Richard Lyle

9 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS pays each year in PFI service charges.

17 Jun 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made with the UK Government regarding the repatriation of income from the red meat levy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We have continued to press the UK Government on this issue. It’s clearly not right that this year alone approx. £1.4 million of levy income paid by Scottish farmers is not available to promote our fabulous red meat brands. The UK Government had the prefect pl…

10 Jun 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take regarding restrictions imposed on funfair licences by local authorities.

27 May 2013 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what work is being carried out on the wooden spars on the Parliament building, at what cost and in what timescale.

20 May 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to strengthen single outcome agreements as part of its response to the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services.

29 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recent MS Society report, A lottery of treatment and care – MS services across Scotland and the UK.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We welcome the MS Society’s latest report. We want to work collaboratively with the third sector to ensure that everyone with MS in Scotland is able to access the care and support that they need. The report identifies the improvements that have been made in …

22 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to safeguard the health of the bee population.

17 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a legal impediment to North Lanarkshire Council re-establishing a direct labour organisation and, if so, whether the Scottish Government can remove it and would do so if requested.

Answer · Derek Mackay: In 1998 the then Secretary of State for Scotland made a Direction under Section 19B of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 after a £4.5 million trading deficit was uncovered in North Lanarkshire Council’s Building and Roads Services Direct Labour…

8 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last held a joint meeting with the principals of Motherwell, Coatbridge and Cumbernauld colleges and what was discussed.

18 Mar 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances a local authority with a part share in a PPP/PFI project can purchase the shares of the other partners.

Answer · John Swinney: Local authorities may invest money with the consent of Scottish Ministers, but do not generally hold shares in PPP/PFI projects. Under the Scottish Hub initiative a local authority, with other public sector partners and a developer, will collectively own a Hu…

4 Mar 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of hours that prisoners are engaged in purposeful activity.

25 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police traffic vehicles there are and how many there will be after the single police force comes into operation.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information. This is a matter for the current eight police forces up until 31 March 2013, and for the Police Service of Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority from the 1 April 2013 onwards.

18 Feb 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the proposed merger between Motherwell, Coatbridge and Cumbernauld colleges will have on students in Lanarkshire.

28 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Lanarkshire regarding the board's future plans.

17 Dec 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what incentives or help it will provide to companies wishing to invest in the regeneration of Ravenscraig in order to speed up the project.

3 Dec 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help homeless people during the festive period.

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) revenue and (b) capital funding has been allocated to North Lanarkshire Council for 2012–13.

Answer · John Swinney: North Lanarkshire Council has been allocated revenue funding of £658,396,000 and capital funding of £23,249,000 for 2012-13.

5 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to appoint the new chair of NHS Lanarkshire.

29 Oct 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that separate street traders licences should be obtained for food stalls that operate within the confines of funfairs that have been granted a public entertainment licence.

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has allocated funding to (a) North Lanarkshire Council, (b) South Lanarkshire Council and (c) Falkirk Council in addition to their original 2011-12 funding.

Answer · John Swinney: As a result of the announcement of additional sums of money during 2011-12, North Lanarkshire Council received an extra £3.6 million; South Lanarkshire Council £3.2 million and Falkirk Council £2.1 million. These sums were in addition to their original alloca…

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it allocated to North Lanarkshire Council in the last financial year.

Answer · John Swinney: North Lanarkshire Council was allocated £656.2 million in revenue and £28.5 million in capital funding as part of the 2011-12 local government finance settlement. Following the announcement of additional sums of money during 2011-12, North Lanarkshire Council…

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding is being provided to farmers in Central Scotland under the common agricultural policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The amount of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding in the Central Scotland constituency since 2005 to 2011 was £77.309 million distributed through the various funding streams (support measures) shown in the following table, broken down by scheme year. To …

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it is providing to local authorities in Central Scotland to renew school buildings.

Answer · Michael Russell: The total amount of indicative funding which the Scottish Government will provide to authorities in Central Scotland under the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme is £61.46 million. Central Scotland has been defined for the purpose of this parliamenta…

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual cost of PFI contracts is to each local authority in Central Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is available from the Scottish Government website under “Unitary Payment Charges” by way of the following link www.scotland.gov.uk.

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in rolling out 4G mobile services in Central Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As set out in Scotland’s Digital Future – Infrastructure Action Plan, enhanced mobile coverage across the whole of Scotland is a priority for the Scottish Government; and we continue to have discussions with mobile operators about improving coverage across Sc…

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with North Lanarkshire Council regarding the council tax freeze.

Answer · John Swinney: I have not had any recent direct discussions with North Lanarkshire Council about the council tax freeze but I wrote to the COSLA President, copied to all local authority leaders, on 20 September 2012 setting out the terms of the 2013-14 local government fina…

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist in the regeneration of Central Scotland.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Achieving a Sustainable Future: The Regeneration Strategy articulates the vision of a Scotland where our most disadvantaged communities are supported and where all places are sustainable and promote wellbeing. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/12/…

25 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported reluctance of cancer charities to apply for individual patient treatment requests due to the number of requests not granted.

Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Government guidance issued under cover of SGHD/CMO(2011)3 on 18 March 2011 clarifies that the responsibility for an application to an NHS board for an Individual Patient Treatment Request (IPTR) rests with the clinician who supports prescribing the r…

25 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on a 16% success rate for individual patient treatment requests for cancer treatment.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government does not recognise the statistic of a 16% success rate for Individual Patient Treatment Requests (IPTRs) for Cancer. The summary report of NHS board data on IPTRs for the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 which was provided as part…

25 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish a dedicated process to assess and provide access to medicines for rare diseases.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee have agreed to consider the evidence presented to it at its meeting on 18 September 2012 within the context of the three petitions (PE1398; PE1399 and PE1401) referred to it by the Scottish Parliament Public …