Scottish Executive

Maternity Services

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues on the number of nurses per child designated to care for (a) sick and (b) premature babies in intensive care.

Nicola Sturgeon: Care should be responsive to the needs of babies and their parents, and organised so that the most appropriate and experienced professional is the care provider at any given time, in accordance with the needs of the baby. Regarding neonatal care for sick and premature babies, the Scottish Government recommend that NHS boards adopt the neonatal levels of care model set out in table 21 of A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland (2001), when considering the provision of immediate and neonatal care. This model is based on the British Association of Perinatal Medicine guidelines.

Police

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the additional police officers funded through Glasgow’s Community Planning Partnership are in addition to the Scottish Government’s target complement.

Kenny MacAskill: Yes, the additional police officers funded through Glasgow’s Community Planning Partnership are in addition to Strathclyde’s share of the 1,000 additional recruits that the government is funding.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision for financing the Waverley line was in place prior to 18 May 2007.

Stewart Stevenson: The following table details the promoter’s provision for financing the Waverley line prior to 18 May 2007.

The funding award of £115 million at 2002 prices provided for by the Scottish Executive prior to 18 May 2007 was capped and subject to the following four conditions:

(i) Approval of the bill by the committee and by the Parliament;

(ii) The assumptions of the business case must hold, including containment of costs, active management of risks;

(iii) A clear and comprehensive risk management strategy must be developed and delivered, and

(iv) The railway must be integrated with local bus services.

There was no discrete Borders Rail Link budget set aside to fund the £115 million. It was assumed that this amount would be found from within the Major Public Transport Projects budget, noting that any increase over the £115 million was to be found by the promoters of the scheme, and that the full portfolio of Major Public Transport Projects would require some use of debt finance.

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to fund its share of the Waverley railway project.

Stewart Stevenson: In my statement to Parliament on 5 March 2008, I outlined the Scottish Government’s plans for funding its share of the Waverley railway project.

Roads

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund a grade-separated junction at Sheriffhall in Edinburgh.

Stewart Stevenson: The current trunk road investment programme up to 2012 has no provision for a grade-separated junction at Sheriffhall in Edinburgh.

However, in examining the longer term needs of Scotland’s national strategic transport network, Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review will inform future investment plans and spending review decisions. A recent STAG Part 1 Report on Sheriffhall has informed this review.

Tourism

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it considers recreational sea angling does and could support.

Jim Mather: The information requested is not available. The Scottish Government has commissioned Glasgow Caledonian University to undertake a study to look at the economic impact of sea angling. The Study’s Steering Group includes recreational sea angling representatives, VisitScotland, tourism and fisheries officials. The study is due to report at the end of 2008.