David Torrance

30 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many train journeys were (a) cancelled and (b) delayed in 2012; what the reasons were, and how many of the affected trains were going to or through Fife.

Answer · Keith Brown: Fifteen thousand, seven hundred ScotRail services were cancelled in total, representing 2.2% of the 719,000 planned to operate in year 2011-12. This figure is not broken down for services operating in Fife. Fifty-one thousand ScotRail services were delayed b…

30 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of public bodies' budgets pays for the energy costs of public buildings, broken down by (a) region and (b) type of public body.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

30 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of dwellings is in public ownership and what energy performance categories these dwellings have.

Answer · Alex Neil: Around 28% of Scottish housing stock is in public ownership. Energy performance is measured using the Scottish House Condition Survey by approximating energy efficiency ratings (EER) as used in the production of Energy Performance Certificates. The EER grade…

30 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) newbuild, (b) retrofitted, (c) domestic and (d) non-domestic dwellings fall into each energy performance certificate rating, broken down by region.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings for new construction are collected and held by each local authority. There is no legal requirement to provide an EPC for a building which has been retrofitted. Information on existing dwellings is recorded centrall…

30 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Fife is meeting its waiting time targets to obtain (a) an appointment and (b) treatment at a GP practice.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The performance measure, HEAT standard, is measured by the GP Patient Experience Survey, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/05/8250, which was published on 29 May 2012.

9 May 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on RGR Foundry Limited's plans to build a new foundry at Fife Energy Park in order to supply the offshore wind market.

18 Apr 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance packages are available for people seeking work in the voluntary sector in Fife.

Answer · John Swinney: The third sector is key to Scotland having a successful and fairer future and has a major role to play in supporting Scotland’s communities, in tackling unemployment and in helping people to develop new skills and experience in a tough jobs market. The Scott…

22 Feb 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had with Diageo's plans to build a bond warehouse and ancillary development on the outskirts of Kirkcaldy.

21 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the Year of Creative Scotland 2012 benefits rural Scotland.

1 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether medical laboratories at (a) the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and (b) Ninewells Hospital in Dundee have been approached to perform cytogenetic blood tests on nuclear test veterans in the last 10 years and, if so, what the response was.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The medical laboratories at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and Ninewells Hospital in Dundee are not accredited for and so have not performed any cytogenetic blood tests on nuclear test veterans in the last 10 years. Comprehensive records have not b…

30 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist local firms in securing government and other public service contracts.

23 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards encouraging cooperation and partnership between further education colleges.

16 Nov 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution golf and golf tourism make to the Fife economy.

21 Sep 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to raise public awareness of myalgic encephalitis or chronic fatigue syndrome.

14 Sep 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made toward creating a Scottish sentencing council.

7 Sep 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support job creation in Kirkcaldy and the rest of Fife.

1 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Exectuive what progress has been made in its negotiations with the UK Department for Transport and the Welsh Assembly Government to help deliver the Ministry of Defence's commitment to make it easier for seriously injured service personnel and veterans under 60 to access the concessionary travel sc…

Answer · Keith Brown: Discussions were held over several months with the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Welsh Assembly Government about adopting a common approach in taking forward the Ministry of Defence commitment to make it easier for seriously injured HM Forces personn…

29 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on (a) offering day-to-day assistance to people with myalgic encephalopathy (ME) and (b) providing funding for research into this condition.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In September 2010, we published a Scottish Good Practice Statement (SGPS) on ME-CFS, for use by General Practitioners, as part of the process of ensuring that people get better and more consistent standards of care, including quicker and more reliable diagnos…

2 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to support microgeneration.