Parliamentary questions
Liam McArthur
3,646 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost to Scotland is of the healthy start programme.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Healthy Start scheme is managed by the Department of Health on behalf of the UK Governments. The administrative costs of running the scheme are met by the Department of Health and are thought to be around £5 million per year. We do not contribute towards …
26 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of Scottish children qualifying for healthy start vitamins actually take up the benefit.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05287 on 8 February 2012. The information contained in the management information report received from the Department of Health, does not show, as a separate statistic, the proportion of Scottish children who a…
26 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake rate is for Scottish (a) women and (b) children who qualify for vitamins under the healthy start scheme.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Based on the Management Information report received from the Department of Health for the reporting period (21 November to 15 December 2011) there were 50,294 Scottish beneficiaries eligible under the scheme and 38,625 receiving the benefit. This represents a…
26 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) adults and (b) children in (i) mainland Scotland and (ii) the Scottish islands have blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D below the minimum level of 25 nanomoles per litre.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not currently available. The Food Standards Agency in Scotland and the Scottish Government have funded an analysis of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) in blood samples collected in the 2010 and 2011 Scottish Health Surveys. This data is curren…
23 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the remainder of the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund total of £270 million will come from existing NHS and local authority budgets and whether the successive year allocations of £20, £45 and £50 million referred to on page 59 of the Scottish Spending Review 2011 and…
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Yes.
23 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund has already been allocated and how much remains available.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government contribution to the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund is £50 million over the Parliamentary term. Of that £50 million, £12m has been allocated. This comprises £1.5 million per year over the next three years to establish a …
23 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the additional money for the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund is in addition to the Sure Start Fund referred to on page viii of the Scottish Spending Review 2011 and Draft Budget 2012-13 and how much, over what period, has been allocated to the Sure Start Fund.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: No. The £50 million allocated to the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund over the period of the Parliamentary term is the Sure Start Fund component of the Scottish Futures Fund.
23 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much new money it has allocated to the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund, as referred to on page 38 of the Scottish Spending Review 2011 and Draft Budget 2012-13, and what period the money will cover.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government will provide £50 million of resource to the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund over the current Parliamentary term through the Sure Start component of the Scottish Futures Fund.
11 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the need for a project listed in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 can be established where the primary consent for a project is made under legislation that is reserved and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04949 on 24 January 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…
11 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances consideration of need could be excluded from the remit of a public local inquiry into a proposed project where the primary project consent is not a planning consent.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Once a development is designated as a national development in the National Planning Framework, the policy setting out the “need” for it will not normally be a matter for further consideration in any inquiry associated with an application for consent.
11 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal mechanisms would establish the need for a project listed in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 where the primary project consent required is not a planning consent.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04949 on 24 January 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…
11 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether inclusion of a project as a national development in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 establishes the need for that development where the primary project consent required is not a planning consent and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Section 3A of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 makes provision for ministers to designate certain developments as “national developments” in the National Planning Framework. If the National Planning Framework contains such a designation, it m…
11 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how changes in policy since the publication of the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 will be considered at any public inquiry associated with the decision-making process for applications for new electricity generation stations that are also national developments.
Answer · Derek Mackay: This will be a decision for the Inquiry Reporter.
6 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether repayments of Green Deal Finance are included as a deduction from household income when determining whether a household is fuel poor.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Green Deal does not start until later in 2012 so no data could be collected on Green Deal repayments until Scottish House Condition Survey data collection starts in 2013. The fuel poverty forum is currently undertaking a review of fuel poverty. Once this …
6 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether in calculating household income to determine if a household is in fuel poverty, income in the form of feed-in tariff or renewable heating incentive payments is included.
