Parliamentary questions
Claire Baker
1,724 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are obliged to provide free assistance with trimming nails where an individual has been assessed as requiring such assistance.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11224 on 7 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/webapp/…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether free personal care includes assistance with trimming nails.
Answer · Shona Robison: Yes. Schedule 1 of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 states that keeping fingernails and toenails trimmed should not be charged for.</p>
18 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive through which government bodies the additional money for wheelchair and seating services announced in the spending review will be distributed and what allocations these government bodies will receive.
Answer · Shona Robison: The additional funding of £16 million from the 2007 Spending Review (£4 million in 2008-09, £6 million in 2009-10 and £6 million in 2010-11) will be distributed through NHS boards to the five rehabilitation technology centres in Scotland.</p> <p >The funding…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to medical professionals on the use of complementary therapies, such as diet control, to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answer · Shona Robison: Diet control is not considered to be one of the complementary therapies. Accordingly guidance on diet control is not provided in this context.</p> <p >The Scottish Government recognises that complementary or alternative medicine may offer relief to some peo…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for driving under the influence of drugs, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Figures for driving prosecutions involving drugs alone are not available. However, the number of persons proceeded against for drink or drug driving offences in the years 2003-04 to 2005-06 is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons Proceeded Against f…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for illegally selling alcohol, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons Proceeded Against for Selling Alcohol Illegally<sup>1</sup> by Approximate Local Authority Area<sup>2</sup> 2003-04 to 2005-06</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <t…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 or over have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for supplying alcohol to those aged under 18, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Selling Alcohol to Underage Persons<sup>1 </sup>by Age<sup>2</sup> and Approximate Local Authority Area<sup>3</sup>, 2003-04 to 2005-06</p> <…
6 Mar 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average journey time has been for crossing the Forth Road Bridge in the three-week period after removing tolls as compared with the three week period before tolls were removed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Average journey time information for the Forth Road Bridge is not available. However, the Scottish Government and FETA collect data on traffic flows.</p> <p >There are a variety of factors that can impact on traffic flows on the Forth Road Bridge, includin…
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9940 by Adam Ingram on 29 February 2008, whether the policy of free school meals for P1 to P3 pupils will be extended beyond the end of the current academic year.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Under the terms of our concordat with local government, local authorities will provide free school meals to all P1 to P3 pupils from August 2010, if the evaluation of the current trial is positive and the necessary legislation is passed by the Parliament.</p>
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9940 by Adam Ingram on 29 February 2008, whether funding for free school meals for P1 to P3 pupils beyond the 2007-08 academic year would come from existing local authority funding allocations or whether it would provide additional funding.
Answer · Adam Ingram: We will be providing local government with record levels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The vast majority of the funding will be provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to alloca…
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average number of parliamentary questions were answered on (a) Mondays, (b) Tuesdays, (c) Wednesdays, (d) Thursdays and (e) Fridays since June 2007.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> <p >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/weba…
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether PFI is still an option for public building contracts.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to introducing an alternative funding mechanism to the traditional costly standard form of PFI, in the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT). We have already stated that PPP could continue as one of several delivery options open to…
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many PFI projects have commenced since May 2007, broken down by (a) name and (b) location of project.
Answer · John Swinney: The standard form of PFI developed across the UK has not been used in Scotland for any projects which have commenced from May 2007 onwards. Whilst the Scottish Futures Trust is being developed we are now using as a preference, the non-profit distributing (NPD…
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to prevent high-sided and heavy vehicles from crossing the Forth Road Bridge when weather and weight restrictions are in place.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Responsibility for the operation of the Forth Road Bridge, including the management of traffic on the crossing, is a matter for the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) in the first instance.</p> <p >I understand that FETA is convening a working group to…
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the new Forth Road Bridge will be paid for if funding is not forthcoming from the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is currently reviewing the funding options available for the Forth replacement crossing.</p> <p >A decision on this matter will be made later in 2008.</p>
3 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the Scottish Futures Trust is legally competent within the powers of the Scottish Parliament.
