Parliamentary questions
Jim Tolson
304 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with (a) trade union leaders and (b) representatives of industry on how employees can be involved in high-level sport through their work and, if so, when such discussions took place.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with trade union leaders or representatives of industry on how employees can be involved in high-level sport through their work.</p> <p >However, the Scottish Institute of Sport, the high-performance delive…
12 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to support mixing work with sport and exercise.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Over the next three years physical activity funding will be concentrated in four key settings including workplaces. The Scottish Government is specifically providing £780,000 to the Scottish Centre for Working Lives to support local companies to deliver quali…
8 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage Scottish, UK and international sportsmen and women to locate and train in Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Sportscotland is working with Scottish Governing Bodies to ensure they can establish a quality national training base in Scotland.</p> <p >They are also working with the UK Sport and UK Governing Bodies to attract more British programmes to Scotland by offer…
8 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for which sports it plans to establish high-performance sports centres to train Scottish sportsmen and women.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government, working with sportscotland, has established the following sports specific high performance sports centres in Scotland:</p> <p >Hockey:</p> <p >National Hockey Academy, Peffermill, Edinburgh</p> <p >National Sports Centre, Invercly…
8 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to establish high-performance sports centres to train Scottish sportsmen and women.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government through its work with sportscotland under the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy are investing in a range of new and enhanced facilities across Scotland some of which will be designated as high-performance centres. These …
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is considering changes to planning rules to make it easier to install micropower as part of its strategy on fuel poverty to reflect the decision taken by the Parliament on 13 March 2008.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12184 on 28 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…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is considering the introduction of a local tax rebate as part of its strategy on fuel poverty to reflect the decision taken by the Parliament on 13 March 2008.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12184 on 28 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…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to develop a one-stop-shop approach on fuel poverty to reflect the decision taken by the Parliament on 13 March 2008.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12184 on 28 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…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what stakeholders it has asked to take part in the Fuel Poverty Forum.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12184 on 28 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/webap…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Fuel Poverty Forum will next meet.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Fuel Poverty Forum ceased meeting under the previous administration. It''s last meeting occurred on 20 June 2006.</p> <p >Our internal review of fuel poverty begun in late 2007 is nearing completion and we will share its outcomes with the Parliament shor…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference in cost will be of a two-stage relocation of sportscotland in comparison with a one-stage move from its current location to the National Indoor Sports Arena in 2010.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is not yet possible to identify actual costs for each stage of the relocation process, however it is anticipated that once staffing costs and packages are finalised, the total cost for both stages will still be £7.9 million as previously announced by the S…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to minimise the disruption to Scottish sport as a result of the sportscotland's two-stage relocation.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Sportscotland is putting in place appropriate HR procedures to support business continuity as the move to Glasgow is implemented. A key feature of this is the staff transition which will ensure that all key functions are delivered and which will allow service…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to minimise the disruption to sportscotland's staff as a result of the two-stage relocation.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Sportscotland is putting in place appropriate HR procedures to support business continuity as the move to Glasgow is implemented. A key feature of this is the staff transition which will ensure that all key functions are delivered.</p>
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why sportscotland’s relocation from Edinburgh to Glasgow will involve two moves.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is anticipated that the new sportscotland HQ at the site of the National Indoor Sports Arena will not be ready until 2011 and therefore it is crucial that key staff are in place as early as possible in the lead up to the 2014 Games.</p> <p >It has always …
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated cost is of the two-stage approach to sportscotland's relocation from Edinburgh to Glasgow.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is too early to give accurate costs for interim accommodation in Glasgow as these will depend on the particular location; however it is anticipated that the total cost of relocation for both stages will still be the £7.9 million as previously announced by …
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when an interim site will be identified for the first phase of sportscotland's headquarters moving from Edinburgh to Glasgow.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is anticipated that an interim site will be identified by June 2008.</p>
15 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reform the law relating to long leasehold tenure.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We are considering the Scottish Law Commission''s <i >Report on Conversion of Long Leases</i> (Scot Law Com 204) and will take a view in due course about the timing of any bill.</p> st
15 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the number of residential properties held under long leasehold tenure.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information. However, in <i >Report on Conversion of Long Leases</i> published in December 2006, the Scottish Law Commission (SLC) estimated that 2% of properties were held on leasehold tenure.</p> <p >For more detai…
15 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when free access for children at council swimming pools will be introduced.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6557 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…
2 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to develop guidelines for NHS boards on ME and its treatment.
Answer · Shona Robison: We would expect clinicians in Scotland to be aware of the guidelines on CFS/ME published by the National Institute of health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in August 2007.</p> <p >NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is developing high-level clinical standards f…
2 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote the prioritisation of biomedical research into ME.
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 CSO does not commission research but supports research projects of…
2 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards currently include ME in their local health plans.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards'' Local Delivery Plans set out a delivery agreement between the Scottish Government Health Directorates and each NHS board, based on key ministerial targets, as set out in the HEAT (Health Improvement, Efficiency and Governance, Access and Treatmen…
2 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to conduct an audit of ME services provided throughout Scotland, as recommended in the scoping exercise undertaken by Action for ME.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Public Health Network is undertaking a needs assessment on CFS/ME building on the outcomes from the Action for ME scoping exercise, which was intended to provide as accurate a picture as possible of the CFS/ME services currently available in Scot…
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were waiting for (a) less and (b) more than three months in each postcode area in Scotland for installations under the central heating and warm deal programmes at 28 February 2005.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The current managing agent (Scottish Gas) took over responsibility for the programme on 1 October 2006.</p> <p >The information requested for 28 February 2005 is no longer available, due to the change in managing agent and the previous Labour/Liberal Democr…
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were waiting for (a) less and (b) more than three months in each postcode area in Scotland for installations under the central heating and warm deal programmes at 28 February 2006.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The current managing agent (Scottish Gas) took over responsibility for the programme on 1 October 2006.</p> <p >The information requested for 28 February 2006 is no longer available, due to the change in managing agent and the previous Labour/Liberal Democr…
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were waiting for (a) less and (b) more than three months in each postcode area in Scotland for installations under the central heating and warm deal programmes at 28 February 2007.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent has indicated that it is unable to provide accurate information on the number of households waiting less or more than three months at 28 February 2007.</p>
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were waiting for (a) less and (b) more than three months in each postcode area in Scotland for installations under the central heating and warm deal programmes at 28 February 2008.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: For the central heating programme, the managing agent has indicated that the number of households waiting less and more than three months at the end of February 2008 in each postcode area is shown in the following table.</p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 ce…
22 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the concordat between VisitScotland, COSLA and the Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development Group on the approach to funding agreements and reporting on activities on tourism.
Answer · Jim Mather: The concordat agreed between VisitScotland, COSLA and the Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development Group in 2007 consists of a set of standard Key Performance Indicators for use in agreements between VisitScotland and individual local authorities to es…
22 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget will be for VisitScotland’s operations in (a) Grampian, (b) Tayside, (c) east central Scotland, (d) the south of Scotland, (e) west central Scotland and (f) the highlands and islands in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11.
Answer · Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for VisitScotland and I have asked the chief executive to write to you in reply to your question.</p>
22 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be made available to support tourism activities in Fife in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · Jim Mather: The information requested is not held centrally. Various public sector organisations provide funding to support tourism activities across Scotland, and some of that funding is provided in response to needs as they arise, making it difficult to predict what an…