Parliamentary questions

Karen Whitefield

555 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

31 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary (a) 1, (b) 2 and (c) 3 classes in each local authority area now have 18 pupils or fewer.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Information on individual class sizes is published on the internet. The latest information is from the 2006 census and can be found at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/16412/PrimClassSizesSep06">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics…

29 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during December 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligibl…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 1,340 applications were received in December 2007. Of those 775 applicants have been deemed eligible and 164 remain to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008. From the total number of applica…

29 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during November 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligibl…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 2,554 applications were received in November 2007. Of those 1,619 applicants have been deemed eligible and 123 remain to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008. From the total number of appli…

29 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during October 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligible…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 2,584 applications were received in October 2007. Of those 1,832 applicants have been deemed eligible and 68 remained to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008. From the total number of appli…

29 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during September 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligib…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 1,910 applications were received in September 2007. Of those, 1,352 applicants have been deemed eligible and 44 remained to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008. From the total number of ap…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its strategy for improving home energy efficiency as required under section 179 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The requirement for Scottish ministers to prepare a strategy for improving the energy efficiency of living accommodation, as required under section 179 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, will now be taken forward as part of the proposals for an energy effici…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in respect of how many applications to the central heating programme have the applications been approved but installation is still awaited.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:As at 2 December therewere 11,295 applicants, who have been assessed through the call centre process andplaced on the waiting list.

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the central heating programme are currently waiting to be assessed.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:The Programme ManagingAgent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that all applicants to the programme have beenassessed through the call centre process…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the additional funding announced for the central heating programme, what the maximum waiting time will now be for (a) complete central heating systems and (b) boiler only installations.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:There is no maximumwaiting time for the programme, which is demand-led. Waiting times are dependenton the number of householders applying, avai…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the additional funding announced for the central heating programme, how long the average household will now have to wait for the installation of a new (a) central heating system and (b) boiler.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:Information is heldon the average waiting time from application to installation and this is currentlybeing reported by the managing agent as be…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the additional funding announced for the central heating programme, how many extra installations will now be completed.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:Funding made availablein August and in November will be used to install up to 3,100 additional centralheating systems in this financial year 20…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the central heating programme, how and when the additional funding announced will be spent.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:The funding will bespent within this financial year 2007-08 by payment of central heating grants andassociated fees to agents for the programme…

13 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning received my letter dated 20 September 2007 concerning the Scottish Government’s free school meals pilot and when it will reply to the letter.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A reply to your letterof 20 September 2007 was sent to you today 27 November 2007. Apologies once again for the delay in responding.

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that looked-after children and young people are provided with the same educational opportunities as their peers and how it intends to raise educational attainment among looked-after children.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Governmentis committed to improving educational attainment for all looked after children andyoung people. By giving these young people the chance to develop to their full potentialwe will contribute towards making Scotland smarter, healthier, saf…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to increase the support available to parents and families whose children are looked after both at home and away from home.

Answer · Adam Ingram: As announced duringthe early years debate on 31 October, a key theme of the forthcoming early yearsstrategy will be building parenting and family capacity. The aim will be to developan approach that meets the needs of all children and families and the particu…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to tackle undervaluing of residential and foster care staff and whether it has any plans to establish a Scotland-wide training, skills and qualifications framework for all staff working in residential and foster care.

Answer · Adam Ingram: We are committed todelivering a competent, confident and valued social service workforce, in line withChanging Lives and Skills for Scotland. A key activity, which is still at an earlystage, is the development of a continuous learning framework for all in the…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential child care staff are appropriately qualified and whether the qualification requirements are sufficiently robust to equip workers to meet the complex needs of children and young people effectively and support them to reach their full potential.

Answer · Adam Ingram: In 2004 a qualificationsaudit carried out by Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care staff confirmed18% of the workforce was qualified. An audit carried out in 2007 shows a markedincrease with 32% of staff qualified and a further 22% currently undertakin…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ensure that there are consistent national standards, services and resources for throughcare and aftercare for all looked-after young people and those moving on from care.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Regulations and Guidanceon services for young people ceasing to be looked after by local authorities cameinto force on 1 April 2004. Local authorities received £10 million over2003-06 to carry out these new duties. Funding was thereafter baselined into GAE.</…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all children who are looked after away from home have access to independent advocacy.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The provision of advocacyservices for looked after and accommodated children will be decided by each localauthority.Who Cares? Scotland receives a grant from the Scottish Government to supportits independent advocacy service to looked after children in…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that the interests and voices of looked-after children are heard, that they receive the support and services they need and that their rights are upheld and respected by service providers.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Looked After Childrenand Young People: We Can and Must Do Better contains 19 actions aimed at improving the life outcomesof our most vulnerable young people. This activity was informed by what young peoplehave told us about their experiences in …

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of residential care homes are housing more children than they are licensed to care for.

Answer · Adam Ingram: This information isnot held centrally.If an inspection ofa care home by the Care Commission reveals that a child or young person has beenadmitted on an emergency basis, it will consider the situation carefully based onthe best interests of the child an…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether existing provision in residential and foster care is sufficient to meet the needs of children and young people who are looked after away from home and whether there is regular monitoring of such provision.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government’sforthcoming National Foster and Kinship Care Strategy will recognise the need formore foster carers and it will set out ways of working with COSLA, local authoritiesand independent foster carer providers to identify more effective app…

8 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to develop a national strategy for children and young people who are looked after away from home, in light of the No Time to Lose manifesto developed by the Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The national fosterand kinship care strategy will be published by the end of 2007.I share the ScottishInstitute for Residential Child Care’s (SIRCC) vision of residential child careas a positive option for some children and young people. The Scottish G…

1 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with HM Treasury’s view that funds from unclaimed assets should be focused on delivering services for young people.

Answer · Jim Mather: We will consult inthe New Year on the spending priorities for Scotland for funds which may be released by the UK Dormant Bank and Building SocietiesAccounts Bill.

1 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3507 by Jim Mather on 6 September 2007, what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that unclaimed assets that are available to Scotland will represent new money for the voluntary sector and will not replace any existing money available to the sec…

Answer · Jim Mather: The UK Dormant Bankand Building Societies Accounts Bill identifies the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) as thedistributor for these funds. In Scotland, the ScotlandCommittee of BIG, which is entirely independent of government, will make its decisionswithin priorities s…

1 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3507 by Jim Mather on 6 September 2007, whether it intends to publish a consultation on spending priorities in respect of unclaimed assets that are available to Scotland and, if so, when it will do so.

Answer · Jim Mather: We will consult inthe New Year on the spending priorities for Scotland for funds which may be released by the UK Dormant Bank and Building SocietiesAccounts Bill.

24 Oct 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle hospital-acquired infections.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Governmentis committed to tackling healthcare associated infection (HAI). I have thereforeinvited the HAI Task Force to devise a new comprehensive three-year HAI DeliveryPlan from 2008-09 which aligns with the findings in the Scottish Point Prev…

20 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3869 by Stewart Maxwell on 12 September 2007, when the results of the audit of current good practice will be available.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This is one of a numberof work streams being carried out by the stakeholder working group on SafeguardingTenancy Deposits, which will feed in to recommendations next year.

20 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3869 by Stewart Maxwell on 12 September 2007, what the timetable is for the proposed survey on the need for a mandatory tenancy deposit scheme for Scotland; what format it will take; what its scope and remit will be, and who will be involved in the s…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is currently commissioning a survey of 1,000 private sector tenants, which will help in assessing the scale and nature of problems related to tenancy deposits. The survey should gather evidence about the experiences of different types …

19 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to assess the evidence and recommendations of the Equal Opportunities Commission’s report, Valuable Assets, and whether a national action group involving all stakeholders will be established.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The evidence and recommendationscontained in the Equal Opportunities Commission’s Valuable Assets reportwill be of particular interest to local authorities as employers and the group beingfacilitated by the EOC to take forward the various recommendatio…