Chamber and committees

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: S3W-23257

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Tricia Marwick on 7 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for what reason no portrait of Her Majesty The Queen hangs in the Scottish Parliament complex.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body are happy to consider suggestions for new acquisitions and to refer these to the Art Advisory Group for their advice in this area.

The Scottish Parliament''s Art Collection includes two significant pieces which commemorate the Parliament''s relationship with The Queen and which were presented to the Scottish Parliament by The Queen.

The Scottish Parliament mace, designed and crafted by Michael Lloyd, is present whenever Parliament is sitting and commemorates the founding of the Scottish Parliament with the words There shall be a Scottish Parliament - The Scotland Act 1998. The mace was presented by The Queen at the opening ceremony on 1 July 1999.

The Honours of Scotland sculpture, commissioned by the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh and made by silversmith Graham Stewart, symbolises the importance of the three honours of the Scotland; the Crown, the Sword and the Sceptre, in the history of the Scottish Parliament. The sculpture was presented by The Queen to mark the opening of the Scottish Parliament building on Saturday 9 October 2004.

Question reference: S3W-23175

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify its guidelines for the evaluation of the significant long-term detrimental impact of wind farm proposals on the amenity of people living nearby proposed sites.

Development plans or supplementary planning guidance should use broad criteria to set out the issues to be addressed by developers. Planning application and, where appropriate, environmental impact assessment procedures should identify the impacts that are likely to arise as a result of development and how these are to be addressed. It is then for the decision-maker to judge on a case-by-case basis whether individual proposals will have a significant long-term detrimental impact.

Question reference: S3W-23170

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people in Tayside have access to an NHS dentist.

Question reference: S3W-23176

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the separation distance recommended in Scottish Planning Policy SPP 6: Renewable Energy between wind turbines and the edge of towns and villages also includes settlements and single dwellings.

The 2km separation distance applies to cities, towns and villages. Its purpose is to guide planning authorities in identifying broad areas of search in their development plans or supplementary planning guidance for wind farm proposals over 20 megawatts. SPP 6 also confirms that planning authorities should use broad criteria to ensure that proposals are not permitted if they would have a significant long-term detrimental impact on the amenity of people living nearby. This principle applies equally to all dwellings, whether within or outwith broad areas of search.

Question reference: S3W-23117

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements are being undertaken to the A9 and whether the dualling programme will start in 2012.

Design work is currently underway to improve the A9 by dualling between Birnam and Luncarty. In addition, the current investment programme provides for improvements and reconstruction schemes at Kincraig, Loch Moy, Bankfoot, Carrbridge, Kincraig to Dalraddy, Slochd and Kindallachan as well as providing for a doubling of the length of the dual carriageway section at Crubenmore.

The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) provides a robust framework of prioritised schemes, the delivery of which will be considered in future spending reviews.

A timetable for undertaking the dualling programme will be set in the context of overall affordability and our commitments to other STPR proposals.

Question reference: S3W-23119

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19420 by Tavish Scott on 21 September 2005, what the figures for traffic levels on the A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness have been in each month in the last five years.

The figures below have been extracted from the Scottish Roads Traffic Database from January 2005 to March 2009. The figures are two-way flows (i.e. northbound and southbound flows combined) and are the average daily flow.

Traffic flow data for the trunk road network is published on the Transport Scotland website at www.transportscotland.gov.uk.

