- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 17 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what independent regulatory mechanisms the NHS has and what its position is on establishing new mechanisms.
Answer
Audit Scotland provides the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission with the services they need to check that public money is spent properly, efficiently and effectively. On this basis Audit Scotland is a public sector ‘regulator’ which includes responsibility for NHSScotland. As part of their role, Audit Scotland carry out or manage the annual audit reports for NHSScotland as well as national reports, impact reports and Section 22 reports where appropriate.
Through Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), NHSScotland already has a robust scrutiny and inspection process, which is driving improvements in patient care. HIS, in carrying out their inspections, are independent of the NHS boards they scrutinise. HIS are required by law to carry out their scrutiny and inspection activity in line with a plan agreed with Scottish Ministers. However in reporting their findings they do so impartially and independently.
There are no plans at present to introduce new regulatory mechanisms.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how many currency options it has considered for an independent Scotland, broken down by the (a) ability of the currency to create fiscal independence and (b) cost of implementation.
Answer
<>I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20059 on 12 March 2014. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a separate currency for an independent Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government position is to retain sterling within a formal monetary union with the rest of the UK.
The first report of the Fiscal Commission Working Group in February 2013 set out the range of viable currency and monetary models for a country of Scotland’s size and economic strength, and concluded that a formal sterling area is the best option for Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom in the event of Scottish independence. This position was re-stated following their recent meeting on 6 March 2014.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 11 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how much additional funding Transport Scotland has given ScotRail to operate services during the Commonwealth Games.
Answer
Transport Scotland and ScotRail are close to agreeing a contract to manage the overall funding package for the provision of additional services and extra carriages required during the games fortnight. Any relevant additional funding will be provided by Transport Scotland once this is finalised.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 11 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings Transport Scotland has had with ScotRail to discuss services during the Commonwealth Games; when these took place, and who attended.
Answer
Transport Scotland met with ScotRail to discuss services during the Commonwealth Games on the following occasions:
30 May 2013
14 June 2013
4 July 2013
9 August 2013
25 September 2013
7 October 2013
24 October 2013
8 November 2013
22 November 2013
17 January 2014
28 February 2014
The meetings were only attended by Transport Scotland and First ScotRail.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 11 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland has asked ScotRail not to award bonus payments if the service delivered to meet the demands of the Commonwealth Games is successfully delivered and, if so, for what reason.
Answer
As industrial relations are a matter for ScotRail and the unions, Transport Scotland has not made any representations to ScotRail with regard to bonus payments or remuneration in relation to delivering rail services for the Commonwealth Games.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of holding the recent Cabinet meeting at the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate.
Answer
The cost of holding the recent Cabinet meeting at the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate was £7,572.45.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 4 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19387 by John Swinney on 19 February 2014, whether it will address the issue raised in the question and provide information on the discussions that it has had with the bodies listed in the question.
Answer
<>I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19854 on 4 March 2014. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 4 March 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19384 by John Swinney on 19 February 2014, how much it would cost an independent Scotland to set up the services listed and what relevant discussions it has had with the equivalent UK body.
Answer
The Scottish Government has outlined its position on these issues in Scotland’s Future, which is the most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published. The guide sets out the case for independence and outlines the journey, following a yes vote on 18 September 2014, that Scotland would make to independence day on 24 March 2016.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 March 2014
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2014
To ask the First Minister when the waiting time standard of 98% of patients being seen and admitted, transferred or discharged from accident and emergency departments within four hours was last met across the whole country.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2014