Alexander Stewart

9 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle a reported decline in educational attainment in Fife, and whether it will commit to providing additional funding for Fife Council in this regard.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government Official Statistics on school leaver attainment show increases in the attainment of Fife school leavers in 2015-16 compared to 2009-10 as shown in the following table. Percentage of Fife school leavers by total qualifications achieved, 20…

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the response to the debate on motion S5M-04086 (Safe Drive, Stay Alive Project) by the Minister for Transport and the Islands on 1 March 2017 (Official Report, c. 100), what support (a) it and (b) Transport Scotland plans to give to this project in each of the next three year…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: To date, Safe Drive, Stay Alive has been funded by the various Local Authorities as decisions on which interventions are delivered in each area are a matter for road safety delivery partners. The Scottish Government’s role is to work collaboratively – via the…

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that as 36% of GPs in NHS Fife are no longer accepting new patients unless they have been allocated to them by the Practitioner Services Division.

Answer · Shona Robison: ?Fife HSCP are working closely with GP leaders including the cluster quality leads and the LMC to improve recruitment in relation to general practice. The board will be working with them on the implementation of the new GMS contract to ease the strain on gene…

21 Feb 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects to meet its commitment to offer 1,140 hours per year of free childcare by 2020.

Answer · Maree Todd: Yes.

31 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01736 by Kevin Stewart on 31 January 2018 (Official Report, c. 10), what discussions have taken place to ensure that community councils are empowered to (a) support community engagment with and (b) play an active role in the planning process.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Representatives of community councils gave written and oral evidence to the independent planning review panel; responded to Places, People and Planning, our consultation paper published in January 2017; and took part in and contributed to the associated worki…

30 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people from deprived areas in Fife can access cancer and heart disease screening, and what impact an increase in such access might have in tackling health inequalities.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Cancer Screening: We are committed to taking forward the Detect Cancer Early Programme (DCE), in which we have invested £41m with a target of increasing the number of cancers detected at the early stage of disease. The DCE programme aims to improve survival …

29 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report in The Press and Journal on 22 January 2018, which suggests that local authorities face an £86 million reduction in their budgets following an accounting error; what action has been taken to resolve this; when this issue will be resolved, and whether it…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The recent press claims that the 2018-19 local government finance settlement will be reduced by £86 million were completely untrue. Not a single penny was removed from the provisional local government finance settlement that was issued for consultation on 14 …

28 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01694 by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2018 (Official Report, c.1), what its response is to reports that customers at Markinch station have been receiving a poor service, with 42% of trains arriving on time at the station between November 2017 and Janu…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The recognised rail industry standard for the industry in Great Britain is the Public Performance Measure (PPM). This measure counts all trains planned to run, which run and arrive within five minutes of their scheduled arrival time. Trains which are cancelle…

24 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the provision of new housing stock to meet future needs.

19 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress to improve (a) mobile phone coverage, (b) superfast broadband and (c) DAB radio signals in rural parts of the Mid Scotland and Fife region, and what action it is taking to speed up their implementation ahead of the target date of 2021.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Despite the reserved nature of telecommunications in the UK, the Scottish Government has chosen to take action to improve broadband and mobile coverage across Scotland, rather than wait for the UK Government to act. We do not have any formal role in the deliv…

19 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on developing a new generation of new towns, and how it will ensure that any proposed developments will have adequate amenities.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We support the contribution that our planned and under development new settlements in Scotland, including for example Shawfair and Tornagrain, will make to providing essential homes and services for their local areas. New towns are not a new solution or the …

18 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether military personnel serving in Scotland will be subject to its proposed new income tax bands and, if so, whether they will be eligible for the living allowances that are available to personnel in the rest of the UK.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has proposed an income tax policy which both improves progressivity and raises additional revenue to fund public services and invest in the Scottish economy. Taxpayers resident in Scotland should pay Scottish income tax. Scottish taxpa…

15 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on setting up and maintaining a national register of people who have been falsely accused of rape.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has no plans to establish a register of people who have been falsely accused of rape.

