George Foulkes

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is giving to (a) charities and (b) local authorities with investments in Icelandic banks.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is working with the UK Government, Scottish local authorities and, through the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Scottish charities to secure and retain all the assets that Scottish depositors had placed in Icelandic banks …

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements exist for the monitoring of the prevalence of smoking among pregnant women.

Answer · Shona Robison: Smoking history is recorded at the first antenatal booking appointment. This information is used as an indicator of prevalence of smoking among pregnant women. Data collected on the national smoking cessation database provides information on the number of pre…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets exist for reducing smoking and what progress has been made toward achieving them.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to reducing the smoking rate for adults aged 16 and over to 22% by 2010. The longer term trend in smoking prevalence is clearly downwards, with rates decreasing from 30.4% in 1999 to 24.7% in 2007.</p> <p >The Scottish Go…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the impact of the ban on smoking in public places on the (a) prevalence of smoking among and (b) health of (i) pregnant women and (ii) the total population and what assessment has been of similar experiences in other countries.

Answer · Shona Robison: Although the smoke-free laws are undoubtedly the most important piece of public health legislation for a generation, they form part of a much wider tobacco control strategy, including programmes targeted specifically at reducing smoking among pregnant women, …

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that written parliamentary questions are answered by the due date.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government has a process in place that aims to answer written parliamentary questions within 10 counting days (20 days during recess).</p>

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals have been received from local authorities and bus operators regarding the operation of the concessionary fares scheme and whether any guidance has been issued on how such appeals should be resolved.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No appeals have been received from either local authorities or bus operators regarding the operation of the scheme. Guidance was issued to all bus operators when they were admitted to the scheme prior to its inception in April 2006. The Statutory Instrument (…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of alcohol-related hospital admissions in 2006 and 2007 were repeat admissions.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of repeat discharges is currently unavailable for the calendar year 2007. Table 1 provides the percentages of repeat discharges with an alcohol-related diagnosis from general acute hospitals in the financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote to disabled people the sport of clay pigeon shooting.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We support the principle that people with disabilities have access to a wide range of sporting activities. However, it is for the sports governing body, in this instance the Scottish Clay Target Association, to promote the sport of clay pigeon (target) shooti…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current establishment and number of staff employed by the Crown Office are and how this compares with May 2007.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The current number of budgeted posts in Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is 1,676.9. As at 31 October 2008 the number of staff in post was 1,592.3.</p> <p >In May 2007 the number of budgeted posts was 1,553.1 and the number in post was 1,498.5.</p>…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training exists to ensure that employment support workers take account of the needs of people with autism.

Answer · Shona Robison: We know that autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) organisations, such as National Autistic Society, provide autism awareness training and such training is available for all agencies to raise awareness of needs of people with autism. Some organisations also provid…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of cross-border transfer of organs for transplantation.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No specific assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the cross-border transfer of organs for transplantation. This is because the allocation of organs is based on a UK-wide system which does not take specific account of the boundaries between countrie…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people volunteered for organ donation in each month since March 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table gives the number of new names added to the NHS organ donor register in Scotland and in the UK as a whole in each month since March 2008:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap valign=top > <p…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are made for patients requiring specialised medical treatment available only in hospitals in England.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The arrangements for Scottish patients requiring access to specialised medical treatment which is only available in England are managed on behalf of NHSScotland by National Services Division (NSD). Specialised services provided in England are funded through t…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each occasion when information held by one of its departments or agencies has been lost or illegally accessed as a result of e-crime since May 2007, also indicating the date and name of agency or department.

Answer · John Swinney: There have been no centrally recorded incidents of e-crime having led to the loss or illegal accessing of information within the Scottish Executive or its agencies since May 2007.</p>

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all occasions when a Government Car Service car has driven the First Minister or any other member of the Cabinet to or from the Glenrothes UK parliamentary constituency.

