Alexander Burnett

15 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many public access defibrillators there are in each local authority area, and what action it can take to promote the locations of these, including providing details online.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: One aim in the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) Strategy for Scotland is “to put in place effective arrangements to ensure that Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) are mapped, maintained and accessible to the public”. The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS)…

8 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure that social prescribing enables GP practices to refer obese patients and people with type 2 diabetes, and other medical conditions, to third sector support services.

6 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06742 by Keith Brown on 28 February 2017, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding whether the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) contractor is responsible for contractual penalties or liquidated damages in the even…

Answer · Keith Brown: As is usual for this type of contract, Aberdeen Roads Limited, the project contractor, does not incur contractual penalties or liquidated damages in the event of a failure to complete the project on time. However, the project contractor does not receive payme…

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to voluntary playgroups that rely on fundraising or donations.

Answer · Mark McDonald: All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what programmes the NHS provides to help older people stay active.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government and partners are developing an Active and Independent Living Improvement Programme (AILIP) to provide an ongoing focus to the contribution of allied health professionals (AHPs) to supporting the health and wellbeing of the population. …

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what programmes the NHS provides that offer exercise and nutritional advice to tackle (a) obesity, (b) type 2 diabetes and (c) other medical conditions.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: There are a range of programmes that offer advice on physical activity and nutrition to tackle obesity, type 2 diabetes and other medical conditions. However details are not held centrally.

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role voluntary playgroups will play in meeting its commitment to expand the early learning and childcare entitlement to 1,140 hours per year by 2020 and for this to apply to all three- and four-year-olds.

Answer · Mark McDonald: Playgroups are one of a range of settings which support the delivery of the current 600 hours provision and we expect will continue to do so in the expansion to 1140 hours. Local authorities can and do use playgroups as part of delivery of the entitled hours.…

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that inexperienced volunteers and parents are permitted to run childcare businesses and that they can be held accountable for the quality of the (a) care and (b) education provided.

Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government is not aware of reports of inexperienced volunteers and parents being permitted to run childcare businesses. Any concerns regarding the standard of early learning and childcare in Scotland should be raised with the Care Inspectorate. …

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the remit of Early Years Scotland and council teams to oversee playgroups, what its response is to reports that they might not be held accountable for the quality of the (a) care and (b) education provided, and what the level of accountability is of (i) Early Years Scotland …

Answer · Mark McDonald: As outlined in response to S5W-07417 on 8 March 2017, the Care Inspectorate has a statutory responsibility to inspect and regulate all registered providers of day care, including playgroups, against the ‘National Care Standards for Early Education and Childca…

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to voluntary playgroups to assist in recruiting specialised and experienced staff.

Answer · Mark McDonald: Playgroups can currently deliver early learning and childcare in partnership with the local authority to meet the current entitlement (as set out in my answer to S5W-07418 on 8 March 2017). All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on th…

22 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05882 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 January 2017, for what reason the SAAS loan bands are no longer based on a parental income sliding scale and what support it gives to families whose income is just above the threshold, resulting in them not bei…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: New household income brackets were introduced as part of the overall simplification of the higher education student support system in 2013-2014. Simplification made it clear what every student is individually eligible to apply for, according to the income of…

21 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to develop new windfarms in the Huntly area.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government does not have any plans to develop wind farms anywhere in Scotland. However, the Scottish Government is supportive of appropriately sited renewable energy projects either commercially owned, community owned or with an element of commun…

20 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) environmental experts, broken down by specialism, (b) chartered landscape architects, (c) planners and (d) solicitors are used by its Energy Consents Unit to assess section 36 and 37 applications under the Electricity Act 1989.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: In assessing such applications, the Scottish Government relies on advice from its statutory stakeholders namely, Local Planning Authorities, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish National Heritage and Historic Environment Scotland. In addition, sub…

9 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal recourse is available to cyclists who have been involved in accidents with motor vehicles that do not lead to injury.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Under Scots law where a person’s property is damaged as a result of the wrongful (e.g. negligent) actions of another person or organisation he or she can, if relevant criteria are satisfied, raise an action in the civil courts for damages to compensate for lo…

9 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on it being considered not in the public interest to prosecute motorists who are involved in accidents with cyclists that do not lead to injury.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: Police Scotland will consider in the first instance whether there is sufficient evidence that the accident amounted to a criminal offence, such as careless or dangerous driving, requiring a report to the Crown Office & Prosecution Service (COPFS). COPFS is S…

9 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish Assessors Association has proposed merging the seven main categories for the valuation of hotels in 2010 to three in 2017, and what its position is on concerns that AA ratings are becoming less significant in this process.

Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-06882 on 20 February 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusines…

3 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that small businesses that invest in improving their properties are being penalised by increased business rates.

Answer · Derek Mackay: From 1 April 2017, the Small Business Bonus Scheme threshold will increase by 50% to remove rates for eligible premises with rateable values up to £15,000, meaning that many properties which do improve their premises will retain the benefits of the Bonus Sche…

3 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Scottish Assessors Association should provide the businesses that it assesses with access to the data that it uses to reach its “percentages to NAV” calculations.

Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W- 06882 on 20 February 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusine…

3 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Scottish Assessors Association should assess smaller hotels and inns in rural areas on the turnover derived from various elements of the business rather than the model that it uses for larger chains.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Assessors Association operates wholly independent of The Scottish Government and Scottish Ministers have no powers to direct them or locus to comment on their methodology used to determine rateable values, which may be subject to legal challenge.…

31 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05886 by John Swinney on 19 January 2017, for what reason the chief executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has not provided the information that was requested regarding what action is being taking to reduce the risk of human error …

Answer · John Swinney: Further to the answer to question S5W-05886, Dr Janet Brown, Chief Executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) wrote to Mr Burnett, at the Scottish Parliament, on 2 February 2017. Scottish Government officials have asked SQA to reissue Dr Brown…

31 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) contractor is responsible for contractual penalties or liquidated damages in the event of a failure to complete the project on time and, if so, whether sums recovered by the Scottish Government will be reinvested in the local area.

Answer · Keith Brown: As is usual for this type of contract, the project contractor does not receive payment for sections of the project until they are available and open to traffic.

27 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in cases where the European Court of Human Rights rules against the Scottish Government on human rights issues and miscarriages of justice, what measures it is taking to (a) avoid further instances and (b) protect the human rights of people wrongly accused or convicted of serious crimes.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Rulings by the European Court of Human Rights against the UK Government (which is the state party) in relation to Scottish criminal cases are extremely rare, and that Court has not, at any point, made a finding in any such case that an individual has been wro…

27 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS is phasing out gluten-free staples on prescription for people with coeliac disease and, if so, whether it has considered other means of providing financial help.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are no plans to phase out prescriptions for gluten-free food staples. Prescribing of these products are subject to ongoing monitoring and review as are all areas of prescribing activity. NHS prescriptions are not provided as a means of financial help, b…

25 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports of a six-week waiting time for some non-emergency appointments in the north east and what action it is taking to minimise waiting times at GP surgeries in the area.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is fully committed to supporting primary care, including GPs, and ensuring that all communities in Scotland, including remote and rural, receive safe, reliable and sustainable health care services. Over three years, the Scottish Gover…

23 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that personal independence payment (PIP) recipients are given the chance to review and sign their assessment questionnaires during home visits.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We have carried out an extensive consultation exercise to help inform our approach to social security in Scotland and we will be publishing a report on the consultation responses early this year. This will help to inform the work of the Disability and Carers'…

18 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of Lyme disease, in light of the reported increase in the number of cases.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: A multi-agency Lyme Borreliosis Group is developing a range of resources to raise awareness of Lyme disease, with the aim of reducing the number of cases. Their work includes updating Health Protection Scotland’s public information leaflet and developing a co…

18 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans the NHS has to review its method of (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment for Lyme disease.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Current diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in Scotland is in line with published guidelines. A multi-agency Lyme Borreliosis Group was set-up in February 2016 to identify and deliver national priorities with the aim of reducing the burden of this disease…

18 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the administration for personal independence payments will be fully implemented.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5T-00202 on 15 November 2016. All answers to Topical Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusines…

16 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent subsidy given to charities in recognition of their palliative care for children, what criteria other charities providing palliative care for children would need to meet in order to be eligible to receive a similar subsidy.

Answer · Shona Robison: The 'Children in Scotland requiring Palliative Care' (ChiSP) report, which was published in Spring 2016, set out ten evidence based recommendations and identified where further improvements are needed to support and inform planning for children and young pers…

13 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the National Entitlement Card not being accepted on the Edinburgh Trams service, and what discussions it has had or plans with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding this.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Travel concessions on the Edinburgh trams are a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council. Bus travel concessions for older and disabled people are provided by the Scottish Government through the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled…