Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what system is in place to ensure that roadworks are properly managed and disruption is minimised.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: When carrying outroadworks, roads authorities are expected to comply with the Code of Practice <i>DeliveringBest Value in Highway Maintenance</i>. This Code of Practice has been prepared by the Institutionof Highways and Transportation and is endorsed by, amo…
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the A82 has been restricted due to roadworks in the last four years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Between 1 January 2003 and 1 July 2007 the A82trunk road between the Erskine Bridge and Inverness has been restricted on 2780 occasions due to roadworks.Of these, 613 were on the section in the South West Trunk Road Area from Erskine Bridge to Balloch, and 21…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Ofgem to go further than the forthcoming licence condition on backcharging token prepayment meter customers and require all suppliers who adopt the policy to end it immediately.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to questionS3W-1618 on 20 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Iberdrola to end the policy of backcharging token prepayment meter customers.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Regulation of energy supply companiesis a matter for Ofgem. The new supply licence conditions will oblige suppliers totake all reasonable steps to ensure meters are recalibrated in a timely manner afterany price change and Ofgem will be monitoring closely com…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to meet Ofgem and what matters will be discussed.
Answer · Jim Mather: I recently brought together allof Scotland’s major energy companies and suppliers to discuss thefuture supply and demands on Scotland’s energy sector. Ofgem attended this seminar and contributedto discussions on a wide range of energy related issues, includin…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to meet the major energy suppliers and what matters will be discussed
Answer · Jim Mather: I recently brought together manyof Scotland’s major energy companies and suppliers to discuss the challenges andopportunities for Scotland’s energy sector, and to seek their views on Scottishenergy policy.</p><p>Over the summer recess, I hopeto meet again wit…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet Enable Scotland to discuss its survey which indicated that over 90% of children with learning disabilities reported being bullied in school.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Executive officialswill meet Enable later this month to discuss the <i>Speak Up</i> report. Respect<i>me</i>the national anti-bullying service for Scotland has already met Enable to identifyfuture joint work.</p>
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address the issue of children with learning disabilities being bullied in school.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Executive funds the national anti-bullying service forScotland, Respect<i>me </i>which is charged with supportingschools and communities to prevent and tackle all types of bullying. As indicatedin the recent Enable <i>Speak Up </i>report Respect<i>me </i>…
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use its powers of intervention in respect of social work services at Argyll and Bute Council if it is found that there is not a sufficiently robust improvement plan.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The report of theSocial Work Inspection Agency on Argyll and Bute Council’s social work servicesis due for publication in late October. I will consider any response to that report,and the council’s plan for improvement, at that time.</p>
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the quality of or the level of funding for older people services in Argyll and Bute.
Answer · Shona Robison: It is up to each localauthority to decide how it uses its resources based on its own assessment of localneeds and priorities. The Social Work Inspection Agency will publish a report onsocial work services in Argyll and Bute in the autumn. That report will cov…
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Argyll and Bute Council to discuss social work services at the council.
