Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-34951

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 June 2010
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 July 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on the preservation of maritime heritage.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of preserving Scotland''s maritime heritage. The Marine (Scotland) Bill received Royal Assent on 14 March 2010. This will allow us to create Historic Marine Protected Areas for our heritage at sea while heritage designations around our coast already recognise the significance of 107 historic lighthouses and 90 harbours. The Scottish Government is also investing in our maritime heritage. Over the last five years, Historic Scotland''s Building Repair Grant Scheme has contributed £2.5 million. Over the last two years, Museums and Galleries Scotland has invested approximately £1.3 million in Scottish Government funding towards maritime heritage through its grants schemes.

Question reference: S3W-34959

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 June 2010
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 July 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to providing financial assistance to James Watt College to meet the shortfall in bursary payments to students.

Question reference: S3W-34958

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 June 2010
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 July 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with James Watt College following the announcement of a shortfall in bursary payments to students.

Question reference: S3W-34012

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2010
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek a parliamentary debate on Scotland’s national dementia strategy and, if so, when.

Question reference: S3W-33596

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-10160 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 April 2010 (Official Report c. 25632), when it expects to publish its refreshed United States Plan.

Question reference: S3W-33597

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 25 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people from Scotland have participated in a European Union Youth in Action Programme since 2007.

Question reference: S3W-33594

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 24 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all new primary care premises have incorporated all of the research that is available to ensure that such facilities are user-friendly and maximise accessibility for people with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease.

NHS boards are responsible for designing all primary care premises in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act, as part of their wider accountability under the act for eliminating discrimination and promoting equality of access for disabled people including those with cognitive impairment. NHS Health Scotland provides guidance and training to boards on these issues, including Achieving Fair Access to cover access issues and staff attitudes to people with disabilities.

Health Facilities Scotland, in association with The Dementia Services Development Centre, published guidance on dementia-friendly design in 2007 and 2008 for use across all healthcare premises including those operated by independent contractors.

A range of professionals in each board are trained in auditing dementia-friendly design, and all boards have a team of accredited auditors to advise on the suitability of existing and new NHS facilities for people with dementia.

Question reference: S3W-33595

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 24 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding European Structural Funds after 2013.

Between February and April of this year Scottish Government officials within the European Structural Funds Division undertook an informal consultation on post-2013 Cohesion Policy, including the future use of Structural Funds in Scotland. As part of the process the following meetings with stakeholders were held:

25 February 2010: Meeting with MEPs, European Parliament, Brussels

25 February 2010: Meeting with Scotland Europa, COSLA and Highlands and Islands European Partnership (HIEP), Scotland House, Brussels

1 March 2010: Ministerial meeting with external stakeholders, Atlantic Quay, Glasgow

15 March 2010: Meeting with West of Scotland Colleges Partnership (WOSCOP) Langside College, Glasgow

26 March and 13 April 2010: Meetings with European Policy Research Centre, University of Strathclyde, Atlantic Quay, Glasgow.

Summaries of these meetings have been published on the European Structural Funds section of the Scottish Government website and can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/support/17404/Post2013CohesionPolicy.

Question reference: S3W-33481

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 April 2010
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to motion S3M-4797.1 as agreed by the Parliament on 9 September 2009, why there has been a delay in the publication of the Scottish Dementia Strategy.

Question reference: S3W-33446

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 April 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 13 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out on the economic benefits of home access grants such as those available in England.

A range of research has been carried out into the economic benefits of home internet access by various organisations. The Scottish Government has no plans to duplicate this work.

The Scottish Government is a member of the British-Irish Council workstream on Digital Inclusion and is working alongside neighbouring administrations to ensure that good practice and successful approaches can be shared, and to promote a unified agenda on the issue as we consider what further measures may be necessary to continue to improve digital inclusion in Scotland.