Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average spend on apprenticeships is, broken down by gender.
Answer · Angela Constance: This data is not held centrally. I will ask the chief executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with the information you have requested.
3 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to take a gendered approach to its employability programmes.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government, through Skills Development Scotland, ensures that there is fair and open access to all our national training programmes, including modern apprenticeships. Government supported training programmes are delivered by a wide range of stake…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to resume the affordable warmth scheme.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is clarifying with obligated energy companies what they are willing to offer under the affordable warmth scheme in light of the changes the UK Government proposes to make to the Energy Company Obligation. We hope to re-open the Scheme …
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what will happen to those people who are waiting for assistance from the affordable warmth scheme, in light of the scheme being suspended.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20560 on 29 April 2014. People who have already been referred to energy companies for an installation under the affordable warmth scheme are not affected. People whose referral was in preparation when the schem…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding was provided by the energy company obligation in 2013-14 for the affordable warmth scheme; how many people received support, and how this compares with the expected (a) funding amount and (b) number of people assisted.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not have access to the funding allocated by energy companies to the affordable warmth scheme nor any targets set by the companies for funding or number of people assisted. In 2013-14, the Energy Saving Trust made 8,139 referrals t…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are affected by the decision to suspend the affordable warmth scheme.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: At the time of temporarily putting on hold the affordable warmth scheme, there were 181 customers who were waiting for a referral. Those customers have all been contacted by Home Energy Scotland and advised that the scheme has been put on hold. Those customer…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has suspended the affordable warmth scheme.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The affordable warmth scheme was temporarily put on hold in March 2014. This is because energy companies are facing uncertainty over the way in which surplus actions under the Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation will be treated whilst the UK Government is …
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the comment by David Davidson of Spence and Partners and ICAS that, in order to match current UK dependency ratios by 2066, Scotland requires the immigration of one million working people.
Answer · John Swinney: Scotland faces lower projected percentage growth in the working age population than the UK (4% in Scotland, 12% in the UK over the period 2012-2037) and this affects the respective dependency ratios referenced by David Davidson. However, detailed analysis by…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported criticisms by demographers, whether it considers it appropriate to use a dependency ratio to calculate pensions that includes counting children.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s paper Pensions in an Independent Scotland and white paper Scotland’s Future, did not use dependency ratios to calculate pension costs. Instead, they explained, in some detail, the most relevant demographic challenge for affordability…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the UK Government's changes to private pensions and whether it will mirror these provisions in the event of independence.
Answer · John Swinney: As stated in Scotland’s Future, helping people to save for a better retirement is a key focus for this government in an independent Scotland and we have set out a range of measures to address current levels of under-saving.?? Whilst we agree in principle wit…
24 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact in Scotland will be of changes to private pensions announced in the 2014 UK Budget.
Answer · John Swinney: Support for pensioners is long overdue and we will be carefully monitoring the impact of the changes announced in the 2014 Budget on pensioners in Scotland. Whilst the changes will introduce greater flexibility for people with private pensions, it is not yet …
17 Mar 2014 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported underspend of discretionary housing payments by some local authorities.
16 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many changes it has made to the guidance on the Scottish Welfare Fund; what the changes were, and when they were made.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Nicola Sturgeon wrote to the Convenor of the Welfare Reform Committee on 13 October 2013 to advise about changes to the official guidance for the Scottish Welfare Fund. You can find the letter from this link; http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_Welfare_Refo…
16 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has replicated the functions of the Social Security Commissioners for the Scottish Welfare Fund.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17593 on 29 October 2013. 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/parliamentar…
16 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that not being able to seek a review of a decision when the Scottish Welfare Fund has been exhausted constitutes a reduction in the rights of claimants.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: There is no such restriction. Guidance on the review arrangements for the Scottish Welfare Fund can be found in our guidance at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/welfarereform/scottishwelfarefund/scottishwelfarefuindguidance.
