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: S2W-31086

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 30 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has concerning the number of recently discharged Scottish servicemen and servicewomen who are receiving psychiatric treatment for mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, and whether the Ministry of Defence contributes to the cost of such care and treatment.

The statistical information requestedis not held centrally. The Transfer of Functions (Ministry of Pensions) Order 1953passed the financial and administrative responsibility for the provision of medicaland surgical services for war pensioners to health departments. In Scotland fundingwas transferred to NHS boards. Travel and subsistence costs remain the responsibilityof the Veterans Agency.

The Ministry of Defence funds a programme for membersof the Reserve Forces with mental health problems associated with operational deployment.The services are available to current Reserve Services personnel and those demobilisedsince January 2003 following overseas operational deployment. Referrals are throughindividual general practitioners.

Followingassessment, appropriate out patient treatment is provided and funded by the DefenceMedical Services from facilities in Kinloss, Leuchars and Faslane. Those assessedas requiring in patient treatment are referred through their generalpractitioner to NHS care. NHS mental health care provided to discharged servicemen and women is funded from NHS resources.

The Health Department is workingwith the Ministry of Defence and others, for the better organisation of servicesand care of former servicemen and women including attention to psychiatric needs.

Question reference: S2W-31088

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 29 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received from fishermen’s organisations and other interested parties anent the proposed siting of offshore windfarms.

In determining applications forconsent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 in respect of offshore windfarms, Scottish ministers would consult widely inviting representations from statutorybodies and other interested parties including fishermen’s and other organisations.

The Scottish Executive has notreceived any recent applications for consent of any proposed offshore wind farmdevelopment, consequently no recent consultations have taken place.

However, the Executive receiveda request from AMEC Wind Energy for advice on the preparation of an EnvironmentalStatement for the Aberdeen Offshore Project which is at pre-application stage. Inorder to produce this advice, we consulted local planning authorities, statutorybodies and other interested parties including organisations with an interest innavigation and maritime safety issues.

Further, we willbe conducting a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for offshore wind thisyear. This SEA will examine how we can develop our offshore wind potential sustainablyand site offshore wind farms while minimising impacts on the environment and existingusers of the coastal area. As part of this process we will be contacting all relevantstakeholders, including fisherman’s organisations in the marine environment fortheir views.

Question reference: S2W-31090

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 29 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with Inverclyde Council and River Clyde Homes anent the implementation and consequences of the council housing stock transfer and what initial sum of money is to be given to the housing association.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

Following the announcement of the successful Inverclyde Stock Transfer ballot result on 1 December 2006, InverclydeCouncil, River Clyde Homes and Communities Scotland have been meeting regularlyand at various levels to progress the transfer of the houses to the new landlordas quickly as possible. The target date for transfer is 1 October 2007. The actualsubsidy to be paid to River Clyde Homes will reflect the requirements of its finalbusiness plan as assessed and appraised by Inverclyde Council and Communities Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-30896

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 26 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations have been made to the Home Secretary anent the signing by Her Majesty’s Government of the Council of Europe’s convention on action against trafficking in human beings.

The Deputy Minister for Justicewrote to Vernon Coaker, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Policing, Securityand Community Safety, in June 2006 to draw his attention to the debate on humantrafficking in the Scottish Parliament on 25 May, and in particular to the factthat a number of members had expressed concern that the UK had not, as yet, signedthe Council of Europe Convention on Trafficking in Human Beings.

The Home Secretary set out theUK Government’s current position in answer to House of Commons PQ-114675 answeredon 15 January 2007.

Question reference: S2W-31087

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 24 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have declared medical secretaries’ posts redundant in the last two years and have outsourced secretarial transcription services to specialist secretarial agencies and what the cost has been to each board of this outsourcing.

Question reference: S2W-30898

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions have been secured in (a) sheriff courts and (b) the High Court in the last two years in relation to human trafficking offences and what range of sentences were given to those found guilty.

Trafficking for sexualexploitation was made a specific offence by section 22 of the Criminal Justice(Scotland) Act 2003. Trafficking for any purpose was made a specific offence by Section4 of the Asylum & Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004. To date, therehave been no convictions recorded under either of these offences in Scotland.

People involved intrafficking are likely to have committed a number of offences, both at statuteand in common law, including kidnap, false imprisonment, deception andimmigration offences. However, it is not possible to separately identifyconvictions for those offences which relate to human trafficking activity.

Question reference: S2W-30897

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with Her Majesty’s Government anent the setting up of a UK human trafficking centre.

Question reference: S2W-30899

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has anent the number of victims of human trafficking freed by police raids in the last two years.

Question reference: S2W-30903

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 22 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with the Ministry of Defence anent the rehabilitation, care and nursing of Scottish servicemen and women who have been discharged from military service because of injuries received in the course of duty.

Since 2004 there has been aconcordat in place between the UK Departments of Health and the Ministry ofDefence (MOD Defence Medical Services) on Delivering our Armed Forces HealthcareNeeds. Implementation of this agreement is overseen by a partnershipboard which meets three times per year; and on which Scotland isrepresented by the Chief Medical Officer.

Separately there are also on-goingdiscussions between the health departments and MOD in the context of UK-widediscussions about support for the mental health needs of veterans.

Question reference: S2W-30900

Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 22 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations have been made by community groups, voluntary organisations and other interested parties anent the implications for community-based projects in Scotland of National Lottery funds being re-allocated or redirected to fund the London 2012 Olympic Games.