John Lamont

28 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) advice and (b) reports on access to and provision of fertility treatment it has received from the National Infertility Group.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Infertility Group was set up in April 2010 to address the inequity of access to infertility treatment across Scotland. The Group’s report, with final recommendations on future provision of IVF treatment across Scotland, is currently with Minister…

28 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the provision of IVF and other fertility treatments by each NHS board since 2008.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Infertility Group was set up in April 2010 to address the inequity of access to infertility treatment across Scotland. This included considering the provision of current levels of infertility treatments in NHS boards. The group’s report, with fin…

19 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to commence sections 1 to 4 of the Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2012.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service is in the early stages of planning the implementation of the provisions of The Prisons (Interference with Wirele…

19 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10024 by Kenny MacAskill on 17 October 2012, how many drug finds there were in each prison in 2012.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: The following table illustrates the number of suspected drug finds recorded in 2012 broken down by establishment. SPS does not carry o…

5 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many accidents there have been on the (a) single and (b) crawler lane section of the A68 between Edinburgh and the border in each year since 2002, broken down by (i) severity and (ii) location.

Answer · Keith Brown: The accident data (personal injury accidents) for the period 1 January 2002 -12 is provided in the following tables. The first table covers the whole of the A68 Trunk Road, the following tables cover the three separate climbing lane sections of the A68 trunk …

5 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had discussions regarding raising the speed limit for HGVs on the (a) A1, (b) A7 and (c) A68.

Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland has not had any specific discussions regarding raising the speed limit for HGVs on the A1, A7 and the A68 trunk roads.

29 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many apprenticeships have been created by wind farm developers, broken down by the parliamentary constituency of the apprentice.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There were 3,128 modern apprenticeship (MA) starts in engineering and related frameworks in 2011-12, of which 20 could be attributed to wind turbine operations. However, as this is the only apprenticeship framework which relates specifically to the renewable …

29 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many non-UK nationals are employed in the development of wind farms.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

29 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the number of jobs that are directly connected to wind farm developments, broken down by the parliamentary constituency of the employee’s residence.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government’s position on energy employment is set out in the Energy in Scotland statistical compendium published on 25 January 2013 and available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business/Energy/Compendium2013. Scottish R…

14 Jan 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the Scottish Court Service.

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many acres of land are occupied by, or earmarked for, wind farm developments, broken down by the Macaulay Land Capability for Agriculture (LCA) classification.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

7 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on obtaining legal advice on an independent Scotland’s membership of the EU and when it expects to receive the final advice on the matter.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The government has commissioned specific legal advice on the issue of an independent Scotland’s membership of the European Union. The government will receive the advice when it has been finalised.

21 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that local authorities are meeting their obligation under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 to consult on the nature of unpaid work carried out by people subject to community payback orders.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Section 227ZM of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 places a statutory duty on local authorities to provide an annual report to the Scottish Ministers about the operation of Community Payback Orders within their area. Scottish Ministers are then requi…

20 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11751 by Kenny MacAskill on 20 December 2012, which states that "the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 sets out clear roles and responsibilities for the Scottish Police Authority and the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland" fo…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: At the third meeting of the Scottish Police Authority on 18 January 2013, the principles for how eight key corporate services will be organised was approved by the Scottish Police Authority.

14 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions or other communications it has had with the International Olympic Committee, the British Olympic Association or any other Olympic organisation about the creation of a Scottish Olympic team.

Answer · Shona Robison: The International Olympic Committee has confirmed to sportscotland that under the Olympic Charter, National Olympic Committee recognition can only be granted when an independent State is recognised by the international community. We will publish our detailed…

14 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the racist incidents recorded by the police from 2004 to 2012 were against police officers.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information held centrally on the number of racist incidents recorded by the police cannot identify the occupation of a victim of a racist incident and therefore racist incidents against police officers cannot be identified separately.

