Parliamentary questions
Linda Fabiani
2,507 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13975 by Rhona Brankin on 23 February 2005, whether it will provide a full answer to the question and, in particular, what steps are being taken by staff working on behalf of the NHS to ensure that any person brought to their attention for treatment,…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The law concerning physical restraint centres around the use of reasonable force. Draft guidance has however been prepared by NHS Education Scotland (NES) on the education and training standards for violence and aggression for those in the mental health setti…
28 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13977 by Rhona Brankin on 23 February 2005, whether it will provide a full answer to the question and, in particular, who has statutory authority to apply physical restraint to persons undergoing treatment by NHS staff other than in the case of menta…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Outwith the mental health settingthere is no specific statutory authority that applies to NHS Staff to apply physicalrestraint to persons undergoing treatment.</p>
28 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13978 by Rhona Brankin on 23 February 2005, whether it will provide a full answer to the question and, in particular, what guidance has been issued by ministers to NHS staff regarding verification that application of physical restraint to persons und…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: No guidance has currently been issued to NHS staff. Draft guidance has however been prepared by NHS Education Scotland (NES) on the education and trainingstandards for violence and aggression for those in the mental health setting andit has been to place a co…
22 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to question S2O-5349 by Hugh Henry on 10 February 2005, which specific aspects of human rights will not fall within the purview of the proposed Scottish human rights commission.
Answer · Hugh Henry: As a body established by an Act of the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s remit will extend only to devolved issues. The commission will therefore not be able to exercise its functions in relation to issues that are wholly reserved un…
22 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed Scottish human rights commission will have enforcement powers.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive’s published proposals for the Scottish Human Rights Commission do not include it having formal enforcement powers. Enforcement of compliance with human rights legislation is a matter for the courts. The commission will be able to invest…
22 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to question S2O-5349 by Hugh Henry on 10 February 2005, whether it will identify which specific human rights issues are reserved matters.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Reserved human rights issues are those which arise in relation to areas of public policy or law that are described as reserved in the Scotland Act.</p>
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many registration of title applications are outstanding and, of these, how many have been outstanding for more than (a) six months, (b) one year, (c) two years, (d) three years, (e) four years and (f) five years.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The length of time that an application for registration takes to process depends primarily on its complexity but also on other factors such as the availability of supporting documentation from applicants, the completeness of neighbouring titles and whether th…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many registration of (a) title and (b) re-mortgage applications made have been made in each year since the creation of the Land Register.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The information collated by Registers of Scotland relates to the three different types of application that can be made to the Land Register. These are as follows:</p> <p>an application for first registration of previously unregistered property,</p><p>an appli…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of the registration of (a) title and (b) re-mortgage of individual domestic properties.
Answer · Johann Lamont: Registers of Scotland collates information on the average cost of processing each of the different types of application in the Land Register, and an average cost for all deeds that are recorded in the General Register of Sasines. There are three different typ…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of properties have been registered with the Land Register
Answer · Johann Lamont: Scotland has two property registers, the General Register of Sasines, a register of deeds which is being superseded by the Land Register of Scotland, a register of title. There are some 2.6 million properties held between the two registers of which some 1.2 m…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties have become tenanted under the Rent to Mortgage scheme in each year since the scheme was introduced, broken down by local authority area
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties have been sold under the Rent to Mortgage scheme in each year since the scheme was introduced, broken down by local authority area
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Table 1 lists all public authority dwellings sold under the Rent to Mortgage scheme from 1990 to 2004, by local authority area. The scheme was first introduced on a pilot basis by Scottish Homes in October 1989 but there were no sales recorded until 1990. Hou…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13883 by Ms Margaret Curran on 8 February 2005, which ministers hold committee partnership meetings with members of parliamentary committees outwith scheduled committee meetings and on what basis committee members are invited to attend.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Partnership Agreement makes it clear that both parties are committed to constructive dialogue between ministers and backbenchers to build a strong partnership. Regular meetings take place between Deputy Ministers and other ministers as appropriate, and ba…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3725 by Ms Margaret Curran on 12 November 2003, whether the general review of civil judicial statistics has been completed.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Phase 1 of the review of civil judicial statistics, consultation, is nearing completion.</p><p>A consultation document, <i>Review of Civil Judicial Statistics</i> was issued on 15 September 2004. The closing date was extended to 10 January 2005. Responsesare …
