Parliamentary questions
David Stewart
1,651 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assumption of mileage rate is made when calculating costs to individual passengers in the road equivalent tariff pilot.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This is one of the issues that the consultants engaged on the road equivalent tariff studyhave been asked to consider and to include in their proposals for the pilotexercise.</p>
27 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the road equivalent tariff pilot to include Shetland, Orkney or Arran.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-5199 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect an upgrade of the A82 would have on the economy of the western highlands and islands.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-7035 on 6 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent jobs would be provided by upgrading the A82.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The A82 RouteAction Plan focused on the technical and engineering issues and did notundertake a detailed examination of the wider economic benefits.</p><p>Projects emergingfrom the STPR will be subject to further, more detailed design development;preliminary …
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to upgrading the A82 as outlined in the A82 Action Plan.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6295 answered on 26 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.u…
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support healthy living centres and what additional funding it will provide for their support when existing lottery funding ends.
Answer · Shona Robison: Community health initiatives,such as healthy living centres, can play a vital role in complementing public services,through effective approaches to improving people’s health in hard-to-reach communities.The Scottish Government provides funding to health board…
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from the Highland Council about the future of the Janny’s Hoose in Inverness.
Answer · Shona Robison: No. The Scottish Governmenthas not received any representations from the Highland Council about the futureof the Janny’s Hoose Healthy Living Centre in Inverness.</p>
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations about the future of the Janny’s Hoose in Inverness.
Answer · Shona Robison: Yes. During the lastyear, including under the previous administration, the Scottish Government has receivedrepresentations about the future of the Janny’s Hoose Healthy Living Centre in Inverness.</p>
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are on the child protection register and how many (a) child protection investigations and (b) public inquiries regarding child protection there have been in each local authority area in each of the last three years.
Answer · Adam Ingram: There were 2,593 childrenrecorded on the child protection register on 31 March 2007. There were 11,960 child protection referrals in thepreceding 12 months and 4,608 of those resulted in a case conference. The localauthority breakdown for each of the last thr…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified social workers with specific responsibility for child protection there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Information is notcollected by the Scottish Government on social workers with specific responsibilityfor child protection. The number of filled social worker posts in Children’s Servicesin each local authority in each of the last three years is provided in th…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified social workers with specific responsibility for child protection there have been on each local authority’s establishment in each of the last three years.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Information is notcollected by the Scottish Government on social workers with specific responsibilityfor child protection. Total establishment of social workers in Children’s Servicesin each local authority in each of the last three years is provided in the f…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified social workers there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The number of filledsocial worker posts in each local authority in each of the last three years is availablein the <i>Social Worker Posts and Vacancies: October 2007</i> publication:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/12120307/0">ht…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified social workers there have been on each local authority’s establishment in each of the last three years.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The number of filledsocial worker posts and vacancies in each local authority in each of the last threeyears is available in the <i>Social Worker Posts and Vacancies: October 2007</i>publication <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/1212030…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice was sought prior to deciding not to consult the public on the Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The issue of consultationwas considered. However, the Scottish Government considered that the abolition of the bridge tolls was a clear manifesto commitment; had been debated in Parliamenton several occasions; had been discussed widely in previous consultatio…
14 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale is planned for the construction of the Elgin bypass.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-231 on 11 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
14 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have been held with Moray Council about the development of the Elgin bypass.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: TransportScotland works in close and continuous collaboration with Moray Councilofficials to identify alternative short and medium term traffic managementsolutions for Elgin’s traffic problems along the route of the A96 trunk roadthrough Elgin.</p>
14 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is of providing insulin pumps as a treatment tool for insulin-dependent diabetes and what percentage this represented of the Executive’s health budget in each year since 2004.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The total cost ofproviding insulin pump therapy is around £836,000 in the current financialyear, assuming 200 patients on CSII, an average cost of £2,500 per pump andconsumables of £1,680 a year per patient. The total NHS budget for the currentfinancial year …
14 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis (a) has been carried out or (b) is planned on the effectiveness of insulin pumps as a treatment tool for insulin-dependent diabetes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The most recentevidence on the effectiveness of insulin pumps as a treatment for those withType 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes is contained in the appraisal consultation documentcurrently available on the website of the National Institute for Health andClinic…
14 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the criteria for qualification for entitlement to insulin pumps.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The NationalInstitute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently consulting onthe terms of a multiple technology appraisal of continuous subcutaneous insulininfusion. This represents a review of its February 2003 Technology AppraisalGuidance No. 5…
14 Nov 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of community wardens.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: An evaluation of communitywardens was carried out by an independent research team from GEN Consulting. Thefindings suggested that community wardens can and do play an important role in supportingsafer and stronger communities. A copy of the full evaluation, w…
24 Oct 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the relocation of Inverness College to a greenfield site.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I understand thatInverness College recently submitted to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) an outline businesscase for funding to support its relocation to a greenfield site and that a decision will hopefully be made in January.</p><p>College funding decisio…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with ferry operators about the road equivalent tariff study.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: To date there havebeen no discussions with ferry operators but the consultants working on the studyof road equivalent tariff (RET) will, as part of their remit, speak to various ferryoperators to seek their views on RET.</p>
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants have been engaged to investigate a (a) pilot study and (b) longer term project into road equivalent tariff proposals; what expenditure has been made to date on this work, and what the anticipated costs are over the next four years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-5196 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have taken place with European Commission officials about state aid implications for road equivalent tariff and, of these, how many have been attended by ministers.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There have been nomeetings with the European Commission to discuss the state aid implications of roadequivalent tariff.</p>
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been commissioned on the use of road equivalent tariff for Scotland’s island communities.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-5196 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations have been received about road equivalent tariff (RET) and, of these, how many have been (a) in support of and (b) against RET.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There has beenwidespread support for this Scottish Government initiative which has beenexpressed, for example, in meetings which I and my ministerial colleagues havehad with stakeholders with an interest. In terms of formal representations,there have been eig…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what island communities will not be covered by road equivalent tariff.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5199 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary question areavailable on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether road equivalent tariff will be claimed by operators or residents.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Our intention isthat road equivalent tariff will be reflected in the fares charged to ferryusers. There will, therefore, be no need for users to claim any rebate.Operators will be recompensed for any loss of revenue arising from lower fares.</p>
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a residency requirement for claiming road equivalent tariff.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We made it clearin announcing details of the road equivalent tariff (RET) study on 13 August 2007 that the initiative would benefit all categories offerry users. There will be no residency requirement for RET.</p>
4 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) mainland to island, (b) mainland to mainland and (c) inter island routes will be covered by road equivalent tariff, showing the routes involved.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The announcementmade by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 13 Augustmade it clear that the first stage of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) studywould make recommendations on the design and implementation of a pilot study onone or more…