Parliamentary questions
Jamie Hepburn
761 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what number and percentage of people aged 16 to 19 and not in education, employment or training had a disability in each year since 1999 .
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The official sourcesfor estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 19 not in employment, educationor training are the Labour Force Survey and the Annual Population Survey. Table1 shows the estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 19 and not in employmen…
13 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence is of (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes and what comparable information it has for (i) the United Kingdom as a whole, (ii) each EU member state and (iii) each OECD nation.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish DiabetesSurvey draws on data from primary and secondary care and currently represents themost comprehensive source of information on diabetes at Scotland level. The most recent report (2005) includes informationon the prevalence of type 1 and typ…
13 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were diagnosed with (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on theprevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is available at NHS board level from theannual Scottish Diabetes Survey. The Survey, which was first published in 2001,includes data from primary and secondary care and is currently the most comprehen…
13 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what input it or its agencies have in setting rail fares.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Following the RailwaysAct 2005, Scottish ministers are responsible for fares regulation in Scotland. The current structure of fares in Scotland is a mix of regulated and unregulated fares. Scottishministers can restrict the permitted increase on regulated far…
13 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average number of vehicles per day used the (a) Skye, (b) Erskine, (c) Tay and (d) Forth road bridges in each year since 1980.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Information on thetotal number of crossings each year, and the average number per day, is given inthe following table, in terms of thousands of vehicle crossings. More detailed figuresare available in the annual publication <i>Scottish Transport Statistics,</…
13 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average number of vehicles per day used each trunk road currently operated by Transport Scotland in each year since 1980.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The measure of trafficflow on trunk roads is the annual average daily flow (AADF). Complete figures areonly available from 2000 onwards. The minimum and maximum AADF for each trunk road in Scotland between 2000 and 2006 is as follows.</p><table border=1 cell…
13 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rail passenger numbers were in (a) 1950, (b) 1960, (c) 1970, (d) 1980 and (e) each year since 1990.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The numbers of railpassenger journeys originating in Scotland in each year from 1960 (calendar year)to 2004-05 (financial year) were published by the Scottish Executive in December2006 in Table H1 of <i>Scottish Transport Statistics number</i> <i>25, 2006 edi…
10 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those inwardly migrating in each year since 1980 it estimates originated from (a) the rest of the United Kingdom, (b) the European Union outwith the UK, (c) the Commonwealth outwith the UK and (d) elsewhere.
Answer · Jim Mather: Information aboutmigration to and from Scotland between 1975 and 2005, collated by the Officefor National Statistics, has been placed in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre (Bib. number 43467). It shows the number of migrants moving between Scotlandand …
10 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of those emigrating it estimates was educated to higher education standard in each year since 1980.
Answer · Jim Mather: The information requestedis not available.</p>
10 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the death rate was in each year since 1950.
Answer · Jim Mather: The information requestedis given in the following table.</p><p>Death Rate Per1,000 Population, Scotland, 1950-2006</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=560> <tr> <td width=50 nowrap valign=bottom> <p>1950</p> </td> <td width=44 nowrap val…
10 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the birth rate was in each year since 1950.
Answer · Jim Mather: The information requestedis given in the following table.</p><p>Birth Rate Per1,000 Population, Scotland, 1950-2006</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=560> <tr> <td width=50 nowrap valign=bottom> <p>1950</p> </td> <td width=44 nowrap val…
10 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of inward migration was in each year since 1950.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3145 on 6 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
10 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of outward migration was in each year since 1950.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3145 on 6 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been convicted of being involved in the supply of illegal drugs in each year since 1970 and what proportion served a custodial sentence after conviction.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available informationis given in the following table. Supply of illegal drugs offences cannot be identifiedseparately from other drug offences in the statistics available for years priorto 1985-86.</p><p>Persons with aCharge for Proved in Scottish Courts …
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals it estimates are involved in the supply of illegal drugs.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Executivedoes not hold estimates of how many individuals are involved in the supply of illegaldrugs.</p>
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what quantity of illegal drugs has been seized in each year since 1970, broken down by class and type of substance.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requestedis given in tables 5 to 7 of <i>DrugSeizures by Scottish Police Forces, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006</i> published by the Scottish Executive in January 2007, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the total number of prison inmates is believed to have either drug or alcohol addiction problems.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Reception figures(2004) show that two out of three prisoners (66%) tested positive for all substancesof misuse on admission to prison.</…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many heroin addicts there are (a) known and (b) estimated to have been in each year since 1970.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: (a) The number ofknown heroin addicts since 1970 is not held centrally.</p><p>(b) Estimates of theprevalence of problematic opiate and/or benzodiazepine misuse in Scotland were carried out for 2000 and 2003. Table 1 shows theestimated numbers across Scotland …
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many tobacco-related deaths there have been in each year since 1970.
