Parliamentary questions

Rhoda Grant

2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific financial support it provides to local authorities and individual NHS boards for hydrotherapy facilities.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards andtheir local planning partners are expected to provide facilities such as thesefrom the budgets available to them, based on their assessment of local needs.

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that hydrotherapy pools are beneficial to arthritis sufferers and, if so, what level of access it considers to be desirable.

Answer · Shona Robison: There is growingevidence to suggest that hydrotherapy pools are beneficial to people witharthritis, who often report perceived benefit and improved quality of life. Asthere is still limited evidence around the cost-effectiveness and quantitativeoutcomes of th…

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what allowances will be paid to kinship carers of children who have been orphaned and have not come under local authority care.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-6505 on 29 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what allowances will be paid to kinship carers who have taken on the care of a child prior to local authority involvement.

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what allowances will be paid to kinship carers who are legal guardians of children.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Local authoritieshave discretionary powers to make payments to kinship carers of children who arenot looked after. These are:1. Section 22 of theChildren (Scotland) Act 19952. Section 50 of theChildren Act 1975.In addition, whena child be…

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what allowances will be paid to kinship carers of children who are in the care of a local authority.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Currently local authoritieshave discretion to pay allowances to kinship carers of looked-after children.I will be publishinga strategy for foster and kinship care later this year, which will address the provisionof a range of support, including financi…

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be put in place to ensure that local authorities can accurately identify the level of second home ownership in their areas to inform local housing strategies in the event of council tax being abolished.

Answer · John Swinney: I intend to launcha consultation before Christmas on our proposals for the abolition of council tax,which will include discussion of the identification and taxation of second homes.

16 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities will be compensated for the loss of revenue for affordable housing from additional council tax on second homes in the event of council tax being abolished.

Answer · John Swinney: I intend to launcha consultation before Christmas on our proposals for the abolition of council tax,which will include discussion of the taxation of second homes.

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Mental Health Specific Grant funding will be increased in the next financial year.

Answer · Shona Robison: Provision for MentalHealth Specific Grant is being considered, with all other government expenditure,as part of Spending Review 2007.

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to provide Mental Health Specific Grant funding.

Answer · Shona Robison: Provision of the MentalHealth Specific Grant is being considered, with all other government expenditure,as part of Spending Review 2007.

25 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it recommends should be in place for people staying in houses of multiple occupation and whether it believes that such accommodation is the most appropriate means of housing people with complex needs.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is for localauthorities to assess the housing needs of individuals and provide suitableaccommodation according to their needs. Any housing support serviceaccommodation receiving Supporting People funding must be registered with the Scottish Commission for …

25 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to review current legislation on the requirements to be met by developers of large-scale houses of multiple occupation, such as bedsits and hostels.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Revisedlegislation applying to all Houses in Multiple Occupation was passed by the Scottish Parliament under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. The Scottish Government expects to consult stakeholdersduring 2008 on whether secondary legislation will be required …

25 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance for local authorities is in place on the use of houses of multiple occupation to tackle homelessness.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has produced a Code of Guidance on Homelessness to which all local authorities must have regard when carrying out their duties. The code is available on the government''s website at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/housing/ho…

25 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was provided to Highland Council to tackle homelessness in each of the last two financial years.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: 1. Allocations to Highland Council to tackle homelessness over each of the last two financial years includes specific grant funding from the Scottish Government in the form of the amalgamated Tackling and Preventing Homelessness Fund from 2007-08 (previously …

15 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to provide funding for the Intensive Support and Monitoring Service in the Highlands after March 2008, in light of the reduction in the number of persistent offenders in the region over the last two years.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The ScottishGovernment has commissioned an independent evaluation of the Intensive Supportand Monitoring Scheme, which is due to be completed shortly. Ministers willconsider the evaluation and its implications for current arrangements tosupport and manage hig…

5 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any financial incentives to extend crofting to Moray will be additional to existing resources.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5256 on 31 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at:<ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…

5 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial incentives will be available to establish new crofts in Moray.

Answer · Michael Russell: There are nofinancial incentives currently available for the establishment of new crofts inMoray.As announcedpreviously, the proposed designation of Moray will not affect the arrangementsfor offering grant assistance to crofters within the crofting cou…

5 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that new crofts will be created in Moray.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Governmentwill be consulting later in 2007 on proposals to designate new areas, includingin Moray, where crofts may be created. I refer the member to the answer to questionS3W-4768 on 1 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions …

5 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its available landholdings in Moray will be used to create new crofts as outlined in the proposal to create new crofting areas.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5255 on 31 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

5 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what land holdings it has in Moray.

Answer · John Swinney: There is no full centralrecord of land holdings for the constituent bodies of the Scottish Government. Informationon significant holdings is shown in the 2007 National Asset Register which is publishedon the Treasury website.The main ScottishGovernment…

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive with reference to Principles and Priorities: The Government’s Programme for Scotland, whether it considers there to be a difference between an “equivalent” police officer and a police officer and, if so, how the level of service provided by a police officer compares with that of an equiva…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-5168 on 29 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of “equivalent” in respect of its pledge to create “the equivalent of 1,000 additional police officers”, as set out in Principles and Priorities: The Government’s Programme for Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The ScottishGovernment’s commitment is not about headline figures or counting heads – that,in itself, will not make our communities safer; it’s about getting the best outof the police service. Our aim is to ensure a more visible policing presence inScotland’s…

27 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held between it and officials from NHS Highland about improving access to health care in rural and remote areas.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Executive of NHS Highland is Chair of the National Remote and Rural Group whichis developing future recommendations designed to sustain and develop healthservices in remote and rural areas of Scotland. This grouphas reported progress to Scottish Gov…

27 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of health services in rural and remote areas.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Remote andRural Steering Group established following the publication of Building aHealth Service Fit for the Future is developing recommendations toensure high quality, safe and sustainable services across remote and ruralareas. In addition,…

27 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the challenges of health service provision in rural and remote areas.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are currentlyawaiting the final report of the Remote and Rural Steering Group, establishedfollowing the publication of Building a Health Service Fit for the Future.The group has been considering which services, diagnostics and treatments canbe provi…

4 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to expand prisoner capacity at HM Prison Inverness.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response isas follows:The Scottish PrisonService has no plans to expand prisoner capacity at HM Prison Inverness.

4 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners are held in HM Prison Inverness.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:As at 4 September2007, there were 136 prisoners in HM Prison Inverness.

4 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the prisoner capacity is at HM Prison Inverness.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The designcapacity of HM Prison Inverness is 104 and it is contracted to provide 150 prisonerplaces.

25 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest position is in respect of council housing stock transfer.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: As I announced inthe Housing Debate on 21 June 2007, the ScottishGovernment will consult in the autumn on its proposals for social housing. Thiswill include the role that council housing stock transfer might play indeveloping a social rented sector that is af…

6 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimate is of the number of people earning the national minimum wage or below in the (a) Orkney Islands, (b) Shetland Islands, (c) Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, (d) Ross, Skye and Inverness West, (e) Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, (f) Argyll and Bute, (g) We…

Answer · John Swinney: The preferred source for earningsestimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried outby the Office for National Statistics.The following table shows theestimated number of employees earning the National Minimum Wage (NMW) o…