Questions and answers

Question reference: S4O-01944

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to increase the number of people willing to be organ donors.

We have implemented a range of measures to increase the donation rate in Scotland.

We have improved the donation infrastructure across the country, removing some of the barriers to organ donation. We have appointed seven additional Specialist Nurses in Organ Donation and now have clinical leads in organ donation in every intensive care unit in Scotland. We continue to run high profile awareness raising campaigns every year and last year this included the launch of a new Organ Donation Scotland website, which made it easier for Scots to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register on line.

As a result of these and other efforts we have seen a 65% increase in the donation rate in Scotland since 2007/08, and a 26% increase in the number of transplants over the same period. 41% of the Scottish population are now on the NHS Organ Donor Register, the highest proportion in any UK country.

Question reference: S4W-13256

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 15 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what factors it assessed to decide whether best value was achieved in the decision to award the lease to manage shooting and fishing on Raasay to a company from Ayrshire and what weighting it gave to each factor considered.

Question reference: S4W-13266

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are in place to factor its crofting estate and related assets on Raasay; when any such factoring arrangements were last put out to competitive tender, and what plans there are to put such work out to tender again.

Question reference: S4W-13251

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the lease held by the crofters on Raasay to manage fishing and shooting on the island was due to end.

The lease for the Raasay sporting rights held by the Raasay Crofters Association expired on 28 November 2012 and a notice to quit was issued on 1 November 2011. However, as the First Minister announced on 28 February, the notice to quit has been revoked and the existing terms of the original lease have been rolled forward so that the lease will end on 1 March 2014. As I have stated to the community this will allow for consultation with the community on Raasay as to the future model of management of sporting rights that will optimise the community benefit to the islanders

Question reference: S4W-13253

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its officials told the crofters on Raasay about the consideration that would be given to tenders received for the lease to manage shooting and fishing on the island.

Notice to Quit was issued to the Raasay Crofters Association on 1 November 2011. The duplicate Notice was signed by the Association on 25 November 2011 and returned as acknowledgement of receipt. No further contact was made by the Association throughout the year until receipt of their offer for the new lease on 14 December 2012.

On 10 January 2013 the Association called the Scottish Government to discuss its bid. The caller was informed that letters had been issued, the Association had been unsuccessful in its bid and that it was lowest of five offers received. Following receipt of the aforementioned letter, the Association telephoned again outlining its concerns. We asked the Association to make its representations in writing so we could address them fully.

The Particulars of Let attached to the tender clearly stated that the highest or any offer may not be accepted. Ministers were not involved in the award of the contract to South Ayrshire Stalking.

Question reference: S4W-13342

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were unemployed and what the unemployment rate was in each local authority area between (a) October 2010 and September 2011, (b) January and December 2011, (c) April 2011 and March 2012, (d) July 2011 and June 2012 and (e) October 2011 and September 2012, also broken down by gender.

The preferred measure of unemployment at a local authority level is the modelled based unemployment estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics. However, these estimates do not provide a breakdown by gender. Therefore the estimates from the Annual Population Survey (APS) are provided. The latest APS data covers the period October 2011 to September 2012.

Caution is advised when using the estimates provided in the following tables. The APS is a sample survey and some of the underlying samples are small therefore the confidence intervals for many of these estimates are relatively wide. Therefore care should be taken when making comparisons between areas and over time.

Male unemployment (16+) by Scottish local authority, Oct 10-Sep 11 toOct 11-Sep 12

