- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 24 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the reported comments of former FBI scientist Frederic Whitehurst implying that the FBI laboratory in Washington DC may constitute an additional crime scene with regard to the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie.
Answer
There is no evidence of any criminal act having been carried out in relation to any of the forensic evidence in the Lockerbie investigation.
A fragment of electronic timer recovered from the wreckage of flight Pan Am 103, known as PT35, was taken to the FBI laboratory in Washington DC by Scottish police officers and a British forensic scientist in June 1990 as part of the investigation into the Lockerbie bombing. The fragment remained in the custody and control of the Scottish police officers and the British forensic scientist during the visit to the United States and was subsequently identified as having come from an electronic timer manufactured by a Swiss company, MEBO, to the order of the Libyan intelligence service.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 24 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any information it holds related to payments reportedly made by US authorities to key witnesses either before or after the trial of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, specifically payments to Tony Gauci, in relation to evidence he gave into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie.
Answer
The only forum in which the Scottish Government or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) can make public any information connected to witnesses involved in the investigation and prosecution of the Lockerbie bombing is in judicial proceedings in Scotland.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 24 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of comments by the former Lord Advocate, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, who has stated publicly in a television interview for Dutch television in 2009 that he was not aware that the timer fragment known as PT35 was sent to the United States of America for examination by FBI officials and that he would have opposed such transportation of this fragment on the basis of concerns that it might be lost in transit or provoke accusations that it had been tampered with.
Answer
I am aware of comments reported to have been made by my predecessor, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie.
The fragment of electronic timer recovered from the wreckage of flight Pan Am 103, known as PT35, was taken to the United States of America by Scottish police officers and a British forensic scientist in June 1990 as part of the investigation into the Lockerbie bombing. The fragment remained in the custody and control of the Scottish police officers and the British forensic scientist during the visit to the United States and was subsequently identified as having come from an electronic timer manufactured by a Swiss company, MEBO, to the order of the Libyan intelligence service.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 21 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision by United States senators in 2008, to support the amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act that prevented the relatives of victims of Pan Am 103 suing US companies who had established trade relations with Libya from securing compensation for the loss of their loved ones, has any impact on the families of Scottish victims seeking compensation from US companies with operations in Scotland, via the Scottish Courts.
Answer
Legal advice on the impact of foreign legislation is not a matter for the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 July 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what cost implications there are for the NHS as a consequence of the increase in VAT to 20%.
Answer
I refer the member to the question S3W-33760 answered on 21 May 2010. 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: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 April 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 5 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the proposed withdrawal of cheques in 2018 might present security issues for older and housebound people.
Answer
The issue of withdrawal of cheques has not been raised with the Scottish Government in terms of potential impact on older or housebound people. However, we wait with interest to see the Payment Council''s alternative accessible method of payment which should meet users needs.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 April 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 5 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the proposed withdrawal of cheques in 2018 might have a detrimental impact on small businesses, in particular sole traders.
Answer
Scottish Government has not been made aware of any concerns by small businesses or sole traders on this issue.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 April 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 5 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to it, and by what organisations, regarding the proposed withdrawal of cheques in 2018.
Answer
Scottish Government has not been made aware of any concerns on this issue by any organisations, consumers or businesses.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 April 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 30 April 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 to take account of situations where dispensing GP practices in rural areas have no representation on their Area Pharmaceutical Committee and no account might be taken by it of the impact on a GP practice of the loss of dispensing income, as is the case with Newcastleton GP practice.
Answer
The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 state that, when an application is made to a Health Board to open a community pharmacy in its area, its Area Pharmaceutical Committee and its Area Medical Committee must be notified, and that they may make written representations to that Board and their Pharmacy Practices Committee. It is the Pharmacy Practices Committee which considers such applications on behalf of the Board. As part of that process, GPs, including dispensing GPs, can make their views known through the Area Medical Committee.
It is not possible under the current legislative framework to allow a Health Board''s Pharmacy Practices Committee to take into account the financial effect on dispensing GP practices in cases where an application to open a pharmacy in the area is successful. This would require amendment to a number of pieces of legislation, including the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. Our current consultation Review of the Control of Entry Arrangements, published on 22 March 2010, is looking at the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009. Any further views on these issues are welcome.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 April 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors payments from the International Development Fund.
Answer
Payments are monitored as part of the grant management process and are only released on satisfactory completion of required reports.
Details of these reports can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations/internationaldevelopment/idffundingguidance/malawidevprog/grantholder/Q/editmode/on/forceupdate/on.
