Questions · John Wilson

12 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review and monitor whether the refurbishing of hydroelectric stations eligible for accreditation under the renewables obligation Scotland scheme offers best value for consumers, given that the full costs of refurbishment have been recouped.

Answer · Jim Mather: The owners and operators of hydro plant in Scotland have invested in excess of £300 million since 2002 in refurbishing and extending the life of hydro electric capacity. This investment has been made on the basis that such capacity would remain eligible under…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people identified as having learning difficulties are recorded as being unemployed.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Annual Population Survey (APS) conducted by the Office for National Statistics collects information on the economic status of individuals. Respondents to the survey are also asked for details of health problems they may have which limit the kind of paid w…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people identified as having learning difficulties are recorded as not in education, employment or training.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Annual Population Survey (APS) conducted by the Office for National Statistics collects information on the economic status of individuals. Respondents to the survey are also asked for details of health problems they may have which limit the kind of paid w…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people identified as having (a) autism or Asperger’s syndrome, (b) dyspraxia or developmental co-ordination disorder, (c) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, (d) Tourette’s syndrome, (e) dyslexia, (f) deficit in attention, motor control and perception and (g) any …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Data on the economic status of people having the conditions listed are not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16965 on 29 October 2008, for data relating to people reporting that they have learning difficulties. All answers to wr…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people identified as having (a) autism or Asperger’s syndrome, (b) dyspraxia or developmental co-ordination disorder, (c) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, (d) Tourette’s syndrome, (e) dyslexia, (f) deficit in attention, motor control and perception and (g) any …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Data on the economic status of people having the conditions listed are not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16964 on 29 October 2008, for data relating to people reporting that they have learning difficulties. All answers to wr…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25639 by Cathy Jamieson on 17 May 2006, whether more up-to-date figures exist concerning the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued to people with diagnosed emotional or behavioural problems and learning difficulties, expressed as a per…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Further to the answer to S2W-25369, as answered by Hugh Henry on 28 April 2006, it remains the case that the information requested is not held centrally.

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost is of educating a pupil with additional support needs in a special school.

Answer · Maureen Watt: This information is not collected centrally.

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost is of educating a pupil with additional support needs in a mainstream school.

Answer · Maureen Watt: This information is not collected centrally.

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost is of educating a pupil in a mainstream school.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The average expenditure per pupil in primary and secondary education is published annually in Expenditure on School Education in Scotland and can be found on the government website using the following link: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in school are identified as having (a) autism or Asperger’s syndrome, (b) dyspraxia or developmental co-ordination disorder, (c) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, (d) Tourette’s syndrome, (e) dyslexia, (f) deficit in attention, motor control and perception and (g…

Answer · Adam Ingram: The available data has been published in Pupils in Scotland, 2007, tables 1.7, 1.9, 4.5 and 4.7. These can be accessed through the following link: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/07/28100032/3">http://w…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total expenditure was on medical research into the causes and methods of diagnosis or treatment of (a) autism or Asperger’s syndrome, (b) dyspraxia or developmental co-ordination disorder, (c) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, (d) Tourette’s syndrome, (e) dyslexia, (f) de…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government''s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The main agency through which the UK Government funds medical and cl…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its total expenditure was on medical research in the field of neurosciences and mental health in each of the last five years and what information it has on how this compares with the UK Government’s expenditure in the same period.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government''s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The main agency through which the UK Government funds medical and cl…

8 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its total expenditure was on medical research in each of the last five years and what information it has on how this compares with the UK Government’s expenditure in the same period.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government''s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The main agency through which the UK Government funds medical and cl…

3 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with the UK Government regarding rail links between London and the Euro Central container base in North Lanarkshire.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No discussions have taken place with the UK Government specifically regarding rail links between London and the Euro Central container base in North Lanarkshire.

