident inquiries concerning helicopter accidents.

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a substantive response to question S4W-17791, which received a holding answer on 8 November 2013.

Answer · John Swinney: A substantive answer was issued on Friday 28 February 2014.

24 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the financial criteria considered by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in presenting options for the future of control room services.  

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Ministers set out their priorities for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) in the Fire Framework approved by the Parliament in March 2013 which makes clear that SFRS must ensure that communities can access fire and rescue services through a robust and…

20 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many women have had to travel to Inverness to give birth due to a lack of capacity in maternity services in Aberdeen in each of the last three years.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government does not collect this information centrally. However, NHS Grampian has advised that its records show that, to date, there were four women transferred from Aberdeen Maternity Hospital to Inverness since 2011,three in 2011, one in 2012 …

10 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given Aberdeen City Council's request that it sign a legal agreement that it will fund the improvements to the Haudagain Roundabout.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17877 on 6 November 2013. 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/parliamentar…

10 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments by the Minister for Transport and Veterans reported in the Evening Express on 28 December 2013, what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council regarding changes to completion dates for particular sections of the Aberdeen Western Per…

Answer · Keith Brown: The planned completion date of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route Balmedie to Tipperty project remains unchanged. Scottish Government and council officials have had discussions on the potential for bidders to put forward differing phasing proposals as part…

10 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact changes to the timescale for opening particular sections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route would have on work to improve the Haudagain Roundabout.

Answer · Keith Brown: There will be no impact as the overall works completion date of spring 2018 remains unchanged.

10 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are financial implications of completing sections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route early as per the comments of the Minister for Transport and Veterans reported in the Evening Express on 28 December 2013.

Answer · Keith Brown: Any section of the scheme which is opened early will deliver early economic benefits to the North East of Scotland and beyond. These will be fully assessed as part of the procurement process.

10 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the A90 Balmedie to Tipperty dualling is expected to be completed.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19183 on 24 January 2014. 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/parliamentar…

10 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of comments by the Minister for Transport and Veterans reported in the Evening Express on 28 December 2013, there have been changes to completion timescales on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route project.

Answer · Keith Brown: There is no change to the to the completion timescales on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route Balmedie to Tipperty which currently remains as spring 2018

10 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for completion of each section of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Answer · Keith Brown: The timescale for completing individual sections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route Balmedie to Tipperty project is being developed as part of a current bidding process and will be confirmed once the contract is concluded. The timescale for completing t…

6 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what account it will take of the number of (a) offices and services run by national agencies and (b) other Scottish Government-funded public sector jobs in Aberdeen when allocating resources.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s allocation of resources is driven by the Scottish Government’s purpose: to focus government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increasing sustainable …