Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to assist those affected by the decline of Scottish manufacturing.
Answer · Jim Mather: Not all of Scotland’s manufacturing is in decline, some companies are atthe cutting edge in terms of design, innovation and technology. The Scottish Governmentprovides a range of support to manufacturing companies in Scotland. Where redundancies do occur, our…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to secure the future of manufacturing jobs in West Dunbartonshire.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2593 on 21 August 2007. 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/wa.s…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it will assist Scottish manufacturing employers to cope with increased European and international competition.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottishministers provide a wide range of support to manufacturing companies, includingfinancial support, innovation grants, help with trade overseas, practical supportfor companies to improve productivity and efficiency and business and product planningservi…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to increase the size of the manufacturing sector.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the memberto the answers to questions S3W-2593 and S3W-2595 on 21 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliamen…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made against each of the 59 recommendations in the Homelessness Task Force report.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The last progressreport on implementation of the recommendations of the Homelessness Task Force isavailable on the Scottish Government website at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Housing/homeless/H-M-G/HMG23HTFandHMGpriorities">http://www.scotland.go…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 59 recommendations from the Homelessness Task Force report have been fully implemented.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The last progressreport on implementation of the recommendations of the Homelessness Task Force isavailable on the Scottish Government website at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Housing/homeless/H-M-G/HMG23HTFandHMGpriorities">http://www.scot…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the fourth annual report of the Homelessness Monitoring Group on the implementation of the Homelessness Task Force report.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the memberto answer to question S3W-1134 on 26 June 2007. Following consideration of the material referred to,conclusions will be published.</p><p>All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facil…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will protect the right-to-buy for tenants who already have this right.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We recognise theimportance of protecting the existing rights of tenants to buy their homes butalso wish to ensure that the Right to Buy is responsive to local needs. Weintend to examine how to achieve a comfortable balance between theopportunities for homeown…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will review current right-to-buy legislation and what form the review will take.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The report to Parliamentin September 2006 on the effect of the right to buy concluded that the full impactof the changes arising from the 2001 Housing Act would not begin to be known untilafter September 2007. We intend to monitor closely the emerging pattern…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when and in what form it will introduce housing education in schools.
Answer · Maureen Watt: As part of their citizenshipand financial education programmes, schools already have the option of includinghousing education as part of their work in preparing senior pupils for the transitionto adulthood.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will tackle barriers that impede investment in water and sewerage infrastructure delaying housing development.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The current ScottishWater investment programme has been funded to provide for all anticipated strategicinfrastructure development required to facilitate new housing and commercial development.In addition, Scottish Water is making a reasonable cost contributio…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how current housing policies will allow the creation of sustainable mixed communities.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: A housing supply comprisinga mix of different tenures that meets the housing needs of a range of householdsis one of the many conditions required to create sustainable mixed communities.The Scottish Government’s forthcoming consultation on social housing will…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed Housing Support Fund will assist all first-time buyers or a specific group.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The government’s intentionbehind the work to create a Scottish Housing Support Fund, which I announced duringthe housing debate in Parliament on 21 June 2007, is to attract private investmentto enable additional help to be provided for a wide range of people …
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve the profile of spending on social housing.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government'sspending plans for the period 2008-11, which will enable us to fulfil ourpurpose and achieve our strategic objectives, will be announced in late autumn,when the strategic spending review is concluded.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek greater tax-varying powers jointly with the Northern Ireland Assembly government.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Governmentbelieves that greater tax-varying powers is just one of the additional responsibilitiesfor the Scottish Parliament that will help create a more successful economy andincrease wealth for people in all parts of Scotland. Greater responsib…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to strengthen administrative co-operation with the Northern Ireland Assembly government.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Governmentenjoys good bilateral relations with Northern Ireland. Weintend to work together drawing from each other’s strengths and experiences; sharingknowledge where we have a common interest.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to raise awareness of common cultural and historical links between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Governmentrecognises the strong historical and cultural bond that exists between the peopleof Scotland and Northern Ireland and we are committed to working with the Northern IrelandAssembly government to build on this relationship. The First Mini…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to withdraw the graduate endowment paid by students from Northern Ireland studying at Scottish universities.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Only Scottishdomiciled and non-UK EU students studying in Scotland are liable for the graduate endowment fee. It has never applied tostudents from England, Wales or Northern Ireland studying in Scotland.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to proceed with previously agreed PPP schemes for new schools in West Dunbartonshire referred to in the 2007-08 spending proposals of the previous administration and, if not, how it will provide the new school facilities promised to the people of West Dunbartonshire and…
Answer · John Swinney: We said before theelections that PPP could continue as one of several delivery options open to publicsector bodies. These are complex procurements involving high procurement costs forboth public and private sector participants. Some procurements have been in …
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consult the public and public bodies in determining where proposed reductions in public spending should be made.