Answer · John Swinney: The following table covers all journeys arranged and driven by the Government Car Service to and from the Glenrothes UK Parliamentary constituency by the First Minister and his five Cabinet Secretaries; between 1 September and 3 November 2008.</p> <table bo…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the First Minister’s daily use of the Government Car Service, including start and end points, in September and October 2008.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister''s use of the Government Car Service during September and October 2008 is shown in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 > <thead> <tr > <td width=139 nowrap valign=top > <p align=cente…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each official engagement for which the First Minister has (a) received or (b) accepted an invitation in (i) Edinburgh and (ii) Glasgow in September and October 2008.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister accepted and attended the following engagements in Glasgow and Edinburgh during September and October 2008:</p> <p >Edinburgh Events</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=480 > <thead> <tr > <td width=132 valign=to…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each official engagement for which the First Minister has (a) received or (b) accepted an invitation in Fife in September and October 2008.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister has attended one official engagement in Fife during September and October 2008. He visited Rosyth on 18 September to make an announcement about the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service. The First Minister receives many thousands of invitations…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17090 by John Swinney on 22 October 2008, which Scottish ministers and junior Scottish ministers have signed a declaration of adherence to the provisions of the Official Secrets Act 1989.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Official Secrets Act 1989 applies to the Scottish ministers. There is no requirement for ministers to sign declarations of adherence to the act.</p>

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Saltire-branded space hoppers it has ordered for the purposes of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008; where they were manufactured; what the item price is, and what the overall cost was of production.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has not ordered any Saltire-branded space hoppers for the St Andrew''s Day celebrations. Space hoppers used in the St Andrew''s Day launch photocall on Friday 31 October 2008 belong to the PR company used by the Scottish Government fo…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive where all the Saltire flags procured for the purposes of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008 were manufactured.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Saltire flags were manufactured in the Far East. These flags were all sourced from Scottish Government approved suppliers according to procurement guidance. The buying decision is made on quality, price and required delivery time.</p> <p >The Saltire fla…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the agencies, organisations, public bodies and public services that it has provided with Saltire flags for the purpose of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008 and what the total cost was.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is providing merchandise packs, which include a Saltire flag in each for the purpose of St Andrew''s Day 2008 activities to the following organisations:</p> <p >Businesses</p> <p >Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc</p> <p >HBOS plc</p…

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has provided to schools regarding St Andrew’s Day 2008 and at what total expected cost.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government sent a leaflet of ideas and activities for celebrating St Andrew''s Day, together with a Saltire flag, to all schools and pre-schools in Scotland.</p> <p >The design and print of the leaflet, together with distribution of one leaflet …

30 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the Saltire-branded products that it has commissioned or produced for the purpose of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government purchase a range of branded merchandise for promotional purposes throughout the year, and some or all of the items from the following list will be used for St Andrew''s Day.</p> <p >Scotland branded items with logo and url <a href="ht…

29 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the use of fixed-term contracts for its senior officials.

Answer · John Swinney: Fixed-term employment contracts, normally for no more than four years, are used from time to time for appointments to the Senior Civil Service in line with business needs. They allow for people to be recruited to posts that are expected to last for a defined …

29 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what overseas visits were undertaken by the Permanent Secretary in each of the last three financial years; what class of travel was used, and what the total cost was.

Answer · John Swinney: The Permanent Secretary made the following overseas visits in the last three financial years.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=564 colspan=4 valign=top > <p align=center >2005-06 Financial Year</p> </td…

29 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what bonuses were paid to the Permanent Secretary in each of the last three financial years.

Answer · John Swinney: The Permanent Secretary''s remuneration is set by the UK Government on the recommendation of the Permanent Secretaries'' Remuneration Committee, which comprises members of the independent Senior Salaries Review Board (SSRB), the Head of the Home Civil Service…

29 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations on any aspect of the provision of public or privately-funded academies or schools based on a particular faith or religion and, if so, what the nature of those representations was and from whom they were received.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Ministers receive as a matter or course, a wealth of representations relating to denominational schools in the public and private sectors, expressing a range of opinions. Ultimately, under the terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the responsibility for…

29 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gives to NHS boards regarding health service staff with moral or religious objections who wish to opt out of abortion procedures.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Abortion Act 1967 has a conscientious objection clause which permits health care staff to refuse to participate in terminations but which obliges them to provide necessary treatment in an emergency when the woman''s life may be jeopardised.</p> <p >While…

29 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is provided by it, its agencies or bodies for which it is responsible, to Brook Advisory Centres or any other body providing advice on abortion.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government currently provides additional funding of £4.5 million each year to NHS boards to implement Respect and Responsibility, Scotland''s national sexual health strategy.</p> <p >In addition, the Scottish Government also provides a total of …