Parliamentary questions
Jim Tolson
304 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1906 by Shona Robison on 20 July 2007, whether there are any plans to encourage greater uptake of flu vaccinations among at risk groups under 65 years old.
Answer · Shona Robison: The seasonal flu campaignis supported every year by a significant marketing and communications exercise designedto increase uptake amongst those individuals most at risk.</p><p>This year a rangeof approaches have been taken to promote the message to the at ri…
24 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of eligible patients aged (a) 65 and over and (b) under 65 and suffering from long-term medical conditions have received a pneumococcal vaccination in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information isnot held centrally.</p>
24 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of eligible patients aged (a) 65 and over and (b) under 65 and suffering from long-term medical conditions have received a flu vaccination in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: (a) This informationis currently only available broken down by health board for the last year. Thisis contained in the following table. Previous years’ total percent uptake figuresfor Scotland are also included:</p><p>InfluenzaUptake for 2006-07 (Patients 65 …
24 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have drowned (a) accidentally and (b) non-accidentally in lochs and rivers in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Mather: The information collectedwhen a death is registered in Scotland does not always distinguish between deathsfrom drowning that occur in lochs and rivers and those that occur elsewhere, forexample in the sea. All deaths in Scotland are coded tothe World Health O…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the money provided to education authorities for swimming lessons is ring fenced for that purpose.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer to the memberto the answer to question S3W-5183 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money is provided to local authorities for the provision of swimming lessons in schools.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Funding is made availableto local authorities through a range of sources from including the block grant toeach local authority and the National Priorities Action fund which provides £12million in total for funding of out of school learning. Local authorities …
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many physical education teacher posts are currently not filled in secondary schools, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: A vacancy surveyis carried out each February and the results including the number of physicaleducation teacher posts vacant in February 2007 can be accessed in Appendix 1at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/22095928/11">http://www…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many secondary schools provide the recommended two hours of physical education per week, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: A baseline studywas undertaken in 2005 with results published in 2006 in a paper called Progress towards the recommendations of the Physical Education Review Group which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/PEReport2005">htt…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary schools provide the recommended two hours of physical education per week, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5181 on 1 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to increase the amount of physical education in schools.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Schools areworking towards achieving two hours PE. The Scottish Government is clear thatlearning through quality physical education and physical activity makes animportant contribution to young people’s development, both in promoting theirhealth and wellbeing…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been made available for sports in secondary schools in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5177 on 29 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been made available for sports in primary schools in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Funding is madeavailable to local authorities through a range of sources. This includes theblock grant to each local authority and the National Priorities Action Fund whichprovides £12 million in total for funding of out of school learning (which caninclude p…
26 Sep 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding it intends to provide for new school buildings.
Answer · Maureen Watt: We have increasedthe Schools Fund capital grant by £55 million to £161 million in the current financialyear. Future funding allocations for investment in the school estate have yet tobe announced.</p>
5 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Asset Database project will take into account changing weather patterns, including a rise in average temperature.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish FloodDefence Asset Database is a register of fluvial and coastal defences constructedin Scotland under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, containing detailed records of the assets,the defended areas and number of properties protected. It w…
5 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider reviewing national policy regarding developments at risk of flooding, contained in Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 7 - Planning and Flooding, in light of changing weather patterns.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish PlanningPolicy (SPP) 7 - Planning and Flooding was prepared in the light of predictionsthat Scotland’s climate would change. We are satisfied thatit continues to provide a robust framework for flooding but will keep it under review.</p>
5 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when JBA Consulting was commissioned to undertake the web-based development of the Scottish Asset Database project; when it is due to be completed, and at what cost.
Answer · Michael Russell: JBA Consulting werecommissioned to undertake the Scottish Flood Defence Asset Database project on 25 May 2004. It is now completed, and was launched on 6 September.The total cost of the project was £500,080.</p>
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to ensure that future applications for housebuilding in known flood-risk areas are assessed more stringently.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Planning authoritieshave powers provided under the Town and Country Planning legislation to take floodrisk into account in determining planning applications and to refuse them if appropriate.If a proposal is likely to increase the number of buildings at risk …
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reassess current flood prevention schemes.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Executiveis committed to improving its understanding of flooding in Scotland. To this end we commissioned JBA Consulting to undertakethe web-based development of the Scottish Asset Database project.</p><p>The aim of the projectis to provide a web…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether more funding will be available to improve and repair flood protection schemes in a timely manner.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Executive is committedto helping local authorities increase protection for vulnerable communities affectedby flooding through investment in flood alleviation measures and defences. A totalof £42 million has been made available to local authorities for the…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual insolvencies have been registered in each year since 1999, broken down by age.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Accountant inBankruptcy maintains the Register of Insolvencies in Scotland. Details of bankruptcies and Protected Trust Deeds are compiled by financialyear. Partnerships and other unincorporated associations, which are declared bankruptin Scotland, are re…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to ensure that financial education is included in A Curriculum for Excellence; at what stage children would be expected to start such education, and what learning outcomes would be anticipated.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As part of A Curriculumfor Excellence<i>,</i> financial education will be delivered in areas such as mathematics,social studies and health and wellbeing. Draft numeracy outcomes are likely to includean understanding of money at the early level through to comp…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to improve financial inclusion.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Current activity toimprove financial inclusion is set out in the 2005 Financial Inclusion Action Plan.This focuses on three strands: financial education, money advice, and access tofinancial products and services, including support for credit unions. We work …
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the financial literacy of young people.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We already have aprogramme of activity within and outwith schools to improve the financial literacyof young people. This includes the work of the Scottish Centre for Financial Educationand support for Young Scot. The financial services industry is involved in…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the financial literacy of young people.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Financial ServicesAuthority undertook an assessment of financial capability between September 2005and March 2006. This survey included a sample of sufficient size to produce separateresults for Scotland. The Financial Services Authority will repeatthe sur…
19 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report on the Tay and Forth road bridges toll impact study.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Officials are currentlyconsidering the final draft of the study report and will report to Ministers indue course. We plan to publish the report in the near future.</p>
25 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend eligibility for the Warm Deal and central heating programmes to other vulnerable groups.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-1490 on 20 July 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
25 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to build on the Warm Deal and central heating programmes to address fuel poverty.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Currently I have no plans toalter the programmes, however the existing contract for managing the Warm Deal andcentral heating programme comes to an end in March 2008, and I will shortly be consideringhow to achieve a more effective focus ontackling fuel pover…
25 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that tackling poverty should be a priority for it.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We share the UK Government’slong-term objective to eradicate child poverty by 2020 and will continue to do allthat we can to ensure that Scottish policies and programmes make the maximum contributiontowards this objective and the milestone of halving child po…
25 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to the previous administration’s target to abolish fuel poverty by 2016.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I am committed to eradicatingfuel poverty as far as is reasonably practicable by 2016. I am keen to build onwhat has been achieved by current programmes.</p>
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are affected by fuel poverty, broken down by (a) electoral region, (b) local authority area and (c) parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) provides estimates of numbers of households affected by fuel poverty in each local authority area. We do not hold information for electoral regions or parliamentary constituencies.</p><p>The following table shows the…