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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: S3W-16322

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 26 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are for procurators fiscal in relation to the translation into English of evidence in other languages.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has provided guidance to procurators fiscal on commissioning translations. Where translation is required an appropriate translation agency will be instructed. The guidance instructs that, where possible, a translation agency provides translators who hold a valid certificate from Disclosure Scotland at Standard level and who hold relevant qualifications.

On instruction, translators are required to sign a Code of Conduct which sets out the standards expected when accepting interpreting and translation assignments from COPFS.

Question reference: S3W-16321

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are for police forces in relation to the independent scrutiny of the translation into English of evidence in other languages.

Question reference: S3W-16320

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 24 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are for police forces in relation to the translation into English of evidence in other languages.

The translation into English of evidence in other languages is an operational matter for individual chief constables to determine. The Working Group on Interpreting and Translation, whose members include the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Court Service, and the Scottish Legal Aid Board, considers issues and shares best practice on interpretation and translation across the criminal justice system in Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-15792

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 18 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency funding it makes available to assist women asylum seekers fleeing domestic violence who do not otherwise have recourse to public funds.

Question reference: S3W-15791

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 18 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it makes available to assist women asylum seekers fleeing domestic violence who do not otherwise have recourse to public funds.

The Scottish Government does not provide any funding, emergency or otherwise, to women asylum seekers, fleeing domestic abuse, who have no recourse to public funds, as immigration and benefit issues are reserved to Westminster. This is a matter which I have raised with Home Office ministers, most recently with Vernon Coaker MP, in June this year.

The Home Office has now announced plans to introduce a new scheme which will bring about four significant changes to the system for women on spousal visas who have experienced domestic abuse and have no recourse to public funds. These changes are:

that victims may be eligible to receive a contribution to housing costs;

applications for indefinite leave will be processed by the UK Border Agency in 20 working days;

guidance will be produced to support organisations, and

the £750 application fee will be waived under the destitution rule.

The Home Office met with government officials from across the UK on 13 August 2008 to discuss no recourse to public funds for women experiencing domestic abuse and who are on a spousal visa. At the meeting, an agreed way forward was suggested for implementation in these four areas and it is hoped that these changes will be in place by autumn this year.

Scottish Government officials are currently considering how best to take this forward in Scotland and how to address this issue in the violence against women framework that is being developed. A short life working group has been established by the Violence Against Women team in the Equality Unit to examine possible options, with Scottish Women''s Aid, COSLA, Shakti Women''s Aid and Hemat Gryffe Women''s Aid among the members. The Scottish Government will also be liaising with the COSLA Strategic Migration Partnership (CSMP) on how to progress work on this issue. The CSMP are currently preparing guidance for Scottish local authorities.

Question reference: S3W-15793

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 18 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the needs of women asylum seekers fleeing domestic abuse will be addressed in the strategic framework on violence against women that it is currently considering.

Question reference: S3W-15883

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the answers to questions S3W-14677 and S3W-15349 by Shona Robison on 18 July 2008 and Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2008 respectively, what increase in fuel would have to take place in order for the expectation outlined in the answer to question S3W-13596 by Shona Robison on 5 June 2008 to be realised.

These are operational decisions for the Scottish Ambulance Service. The mileage rates were last reviewed in August during which month fuel prices fell. I have been assured by the Scottish Ambulance Service that the current rate remains sufficient to cover these fuel costs. The rates are also calculated on some other factors, such as additional wear and tear on vehicles. I am advised by the ambulance service that, all other factors being equal, these rates will cover fuel price increases of some 40% on current levels.

The ambulance service continues to review the rates on a monthly basis.

Question reference: S3W-15279

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 25 August 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it still plans to introduce home reports, including single surveys, on 1 December 2008.

Question reference: S3W-15349

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 August 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14677 by Shona Robison on 18 July 2008, what effect the July review of mileage rates payable by the Scottish Ambulance Service to volunteer drivers has had on rates.

Question reference: S3W-15134

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 August 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive which healthcare professionals it considers should be responsible for the routine immunisation of children and babies.

NHS boards are responsible for the delivery of the routine childhood vaccinations and it is a matter for boards to decide how such vaccination services are delivered and which professionals should provide vaccinations.

Individual clinical responsibility for vaccinations lie with the health professionals administering the vaccination. Such health professionals are expected to be acting within their competencies and NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that this is the case.