Parliamentary questions
Jamie Hepburn
761 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are specific standards for the education of children with an autistic spectrum disorder and, if so, how these standards are monitored.
Answer · Adam Ingram: There are no specific standards for the education of children with additional support needs including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Under section 2 of the Standards in Scotland''s Schools etc. Act 2000 education authorities are required to secure that educ…
26 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what investigation has been undertaken into the use of underground refuse and recycling collection systems in urban areas.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has not undertaken any investigation into the use of underground recycling facilities in urban areas.</p> <p >The Scottish Government understands however that three local authorities in Scotland operate underground recycling facilitie…
20 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether agencies other than the police are involved in tackling internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In Scotland, the eight police forces, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency e-crime unit and the Scottish Business Crime Centre are all involved in helping prevent internet fraud. In addition, private and business organisations such as banks and inte…
20 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action police forces are taking to tackle internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Tackling fraud is a high priority for the Scottish police service. The e-crime unit at the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency provides specialist support to the Scottish Police Service on serious organised crime facilitated by computer and other infor…
20 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has about internet fraud.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We, and the police, are treating all forms of fraud, including internet fraud, as a priority.</p> <p >We support the recommendations in Her Majesty''s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland''s recent Thematic Inspection on Serious Fraud to ensure a more …
20 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of internet fraud have been reported to police in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.</p> <p >The statistics held centrally on crimes of fraud recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstances of the fraud, such as whether the fraud involved use of the internet.</p> sty
17 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits it associates with direct flights to international destinations operating from Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Direct international air links improve Scotland''s business connections to existing and new markets, attract inward investment and make access to Scotland easier for inbound tourists.</p>
17 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support airlines that operate direct flights to international destinations from Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We will continue to promote Scotland as a destination worth serving to airlines, which will improve our connectivity for business and inbound tourism. To assist airlines in their decision-making, we will also share market analysis data on Scotland and on the …
12 Mar 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has for the Scottish economy and wider society in relation to Her Majesty’s Government’s proposals to part-privatise the Royal Mail.
Answer · Jim Mather: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0312-01.htm">http://www.scot…
25 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to support patients waiting in one hospital for treatment or examination in another hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are a number of reasons, why patients may require treatment outwith their own health board area, for example when a service is provided on a regional or national basis. These patients will be required to be seen or treated within national maximum waitin…
25 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the availability of cardiology services in each general hospital in each NHS board area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The most relevant information which is held centrally is the data on the availability of staffed beds by speciality and hospital, including cardiology and coronary care units. This information can be found on the website of the Information Services Division (…
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the monitoring officer and deputy monitoring officer of each local authority are obliged to liaise with the chief executive of their local authority.
Answer · John Swinney: The monitoring officer and deputy monitoring offer are independent and are not subject to direction by the council. However, the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 states it is the duty of a monitoring officer in preparing a report, to consult as far as pr…
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what body has primary responsibility for monitoring the work of local authority monitoring officers.
Answer · John Swinney: The role of monitoring officers is independent and is not subject to direction by the council or any other body.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authority monitoring officers are required to report regularly to any body other than the local authority for which they act and, if so, to what bodies.
Answer · John Swinney: Monitoring officers are only required to report to the full council for which they act.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who appoints the monitoring officer and deputy monitoring officer for each local authority and whether these appointments require the approval of any agency other than the relevant local authority.
Answer · John Swinney: The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 requires councils to designate one of their officers as monitoring officer. The legislation requires that it must not be the Chief Finance Officer. No other approval is required.</p> <p >In the absence of the monitor…
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what remuneration each local authority monitoring officer and deputy monitoring officer has received in respect of fulfilling the functions of that office in each year since 1999.
Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. The remuneration of monitoring officers and deputy monitoring officers is a matter for each local authority.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the monitoring officer and deputy monitoring officer of each local authority and the other positions they hold in their local authority.
Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. The appointment of a monitoring officer rests with each local authority.</p>
12 Feb 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government regarding its recapitalisation of the banking sector and any impact that this might have on Scottish Government spending.
Answer · John Swinney: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0212-01.htm">http://www.scot…
9 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the contract completion date is for the M80 upgrade between Stepps and Haggs.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The completion date for the construction of the M80 between Stepps to Haggs is September 2011.</p> <p >The contract completion date including maintenance and network operation is 2041.</p>
9 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the breakdown is between (a) construction, (b) maintenance and (c) other costs in the contract to build the M80 upgrade between Stepps and Haggs.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The £321.2 million NPV (net present value) of the whole contract is comprised as follows: (a) construction (including design) - £251.4 million; (b) maintenance (including capital works and operational costs) - £38.1 million, and (c) other costs (including tax…
9 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the minimum fostering allowance is in each local authority area.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Each local authority determines its own criteria and rates for the payment of fostering allowances to its approved foster carers.</p> <p >Information on the fostering allowances paid by each local authority is not held centrally.</p>
4 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the expected demand range of (a) oil and (b) gas for the Scottish economy in 2020.
Answer · Jim Mather: Volume 5 of the Scottish Energy Study, published in November 2008, contains a set of predictions for possible energy related supply and demand trends up to 2020. In particular, table 12 of the report shows the overall demand projections disaggregated by fuel …
4 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are circumstances under which Scottish ministers can act as bail guarantor for Scottish citizens under criminal charge in foreign jurisdictions and, if so, what they are.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No, there are no such circumstances.</p>
4 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are circumstances under which Scottish ministers can exercise discretion on whether a defendant is held on remand and, if so, what they are.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No. Decisions on remand are for the courts, not for the Scottish ministers.</p>
4 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many direct flights connect London and Scotland each day.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Information on the number of direct flights connecting London and Scotland each day is set out in the following table:</p> <p >Information for week 9-15 February 2009 in Current Timetables</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr >…
4 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct rail services connect London and Scotland each day.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Rail services between London and Scotland on Cross Border routes are operated by Virgin Trains and National Express East Coast (NXEC) under franchises awarded by the Department for Transport (DfT). The exception is the Caledonian Sleeper services which are pr…
4 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many passengers have used the Caledonian Sleeper service departing from (a) London and (b) Scotland in each month since 1999.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is not held in the format requested and the information that is held on sleeper passenger numbers is from 2004-05 and not 1999 as requested. This is due to the fact that First ScotRail has operated the current Franchise since October…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19849 by Kenny MacAskill on 28 January 2009, whether in consideration of Part 2 requests for extradition, as set out in the Extradition Act 2003, the same test of dual criminality must be met as for Part 1 requests.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The test in relation to dual criminality is, in essence, encompassed in the definitions of extradition offence as provided for in sections 64 and 65 (in relation to category 1 territories) and sections 137 and 138 (in relation to category 2 territories) of th…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S3W-19850 and S3W-19852 by Kenny MacAskill on 28 January 2009, whether these answers indicate that Scottish ministers have no powers to exercise their discretion in respect of the granting of a particular extradition order under the terms of the Extradi…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19852 on 28 January 2009. 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/App…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19849 by Kenny MacAskill on 28 January 2009, what countries have been designated by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the Extradition Act 2003.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Territories designated under Part 2 of the Extradition Act 2003 are either members of the 1957 European Convention on Extradition; the London Scheme for Extradition within the Commonwealth, or are parties to bilateral extradition treaties with the UK. </p> <…