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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: S4W-01437

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 18 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the effect on the Scottish legal system of the proposed European Commission directive which aims to improve the protection of European Union citizens who are victims of crime.

A questionnaire seeking views on the possible ramifications of the draft Directive establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime that was published by the European Commission on 18 May 2011 has been issued to a range of stakeholders, including to the judiciary and the legal profession. Responses, including any covering the possible legal implications of the draft Directive, will help inform both negotiations on the draft Directive, and any steps required to implement the final Directive if the UK Government decides to opt in.

Question reference: S4W-01439

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 18 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any new legislation is planned to ensure that Scotland is fully compatible with the proposed European Commission directive which aims to improve the protection of European Union citizens who are victims of crime.

Question reference: S4W-01436

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 18 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultation is planned for the implementation of the proposed European Commission directive which aims to improve the protection of European Union citizens who are victims of crime.

A questionnaire has been issued to a range of stakeholders seeking views on the possible ramifications of the draft Directive establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime that was published by the European Commission on 18 May 2011. Stakeholders have also been invited to a meeting, which is to be attended by officials from the Ministry of Justice as well as from the Scottish Government, to discuss the draft Directive. Responses to the questionnaire and discussion at the meeting will help inform both negotiations on the draft Directive, and any steps required to implement the final Directive if the UK Government decides to opt in.

Question reference: S4W-01319

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive where the new passing loops will be located on the Inverness to Edinburgh railway line.

Question reference: S4W-01320

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for improvement works on the Inverness to Edinburgh railway line and when the proposed 35-minute journey time saving will be achieved.

Question reference: S4W-01318

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive which sections of the Inverness to Edinburgh railway line will receive line speed improvements.

Question reference: S4W-01000

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) adult and (b) child patients use insulin pumps, broken down by NHS board.

This information is not centrally held.

The available data on insulin pump provision, broken down on a board by board basis, is included in the 2010 Diabetes Survey. These can be accessed at:

http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications.aspx?catId=3

This information is set out within the following table:

INSULIN PUMP PROVISION IN SCOTLAND IN 2010 BROKEN DOWN BY NHS BOARD

NHS BOARD	TYPE 1 POPULATION	NUMBER OF PUMPS	PERCENTAGE
Ayrshire & Arran	2,238	18	0.80%
Borders	601	29	4.80%
Dumfries & Galloway	888	20	2.30%
Fife	1,911	113	5.90%
Forth Valley	1,568	40	2.60%
Grampian	3,045	63	2.10%
Greater Glasgow & Clyde	6,115	67	1.10%
Highland	1,706	18	1.10%
Lanarkshire	3,480	45	1.30%
Lothian	4,109	173	4.20%
Orkney	116	3	2.60%
Shetland	119	2	1.70%
Tayside	1,837	104	5.70%
Western Isles	177	1	0.60%
Scotland	27,910	696	2.50%

Question reference: S4W-00757

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 June 2011

The most accurate data available on the incidence of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is published in the 2010 Diabetes Survey at:

http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications.aspx.

The information is also set out in the following table:

Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes in Scotland Broken Down by 10 Year Age Band (2008-10)

Age	2008	2009	2010
<10 years	133	148	145
10 to 19 Years	264	258	268
20 to 29 Years	159	168	177
30 to 39 Years	140	145	127
40 to 49 Years	130	92	93
50 to 59 Years	57	71	69
60 to 69 Years	52	44	50
>70 Years	23	28	29
Total	958	954	958

Note: These are crude incidence figures that have been calculated retrospectively using SCI-DC data and may be slightly affected by factors such as post-survey patient migration and the on-going validation of diabetes classification.

Question reference: S4W-00599

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route from McInroy’s Point to Hunter’s Quay is eligible to be treated as a public service route under the European Union’s maritime cabotage regulations 1992.

Any Scottish Government involvement in ferry services has to satisfy the legal requirements of the European Commission’s maritime cabotage regulation and state aid rules.

Under the terms of these rules the Scottish Government can only intervene to ensure the provision of ferry services in circumstances where the market has failed to provide an adequate service. Western Ferries operates an extensive vehicle and passenger service from McInroy’s Point to Hunter’s Quay, so there is no market failure. Consequently there is no legal basis for any Scottish Government involvement in the McInroy’s Point to Hunter’s Quay ferry route.

Question reference: S4W-00601

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive who the operator of last resort would be in the event of (a) Argyll or (b) Western Ferries being unable to fulfil its contractual obligations.

In the event that Argyll Ferries Ltd, were unable to fulfil its contractual obligations in respect of the new Gourock to Dunoon ferry service, responsibility would pass to its parent company, David MacBrayne Ltd (DML). This arrangement is assured by means of a parent company guarantee signed by DML.

Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd has no contractual obligations to Scottish ministers in respect of the ferry services that it operates.