Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

6 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how and when it will report to the Parliament on progress on outcomes set out in single outcome agreements.

Answer · John Swinney: Local authorities will publish their annual reports on single outcome agreements (SOAs) in the autumn of each year, with reports relating to 2008-09 SOAs to be published in autumn 2009. A supplementary interim progress report will be produced for 2008-09 SOAs…

6 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what outcomes for people with learning disabilities were set out in single outcome agreements, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Learning disability is mentioned in the single outcome agreements in the context of the provision of care and support services, accommodation, employability, independent living, children and young people, obesity, personal life plans and pregnancy services. <…

6 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are baseline statistics against which progress on the outcomes set out in single outcome agreements can be measured.

Answer · John Swinney: Each local authority is individually responsible for measuring progress on the outcomes set out in their single outcome agreements (SOAs). The SOAs for 2008-09 provided baseline statistics for the majority of the indicators being used to monitor progress towa…

6 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will develop a monitoring framework for the delivery of the outcomes set out in single outcome agreements.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government will monitor the progress that councils and their community planning partners make in delivery of outcomes set out in single outcome agreements. As the bodies which plan, manage and deliver local services, it is for local auth…

6 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many single outcome agreements make reference to learning disability.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government expects single outcome agreements to reflect the expectations of all people in receipt of services including those with learning disabilities. Specific reference to learning disability is made in 19 single outcome agreements.

6 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report on the national concessionary travel scheme.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The steering group set up to review the scheme will report to ministers towards the end of this year. We expect to report to the Parliament in 2009.

31 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide continued funding for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme run by the Community Service Volunteers (CSV).

Answer · John Swinney: I wrote to Claire Stevens, The Director Scotland of CSV, on 3 November 2008 to confirm that our funding is now to be directed to national infrastructure organisations and the remainder, the bulk of the £93 million we have provided in this spending period, wi…

31 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for older volunteers.

Answer · John Swinney: In the current year we are continuing to support the Retired and Senior Volunteering Programme run by CSV to the extent of £352,000 in the final year of a three year grant totalling £1,023,000.

31 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support has been given to organisations that promote and support volunteering in the last three years, broken down by name of organisation and amount.

Answer · John Swinney: All organisations which involve volunteers to some extent promote and support volunteering. The following table shows only directly-funded national organisations and projects which have the support and promotion of volunteering as a primary aim. <table …

31 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on volunteering.

Answer · John Swinney: We believe volunteering has a major contribution to make in the delivery of our ambitions for a more successful Scotland and the 15 national outcomes. We are supporting the development of new, stronger connections between the third sector, including volunteer…

24 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, following publication of the report of the recent investigation by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, Wrong place, Wrong time, whether it will urgently review the operation of adolescent mental health services across Scotland to ensure a consistent approach to the care and treat…

Answer · Shona Robison: I welcome the commission''s continued attention to child and young people''s mental health services and share the ambition for consistency of approach. Working with NHS boards and other partners we continue to address and progress the recommendations…

20 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since May 2007 in providing accessible housing, broken down by the number of units built in each local authority area.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: There is no central source of data on the number of accessible houses built in Scotland.

20 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many more accessible properties are required across Scotland according to the Scottish House Condition Survey.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The number of further, accessible households required can only be answered indirectly by the data in the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS). The SHCS is a sample survey and therefore all figures are estimates rather than precise counts. We estima…

20 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that housing built with the advance of up to £100 million under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme will meet Housing for Varying Needs standards and how this will be monitored.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is a standard condition of grant for all new build by registered social landlords that Housing for Varying Needs essential features will be provided. This will apply to new build by registered social landlords supported by the advance of £100 million in th…

20 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that housing built with the advance of up to £100 million under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme will be accessible.

20 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an equality audit was carried out on the decision to advance up to £100 million under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme and, if so, what action was taken to ensure the needs of disabled people were considered.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A formal equalities impact assessment was not carried out on the decision to advance up to £100 million under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). It was necessary for the Scottish Government to act swiftly in response to the changing economic …

9 Oct 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional investment is planned for the A82.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Preliminary work is progressing in taking forward improvement schemes from the A82 Route Action Plan to improve safety and speed up journey times. Future investment in Scotland''s nationally strategic transport network is being considered as part of …

25 Sep 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to inspect hospitals to ensure compliance with healthcare associated infection standards.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I am committed to establishing rigorous, coherent and searching inspection arrangements without delay. These will provide open and transparent reporting that reaches down to ward level with stronger accountability and robust follow up. Detailed plans are bein…

24 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are budgeted improvements planned for the Erskine Bridge beyond normal maintenance.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Erskine Bridge is undergoing a phased major maintenance programme which is expected to continue for a number of years. This includes some minor upgrading of elements of the structure.

24 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how successful measures have been that enable closures of the Erskine Bridge in windy conditions to be restricted to high-sided vehicles only.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The measures to enable closure of the Erskine Bridge to high-sided vehicles only have been very successful since first implementation on 11 October 2007. There have been 10 occasions when the bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles, and only two occasions wh…

24 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vehicles have used the Erskine Bridge in each year since 1999.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Traffic flows for the Erskine Bridge since 1999, expressed as both annual average daily flow (AADF) and annual total are as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=57 valign=top > Year</…

23 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce restrictions to the number of journeys per day that elderly or disabled people who qualify for free bus travel can make.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We don''t intend to introduce any restrictions to the number of journeys per day that those who currently benefit from the scheme can already make.

23 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15227 by Stewart Stevenson on 8 September 2008, when the steering group set up to review free bus travel for elderly and disabled people will report.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Steering Group plans to report to ministers towards the end of this year.