- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Livingston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there any plans for the redesign of acute health services in the Lothians.
Answer
This is a matter forNHS Lothian. I understand that the board set out its plans for the redesign of acutehealth services during a public consultation in 2004 entitled “Improving Care, Investingin Change”. I further understand that most of the action flowing from these planshas been taken but that some aspects of the plans are still to be implemented.
Any proposal for furthermajor service changes would have to be subject to full consultation with the publicand would require ministerial approval.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Livingston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with respect to a catchment area review of acute hospitals in the Lothians.
Answer
I understand fromNHS Lothian that the board is preparing a plan to change the current catchmentareas (zones) for emergency medical admissions. NHS Lothian have confirmed thatthey expect to implement the plan in early 2008.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Livingston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce legislation to strengthen the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s powers to investigate companies that knowingly pollute and contaminate the environment.
Answer
The Scottish Executiveis not aware of any problems with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s existingpowers to investigate operators who may be polluting the environment. There are,therefore, no plans to introduce any additional legislation.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Livingston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that current levels of fines imposed on companies that breach sections 33(1) and 33(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended, are a sufficient deterrent.
Answer
I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-2512 on 7 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can befound at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Livingston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that current levels of fines imposed on companies that breach sections 33(1) and 33(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended, are adequate.
Answer
The levels of fines imposedon companies which breach the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act1990 are a matter for the courts, which consider the circumstances of eachcase, including the value of a deterrent, individually.
A company which breachesSection 33(1) of the Act may be fined up to £40,000 in summary proceedings.However, in proceedings on indictment the fine which may be levied on a companyfound guilty of such a breach is without limit. The choice of procedure is amatter for the Procurator Fiscal.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Livingston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide additional resources to local authorities to assist with the financial costs of instigating legal action against companies that breach sections 33(1) and 33(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Answer
The Scottish Executive isexamining all funding for future years as part of the spending review process.
In this context I note thatmost of the range of offences which may be committed against the provisions ofSection 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 are regulated and enforcedby the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Any court action is, of course,a matter for the Procurator Fiscal and the Crown Office bears the costs.
In respect of offencesagainst the provisions of Section 33(1)(a) and (c) local authorities, togetherwith the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the police, enjoy powers toissue Fixed Penalty Notices. The penalty in this case is currently £50.Whichever body issues the notice, the fines are payable to and may be kept bythe local authority.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Livingston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Government will respond to the anticipated Green Paper from the United Kingdom Government regarding the care of veterans.
Answer
The Independent ScrutinyPanel will be appointed soon.
