Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual (a) staffing and (b) operational costs are of the office of the Accountant in Bankruptcy.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Accountant in Bankruptcy publishes their staffing and operational costs annually in their annual report which is available on their website at <a href="http://www.aib.gov.uk/">www.aib.gov.uk</a>.</p>
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed by the Accountant in Bankruptcy and how this compares with the staffing in each of the last five years.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Accountant in Bankruptcy publishes details of staff numbers and costs annually in their annual report which is available on their website at <a href="http://www.aib.gov.uk/">www.aib.gov.uk</a>.</p>
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have (a) applied for and (b) received support to purchase a home in (i) Dunbartonshire and (ii) Argyll and Bute under the Low-cost Initiative for First-Time Buyers and what the value of that support is.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Low-cost Initiative for First-Time Buyers (LIFT) established in October 2007 brings together a range of Scottish Government initiatives to help households get onto the housing ladder.</p> <p >This includes the New Supply Shared Equity scheme and Open Ma…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will develop and improve access to British Sign Language interpreting services.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is taking action to improve access to British Sign Language (BSL)/English interpreting services by supporting measures to increase the number of BSL/English interpreters available across Scotland. In 2003 there were 39 registered inter…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the use of a multimedia platform for the provision of a British Sign Language interpreting service.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is interested to note the progress in multimedia technology which will benefit deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL). A number of voluntary organisations and private companies in Scotland are testing the market by offering on…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the pilot study of the online British Sign Language interpreting service.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government funded Deaf Connections to conduct a time-limited online British Sign Language (BSL)/English interpreting pilot during 2007-08. The pilot was funded to test the new approach to interpreting provision and to start to explore if it could…
10 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that equality impact assessments should be applied to singe outcome agreements.
Answer · Alex Neil: It is not the Scottish Government''s role to determine on whether an authority has appropriately complied with its public sector equality duties. However, as the Scottish Government is engaged with community planning partnerships (CPPs) in the development of …
10 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the lowest hourly pay rate is for NHS staff and how many staff are employed at that rate.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The lowest hourly rate currently available in NHSScotland is £6.76 which is significantly above the current minimum wage of £5.73 per hour. From modelling data available centrally it is estimated that some 5,000 staff are on this rate.</p> <p >It is unlikely…
10 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it would cost per annum to implement a minimum pay rate of £7 per hour for all NHS staff.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are various approaches which could be adopted to ensure that no NHSScotland staff member received less than £7 per hour.</p> <p >Depending on which approach was chosen, it is estimated that it would cost between £3.1 and £7.3 million to introduce a £7 …
10 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff have a pay rate of under £7 per hour, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Only points one and two on the 56 point Agenda for Change salary scale are below £7 per hour and are currently £6.76 and £6.94 respectively. Both of these rates are already substantially more than the minimum wage of £5.73 per hour. It should also be noted th…
10 Jun 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for the Scottish Maritime Museum.
Answer · Michael Russell : <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0618-01.htm">http://www.scot…
3 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed Scheme of Assistance, in place of home improvement grants, will provide direct financial assistance to homeowners.
Answer · Alex Neil: In terms of section 72 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, each local authority must decide and publish its criteria for assisting home owners, and in some cases tenants, with the repair, maintenance and improvement of houses and with adaptations to houses to…
3 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were awarded home improvement grants in each year from 2005-06 up to and including 2009-10, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is available on the Scottish Government website “ <i >Housing Statistics for Scotland “ Private Sector Housing Improvement and Repair Grants:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/…
3 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households applied for home improvement grants in each year from 2005-06 up to and including 2009-10, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Local authorities are not required to record this information.</p>
3 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it determines levels of funding for local authorities in terms of home improvements.
Answer · Alex Neil: Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG) is allocated to local authorities on the basis of a formula, made up of two distinct parts. The first is calculated on the basis of a five-year rolling average of past years'' expenditure data. The second is based on a stat…
3 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was made available for each local authority to carry out home improvement grants from 2005-06 up to and including 2009-10.
