Parliamentary questions

Campbell Martin

106 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

30 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) nursing, (b) dental, (c) medical and (d) paramedical staff have daily or regular patient or client contact, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested isnot held centrally.

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what policies there are to protect carers providing long-term care from having respite care withdrawn without adequate and equitable alternative provision.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive recognisesthat respite care is an integral and central part of the range of health andsocial care services which should be available to service users and carers. OurPartnership Agreement reflects our firm commitment to develop respite provisiona…

24 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, if the current Scottish Water proposals in respect of wastewater treatment on the Isle of Arran are implemented, how many homes on the island would remain unconnected to the public sewage system; where these homes are located; what percentage of homes in each area specified by Scottish W…

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6396 on 8 March 2003.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.Scottish Parliament.uk/webap…

24 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current Scottish Water proposals in respect of wastewater treatment on the Isle of Arran represent best value and what the reasons are for the position on the matter.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Ministers have tasked ScottishWater with delivering the current capital programme (Quality and Standards II) toquality standards as specified by the appropriate regulator (in this case the ScottishEnvironment Protection Agency) and to overall efficiency targe…

10 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money was awarded to Border Biofuels Limited in respect of its proposal for an experimental biomass plant near Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran, broken down by the awarding public body, and what the outcome was of the planning application for the plant.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No public funding has beenawarded to the development. The project was granted outline planning permissionby North Ayrshire Council on 8 October 2001, subject to a list of 25conditions.

10 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is sufficient dental cover on the Isle of Arran to ensure that residents, including children, do not have to travel off the island to receive dental treatment and, if not, why such a situation has developed and what action is being taken to address it.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Responsibility for theoverall provision of NHS dental services on the Isle of Arran rests with Ayrshireand Arran Primary Care NHS Trust. However, I announced on 20 November a numberof further measures to support NHS dentistry in Scotland, some of which will b…

30 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out an investigation into the reasons for the number of headstones at graves in cemeteries around Ayrshire that have been deemed unsafe by local authorities in the last few months, resulting in relatives of deceased people having to pay charges of around #100 to loca…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has no plans to do so. Responsibility for the general management,regulation and control of burial grounds rests with local authorities undersection 17 of the Burial Grounds (Scotland) Act 1855. Local authorities, as burial authorities,a…

23 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it can provide to any companies whose ability to compete with overseas businesses has been adversely affected by increases in water rates.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is committed to creating the conditions to maximise sustainableeconomic growth in the medium and long term. Smart, Successful Scotland,our strategy for the Enterprise Networks, is crucial in delivering this. Themost recent survey…

14 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 or any other legislation, tenants of residential homes attached by an internal corridor to residential care units are prevented from entering or frequenting such units and, if so, what the reasons are for these provisions.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Regulation of Care(Scotland) Act 2001 and subordinate legislation made under that act enablesregulation of the standard and fitness of premises used to provide careservices for the purpose of ensuring the safety and well-being of the careservice users.</p…

23 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding provided to local authorities in relation to their responsibilities for looked after children is ring-fenced for the purpose of providing direct benefits to children in care.

Answer · Euan Robson: Funding for looked afterchildren is not ring fenced and we have no plans to do so. It is up to eachlocal authority how it allocates funding, taking account of local needs andpriorities as well as national priorities. All local authorities in Scotlandhave bene…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any review of the way in which stoma appliances are prescribed will ensure that stoma nurses will continue to be responsible for carrying out patient reviews and able to suggest the most appropriate appliance to be used and that patients will continue to be given a selection of ap…

Answer · Tom McCabe: The options presented in theconsultation document are intended to maintain and improve the provision of aquality service that meets all patients’ needs, no matter which type ofappliance they may require.

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from North Ayrshire Council or Amey Highways Ltd in relation to amending the signage on the A78 trunk road at West Kilbride in accordance with the result of the referendum held by North Ayrshire Council on 1 May 2003; if so, when such representa…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: North Ayrshire Councilsubmitted its designs for the amended signing for West Kilbrideon the A78 trunk road to Amey Highways Ltd on 3 September 2003. Following discussions between the council and Amey, the proposals wereagreed on 18 November. Amey has been ins…

2 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Audit Scotland's practice of not releasing into the public domain any papers relating to an auditor's investigation where it was determined that no significant audit issue existed is correct and proper and complies with the requirement of public bodies to be open and accountable.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Audit Scotland isa statutory body independent of the Scottish Executive. The releasing of papersby Audit Scotland is therefore not a matter for the Executive. Such questionsshould be raised with the Auditor General for Scotland and the Chairman of the Account…

20 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when residents of the Isle of Arran will be able to access broadband internet technology.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a commercial matterfor broadband providers. We understand there may be commercial scope forbroadband services in parts of Arran dependant on sufficient levels of demand.The Executive is, of course,pursuing a number of demand-stimulation measure…

20 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3580 by Nicol Stephen on 19 November 2003, when it expects Caledonian MacBrayne to report on the current review of future options related to peak fares on routes where these apply and whether the findings of the review will be made public.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I am considering thefindings of the CalMac peak fares review and I will make an announcement thismonth.