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether anyone is potentially disadvantaged by delay in registration of title by the Land Register.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The date of registration in respect of a property is the date upon which Registers of Scotland receives the application for registration. The logging of an application on receipt secures the applicant’s interest in the property. Once an application has been r…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work is required by the Land Register following the abolition of the feudal system and what the timescale is for completion of this work.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The work required by Registers of Scotland in relation to the Land Register derives not only from the abolition of the feudal system of land tenure in Scotland which was abolished by the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, but also from the r…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many registration of title applications have been rejected by the Land Register in each year for which the information is available.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The following table shows the position for the last three years compared to the intake for that period.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p></td> <td> <p>Rejections </p></td> <td> <p>Intake</p>…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new-build starts are scheduled over the next three years and, of these, how many will be (a) affordable rented, (b) low cost home ownership and (c) mainstream home ownership houses.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The table provides information on:</p> <p>(a) number of new build starts currently scheduled over the next three years for affordable rent, and</p><p>(b) number of new build starts currently scheduled over the next three years for low cost home ownership. </p…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities registered social landlords have in the implementation of local authority plans and priorities for the areas affected, whilst providing affordable housing.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>Guidance on the preparation of local housing strategies produced for local authorities states that registered social landlords, as housing d…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance issued to local authorities on the formulation of local housing strategies requires the strategies to include analyses of housing demand and estimates of new-build and regeneration starts.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to reply. Her response is as follows.</p><p>Section 89 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 requires local authorities to undertake a comprehensive assessment of housing need in their area a…
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to legislate to regulate builders' missives.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Law Society of Scotland is consulting with developers and the home building industry organisation Homes for Scotland on the introduction of a new form of builders’ missive. The Society will then pilot the missive. </p><p> The Executive will consider the o…
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has carried out in respect of stamp duty exemption.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are a number of different exemptions and reliefs from Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Land Tax. The Scottish Executive has carried out no analysis of the impact of these reliefs as taxation is a reserved matter. Scottish ministers do however continue to ensur…
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce national title and planning conditions.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Scottish Executive has no plans to introduce national title and planning conditions.</p>
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to combine planning and title conditions.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Scottish Executive has no plans to combine planning and title conditions.</p>
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is confident that land certificates issued by the Land Register are accurate.
Answer · Johann Lamont: Scottish ministers set an annual target for Registers of Scotland in respect of the accuracy of land certificates that are issued when an application for registration is complete.</p> <p>The target for the current financial year, 2004-05, requires the Land Re…
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will end the cross-subsidy of costs and charges in land registration.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The fees set in respect of the services provided by Registers of Scotland distinguish between the fees for registration in the registers and the fees for inspecting the information contained in those registers. There is no cross-subsidisation of costs and fee…
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Land Register to be completely available online.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Land Register is made up of title sheets for each individual property registered and is held electronically.</p><p>Information from the Land Register is already available online. In 2001 Registers of Scotland introduced a service known as Registers Direct…
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Land Register to be completed.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Keeper of the Registers of Scotland is responsible for the administration of the two property registers in Scotland. These registers are the General Register of Sasines, a register of deeds, which is gradually being superseded by the Land Register, a regi…
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward proposals for the reform of standard securities for mortgage purposes.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has no current plans for reform of standard securities for mortgage purposes. However, together with the Department of Trade and Industry, we are studying the Scottish Law Commission’s <i>Report on Registration of Rights in Security by …
15 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken any to identify land owned by public bodies which may be made available for housing development and what these steps are.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We are working to improve arrangementswith other public bodies and UK government departments for the disposal of surpluspublic sector land to make use of such land for housing where appropriate. Thiswork is being taken forward jointly with the Convention of S…