Parliamentary questions
David Stewart
1,651 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to use the telehealth system to increase communication between doctors and first responders.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Ambulance Service has electronic communication methods in place to dispatch first responders to the scene of some categories of patients who require immediate attention. Thereafter the first responder information gathered at the scene in respect …
19 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to promote tools to increase communication and help doctors respond to (a) hypoglycaemic and (b) hyperglycaemic reactions.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government expects doctors to make use of the Emergency Care Summary and Key Information Summary to ensure that anyone with diabetes in Scotland receives appropriate, timely care regardless of where and when they are receiving treatment. The Gov…
19 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to promote communication between emergency services, first responders and doctors to improve the treatment of diabetic patients.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government expects emergency services, first responders and doctors to make use of the Emergency Care Summary and Key Information Summary to ensure that anyone with diabetes in Scotland receives appropriate, timely care, regardless of where and w…
13 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what types of tracks and circumstances fall under the definition, "tracks for other purposes," in the planning system.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The planning system does not define this term. Classes 18 and 22 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 set out, respectively, the criteria that must be met for a private way to benefit from the permitted develo…
13 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government under what conditions or circumstances landowners must complete an environmental impact assessment before constructing a hill track.
Answer · Derek Mackay: An environmental impact assessment must be completed where one is required either by virtue of the development falling within Schedule 1 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations, or where the development falls …
13 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria hill track construction must meet to ensure that no planning application is required.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The criteria are set out for agricultural and forestry tracks in classes 18 and 22 respectively of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992. Agricultural tracks are not permitted development if; The development is n…
13 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the results of its review of permitted development rights on hill tracks.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is continuing to engage with stakeholders in regard to agricultural and forestry private ways. A decision will be taken in due course and the results of the review will be published to coincide with this.
4 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support people with diabetes.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Diabetes Action Plan sets out our vision for a world class diabetes service and includes a comprehensive and ambitious programme of work to improve care for people living with diabetes. Work is currently in hand to refresh the plan to ensure that our prio…
3 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many requests it has received since 2011 from NHS boards for additional funding to provide insulin pumps, broken down by board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has not been approached by NHS boards with any requests for further funding for insulin pumps and consumables out with the national procurement exercises carried out in each of the last three years.
3 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to NHS boards to provide insulin pumps, broken down by (a) board and (b) year since 2011.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Funding provided by the Scottish Government to NHS boards to support insulin pump therapy is set out in the following table: NHS Board 2012 2013 2014 Total NHS Ayrshire and Arran £274,885 £178,815 £160,125 £613,825 NHS Borders £101,496 £91,700 £…
3 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were charged for (a) insulin pumps and (b) necessary consumables in 2013, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21579 on 25 June 2014. 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/parliamentarybu…
3 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board charges for (a) insulin pumps and (b) their necessary consumables, broken down by item.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21579 on 25 June 2014. 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/parliamentarybu…
3 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what level of charges it advises NHS boards to levy for (a) insulin pumps and (b) their necessary consumables, broken down by item.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21579 on 25 June 2014. 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/parliamentarybu…
3 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on charging people for (a) insulin pumps and (b) their necessary consumables.
Answer · Michael Matheson: NHS boards are expected to provide insulin pumps, and associated consumables, to patients who meet the clinical criteria, within a reasonable timescale and free of charge.
30 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce the road equivalent tariff scheme on the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route.
Answer · Keith Brown: In the ferries plan we stated that we intend to roll out the road equivalent tariff (RET) to all lifeline services and where we are not responsible for those services we will discuss the appropriate form and timing of any roll out with those who are. Consider…
27 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by the RAC Foundation, which suggests that young drivers in the Highlands and Grampian are among those most likely to be involved in road collisions, whether it will discuss with the UK Government the introduction of a graduated licence scheme.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is supportive of the introduction of a graduated driver licencing (GDL) scheme and in January 2014, I wrote to the UK Government calling for the consideration of either UK-wide measures to be introduced, or for powers to be devolved to…
14 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to relocate Inverness Sheriff Court from Inverness Castle to a purpose-built facility and, if so, what budget will be set aside for this.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a ferry regulator; whether the regulator would have the power to control ticket prices, and what impact a passenger-only service on Dunoon-Gourock route would have on these plans.
