Parliamentary questions

Mary Scanlon

4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

12 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is to each local authority of complying with the equal pay provisions in the Equal Pay Act 1970.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally. The pay and conditions of local government staff are matters for local authorities who have an obligation, like other employers, to ensure that they comply with all employment legislation.

12 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is to each local authority of implementing the single status agreement between COSLA and the trade unions, agreed in 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally. The pay and conditions of local government staff are matters for local authorities. Although the Scottish Executive provides funding for salaries and wages as part of the block grant provided to local authorities, it is…

3 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the success of community planning partnerships is measured.

Answer · Tom McCabe: At local level, Section 17 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 requires local authorities, as facilitators of the community planning process, to report regularly to their local communities on what community planning has achieved, including evidence o…

3 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 29 of Planning Advice Note 74: Affordable Housing, whether all local development plans have allocated sufficient land to meet the requirement identified in the structure plan including affordable housing.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information centrally. PAN 74 was published in March 2005 and planning authorities are expected to have regard to the advice it contains when reviewing development plans. Local plans across Scotland are at diff…

3 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many affordable homes are currently indicated in each local authority's structure or development plan, in accordance with paragraph 28 of Planning Advice Note 74: Affordable Housing.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information centrally. In line with policy in SPP 3: Planning for Housing, structure plans are expected to set out the long term housing land requirement for the area. PAN 74: Affordable Housing (March 2005) se…

3 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to page 24 of Planning Advice Note 74: Affordable Housing, what level of income is considered to be "modest".

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not define what constitutes a “modest” income at a national level, as this varies across regions, cities, towns, villages and wider rural areas. The Scottish Executive offers a broad definition of affordable housing as “housing of …

29 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19262 by Lewis Macdonald on 26 September 2005, whether all care homes should receive a gross fee equivalent to the full cost of providing the service on a level comparable with that of local authority-run care homes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The level of fees for local authority homes is a matter for individual local authorities. The level of fees for publicly funded residents in independent care homes is a matter for negotiation between care home owners and local authorities. However, there is a…

22 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to enhance sustainable development by "dealing with vacant and derelict land", as outlined on page 115 of the Draft Budget 2006-07.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish planning policy promotes the re-use of vacant and derelict land and buildings, including brownfield sites. The Executive provides funding through the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund, aimed at bringing long term vacant and derelict land back into use th…

22 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.75 million funding will be spent to support older people and tackle age discrimination, as set out on page 115 of the Draft Budget 2006-07.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The specific allocation of these funds is yet to be determined. However, we intend to use these resources to add to the existing work being undertaken on older people’s issues, in particular around, supporting older people to engage, developing a Strategy for…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18494 by Hugh Henry on 13 September 2005, how the Total Throughcare Phase 2 allocation of £280,563 for 2005-06 was divided across the constituent parts of the Northern Partnership.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Funding for criminal justice social work services, including throughcare, is provided through Section 27(1) of the Social Work Scotland Act 1968 to local authority groupings and unitary authorities. Decisions on how the grant for Throughcare is allocated amon…

16 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken on whether a methadone programme will lead to a drug-free lifestyle.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Methadone is used as a treatmentin many countries, and its benefits are supported by a substantial body of nationaland international research. Both the National Treatment Outcome Research Study andthe early results from the Drug Outcome Research In Scotland s…

16 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18969 by Hugh Henry on 14 September 2005, whether a methadone programme is recommended as a harm-reduction aid to help people move to a drug-free lifestyle.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Methadone will not suit everypatient. In any case, decisions on treatments, or combinations of treatments, arefor individual patients and their medical professionals. The Scottish Executiveencourages a range of interventions to be available locally for people…

16 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase patients' access to NHS podiatry services.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The issue of access to NHS podiatryservices is a matter for clinical decision in the light of the health needs of individualpatients. The planning and provision of services is a matter for NHS boards.At national level, the ScottishExecutive is committe…

16 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will meet the recommendations contained in the report by the Scottish Women's Convention Women and Health: Maternity Service Provision Policy Group, We just can't let these things happen, that women should have informed choice about where, how and in what circumstances they have th…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive produced A Framework for Maternity Services in 2001, this was followed by the reports of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services in 2003 and the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Standards for Maternity Services in 2005. The recomme…

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether COSLA has agreed that all the five-year development plans proposed in the White Paper, Modernising the Planning System, are deliverable.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The responses to the white paper, including that from COSLA, are currently being analysed by an independent consultant, in preparation of a digest of responses. COSLA’s response does comment in some detail on whether a five-year development plan cycle can be …

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why local authority-run care homes for elderly people receive higher levels of funding for each placement than independent care homes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Local authorities are required under section 22 of the National Assistance Act 1948 to set gross fees for local authority care home places at an amount equivalent to the full cost to the authority of providing them.