Answer · John Swinney: Along with my CabinetSecretary and ministerial colleagues, I will be in dialogue with a range of stakeholdersover the summer to gather evidence and views on how we can use the strategic spendingreview to set plans that will enable us to fulfil our purpose and…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a real-terms public spending increase of 2.4% will lead to a fall in the level and quality of services financed through central funding initiatives.
Answer · John Swinney: Strategic SpendingReview 2007 will focus on achieving the Government’s purpose and five strategicobjectives. We will work with our partners to deliver the best possible public serviceswith the available resources.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will mitigate the effect of the lower budgetary growth anticipated in future spending settlements.
Answer · John Swinney: The government willexercise financial discipline and deliver a programme of efficiency and reform toaddress the effects of the lower Budgetary growth that is anticipated in futurefunding settlements received from the UK Government.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that freezing the current council tax levels for all local authorities will enable them to exercise their responsibilities adequately in line with projected inflation.
Answer · John Swinney: I am currently havingvery constructive discussions with local government about a package of measuresto enable local authorities to maintain and improve the frontline public servicesthey deliver and to deliver a freeze in council tax levels.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether replacing council tax with a local income tax will provide flexibility to local authorities in exercising their responsibities.
Answer · John Swinney: In exercising theirresponsibilities, local authorities allocate their resources on the basis of localneeds and local and national priorities. Replacing council tax with a local incometax will not change this.</p>
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the delay in the comprehensive spending review will not adversely affect the delivery of essential services.
Answer · John Swinney: We will publish ourspending plans as soon as possible after the announcement of the UK ComprehensiveSpending Review. However, there will be an impact on the notice we can give deliverybodies of their allocations for 2008-11. We will work with delivery partner…
27 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to reduce smoking-attributable mortality in all ages and genders in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, in light of it having the highest such mortality rate of any NHS board area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is makingsubstantial levels of specific funding available to Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHSBoard for the provision of smoking cessation services and related tobacco controlactivity to reduce the incidence of smoking related morbidity an…
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Government will consider introducing a legal limit on caffeine in alcohol products.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I discussed responsibilityand cost sharing with the former Secretary of State for Environment and RuralAffairs, David Miliband, when we met on 18 June 2007.I also wrote to the new Secretary of State, Hilary Benn on this issue on 4 July 2007. In allthe discuss…
17 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Government’s position is on £90 million extra revenue for alcohol retailers per year resulting from a 40p minimum price.
Answer · Maureen Watt: This is a decisionfor South Lanarkshire Council which has a statutory responsibility to provide andmaintain school buildings.</p>
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the (a) Erskine Bridge and (b) Clyde Tunnel have been closed or had access otherwise curtailed in the last four years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following table details thenumber of closures of the Erskine Bridge in the last four years. Information aboutpartial closures or lane closures is held by route not by specific location.</p><p>The Clyde Tunnel is a local roadand is the responsibility of Gl…
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times sections of the A82 have been closed or had access otherwise curtailed due to accidents in the last four years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Statistics on restrictions dueto accidents are not held centrally.</p><p>Transport Scotland hasoperational responsibility for this matter and can be contacted for more informationif required.</p>