Marilyn Livingstone

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure, particularly in the transitional period, that Scottish Enterprise’s economic strategy is open and accountable and that all stakeholders are consulted on it.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise will continue to deliver against the objectives set outin its published Operating Plan during the implementation phase of the reforms.</p>

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Scottish Enterprise budgets will be allocated following the restructuring of the enterprise networks.

Answer · Jim Mather: This will be an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise.</p>

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what budgets regional offices will have within the new Scottish Enterprise structures.

Answer · Jim Mather: This will be an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise.</p>

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what priority will be given to town centre regeneration, with particular reference to Kirkcaldy.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The government hascommitted to a range of actions that will benefit town centres and support theirregeneration.</p><p>We are committed toreducing business rates for thousands of small businesses. We intend this measureto help kick-start the revival of town ce…

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the business community in Fife will be consulted within the new Scottish Enterprise regional structure.

Answer · Jim Mather: As the Cabinet Secretaryfor Finance and Sustainable Growth made clear in his statement to Parliament, businessengagement will continue to be a vital part of economic development activity throughthe regional and industry advisory boards. The regional advisory …

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what priority Fife will be given within Scottish Enterprise’s new regional structure and what autonomy local partnership boards will have.

Answer · Jim Mather: Regional deliverywill allow Scottish Enterprise to deploy a greater proportion of its resources tofrontline delivery. The regional business advisory boards will ensure that the businesssector and other local stakeholders continue to have meaningful engagement…

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the interests of (a) Fife and (b) the Kirkcaldy parliamentary constituency will be safeguarded within the new Scottish Enterprise regional and national structures.

Answer · Jim Mather: Under the reform proposals,there will be, as now, a Scottish Enterprise local office in Fife that will continue to provide appropriate business inputand expertise to local economic activity. In addition, as the Cabinet Secretaryfor Finance and Sustainable Gro…

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local government budgets will be increased to reflect the changes to Scottish Enterprise structures.

Answer · Jim Mather: There is likely tobe some alteration in the budgets of local authorities to take account of the reformsbut no changes will be made until the next financial year.</p>

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Kirkcaldy Renaissance Partnership project will be funded and supported following the restructuring of the enterprise networks.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Cabinet Secretaryfor Finance and Sustainable Growth announced on the 26 September that local regenerationactivities in the Scottish Enterprise area will become the responsibility of localauthorities. The details of this will be determined when the exact n…

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what indicators are used to quantify research investment into lung disease and whether such research investment is increased in proportion to the number of people affected by lung conditions.

Answer · Shona Robison: Burden of diseaseis used as a comparator for research investment across different diseases. Thisis frequently measured in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) whichmeasure the sum of life years lost due to premature mortality and years livedwith a …

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to ensure that high-quality information and support is easily available to all those affected by lung disease at all stages of the disease and what opportunities exist for such people to be more involved in local NHS service development.

Answer · Shona Robison: We recognise thatthe provision of high-quality information is essential to our aim of making peopleliving with long-term conditions equal partners in their own care. NHS boards shouldhave information on the services that are available in their area, along wit…

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been made available to local health and social services to help provide high-quality community support for people with lung disease to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and maximise their independence in all areas of life.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scotland hasadopted a generic approach to the management of long-term conditions, such aslung disease. The aim is to support people to live with long-term conditions byproviding services which are fully responsive to people’s needs, delivered asclose to home …

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that children with lung disease receive local specialised respiratory care in both a hospital and community setting.

Answer · Shona Robison: As part of thespecialist children’s services project, a review of respiratory serviceprovision for children and young people is underway. The key outcome of thisprocess is to ensure the sustainable provision of local respiratory serviceswithin both hospital a…

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to assist people with lung disease to have a choice of high-quality palliative and end-of-life care.

Answer · Shona Robison: The ScottishGovernment believes that palliative care should be available to anyonesuffering from any life threatening illness from the time of diagnosis onwardsand expects NHS boards to ensure people’s needs are met through a range of servicesincluding hospic…

18 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to develop and implement national standards for chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and sleep apnoea.

