Parliamentary questions

Elaine Murray

2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

12 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why recipients of income support or income-based jobseeker’s allowance qualify automatically for free advice and assistance from the Scottish Legal Aid Board, whereas those in receipt of pension credit do not.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Recipients ofincome support or income-based job-seeker’s allowance qualify automatically forfree advice and assistance only on income grounds. A capital test also howeverapplies. If the applicant has more than the prescribed limit for disposablecapital (curre…

12 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether carer’s allowance and pension credit should be included in the assessment of an individual’s income for the purpose of calculating entitlement to legal aid.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Schedule 2 of theCivil Legal Aid (Scotland) Regulations 2002 allows the ScottishLegal Aid Board to disregard the income gained as a result of a number ofbenefits when determining disposable income as part of the eligibility criteriafor civil legal aid.…

8 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities in respect of the issuing of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) to under 16-year-olds and whether it recommends that authorities try all other options before applying for ASBOs.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Scottish Executive guidanceon antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) published in October 2004 makes clearthat there are a wide range of interventions available to support young peopleand address troublesome behaviour before an application for an ASBO isconsider…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has invested to provide broadband connectivity in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive has invested£16.5 million (including support from the European Regional Development Fund)implementing a Scotland-wide project which has delivered broadband access forevery Scottish community. A separate figurefor broadband investment under this …

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses in multiple occupation have been licensed in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The number of HMO licenses inforce as at 31 March 2006 is published in Table 18 of the Scottish Executive StatisticalBulletin (Housing Series) Housing trends in Scotland: quarter ending 31 March.2006(HSG/2006/5). This is available on-line…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available, or committed, to provide affordable housing in Dumfries and Galloway since 1999.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:Funding made available throughCommunities Scotland and its predecessor body, Scottish Homes, to provide affordablehousing in Dumfries and Gall…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue and capital funding has been made available, or committed, to Dumfries and Galloway College since 1999.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information for Dumfries and Galloway College requestedis as follows:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=192 valign=top> Academic Year </td> <td width=81 valign=top> Capit…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of recorded crimes were cleared up by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary in 2005-06.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information on the percentageof crimes cleared up by the Scottish police forces is given in table 5 of the statisticalbulletin Recorded Crime in Scotland 2005-06, copies of which are availablein the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 4…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it or Transport Scotland (a) have allocated or (b) are considering allocating to provide disabled access to the southbound platform at Lockerbie Station.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland awardedfunding of £750,000 to provide disabled access to and from both platforms at Lockerbiestation.Transport Scotland is involvedin on-going discussions with Network Rail and Dumfries and Galloway Council tofully appraise the const…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvement schemes for the A70 (a) have been completed since 1999, (b) are under way or (c) are planned to commence by 2008-09, showing the actual or estimated (i) cost and (ii) commencement date of each scheme.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The information requested isnot held centrally. The A70 is classified as a local road and the statutory responsibilityfor any improvements to the route would therefore fall to those local authoritiesthrough which the route runs.

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvement schemes for the A7 (a) have been completed since 1999, (b) are under way or (c) are planned to commence by 2008-09, showing the actual or estimated (i) cost and (ii) commencement date of each scheme.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I referthe member to the answer to question S2W-28229on 21 September 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvement schemes for the A76 (a) have been completed since 1999, (b) are under way or (c) are planned to commence by 2008-09, showing the actual or estimated (i) cost and (ii) commencement date of each scheme.

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvement schemes for the A75 (a) have been completed since 1999, (b) are under way or (c) are planned to commence by 2008-09, showing the actual or estimated (i) cost and (ii) commencement date of each scheme.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The information requested isset out in the following table.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=60 valign=top> Route </td> <td width=132 valign=top> Scheme </td> <td width=156 valign=t…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students domiciled in Dumfries and Galloway have been in receipt of mature students’ bursaries in each year since 2001.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The mature students’ bursarywas discontinued for all new students from academic year 1995-96 onwards. Inorder to receive this bursary students had to satisfy eligibility in 1994-95and be in continuing education subsequently.No students from Dumfries an…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students domiciled in Dumfries and Galloway have been in receipt of young students’ bursaries in each year since 2001.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The following tablehighlights the number of young students’ bursary (YSB) recipients who weredomiciled in the Dumfries and Galloway council area since academic year 2001-02:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> …

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent police officers were employed by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information is shown in thefollowing table:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=111 valign=top> Year Ending </td> <td width=299 valign=top> Number of Full-Time Equivalent Police Officer…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many probationer teachers were placed in schools in Dumfries and Galloway in 2005-06.

