Parliamentary questions
Stewart Maxwell
854 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation papers on the reform of police and fire and rescue services will be published
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The consultation papers, <i >A consultation on the future of policing in </i><i >Scotland</i> and <i >A consultation on the future of the fire and rescue service in </i><i >Scotland</i>, will be published on 10 February 2011. Copies of the consultations pa…
11 Nov 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reduction in crashes, injuries and deaths has been since the introduction of road safety cameras and what the estimated financial savings have been.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Road safety cameras were introduced in 1990. Reported road accidents fell by 43% between 1990 and 2009, all severity injuries fell by 45% and road fatalities fell by 60%. These reductions will be due to a number of factors (including road safety education and…
4 Nov 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to NHS employees who have suffered stress as a result of bullying and harassment in their place of work.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Staff Governance Standard commits NHSScotland employers to ensuring that all staff are treated fairly and consistently and that the minimum standards as described in the relevant Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy are met or exceeded. The PIN po…
5 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Registrar General will publish his annual report for 2009.
Answer · Jim Mather: <i >Scotland''s Population </i><i >2009</i><i: the Registrar General''s Annual Review of Demographic Trends</i> is published today. The report contains information about births, deaths and marriages during the year, together with other demographic informatio…
14 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many domestic fires have been caused by faults in electrical installations and products since the introduction of a minimum standard for electrical installations was included in the tolerable standard in 2006.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The latest national statistics are contained in the Scottish Government Statistical Bulletin, <i >Fire Statistics Scotland, 2007</i>, which was published in August 2009. This report provides an overview of Scottish fire statistics over the 10 year period from…
3 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce elected police commissioners.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government supports the current tripartite arrangements and has no plans to introduce elected police commissioners.</p>
26 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce elected commissioners.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill, currently undergoing Scottish parliamentary scrutiny, proposes to make the Crofters Commission more accountable by providing for elected commissioners. The Scottish Parliament approved that principle of the bill at the deb…
25 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in 2010-11.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish ministers have set the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland the financial target of delivering 2% increasing cash-releasing efficiencies each year of her department''s 2010-13 Corporate Plan.</p> <p >In addition, the Keeper of the Registers has set t…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many canisters of each type of portable oxygen were prescribed in each of the last five years and at what cost, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information is set out in the following tables.</p> <p >Number of 460 Litre Portable Oxygen Cylinders<sup>1</sup> by NHS board, 2004-05 to 2008-09</p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap rowspan=2 valign=bottom…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were prescribed portable oxygen in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) type of portable oxygen and (b) NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Some of this information is not held centrally. However, partial information is held by National Services Scotland and this is as follows.</p> <p >The following table shows the number of patients provided with a form of portable oxygen* via National Services…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were supplied with oxygen for home use in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Some of this information is not held centrally. However, partial information is held by National Services Scotland and is as follows.</p> <p >The following table shows the number of Home Oxygen Concentrators installed as at December in each of the past five…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the ideas of E D Hirsch on the importance of background and general knowledge played in the development of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: The development of Curriculum for Excellence involved consideration of a wide range of educational research and theories. While the work of Hirsch did not have a explicit role, his theories on the importance of developing key knowledge and skills are consiste…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people speak two or more languages fluently, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. </p>
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what emphasis the Curriculum for Excellence will place on the teaching of non-European languages.
Answer · Michael Russell: Modern languages are central to our aspirations for Curriculum for Excellence and our ambitions that all young people become responsible, global citizens equipped with the skills needed in the 21st century global marketplace. Modern languages are also key to …
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it has been doing to educate pupils regarding the importance of sleep in relation to their education.
Answer · Michael Russell: It is for individual schools to determine how they address any aspect of health and wellbeing which is impacting on their children and young people.</p> <p >Curriculum for Excellence is clear that the purpose of all learning in health and wellbeing is to hel…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will monitor the pilot in Glasgow schools to educate pupils regarding the importance of sleep.
