Parliamentary questions
Anne McTaggart
235 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve services for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and their families.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There has been real progress in improving neuromuscular services in recent years. The Ministerial Statement on Neuromuscular Services, which we published in March 2011, outlines much of the good work under way. The statement can be accessed via the following …
19 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses specialise in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally held as data specifically for nurses specialising in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy is not captured separately in workforce statistics. NHSScotland Information Services (ISD) staff publish data quarterl…
19 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have Duchenne muscular dystrophy, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally.
9 May 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding and leadership it provides to protect and maintain Charles Rennie Mackintosh buildings.
12 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a landfill tax when this is devolved and, if so, how much money it expects to raise from this.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government intends to consult later in the year on proposals for a tax on disposals to landfill to be introduced in April 2015, in the expectation that the current system of landfill tax will be withdrawn from that date in Scotland. We will consi…
12 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations it has made in advance of the devolution of stamp duty; at what rate it will set the duty; how much it expects to raise, or whether it plans to abolish it.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government intends to consult shortly on proposals for a land transaction tax to be introduced in April 2015, in the expectation that the current system of Stamp Duty Land Tax will be withdrawn from that date in Scotland. We will consider the que…
22 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations representing bus passengers the Minister for Housing and Transport (a) met and (b) consulted between 1 November 2011 and 22 March 2012 to discuss the impact of the change to the formula for allocation of the Bus Service Operators Grant from 1 April 2012.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government meets and liaises regularly with representatives of bus operators and bus passengers. The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment and the Minister for Housing and Transport met the Confederation of Passenger Transp…
22 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which bus operators will benefit financially from the change to the distribution of the Bus Service Operators Grant from 1 April 2012.
Answer · Keith Brown: Under the current Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) budget, we estimate that 226 operators will gain directly from the policy changes that are being made, three will experience no change, and 74 will receive reduced payments. To assist urban bus companies i…
22 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work it carried out to measure the impact on communities in the bottom 15% of Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation data zones of the decision to change the formula for the allocation of the Bus Service Operators Grant in favour of longer and more rural bus routes.
Answer · Keith Brown: In conjunction with the low carbon vehicles purchased through the support of the Scottish Green Bus Fund, the changes the Scottish Government is making to the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) scheme will encourage fuel efficiency, reduce carbon emissions an…
22 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it carried out an equality impact assessment before deciding to change the formula for the allocation of the Bus Service Operators Grant in favour of longer and more rural bus routes.
Answer · Keith Brown: In conjunction with the Low Carbon Vehicles purchased through the support of the Scottish Green Bus Fund, the changes the Scottish Government is making to the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) scheme will encourage fuel efficiency, reduce carbon emissions an…
21 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03648 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 November 2011, how many unsuccessful applications related to mentoring projects.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06364 on 11 April 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/Apps2/Business/P…
21 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03648 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 November 2011, what monitoring and analysis will be carried out of projects financed from the mentoring allocation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: £250,000 of the £500,000 identified for mentoring has been allocated to the Wise Group, to fund the continuation of their Routes out of Prison mentoring programme. Legally binding conditions of grant were agreed as part of the funding agreement. These conditi…
21 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03648 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 November 2011, when the mentoring allocation will be distributed to each organisation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06364, on 11 April 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/Apps2/Business/…
21 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S4W-03648 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 November 2011, what projects will be financed from the mentoring allocation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06364 on 11 April 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/Apps2/Business/P…
21 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03648 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 November 2011, what organisations will receive an award from the mentoring allocation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: On 23 November 2011, it was announced that £250,000 of the £500,000 identified for mentoring will be allocated to the Wise Group, to fund the continuation of their Routes out of Prison mentoring programme. A number of project proposals have been received for…
20 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting period is between application and the issuing of a Blue Badge in each local authority.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06299 on 26 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…
20 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting period is between application and assessment for a Blue Badge in each local authority.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06299 on 26 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…
20 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many reapplications for Blue Badges have been assessed in each local authority area since the new regulations came into effect.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06299 on 26 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…
20 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) new applications and (b) reapplications for Blue Badges are awaiting assessment in each local authority.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06299 on 26 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…
20 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have (a) applied and (b) reapplied for Blue Badges since the new regulations came into effect, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06299 on 26 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…
20 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were Blue Badge holders in each local authority area at 31 December 2011.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish local authorities are responsible for collating an annual statistical return in relation to Blue Badges in circulation in their area as at 31 March of the reporting period (financial year). Transport Scotland publishes the data annually in the Scotti…
13 Mar 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4O-00736 by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 March 2012 (Official Report, c. 6825) when it will next meet the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and what issues will be discussed.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Cabinet Secretary for Health Wellbeing and Cities Strategy met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 14 March 2012 to discuss the UK Welfare Reform Bill and related matters.
7 Mar 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to invest in cycling infrastructure to improve take-up rates of active travel in rural areas.
22 Feb 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
14 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding mutual aid in policing for the 2012 Olympics.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is for individual forces to agree mutual aid arrangements and deployment requirements for the 2012 Olympic Games.
14 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice (a) last met and (b) will next meet the Home Secretary to discuss serious and organised crime.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I last met with the Home Secretary on 14 September 2010 in Whitehall, following her appointment after the UK General Election. At the meeting, a range of justice issues were discussed including the future regulation of the private security industry, the UK Go…
14 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders given community service or probation orders in England have had their supervision transferred to local authorities in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.
14 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have applied to be transferred to England in each of the last five years and how many applications are under consideration.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The number of applications for transfer for the last five financial years are as follows: 2006-07 = 37 2007-08 = 62 2008-09 = 48 2009-10 = 50…
14 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children ordinarily resident in Scotland have been placed in specialist residential educational facilities in England in each of the last five years.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: This information is not collected centrally.
25 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional finance will be provided to support start-up funding for businesses using the cooperative model during the UN International Year of Cooperatives.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Co-operative businesses, like any other business, can access business advice and support from Business Gateway, including information on sourcing existing financial assistance that may be available to support new and growing businesses. In addition, Co-opera…