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: S4O-01497

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the National Museums Scotland should make its collection available throughout the country.

Question reference: S4W-10644

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the costs of wind energy development will be over the lifetime of the contracts that have been issued, including costs related to transmission and paid by consumers.

Contracts between renewable generators and the purchasers of their output are a commercial matter. Forecasts accompanying the recent review of the Renewables Obligation (RO) mechanism suggest that the annual cost of the RO to domestic consumers is currently around £20, and that this will rise to £53 by 2017.

The Committee for Climate Change has estimated that increases in transmission and distribution costs – attributable to all electricity generators, not just wind – will add £15 to household bills by 2020.

Question reference: S4O-01223

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, 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 consultation was carried out prior to deciding that all refurbished and new-build hospitals would comprise single-room only accommodation for patients.

Question reference: S4W-09079

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when the fourth generation contract for the South West Unit Trunk Road Operating Company will be announced; for what reason the original tender date of May 2012 was missed; when the work will start, and which agency will provide on-going maintenance and winter services until then.

Transport Scotland is currently evaluating the tenders for the South West (and North West) contracts in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. As this is a live procurement exercise it would be inappropriate to disclose any details relating to the evaluation at this time.

The Commencement of Service date for the fourth generation South West (and North West) contracts is scheduled for 1 April 2013, and the incumbent Operating Companies, Amey in the South West (and Scotland TranServ in the North West) will continue to provide the maintenance and winter service specified under the terms of their contracts until that date.

Question reference: S4W-09062

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual cost is of (a) diagnosing and (b) treating Lyme disease in humans; what the average amount of days lost at work are, and how much this costs the economy.

Question reference: S4W-07624

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address the non-availability of the lipace inhibitor, Orlistat.

The non-availability across the UK of the lipase inhibitor, Orlistat is a matter for the principal manufacturer concerned.

I understand that Roche Products Ltd, the main manufacturer of Orlistat (Xenical^®), has experienced ongoing manufacturing issues since January 2012, and that every effort is being made to address these issues.

A recent statement by Roche Products Ltd indicated that Xenical^® is anticipated to remain out of stock in the UK until the end of July 2012 at the earliest. Roche Products Ltd will provide an update as soon as production of Xenical^® resumes and becomes available again.

Question reference: S4O-01139

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and what matters were discussed.

Question reference: S4O-01096

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers police forces have to deal with illegal cockle fishing.

Question reference: S4O-00997

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review its proposal on General Binding Rule 18, which would prevent fertiliser and pesticides being applied to land with a slope greater than 12 degrees.

Question reference: S4O-00906

Asked by: Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when work will commence on the construction of the Dunragit bypass on the A75.