Answer · John Swinney: In taking the Scottish Futures Trust forward we will take the appropriate professional advice. We have every intention of introducing a body that is legally competent.</p>
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations in the review of NHS wheelchair and seating services in Scotland which apply to children and young people.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10167 on 4 March 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/webapp/w…
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to ensure that wheelchair services meet the specific needs of children and young people.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10167 on 4 March 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/webapp/w…
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what eligibility criteria are in use for NHS wheelchair and seating services and whether there are plans to change them.
Answer · Shona Robison: The wheelchair national eligibility criteria are available on the Rehabilitation Technology Information System (ReTIS) website at <a href="http://www.retis.scot.nhs.uk/index.php">http://www.retis.scot.nhs.uk/index.php</a>.</p> <p >This is under the heading: …
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to maximise social inclusion in regard to NHS wheelchair and seating services, particularly around the provision of lightweight wheelchairs and powered wheelchairs for use by (a) children and young people in school and at home and (b) all those that cannot trav…
Answer · Shona Robison: These matters have been brought to the Scottish Government's attention in Recommendation 3 of <i >Moving Forward: Review of NHS Wheelchair and Seating </i><i >Services</i><i > in Scotland</i>. </p> <p >I have established a project board and have appointed a…
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were waiting for the provision of assistive technology services, including wheelchairs, seating, prosthetics, orthotics, augmentative communication and environmental controls in each NHS board in each of the last three years, broken down by type of equipment.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9454 on 26 February 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…
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average waiting times were for the provision of assistive technology services for people under the age of 18, including wheelchairs, seating, prosthetics, orthotics, augmentative communication and environmental controls, in each NHS board in each of the last three years, broken down …
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-1064 on 5 March 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/webapp/wa…
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average waiting times were for the provision of assistive technology services, including wheelchairs, seating, prosthetics, orthotics, augmentative communication and environmental controls, in each NHS board in each of the last three years, broken down by type of equipment.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. It is for NHS boards to commission and provide services, including assistive technology services, that best meet the needs of their local populations.</p> <p >However, the wheelchair and seating services project team w…
18 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for the extension of free school meals to children in families in receipt of maximum working tax credit and maximum child tax credit in August 2009 will come from existing local authority funding allocations or whether it will provide additional funding.
Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6744 on 3 December 2007. 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…
18 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for any continuation of the free school meals pilots beyond March 2008 will come from existing local authority funding allocations or whether it will provide additional funding.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government will provide all the funding for the free school lunch trial, including any additional funding required to continue the trial until the end of the current academic year.</p>
4 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase the use of the national concessionary fare scheme for young people.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has been working in partnership with Local Authorities, Young Scot and transport operators to promote the Scotland-Wide Concessionary Travel Scheme for Young People since the scheme started in January 2007.</p> <p >There has been a great d…
4 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget will be for the national concessionary fare scheme for young people in each of the next three years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 provides a total Concessionary Fares Budget as follows:</p> <p >2008-09: £181.4 million</p> <p >2009-10: £187.4 million</p> <p >2010-11: £189.4 million.</p> <p >The budget provides support for the development and d…
4 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget will be for the national concessionary fare scheme for older people in each of the next three years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 provides a total Concessionary Fares Budget as follows:</p> <p >2008-09: £181.4 million</p> <p >2009-10: £187.4 million</p> <p >2010-11: £189.4 million.</p> <p >The budget provides support for the development and d…
31 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or local authorities will be held accountable should the move to single outcome agreements and the removal of ring-fencing from the Supporting People programme result in a reduction in the quality or availability of social care services for adults.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We look forward to working with COSLA, local authorities, providers and others to ensure that the interests of the most vulnerable in society are appropriately reflected in single outcome agreements. Local authorities will of course be responsible for meeting…
31 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will monitor the progress of national strategies such as The Same As You? and Changing Lives, to which it has made an ongoing commitment but which are not directly related to the outcomes and indicators set out in its concordat with COSLA.
Answer · Shona Robison: Improving outcomes for individuals and communities is at the core of <i >The Same As You?</i> and Changing Lives and is also central to the concordat with local government. Achievement of a significant number of the outcomes and indicators in the concordat wi…