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-13326

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 19 January 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the recent economic analysis produced by Marie Curie Cancer Care of the potential cost benefits arising from a larger number of terminally-ill patients spending their last days in their own homes and what implications this has for acute and palliative care services.

Question reference: S2W-13331

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 19 January 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been made available for specialist palliative care services in (a) NHS Greater Glasgow, (b) NHS Argyll and Clyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

Question reference: S2W-13345

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 19 January 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration is being given to introducing an NHS code of practice on the recruitment of health workers that explicitly prevents the targeting of developing countries for active recruitment.

Question reference: S2O-04479

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 9 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the introduction of tolling on new roads.

In 1999 the consultation paper Tackling Congestion considered potential road user charging options, including charging on local roads, and charging on the motorway and trunk road network.

Only powers for a local authority to charge on local roads became part of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001. This includes both new and existing roads.

Powers exist in the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 for the tolling of new roads. The intention to toll a new road must be known early in the development process of that road. There are no current proposals to introduce tolls on any new roads.

Question reference: S2W-12440

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the intention expressed in the Explanatory Memorandum of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004 “That the devolution of legislative competence to the Scottish Parliament, via this instrument, will enable the Scottish Parliament to transfer the relevant rail functions to the Scottish Ministers” is adequately reflected in the wording of the draft instrument which provides for all functions of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive under Part II of the Transport Act 1998 and sections 32 to 36 of the Railways Act 1993 to be transferred to the Scottish ministers.

Question reference: S2W-12422

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether provisions of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004 will permit Scottish ministers to exercise certain powers of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive set out in the Transport Act 1968 and the Railways Act 1993.

Question reference: S2W-12339

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive why no regulatory impact assessment was prepared in respect of the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004.

The decision on a Regulatory Impact Assessment is in accordance with the guidance Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment issued by the Cabinet Office.

The draft order varies the competence of the Scottish Parliament. It does not in itself have a direct or indirect impact (whether benefit or cost) on business, charities or the voluntary sector. It would not therefore have any regulatory impact. The approach is normal for constitutional measures.

Question reference: S2W-12345

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought legal advice concerning any possibility that the implementation of the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004 may be premature while amendments to legislation arising from the UK White Paper, The Future of Rail, are still being considered and, if so, what the substance of that advice is.

The Railways Bill introduced and published on 25 November 2004 proposes to repeal some sections of the Transport Act 1968 and Railways Act 1968 which relate to Passenger Transport Executives and Authorities across Great Britain. These do not form the whole of the rail powers of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive and Authority and the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004, once made, will still enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate to transfer relevant rail powers.

Question reference: S2W-12342

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish ministers have the necessary powers to take on rights and responsibilities connected with the signing of the Scottish Passenger Rail Franchise.

The Scottish ministers do not currently have the statutory powers to take on all the rights and responsibilities connected with signing the Scottish Passenger Rail Franchise. The Scottish ministers have powers to give the Strategic Rail Authority binding directions and guidance and to fund the franchise.

The Railways Bill introduced in the UK Parliament on the 25 November 2004 will, once enacted, confer on Scottish ministers amongst other matters, the powers and functions connected with the tasks of planning, specifying, letting (including signing), managing and financing rail passenger franchises in Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-12344

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought legal advice on any increased risk of judicial review of ministerial decisions associated with implementation of provisions of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004 and, if so, what the substance of that advice is.