A9 Location	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
2005
Luncarty	11,850	13,579	15,170	16,240	17,108	17,547	18,913	19,818	17,558	16,721	14,109	13,314
Birnam	9,395	10,874	12,437	13,345	14,122	14,554	16,085	16,820	14,611	13,903	11,315	10,634
Moulinearn	9,012	10,539	12,173	13,150	14,207	14,735	16,588	17,467	14,888	13,922	11,042	10,222
Killiecrankie	6,427	7,565	8,694	9,309	9,966	10,392	11,842	12,651	10,620	10,050	7,992	7,476
Glen Garry	5,580	6,613	7,645	8,260	8,897	9,299	10,652	11,013	9,444	8,811	6,719	6,462
Dalnaspidal	5,588	6,627	7,671	8,284	8,941	9,338	10,691	11,057	9,460	8,827	6,721	6,468
Dalwhinnie	5,270	6,239	7,149	7,639	8,144	8,462	9,651	9,984	8,609	8,160	6,323	6,074
Kingussie	5,098	6,025	6,856	7,314	7,085		9,124	9,531	8,245	7,691	6,056	5,873
Aviemore	4,816	5,577	6,497	7,003	7,184	7,544	8,451	8,910	7,878	7,187	5,866	5,686
Tomatin	5,961	6,931	7,832	8,285	8,843	9,395	10,265	11,310	9,727	8,973	7,542	7,374
N Kessock			24,769	26,866	27,767	28,549	29,191	31,180	29,017	26,922	26,044	25,478
2006
Luncarty	12,282	13,950	13,859	17,417	16,887	17,963	19,050	20,083	18,019	17,032	14,755	13,815
Birnam	9,766	11,114	11,070	14,472	13,938	14,998	16,150	16,982	15,019	14,114	11,891	10,987
Moulinearn	9,334	10,835	10,743	14,344	13,955	15,211	16,663	17,859	15,202	14,130	11,571	10,550
Killiecrankie	6,672	7,799	7,670	10,313	9,846	10,703	12,003	12,822	10,830	10,179	8,357	7,759
Glen Garry	5,743	6,831	6,684	9,132	8,703	9,569	10,708	11,167	9,640	8,926	7,063	6,750
Dalnaspidal	5,751	6,840	6,715	9,169	8,751	9,619	10,754	11,214	9,661	8,964	7,098	6,765
Dalwhinnie	5,408	6,382	6,295	8,399	7,942	8,754	9,719	10,083	8,796	8,274	6,630	6,374
Kingussie	5,260	6,173	6,117	8,420	7,677	8,405	9,369	9,783	8,474	8,012	6,445	6,211
Aviemore	5,013	5,791	5,688	7,425	7,392	8,066	8,667	9,190	8,058	7,449	6,311	5,940
Tomatin	6,472	7,419	7,187	9,054	9,150	9,917	10,616	11,399	9,840	9,114	7,926	7,561
N Kessock	19,677		27,444	27,569	28,455	28,295	28,897	27,066	21,841	24,989	27,098	25,740
2007
Luncarty	12,436	14,072	14,822	17,188	17,178	18,048	19,095	20,518	18,015	17,276	15,270	13,848
Birnam	5,762	11,282	11,867	14,309	14,240	15,090	16,177	17,485	15,208	14,472	12,616	11,316
Moulinearn	9,518	10,981	11,740	14,412	14,512	15,429	16,585	18,198	15,508	14,577	12,085	10,733
Killiecrankie	6,719	7,875	8,271	10,197	10,335	11,082	11,979	13,297	10,985	10,382	8,756	7,903
Glen Garry	5,870	6,925	7,272	9,061	9,126	9,974	10,761	11,567	9,817	9,139	7,496	6,917
Dalnaspidal	5,892	6,943	7,318	9,114	9,198	10,043	10,821	11,620	9,873	9,188	7,454	6,915
Dalwhinnie	5,571	6,549	6,839	8,336	8,345	9,164	9,825	10,510	8,949	8,467	6,987	6,487
Kingussie	5,406	6,452	7,011	8,082	8,065	8,829	9,480	10,159	8,652	8,190	6,776	6,308
Aviemore	5,123	5,958	6,368	7,852	7,911	8,580	9,317	10,389	8,652	7,970	6,690	6,109
Tomatin	6,672	7,641	7,936	9,357	9,640	10,368	10,880	11,875	10,109	9,495	8,223
N Kessock	23,819	26,534	27,347	28,583	29,684	29,875	30,265	32,266	29,793	28,380	27,515	26,163
2008
Luncarty	12,538	14,422	15,536	16,133	17,819	17,490	18,227	19,593	17,558	17,115	14,494	13,367
Birnam				12,878	14,759	14,545	15,409	16,741	14,565	14,165	11,680	10,679
Moulinearn	9,595	11,234	12,555	13,045	14,883	14,816	15,963	17,418	14,875	14,449	11,602	10,496
Killiecrankie	6,887	7,982	8,994	9,334	10,498	10,491	11,420	12,224	10,364	10,153	8,263	7,556
Glen Garry	5,981	6,990	7,964	8,298	9,305	9,482	10,221	11,032	9,224	8,956	7,019	6,556
Dalnaspidal	5,984	7,014	7,993	8,324	9,376	9,554	10,289	11,110	9,288	8,983	7,027	6,571
Dalwhinnie	5,669	6,575	7,412	7,687	8,335	8,693	9,042	10,046	8,446	8,272	6,567	6,201
Kingussie	5,500	6,363	7,120	7,430	8,234	8,407	8,757	9,714	8,113	8,010	6,386	6,009
Aviemore	5,233	5,908	6,532	6,897	7,762	8,066	8,466	9,141	7,852	7,613	6,211	5,429
Tomatin												7,546
N Kessock	24,138	26,716	26,954	28,421	29,773	29,388	29,951	31,601	29,739	28,077	26,894	26,029
2009
Luncarty	12,572	14,181	14,455
Birnam	10,000	11,048	11,716
Moulinearn	9,651	10,922	11,821
Killiecrankie	6,907	7,745	8,231
Glen Garry	6,023	6,660	7,021
Dalnaspidal	6,034	6,827	7,290
Dalwhinnie	5,651	6,202	5,772
Kingussie	5,524	6,219	6,625
Aviemore	5,189	5,653	6,361
Tomatin	6,719	7,252	7,877
N Kessock	24,381	25,660	27,326

