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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: S4W-07521

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to protect the Lothian Homeopathy Clinic, based in Dalkeith Health Centre.

The Scottish Government recognises that complementary or alternative therapies, including homeopathy, may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions. It is, however, a matter for NHS boards in Scotland to make such services available, based on an assessment of needs within their respective areas.

However, I expect all NHS boards to review services and facilities regularly to ensure that they continue to reflect local needs and provide the best quality healthcare services. In doing so, it is right that NHS boards take account of relevant evidence based advice and guidance in the delivery of NHS services.

It is for NHS Lothian to determine whether to make such services available. NHS Lothian has yet to conclude consideration of its proposals for the future of local homeopathic services. However, I have made it clear that I fully expect NHS boards to engage positively, constructively and meaningfully with local communities when they are contemplating change. I am aware that Midlothian Community Health Partnership is already making arrangements to undertake a period of public consultation before it makes any final recommendation on the future of the service.

However, should the board’s final proposals be considered major service change, they would have to be subject to formal public consultation and ministerial approval.

Question reference: S4W-07522

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the financial impact on the average drinker will be of a 50p per unit minimum price for alcohol.

The modelling carried out by the University of Sheffield shows that a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol is estimated to increase spend per drinker by around £24 a year. The modelling breaks this down into £8 a year for a moderate drinker, £54 a year for a hazardous drinker, and £123 a year for a harmful drinker.

Alcohol misuse costs Scotland £3.6 billion per year, which equates to £900 per adult in Scotland, whether they drink or not. Minimum pricing will go some way towards reducing alcohol-related harm and the costs associated with it.

Question reference: S4O-01122

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to redevelop the Sherrifhall roundabout and achieve grade separation.

Question reference: S4W-07368

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Green Investment Bank will be (a) in place and (b) fully operational.

The public company, UK Green Investment Bank PLC, was registered in Scotland on 15 May 2012. On 25 May, Lord Smith of Kelvin was announced as the new chair of the Green Investment Bank and Sir Adrian Montague as the bank’s senior independent director. The process to recruit a CEO has just started. It is envisaged that the bank will be operational in Edinburgh by autumn 2012, subject to state aid approval.

Question reference: S4W-07327

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been of the Forth Replacement Crossing and whether it will remain within budget based on current costs.

Question reference: S4W-07316

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered carrying out a comparison study of offshore wind, onshore wind and tidal power.

Question reference: S4W-07321

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 31 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it (a) promotes and (b) supports nature reserves.

<>The Scottish Government promotes nature reserves principally through the provision of grant-in-aid to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). In turn, SNH promotes Scotland's 47 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and 61 Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) through the 'Scotland’s National Nature Reserves' website http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/ and the online directory of Local Nature Reserves (http://www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/where-to-go/nature-reserves-and-parks/lnrs/) respectively. SNH and VisitScotland also recently completed a high profile three-year campaign promoting National Nature Reserves.

Scotland’s nature reserves are managed to encourage the people of Scotland to experience and enjoy the best of Scotland's nature. As well as providing all or part of 38 NNRs, SNH provides support to a number of other organisations (e.g. the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the National Trust for Scotland and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) through grants and management agreements. Forestry Commission Scotland directly provides 21 nature reserves including all, or part, of four NNRs.

The Scottish Government makes a wide range of land management support payments available to private and NGO managers of nature reserves through the Scotland Rural Development Programme, and particularly through Rural Development Contracts.

Question reference: S4O-01075

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 31 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to expand and encourage the teaching of foreign languages in schools.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Languages Working Group Report and Recommendations published on 17 May, Language Learning in Scotland : A 1+2 Approach. The recommendation on a much earlier start to language learning for children and young people is particularly welcome.

Pilot projects will be run in 2012-13 school year to demonstrate how the 1+2 model can be implemented within Curriculum for Excellence. Resources already in system include £4 million Languages Fund and subject to parliamentary agreement of the next budget bill, we intend to match the £4 million currently in the system with an additional £4 million from 2013-14.

An Engagement Strategy is being devised with a National Languages Summit being held in the Autumn as a first step in engaging with key stakeholders.

Question reference: S4O-01092

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reassess the effectiveness of acceptable behaviour contracts.

Question reference: S4W-07326

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in evaluating the transformation of flooded coal mines for geothermal power.