Parliamentary questions
Mary Mulligan
707 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimated how many pensioners will no longer qualify for free central heating after 1 April 2009 due to their not being eligible for the guarantee credit as mentioned in section 1 of the State Pension Credit Act 2002.
Answer · Alex Neil: As the eligibility for the new Energy Assistance Package focuses on energy inefficient homes, whereas eligibility for the old Central Heating Programme focussed on inefficient or broken heating systems only, it is not possible to readily compare. All househol…
18 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people it expects to benefit under the Energy Assistance Package who qualify due to having a child under 16 who has been awarded a disability living allowance within the meaning of section 71 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.
Answer · Alex Neil: All households are encouraged to contact the Energy Assistance Package freephone number - 0800 512012 - to see if they can benefit from energy efficiency advice, an income maximisation check, a tariffs check, standard CERT insulation measures or more enhanced…
18 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people it expects to benefit under the Energy Assistance Package who qualify due to having a child under five and being in receipt of child tax credits or working tax credit under the Tax Credits Act 2002 where the relevant income is less than £17,474.
Answer · Alex Neil: All households are encouraged to contact the Energy Assistance Package freephone number - 0800 512012 - to see if they can benefit from energy efficiency advice, an income maximisation check, a tariffs check, standard CERT insulation measures or more enhanced…
18 Mar 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent meetings ministers have had with representatives of NFU Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead : <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0326-01.htm">http://www.scot…
12 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of houses completed by housing associations in the first three quarters of 2008 was 29% less than in the equivalent period in 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: Only provisional data is currently available for the second and third quarters of 2008 (Q2 and Q3 2008). On the basis of these provisional estimates, the number of new build completions by housing associations in Q1-Q3 2008 (January to September 2008) was 2,0…
12 Mar 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are for improving cultural opportunities for people across Scotland.
Answer · Michael Russell: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0312-01.htm">http://www.scot…
13 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which section of the Scottish Government will oversee the allocation of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund.
Answer · Alex Neil: Regeneration Division within the Housing and Regeneration Directorate is at present considering the detail of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, including provision for administration and allocation.</p>
13 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive by what means local authorities and others can access the Town Centre Regeneration Fund.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20618 on 26 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <u><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/…
13 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Town Centre Regeneration Fund will be available to Business Improvement Districts.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20618 on 26 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards its target of building 21,500 affordable homes by 2011.
Answer · Alex Neil: The government has a target of approving 21,500 affordable homes over the three year period 2008-11. We plan to approve over 6,000 homes by the end of financial year 2008-09. Our recently announced programme for 2009-10 has a target of at least 6,500 unit app…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that information on housing support services provided by local authorities is made available.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government makes available information on housing support services provided by both local authorities and other providers on the House Key website:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.thehousekey.org/">www.thehousekey.org</a>. </p> <p >The site aims to…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to record and monitor housing support services provided by local authorities.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government published annual statistical information from local authorities on housing support services delivered under the Supporting People programme. Following the end of the programme, we consulted with local authorities and other stakeholders…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that local authorities have support systems in place for householders facing repossession.
Answer · Alex Neil: From 1 April 2009, under section 11 of the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003, lenders will be required to inform the relevant local authority when they call in a mortgage or take court action for repossession. This will give authorities early notice of hou…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that local authorities comply with section 11 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: Section 11 of the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 requires landlords and creditors to notify local authorities when raising proceedings for possession. The section does not apply directly to local authorities by virtue of section 11(1)(a) and does not pl…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that financial safeguards for householders facing repossession are robust.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has taken a number of non-legislative measures to protect home owners in financial difficulty.</p> <p >The £35 million Home Owners Support Fund helps those who cannot access support elsewhere to stay in their homes through the Mortgag…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that legal safeguards for householders facing repossession are robust.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has taken a number of measures to ensure that there is adequate legal protection for home owners facing repossession.</p> <p>We have established a Repossessions Group, comprising representatives of the legal system, lenders, advice ag…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average social housing rents were for (a) 2007 and (b) 2008, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: Statistics on average local authority rents are published on the Housing Statistics for Scotland website at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/HRA2008-09">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statist…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to implement the recommendation of the Housing Supply Task Force to investigate existing models of delivery coordination within the United Kingdom to support development plan action programmes.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is carefully considering how it can respond to the various recommendations addressed to it in the Housing Supply Task Force report. Planning Circular 1/2009, published on 16 February, provides planning authorities with advice on the pr…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the housing allocations for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Affordable Housing Investment Programme allocations for 2009-10 were announced at the Chartered Institute of Housing Conference on 10 March in Aberdeen and are available on the Scottish Government website at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/…
5 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the final report of the Housing Supply Task Force will be published.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Housing Supply Task Force published its final report on Friday 6 February 2009. A copy has been provided to the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib. number 47758).</p>
5 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Housing Supply Task Force is next scheduled to meet.
Answer · Alex Neil: Ministers are currently reviewing the membership and remit of the task force.</p> <p >An announcement on this, and the date of the task force''s next meeting, will be made shortly.</p>
5 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Housing Supply Task Force last met.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Housing Supply Task Force last met on Tuesday 16 December 2008.</p>
5 Feb 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to implement the recommendations of the research, Evaluation of the National Mortgage to Rent Scheme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0205-01.htm">http://www.scot…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish a housing investment plan.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Details of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme were announced on 30 May 2008. This included a breakdown of planned funding levels by local authority area. The subsequent accelerated funding of £35 million for 2008-09 was announced in three tranches on…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have contributed to the £40 million of accelerated housing funding.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: All 32 councils have contributed towards the £40million of accelerated housing funding. Details of the amounts contributed by each council were published in Finance Circular 5/2008, Annexes I and J, which can be found on the Scottish Government website at: </…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19109 by Stewart Maxwell on 19 January 2008, what criteria were used to decide on applications to the £25 million funding package for council housing.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: No decisions have been made on which applications should receive a share of the £25 million to encourage council house building. Applications are being assessed jointly with COSLA at present using the following principles:</p> <p >The council has the abilit…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19109 by Stewart Maxwell on 19 January 2008, how much each council has received from the £25 million funding package for council housing.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Applications are currently being assessed against principles agreed in partnership with COSLA and no decisions have been reached on which councils will receive funding or how much each council will receive.</p>
29 Jan 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses for social rent it expects to be completed in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: <i >This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i><i ></i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0129-01.htm">http://w…
21 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of reissuing HM Inspectorate of Education’s report, Improving Scottish Education 2005-2008, and who bore them.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Some, advance, copies of the Improving Scottish Education report were re-issued following an error by printers RR Donnelly''s and at their behest. All costs incurred in connection with the reprint were borne by the printers. No additional costs fell on either…
15 Jan 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to support housing associations.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: <i >This PQ was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0115-01.htm">http://www.scottish.p…