Parliamentary questions

David Stewart

1,651 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

10 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow flexibility in the placing of a-frame advertising boards on pavements adjacent to trunk roads in order to safeguard free passage while allowing the provision of important information to visitors and residents.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Guidance on a-frame advertising boards is set out in Transport Scotland''s Disability Discrimination Act Good Practice Guide for Roads, which was published in October 2009. This is available on the Transport Scotland website at: <a href="http…

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital emergency admissions were recorded for diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemic coma in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by (i) age, (ii) gender, and (iii) NHS board area.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is given in the following tables. Table 1: Number of emergency admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis (without coma) by age group, gender and NHS board of residence for financial year ending 31 March 2008 and provisional data …

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any resurfacing of the Kessock Bridge will be programmed to take place during a summer period.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Yes. The resurfacing work cannot take place during the winter. The bridge is very exposed and some of the operations required, including bridge deck waterproofing and surfacing, cannot be carried out at low temperatures, in wet conditions or during high winds…

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made for access to the Kessock Bridge for emergency services during any period of resurfacing.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Initial consultation has been carried out with the emergency services, including the police, ambulance and fire services and RNLI, and all will be consulted extensively during the scheme design process. Provision will be made to allow access through the works…

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the impact of rerouting traffic from the Kessock Bridge onto the old A9 through Clachnaharry and Beauly on congestion in Inverness and the communities along the old A9 route.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: During the resurfacing works, traffic flow will be restricted to one lane in each direction on the Kessock Bridge. Traffic modelling exercises have been carried out to assess the impact of the works on both the trunk road and local roads network. Workshops ha…

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a ferry service for cars and pedestrians will be reintroduced from North Kessock to South Kessock prior to or during any major roadworks taking place on the Kessock Bridge.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A number of measures to reduce delays during the works, including public transport initiatives, a park-and-ride scheme, car sharing and ferries are being considered. The viability of introducing a passenger ferry service is one of the measures being assessed.…

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a park-and-ride scheme will be put in place in North Kessock prior to any major roadworks taking place on the Kessock Bridge.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A number of measures to reduce delays during the works, including public transport initiatives, a park-and-ride scheme, car sharing and ferries are being considered, and our operating company, Scotland TranServ, is in consultation with the Highland Council ab…

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what duration it anticipates for lane closures on the Kessock Bridge during any resurfacing work.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is currently anticipated that the works will require contraflow on the bridge for a period of five to six months. During the works, contraflow will initially operate on one side of the bridge and then switch to the opposite side.

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to resurface the Kessock Bridge before 2012 and, if so, when it will appoint the contractor; when the work will start; when the work will conclude, and whether it anticipates that the work will involve the closure of one or two lanes on the bridge for north and southbound…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Resurfacing works are planned to start in March 2011 at the earliest, however this depends on a number of technical and financial factors. The works will require phased closure of one of the two carriageways of the bridge throughout the contract, with one tra…

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether provisional financial resources have been set aside to take account of any work identified in the Scotland Transerv report regarding congestion on the Kessock Bridge.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Any measures identified in the Longman roundabout capacity improvement study will be costed and prioritised with other minor improvement schemes across the trunk road network.

9 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the terms of reference are for the Scotland Transerv report regarding congestion on the Kessock Bridge.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The brief for the report is to find the most appropriate design solution that creates sufficient reserve capacity at Longman roundabout to reduce the morning and afternoon peak hour traffic queuing.

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that better use of ICT by the public sector would assist the delivery of better public services and whether it has prioritised areas for action.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27879 on 26 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps…

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage better ICT procurement practices in local authorities.

Answer · John Swinney: The Public Procurement Reform Programme has introduced a range of measures to improve procurement practices in local authorities and the public sector as a whole. For example, the national and sectoral centres of expertise established under the programme are …

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it considers that the public sector can better use developments in ICT technology, such as telepresence.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to pursuing greater efficiency, effectiveness and speed of delivery of public services. The extent to which developments in technology can enable service transformation is dependent upon specific business requirements. Tec…

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish plans for the development of a country-wide public sector ICT infrastructure network.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is presently conducting research into the as is position of the public sector ICT infrastructure and this will inform the development of proposals for policy and delivery.

16 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has received from the Office of Fair Trading regarding the imposition of minimum pricing.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has kept the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) informed of progress in developing minimum pricing for alcohol in Scotland. OFT has provided guidance on completing competition assessments to assist us develop the documents that will be publi…

3 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to improve broadband services to the Isle of Eigg.

Answer · Jim Mather: Following successful completion of the Scottish Government''s Broadband Reach Project in May 2009, the Scottish Government has already extended basic broadband connectivity (defined as 512Kbps) to the Isle of Eigg. This is in line with the Scottish Government…

3 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the Western Isles fishing community and processing industry on the future of prawn fishing.

Answer · Richard Lochhead : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0903-01.htm">http://www.scot…

1 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS board chief executives were asked for written advice on the appropriateness of placing Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi in their areas.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: None, and there is no reason why NHS boards would be consulted.

1 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which chief constables, excluding the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, were asked for written advice on the placement of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi in their force areas.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: None, and there is no reason why other chief constables would be consulted.

1 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authority social work directors were asked for written advice on the possible compassionate placement of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Senior staff in East Renfrewshire Council were consulted as part of contingency planning. No written advice was sought or offered.

28 Aug 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve conditions for prisoners at Oban Sheriff Court following publication of the HM Inspectorate of Prisons report, Report on HMP Greenock: Full Inspection, 6-13 May 2009.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Court Service has recently reached an in-principle agreement with Strathclyde Police that will shortly allow prisoners attending Oban Sheriff Court to be held in Oban police cells. Reliance Custodial Services have undertaken a risk assessment o…

28 Aug 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Scotland Transerv report regarding congestion on the Kessock Bridge to be published.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The report is now expected to be published at the end of December 2009. This is due to the need for more detailed traffic impact assessments to be carried out in relation to committed development proposals in this area.

18 Aug 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25986 by Stewart Stevenson on 13 August 2009, why it has concluded that the EC guidelines on start-up aid to airlines would not allow a level of support which would materially influence airlines’ decision-making processes.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The European Commission''s guidelines substantially restrict start-up aid to airlines in a number of ways, including the following: Aid can only be given to EU registered carriers operating on intra-EU routes. No intercontinental services can be sup…

21 Jul 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the return of the former air route development fund in light of the decision by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation to introduce a European Commission-approved air route development scheme.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no plans to resurrect the air route development fund in light of the approval of the Cypriot Tourism Organisation (CTO) scheme. The CTO scheme was approved under the framework of the EC guidelines on start-up aid to airlines. We do not believe that …