Parliamentary questions
David Stewart
1,651 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for the provision of road equivalent tariff for ferries in 2011-12.
Answer · Keith Brown: The budget for the RET pilot for 2011-12 is £6.5 million.
24 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend road equivalent tariff to other islands and in what timescale.
Answer · Keith Brown: As part of their commitment to encouraging economic growth and employment, ministers have announced the Scottish Government’s intention to: roll out a further RET pilot for passenger and cars including small commercial vehicles and coaches to Colonsay, Isla…
23 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been in relocating Inverness College to the Beechwood Campus.
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on publishing in Gaelic.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: As with any language translation the Scottish Government considers each case on its merit whilst ensuring we meet our legal duty under race relations legislation in ensuring access to information for everyone. However, this does not mean that all information …
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether submissions to its consultations that are translated into English are published along with the original language.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04186 on 14 December 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/parliamenta…
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether submissions in languages other than English to its consultations are published in the original language.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government values Scotland’s linguistic and cultural diversity and welcomes consultation responses in languages other than English. Responses in Scottish Gaelic and Scots are particularly encouraged, in keeping with the policy of normalising the …
22 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to (a) sustain and (b) develop Highland games.
Answer · Shona Robison: Highland Games play an important role in maintaining links with our cultural heritage and in instilling a sense of national pride in our long standing traditions. This government is committed to ensuring that the importance of Highland games is not diminished…
16 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a minimum number of courses at Senior Phase National 5 level for schools to deliver.
Answer · Michael Russell: Decisions about the number and range of subjects offered at National 5 are for individual schools and local authorities to make in consultation with parents and learners. As is the case currently, there is no central prescription on the minimum or maximum num…
16 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in each local authority will deliver five courses at Senior Phase National 5 level from 2013-14 and how many will deliver (a) fewer and (b) more than that number.
Answer · Michael Russell: Decisions about the number and range of subjects offered at National 5 are for individual schools and local authorities to make in consultation with parents and learners. As is the case currently, there is no central prescription on the number of subjects off…
16 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be offered to schools to guarantee delivery of (a) depth, (b) personalisation and (c) choice of subjects at Senior Phase National 5 level.
Answer · Michael Russell: Illustrations of how the senior phase (S4-S6 in schools) could be delivered have been developed by schools and are available on the Education Scotland website at the following link: www.ltscotland.org.uk/buildingyourcurriculum/curriculumplanning/creatingapla…
2 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the development of industrial scale fish farming in the Western Isles.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Aquaculture is an important industry for Scotland, especially rural Scotland and needs appropriate sites for development if it is to grow in a sustainable way. It is for the local planning authority, in the first instance, to determine the acceptability of an…
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the (a) outcomes and (b) benefits of the Reshaping Change Fund in 2010-11.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government will issue Reshaping Care Change Fund guidance for 2012-13 later this year, asking Partnerships to record evidence in their Change Plans showing (a) how their actions since the inception of the Change Fund in 2011-12 have impacted on n…
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of NHS boards' use of the Reshaping Change Fund in 2010-11.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The £70 million Reshaping Care Change Fund was announced in the 2011-12 budget and all 32 partnerships submitted Change Plans, agreed by all partners including Councils, NHS boards and representatives of the Third Sector and Independent Sectors, to the Minist…
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the Audit Scotland report, A review of telehealth in Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has agreed all of the recommendations contained in the Audit Scotland report.
