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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 582 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S1W-25533

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2002
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 May 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking, or plans to take, against land speculators who submit planning applications for greenfield sites that are contrary to existing 'oned development plans.

Question reference: S1W-25532

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2002
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 May 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to tackle urban expansion at the east end of the Dundee City Council boundary.

It is for the planning authority to formulate the development plan for its area within the context of national planning policy guidelines set down by the Scottish Executive. As an updated structure plan for Dundee and Angus has recently been submitted to the Scottish ministers for consideration, it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this stage on any proposals relating to urban expansion towards the east of Dundee. However, if the Scottish ministers consider that modifications should be made to the plan as submitted, they will advertise their proposed modifications and provide an opportunity for interested parties to make further representations.

Question reference: S1W-25534

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2002
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 May 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what national planning regulations there are for the provision of education in relation to new housing developments in urban areas.

There are no legislative provisions which specifically require educational facilities to be included as part of new housing developments. However, National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 3: Land for Housing notes that when assessing the requirement for housing land, planning authorities will be guided by a number of considerations relevant to local circumstances such as the availability of community needs, including schools. NPPG 3 is currently being reviewed.Under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 a developer may enter into an agreement with a planning authority to provide infrastructure necessitated by his proposed development. Such infrastructure may include educational facilities.

Question reference: S1W-25047

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2002
Current Status: Answered by Elaine Murray on 10 May 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the possible impact on Scotland's regional economies of Celtic and Rangers football clubs' attitude to Scottish football in the light of the breakdown of the SPL-TV broadcasting talks.

Question reference: S1W-25046

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2002
Current Status: Answered by Elaine Murray on 10 May 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with Rangers and Celtic football clubs following the breakdown of the SPL-TV broadcasting talks.

Question reference: S1W-25305

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2002
Current Status: Answered by Mary Mulligan on 7 May 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take to ensure that the services provided by voluntary organisations, such as Angus Carers, are offered in appropriate cases by GPs and other NHS staff.

GPs and NHS staff have an important role to play in offering advice and information to patients and carers, and many already do this routinely. The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 will enable Scottish ministers to require NHS boards to prepare "carer information" strategies, to ensure that carers are informed that they may be entitled to an assessment by the local authority of their ability to care. Local authorities in turn can give carers and service users advice on local sources of support. We will be discussing with the NHS and carers' organisations how carer information strategies should work to support the partnership of care between carers, local authorities and the NHS.

Question reference: S1W-25306

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2002
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 7 May 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the additional health funding announced in the First Minister's ministerial statement on the 2002 Budget will be made available in order to assist in the provision of services by voluntary organisations such as Angus Carers.

Question reference: S1W-24195

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2002
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 19 April 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive when its meeting with Angus Council to discuss issues related to the Review of Cities took place, with whom it met and what the outcomes were.

Question reference: S1W-24192

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2002
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 19 April 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it discussed the issue of local government boundaries when it met representatives from Angus Council to discuss the review of cities.

Question reference: S1O-05021

Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2002
Current Status: Answered by Mike Watson on 18 April 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been required to change its strategy on boosting golf-related tourism following the events of 11 September 2001.