Answer · Shona Robison: Because of definitionaldifficulties, no routine figures are prepared on smoking-related deaths. However,research studies have estimated that each year more than 13,000 people in Scotland die from smoking related diseases, including lung cancer, coronary heart…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related deaths there have been in each year since 1970.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information availableis given in the following table. It uses a definition of alcohol-related deathsagreed with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2006 following wide consultation.Figures only include cases where the selected causes were the main…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many drugs-related deaths there have been in each year since 1970, broken down by class and type of substance.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: This information canbe found in <i>Drug-related Deaths in </i><i>Scotland</i><i> in 2006</i> published by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) in August 2007,copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 43…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates was spent on the purchase of illegal drugs in each year since 1970, broken down by class and type of substance.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Robust estimates of the size of Scottish drugs markets are not currently available. A research projectis currently in progress which is aiming to produce an initial estimate of the size/valueof illicit drug markets in Scotland, and of the economic and social …
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2221 by Stewart Maxwell on 30 July 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the figure for the average cost of constructing a home for social rent.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>The average cost ofconstructing a home for social rent during 2006-07 was £117,762. This can be brokendown as follows:</p><table border=1 cell…
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2221 by Stewart Maxwell on 30 July 2007, what the average cost is of constructing a home for private sale.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The information requestedis not held centrally. Costs will vary to some degree between locations and accordingto the economies of scale which can be achieved. Different factors will affect buildcosts in urban and rural areas, as will the nature and condition …
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage recycling.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We provide supportto local authorities and other delivery bodies through the Strategic Waste Fundto increase recycling rates. Future funding for recycling is being considered aspart of the Spending Review and, in line with the commitment in our <i>Its timeto …
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authority areas have a policy of collecting household waste for recycling.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: All 32 local authoritiescollect household waste for recycling. Local authority recycling rates are reportedon the Scottish Environment Protection Agency website at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.sepa.org.uk/nws/data/index.htm">www.sepa.org.uk/nws/data/index.htm</a…
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has figures available to estimate how many households regularly recycle household waste.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Research carried outby the Scottish Waste Awareness Group during 2005 and 2006 showed that 81% of ScottishHouseholders are now recycling at least some of their household waste. The latestrecycling results from the Scottish Household Survey, published in June …
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any central guidance is provided to local authorities on the establishment of local area committees.
Answer · John Swinney: Whilst all councilsoperate some formal scheme of delegation in their decision‑making processes,there is no single model and councils are able to adopt a process which is best-suitedto their individual circumstances. Councils may also make standing order…
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value has been of tuition fees paid to higher education institutions by foreign students in each year since 1990.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The total income ofScottish Higher Education Institutions from fees paid by non EU students was:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p>1994-95</p> </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p>£46,172,000</p> </td> </tr>…
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many higher education students there have been from (a) England and Wales, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) the rest of the European Union and (d) elsewhere in each year since 1990.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The following tablelists the number of student enrolments at Scottish higher education institutionsand further education colleges from 1994-95 to 2005-06 from outside Scotland.</p><p>Data on student numbersby domicile before 1994-95 are not held centrally.</p…