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor NHS boards' implementation of the Reshaping Change Fund in 2011-12.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Over the four years of the Change Fund the Scottish Government expects to see the proportion of funding allocated by partnerships to preventative and anticipatory care, and proactive care and support at home increase. Progress made by partnerships will be con…
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to deliver a national strategy for telehealth following the publication of the Audit Scotland report, A review of telehealth in Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Work is underway within NHS 24 to develop a new national strategic framework for telehealth and telecare (recognising the fact that responsibility for the Telecare Development Programme transferred to NHS 24 on 1 April 2011, forming the Scottish Centre for Te…
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to implement a national strategy for telehealth.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Following the transfer of responsibility to NHS24 for the Scottish Centre for Telehealth, a national strategic framework was established from 2010-2012. This committed the SCT to delivering four national programmes as follows: Stroke Paediatrics Long Term …
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the level of funding from the Reshaping Change Fund in 2010-11 that was allocated to telehealth services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Over the four years of the Change Fund the Scottish Government expects to see the proportion of funding allocated by Partnerships to proactive care and support at home increase. Reshaping Care Change Fund guidance for 2012-13, which will issue later this year…
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) NHS 24 and (b) the Scottish Centre for Telehealth to ensure that its new strategic framework contains specific measures for developing telehealth.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the development of the new Strategic Framework, consultation will take place with the Scottish Government, and a wide range of stakeholders, regarding specific measures. The strategic framework and measures will be endorsed by the eHealth Strategy …
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement the recommendation in the Audit Scotland report, A review of telehealth in Scotland, to work with NHS boards, NHS 24 and the Scottish Centre for Telehealth to identify how the implementation of national telehealth programmes will be funded.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All programmes of work will be based on robust business cases. Business cases will not be approved unless funding streams have been agreed in advance. Any decisions to take forward national telehealth programmes will be based on the benefits that will be real…
2 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to the Audit Scotland report, A review of telehealth in Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has already undertaken a review of the Scottish Centre for Telehealth (SCT). This review resulted in the SCT becoming part of NHS24, developing a more focused set of priorities, publishing a national framework and working with NHS boar…
26 Oct 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the legislation regarding dangerous and defective buildings.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: A review is currently underway to improve the cost recovery powers for local authorities dealing with dangerous and defective buildings.
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38688 by Keith Brown on 11 January 2011, whether it remains its position that the journey time reductions on the Highland Main Line will be delivered in May 2012 and what the savings will be.
Answer · Keith Brown: Journey time reductions on the Highland main line will now take effect from December 2012. This is because the rail industry has agreed not to make any significant changes to the May 2012 GB Rail Timetable to accommodate planning for the Olympic and Paralympi…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a three hour journey time for trains between Inverness and Glasgow will be introduced by December 2012.
Answer · Keith Brown: No. The project will be delivered in phases and aims to provide incremental journey time reductions throughout the scheme. A number of technical improvements are planned which should deliver reduced journey times on some services from next year. The full ext…
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33713 by Michael Russell on 2 June 2010, how many hours of an inspector's time will be diverted as a result of the postponement of the inspection of (a) secondary schools, (b) primary schools and (c) early years centres in the next five years, in ord…
Answer · Michael Russell: Following the autumn programme of support to which S3W-33713 referred there are no further planned postponements of inspection activity to assist with the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence. Support for Curriculum for Excellence is a major part of Ed…
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons Learning and Teaching Scotland and HM Inspectorate of Education were merged.
Answer · Michael Russell: I announced on 14 October 2010 that both Learning and Teaching Scotland and HM Inspectorate of Education provided important support, inspection, practical materials and guidance to schools, colleges and early years provision. The introduction of curriculum fo…
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considered a merger between the Scottish Qualifications Agency and Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) before the merger of LTS and HM Inspectorate of Education.
Answer · Michael Russell: Then, as now, the Scottish Government keeps the public bodies landscape under continuous review and explores all potential options as part of its ongoing commitment to reduce costs and bureaucracy and improve service delivery.
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff (a) were employed by HMIE and (b) are employed by Education Scotland to carry out school inspections.
Answer · Michael Russell: At 30 June 2011, HMIE had 82 Inspectors; 10 Assistant Chief Inspectors; four Health and Nutrition Inspectors; and nine Assistant Inspectors involved in inspections. As of 1 July 2011, when we became Education Scotland, we had 80 Inspectors; nine Assistant Ch…
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many days per annum inspectors spend carrying out school inspections.
Answer · Michael Russell: Inspectors were deployed for a total of 4,404 days to carry out school inspections during 2010-11. This figure does not include pre-school inspections as, in the main, seconded pre-school practitioners carried out inspections in this sector.
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff have been (a) diverted and (b) seconded from Education Scotland to work with the Scottish Qualifications Authority in implementing the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: No staff have been diverted or seconded to support the SQA in the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence. No programme of activity of a similar scale to that which was carried out in autumn of 2010 is planned. Support for Curriculum for Excellence is pa…