Oct10-Sep11

Jan11-Dec11

Apr11-Mar12

Jul11-Jun12

Oct11-Sep12

	level	rate	level	rate	level	rate	level	rate	level	rate
Aberdeen City	5,300	7.9%	5,100	7.6%	5,100	7.4%	4,400	6.3%	4,600	6.6%
Aberdeenshire	2,900	3.9%	3,100	4.2%	3,000	4.0%	3,300	4.4%	3,600	4.8%
Angus	2,900	10.1%	2,600	9.1%	2,200	7.5%	1,900	6.6%	2,200	7.8%
Argyll and Bute	1,800	8.0%	1,900	8.4%	1,900	8.2%	1,900	8.2%	2,100	9.1%
Clackmannanshire	1,500	11.1%	1,700	12.5%	1,700	13.0%	2,000	15.8%	2,000	15.6%
Dumfries and Galloway	4,200	11.4%	4,100	11.0%	4,000	11.0%	4,200	11.4%	4,000	11.0%
Dundee City	3,700	9.9%	3,400	9.3%	3,200	9.0%	3,800	10.6%	3,300	9.7%
East Ayrshire	4,100	13.3%	4,000	12.7%	3,900	12.3%	4,100	13.1%	4,300	13.6%
East Dunbartonshire	2,000	7.5%	1,900	6.9%	2,200	8.0%	2,300	8.3%	2,000	7.7%
East Lothian	2,200	9.0%	2,300	9.1%	1,900	7.5%	1,500	6.0%	1,700	6.9%
East Renfrewshire	1,100	4.7%	1,300	5.3%	1,400	6.3%	1,300	5.7%	1,600	7.0%
Edinburgh, City of	8,800	6.3%	9,900	7.2%	8,400	6.1%	8,300	6.0%	6,800	4.9%
Eilean Siar	*	4.5%	*	7.5%	*	7.3%	600	10.1%	500	8.2%
Falkirk	3,600	8.9%	3,200	7.8%	3,200	7.9%	4,100	10.2%	3,700	9.1%
Fife	12,000	12.3%	9,700	10.0%	10,400	10.7%	10,000	10.0%	9,700	9.9%
Glasgow City	20,000	12.5%	18,100	11.1%	16,800	10.4%	16,400	10.5%	19,300	12.4%
Highland	3,000	4.7%	2,600	4.0%	1,700	2.6%	1,700	2.6%	2,600	4.2%
Inverclyde	2,600	12.6%	3,000	15.0%	3,100	15.8%	3,300	16.7%	3,200	16.2%
Midlothian	2,100	9.7%	2,000	9.1%	1,800	8.5%	1,800	8.3%	1,700	8.2%
Moray	900	3.6%	1,000	3.9%	1,000	3.9%	1,100	4.5%	1,000	4.2%
North Ayrshire	4,700	14.7%	5,000	15.6%	5,300	16.2%	5,200	16.1%	4,400	13.3%
North Lanarkshire	9,000	10.4%	10,300	11.9%	10,800	12.5%	12,100	13.9%	12,100	13.8%
Orkney Islands	*	6.9%	*	7.9%	*	*	*	*	*	3.9%
Perth and Kinross	2,000	4.9%	2,100	5.2%	2,600	6.3%	2,900	7.0%	3,100	7.4%
Renfrewshire	4,000	9.2%	3,700	8.3%	3,100	6.9%	3,500	7.8%	3,900	8.3%
Scottish Borders	1,800	6.4%	1,800	6.2%	1,600	5.7%	1,900	6.4%	1,600	5.6%
Shetland Islands	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
South Ayrshire	3,100	11.5%	3,200	12.0%	3,200	12.0%	3,400	12.0%	3,300	11.3%
South Lanarkshire	7,800	9.7%	7,200	8.9%	7,300	9.0%	7,100	8.6%	5,900	7.2%
Stirling	1,500	6.7%	1,500	6.3%	2,100	9.0%	2,200	9.1%	2,400	10.0%
West Dunbartonshire	3,200	13.5%	2,900	12.3%	2,600	11.1%	2,800	12.1%	2,700	11.9%
West Lothian	3,300	6.8%	3,700	7.7%	2,600	5.5%	1,900	3.9%	2,100	4.4%

Source: Annual Population Survey, Office for National Statistics

Notes:

1. Levels rounded to nearest hundred, rates based on unrounded figures.

2. Unemployment is as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

3. * Indicates data unreliable as sample sizes are too small. All estimates should be treated with caution because of relatively wide confidence intervals.

Female unemployment (16+) by Scottish local authority, Oct'10-Sep'11 to Oct'11-Sep'12

