Parliamentary questions
Claire Baker
1,724 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3854 by Stewart Stevenson on 18 September 2007, what the estimated costs would be, at 2006 prices, to convert one of the two proposed bored tunnels from road use to heavy rail use during the lifetime of the new Forth crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The tunnel optionsunder consideration do not satisfy the gradients required for heavy rail to be incorporated,either during construction or at a later stage. As such, we have not estimated thecosts of converting one of the two bored tunnels from road use to h…
24 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3854 by Stewart Stevenson on 18 September 2007, what the estimated costs would be, at 2006 prices, to convert one of the two proposed bored tunnels from road use to light rail use during the lifetime of the new Forth crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Converting one of the two proposed bored tunnels from road to light rail would raise the capacityissue of reducing the crossing to a single lane for general traffic in either direction.</p><p>Therefore, no costinghas been produced.</p>
24 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3854 by Stewart Stevenson on 18 September 2007, what the estimated costs would be, at 2006 prices, to strengthen the decking of a new Forth Bridge during its lifetime as opposed to when initially constructed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No decision has yetbeen made regarding the form of the replacement crossing.</p><p>Following the decisionon the form, function and location of the crossing, the crossing will be designedand constructed to suit its proposed function and to carry specific, alte…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific targets it has in place to increase the number of people aged (a) 12 and under and (b) over 12 on the organ donation register.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Our plans to increasethe number of people signing up to the Organ Donor Register are not age-related.A child under the age of 12 years can join the register but in the event of theirdeath while still aged under 12, authorisation would be needed by a person wi…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking under its duty under the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 to promote information and awareness about donation for transplantation.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The duty is dischargedmainly through the funding of advertising campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the need to increase organ donation numbers. The main focus of these campaigns hasbeen to encourage people to add their name to the NHS Organ Donor Registe…
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to issue guidance on the minimum level of chiropody and podiatry services which should be available to patients on the NHS.
Answer · Shona Robison: It is the responsibilityof NHS boards to determine the number and skill mix of staff needed to deliver servicesin their area. Each NHS board is responsible for the planning and provision of NHSpodiatry services in its area, based on an assessment of local nee…
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has of any local and regional variations in the provision of chiropody and podiatry treatment by the NHS.
Answer · Shona Robison: Each NHS board isresponsible for the planning and provision of NHS podiatry services in its area,based on an assessment of local need and in accordance with local and national priorities.Access to NHS podiatry services is a matter of clinical decision in the …
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what national evidence-based practice protocols there are to ensure that patients requiring (a) basic foot care, including advice, and (b) podiatry care receive such services.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards are requiredto ensure that the services they provide meet the standards set for the NHS. NHSQuality Improvement Scotland has responsibility for this area and published standardsfor NHSScotland are available at <a href="http://www.nhshealthquality.o…
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase patients’ access to NHS podiatry and chiropody services.
Answer · Shona Robison: Each NHS board isresponsible for the planning and provision of NHS podiatry services in its area,based on an assessment of local need and in accordance with local and national priorities.Access to NHS podiatry services is a matter of clinical decision in the …
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS podiatry patients have been treated in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) age group.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on thework of Allied Health Professionals (AHP) is not collected in sufficient detailto answer this specific question on podiatry services. However, NHSScotland InformationServices Division has recently undertaken a census of AHP workload, the res…
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS podiatry patients have been treated in (a) the community and (b) hospital in each of the last five years, broken down by age group.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on thework of Allied Health Professionals (AHP) is not collected in sufficient detailto answer this specific question on podiatry services. However, NHSScotland InformationServices Division has recently undertaken a census of AHP workload, the res…
30 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated costs would be, at 2006 prices, to convert each of the proposed options for a new Forth crossing from road traffic use to (a) light and (b) heavy rail use at some point during the crossing’s proposed minimum 120-year lifespan.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The costs associatedwith including light rail at the design stage for each of the proposed options wereprovided at the Public Information Exhibitions.</p><p>To provide sufficientwidth for light rail on a new bridge would mean strengthening the deck, increasin…
30 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated levels of road and rail traffic crossing the Firth of Forth will be (a) 30, (b) 60, (c) 90 and (d) 120 years hence, given the proposed 120-year minimum lifespan of the new crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no projectionsof traffic over 30, 60, 90 or 120 years as these fall far beyond the limits overwhich any reasonable estimate of traffic levels can reliably be made.</p><p>Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area andcan be c…
30 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated whole life costs are for each of the proposed options for a new Forth crossing, given the proposed 120-year minimum lifespan of the new crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The costs and benefitsof providing, operating and maintaining the Forth Replacement Crossing are estimatedover 60 years, in line with Treasury guidance on economic appraisal and evaluation.</p><p>The operating andmaintenance costs over 60 years are estimated …
