Section E – Written questions lodged on 7 December 2011
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".
S4W-04355 David Torrance: To ask the Scottish Executive whether medical laboratories at (a) the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and (b) Ninewells Hospital in Dundee have been approached to perform cytogenetic blood tests on nuclear test veterans in the last 10 years and, if so, what the response was.
S4W-04455 Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive which government ministers the First Minister met in (a) Qatar, (b) Dubai and (c) Abu Dhabi on his recent visit and what other meetings he attended.
S4W-04457 Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of the First Minister’s recent visit to Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
S4W-04458 Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive how it decided which businessmen and women should accompany the First Minister on his recent trip to Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
S4W-04460 Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive on what occasions the First Minister has met Allan MacAskill.
S4W-04461 Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive how many names were on the shortlist to accompany the First Minister on his recent trip to Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
S4W-04462 Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive what advice the First Minister took before agreeing to allow Allan MacAskill to accompany him on his visit to Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
S4W-04463 Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive what background checks it undertook on Allan MacAskill’s business interests before allowing him to accompany the First Minister on his recent visit to Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
S4W-04469 Murdo Fraser: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the possibility of including the recording of animal casualties in vehicle crime and accident reports.
S4W-04470 Marco Biagi: To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the extent of land banking by major retailers to be.
S4W-04471 Marco Biagi: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages changes to the composition of the Research Excellence Grant for universities.
S4W-04472 Rhoda Grant: To ask the Scottish Executive what funding streams are available to (a) housing associations and (b) social landlords other than competitive tendering under the Innovation and Investment Fund.
S4W-04473 Rhoda Grant: To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum grant available to housing associations is for the building of new homes in remote and rural areas.
S4W-04474 Sarah Boyack: To ask the Scottish Executive when it will start publicly reporting woodland loss and by what (a) method and (b) frequency.
S4W-04475 Sarah Boyack: To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities are implementing its guidance, The right tree in the right place, and have (a) published or (b) are writing a forest and woodland strategy.
S4W-04476 Sarah Boyack: To ask the Scottish Executive how many forests or woods have been successfully (a) conveyed and (b) leased to local community groups through the National Forest Land Scheme in each year since it was introduced.
S4W-04477 Sarah Boyack: To ask the Scottish Executive how many forests or woods are identified as to be made available to communities through the National Forest Land Scheme.
S4W-04478 John Pentland: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people over 55 are in (a) higher and (b) further education.
S4W-04479 John Pentland: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged over 55 have been unsuccessful in obtaining a loan from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland and how many complaints it has received from these applicants.
S4W-04480 John Pentland: To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of student loans not being available to applicants over 55, what impact this has on its target to increase access to further and higher education for 50 to 60-year-olds.
S4W-04483 John Pentland: To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Student Awards Agency for Scotland has any discretion when considering applications for loans from applicants over 55.
S4W-04484 Liz Smith: To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in its discussions with COSLA, it has been made aware of any moves to reclassify rural schools.
S4W-04485 Richard Lyle: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making free transport schemes available to all war pensioners and recipients of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.