Parliamentary questions
David Stewart
1,651 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions in the last 12 months the MV Isle of Lewis has been out of action due to technical failure.
Answer · Keith Brown: During the last contract year, 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012, out of a total of 1,309 scheduled sailings of the MV Isle of Lewis, 11 sailings were cancelled due to technical issues.
5 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department of Transport about the use of single-engine seaplanes in instrument meteorological conditions.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the Department for Transport about the use of single-engine seaplanes in instrument meteorological conditions.
5 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of developing seaplane operations in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Keith Brown: There has been no Scottish Government assessment of developing seaplane operations in the Highlands and Islands.
5 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that it is no longer required to put contracts out to tender for (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebrides ferry services every six years.
Answer · Keith Brown: Tendering for the Northern Isles and Clyde and Hebrides ferry service contracts is a requirement under European law. The case for lengthening the six year maximum contract length for ferry services is an issue which I am continuing to raise with the European …
28 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being carried out by (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (b) Skills Development Scotland and (c) Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) in response to the closure of the HEROtsc call centre in Aviemore.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Delivery of the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) is led by Skills Development Scotland with partners including Highlands and Islands Enterprise. During August 2012, representatives from the local PACE team met with employees of HEROtsc to …
25 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when Caledonian MacBrayne submitted its winter timetable for the Oban to Lochboisdale ferry for approval.
Answer · Keith Brown: This proposal was submitted by CalMac to Transport Scotland on 27 August 2012.
19 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will carry out a review of the ringfence arrangements that are part of the milk quota system.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: At my request, a review of the Scottish Milk Quota Ring Fences Provisions was carried out by the Scottish Agriculture College (SAC) in December 2011. The SAC review concluded that the ring fence provisions should continue until 2015 when the milk quota system…
19 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what benefits the ringfence element of the Southern Isles' milk quota system has brought to the Kintyre dairy industry and how many dairies operating in the area have benefited.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The ring-fence provisions continue to provide a degree of protection for the creameries of Arran and Campbeltown, which fulfil an important economic role in the local communities as well as effectively guaranteeing a market for all the raw milk produced by th…
19 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the ringfence element of Southern Isles' milk quota system is necessary for the Kintyre dairy industry.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The purpose of the ring-fence provisions is to provide a degree of protection for the island creameries which fulfil an important economic role in their local community as well as effectively guaranteeing a market for raw milk produced by local farmers.
10 Sep 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the business community about the air discount scheme.
7 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the static speed checks during the recent 10-day enforcement period on the A9 Inverness-Perth road were conducted (a) on straight sections of the road, (b) at collision hot spots and (c) close to, or near the end of, dual carriageway sections.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: During August 2012 Northern Constabulary and Tayside Police conducted a joint 10 day enforcement initiative on the A9 between Inverness and Perth that included participation by VOSA and the Safety Camera Partnerships. In addition to speeding offences detected…
7 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 687 motorists caught by Northern Constabulary and Tayside Police on the A9 Inverness-Perth road in a recent 10-day enforcement period were also charged with (a) dangerous driving, (b) careless driving and (c) driving too slowly causing frustration to other road users.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Northern Constabulary and Tayside Police have issued a statement indicating that during their joint 10 day enforcement campaign on the A9, which ended on 25 August 2012 and included support from VOSA and the Safety Camera Partnerships, a total number of 759 o…
13 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will assess the economic impact on (a) businesses and b) local government from islands that are no longer eligible for the Air Discount Scheme.
Answer · Keith Brown: Given that businesses and local government have never been eligible for inclusion in the Air Discount Scheme, it is not possible to assess the economic impact of there being no longer eligible.
3 Aug 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the research that it commissioned on the scale and nature of child sexual exploitation.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The report commissioned of the University of Bedfordshire on child sexual exploitation in Scotland is due to be published by the end of September.