3 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding a high speed rail link between London and Scottish train stations.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I met the then Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Transport, Tom Harris MP, on 28 May 2008 to discuss the potential for a high-speed rail link between London and Scotland. Scottish ministers recognise the value of faster rail links to our key…

3 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with disability groups about the concessionary travel pass.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Since the inception of the Scotland-wide free bus travel scheme for older and disabled people on 1 April 2006, we have had regular dialogue with disability groups about how the scheme is operating.

3 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact assessment was undertaken prior to changes being made to the concessionary travel pass.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scotland-wide free bus travel scheme for older and disabled people was introduced on 1 April 2006. No changes have been made to the scheme since its introduction other than changes to ease the application procedure for people suffering from epilepsy. …

3 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in relation to the concessionary travel pass since 2006.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Changes have been made by this government to ease the application procedure for those suffering from epilepsy.

18 Sep 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities employ dedicated educational psychologists.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, all local authorities are required to have a psychology service. It is for authorities to decide the numbers of psychologists required to provide this service.

17 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much John G Russell (Transport) Ltd is receiving to move freight from road to rail and what the sources are of this funding, broken down by Scottish Government programme.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: John G Russell (Transport) Ltd has this year received freight facilities grant (FFG) support of £183,979 from the Scottish Government in connection with the development of a rail freight facility at Hillington. The company has also been awarded FFG of up to …

17 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public subsidy John G Russell (Transport) Ltd received from 1999 to 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: John G Russell (Transport) Ltd received from 1999 to 2007 Freight Facilities Grant support of £1,211,538 from the Scottish Government and Company Neutral Revenue Support Grant of £405,545 from the UK Department for Transport for moving freight from road to ra…

17 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average hourly rate of pay is for hospital cleaning staff employed by NHS boards and what information it has on average rates for cleaning staff delivering contracted-out services.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Domestic staff are employed by NHS boards under the terms of the Agenda for Change terms and conditions agreement. There are different levels of domestic staff with differing levels of responsibility. Generally, Domestic Support Workers are on Band 1 of Agend…

17 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS hospitals have outsourced cleaning and janitorial services, with the exception of PFI/PPP contracted-out services.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently two hospitals, excluding those with PFI/PPP contracted-out services, where cleaning services are delivered using outsourced service providers. These are at Drumchapel in Glasgow where there is an open-ended contract which Greater …

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of NHS Lanarkshire in monitoring whether patients are obtaining a GP appointment within 48 hours.

Answer · Shona Robison: For years 2006-07 and 2007-08, the 48 hour access requirements were laid down in the specifications of a Directed Enhanced Service (DES) for NHS boards as part of the nationally negotiated GP contract arrangements. The requirements of the DES were monitored b…

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets are being achieved for patients in respect of the policy objective of obtaining a GP appointment within 48 hours.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government''s target on access to GP services is that anyone contacting their GP practice should have guaranteed access to a GP, nurse or other health care professional within 48 hours. Throughout 2006-07 and 2007-08, NHS boards reported…

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to increase GP participation in the extended hours scheme in order that patients can access appointments.

Answer · Shona Robison: As at 29 August, 52 per cent of all GP practices in Scotland are committed to offering extended hours. This is an encouraging start that we will build on in the future. In the first instance we have asked those boards with lower uptake rates to re-ap…

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for a GP appointment in each NHS board area.

Answer · Shona Robison: Information on average waiting times for a GP appointment is not collected centrally. The Scottish Government''s target on access to GP services is that anyone contacting their GP practice should have guaranteed access to a GP, nurse or other health …

4 Sep 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met the Glasgow Bar Association.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I last met with representatives of the Glasgow Bar Association on 5 May 2008.

2 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level is of monies it retained through efficiency savings achieved by North Lanarkshire Council for the years (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2007-08.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive’s first Efficient Government programme covered the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. Within the total efficiency savings set for local government over this period, amounts totalling £73.1 million in 2005-06, £141.6 million in 2006-07 and £197.…

29 May 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many listed buildings have had demolition orders served on them in the past 12 months.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: Demolition orders on listed buildings can be issued by local authorities in their capacity as the Building Control authority and on this basis, no information on the subject is held centrally. Historic Scotland has no formal role in such orders but in practic…