12 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what projects are likely to feature in the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Deal.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government remains fully committed to a City Region Deal for Stirling and Clackmannanshire and we have been leading tripartite discussions with the city region partners and the UK Government throughout the process. It is crucial for us that this …

11 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that further education (a) courses and (b) student numbers can be maintained, and what analysis it has carried out on the impact on this of the reported reductions in college budgets.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: This government has a strong track record on colleges - over the last Parliament, we maintained 116,000 full-time equivalent college places. We will continue this commitment, concentrating learning on recognised qualifications. In 2018-19 we will deliver a…

11 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Fife College is having to reduce the number of courses that it offers because of reported reductions in its budget.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Fife College received a real terms increase in funding from the SFC in 2017-18. The SFC provide the budget allocations to College Regions, indicative allocations have yet to be published, however in 2018-19 we will deliver a real-terms increase in funding for…

18 Dec 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to figures from NSPCC Scotland, which suggest that there has been a 42% increase in child sexual abuse referrals in the last year.

13 Dec 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that multidisciplinary goal setting is in place for stroke patients as soon as possible as part of their rehabilitation.

7 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on care homes being permitted to issue day disability badges, similar to those offered to rail passengers.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We recognise the vital role the disabled person’s parking scheme plays in supporting people to live independent lives. For example, I have this week announced the extension of the scheme to some people with cognitive impairments who pose a risk to themselves …

30 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position on whether the 40mph "buffer zone" on Doune Road in Dunblane should be reviewed, in light of its proximity to the Grant Drive/Wallace Road crossing, which is used by school children to cross.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The road to which this PQ refers is a local road and, therefore, under the jurisdiction of its relevant Local Authority - in this case Stirling Council. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to promote road safety and take steps to both reduce and prevent a…

30 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason a number of commuter parking spaces were removed from around Dunblane railway station as part of a recent Sustrans project, and whether it will provide support to have these reinstated.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government can confirm that car parking at Dunblane Station was re-configured as part of the Stirling Road Access for All project undertaken by Stirling Council and Sustrans. The award winning design provides a more relaxed public space with greater …

30 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11613 by Humza Yousaf on 16 October 2017, in light of it not being able to define timescales for any GRIP4 work, what assurances it can provide that the Levenmouth rail reinstatement is on course.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Transport investment decisions have to be supported by robust evidence. That is why I have instructed Transport Scotland to progress the transport appraisal work undertaken to date for the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study, in line with STAG, and in clos…

29 Nov 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of glyphosate in farming.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government supports the recent five year renewal of the glyphosate licence which allows its continued use in Scotland and the rest of Europe. Glyphosate is important to Scottish farmers who use it to control weeds, manage harvests, and reduce g…

24 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients (a) were thrombolysed and (b) could have been eligible for thrombolysis on presentation at hospital following a stroke in 2016, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Stroke Improvement Plan, published in 2014, reaffirms stroke as a clinical priority for the NHS in Scotland. The Plan outlines eight key priorities and actions to improve stroke treatment and care in Scotland. NHS Boards report on pr…

24 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding maintaining a national stroke registry, guideline and standard development and performance management and reporting, whether its stroke strategy is inclusive of all types of strokes and, in particular, (a) subarachnoid haemorrhages and (b) strokes in children, and how many occ…

Answer · Shona Robison: Through our Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) we are committed to ensuring that people who have had a stroke of whatever type have this identified as quickly as possible and receive access to the best possible care. While there is no national stroke registry, …

21 Nov 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the accessibility of childminders for all families.

17 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the recently published internal staff survey from the Scottish Ambulance Service, which suggests that work pressure had affected the health of more than half of the respondents.

15 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to young people with special educational needs.

13 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance there is on the use of physical intervention and restraint in schools.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government published its refreshed guidance, “Included Engaged and Involved Part 2: A Positive Approach to Preventing and Managing School Exclusions” in June 2017. This refreshed guidance contains a section on de-escalation and physical intervent…

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legislation there is regarding wearing bright or reflective clothing when walking or jogging on unlit rural roads and highways.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Legislation covering what pedestrians should wear on unlit roads and highways remains under the jurisdiction of the UK Government; however, the Scottish Government recognises that high visibility clothing can play a role in preventing pedestrian incidents in …