Parliamentary questions
George Foulkes
1,927 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of admissions for heart-related hospital admissions was repeat admissions, broken down by NHS board in each of the last five years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the number of admissions and the number of repeat admissions for patients admitted with a heart-related diagnosis for the financial years ending 31 March 2006 and 2010, by NHS board of residence.</p> <p >A repeat admission is defin…
8 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of admissions to the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit was repeat admissions, broken down by NHS board in each of the last five years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All liver transplants in Scotland are carried out by the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The following table shows the number of liver transplants carried out in each year from 2005-06 to 2010-11. It also shows the number o…
8 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of admissions for general surgery wards was repeat admissions, broken down by NHS board in each of the last five years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the total number of admissions and the number of repeat admissions for patients admitted to the specialty of General Surgery for the financial years ending 31 March 2006 to 31 March 2010, by NHS board of residence.</p> <p >A repeat…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of drug gangs attempting to infiltrate Strathclyde Police, as reported in The Herald on 14 February 2011, what (a) plans it has to address such activity, (b) support it offers police forces and (c) suggestions it has received from chief constables.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The handling of matters relating to corruption within Scottish Police forces is the responsibility of individual chief constables.</p> <p >The Police (Conduct) (Scotland) Regulations 1996 allow police forces to impose a range of sanctions, including the opti…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) guidance or (b) regulations there are on how school budgets should be spent.
Answer · Michael Russell: There are no regulations but guidelines were issued to local authorities in February 2006 setting out the principles of Devolved School Management (DSM) which aimed to bring between 80% and 90% of school budgets under the control of headteachers. In November …
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided any (a) agencies, (b) organisations and (c) public bodies or services with (i) books and (ii) literature on old Scots dialect and, if so, what the cost was.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We have not provided books or literature on Old Scots dialect to any agencies, organisations, public bodies or services.</p>
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the running cost was for each of its directorates in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10 and has been in 2010-11.
Answer · John Swinney: The figures provided in the following table are for delegated running costs for which Directors General (DG) have responsibility, and exclude capital and running costs associated with IT, buildings and other corporately-managed activities. For comparative pur…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) agencies, (b) organisations and (c) public bodies and services it has provided with Saltire badges in each of the last four years and what the cost was.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Saltire is Scotland''s national flag and is one of the most recognisable symbols of Scotland, encouraging a sense of pride amongst Scots. Under both this and the previous administration, the Scottish Government uses the Saltire to promote and advocate Sco…
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who it has contracted to deliver the 2011 census and at what cost.
Answer · John Swinney: The responsibility for delivering the 2011 census lies with the Registrar General for <st2:country-region><st2:place>Scotland</st2:place></st2:country-region>. The total cost of the census in Scotland, over its 10 year cycle, was estimated at £65.17 million i…
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-39157, which received a holding answer on 10 February 2011.
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-39156, which received a holding answer on 10 February 2011.
24 Feb 2011 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has received from SEPA regarding the environmental impact of the development of biomass plants.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: At the beginning of last year the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) provided guidance which was incorporated into the Scottish Government''s Generic Scoping Guidance for Biomass Plants. The guidance sets out what developers need to consider in ass…
21 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many day care managers there are for children; how many have degrees, and how many of those who do not have degrees have more than (a) 10 and (b) 20 years’ experience as day care managers for children.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The number of managers of day care for children and their qualification levels are published on the Scottish Government website. The latest published data indicate there are 4670 managers of day care service and 34% hold a childcare qualification at degree le…
16 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings or discussions ministers had in 2010 with (a) UK Government ministers, (b) faith leaders, (c) religious organisations and (d) other groups or organisations regarding civil partnerships in religious premises.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: In 2010 Scottish Government officials met representatives of a number of religious and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations to discuss civil partnerships in religious premises including the Quakers, the Liberal Jewish community, the Equ…
16 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the UK Government proposal to allow civil partnerships to take place in consenting religious places, whether the law would have to be amended in Scotland to allow this and, if so, what plans the Scottish Government has to make any such amendment.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Civil Partnership Act 2004 would have to be amended to allow civil partnerships to be registered in religious premises in Scotland. This would require primary legislation. The issue of where people can enter into civil partnerships is devolved, and any am…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-38732, which received a holding reply on 25 January 2011.
Answer · John Swinney: This question was answered on 17 February 2011.</p>
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many events it provided with grant funding in 2010, broken down by (a) level of grant, (b) name of event and (c) description of event.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to encouraging a sense of national identity and to promoting Scotland''s relations and interests in many sectors. Both are vital if Scotland is to prosper and if we are to achieve our goal of sustainable economic growth. S…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in his work for the Scottish Government, the senior policy officer in the City of Edinburgh Council’s equalities unit reports to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Scottish Government Resilience.
Answer · Alex Neil: No. In his work for the Scottish Government, the Equalities Manager for the City of Edinburgh Council does not report to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Scottish Resilience.</p>
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its officials had discussions with City of Edinburgh Council officials in relation to the Craigmillar Settlement in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: There were no such discussions.</p>
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what strategic issues relating to infrastructure investment the Infrastructure Investment Group considered in 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: The Infrastructure Investment Group considered a number of strategic issues during 2010. Specific examples included:</b></p> <p >The review of governance of the Scottish Government''s capital programme, following the recommendations of the Public Audit Comm…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what investment funds the Infrastructure Investment Group managed strategically across the Scottish Executive and how it ensured that variances from planned expenditure were kept to a minimum in 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: While the management of investment funds are the responsibility of individual portfolios under the oversight of DG Finance, the Infrastructure Investment Group provided a forum for the strategic consideration of the Scottish Government''s overall capital budg…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what major capital projects the Infrastructure Investment Group scrutinised in 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: During the course of 2010 the Infrastructure Investment Group (IIG) examined the following key infrastructure investment programmes:</b></p> <p >Schools for the Future School Building programme;</p> <p >Hub;</p> <p >Health capital programme; and</p> <p…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide examples of the Infrastructure Investment Group improving co-ordination of investment activity in 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: The Infrastructure Investment Group played an important role in improving co-ordination of investment activity during 2010. Specific examples included:</b></p> <p >Leading on the review of governance of the Scottish Government''s capital programme, which le…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations the Infrastructure Investment Group made to (a) the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Executive, (b) its Strategic Board and (c) the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: The Infrastructure Investment Group oversaw the recent improvements to the Scottish Government''s infrastructure investment governance structure, specifically the establishment of the Infrastructure Investment Board, helping meet the recommendations of the Pu…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Infrastructure Investment Group provided any management arrangements to ensure an effective investment strategy for the Edinburgh trams project.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39592 on 25 February 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/Apps2/Busine…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Infrastructure Investment Group provided advice to the (a) Scottish Government or (b) the City of Edinburgh Council in relation to the Edinburgh trams project and, if so, what advice.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39592 on 25 February 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/Apps2/Busine…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Infrastructure Investment Group made recommendations to the (a) Scottish Government or (b) City of Edinburgh Council in relation to the Edinburgh trams project and, if so, what recommendations.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39592 on 25 February 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/Apps2/Busine…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Infrastructure Investment Group had any involvement with the Edinburgh trams project and, if so, how it (a) scrutinised and (b) monitored the project and what conclusions it reached regarding the management of the project.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39592 on 25 February 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/Apps2/Busine…
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the chief executive of Transport Scotland received (a) advice or (b) recommendations from members of the Infrastructure Investment Group in relation to the Edinburgh trams project and, if so, what advice or recommendations.
Answer · John Swinney: The Infrastructure Investment Group had no involvement with the Edinburgh trams project.</b></p>
11 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Infrastructure Investment Group ensured that the Scottish Government’s infrastructure investment programme provided appropriate investment to enable sustainable economic growth in 2010.