Where information is missing from the tables, this is the result of failure of the traffic counter or road works.

Question reference: S3W-23169

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what investment there will be for Blair Atholl to promote itself as the southern gateway to the enlarged Cairngorms National Park.

Business partnerships already exist which will be able to build on the opportunities of being in the Cairngorms National Park, and I understand that discussions have taken place between these groups and the Blair Atholl Tourism Association. Local businesses can apply in partnership to Visit Scotland''s Growth Fund to support marketing.

On adoption of the revised boundary, the Cairngorms National Park Authority will install a prominent boundary marker on the A9 entry point to the National Park as well as a range of other signage. A proposal for an information point is also currently under consideration with funding from a range of partners.

Question reference: S3W-23171

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the flood prevention measures and schemes in Tayside that have been implemented, improved or under construction since 2007.

This is a matter for Perth and Kinross Council. However, I am aware that since 2007, the council have carried out measures to road drainage in connection with the Milnathort Flood Prevention Scheme, installed a telemetry system in Perth to improve the operational response of the Perth Flood Prevention Scheme in a flood event and has installed a stand-by generator at the pumping station in Weem to improve operational reliability of that Scheme. I understand the council is developing further measures with a view to publishing a flood prevention scheme at Milnathort in the summer and is also developing proposals for flood prevention schemes at Almondbank, Bankfoot, Birnam and Greenloaning.

Question reference: S3W-23116

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 5 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether work on dualling the A9, as set out in the Strategic Transport Projects Review, will commence in 2012 and whether it will detail this work.

Question reference: S3W-23172

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 April 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what investment plans it has for the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro Hospital.

NHS Tayside and its partner NHS boards are currently evaluating the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre project with a view to establishing future capacity requirements and developing options and recommendations for the way forward after the existing contract with Netcare (UK) Ltd ends in early 2010. The Scottish Government will consider future arrangements, including any investment requirements, in the light of this and of a final formal audit review which will take place during the summer in accordance with the terms of the contract.