Margaret McCulloch

25 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Lanarkshire regarding medical staffing difficulties.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government maintains regular contact with all NHSScotland boards on a range of issues. At the mid-year review of NHS Lanarkshire’s performance on 11 November 2011, pressures in medical staffing were discussed and, looking forward to the summer of…

25 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what community benefit clauses are included in the hub procurement process.

Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Scottish Futures Trust to respond and their response is as follows: The hub procurement process sets minimum standards of performance which are measured through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The KPIs cover, amongst other things, the hubCos…

25 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what projects are to be supported by the South West hubco.

Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Scottish Futures Trust to respond. The response is as follows: The following projects were named in the Prequalification Questionnaire for the South West hub. Project Name Description Montrose House Care home on Arran Stevenson Institute M…

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value has been of contracts awarded to microbusinesses through public procurement in each year since 2007.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05155 on 3 February 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/Busines…

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many contracts have been awarded to microbusinesses through public procurement in each year since 2007.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05155 on 3 February 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/Busines…

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of a microbusiness.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05155 on 3 February 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/Busine…

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value has been of contracts awarded to small businesses through public procurement in each year since 2007.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05155 on 3 February 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/Busines…

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many contracts have been awarded to small businesses through public procurement in each year since 2007.

Answer · Alex Neil: A micro business is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 10 persons. Small enterprises are those that employ 10 to 49 persons. Public Contracts Scotland has only recorded data on contracts awarded to companies by their size since late 2010. A br…

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of its proposed sustainable procurement Bill.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Executive will introduce a sustainable procurement Bill during the lifetime of the current Parliament. We anticipate that a formal consultation on the policy content will be held at the earliest possible opportunity.

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to a single public procurement portal for Scotland.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05152, on 3 February 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/Busine…

24 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many public procurement portals there are in Scotland and how many fall within the responsibility of the Scottish Government.

Answer · Alex Neil: In 2008, the Scottish Government launched Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) as a free-of-charge portal that allows public sector organisations to advertise their public contracting opportunities in a standard format, and provides businesses with easy access to …

16 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the (a) resource and (b) total departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be allocated toward revenue-financed investment charges in each year of the spending review period.

Answer · John Swinney: Projected revenue-financed investment charges for the spending review period as a percentage of the resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL) and the total DEL are provided in the following table. The charges relate to the Scottish Government share of uni…

16 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Futures Trust regarding the hub initiative since 2007.

Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish ministers and Scottish Government officials meet regularly with the Scottish Futures Trust to discuss a wide range of issues, including the hub initiative. Scottish ministers approved Scottish Futures Trust’s five year corporate plan for 2009 to 2014…

16 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to progress community-based facilities in NHS Lanarkshire that are being explored under the hub initiative.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is expected that the South West hubco which will support the NHS Lanarkshire area will be formed in October 2012. NHS Lanarkshire however, do have proposals for three projects which they wish to be advanced under the hub arrangements and are currently deve…

13 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 25,000 modern apprenticeship places contracted with Skills Development Scotland in the current financial year have been filled.

Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland publish statistics on national training programmes, including modern apprenticeships, on their website: http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/knowledge/national-reports/national-training-programmes-statistics.aspx. Additiona…

13 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 25,000 modern apprenticeship places contracted with Skills Development Scotland in the current financial year have been registered, broken down by (a) sector, (b) age group and (c) provider.

Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland publish statistics on national training programmes, including modern apprenticeships, on their website: http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/knowledge/national-reports/national-training-programmes-statistics.aspx The most …

10 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-04541 by Keith Brown on 20 December 2011, what information it has on the percentage of (a) bus services, (b) rail services and (c) and licensed taxis that has the capacity to anchor wheelchairs during travel.

Answer · Keith Brown: Disability discrimination legislation is reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government does not collect this data in respect of bus services nor from taxi licensing authorities. Trains are not required to anchor wheelchairs during travel.

10 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-04541 by Keith Brown on 20 December 2011, what requirements are placed on (a) bus services, (b) rail services and (c) licensed taxis to anchor wheelchairs during travel as a safety precaution.

Answer · Keith Brown: Disability discrimination legislation is reserved to the UK Government bus services are covered by the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) 2000 states that buses designed to carry standing passengers are not required to be fitted with se…

22 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the rebasing of funding for further education will not take place on an annual basis.

Answer · Michael Russell: Funding decisions, as they relate to individual colleges, fall within the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked the Chief Executive of the funding council to write to the member.

22 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to change the definition of a full-time student in further education.

Answer · Michael Russell: The definition of a “full-time student”, insofar as it relates to the public funding which colleges are able to claim, is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked the Chief Executive of the funding council to write to the member.

21 Dec 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports the retail sector.

16 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on each of the proposed major developments by NHS Lanarkshire referenced in Table 4 (iv).3 of the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is included in the following table below. Project Position Airdrie Community Health Centre Under construction - due for completion in June 2012 Bellshill Resource Centre Complete Carluke Community Health Centre Complete Car…

9 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements are placed on (a) bus services, (b) rail services and (c) licensed taxis to safely accommodate passengers who use wheelchairs.

Answer · Keith Brown: Disability discrimination legislation is reserved to the UK Government. The timetable by which buses must be fully accessible is set out in the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000. All new buses have had to be fully accessible since 31 Dec…

23 Nov 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to NHS boards on the provision of x-ray services.

16 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs and the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism regarding the importance of culture to winter tourism.

27 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities on the control of foxes.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not provide any guidance on fox control to local authorities.

27 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of changes in the fox population in towns and cities.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Urban Fox Populations in Scottish Towns and Cities (2006) report was published by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) in 2006. The report looked at urban fox populations in selected towns and cities in Scotland and was undertaken as part of…

27 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the Scottish Breast Screening Programme, in light of the announcement of a review of the programme in England.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scotland takes it’s advice on screening from the UK National Screening Committee (NSC). The NSC currently recommends screening for breast cancer. The NSC’s recommendations are based on strong evidence and are reviewed regularly in light of significant new evi…

26 Oct 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it issued to local authorities regarding non-domestic rates, following the publication of the draft budget.

21 Sep 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it has received to the consultation on the draft Scottish Social Housing Charter.