Answer · Adam Ingram: A meeting was heldwith Argyll and Bute Council and the then Deputy Minister for Health and CommunityCare on 14 November 2006.</p>
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Social Work Inspection Agency’s report on its inspection of Argyll and Bute Council’s social work services.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The report of theSocial Work Inspection Agency on Argyll and Bute Council’s social work servicesis due for publication by the agency in late October 2007.</p>
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is reviewing the operation of Scottish Enterprise Network’s Business Gateway and, if so, what the timescale is for the review.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise hasreviewed the operation of the Business Gateway over the past two years. This hasnow been completed and new contracts for the local delivery of Business Gatewayservices were issued on 11 July 2007.</p>
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the tenders for Scottish Enterprise Network’s Business Gateway will be awarded.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise issuednew contracts for the local delivery of Business Gateway services on 11 July 2007.</p>
15 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific actions will be taken to end child poverty by 2020 and halve it by 2010.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We will continue totake forward the implementation of <i>Workforce Plus</i> and <i>More Choices, MoreChances</i> to get more people into sustainable employment and more of our youngpeople into employment, education or training. In addition, we have already an…
15 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will help children in the severest poverty.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-1137 on 26 June 2007. In addition, we welcome the report by Save theChildren Scotland on this subject, published on 19 June 2007, and will be discussing the implications of thereport with them.</p><p>All answers…
15 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to support the target to end child poverty by 2020 and halve it by 2010.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We are committedto sharing the UK Government’s long-term target to eradicate child poverty by2020 and will continue to do all that we can to ensure that Scottish policiesand programmes make the maximum contribution towards the milestone of halvingchild povert…
15 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific actions will be taken to end homelessness by 2012.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: A wide range of actionsis required to deliver the homelessness legislation passed by the Scottish Parliamentand to meet the target to abolish the current legislative distinction between householdsassessed as having a priority need for accommodation and other …
15 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to support the target to end homelessness by 2012.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentis committed to delivering the homelessness legislation already passed by the Scottish Parliament. This includes a commitment to the target to abolish the current distinctionbetween households assessed as having a priority need for acco…
11 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people with learning disabilities occupying NHS residential or retained beds have a personal life plan to help decide whether alternative community-based housing and support options would be in their best interests.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-788 on 15 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with learning disabilities living in nursing homes have a personal life plan to help to decide whether alternative community-based housing and support options would be in their best interests.
Answer · Shona Robison: In 2006 a totalof 6,723 adults with learning disabilities had a personal life plan. This isaround 29 per cent of all adults with learning disabilities known across Scotland. Information on these individual’s accommodation isnot held centrally.</p>
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people under the age of 65 with learning disabilities are living in nursing homes.
Answer · Shona Robison: Nursing homes arenow classified as care homes under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001, which enables providers to decide if theyare providing care or nursing or a combination. In March 2006, there were 2,428adults with learning disabilities who were …
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the statement in The Same as You? that people with learning disabilities should not live in hospitals, what steps it is taking to monitor the position.
Answer · Shona Robison: The ScottishGovernment receives quarterly progress reports from the remaining six healthboards that have people with learning disabilities in long stay NHS beds.Officials undertake regular visits to health boards and local authorities toreview and confirm the…
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with learning disabilities, excluding those in short-term assessment and treatment units, living in NHS-commissioned services and who are technically and legally NHS patients, do not have an independent landlord and housing rights.
Answer · Shona Robison: This informationis not held centrally.</p>
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people with learning disabilities living in private hospitals have an agreed discharge date.
Answer · Shona Robison: This informationis not held centrally.</p>
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with learning disabilities living in private hospitals have an agreed discharge date, also expressed as a percentage of the total number of all people with learning disabilities.
Answer · Shona Robison: This informationis not held centrally.</p>
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with learning disabilities have been living in NHS-commissioned services for longer than six weeks.
Answer · Shona Robison: In March 2006,there were 325 residents with learning disabilities living in local authorityor NHS run care homes. Information is not held centrally on numbers in otherNHS-commissioned services.</p>
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all current proposals for service change, particularly those proposals relating to the Vale of Leven Hospital, will be set aside until such time as the arrangements for independent scrutiny are concluded.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have been clear that all futureproposals for significant service change will be subject to rigorous independentscrutiny before public consultation can take place. This will include any proposalsfor change to current service delivery at the Vale of Leven Hos…
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation on the independent scrutiny of NHS board proposals will commence and when it anticipates making an announcement to the Parliament on the outcome.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I am currently considering theform that independent scrutiny should take and will make an announcement soon.</p>
7 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make the Homestake scheme available for all properties, in addition to new build, and, if so, when it will do so.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentis currently considering how best to support those who aspire to home ownership,but who are unable to become owner-occupiers with their own resources, and willlook at the Homestake shared equity scheme in that context.</p>