Answer · Shona Robison: A number of stepshave been taken to develop and implement national standards on chronic lung disease.NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS), Scottish Intercollegiate GuidelinesNetwork (SIGN), the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce retrospective legislation with regard to ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As I said in my statement toParliament on 23 May I am currently considering a range of options, which may offeropportunities to further scrutinise the consent process associated with the proposedship to ship transfers in the Firth of Forth, including whether …

29 Nov 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the progress it has made on the planning and implementation of a new Forth crossing.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Further to my response to HelenEadie on 2 November 2006, Transport Scotland has now received the first two reports from the fiveexpected. These will be published as soon as is practicable, following completionof the necessary review process.</p>

10 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether information contained in reports by court-appointed solicitors is subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information contained inreports, lodged in court by court-appointed solicitors, is subject to the provisionsof the data protection legislation unless that information has been disclosed inopen court.</p>

10 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executivewhether there are any official guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of court-appointed solicitors.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are no official guidelineson the roles and responsibilities of court appointed solicitors.</p><p>Direction will be provided bythe presiding judge, as to the specific roles and responsibilities that requireto be fulfilled in any particular case.</p>

10 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why court-appointed solicitors preparing reports on children and families do not require an enhanced disclosure report.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Disclosure procedures requirethat reports are requested by those employing the particular individual. Solicitors appointed for the purposes of preparing reportsfor the courts are appointed by the presidingjudge, to undertake particular duties in relation to a…

10 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether court-appointed solicitors have any specific training with regard to gathering information on children and families for independent non-biased court reports.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Court-appointed solicitors receiveno specific training with regard to gathering such information.</p><p>As regards any particular case,the judge will give direction should there be elements of the case that requireparticular scrutiny, or should there be areas…

30 Aug 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage local authorities and other agencies to make better use of the legislation on antisocial behaviour.

Answer · Hugh Henry : The antisocial behaviournewsletter, distributed to councils and agencies across Scotland,contains examples of how the new powers are being used to help communities. Wehope that this will encourage councils and local agencies to learn from goodpractice elsewhe…

22 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the distribution of funding to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and local councils for voluntary service is calculated.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The distribution of ScottishExecutive funding for the Councils of Voluntary Service (CVS) in Scotland isdetermined by a formula introduced in 2001 after consultation with the networkand the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). It provides:</p>…

2 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration is being given to allowing stock transfer housing associations to waive payments to the Executive in respect of excess right-to-buy proceeds.

Answer · Johann Lamont: Landlords can keep all receiptsfrom right-to-buy sales of former Scottish Homes stock, after the tenth anniversaryof the transfer.</p><p>Local authority transfers tocommunity ownership require that all right-to-buy receipts should return to theExecutive.</p><…

2 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can determine the difference between actual Scottish Homes stock transfer valuations and revised valuations which include the higher costs of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The Executive is not responsiblefor the revaluation of transferred stock. Landlords are responsible for updatingtheir stock to meet modern requirements, revising their business plans and maintainingthe value of their property portfolio.</p>

2 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering refunding to Scottish Homes stock transfer housing associations the difference between the price actually paid and that which would have been paid had the Scottish Housing Quality Standard been built into the discounted cashflow model which determined the origina…

Answer · Johann Lamont: It is not the Executive’s policyto amend the terms of transfer contracts once they have been agreed between therelevant parties.</p>

2 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an impact assessment has been carried out to determine the effect of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard on contracts with stock transfer housing associations in relation to agreed contractual improvements and rent capping.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The Scottish Housing QualityStandard was set following a formal public consultation period in 2003 to ensurelandlords across the social housing sector had an opportunity to give their viewson its anticipated impact. This covered the full range of social landl…

2 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from stock transfer housing associations with regard to the possible impact on rents of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard.

Answer · Johann Lamont: Representations have been receivedby Communities Scotland primarily through the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations,with whom discussions are continuing.</p>

2 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Scottish Homes stock transfer model is flexible enough to meet the higher standards required by the Scottish Housing Quality Standard.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The Scottish Homes stock transfermodel provided sufficient money to maintain the stock for the next 30 years in thesame condition in which it was transferred.</p><p>Following transfer the Executiveexpects registered social landlords to maintain and modernise …

2 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Housing Association Grant can be paid to a stock transfer housing association to meet any shortfall in its business plan caused by costs resulting from the Scottish Housing Quality Standard.

Answer · Johann Lamont: Housing Association Grant presentlyfunds new development and some major repairs. Communities Scotland willwork with landlords that find themselves in financial and other difficulties inorder to ensure the Standard is delivered to tenants.</p>