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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.

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Question reference: S4W-18435

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much it cost to install the Firelink communication system, also broken down by fire control room.

Scotland’s share of the costs of installing the GB-wide Firelink communication system, including shared costs and management costs, totalled £35 million. These costs, which were not broken down by fire control room, were fully funded by the Scottish Government. In addition, the eight individual Fire and Rescue Services in Scotland were required to make staff available to assist with implementation of, and for training on, the system.

Question reference: S4W-18437

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s budget to cover the extra costs that the service will accrue when it assumes sole responsibility for the management and maintenance of the Firelink communication system.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN ANSWER

29 November 2013

Index Heading: Learning and Justice

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s budget to cover the extra costs that the service will accrue when it assumes sole responsibility for the management and maintenance of the Firelink communication system.

(S4W-18437)

Roseanna Cunningham:As and when responsibilities for the management and maintenance of the Firelink communication system are taken up by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, appropriate funding provision will be made available.

Question reference: S4W-18458

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that there is a risk that Police Scotland will not deliver savings to the planned timescale.

The introduction of Police Scotland has been the most ambitious reform of our police service ever undertaken and the dedication and professionalism of the service has allowed us to deliver first-class policing across Scotland. Crime is at a 39 year low, violent crime is down by almost half since 2006-7 and homicides are at their lowest since records began. Public confidence in the police is high and we have 1,000 extra police officers compared to 2007.

The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland are fully committed to delivering the required savings. It is for them to manage the budget and make decisions on the appropriate balance of resources to deliver the benefits and savings of reform.

Question reference: S4W-18410

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the electrification of railway services between Inverness and (a) Dunkeld and (b) Aberdeen.

Question reference: S4W-18363

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether Inverness will be considered as the location of the proposed Scottish Fire and Rescue Service headquarters.

Question reference: S4W-18121

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 19 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what power it has to sanction a moratorium on community pharmacy applications in rural areas where there are already dispensing GP practices.

The process for considering applications for new community pharmacies is laid down by Parliament in primary legislation, and supplemented by regulations. It is not a discretionary framework and so it is not open to Scottish ministers or NHS boards to decide to suspend it without Parliament making changes to that legislation.

In recognition of the concerns expressed by GPs and communities in remote and rural areas, I decided to review immediately the regulatory frameworks for community pharmacy applications and the dispensing of medicines by GP practices with a view to bringing forward amended legislation that best meets the needs of those communities.

The first stage of that review has now been completed, and I will announce shortly what the next steps will be.

Question reference: S4O-02607

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that universities and colleges meet the needs of disabled students.

Question reference: S4W-17768

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers in the (a) Highlands and Islands and (b) Moray Division have left Police Scotland other than on retirement since 1 April 2013.

Question reference: S4W-17770

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many police support staff have taken voluntary redundancy in the (a) Highlands and Islands and (b) Moray Division since 1 April 2013.

Question reference: S4W-17766

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers in the (a) Highlands and Islands and (b) Moray Division have taken early retirement at 25 years since 1 April 2013.