Mark McDonald

9 Aug 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what penalties can be imposed for breaches of the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (Scotland) Regulations 2007.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Regulation 28 of the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (Scotland) Regulations 2007 sets out the penalties for contravention of or failure to comply with these Regulations. Any person found guilty of an offence is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine no…

9 Aug 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to retailers regarding the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (Scotland) Regulations 2007.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Guidance notes on the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 2007 were first published on the website of the Food Standards Agency in May 2008. This guidance was revised in March 2009 to reflect an amendment to the 2007 Regulations. These UK-wide gu…

20 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what costs it has incurred in relation to Aberdeen City Council's proposals for the Haudagain roundabout.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government part funded the pre-appraisal stage of the A90/A96 Haudagain Roundabout STAG assessment with funds in the region of £38,000 over years 2004-05 and 2005-06. The costs in relation to the remaining part of the STAG assessment were incurre…

20 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what costs it has incurred in relation to Aberdeen City Council's Access from the North Proposals for a third Don crossing.

Answer · Keith Brown: The recorded cost to the Scottish Government of holding a public inquiry into the use of compulsory purchase orders for a third Don crossing was: £2,688.80 reporters fees £481.16 reporters travel and subsistence £400.00 hire of hall for inquiry £984.00 hi…

26 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to people with Angelman syndrome and their families.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: People with Angelman syndrome and their families can access a range of clinical services depending on need, including paediatric neurology; specialist neurology/epilepsy support; clinical genetics and counselling; neurophysiology; and community paediatric ser…

26 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being done to provide healthcare professionals with training on how to deal with patients with Angelman syndrome.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In Scotland, rare diseases such as Angelman syndrome are largely managed through genetic services and through access to national specialist services and treatments commissioned by National Services Division. The Scottish Genetics Education Network (ScotGEN) …

14 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the employment rate of adults with autism.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on the employment rate of adults with autism is not held centrally. The Scottish Strategy for Autism was launched in November 2011 and recognises the importance of supporting into work people with autism. The Government’s Autism Spectrum Disorder…

14 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of relevant women have been diagnosed with post-natal depression in each year since 1999 and what the year-on-year percentage change has been, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) age group.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally The SIGN guideline on the management of perinatal mood disorders refers to a range of evidence showing a post natal depression prevalence rate of around 10% to 15%. These figures will encompass those experiencing mild, …

14 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of mothers have breastfed in each year since 1999 and what the year-on-year percentage change has been, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) age group.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data is only available from 2001-02 onwards. Breastfeeding data is recorded at the public health nurse/health visitor First Visit review (at around 10 days old) and the 6-8 week review and collated by Information Services Division (ISD). The number and percen…

6 Jun 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the advertising of follow-on milk.

20 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is flexibility for local authorities to set the level of special responsibility allowance that is paid to individual senior councillors or whether it must be paid at a set rate for each local authority.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration) Regulations 2007 introduced salaries for councillors in place of special responsibility allowances. Local authorities are able to determine the amount of remuneration paid to each senior councillor withi…

20 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it issues to local authorities in relation to the payment of special responsibility allowances to senior councillors.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Special Responsibility Allowances for senior councillors were abolished with the introduction of salaries for councillors in 2007. The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration) Regulations 2007 and amendments set out the requirements for senior coun…

14 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to improve the rate of diagnosis of (a) autism and (b) Asperger’s syndrome in females.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has over the last ten years increasingly been used to cover both autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. More recently, the professional tendency is to use the term “autism” to cover both conditions. The following therefore app…

14 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age of diagnosis is for (a) males and (b) females with (i) autism and (ii) Asperger’s syndrome.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not centrally held. The Scottish Government is funding work being undertaken by NHS Lothian to look into national waiting lists, to clarify the extent and causes of delays, in order to develop solutions to reduce the waiting times. (Recom…

25 Apr 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the staff and management of Hall & Tawse joinery following the announcement that the business is to close, given the impact on employment in the area.

25 Apr 2012 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much business taxes have been lowered annually under the small business bonus scheme since its introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The following table shows a breakdown of savings, in £ million, awarded to businesses under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, split by local authority area.     Total business rates relief awarded under Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) *   2008-09 £m …

16 Apr 2012 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what representations the Scottish Government has received from charities and other organisations regarding the UK Government’s planned abolition of council tax benefit.

11 Apr 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in North East Scotland have received support from the Small Business Bonus Scheme.

28 Mar 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made an assessment of the likely impact of UK Government welfare reforms on carers in Scotland.

26 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it has in place to (a) record and (b) monitor instances of alleged racial (i) harassment and (ii) discrimination in schools.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06155 on 21 March 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/parliamentarybus…

23 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research is being done into the working conditions of minority ethnic groups.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not currently have any commissioned research projects on this topic, but has considered the available evidence on the broader issue of employment outcomes for the full range of ethnic minority groups in Scotland. Scottish Governm…

23 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports the rights of minority ethnic groups in the workplace.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Employment legislation which provides for the rights of employees, including ethnic minorities, is a reserved matter. Equality legislation is also largely reserved and the protection from discrimination for ethnic minorities and other protected characteristic…

14 Mar 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the availability of donated breast milk in neo-natal units.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is aware that breast milk is the recommended form of enteral nutrition for all infants, especially those born pre-term and we recognise the valuable service that donor milk banks provide. The Scottish Emergency Rider Volunteer Service …

12 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it has in place to monitor and record instances of alleged racial harassment and discrimination in schools.

Answer · Michael Russell: The triennial Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research, which is a national study of behaviour in publicly funded schools, reports on teachers’ views of serious indiscipline in the classroom, including incidences of racist abuse towards pupils or teachers. The …

9 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to investigate the future use of secure internet and telephone voting following the recent referendum in Aberdeen.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has no immediate plans to investigate the future use of secure internet and telephone voting. However, the government will consider the council’s report into the recent referendum to see whether there are any lessons to be learnt from …

9 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to meet officials from Aberdeen City Council to discuss lessons that can be learned from the recent referendum held in the city.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Local referendums are a matter for local authorities. We have no plans to meet the city council but look forward to receiving a copy of the council’s report into the running of the referendum in due course.

22 Feb 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education will report its findings to ministers.

11 Jan 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the way in which section 75 developer contributions under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 are used by local authorities.

5 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what emphasis the Curriculum for Excellence places on the importance of play in the early years.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Play is central to how children learn, both in terms of cognitive skills and softer skills around relating to other people. Through Curriculum for Excellence, the Scottish Government and local partners will continue to promote play-based learning, including i…

5 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training is offered to health professionals to help them identify the signs of dementia.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A major part of the change programme in Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy is around up skilling and developing the workforce, including in identifying the signs of dementia. NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and the Scottish Services Council (SSSC) are im…