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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-14578

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 7 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the percentage of (a) the UK rail network and (b) UK train stations located in Scotland and what Scotland's share of UK rail network funding would be were its allocation to be based on such percentages.

Approximately 13% of the GB railway track and 14% of GB railway stations are located in Scotland.

UK and Scottish ministers announced on 18 January 2005 a financial settlement of approximately £325 million to support the devolution of new powers in relation to railways to Scotland. Around £302 million of this financial settlement will fund Network Rail’s Operation, Maintenance and Renewal activities in Scotland.

The calculation of Scotland’s share of GB rail network funding is based on a package of measures. One element is the Scottish share of the GB Regulatory Asset Base. There are a number of allocation methodologies which could be employed. The Office of Rail Regulation will make the final determination by the end of 2005.Based on that determination, the Scottish Executive will receive funding precisely sufficient to support the rail network in Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-14623

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 4 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9715 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 August 2004, how the figure of 29 days as a median waiting time for a first out-patient neurology appointment in Lothian as at 31 March 2004 is consistent with the information contained in a letter from NHS Lothian to a constituent on 10 February 2005 which stated that he must wait approximately 68 weeks for an appointment at the surgical neurology out-patient department at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh.

NHS Lothian has confirmed that the waiting time for a first “routine” surgical neurology/neurosurgical outpatient appointment at the Western General Hospital is approximately 68 weeks. The NHS board is taking action to tackle these unacceptably long waits, and expects to meet the Executive’s target of having no patient waiting more than 26 weeks by the end of 2005.

The earlier question (S2W-9715) related to first out-patient neurology appointments, which are handled at a different clinic by different clinical staff. Typically, patients would be referred to neurology clinics for investigation of disorders of the nervous system; patients would be referred to surgical neurology/neurosurgery for surgical intervention in relation to, for example, entrapped nerves.

If a patient was assessed by the referring clinician as requiring attention quickly, their referral to the relevant clinic would be marked “urgent” rather than “routine”. Waiting times for urgent referrals are much shorter.

Question reference: S2W-14565

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 4 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4697 by Mr Frank McAveety on 15 December 2003, how the £24 million to deliver physical activity for children in school was distributed and what monitoring of outcomes took place.

The £24 million committed to Active Schools over the three years 2003-04 to 2005-06 will be distributed as set out in the table. Integral monitoring and evaluation arrangements will focus on the number of teachers, coaches and leaders involved in delivery and participation numbers across all age groups. An independent evaluation has also been commissioned.

	£ Million
Distributed to local authorities to support staffing network	23.2
Sporting Champions	0.2
Teacher Release Scheme	0.1
Communication	0.2
Education and Training	0.1
Monitoring and Evaluation	0.2
Total	24.0

Question reference: S2W-14794

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 3 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines "soon" as used in its answers to parliamentary questions.

Question reference: S2O-05592

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 3 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it envisages for cottage and community hospitals in delivering an integrated health service.

The planning and delivery of health care services – including those provided in community hospitals in many rural parts of Scotland – are the responsibility of NHS boards, working within national priorities set by the Scottish Executive.

We expect boards to plan and deliver services that are safe, sustainable and affordable.

A review of community hospitals is currently underway. The purpose of the review is to address the Partnership Agreement commitment to develop the important role of community hospitals, and to develop a strategy for sustaining small, rural and community hospitals where they are safe and effective, including the provision of minor surgery, and to act as a resource to GPs.

This will inform the work which Professor David Kerr and his Advisory Group are currently undertaking on the development of a National Framework for Service Change for NHS Scotland. Their report is expected in late spring 2005, and will contain a number of recommendations which will be of relevance.

Question reference: S2O-05591

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 3 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposal by Scottish Borders Council to delay the implementation of the proposal to close Newlands Primary School on condition that parents of children at the school raise £1 million for repairs constitutes a precedent that the Executive would wish to see followed elsewhere.

Question reference: S2W-14474

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 1 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost to police forces was of policing events attended by members of the royal family in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004, broken down by police force.

Question reference: S2W-14073

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses were built in the social rented sector in each local authority area in each year since 1979.