Answer · Michael Russell: The pilots currently being run by Glasgow City Council and Sleep Scotland will be evaluated and any lessons learned can be shared through GLOW, Scotland''s national intranet for education.</p>
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any overseas sporting competitors withdrawing from tournaments in Scotland due to UK taxation laws.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are not aware of any overseas sporting competitors withdrawing from tournaments in Scotland due to UK taxation laws.</p>
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many overseas sporting competitors have come to Scotland to compete in each year since 2000.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally. We anticipate that there are potentially a large number of overseas competitors who attend sporting events in Scotland (such as athletic meets, Mountain Bike World Championships etc), however there is currently…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the diagnosis rate per 100,000 population was for alcoholic liver disease in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Centrally held information does not allow the explicit identification of the diagnosis rate for alcoholic liver disease by NHS board. Patients may be diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease by their GP or in an acute hospital setting. Neither information on GP…
15 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcoholic liver disease-related discharges there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table:</p> <p >Table 1: General Acute Inpatient and Day Case Discharges<sup>1,2 </sup>with a Diagnosis of Alcoholic Liver Disease<sup>3,4</sup>, in any Position<sup>5</sup>; 1999-2000 to 2008-09<sup>P</sup>…
11 Mar 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution sporting events held in Scotland involving overseas competitors make to the economy.
Answer · John Swinney: Every year international sporting events staged in this country attract international athletes, fans and supporters boosting Scotland''s economy. Events of all kind are a valuable way of driving sustainable economic growth, promoting Scotland and showcasing S…
9 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence rate per 100,000 population was for tuberculosis in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Surveillance of tuberculosis in Scotland through the Enhanced Surveillance of Mycobacterial Infection (ESMI) scheme at Health Protection Scotland has been underway since 2000. The follow up of each case of tuberculosis takes one year from the patient''s date …
9 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many diagnoses of tuberculosis there were in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Surveillance of tuberculosis in Scotland through the Enhanced Surveillance of Mycobacterial Infection (ESMI) scheme at Health Protection Scotland has been underway since 2000. The follow up of each case of tuberculosis takes one year from the patient''s date …
23 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many business properties have a rateable value of (a) up to £10,000, (b) from £10,001 to £12,000 and (c) from £12,001 to £18,000, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: Following the 2010 revaluation of business rates, the following table shows the number of business properties in each uplifted rateable value band for the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS), broken down by local authority area.</p> <p >This table does not i…
18 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many people and (b) what percentage of the population were estimated to exceed the recommended levels of alcohol intake in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) NHS board area, (ii) deprivation quintile, (iii) age range and (iv) gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: Alcohol consumption is measured in terms of both daily and weekly drinking.</p> <p >The Scottish Health Survey 2008 report contains the latest data on daily and weekly drinking in Scotland.</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/28…
18 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive(a) how many people and (b) what percentage of the population were (i) overweight, (ii) obese and (iii) morbidly obese in each of the last five years, broken down by (A) NHS board area, (B) deprivation quintile, (C) age range and (D) gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Health Survey 2008 report contains the latest data on (i) overweight, (ii) obesity and (iii) morbid obesity in Scotland.</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/28102003/0">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09…
18 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many people and (b) what percentage of the population are estimated to have smoked in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) NHS board area, (ii) deprivation quintile, (iii) age range and (iv) gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: The answer is presented in the following tables:</p> <p >Table 1a. Smoking Prevalence by Health Board.</p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=503 > <thead> <tr > <td width=164 valign=top > <p align=center >Health Board</p> </td…
18 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the population is estimated to have injected drugs in each of the last five years.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Information on the percentage of the population estimated to have injected drugs in each of the last five years is not held centrally. </p> <p >Statistical estimates<sup>1</sup> of the number of drug injectors and the prevalence of drug injecting in Mainlan…
18 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of drug users are estimated to have injected drugs in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) NHS board area, (ii) deprivation quintile, (iii) age range and (iv) gender.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Information on the number and percentage of drug users who are estimated to have injected drugs in each of the last five years broken down by (i) NHS board area, (ii) deprivation quintile, (iii) age range and (iv) gender is not held centrally.</p> <p >Stati…
8 Oct 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the number of fires and fire deaths.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Any death from fire is a tragedy. I recognise the vital work of our Fire and Rescue Services across Scotland, particularly on fire safety and prevention. The good work done has contributed to the long term downward trend in fire deaths. The latest figures sho…