Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-18492

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many times there have been closures on the A9 because accident sites have been designated as crime scenes in each of the last three years, and what was the average closure time.

Details of road closures on the A9 in the last 3 full calendar years are contained in the following table. Our records for 2013 are not yet complete.

2010

2011

2012

Road	Number of Closures	Average time (hrs)	Number of Closures	Average time (hrs)	Number of Closures	Average time (hrs)
A9	10	06:13	28	04:12	40	03:37

The decision by Police Scotland to close a road, such as the A9, is never taken lightly and only occurs when the collision itself has blocked the road, or where there is a need to protect those who might already have been injured and the emergency service staff who are dealing with the incident.

The impact on local communities and the wider economy is always at the forefront of investigators’ minds, but there is a need to ensure that incidents are investigated thoroughly to ensure that families of those killed or seriously injured receive the support and information that they deserve and also to ensure that any safety issues are identified and addressed.

Roads are closed in such cases to gather evidence regarding an accident and the length of any closure can vary, depending on the nature and complexity of the incident.

Question reference: S4W-18334

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 4 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards are in place to ensure that the so-called independence packs compiled by Education Scotland will not lead to the politicisation of the classroom.

Education Scotland is not producing packs on the referendum to be sent to schools. Education Scotland is producing resources to assist practitioners in the teaching of political literacy. Learning about political literacy is an entitlement for children and young people. Curriculum for Excellence briefing paper 14 explains that successful learners should be able to make reasoned evaluations. Confident individuals need to develop and communicate their own beliefs and views of the world. Responsible citizens should be able to make informed choices and decisions, whilst effective contributors will apply critical thinking in new contexts.

The briefing paper describes a number of activities which would support the teaching of political literacy, including discussions and debates. Examples of good practice in these and other areas are available on the political literacy section of the Education Scotland website to support practitioners in their delivery.

Question reference: S4W-18495

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what factors are taken into account by the police when considering whether to reopen roads that have been closed because the sites of accidents have been designated as crime scenes.

The decision by Police Scotland to close a road is never taken lightly and only occurs when the collision itself has blocked the road, or where there is a need to protect those who might already have been injured and the emergency service staff who are dealing with the incident.

The impact on local communities and the wider economy is always at the forefront of investigators' minds, but there is a need to ensure that incidents are investigated thoroughly to ensure that families of those killed or seriously injured receive the support and information that they deserve and also to ensure that any safety issues are identified and addressed.

Roads are closed in such cases to gather evidence regarding an accident and the length of any closure can vary, depending on the nature and complexity of the incident.

A road will be re-opened once the scene examination has been completed, the vehicles and any associated debris or spillage have been cleared from the roadway and the road has been deemed safe for use by the general public.

Question reference: S4F-01749

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-18366

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to help Scotland's shipbuilders diversify.

We must explore an alternative and better future for our shipyards. Naval procurement will continue to be a key part of that, but even within that we must look at what we can do to boost exports, and to use the capabilities of the Clyde workforce to seek out new opportunities: independence will bring such new opportunities.

We will seek to maximise the economic impact of Scotland’s defence requirements where possible and support our defence industry to compete successfully for contracts in both domestic and export markets. Proposals for the defence capabilities we require were set out in the White Paper on 26 November 2013, along with the procurement implications of these.

Question reference: S4O-02662

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has conducted on red squirrel resistance to the pox virus.

Question reference: S4O-02640

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 27 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies on fiscal sustainability in an independent Scotland.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) analysis confirms that Scotland is currently in a stronger fiscal position than the UK. In the longer-term the IFS modelling shows what Scotland could look like should it remain part of the UK.

As with any country we face economic challenges, the need to increase productivity, to improve the level of participation in our economy by securing new and long-term job opportunities and to reduce inequality.

These challenges exist whether the Scottish people vote for independence or not. What the report highlights is the future for Scotland within the union. Under independence we will have control of the economic levers that can be used to increase productivity, increase our exports and invest in our economy.

Question reference: S4W-18365

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has produced a maritime strategy similar to that of the Norwegian Government.

Question reference: S4F-01695

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that statistics presented by Police Scotland are accurate.

Question reference: S4O-02610

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the rights of academics at universities to express their views on the constitutional debate.

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