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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S4F-01301

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 April 2013

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take to address the delay in implementing the Third Sector Early Intervention Fund.

Question reference: S4W-13858

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Liam McArthur on 15 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what assessment it has made of the (a) impact on the work of and (b) possible additional costs to the Scottish Information Commissioner resulting from changes to EU data protection laws.

EU data protection laws will impact on all Scottish organisations and guidance on this will issue from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office which has responsibility for data protection. The changes will only impact on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s regulatory function in relation to whether personal data is exempt under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. There will therefore be limited impact and the Scottish Information Commissioner has advised that there will be no additional costs to her office as a result of these changes.

Question reference: S4W-13613

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has given to education authorities on the use of frequency-modulated (FM) amplification technology.

The Scottish Government has not provided any advice to education authorities on the use of frequency-modulated (FM) amplification technology. Responsibility for the design, construction and maintenance of schools rest with local authorities.

However, following consideration of a Review of assistive technology and environmental aids to pupils with a sensory impairment in Scotland, published in November 2012 by the Scottish Sensory Centre. The Scottish Government will instruct that over the next two financial years, the Scottish Sensory Centre will:

Establish a national hearing impairment technology group in order to bring together local authority staff and other specialists to share knowledge and expertise.

Develop their expertise in this area in order to establish themselves as a source of advice and support for local authorities on the use of assistive technology and environmental aids to pupils with a sensory impairment in Scotland.

Assistive technology such as frequency-modulated (FM) amplification can be an important element of the additional support a pupil with a hearing impairment received in order to access learning. By increasing their capacity in this area, the Scottish Sensory Centre will help ensure that pupils across Scotland with a hearing impairment can benefit from the latest technological developments.

Question reference: S4W-13612

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) NHS boards and (b) local authorities regarding the provision of frequency-modulated (FM) amplification technology for children in mainstream education.

The Scottish Government has had no direct discussions with NHS boards or local authorities regarding the provision of frequency-modulated (FM) amplification technology for children in mainstream education.

However, the Scottish Sensory Centre, who are funded by the Scottish Government, published a Review of assistive technology and environmental aids to pupils with a sensory impairment in Scotland in November 2012. The Review included interviews with 18 local authorities. All but one reported that they used frequency-modulated (FM) amplification technology.

Question reference: S4W-13614

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been provided with frequency-modulated (FM) amplification technology in (a) primary and (b) secondary school in each year since 1999, broken down by (i) local authority and (ii) NHS board.

Question reference: S4W-13611

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the provision of frequency-modulated (FM) amplification technology to children in mainstream education.

Question reference: S4O-01953

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the high speed rail link from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Perth.

Question reference: S4F-01265

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2013

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether whistleblowing arrangements for NHS staff are adequate.

Question reference: S4W-13382

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) West Lothian and (b) Fife Council will pay toward the cost of the Forth Replacement Crossing.

Question reference: S4W-13383

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost per kilometre has been for the construction of new roads in each year since 1999.

Schemes vary considerably in terms of their nature, location, complexity of design and the environmental constraints that governs that design. The average cost per kilometre for the construction of new roads in each year since 1999 is contained in the following table.

The 2008 figure reflects the cost of the M74 Completion which was a particularly complex project, largely comprising of elevated structures located in a geometrically constrained brownfield site. Despite these challenges, the M74 Project was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

The year noted is the year in which construction commenced on a scheme.

Year	Average cost per Km/Lane	Number of Km's
	£M
1999	0.29	3.00
2000	*
2001	0.48	9.26
2002	1.44	27.30
2003	2.29	9.80
2004	*
2005	*
2006	1.26	22.90
2007	1.50	18.10
2008	18.54	8.00
2009	1.94	20.40
2010	2.85	11.20
2011	*
2012	*

Note*: No schemes commenced in these years.

Costs for schemes which were predominantly junctions or interchanges have been excluded as these are not considered representative.