27 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce any initiatives to encourage the take up of advanced driving training by motorcyclists between the ages of 17 and 25.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Through RoadSafety Scotland, the Scottish Government supports the Bikesafe scheme run byScottish police forces which aims to help participants become safer and more competent riders. </p><p>Road SafetyScotland provides Bikesafe support materials and also fund…
27 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to extend the Pass Plus subsidy piloted in the Grampian Police area to (a) the Fife region and (b) all areas of Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The pilot schemeis being monitored to evaluate its effectiveness in increasing the uptake ofPass Plus. A decision on future support for Pass Plus will depend on the resultsof the pilot scheme and the outcome of the current review by the DrivingStandards Agenc…
27 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish research into whether the pilot scheme to offer subsidised Pass Plus places in the Grampian Police area was successful at targeting the drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 most at risk of being involved in a road traffic accident.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Research hasshown that around one in five new drivers is involved in an accident within oneyear of passing their driving test. The Pass Plus pilot scheme encouraged alldrivers between 17 and 25 years of age, resident in the pilot areas and who hadpassed their…
27 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish research on the impact of the Pass Plus pilot scheme, carried out in the Grampian Police area for six months from February 2007.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Governmentis evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot scheme in increasing the uptake ofPass Plus in the Grampian Police area and will make this information available indue course. No externally commissioned research is being carried out at this…
27 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to target road safety initiatives towards those drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 most at risk of being involved in a road traffic accident.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Governmentplans to develop a 10 year road safety strategy for Scotland. A panel of experts has been set up to advise on appropriate initiatives,including measures to improve the safety of young drivers.</p><p>Through Road SafetyScotland, the Scot…
27 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been conducted on the profile of those drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 most at risk of being involved in a road traffic accident.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Research examiningcharacteristics and attitudes of young drivers was published by the Scottish Governmentin October 2005 in the report on the <i>Creative Development</i> <i>and Evaluationof the SCRC Young Driver Campaign 2005</i>. This is a web only publicati…
23 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost per head of pre-school provision is in each local authority in respect of (a) education and (b) childcare services.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The information requestedis not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-3570 on6 September 2007 for information on local authority pre-primaryeducation expenditure. It is not possible to split these data between educationand child car…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority spends per child on pre-school provision.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Statistics onlocal authority spend are not collected on a per child basis. The pre-primaryeducation expenditure figures for 2005-06 (the latest year for which figuresare available) are provided in the following table. Pre-primary educationexpenditure includes…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority receives from it to provide pre-school services.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish governmentprovides local authorities with block grant for their core revenue servicesthrough the core local government finance settlement. A needs-based methodology(otherwise known as grant aided expenditure (GAE)) is used to determine the alloca…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many more pre-school places will be needed to meet its pledges on extended pre-school provision.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The manifesto commitmentto deliver additional pre-school education relates to the level of entitlement ratherthan the number of places. The first step of an increase for all nursery provisionto 475 hours is not based on the creation of any new places. Options…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capacity there is in the pre-school sector for pre-school places.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Overall capacity inthe pre-school sector is not monitored on a national basis. Uptake of pre-schooleducation places is reported annually through the Pre-school and Childcare Statistics.The current high-level of uptake suggests that there are no overall proble…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the reasons for pre-school closures and make the findings available to the Parliament.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Theresponsibility for planning and delivering pre-school education lies with localauthorities. Authorities need to take population projections into account toensure that there is enough pre-school education provision available in theright areas. Over time thi…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pre-school providers are at risk of imminent closure, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) type of provider.
Answer · Adam Ingram: This informationis not held centrally.</p><p>Statistics on thenumber of pre-school education providers by local authority and type ofproviders are available in the pre-school and child care statistics 2006 availableat <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publi…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pre-school providers have closed in the last six months, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) type of provider.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The information requestedfor the past six months is not collected centrally.</p><p>The annual pre-schooland child care statistics provide information on the number of pre-school educationproviders by sector and local authority based on an annual census in Jan…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase public awareness of the National Child Protection Line.
Answer · Adam Ingram: We are currently consideringhow best to increase public awareness of the national Child Protection Line andwill be discussing proposals with the national working group for this project andwith Child Protection Committees.</p>
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the operation and effectiveness of the National Child Protection Line.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The operation of theChild Protection Line is under review and development through a national workinggroup, whose membership includes representatives from Child Protection Committees(including police and social workers) and out-of-hours and phone-based child p…