19 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of changes to the method of payment of care home fees and the withdrawal of direct payment of residential allowance to clients, whether it will ensure that sufficient funding is provided to local authorities so that no shortfall in funding will occur and that no local authority …

Answer · Tom McCabe: Residential allowance fornew care home residents was stopped in April 2002, as recommended by the RoyalCommission on Long Term Care. The residential care financial assessment ensuresthat care home residents are no worse off as a result of receiving less benef…

18 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for the inclusion of sections 31, 49 and 51 in the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Section 31 is based on section76(1) to (4) and (8) of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, as amended bysection 13 of, and Part II of Schedule 3 to, the Water Industry Act 1999. It isincluded in the act to ensure that the duties placed on the former…

18 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether sections 31, 49 or 51 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 offer any scope to Scottish Water to take cognisance of whether the level of charges levied by the company would have a detrimental impact on the ability of small businesses to continue to operate and whether Scottish…

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is for Scottish Water toensure that its actions comply with all the duties placed upon it by the WaterIndustry (Scotland) Act 2002 and by all other legislation. Were the manner in which it discharges any of itsduties to be challenged legally, it would be f…

22 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was involved in any agreement between Caledonian MacBrayne and the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee that would have resulted in the removal of peak-time fares on ferry sailings not being put into effect and, if it was involved, whether it is normal practice for it to intervene in …

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-3580 on 19 November 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/…

22 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding any agreement between Caledonian MacBrayne and the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee that would have resulted in the removal of peak-time fares on ferry sailings, with a small across-the-board increase in fares being applied to make such a move revenue-neutra…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive was not involved in any discussions between Caledonian MacBrayne andthe Isle of Arran Ferry Committee on the subject of peak fares. However,officials were subsequently informed of these discussions and the ferry committee’sview that pea…

9 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any decisions by education institutions to withdraw trainee maternity nurses from the Inverclyde Royal Hospital and what its position would be on any such decisions.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Decisions about theaggregate number of trainee midwives in Scotland are taken on the basis of recommendations from theStudent Nursing Intake Planning (SNIP) steering group which meets annually andbrings together a wide range of expertise.The recommenda…

9 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned, or is aware of, any appraisal of medical cover in the Greenock and Inverclyde area that considered the closure of the Inverclyde Royal Hospital, and what its position would be on any such proposal.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We have not commissioned,nor are we aware of, any appraisal of this nature.Any proposal for significantservice change must be subject to robust and comprehensive public consultationand would, ultimately, require my endorsement.

9 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many abatement notices have been used to tackle offensive odours emanating from sewage works since the creation of Scottish Water.

Answer · Ross Finnie: One.

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions abatement notices under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 have been used in relation to offensive odours.

Answer · Allan Wilson: This information is not heldcentrally.

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has authority to prosecute operators of (a) landfill sites and (b) sewage works in relation to offensive odours; if not, what action it will take to ensure that SEPA has the authority to prosecute operators of sewage works who all…

Answer · Allan Wilson: The decision on whether ornot to proceed with a prosecution against an operator in relation to offensiveodour is a matter for the Procurators Fiscal Service. The Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency has, in addition to its ability to recommend cases forprose…

3 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions Scottish Water has been prosecuted and fined and whether such fines are paid from Scottish Water's funds or another public source.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to theanswers given to S2W-3214 and S2W-3221 on 31 October 2003.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.u…

7 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1048 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 30 June 2003, what redress a local community has if it feels that planning permission has been granted by a local authority for a wind farm development without local concerns having been fully addressed.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: If a local community feels that the action taken by a planning authority contravenes statutory procedures they may approach the monitoring officer of that authority. It is open to an individual to make a complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman whe…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in Scottish Water's proposals for a sewage treatment plant at Millport, Isle of Cumbrae; what its position is on the amount of local concern in respect of the level of consultation undertaken by Scottish Water on the matter and in relation to the accuracy of c…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no involvement in this issue which is an operational matter for Scottish Water. However, our understanding is that Scottish Water and its predecessor, West of Scotland Water, have had considerable involvement with the community whil…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in response to representations made in January 2003 on the condition of Glen Diomhan National Nature Reserve on the Isle of Arran.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The designation and on-going monitoring of the condition of National Nature Reserves is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage.

25 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with Her Majesty's Government about any potential for developing the current Hunterston nuclear power station site in Ayrshire as a centre of excellence in the generation of energy from renewable sources and what the conclusion was of any such discussion…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No such plans have been presented to the Executive.