Scottish Executive

Bridges

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vehicles have used the Erskine Bridge in each year since 1999.

Stewart Stevenson: Traffic flows for the Erskine Bridge since 1999, expressed as both annual average daily flow (AADF) and annual total are as follows:

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how successful measures have been that enable closures of the Erskine Bridge in windy conditions to be restricted to high-sided vehicles only.

Stewart Stevenson: The measures to enable closure of the Erskine Bridge to high-sided vehicles only have been very successful since first implementation on 11 October 2007. There have been 10 occasions when the bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles, and only two occasions when a full closure was deemed necessary.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are budgeted improvements planned for the Erskine Bridge beyond normal maintenance.

Stewart Stevenson: The Erskine Bridge is undergoing a phased major maintenance programme which is expected to continue for a number of years. This includes some minor upgrading of elements of the structure.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-16164 and S3W-16163 by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2008, what value of contract would trigger a requirement for an open and transparent procurement process under EU rules and whether there are different limits for different types of contract.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16164 by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2008, whether CalMac Ferries Ltd or Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd can enter into short-term leasing or chartering arrangements without the requirement to go to open tender.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16164 by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2008, whether there is any distinction between arrangements for buying, leasing or chartering vessels under EU procurement rules.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 which can be found at the following website: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/ssi2006/20060001.htm#12.

The thresholds for application of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006, which give effect to EU rules, are set out in regulation 8 of those Regulations and are summarised on the Scottish Government website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Procurement/PublicProcurement/thrsholdjan06.

There are no minimum thresholds for the application of the general principles of EU law (including equal treatment, non-discrimination and transparency), which are referred to in regulation 8(21).

Health

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle rheumatoid arthritis, following the declaration by the European Parliament on 5 June 2008 calling on the Council of Ministers to establish national plans to fight rheumatic diseases.

Nicola Sturgeon: Our national approach to managing long-term conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis is outlined in our Better Health Better Care Action Plan. Our aim is to draw on personal experience to develop services which address each person’s needs and which recognise people with long-term conditions, and their carers, as equal partners in the management of their condition.

SIGN Guideline 48 on the management of early rheumatoid arthritis is currently being updated with a focus on drug therapies, exercise therapies and diagnosis. Publication is due in autumn 2009. NHS boards are expected to implement the guidelines through local protocols.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is working on a clinical audit of care in rheumatoid arthritis (CARA), to implement key SIGN guideline recommendations. The outcomes of the audit are intended to inform the process of the generation of clinical standards of care and the final report is due later this year.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to recognise World Arthritis Day on 12 October 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: We support the aims of this year’s World Arthritis Day, in particular its emphasis on the need to provide people with arthritis with stronger emotional support. This is one of the main themes of our work on the management of long term conditions and a central element in the Self Management Strategy for Scotland. We are working currently with the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland on the implementation of this strategy and Arthritis Care Scotland will be fully involved in this work.

Housing

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of public funding was for home adaptations for disabled people in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.

Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities’ expenditure on adaptations to their own stock and expenditure by local authority social work departments on minor adaptations and equipment is not separately recorded.

Note: *Figures for 2007-08 are not yet available.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of public funding was for stair lifts in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.

Stewart Maxwell: Data collected by the Scottish Government on adaptations to the homes of disabled people does not distinguish between different types of adaptations. Information for the period requested on public expenditure on adaptations such that is available is contained in the answer to question S3W-16514 on 6 October 2008. 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./webapp/wa.search.

Human Trafficking

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle the trafficking of women into Scotland and particularly into Glasgow for the purposes of prostitution.

Kenny MacAskill: We are working with the police, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, UK Human Trafficking Centre and the UK Government to oversee the implementation of the joint UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking. The Plan, which was developed following public consultation, was updated on 2 July 2008. It outlines the work being undertaken to combat all aspects of human trafficking, including the trafficking of women for the purposes of prostitution. Copies of the action plan are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46662).

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is liaising with the UK Government to prevent differences in legislative provision between Scotland and England for tackling the trafficking of women.

Kenny MacAskill: We are in regular contact with the UK Government on these issues. Our priority is to ensure that our legislation is appropriate to Scottish circumstances.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to legislate to outlaw paying for sex with someone controlled for another’s gain, in line with the proposals announced for England and Wales by the Home Secretary.

Kenny MacAskill: We are aware of the announcement by the Home Secretary and understand that Home Office are consulting on their proposals. When the details of their final proposals become clearer we will consider any implications that they may have for Scotland.

Roads

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions in the next 12 months it is proposed to undertake highway maintenance on the M8.

Stewart Stevenson: The trunk road operating companies who maintain the M8 have been asked by Transport Scotland to prepare 21 provisional maintenance schemes for the M8 in the next year. The final programme will be drawn from these and the actual number will depend on the availability of funding and spending priorities. Routine and cyclic maintenance will also be undertaken at regular intervals during this period.

The following questions were given holding answers:

S3W-16461