Answer · Alex Neil: From 2005-06 to 2009-10, the Scottish Government has made available the amounts shown in the following table to each local authority by means of Private Sector Housing Grant, for investment in private sector housing within their area. The funding is available…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the distribution of Facing Dementia to people newly diagnosed with dementia.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24422 on 11 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Facing Dementia publication is routinely issued by GPs and consultants to people newly diagnosed with dementia.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Health Scotland recently distributed 36,000 copies of <i >Facing Dementia</i> (Bib. number 47926) and also widely publicised its availability. This included, amongst others, copies to GP practices, Old Age psychiatrists and psychologists and lead contacts…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capacity is of the existing Helensburgh to Airdrie line in terms of (a) seating and (b) number of coaches.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The trains used on the Helensburgh to Airdrie line are part of a larger fleet which works the North Clyde network. Therefore carriage and seat numbers are not available specifically for the Helensburgh to Airdrie Line. The number of carriages in the North Cly…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capacity is of the trains planned for the Airdrie to Bathgate line in terms of (a) seating and (b) number of coaches.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is currently proposed to utilise the class 334 Juniper type electrical multiple unit for services east of Airdrie to Edinburgh Waverley via Bathgate, the seating and number of coaches are as follows:</p> <p >(a) 183 standard class seats.</p> <p >(b) Th…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether class 334 Juniper trains will be deployed on the Airdrie to Bathgate line.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24353 on 10 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the comments of the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 23 April 2009 (Official Report c. 16704) that “the figure of 3 per cent growth in the rail network grossly understates the growth that we have seen in recent years, so we must be conscious of tha…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has taken account of the growth predictions outlined in the business case for the Airdrie to Bathgate project, as well as Network Rail''s Route Utilisation Strategy in the planning of rolling stock procurement.</p> <p align=left >The upd…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has finalised the rolling stock procurement plan for the Airdrie to Bathgate line and whether the plan is in the public domain.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24353 on 10 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost for the procurement of rolling stock for the Airdrie to Bathgate line remains the same as in the original projections and, if not, what the revised cost is.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The procurement of rolling stock is being managed and funded by First ScotRail through the terms of the recent Franchise Extension. The anticipated additional cost of train provision on Airdrie to Bathgate is consistent with business case assumptions, but the…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what type of rolling stock will be deployed on the Airdrie to Bathgate line.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is currently proposed to utilise the class 334 Juniper type electrical multiple unit for all services east of Airdrie to Edinburgh Waverley via Bathgate. This is subject to discussion and agreement with the current franchise operator, First ScotRail.</p>
26 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22911 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 May 2009, when the new chief executive of the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate will take up the post.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Inspector of the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate will take up post subject to formal completion of the appointment process and the period of notice which will be required by the successful candidate''s current employer. Negotiations are currentl…
26 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22940 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 May 2009, how the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) is independent of the Scottish Government given the answer to question S3W-22941 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 May 2009, which states that HEI will be accountable to …
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As indicated in response to question S3W-22940, the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) operates independently of the Scottish Government and NHS boards which it will inspect but for administrative purposes is based within NHS Quality Improvement Scotla…
26 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how and when the accelerated capital investment has been spent.
Answer · John Swinney: The accelerated capital for 2008-09 has been allocated as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=540 valign=top > <p align=center >2008-09 Capital Acceleration</p> </td> <td width=96 valign=top > <p align=…
26 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs in the (a) public and (b) private sector will be created or sustained by the decision to accelerate capital investment.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has brought forward approximately £350 million of capital spending from 2010-11 into 2008-09 and 2009-10.</p> <p >Using the Scottish Government Input Output model of the Scottish economy, it is estimated that this expenditure will sup…
26 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs will be (a) created and (b) sustained by the decision to accelerate capital investment.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has brought forward approximately £350 million of capital spending from 2010-11 into 2008-09 and 2009-10.</p> <p >Using the Scottish Government Input Output model of the Scottish economy, it is estimated that this expenditure will sup…