6 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in the event of an unresolved dispute between the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and the Chair of the Scottish Police Authority regarding (a) who is responsible for the heads of backroom functions and (b) any other application of the Police and…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 sets out clear roles and responsibilities for the Scottish Police Authority and the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland. It is for them, not Ministers, to decide how best to fulfil those responsibil…

29 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each (a) police force and (b) fire and rescue service spent on interest due on any outstanding debt in 2011-12.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The latest published information is for 2010-11, taken from the Scottish Government’s Capital Expenditure Report 2010-11, Annex C, Tables C5 and C6. No values are available for Fife Council nor Dumfries and Galloway Council whose police and fire debt and inte…

29 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much debt (a) is owed by each (i) police force and (ii) fire and rescue service and (b) will be transferred to the (i) Scottish Police Authority and (ii) Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in April 2013.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The liability for the repayment of all debt outstanding at the transfer date will be met by the new bodies. The current level of funding for repayment of the debt will also transfer to the Scottish Police Authority and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. T…

23 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what credible, peer reviewed independent evidence it has received that onshore wind turbines being deployed in Scotland (a) are totally safe to public health, (b) do not adversely impact on tourism, (c) are free of any issues of noise nuisance, (d) do not lessen the amenities for local r…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government believes that wind energy, appropriately located and subject to a consenting process which takes all relevant issues and evidence fully into account, can play a vital role in helping to meet Scotland’s energy needs in a sustainable, co…

22 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding from the Rural Priorities scheme has been allocated to the Scottish Borders region in each year since 2007, broken down by axis (a) 1 and 3 and (b) 2 funding package.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The following table provides the value of Rural Priorities Scheme contracts awarded in the Borders region per Axis per year. As of 26 November 2012 Year Rural Priorities Funding by Axes AXIS 1 AXIS 2 AXIS 3 2009 £2,105,634 £10,281,971 £2,245,157 20…

21 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10980 by Fergus Ewing on 19 November 2012, whether it is aware of the report, Effects of Industrial wind turbine noise on sleep and health published by Noise and Health, a bimonthly interdisciplinary international journal, and whether it considers t…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is aware of this article, published in the Noise and Health journal. With any new or emerging evidence that may have implications for health it is normal practice for the Scottish Government to seek independent expert advice on such m…

19 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis it considers its policy of retaining UK financial regulatory bodies as the financial services regulators in an independent Scotland to be compatible with the obligations on member states’ competent authorities under Article 60 of Directive 2004/39.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government will outline its proposals for financial services regulation as part of its macroeconomic framework for an independent Scotland. It is aware of existing European legislation relating to financial regulation and the Scottish Government …

19 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the (a) UK Government and (b) current UK financial regulatory bodies regarding its policy of retaining the latter as regulators of an independent Scotland’s financial service industries.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government engages in discussions with the UK Government and current regulatory bodies on matters of importance to the Scottish economy. Under the Edinburgh Agreement, the Scottish and UK Governments are committed to continue to work together con…

19 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has sought from the European Commission regarding the compatibility with existing EU directives and regulations of its policy of retaining current UK financial regulatory bodies in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has discussions with the Commission on a regular basis about matters of relevance to Scotland. The Scottish Government will outline its proposals for financial services regulation as part of its macroeconomic framework for an independe…

12 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the A1, A7 and the A68 roads in the Scottish Borders.

6 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to commission independent studies into the impact of wind farms on tourism and health.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government considers that health impacts are important considerations in all development types. At present, there is no peer reviewed study that establishes a direct causal link between the deployment of onshore wind and negative impacts on human…

6 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has received that suggests that wind turbines adversely affect tourism or health.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is yet to receive any credible, peer reviewed evidence that wind turbines adversely impact health. We will continue to monitor and review all evidence presented to us. Similarly, the Scottish Government has not received any evidence th…

2 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether and, if so, from which (a) individuals, (b) organisations or (c) bodies it has sought legal advice regarding an independent Scotland’s membership of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the Lord Advocate’s letter to Ruth Davidson MSP of 30 October in which he set out his view regarding the consideration of legal advice. A copy of the letter to Ruth Davidson was placed in the Scottish Parliaments Information Centre (Bib.…

2 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether and, if so, from which (a) individuals, (b) organisations or (c) bodies it has sought legal advice regarding an independent Scotland’s membership of the United Nations.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the Lord Advocate’s letter to Ruth Davidson MSP of 30 October in which he set out his view regarding the consideration of legal advice. A copy of the letter to Ruth Davidson was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. …