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the take-up of council tax benefit by pensioners and what representations it has made to the UK Government on the matter.

Answer · George Lyon: Over half a million households in Scotland currently receive council tax benefit, representing almost one quarter of all households in the country. Over half of all council tax benefit recipients are pensioners. The Scottish Executive liaises regularly…

7 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding from the National Lottery was directed to projects by the Executive in each of the last five years, broken down by project.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The distribution of National Lottery funds is a matter for the Lottery Distribution Bodies: Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen, sportscotland, Big Lottery Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund. The information requested is not held centrally by the Execut…

7 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the proposed EU Services Directive will increase competition in the provision of social services.

Answer · Robert Brown: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Executive continues to be in regular contact with DTI and other Government Departments on trade issues, including the EU Services Directive negotiations, to ensure that Scottish…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address poverty in working-age adults without dependent children.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive’s closing the opportunity gap approach to tackling poverty applies to all of working age. In particular, the forthcoming employability framework will support targets to reduce worklessness, increase the proportion of 16 to 19-year-olds who are n…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that active labour market policies are tailored to provide opportunities for people who are excluded from the workplace.

Answer · Allan Wilson: While the UK Government is responsible for employment policy on jobsearch and support, the Executive has a range of policies in skills and lifelong learning, regeneration, health, child care, advice and information services which can help individuals’ employm…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion is integrated into its current strategies and future budgets.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Action Plan on Social Inclusion is integrated into our current strategies and future budgets by reflecting and informing our cross-departmental Closing the Opportunity Gap approach to tackling poverty and disadvantage.

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who will be consulted in the process of developing the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A UK Steering Group of government and voluntary sector representatives has been established to co-ordinate the production of the next national action plan. This includes Scottish representation from the Scottish Executive and the Poverty Alliance. View…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion will reflect Scottish issues and how resources will be directed at these issues to address them successfully.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Action Plan (NAP) will reflect a wide range of issues raised in Scotland and across the UK through a consultation process and through policy development by government. The Executive is already taking action in Scotland, to address many of …

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether low pay and the need for economic regeneration are criteria used in determining where government jobs are dispersed to.

Answer · George Lyon: Low pay and the need for regeneration are criteria considered when deciding on relocation. A full account of the criteria considered can be found at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Relocation/Introduction">http://www.scotland.gov…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address low pay in (a) Orkney, (b) Moray, (c) Perthshire, (d) West Dunbartonshire and (e) Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Enterprise Networks are charged with pursuing the strategic priorities for economic development contained in A Smart, Successful Scotland. These priorities include exploiting opportunities that contribute to reducing disparities between different parts of…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cycles of IVF and ICSI treatment are currently funded by (a) NHS Greater Glasgow and (b) NHS Highland and whether frozen embryos are included in each cycle.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the transfer of couples seeking infertility treatment under the NHS in Argyll and Clyde will have on couples waiting for treatment in the (a) NHS Greater Glasgow and (b) NHS Highland areas following the dissolution of NHS Argyll and Clyde in March 2006.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The framework for the provision of assisted conception treatments through the NHS is currently set out in the report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) 1999. Progress in adopting EAGISS has been made across Scotland, tho…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assurance it will give that couples currently seeking infertility treatment under the NHS in Argyll and Clyde will have access to the full three cycles of IVF or ICSI treatment recommended by the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility in Scotland when they are transferred to another NH…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18992 on 15 September 2005. 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/web…

6 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that couples who are currently unable to be referred for infertility treatment under the NHS in Argyll and Clyde because the female partner is over 35 will become eligible for referral following the dissolution of NHS Argyll and Clyde in March 2006.