Answer · Peter Peacock: As at 31 August 2005there were 54 probationers on the teacher induction scheme allocated to Dumfries andGalloway Council. It is for local authorities to allocate probationers on thescheme to schools.

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: A number of allowances are availablefor the recruitment, retention and training of NHS Dentists. Details of these allowancescan be found on the dental web pages on the Scottish Executive website. Paymentsin respect of 2004-05 for NHS Dumfries and Galloway can…

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects in Dumfries and Galloway have been approved for Bus Route Development Grant funding and how much has been allocated to these projects.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Dumfries Town Services project– Dumfries and Galloway Council’s only application for Bus Route Development Grantso far - has been awarded £535,000 over the three financial years 2005-06 to 2007-08.

7 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people in Dumfries and Galloway were in receipt of Education Maintenance Allowance in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: 607 young people received EducationMaintenance Allowances in Dumfries and Galloway in 2004-05 – 157 at college and 450 at school.Statistics for 2005-06 will be published in November.

30 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action can be taken by householders against landowners who allow land adjacent to their homes to become overgrown.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Under existing law, a personmay prune back branches of a landowner’s hedge or vegetation overhanging his orher property but may not enter a landowner’s property without the consent of theowner. While we support in principle the need for a statutory remedy of …

30 Aug 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Dumfries and Galloway Council¿s budget for aids and adaptations has been cut from £1.2 million in 2005-06 to £250,000 in the current financial year.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Local authority spending on aidsand adaptations is provided under a number of budget lines, most of which are notring-fenced and are therefore a matter for the council to decide.The Executive provided an additional£5 million in capital grant for aids a…

29 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering selling any of the plots of land compulsorily purchased for the construction of the M74 in Dumfriesshire and, if so, whether these will be sold on the open market.

Answer · Tavish Scott: A number of plots of landand properties have already been sold and my officials are aware of other areasthat could be disposed of, subject to defining boundaries and agreeing therelease of land from the on-going public private partnership contract with the op…

22 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has made available to each local authority for town centre regeneration in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Funding is not ring fenced specificallyfor town centre regeneration. However, such regeneration can be supported throughthe core local government finance settlement, through Communities Scotland’s investmentin housing and regeneration and through programmes s…

17 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for upholding an appeal by Odom and Kinmount Estates against the decision by Dumfries and Galloway Council to reject an outline planning application for the development of land for residential use and the formation of access at Ryehill Road, Powfoot.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The reporter appointed to determinethis case explained the reasons for allowing the appeal in his decision letter dated10 August 2006. A copy of the decision letter can be downloaded usingthe following link <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/planning/seiru/se…

16 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any source of financial assistance is available to enable community councils to take a planning appeal upheld by the Executive to judicial review.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does notprovide financial assistance to community councils to seek judicial review of planningdecisions.

14 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether dentists are obliged to deregister NHS patients who have not attended for a check-up or treatment for over six months.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. However, a patient requiresto attend the dentist at least once during the registration period in order forthe registration to be rolled-on for a further period. The registration period wasextended from 15 months to 36 months for those patients who registe…

9 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been made available to Dumfries and Galloway Council to combat antisocial behaviour since 2003.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.

9 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides for retraining employees involved in the decommissioning of nuclear power stations and how this funding can be accessed.

Answer · Allan Wilson: We anticipatethat decommissioning activities in nuclear power stations will be a growth activitywhich will create demand for skilled employees for some decades to come. Officials in the Lifelong Learning Group are continuingto liaise with the NDA about how co…

2 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering including the replacement of obsolete and inefficient boilers in warm air ducted central heating systems in the next phase of the central heating programme.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.Her response is as follows:The replacement of inefficientcentral heating systems, including warm air ducted systems, is already includedin the central heating progr…