Answer · Alex Neil: At present no information on income from feed-in-tariffs (FIT) is collected in the Scottish House Condition Survey and therefore income from feed-in tariffs is not added to the income of the household when calculating fuel poverty. However, the Scottish House…
4 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-04235 by John Swinney on 7 December 2011, for what reason no record of relocation of jobs is held centrally; whether information is held centrally on the relocation of public bodies, and, if so, how many have been relocated since January 2008 and to …
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04235 on 7 December 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/parliamentaryb…
19 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-02090 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 August 2011, whether additional funding will be provided to support the provision, maintenance and use of hyperbaric chambers in Orkney following the review of hyperbaric medicine.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04699 on 16 January 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/parliamentar…
19 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-02090 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 August 2011, when a decision will be taken on any changes to the provision, maintenance and use of hyperbaric chambers in Orkney following the review of hyperbaric medicine.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The National Services Advisory Group has accepted the recommendations of the review and this is now under consideration by the NHS Board Chief Executives Group which has asked for additional supplementary work to be undertaken prior to reaching a conclusion o…
19 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-02090 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 August 2011, how the outcome of the review of hyperbaric medicine will impact on the provision, maintenance and use of hyperbaric chambers in Orkney.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The review is currently being considered by the NHS Board Chief Executives prior to consideration by Scottish Government ministers. The recommendations of the review group would allow for the current costs of running the chamber in NHS Orkney for NHS Scotland…
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether UK coaching certificate qualifications will be the basis for swimming licences.
Answer · Shona Robison: This is a matter for sportscoach UK, British Swimming (and its home country members) and key stakeholders to decide when considering the introduction of the licensing scheme.
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the qualification criteria are for applying for a swimming coaching licence and when the licensing scheme will be fully operational.
Answer · Shona Robison: Applications for a swimming coaching licence require a recognised teaching and or coaching qualification (UKCC qualification or equivalent). Licensing of teachers and coaches is not mandatory at the moment, I understand the UK government intend to introduce …
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that there is sufficient consumer choice available for those who have to pay a professional fee in order to obtain a qualification as a swimming teacher.
Answer · Shona Robison: Licensing of teachers and coaches is not mandatory at the moment and the choice of qualifications to become a swimming teacher is a matter for the providers of these qualifications and the individuals concerned.
14 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet the chair or chief executive of NHS Orkney and what issues will be discussed.
12 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how changes in the energy generation mix since the publication of the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 will be considered in any public inquiry associated with the decision-making process for applications for new electricity generation stations that are also national development…
Answer · Derek Mackay: When a case is passed to the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals to hold a public inquiry a reporter, appointed by Scottish ministers, will consider all the relevant policy and evidence presented to him or her and in accordance with the terms o…
8 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the offshore research and development programme announced by the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism on 29 November 2011 will go toward research on the costs and risks associated with offshore renewables.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: One of the key actions identified within the Scottish Government’s “2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland” is to minimise the costs and risks associated with offshore renewables. This programme has been established to do exactly that. Therefore the …
8 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) statutory bodies, (b) non-statutory bodies, (c) community groups and (d) other marine stakeholder organisations will be consulted in identifying areas that might be suitable for offshore wind development by its scoping study for offshore wind farm development in Scottish waters.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scoping Report concludes a technical and scientific exercise to identify strategic search areas for offshore wind energy around Scotland. Statutory bodies, non-statutory bodies, community groups and other marine stakeholder organisations relevant to the a…
8 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that its scoping study for offshore wind farm development in Scottish waters requires a (a) habitats regulation or (b) strategic environmental assessment and for what reason.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The publication of the Scoping Report will be followed by the development of Regional Locational Guidance. Together, these documents mark the start of the review of the Sectoral Plan for Offshore Wind Energy. This review will take place over a two year period…
8 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration its scoping study for offshore wind farm development in Scottish waters will give to project consenting.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scoping Report concludes a technical and scientific exercise to identify strategic search areas for offshore wind energy around Scotland. The report will be followed by the development of Regional Locational Guidance. Together, these documents mark the st…
7 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of greylag geese in Orkney and the effectiveness of the measures to limit the damage to agricultural land that the birds cause.
23 Nov 2011 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council since May 2011 in relation to the replacement of Orkney’s internal ferry fleet.