Parliamentary questions

George Foulkes

1,927 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to following the example of the Welsh Assembly Government in abolishing hospital car parking charges for staff and visitors.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Currently, car parking is free at most NHSScotland hospitals and charges have only been introduced as a method of last resort as part of a planned approach to ensuring that adequate access is available to those health care sites which are congested and where …

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11621 by Kenny MacAskill on 15 March 2008, whether it will provide an estimate of the cost of the Shirley McKie inquiry and from which budget it will be financed as this information was not included in the answer to question S3W-10920 referred to in …

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: As stated in the answer to question S3W-10920 on 14 March 2008, planning and preparatory work for the inquiry is taking place under the guidance of Lord Justice Campbell. That work includes dialogue with the Scottish Government, in the context of which we wil…

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many SQUIRE (Scottish Quality Inspection Reporting Regime) inspectors are employed by Transport Scotland, what the nature of their work is, and to whom they report.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The complement for SQUIRE Inspectors (SQUIRE is Service Quality Incentive REgime) is 12 inspectors reporting to a SQUIRE Team Manager. Nine SQUIRE inspectors are currently employed with three vacancies advertised. A SQUIRE inspector''s role is specified in th…

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimate is of the cost of the National Conversation; how many staff are involved in the initiative, and when it expects to provide a report to the Parliament.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All costs relating to the National Conversation have been met from existing budgets. There are currently the equivalent of three full-time members of staff in the National Conversation co-ordination team. The design, publication, translation and lau…

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of responses received to the National Conversation by (a) email, (b) letter and (c) other methods.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The government''s key aim in holding a National Conversation is to allow people to debate, reflect, and then decide how they wish to be governed in the future. The way in which people choose to engage in the debate will vary, but the government is committed t…

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister has been disciplined under the Scottish Ministerial Code since May 2007 and, if so, what the circumstances were in each case.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Ministerial Code details the arrangements for the conduct of affairs by ministers and provides guidance by listing the principles and the precedents which may apply. The code is not a rule book, nor does it include or imply a complaints process. …

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the public bodies, groups or committees (a) created and (b) wound up since May 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: The information requested will be published on the Scottish Government''s website. It will then be updated at regular intervals. I will write to the member in due course to provide relevant links to the website.

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold discussions with the UK Government with a view to enabling concessionary bus travel passes to be accepted throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No discussions are planned at present.

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning will make a written statement on the outcome of her visit to China.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The information requested is provided in a letter I have written to the Presiding Officer, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45499).

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students from the People’s Republic of China there are in each university in Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The following table shows the number of students from the People''s Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macao) attending each of Scotland''s higher education institutions. Number of Students from China (Including Hong Kong and Macao) <tab…

15 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have (a) been invited by and (b) accepted invitations from the Stagecoach Group to a transport dinner on Thursday 8 May 2008.

Answer · John Swinney: No ministers received an invitation to this event in their ministerial capacity. A number of ministers did receive an invite in their MSP capacity but none are attending.

10 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to build, install or run a SuperGrid.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government does not intend to build, install or run an offshore transmission network. Our aim is to help make the case for future commercial investment, to take advantage of our offshore renewables potential. This is reflected in our inv…

10 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for renewable energy generation have been received since May 2007 and what the outcome was in each case.

Answer · Jim Mather: Electricity generating developments (greater than 50Mw generally and 1Mw for water driven generating stations) are consented by Scottish ministers under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. In considering an application made under Section 36 of the Electri…

10 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with UK Ministers and/or officials regarding Rockall since May 2007; on what dates, and whether it will list the attendees at each meeting.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The UK has had no such discussions with the Scottish Government. The issue of sovereignty of Rockall is a reserved matter.

10 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much compensation has been paid to hill farmers since May 2007.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Since May 2007, £57.28 million has been paid under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme 2007.

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the practical outcomes have been of the Futures Project since its establishment.

