John Pentland

5 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much Police Scotland is spending on implementing its new heraldic logo.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Rebranding is an operational matter for the services. I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17794 on 6 November 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be fo…

5 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints were received in 2012 and have been received in 2013 regarding overstaging of concessionary fare journeys, in which bus companies inaccurately record the distance travelled by passengers; what it estimates to be the total cost of this, and what action it has taken aga…

Answer · Keith Brown: In 2012, Transport Scotland received 258 complaints relating to overstaging. These complaints identified 621 separate instances where the cardholder claimed the recorded stages were inaccurate. Of these 621 instances, 384 were proven to have an element of ove…

18 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent action it has taken to encourage economic development in Motherwell and Wishaw.

2 Sep 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the provision of orthotic treatments for plagiocephaly.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In June 2007, NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland (formerly Quality Improvement Scotland) published evidence note No 16 on the use of cranial orthosis treatment for infant deformational plagiocephaly. The QIS Evidence Note showed that there was no evidence t…

26 Aug 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met NHS Lanarkshire to discuss hospital standardised mortality rates.

10 Jun 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking regarding the free-to-air broadcasting of major events.

23 May 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its final second report on proposals and policies.

15 May 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many further education students with learning difficulties have taken up supported employment after completing their course, in each of the last three years.

24 Apr 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce regulations to the effect that charges other than rent and a limited refundable deposit may not be levied on tenants.

4 Mar 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal aid costs have been incurred in each of the last three years by family law cases being cancelled due to non-attendance.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I am not able to provide information about legal aid costs that have been incurred for each of the past three years in family cases as a result of non-attendance. Non-attendance would refer to assisted persons, their legal representatives or both. It would a…

18 Feb 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it would consider setting a rate of income tax higher than the rest of the UK.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government will reach a view on the appropriate level for the Scottish rate of income tax if and when the time comes to set the rate. It will then be for the Parliament to decide whether to approve the Government’s proposal.

11 Feb 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities last met North Lanarkshire Council and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of councils, including North Lanarkshire Council, to discuss a range of issues.

28 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing last spoke to the chief executive of NHS Lanarkshire.

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the need for a single sponsor system for trainee GPs in Scotland requiring a tier 2 visa and what plans it has in this regard.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12297 on 30 January 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to assist NHS Education for Scotland streamline sponsorship arrangements for trainee GPs requiring tier 2 visas.

Answer · Alex Neil: This is primarily a matter for NHS Education for Scotland and NHSScotland boards to consider and, at this stage, the Scottish Government is encouraging the development of proposals on a collaborative basis that will (a) satisfy the UK Borders Agency requireme…

14 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11364 by Michael Russell on 13 December 2012, how many S5 and S6 pupils are currently studying part-time at college on Dominant Programme Group courses or as Extended Learning Support students.

Answer · Michael Russell: Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11364 on 13 December 2012 provided figures on these students using the most up-to-date data available. The latest available data is for 2010-11. The 2011-12 data will be published in March 2013…

14 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11364 by Michael Russell on 13 December 2012, when the 2011-12 figures for S5 and S6 pupils studying part-time on Dominant Programme Group 18 courses or as Extended Learning Support students will be made available.

Answer · Michael Russell: 2011-12 college data will be published in March 2013 by the Scottish Funding Council.

26 Nov 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many wards were closed and patients were affected by norovirus outbreaks in hospitals in November 2012.

20 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements have been introduced by schools to replace any courses formerly offered to pupils with additional support needs by colleges.

Answer · Michael Russell: Colleges provide support to a wide range of students with additional support needs. It is for local authorities to determine and provide the services that are required for their area in light of local needs, circumstances and priorities.

20 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) S5 and (b) S6 pupils with additional support needs have studied part-time at college in each year since 2007, broken down by college.

Answer · Michael Russell: The latest data on students in colleges in Scotland is Scottish Funding Council data for the academic year 2010-11. Table 1 shows the number of part-time S5 and S6 students who are Dominant Programme Group 18 or Extended Learning Support students. Dominant P…

20 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many further education colleges have arrangements with schools to enable (a) S5 and (b) S6 pupils with additional support needs to study part-time in order to assist with the transition from school.

Answer · Michael Russell: I am informed by the Scottish Funding Council that all incorporated colleges of further education have arrangements with schools which can enable S5 and S6 pupils with additional support needs to study part-time.

13 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-06649 and S4W-08254 by Keith Brown on 8 May 2012 and 4 July 2012 respectively, when the first grants from the fund will be announced.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Stations Fund was announced as part of the high level output specification for control period 5 (2014-2019). As such, the fund will be operational from the start of the control period, in April 2014. Promoters of new stations or station improvem…

13 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-06649 and S4W-08254 by Keith Brown on 8 May 2012 and 4 July 2012 respectively, when the (a) criteria for, (b) governance of and (c) application process for the fund will be announced.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11195 on 28 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…

13 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-06649 and S4W-08254 by Keith Brown on 8 May 2012 and 4 July 2012 respectively, what discussions have taken place with (a) industry, (b) communities and (c) stakeholders regarding the (i) criteria for, (ii) governance of and (iii) application proce…

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Stations Fund was announced in June 2012 and since then Transport Scotland officials have worked with rail industry stakeholders to determine the process to secure funds for new stations and station improvements. The fund will be operational from…

12 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the reduction in Historic Scotland’s budget between 2011-12 and 2014-15.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Historic Scotland has been growing its income from other sources than the Scottish Government for example commercial income from sites and this is replacing the planned reduction in Scottish Government so the overall income levels for Historic Scotland can b…

3 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-01319 by Alex Neil on 26 September 2012 (Official Report, c. 11901), how it will address the issue of achieving greater consistency across the country when making decisions regarding individual patient treatment requests.

Answer · Alex Neil: The guidance issued to NHS boards on 18 March 2011 under cover of CEL 17 (2010) provided a framework within which NHS boards should, as a matter of good practice, operate when dealing with requests for medicine which have been appraised within their licensed …

3 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-01319 by Alex Neil on 26 September 2012 (Official Report, c. 11901), which NHS boards have not submitted and agreed their strategies within three months after the Scottish Medicines Consortium has approved a drug for use.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on NHS board formulary decisions regarding SMC accepted medicines is not held centrally. The guidance issued under cover of SGHD/CMO(2012)1 published on 13 February 2012 clarified that NHS boards are expected to reach decisions on SMC accepted me…

3 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-01319 by Alex Neil on 26 September 2012 (Official Report, c. 11901), when it will publish the results of its monitoring of progress on implementing its chief executive letter guidance on the introduction of new medicines, which took effect on 1 Apri…

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government monitoring of implementation of CEL 17 (2010) is ongoing and information on the various strands of monitoring will be published in due course. To date, the Scottish Government has undertaken a data collection from NHS boards on Indivi…

17 Sep 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that NHS boards have a consistent approach when making decisions regarding individual patient treatment requests.

1 Aug 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring it carries out of the (a) composition of and (b) training for the panels that assess individual patient treatment requests.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Whilst the guidance issued on 18 March 2011 and further guidance issued on 13 February 2012 set out a framework within which NHS boards, as a matter of good practice, are expected to operate when dealing with individual patient treatment requests (IPTRs), the…