Parliamentary questions
Jamie Hepburn
761 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what energy production is forecast for (a) marine and (b) wind power under its plans to generate 100% of electricity by renewable sources.
Answer · John Swinney: While we have not forecast specific outcomes for individual technologies in the context of our renewables targets for 2020, we would expect wind energy - on and offshore - to make a major contribution. We are also continuing to support and encourage marine re…
7 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has provided to facilitate the development of marine power in each of the last five years.
Answer · John Swinney: The first research and development grants to marine projects were awarded in February 2007, under the Wave and Tidal Energy Scheme (WATES). Payments under the scheme have been as follows (based on financial years): 2007-08 £1,204,355 2008-09 £573,752 200…
7 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much energy has been produced by (a) wave and (b) tidal power in each of the last five years.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested on electricity generation from wave and tidal stream generating stations is not held centrally. Scottish renewable electricity statistics for renewable electricity from 2000 onwards are collated by the UK Government Department of Ene…
29 Feb 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions the Minister for Local Government and Planning has had with local government about the issue of youth employment.
16 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what minimum car parking space per unit is required for new housing developments to be approved.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Planning Policy does not set minimum car parking standards for new housing developments. Planning Advice Note 75: Planning and Transport advises that parking policies must be adapted to particular local circumstances, for example through the developm…
15 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the Scottish economy has been of the gas produced by the Rhum gas field and what the impact is expected to be over the forecast lifespan of the field.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.
15 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the (a) monthly productivity since 2005 and (b) current productivity of the Rhum gas field; how this compares with the forecast productivity, and what the impact on jobs has been in Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Monthly oil and gas production figures by field are published by the Department for Energy and Climate Change and can be found on their website at the following link: https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/pprs/full_production.htm Information on forecast productivity a…
15 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have died from complications associated with hip-replacement operations and what the cause of death was in each case in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: ISD Scotland collects hospital data (SMR01 records) from which hip-replacement operations can be identified, and utilises National Records of Scotland (NRS) data from which causes of death (from the death certificate) can be identified. The Scottish Arthropla…
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact has been of the British Sign Language and Linguistic Access Working Group's report, The Long and Winding Road - A Roadmap to British Sign Language & Linguistic Access in Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The BSL Roadmap has helped identify and inform issues and allowed the Scottish Government and many other agencies in the community to develop policy and strategies to help improve the lives of BSL users and people who have a sensory impairment. Since the int…
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the destinations of deaf and hard of hearing children on leaving school in each year since 1999 and how these destinations compare with those for other children.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Information on individual school leaver destinations by reason for additional support need is held from 2007-08 onwards. Only limited analysis of school leaver destinations by pupil characteristics is available in 2006-07, prior to this information was collec…
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that deaf and hard of hearing children are able to access and make the most of opportunities to learn at school.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, as amended, places a duty on education authorities to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all pupils for whom they are responsible and to tailor provision ac…
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the attainment levels of deaf and hard of hearing children in mainstream education compares with those in specialist education.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Table 1 sets out the attainment levels of school leavers with a hearing impairment from mainstream and special schools. However, no significant conclusions can be drawn from the data as there is a very small number of leavers from specialist provision with a …
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the educational attainment levels of deaf and hard of hearing children.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, as amended, places a duty on education authorities to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all pupils for whom they are responsible and to tailor provision ac…
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the educational attainment levels of deaf and hard of hearing children.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government holds information, supplied by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, on exams taken in Scotland. This information can be matched, by Scottish Candidate Number, to the Pupil Census, which collects information on additional support need…
22 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the reported suggestion by UCAS that pupils should apply to university after they receive their examination results.
Answer · Michael Russell: Post-application qualification brings an element of certainty to the application process by dispensing with conditional offers. It is already the case for a proportion of pupils in Scotland that they will apply to University in sixth year having achieved the …
17 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each NHS board has paid in business rates in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) local authority area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.
17 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Ambulance Service has paid in business rates in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) local authority area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.
17 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory obligations there are on registered social landlords to meet registered organisations that represent their tenants.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 requires social landlords to have in place a tenant participation strategy that includes arrangements for landlords to consult their registered tenant organisations (RTOs) on a range of housing and related matters. The act does…
19 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is forecast for Springburn railway station as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme and what proportion will be associated with any diverting of Cumbernauld services to Glasgow Queen Street low level.
Answer · Keith Brown: The current Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) cost plan contains no provision for work at Springburn Railway Station.
19 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what proportion of planning applications (i) it has called in and (ii) have been the subject of an appeal to it in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The information held by the Scottish Government on called in and appealed applications is contained in the following tables. Note: The numbers of applications used in the proportion calculations in Tables 1b and 2b are the total applications determined by …
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on jurisdictions internationally that have certain prohibitions on the erection of mobile telecommunications masts.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold such information.
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on jurisdictions internationally that prohibit the erection of mobile telecommunications masts in the vicinity of schools.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold such information.
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on mobile telecommunications masts being erected in the vicinity of schools.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Decisions on whether or not to grant planning permission for the erection of mobile phone masts are a matter for the planning authority in the first instance. Scottish Government planning policy on telecommunications infrastructure is contained in the Scottis…
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what flexibility is available to local authorities in interpreting planning law and associated guidance.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Interpretation of planning law, and associated guidance, is the responsibility of the relevant planning authority. It is for the authority to satisfy itself that its interpretation and application of planning law is correct in any individual case.
14 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is provided to local authorities on assessing the needs of home care service users.
12 Dec 2011 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the Reform Scotland report, Powering Scotland.
24 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to enable small businesses to compete more effectively against larger companies outwith Scotland for public sector contracts.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is committed to using public procurement to drive the Scottish economy. This requires action on two fronts – we must make it easier for suppliers to access public sector contract opportunities and we must also ensure that Scottish supp…
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where the functions of the Advocacy Safeguards Agency were transferred on it ceasing to operate.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Some of the functions of the Advocacy Safeguards Agency were absorbed within the NHS organisations involved in the development of standards, monitoring and support for the NHS. For instance advocacy is a key aspect of the NHS Patient Focus and Public Involvem…
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider taking steps to ensure the accreditation of individuals and organisations that provide independent advocacy services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance is already funded by the Scottish Government Health Directorates to support and promote independent advocacy. A range of publications and guidance documents are available on their website at http://www.siaa.org.uk/co…
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who determines the eligibility criteria for the provision of independent advocacy.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01680 on 15 August 2011. 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/parliamentary…