Answer · Keith Brown: As noted in the Ferries Plan, published in December 2012, we have no plans to establish an independent ferry regulator.
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the ferry service for vehicle crossings on the Cowal peninsula-Inverclyde route is operated by a private monopoly; what the operator's gross profit margin is, and what its position is on the appropriateness of the size of the margin.
Answer · Keith Brown: The carriage of vehicles between the Cowal peninsula and Inverclyde is currently provided by a private company, Western Ferries, who operate services between terminals a short driving distance from the town centres of Gourock and Dunoon. Cowal is also connect…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the annual public subsidy will be for vessels on the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route, and whether this will be offset by the enhanced berthing costs being paid to the local authorities responsible for the respective harbours.
Answer · Keith Brown: A subsidy will be provided for the provision of the contracted ferry service rather than for vessels. Vessel costs and harbour costs (berthing dues and pier dues) will form part of the overall operating costs. Each bidder for the ferry service contract will n…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland will put out a tender for the contract for the new roll-on/roll-off vessels on the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route; whether the vessels will be expected to meet the specifications set out in the report, Gourock-Dunoon Ferry Service: Feasibility Study of a Future Pas…
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government’s working assumption is that new build vessels are likely to be required for the route. Decisions on whether these vessels will be procured by the operator of the next competitively tendered contract, or by the Scottish Government thro…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date the Dunoon harbour breakwater and linkspan became operational; how much it cost to develop, and whether it has been used for the transport of vehicles.
Answer · Keith Brown: The contract for the Dunoon harbour breakwater and linkspan was completed on 24 March 2005 and these facilities were commissioned directly after that date. The contract value was approximately £5.4 million. Dunoon linkspan has never been used for the transp…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether vessels on the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route must carry vehicles in order to be considered economically viable.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Gourock-Dunoon vehicle ferry feasibility study published in July 2013 found that a vehicle carrying service could be commercially viable if it received the same level of passenger subsidy as that estimated to be required for the provision of a passenger-o…
12 May 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the suggestion in the report, Gourock-Dunoon Ferry Service: Feasibility Study of a Future Passenger and Vehicle Service with the Vehicle Portion being non-Subsidised, that vessels on the service should be at least 40 metres long in order to provide optimum weather…
Answer · Keith Brown: The terms of reference for the report commissioned by the Scottish Government stated that: “the revenue and costs assumed for vehicle carrying should be for vessels optimal for the route in terms of design, manning levels, speed and vehicle and passenger capa…
29 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards did not meet the 2013-14 target for the provision of insulin pumps for (a) children and (b) adults.
Answer · Michael Matheson: NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Grampian, NHS Highlands and NHS Lanarkshire did not meet the ministerial commitment to ensure 25% of under 18s with type 1 diabetes are on an insulin pump by March 2014. Our insulin pump improvement team will continue to suppo…
29 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on the development of new hill tracks.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of tracks for rural businesses and the need to balance this with impact on the environment and visual amenity. Currently tracks for agricultural or forestry uses can be constructed without the need for a full…
29 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop new (a) land and (b) marine national parks.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scotland’s National Parks are two of Scotland’s greatest assets. The Scottish Government fully recognises the valuable contribution that they make to our tourism industry and wider Scottish economy, and the vital role that our National Park Authorities play i…
29 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the chief executive of Flybe and what was discussed.
Answer · Keith Brown: We are in regular contact with FlyBe, most recently in relation to its new Inverness to London City service. The First Minister was scheduled to meet Saad Hammad, Chief Executive of Flybe, on 13 March 2014 to discuss Flybe’s operations in Scotland. This meeti…
29 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are estimated to have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, broken down by NHS board, and what strategy it has in place for dealing with this.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Estimates of undiagnosed diabetes in Scotland were included in the 2011 Scottish Diabetes Survey based on data from 2010. These estimates were based on the Association of Public Health Observatories prevalence model and are attached in the following table. E…
29 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are diagnosed as having type (a) 1 and (b) 2 diabetes, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Information on the total number of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Scotland is set out in the following table: Number of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in each NHS board in 2012 NHS Board Type 1 Type 2 Total Ayrshire and Arran 2,212 …