Tuesday, 6 October 2009

Scottish Parliament Written answers

• Agriculture
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether the origins are known of grain imported from other EU member states.
• Agriculture
  To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether flax is grown in the United Kingdom and, if it is, what its main uses are.
• Animal Welfare
  To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24398 by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 June 2009, when it will bring forward regulations to govern the use of snares.
• Blood Donors
  To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that blood donors can access donation sessions in remote and rural areas.
• Blood Donors
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports blood donors being paid time off work to give blood.
• Blood Donors
  To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are in place to encourage people to give blood.
• Community Care
  To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to local community care partnerships with regard to advance planning for the expected future care needs of people with progressive illnesses...
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether its civil servants are able to support the pursuit of independence in the same way as other Scottish Government policies.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive which section of the Scotland Act 1998 it considers confers powers on it to publish a referendum bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive which of its officials were employed in the work of drafting and preparing for the proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings took place between officials and ministers up to the end of July 2009 in discussing the preparation for and drafting of the proposed Referendum...
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive what contacts there have been with administrations outwith the United Kingdom in the drafting of and preparation for the proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with UK Government departments concerning the drafting of and preparation for the proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive which parliamentary draftsmen are involved in the drafting of the proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive what overseas visits have taken place in connection with the preparation of the proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether counsel’s opinion has been sought regarding the legislative competence of a referendum bill being introduced in the Scottish Parliament.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have been involved in ministerial discussions concerning the drafting of and preparation for the proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation is proposed with (a) local government, (b) trades unions, (c) industry, (d) voluntary organisations and (e) the public in relation to the proposed...
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the possible hybridity of the proposed Referendum Bill.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to defending any challenge to the proposed Referendum Bill in the Court of Session and the possible costs involved in such a challenge.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested that the civil service develop workstreams on any matters reserved to Westminster.
• Constitution
  To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to hold a referendum on any matter.
• Digital Technology
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether the trial of broadband-enabling technology will be expanded to include Fife.
• Electricity
  To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the recommendation in the Marine Energy Group’s Marine Energy Road Map , published on 26 August 2009, that Scottish Enterprise should...
• Electricity
  To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the view of the developers on the Marine Energy Group that "it is essential that the Beauly-Denny link must be consented urgently by Scottish...
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive when the independent assessment of the energy options open to Scotland, as recommended by the Council of Economic Advisers, was commissioned.
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive when the independent assessment of the energy options open to Scotland, as recommended by the Council of Economic Advisers, was completed.
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive who carried out the independent assessment of the energy options open to Scotland, as recommended by the Council of Economic Advisers.
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what parameters were given to the organisation carrying out the independent assessment of the energy options open to Scotland, as recommended by the Council of...
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what the average national transmission charges are for (a) wind farms, (b) nuclear power stations and (c) fossil fuel power stations.
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what the average national grid transmission charge is in each local authority area.
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has put in place to bring about the substantial reinforcements of the electricity transmission system needed to realise the potential of renewable...
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has considered to enable Scottish Hydro-Electric Transmission Ltd to commence building a new 132 kv line from the (a) north Caithness coast to...
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to National Grid Plc on its policy on transmission charging considered to place generators in the north of Scotland at a competitive...
• Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the European Union regarding transmission charges, given that the Renewables Directive states that "Member States shall ensure...
• Energy Efficiency
  To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to assist the construction sector in ensuring that it is able to make a significant contribution to reducing carbon emissions and improving the built...
• Enterprise
  To ask the Scottish Executive how many notes of interest it has received for the Saltire Prize competition.
• Enterprise
  To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the information published on its website, in which month of 2009 it will publish the final guidelines for the Saltire Prize.
• Flood Prevention
  To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it gives to local authorities on the maintenance and clearing of drains.
• Flood Prevention
  To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of flooding infrastructure across Scotland.
• Genetically Modified Crops
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Scotland has the authority and resources to test for GM flax contamination independently of the UK FSA.
• Genetically Modified Crops
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of news of GM flax contamination, all imports of grain from Canada are monitored for GM presence and, if so, with what results.
• Genetically Modified Crops
  To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether EU-grown crops are produced using seed from Canada.
• Genetically Modified Crops
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether grain imports from other EU countries are monitored for GM presence.
• Genetically Modified Crops
  To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether seed imports into the European Union are monitored for GM presence.
• Genetically Modified Crops
  To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Food Standards Agency issued Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed notification 2009.1256, concerning unauthorised GM linseed from Canada on 28...
• Health
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will limit the number of GPs prescribing to patients in care homes.
• Healthcare Associated Infections
  To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken following publication of the report, Lessons Learned from NHS QIS visits to NHS Orkney, NHS Grampian and NHS Highland following Clostridium...
• International Relations
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is no evidence to suggest that Scotland’s reputation has suffered greatly through the global economic crisis.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the topics of the 14 workstreams that make up the National Conversation; which directors lead each team, and how much of each director’s...
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive what further publications it intends to produce as part of its National Conversation.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its officials are part of the National Conversation team.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive what stakeholders it intends to consult on matters relating to the National Conversation.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive how much working time is devoted to the National Conversation workstream on a fairer Scotland.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions its officials have had with UK Government officials on any of the 14 workstreams relating to the National Conversation.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all of the public meetings on the National Conversation, showing their locations and those in attendance representing the Scottish Government.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish ministers have encouraged submissions to the National Conversation from stakeholders.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has costed running a referendum as outlined in the National Conversation.
• National Conversation
  To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs will be of running a referendum as outlined in the National Conversation
• Planning
  To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with local communities that would be affected by the proposed new coal power station at Hunterston before including the proposal as part of a...
• Public Transport
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Buses for Scotland: Progress Through Partnership forum has been reconvened since 11 March 2008 and, if so, when.
• Renewable Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the recommendation in the Marine Energy Group’s Marine Energy Road Map , published on 26 August 2009, that the Scottish Government...
• Renewable Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26835 by Jim Mather on 8 September 2009, when it will announce whether it supports the recommendation in the Marine and Energy...
• Renewable Energy
  To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the recommendation in the Marine Energy Group’s Marine Energy Road Map , published on 26 August 2009, that the Scottish Government...
• Scottish Government Budget
  To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on hospitality since May 2007, broken down by directorate.
• Scottish Government Funding
  To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will grant additional funding to Glasgow City Council in recognition of the metropolitan services provided by it and, if so, when.
• Scottish Water
  To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is regarding Scottish Water leakage allowances in respect of payments for metered water supplies
• Sensory-Impaired People
  To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to community health partnerships regarding the provision of specialist paediatric occupational therapy services for children with sensory...
• Sensory-Impaired People
  To ask the Scottish Executive which community health partnerships currently provide a specialist paediatric occupational therapy service for children with sensory impairment.
• Sport
  To ask the Scottish Executive, in addition to submitting a response to the Free-to-air Events Review consultation, what correspondence it has had with the UK Government regarding consideration of...
• Tourism
  To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of concerns expressed by members of UKinbound that the high cost of visas to visit the United Kingdom is deterring tourists, what information it has about...
• Vaccinations
  To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the licensing of influenza A (H1N1) drug Pandemrix to be formalised and whether it will set out its vaccination programme for (a) high risk, (b)...