29 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS will procure the drug, Dificlir, to combat Clostridium difficile and, if so, which (a) NHS boards and (b) hospitals will use it.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium issued advice for fidaxomicin (Dificlir®) on 9 July. It is accepted for restricted use within NHS Scotland for the treatment of adults with Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) also known as C. difficile-associated diarrhoe…
27 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with its proposed fund to help the victims of crime and how much money it estimates this could raise in each of the next four years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The current Scottish Government consultation Making Justice Work for Victims and Witnesses includes a proposal to introduce a victim surcharge payable by offenders. The consultation asks for views on the level or levels at which a surcharge should be set; wh…
27 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06147 by Alex Neil on 23 March 2012, whether it has received a reply from the Commissioner for Internal Market and Services.
Answer · Alex Neil: I received a reply from the Commissioner for Internal Market and Services on 14 May 2012. A copy of the reply has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 54162).
27 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capacity the single track rail lines from Perth and Aberdeen to Inverness have to cope with an increase in freight.
Answer · Keith Brown: Available capacity on the Scottish rail network is not allocated specifically to freight or passenger services. Limited capacity exists on the rail lines from Perth and Aberdeen to Inverness and both freight and passenger operators can make a bid to Network R…
27 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Network Rail’s proposals for improvements on the Inverness to Aberdeen line will be published on the Transport Scotland website and, if so, when.
Answer · Keith Brown: Yes. Network Rail is currently finalising its appraisal of the options proposed in its Pre-feasibility Study published in 2011. The appraisal examines in more detail the feasibility, cost and deliverability of the options, such as journey time improvements, …
27 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a delay in implementing the Inverness to Aberdeen rail capacity and service improvements scheme and, if so, for what reason.
Answer · Keith Brown: No. The project will be completed in phases between 2015 and 2030 as specified in the government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan, published in December 2011. It is anticipated that phase 1 of the project will deliver enhanced commuter services into both cit…
21 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any changes are planned to the pension commitments to staff as a result of SERCO taking over the Northern Ferries contract.
Answer · Keith Brown: Following the award of the next Northern Isles ferry services contract to Serco Ltd, staff who work on the existing NorthLink service are entitled to transfer to Serco through the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) rules. P…
21 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of the Northern Ferries contract.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07974 on 27 June 2012. 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/parliamentarybusi…
19 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent (a) survey and (b) valuation of the MV Ali Cat was commissioned prior to its purchase for use on the Dunoon to Gourock ferry route and, if so, whether this is publicly available.
Answer · Keith Brown: The MV AliCat was not purchased by the Scottish Government. The MV AliCat was purchased by David MacBrayne Ltd (DML) and is chartered by them to Argyll Ferries Ltd (AFL) for use on the Gourock – Dunoon town centre to town centre ferry service. The survey and…
15 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last spoke to Highlands and Islands Enterprise on developing a feasibility study regarding the establishment of a medical isotopes unit in the Caithness area.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government officials have discussed this issue with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) on a number of occasions, including, most recently on 21 June. HIE has reviewed a report from Dounreay on the possibility of attracting the production of medi…
15 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it has estimated the cost of a victims commissioner at £0.5 million (Official Report, c. 10026).
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The estimate is based on the Financial Memorandum for the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Bill which stated that the total cost including start up costs in the first year would be £481,159.
30 May 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making with the tendering process for CalMac routes.
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the Post Office Diversification Fund in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 were successful.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The number of post offices which received funding in each of the years were (a) 47 and (b) 48.
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget for the Post Office Diversification fund was in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 and is for 2012-13.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The budget for the fund was £1 miilion in each of 2010-11 and 2011-12. There is no budget for the Post Office Diversification Fund in 2012-13.
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were to the Post Office Diversification Fund in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The number of eligible applications in each of the years were (a) 215 and (b) 200.
25 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the tendering process for CalMac routes of over 30 minutes will require that the services have defibrillators and appropriately trained staff.
Answer · Keith Brown: There is no legislative requirement for the use of defibrillators on passenger ferries. No decisions have yet been taken in respect of service requirements in relation to the further tendering of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.