16 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the appeals mechanism is for the Scottish Welfare Fund.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17591 on 29 October 2013. 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/parliamentar…
16 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it had a communications strategy for the Scottish Welfare Fund and, if so, whether it will be published.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: We published our communication plan for the Scottish Welfare Fund on our webpages on 8 March 2013. It can be found from this link: http://scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/welfarereform/socialfund/scottishwelfarefundcommsplan.
16 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on advertising the Scottish Welfare Fund; when the advertising took place, and what media were used.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government entered into a partnership with Bauer Media to promote the Scottish Welfare Fund to both people who may need to use the fund, and to others who work with people who may need to use it. This was a week of activity in November 2013 acros…
16 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reduced Show Racism the Red Card's grant from £120,000 to £40,000.
Answer · Shona Robison: The table below shows the Scottish Government funding provided to Show Racism the Red Card and Show Bigotry the Red Card for the financial years 2012-15: 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Show Racism the Red Card £70,000 £40,000 £20,000 Show Bigotry the Red C…
11 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-17494 and S4W-17495 by Alex Neil on 11 October 2013, whether and, if so, what new factor has led to the delay in publishing the inquiry report given that the warning letter process was noted at that time.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry is an independent inquiry. The procedure and the conduct of an inquiry, including the timing of the report, is determined by the inquiry’s chairperson in accordance with his or her duties under the Inquiries Act 2005. For fu…
11 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19663 by Alex Neil on 4 March 2014, when initial warning letters were issued by the Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20127 on 21 March 2014. 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/parliamentarybu…
11 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19430 by Alex Neil on 19 February 2014, when it expects a decision to be made on the future of the fund.
Answer · Alex Neil: On 6 March 2014 the Department for Work and Pensions announced their intention to continue with the closure of the Independent Living Fund (ILF) by the end of June 2015. To date, we have not received formal notification and further information, including a r…
11 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to undertake a review and analysis of the uptake of patient international normalised ratio (INR) self-testing/self-management in comparison with rates in England and other European countries and identify any barriers to Scottish patients managing their own condition.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has no plans to review and analyse the uptake international normalised ratio self-testing/self-management in comparison with rates in England and other European countries.
11 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to increase the number of patients self-testing/self-managing international normalised ratio (INR) testing as part of a stroke prevention programme.
Answer · Alex Neil: There are no current plans to increase the number of patients self testing/self managing as part of a stroke prevention programme. Individual clinicians working with people on anticoagulants will decide on a case by case basis on the most appropriate approach…
11 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a national service delivery model for anticoagulation international normalised ratio (INR) testing in line with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh consensus statement, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline 129 and the Scottis…
Answer · Alex Neil: There are no plans to introduce a national service delivery model.
3 Mar 2014 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance is available for homeowners and council tenants when structural defects are identified in their homes.
20 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people receiving grants from the Scottish Welfare Fund are repeat applicants.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Between 1 April 2013 and 30 September 2013, a total of 35,590 households received funds from the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). These 35,590 households made a total of 51,662 applications to the SWF. Of the 35,590 households, 10,514 households (30%) made repeat…
20 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of people that had a grant application for the Scottish Welfare Fund rejected was referred to other agencies for assistance.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Between 1 April 2013 and 30 September 2013, a total of 13,981 households applied to the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) and received no funds. Of these 13,981 households, a total of 4,943 (35%) had been referred to other agencies for assistance. Statistics on th…
20 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of people receiving grants from the Scottish Welfare Fund was referred to other agencies for assistance.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Between 1 April 2013 and 30 September 2013, a total of 35,590 households received funds from the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). Of these 35,590 households, a total of 13,761 (39%) had been referred to other agencies for assistance. Statistics on the SWF are av…
20 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the Scottish Welfare Fund has been paid out (a) in cash and (b) as goods and what the value was of the goods.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Between 1 April 2013 and 30 September 2013, the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) spent or committed £9.2 million. Of this £9.2 million, a total of £8.6 million had been paid out to households and this was 94% of the spent or committed value. There is a lag between…