- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 22 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that internet broadband connectivity in Northbay, Barra, could be improved by an exchange upgrade, considering that the standard BT connection covers all homes that use the Northbay exchange.
Answer
The Connected Communities broadband service available in Northbay, Barra, is consistent with the Scottish Government''s current broadband commitment which aims to provide an affordable basic broadband service (512Kbps) to known demand.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which deals with all operational matters in relation to the Connected Communities project, has confirmed that the Connected Communities service also offers higher bandwidth packages in addition to the basic service. Furthermore, the Connected Communities broadband service is symmetric (same upload speed as download speed), unlike that available on a standard BT connection.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 22 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of households in the Northbay area of Barra has a working internet connection provided by the Concom exchange.
Answer
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which deals with all operational matters in relation to the Connected Communities project, has advised me that 5% of households in the Northbay area of Barra have a working internet connection provided by the Connected Communities service, which is network-based. A further 21 orders in Northbay have still to be installed; once completed, the proportion will increase to 18%.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it responds to the concerns of local people and businesses in Campbeltown and Kintyre that the ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle has not yet been re-established.
Answer
As Scottish ministers have previously stated, a commencement date for any service will depend on a number of factors, including reaching agreement with the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) about the way forward, and the timing of any subsequent procurement process. However, since ministers are presently awaiting a decision from the NIE regarding their involvement in the proposed development of this ferry service, we are not yet in a position to make a definitive announcement on the future for this proposed service.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any European funding available to re-establish a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and, if so, whether it will pursue such funding with a view to re-establishing the ferry service as soon as possible.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have fully investigated the possible availability of European funding in respect of the proposed Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service. Following these investigations it has been established that there are no EU funding programmes whose eligibility criteria would allow them to support this ferry service.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the Northern Ireland Executive about efforts to re-establish a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and what the outcomes were of any such discussions.
Answer
Since my meeting in Belfast on 16 March 2009 with Arlene Foster MLA, Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to discuss the way forward for this service, Scottish Government officials have maintained regular contact with their counterparts within the NIE. We are awaiting a decision from NIE ministers on their possible support for a Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the decision to designate 12 rivers as candidate special areas of conservation on the north and east coasts and only one on the west coast is not connected to any effects of sea lice, disease and genetic damage to wild fish stocks that may have been caused by the salmon farming industry.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24235 on 4 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Fisheries Research Services’ report on restoration of west coast rivers will be published and what the Scottish Government expects the main recommendations of the report to be.
Answer
Draft guidance on the restoration of west coast rivers is in preparation by a consultant commissioned by the Tripartite Working Group, a voluntary partnership of Scottish Government, wild fishery and aquaculture interests. The Tripartite Working Group expects to publish this guidance on its website before the end of June.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 May 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it a worthwhile use of NHS funds to offer complementary treatments such as physical therapy and massage to people with chronic back pain.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that complementary or alternative medicine may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions and leaves it open to NHS boards to provide these therapies based on their assessment of needs in their areas and in line with national guidance about treatment for the condition(s). The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional judgement.
Guidance was issued to NHS boards in August 2005 to remind them that this option was open to them. The letter, NHS circular HDL (2005) 37, is available electronically at:
http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2005_37.pdf.
NHS boards are expected to take account of relevant evidence-based guidelines and advice in the planning and delivery of NHS services.
Physical therapy is a routine element of rehabilitation for people with low back pain as part of NHS physiotherapy services.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 May 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of suggestions by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) that acupuncture, structured exercise and chiropractic services should be offered as treatment for back pain.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the recent National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) publication of a National Clinical Guideline to improve the early management of persistent non-specific low back pain.
NICE Clinical Guidelines have no formal status in Scotland as the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) has the responsibility to produce clinical guidelines for NHSScotland.
The planning and provision of NHS services is a matter for NHS boards. NHS boards are expected to take account of relevant evidence based advice and guidance in the delivery of NHS services. The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional judgement.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 May 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to follow the example of the NHS in England and Wales, where people with persistent back pain may be treated by chiropractors, osteopaths and acupuncturists.
Answer
The planning and provision of NHS services is a matter for NHS boards. NHS boards are expected to take account of relevant evidence-based advice and guidance in the delivery of NHS services. The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional judgement.
