Section E – Written questions lodged on 2 October 2009

Questions marked with a triangle (Δ) are initiated by the Scottish Executive in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.

Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an "R".

S3W-27927 Jamie McGrigor: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27597 by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2009, what work has been done to appraise the potential benefit of deer farming to rural industry, in light of the level of imported farmed venison from New Zealand.

S3W-27940 George Foulkes: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27398 by John Swinney on 29 September 2009, what responsibility it has in relation to the appointment of trustees of the Lothian Pension Fund

S3W-27941 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Glasgow live in a household with an annual income of under £16,000.

S3W-27942 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in Glasgow living in a household with an annual income of under £16,000 were affected by the extension of free school meals.

S3W-27943 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Glasgow living in a household with an annual income of under £16,000 were affected by the extension of free prescriptions.

S3W-27944 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Glasgow living in a household with an annual income of under £16,000 were affected by the freeze on council tax.

S3W-27945 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Glasgow live in a household with an annual income of under £23,000.

S3W-27946 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in Glasgow living in a household with an annual income of under £23,000 were affected by the extension of free prescriptions.

S3W-27947 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Glasgow living in a household with an annual income of under £23,000 were affected by the freeze on council tax.

S3W-27948 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26630 by Shona Robison on 21 August 2009, what organisations it is consulting in formulating a response to the UK green paper, Shaping the Future of Care Together.

S3W-27949 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many disabled people have accessed employment or training through Skills Development Scotland since April 2008.

S3W-27950 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 19 in the 15% most deprived areas have accessed employment or training through Skills Development Scotland since April 2008.

S3W-27951 Hugh Henry: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S3F-1930 by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 October 2009 (Official Report c. 20201), whether it will list the 150 school projects that have been completed since the current administration took office.

S3W-27952 Hugh Henry: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S3F-1930 by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 October 2009 (Official Report c. 20201), whether it will list the further 100 school projects that will be finished by the end of the current parliamentary session.

S3W-27953 George Foulkes: To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution expects that an independent Scotland would be a net contributor to the European Union, as stated by him to the Europe and External Relations Committee on 29 September 2009 (Official Report c. 1222).

S3W-27954 James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of invoices from suppliers was paid by directorates supporting its Wealthier and Fairer strategic directive within 10 days of receipt in June 2009.

S3W-27955 James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of invoices from suppliers was paid by directorates supporting its Healthier strategic objective within 10 days of receipt in June 2009.

S3W-27956 James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of invoices from suppliers was paid by directorates supporting its Safer and Stronger strategic objective within 10 days of receipt in June 2009.

S3W-27957 James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of invoices from suppliers was paid by directorates supporting its Smarter strategic objective within 10 days of receipt in June 2009.

S3W-27958 James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of invoices from suppliers was paid by directorates supporting its Greener strategic objective within 10 days of receipt in June 2009.

S3W-27959 James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of invoices from suppliers was paid by directorates under Services and Groups listed on its website within 10 days of receipt in June 2009.

S3W-27960 Hugh O’Donnell: To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are guidelines to standardise the format and procedures for local planning inquiries and, if so, where these can be accessed.

S3W-27961 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26573 by John Swinney on 18 September 2009, whether it will provide a response that contains the information requested in that question.

S3W-27962 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26570 by John Swinney on 18 September 2009, whether it will provide a response that contains the information requested in that question.

S3W-27963 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26571 by John Swinney on 18 September 2009, whether it will provide a response that contains the information requested in that question.

S3W-27964 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25448 by Stewart Stevenson on 6 August 2009, whether it is concerned that school travel coordinator posts are decreasing and that the number of schools that each coordinator is responsible for is increasing.

S3W-27965 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure that local authorities employ measures to encourage active travel to and from school, such as school travel coordinators.

S3W-27966 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during the consultation on the draft Curriculum for Excellence, the overarching statement, "I know and can demonstrate how to travel safely whether on foot, on a bicycle, in a motor vehicle or on public transport", was considered problematic and, if so, by whom and for what reason.

S3W-27967 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the overarching statement in the draft Curriculum for Excellence, "I know and can demonstrate how to travel safely whether on foot, on a bicycle, in a motor vehicle or on public transport", was removed from the final published version.

S3W-27968 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during the consultation on the draft Curriculum for Excellence, the outcome in the physical activity and sport section, "I am encouraged and supported to travel actively and safely to and from my place of learning", was considered problematic and, if so, by whom and for what reason.

S3W-27969 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the outcome in the draft Curriculum for Excellence physical activity and sport section, "I am encouraged and supported to travel actively and safely to and from my place of learning", was removed from the final published version.

S3W-27970 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the outcome in the final version of the Curriculum for Excellence, "I know and can demonstrate how to travel safely", will achieve a more positive uptake of active travel than that in the draft version, "I am encouraged and supported to travel actively and safely to and from my place of learning".

S3W-27971 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the outcome in the Curriculum for Excellence, "I know and can demonstrate how to travel safely" as a means of encouraging active travel or whether measurement of progress against this outcome would primarily be calibrated in terms of road safety indicators.

S3W-27972 Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it decided to remove specific references to encouraging and supporting children to engage in active travel from the final version of the Curriculum for Excellence and whether it considers that this goes against its target of achieving 10% of journeys by bike by 2020.

S3W-27973 Ken Macintosh: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27179 by John Swinney on 23 September 2009, whether it is aware that, under the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Order 1997, deceased tenants and their executors are not treated in the same way as deceased owners.

S3W-27974 Ken Macintosh: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27179 by John Swinney on 23 September 2009, whether it is aware that, under the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Order 1997, deceased tenants and their executors do not enjoy the same rights or protections as deceased owners.

S3W-27975 Ken Macintosh: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27179 by John Swinney on 23 September 2009, whether it considers that deceased tenants and their executors should be treated in the same way as deceased owners in relation to council tax exemption.

S3W-27976 Ken Macintosh: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27179 by John Swinney on 23 September 2009, whether it plans to revise the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Order 1997 so that deceased tenants and their executors may enjoy the same rights or protections as deceased owners.

S3W-27977 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils in the City of Glasgow it has since May 2007 lifted out of schools that were in a poor or bad condition and how this has been achieved, broken down by school.

S3W-27978 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the first tranche of primary schools to be built under its £1.25 billion school building programme.

S3W-27979 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the complete list of primary schools to be built under its £1.25 billion school building programme.

S3W-27980 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to complete the construction of primary schools to be built under its £1.25 billion school building programme.

S3W-27981 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with Glasgow City Council regarding the construction of new primary schools in that local authority area under the £1.25 billion school building programme.

S3W-27982 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether under its £1.25 billion school building programme only existing primary schools will benefit from investment.

S3W-27983 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether under its £1.25 billion school building programme primary schools might be built in communities where no such school exists, but where there is an identified need for one.

S3W-27984 Bill Aitken: To ask the Scottish Executive how many human rights cases are pending against the Scottish Prison Service from prisoners held in segregation units.

S3W-27985 Bill Aitken: To ask the Scottish Executive how many human rights cases are pending against the Scottish Prison Service, broken down by type of claim.

S3W-27986 Bill Aitken: To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has set aside to settle human rights cases.