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: S4W-10743

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what research (a) it and (b) Health Protection Scotland is carrying out on Lyme disease in ticks and who is responsible for the overall strategy.

The Scottish Government is not carrying out research on Lyme disease. We are not aware of any research currently being carried out by Health Protection Scotland.

Lyme disease is an unusually complex disease with many factors that limit the extent of knowledge and understanding. No single body has overall responsibility for Lyme disease as there are a number of agencies who have an interest in this disease, primarily from a public health perspective but also animal health, environmental and forestry interests.

Question reference: S4W-10798

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of (a) the merits of and (b) the obstacles to introducing the compulsory microchipping of dogs.

No in-depth assessment has been made as other work within the Agriculture, food and rural affairs Directorate is currently of a higher priority. However, the Scottish Government has to date received no evidence that making microchipping compulsory would effectively tackle welfare issues such as abandonment, puppy farming or dog fighting. In addition there are significant concerns surrounding the enforcement and cost (both to Local authorities and to owners) of compulsory microchipping that would require proper consideration. We are watching developments elsewhere in the UK with interest, however, and we may consider the matter further in future should those developments appear to merit it.

Question reference: S4W-10797

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce the compulsory microchipping of dogs.

Question reference: S4W-09405

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 13 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce managed clinical networks for people with inflammatory bowel disease.

Our Healthcare Quality Strategy describes Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs) as a key element in the provision of high quality care and the Scottish Government continues to advocate the role that MCNs can have in developing a co-ordinated, multi-disciplinary approach to the provision of services.

The recently published Chief Executive's Letter, CEL 29 (2012) provides further advice and guidance to boards on the role of MCN’s and is available at: http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_29.pdf.

Decisions on the most appropriate model for delivering safe, effective and sustainable services are a matter for NHS boards. Whilst it is the responsibility of NHS boards to plan services for its population the Scottish Government is continuing to work with stakeholders to explore ways of for improving healthcare services for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Question reference: S4W-09247

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 13 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the asset threshold where people have to contribute to the cost of their care is set at; whether it considers this to be sufficient, and whether it plans to consult on changing this.

The National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 and associated Charging for Residential Accommodation Guidance (CRAG) provide the framework for local authorities to charge for the residential care that they provide or arrange.

Since the Scottish Government introduced free personal and nursing care for people aged over 65 in July 2002, the local authority will pay a contribution for these elements of the residential care costs for those assessed as needing them. The current rates increased in April 2012 and are £163 per week for personal care and £237 per week where nursing care is also required. Older residents therefore need only contribute towards their remaining costs depending on the outcome of the financial assessment.

Under the financial assessment, anyone with capital, including property, worth £24,750 or more, must meet his or her care costs (over and above any assessed entitlement to free personal and nursing care) in full. These residents are known as self-funders. Where capital falls between £15,250 and £24,750 a resident will be expected to contribute a proportion of his or her assets towards the cost of care.

Where a resident has capital of less than £15,250 and requires local authority support to meet the cost of their stay in the residential home, they would be expected to contribute to the care home fees from their pensions and any other income. These residents are known as publicly funded.

Property is disregarded in certain situations, such as when the resident’s partner or a disabled relative still lives in the former home.

There are no plans to change this framework, other than to make it compliant with changes in the revised welfare benefit system.

Question reference: S4W-09246

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 13 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult on introducing a care home fees cap.

Question reference: S4W-09110

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) GP surgeries and (b) outreach GP surgeries have closed in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S4W-09109

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) GP surgeries and (b) outreach GP surgeries there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S4O-01220

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any delay in delivering infrastructure projects in the north east on the region's economy.

Question reference: S4W-08114

Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how much council tax has not been collected by each local authority in each year since 2007.

Scotland’s local authorities have collected £9.405 billion of council tax (95.9 % of the total billed) since 2007, as of 31 March 2012. The following table gives details of the council tax that had not been collected by 31 March 2012 for each billing year since 2007-08:

Total Council Tax Not Collected as at 31 March 2012

2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	Total
(£000)	(£000)	(£000)	(£000)	(£000)	(£000)

Aberdeen City	3,059	3,232	3,672	4,036	5,363	19,362
Aberdeenshire	1,708	2,186	2,673	558	4,238	11,363
Angus	786	936	901	917	1,244	4,784
Argyll and Bute	916	981	1,027	1,209	1,794	5,927
Clackmannanshire	695	758	715	765	879	3,812
Dumfries and Galloway	1,410	1,472	1,504	1,735	2,329	8,450
Dundee City	2,120	2,331	2,607	2,285	3,130	12,473
East Ayrshire	1,191	1,162	1,169	1,378	2,265	7,166
East Dunbartonshire	975	1,144	1,114	1,167	1,695	6,095
East Lothian	834	1,002	1,017	1,258	1,781	5,892
East Renfrewshire	835	943	868	923	1,128	4,697
Edinburgh, City of	8,398	9,440	9,822	10,654	13,588	51,902
Eilean Siar	160	190	250	300	829	1,729
Falkirk	997	1,219	1,359	1,480	2,099	7,154
Fife	4,309	5,194	5,243	5,953	6,273	26,972
Glasgow City	16,819	16,817	14,278	13,479	13,833	75,226
Highland	1,859	2,239	2,657	2,842	4,410	14,007
Inverclyde	1,164	1,164	1,251	1,347	1,543	6,469
Midlothian	1,087	1,337	1,594	1,831	2,104	7,953
Moray	521	597	573	655	949	3,295
North Ayrshire	1,699	1,907	1,964	2,310	3,028	10,908
North Lanarkshire	3,731	4,337	4,504	4,846	5,627	23,045
Orkney Islands	62	86	96	117	194	555
Perth and Kinross	1,711	1,918	1,841	1,894	2,262	9,626
Renfrewshire	2,450	2,672	2,316	2,506	2,821	12,765
Scottish Borders	887	1,073	1,217	1,424	1,679	6,280
Shetland Islands	45	58	73	114	263	553
South Ayrshire	1,122	1,265	1,376	1,553	2,374	7,690
South Lanarkshire	3,491	3,969	4,323	4,932	4,789	21,504
Stirling	537	615	651	718	1,108	3,629
West Dunbartonshire	2,097	2,049	2,531	2,768	1,710	11,155
West Lothian	1,990	2,349	2,535	2,897	3,650	13,421
Total	69,665	76,642	77,721	80,851	100,979	405,859

Source: Council Tax Receipts Return (CTRR).

Note: Local authorities continue to collect unpaid council tax for earlier years. This table presents the position reported by local authorities as at 31 March 2012.