John Finnie

3 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on the community, whether it has discussed with the Ministry of Defence the reported explosion-like noises heard in the South Uist area on 29 October 2014 and, if so, what information it has on the cause of these and, if they had been planned, for what r…

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has contacted the Ministry of Defence in connection with these reports and we await their response. I will write to the member as soon as further information is available and a copy of that letter will be placed in the Scotish Parliame…

20 Oct 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages cooperation across local authorities on equality issues.

16 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) greenfield and (b) agricultural land that it owns has been used for (i) building and (ii) other developments in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Derek Mackay: This information is not recorded.

9 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many unfilled vacancies there are across the NHS in radiology and neurology.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on vacancies within NHS Scotland in the radiology and neurology medical specialties can be found in the following table: Whole time equivalent (WTE) of consultant vacancies as at 30 June 2014   Clinical radiology Neurology Scotland 26.4 7.0…

21 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it actively seeks to protect trees on land that it or its agencies owns by means of tree preservation orders.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government does not proactively seek to introduce tree preservation orders on its land. Scottish Ministers and local planning authorities have a duty to ensure, whenever it is appropriate, that in granting permission for any development adequate …

21 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considered using the reported saving of £0.15 billion from the Queensferry Crossing to upgrade the Highland Main Line.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is using the rail infrastructure investment funds available to it to support an ambitious £5 billion package of funding and investment for our railways until 2019. This will facilitate improvements to infrastructure and services across…

14 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that sufficient and appropriate remedial steps have been taken by suppliers involved in blacklisting as set out at paragraph 13 of Scottish Procurement Policy Note, SPPN 4/2103.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is completely opposed to blacklisting and is committed to ending the practice in Scotland. Scottish Procurement Policy Note SPPN 4/2013 sets out our belief that a company which has engaged in blacklisting has committed an act of grave …

12 Aug 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what methods of consultation it uses to gauge the views of cyclists regarding major trunk road works.

12 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the specialist skills required to maintain historical monuments are not lost.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The skills required to manage, nurture and enjoy the whole of the historic environment, which include but are not limited to those required to undertake physical conservation works, are a key priority within the overarching strategy for the Historic Environme…

12 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on there being no special right of access to scheduled monuments, and whether it plans to review this.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are no special rights, over and above the general rights of access contained in the access code and its underlying legislation. This issue was considered as part of the process of bringing forward new legislation to create a new lead body for the histor…

12 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what stakeholders it consults regarding the classification of sites of heritage interest.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Important sites of heritage interest may be designated as scheduled monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979; or as listed buildings under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997; or as Histori…

12 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the criteria are for scheduling a monument of national importance, and whether it plans to review these.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Ministers are under a duty to schedule monuments which are found to be of national importance. Historic Scotland, an executive agency of the Scottish Government, is currently responsible for discharging this duty and has developed operational policy which det…

12 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the housing needs of families in the Highlands and Islands that (a) require additional assistance and (b) are large are being met. 

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory requirement on local authorities to prepare a local housing strategy supported by a Housing Need and Demand Assessment, to quantify and fully consider the needs of different client groups. The Scottish Govern…

12 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the use of brownfield sites for (a) building and (b) other developments.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Revised Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), published on 23 June 2014, sets out guiding principles for planning which include making efficient use of existing capacity of land, buildings and infrastructure; supporting town centre and regeneration priorities; and …

12 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) greenfield and (b) agricultural land has been used for (i) building and (ii) other developments in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Derek Mackay: This information is not held centrally.

7 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will report on progress with the starter farm at Balrobert in Inverness throughout the duration of the scheme.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: It was announced last week the successful applicant for the starter farm. There is no requirement to publicly report on progress but we will work closely with the tenant for the duration of the scheme.

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with EU member states about supporting the Gypsy/Traveller lifestyle.

Answer · Shona Robison: We have not had discussions with EU member states about supporting the Gypsy/Traveller lifestyle.

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it consults with the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Answer · Shona Robison: Our Gypsy/Traveller strategy development group includes members of the Gypsy/Traveller community. We also aim to engage more broadly with members of the community, with the help of organisations working directly with Gypsy/Travellers.

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans ministers have to visit Gypsy/Traveller sites in The Highland Council area.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: There are currently no plans for Scottish Government Ministers to visit Gypsy/Traveller sites in the Highland council area.

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing legislation that will allow amenity blocks on Gypsy/Traveller sites to be recorded in local authority housing revenue accounts.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government has no plans to amend the rules governing housing revenue accounts to include the recording of amenity blocks on local authority owned Gypsy/Traveller sites.

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages collaborative working across local authorities regarding the facilities required to maintain the Gypsy/Traveller lifestyle.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are aware of some local authority collaboration on site provision. We are working with key stakeholders, including representatives of local authorities, to develop an overarching strategy and action plan for Gypsy/Travellers. Through this work, we will con…

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) The Highland, (b) Argyll and Bute, (c) Moray and (d) Perth and Kinross Council about the needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Answer · Shona Robison: We have not had any significant recent discussions about the needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community with the four councils mentioned. Officials have had some contact with Argyll and Bute Council, in relation to the Minister for Housing and Welfare’s visit to …

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it assesses the accommodation needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Accommodation needs for Gypsy/Travellers are assessed at a local level. A local authority has to consider the accommodation needs of Gypsy/Travellers as part of its Housing Need and Demand Assessment and when developing its local housing strategy and developm…

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing legislation that will require local authorities to advise it of any plans to close Gypsy/Traveller sites or facilities.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce such legislation.

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the closure of a Gypsy/Traveller site by a local authority does not unduly impact on the way of life of the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Local authorities are responsible for decisions regarding the provision of Gypsy/Traveller sites in their area, including any decision to close a Gypsy/Traveller site. The Scottish Government is not directly involved in assessing the impact of such a closure.…

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what liaison it has with local authorities regarding the number of sites available for the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Local authorities are responsible for decisions regarding the provision of Gypsy/Traveller sites in their area. Need is identified through a Housing Need and Demand Assessment and is considered by the local authority as part of developing its local housing st…

30 Jul 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government about equalising the minimum wage regardless of age, given the impact on youth employment.

28 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that funding for domestic violence services reflects the need for such services.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to tackling domestic violence. In spite of unprecedented pressure on the Scottish budget, record funding of £34.5 million has been allocated for 2012-15 (an increase of 62% on the amount committed over the perio…

23 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to adopt the open document format for all official publications.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has no immediate plans for adopting the open document format for all official publications. Our official publications are already made available in both HTML and PDF formats, which are open standards that are compatible with applicatio…

2 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider instituting a mechanism for reviewing the public interest charitable status test applied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator that reflects the fact that "public interest" can change with time and circumstances. 

Answer · John Swinney: The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (‘the 2005 Act’) makes ‘public benefit’, which is a well-established concept in charity law, unlike ‘public interest’, a criterion of the charity test. Parliament has set out in section 8 of the 2005 Ac…