Oct'10-Sep'11

Jan'11-Dec'11

Apr'11-Mar'12

Jul'11-Jun'12

Oct'11-Sep'12

	level	rate	level	rate	level	rate	level	rate	level	rate
Aberdeen City	2,900	5.0%	3,700	6.4%	3,400	5.7%	3,400	5.7%	3,700	6.2%
Aberdeenshire	2,900	4.6%	2,500	4.0%	2,300	3.8%	2,000	3.2%	1,200	1.9%
Angus	1,400	5.5%	1,400	5.6%	1,000	4.1%	1,300	4.8%	1,200	4.4%
Argyll and Bute	800	4.2%	1,000	5.4%	1,000	5.1%	900	4.6%	900	4.8%
Clackmannanshire	700	6.2%	800	7.4%	1,000	9.2%	700	6.1%	500	4.8%
Dumfries and Galloway	1,900	5.8%	2,500	7.7%	2,700	8.1%	2,400	7.0%	2,500	7.3%
Dundee City	2,700	7.5%	2,900	8.4%	3,300	9.3%	2,900	8.2%	3,000	8.6%
East Ayrshire	2,000	7.2%	2,100	7.8%	2,700	10.1%	2,200	8.2%	2,200	8.1%
East Dunbartonshire	1,300	5.4%	1,100	4.3%	1,100	4.6%	1,200	4.9%	1,100	4.5%
East Lothian	1,300	5.2%	1,400	5.7%	1,400	5.6%	1,700	6.8%	1,500	6.4%
East Renfrewshire	1,100	5.1%	1,200	5.8%	1,300	6.1%	1,200	5.6%	1,100	5.1%
Edinburgh, City of	7,800	5.9%	7,700	5.9%	7,300	5.7%	7,800	6.0%	6,300	5.0%
Eilean Siar	*	6.3%	500	9.0%	600	8.4%	700	10.4%	*	5.4%
Falkirk	2,700	7.1%	3,100	8.3%	3,300	8.7%	3,000	8.0%	3,100	8.1%
Fife	5,500	6.2%	5,700	6.6%	5,400	6.1%	6,300	7.2%	8,300	9.3%
Glasgow City	15,600	11.2%	17,000	12.3%	18,200	13.1%	17,000	12.2%	15,700	11.2%
Highland	1,800	3.3%	2,300	4.3%	2,600	4.6%	1,800	3.2%	2,100	3.9%
Inverclyde	1,800	9.4%	2,100	10.4%	2,400	12.2%	2,700	13.5%	2,200	11.1%
Midlothian	1,200	6.0%	1,000	4.6%	900	4.4%	800	3.7%	800	3.6%
Moray	800	4.1%	800	4.1%	800	3.9%	800	3.8%	600	3.1%
North Ayrshire	3,300	11.0%	3,300	11.3%	3,600	12.0%	3,300	11.3%	3,300	11.3%
North Lanarkshire	7,900	10.2%	7,300	9.4%	7,000	8.9%	7,900	9.9%	8,600	10.8%
Orkney Islands	*	*	*	2.9%	*	3.1%	*	4.6%	*	5.0%
Perth and Kinross	2,200	6.3%	2,300	6.6%	2,400	6.7%	3,200	8.7%	2,800	7.7%
Renfrewshire	3,700	9.5%	4,500	11.3%	4,300	10.8%	4,000	9.7%	3,400	8.2%
Scottish Borders	1,400	5.2%	1,200	4.6%	1,600	6.0%	1,300	5.0%	1,400	5.4%
Shetland Islands	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
South Ayrshire	2,200	8.8%	2,500	9.7%	1,900	7.5%	2,000	7.5%	2,300	8.9%
South Lanarkshire	2,100	2.7%	4,000	5.1%	4,600	5.8%	4,300	5.4%	4,400	5.4%
Stirling	1,300	6.3%	1,100	5.3%	800	4.0%	600	3.1%	900	4.5%
West Dunbartonshire	2,100	9.4%	2,100	9.4%	1,900	8.7%	2,200	10.1%	2,300	10.7%
West Lothian	3,200	7.5%	3,200	7.7%	2,800	6.9%	2,400	5.8%	2,300	5.5%

Source: Annual Population Survey, Office for National Statistics

Notes:

1. Levels rounded to nearest hundred, rates based on unrounded figures.

2. Unemployment is as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

3. * Indicates data unreliable as sample sizes are too small. All estimates should be treated with caution because of relatively wide confidence intervals.

Question reference: S4W-13255

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to its policies on (a) community empowerment and renewal, (b) the transfer of assets to community organisations, (c) the support of communities identified as fragile by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (d) land reform, in deciding to award the lease to manage shooting and fishing on Raasay to a company not owned by the islanders.

The original award decision taken by RPID on behalf of Ministers, but without ministerial involvement, was based on the highest rental value for the sporting rights, taking account of a basic quality test that the new leaseholder would be capable of managing the sport and providing benefit to the local community (holiday lets, trade to shops etc.), and their ability to meet the terms of the twenty-nine conditions laid down in the particulars of let.

When I was alerted to the decision by the constituency member, Mr Dave Thompson MSP, I quickly concluded that insufficient consideration had been given to non-financial issues and wider Scottish Government policies, leading ultimately to the reversal of the original contract decision and the previous lease being extended for one year to facilitate the identification of a longer term solution. As discussed when I met the Crofters and wider community on Raasay on 1 March, the longer term future of the lease itself will be determined following a consultation with the community and taking account of these wider factors to determine what is in the best interests of the community.

Question reference: S4W-13254

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 7 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discretion it has to consider actions other than sale or lease for land that it owns.

Scottish Ministers have most of the freedoms of private landowners. In addition to selling or leasing, the Scottish Government can grant servitudes, way-leaves and licences over land it owns, for example for access, pipe-lines and cables. Normally the Scottish Government does not lease property it owns to third parties, but there are clear exceptions rooted in history such as the crofting estate and the residual lowland estate of small-holdings.

Question reference: S4W-13252

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 5 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the decision was taken to put out to tender the lease to manage fishing and shooting on Raasay and whether authorisation was sought from ministers.

Question reference: S4W-13192

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact would be on its carbon control emissions targets if the UK Government was to set Scotland's power generator emissions targets.

Our recent draft Second Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP2) published on 29 January 2013 sets out our intention to help meet Scotland’s emissions reduction targets with a Scottish 2030 decarbonisation target to achieve a grid average of 50g CO2/kWh of electricity generation in Scotland. This is in line with the UK Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations. The draft RPP2 report, along with our draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement, sets out our approach for achieving the decarbonisation target which will be through a wide range of policies and powers including our executively devolved powers under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, policy on Carbon, Capture and Storage, increasing Scotland’s renewable generation and demand management.

The UK Government will take powers in the forthcoming UK Energy Bill to set a 2030 decarbonisation target. Scottish Ministers will have a statutory consultation role with the UK Government in setting and amending any future decarbonisation target. We are urging UK Government to follow Scotland’s lead and set a decarbonisation target range on the face of the Bill, or as soon as is reasonably practical after Royal Assent.

Seòmar agus comataidhean