Answer · John Swinney: The Futures Project has realised its intended outcomes. The outputs (data and analysis) and approaches from this kind of long-term thinking continue to influence policy-making, including for example the 2007 budget, and we continue to build the working relati…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many legislative consent motions have been lodged since May 2007 and how this figure compares with the same period in the previous eight years.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The information requested is set out in the following tables. Session 3 Number of Legislative Consent Motions Lodged per Parliamentary Year in Session 3 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=183 valign=top >…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many faith schools there are in each education authority area in Scotland and what new faith schools are planned.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Information is published annually in the statistical bulletin Pupils in Scotland, on the numbers of denominational primary, secondary and special schools in each local authority area. Tables 6.3, 7.3 and 8.3 of the 2007 bulletin give the relevant info…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the impact of pupils attending private schools in Edinburgh on the provision of public education in the city.

Answer · Maureen Watt: No such specific estimate has been made. The City of Edinburgh Council''s fulfilment of its statutory duties to provide public education reflects the fact that those of the 10,000 pupils who attend independent schools in Edinburgh and who live locally do not …

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the parents of pupils in private schools to choose to send their children to their local state school.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government and local government are working together to ensure that Scotland has an excellent education system. Through Curriculum for Excellence, this government is seeking to encourage and embed local educational excellence in all of our school…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of reducing the size of the Primary 1 to Primary 3 classes with (a) between 18 and 26 pupils and (b) more than 25 pupils in the School Pupils Census 2007 to the target of all classes with 18 or fewer pupils.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The number of teachers required to reduce primary 1 to primary 3 classes to a maximum of 18 will vary according to the class formation policies, such as the use of composite classes, adopted by individual local authorities. Consequently, there will also be va…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the public statement by the First Minister following the London Heathrow Terminal 5 issue, regarding the provision of a new fast rail link between Scotland and the South of England, represents Scottish Government policy and, if so, what action it has taken to promote this policy.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is Scottish Government''s aspiration to improve journey times, and we continue to work with the Department for Transport to achieve faster journeys between Scotland and England. Indeed, we are actively seeking discussions with the UK Government to discuss …

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made and what action it has taken, to secure direct access for trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the Channel Tunnel.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No discussions have yet taken place. Lead responsibility for cross border rail services lies with the Secretary of State for Transport. However, we have written to the UK Government requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of cross border rail links and thei…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken since May 2007 to improve the position of women in public life.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is committed to improving all aspects of women''s (and men''s) lives in Scotland. Our gender equality scheme annual report (March 2008) provides a comprehensive update on action taken over the last year on the high-level objectives (an…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the cost to businesses of mental ill health at work, what support it is providing to cope with this and what plans it has made to develop this.

Answer · Shona Robison: Improving mental health and wellbeing in employment and working life is one of the six priority areas for action under the government''s National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing. This seeks to contribute “ in a range of settings i…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what examination it has undertaken of the propriety of it subsidising post offices in Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: Post offices are reserved under Schedule 5 (Section C11) of the Scotland Act 1998. The Government''s position on this issue was set out in my letter dated 29 January 2008 to the Petitions Committee of the Scottish Parliament at: <a href="http://www.s…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to counteract problems facing the Scottish pig industry, following the rise in the cost of feedstock.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We recognise that this is a serious issue. Together with the industry, we are setting up a short-life task force to recommend actions that will help the Scottish pig sector. We have also invited the British Retail Consortium to ask its members to con…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle the issue of fly-tipping.

Answer · Michael Russell: We fund the Scottish fly-tipping forum through the independent environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful. The forum includes all of the key stakeholders who are affected by fly-tipping including police, councils, Scottish Government, the Scottish Environm…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to introduce legislation to enable inquiries into deaths of Scottish service personnel overseas to be held in Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Discussions are still continuing with Whitehall departments in efforts to find a solution to this problem. A letter emphasising the need to make progress with this issue was sent to the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 March. The chief complicati…

4 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities it has in respect of the provision of adequate facilities at motorway service stations.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ministers'' responsibilities for the provision of adequate facilities at motorway service areas are limited to the installation, at developers'' expense, of Services signs giving advance warning of service areas, subject to the minimum requirements to qualify…