The tables show new build completions in the public sector from 1979 to 2003. Table 1 shows Scotland totals from 1979 to 2003 and table 2 contains a breakdown by local authority for 1996 to 2003. Reliable information at local authority level is not available for years earlier than 1996.

Table 1 – Social Rented Sector, New Build Completions:

1979 to 2003

Year	Dwellings
1979	8,607
1980	8,369
1981	8,990
1982	4,900
1983	4,763
1984	4,723
1985	3,976
1986	3,767
1987	3,803
1988	4,093
1989	3,903
1990	3,901
1991	3,996
1992	3,231
1993	3,510
1994	3,450
1995	6,015
1996	2,858
1997	4,684
1998	2,050
1999	4,992
2000	4,989
2001	5,574
2002	5,171
2003	3,992

Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics.

Data includes local authorities and Housing associations.

Data prior to 1991 includes other government departments.

Data prior to 1993 includes Scottish Homes.

Data prior to 1996 includes New Towns.

Table 2 - Social Rented Sector New Build Completions by Local Authority:

1996 To 2003

Local Authority Area	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Scotland	2,858	4,684	2,050	4,992	4,989	5,574	5,171	3,992
Aberdeen City	157	327	21	115	98	203	79	169
Aberdeenshire	152	291	43	226	116	176	199	211
Angus	110	179	159	119	110	67	167	43
Argyll and Bute	18	91	199	112	121	105	4	59
Clackmannanshire	32	0	18	39	59	0	72	28
Dumfries and Galloway	34	202	14	179	69	197	77	96
Dundee City	185	305	70	242	231	106	302	72
East Ayrshire	22	29	60	32	20	147	4	98
East Dunbartonshire	10	0	22	15	24	55	10	4
East Lothian	16	22	19	61	79	9	18	14
East Renfrewshire	52	17	0	84	126	41	0	30
Edinburgh	104	351	132	576	521	545	511	156
Eilean Siar	7	0	8	1	11	14	22	13
Falkirk	7	62	28	73	14	97	68	34
Fife	171	365	119	410	176	186	335	194
Glasgow	461	785	358	839	1,248	1,841	1,262	1,496
Highland	206	219	70	138	221	125	158	147
Inverclyde	112	0	136	93	248	119	141	101
Midlothian	49	97	48	64	4	52	12	31
Moray	84	101	17	30	30	26	33	2
North Ayrshire	68	28	26	149	67	76	69	83
North Lanarkshire	160	261	80	334	277	296	360	131
Orkney	53	12	0	14	29	52	44	24
Perth and Kinross	98	267	119	182	193	100	215	176
Renfrewshire	228	94	0	92	167	152	155	48
Scottish Borders	8	20	123	83	101	88	85	44
Shetland	0	0	0	56	14	22	14	1
South Ayrshire	95	0	73	68	61	64	131	74
South Lanarkshire	65	206	24	61	274	126	316	103
Stirling	28	56	0	85	83	62	106	84
West Dunbartonshire	30	265	0	213	92	263	182	136
West Lothian	36	32	64	207	105	162	20	90

Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics.

Data includes local authorities and housing associations.

Question reference: S2W-14072

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 28 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13367 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 January 2005, what the rate of recorded burglary was per thousand population, broken down by police force area in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2002-03 and (e) 2003-04.

The available information is given in the table.

Crimes of Housebreaking per 1,000 population, 1999-2000 to 2003-2004

Police Force	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
All Scotland	10.4	9.4	9.0	8.0	7.2
Central	8.6	7.6	6.6	6.5	6.4
Dumfries and Galloway	8.0	7.2	6.1	6.2	4.8
Fife	11.3	9.2	9.5	9.3	9.7
Grampian	11.5	13.1	10.6	9.0	8.1
Lothian and Borders	8.8	7.0	7.0	6.6	7.1
Northern	3.0	3.0	2.7	2.8	2.8
Strathclyde	12.1	10.9	10.5	9.1	7.7
Tayside	9.7	8.5	9.8	8.1	5.7

Question reference: S2O-05552

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 24 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its advice from officials is not to fund the Borders Railway and whether the matter will require a ministerial direction.