Parliamentary questions
Sandra White
1,617 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations are in place to deal with any act of terrorism in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Civil Contingencies Act 2004places a duty on key agencies in Scotland to prepare for the continuation of essential servicesin response to emergencies, including acts of terrorism. The Scottish EmergenciesCo-ordinating Committee (SECC) brings together the …
31 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed explanation of the help available under the scheme of assistance for housing purposes in respect of advice and assistance, practical help, loans and equity access products and grants.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>“Help for property owners availableunder the Scheme of Assistance, relating to part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act2006 will be decided by loc…
31 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of how the £100 million committed over a ten-year period to assist owners who are required to take part in Glasgow Housing Association’s investment programme will be spent.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>This money is being used to providefinancial assistance to owner occupiers affected by Glasgow Housing Association’sinvestment programme. To d…
31 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the scheme of assistance for tenants of Glasgow Housing Association will be retrospective.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-29398 on 17 November 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
31 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable will be for implementing the scheme of assistance for tenants of Glasgow Housing Association.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-29398 on 17 November 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
31 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the scheme of assistance for tenants of Glasgow Housing Association will be implemented.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-29398 on 17 November 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
31 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of Communities Scotland’s inspection of Glasgow Housing Association will be published.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Communities Scotland plansto publish the final report about our inspection of Glasgow Housing Associationin late summer 2007.</p>
31 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when Communities Scotland’s inspection of Glasgow Housing Association will take place.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Communities Scotland startedthe inspection of Glasgow Housing Association on 29 September 2006 when we issuedour request to the Association fo…
27 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has asked HM Treasury to seek derogation from the proposed European Directive on payment services in the international market in order to exclude credit unions from its scope.
Answer · Johann Lamont: HM Treasury is already seekinga full exemption from the Directive for all British credit unions.</p>
27 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to HM Treasury to request its support for the European Parliament Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs’ amendment to the proposed European Directive on payment services in the international market in order to exclude credit unions from its scope.
Answer · Johann Lamont: HM Treasury is already seekinga full exemption from the Directive for all British credit unions.</p>
24 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28041 by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 September 2006, to whom within the Executive any evidence of differences in the application of benefits and services which disadvantage people in Scotland should be addressed.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Any evidence of differences inthe application of benefits and services which disadvantage people in Scotland shouldbe addressed to the Minister for Communities. His department has overall responsibilityfor the co-ordination of liaison between the Department f…
24 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28041 by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 September 2006, whether the mechanisms in place to allow dialogue have ever been used and, if so, whether it will provide a breakdown of such usage.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The mechanisms in place to allowdialogue are used frequently. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of suchusage as contact is so regular and is not separately recorded, being responsiveto issues as they arise. The answer to question S2W-29226 on 7 Novemb…
24 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28041 by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 September 2006, what mechanisms are in place to allow appropriate dialogue to take place between the Executive and Whitehall departments if there were evidence of differences in the application of benefits and services…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are a number of mechanismsin place to allow appropriate dialogue to take place between the Executive and Whitehall departmentsif there were evidence of differences in the application of benefits and servicewhich disadvantage people in Scotland. These in…
20 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent police civilian support staff were in post in each month from December 2005 to September 2006.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Police civilian support staffnumbers are collected on a quarterly basis. The available information is shown inthe following table.</p><p>No. of Police Civilian SupportStaff (Whole-Time Equivalent)</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr>…
20 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent police officers were in post in each month from December 2005 to September 2006.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Police officer numbers are collectedon a quarterly basis. The available information is shown in the following table.</p><p>No. of Police Officers (Whole-TimeEquivalent)</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=139 valign=top>…
20 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for its deliberations regarding Glasgow’s super casino bid and any decision on whether to back the bid.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Ministers believe that localcouncils are best placed to weigh up the pros and cons of new casinodevelopments in their areas.</p><p>Itwould also be inappropriate for ministers to comment on the merits of specificbids because ministers may become involved in la…
20 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been undertaken to weigh up the benefits a super casino would bring to Glasgow against the potential risks of increasing problem gambling.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: To help understand thepossible negative impacts of new casino developments, the Executive commissionedresearch earlier this year on the social impacts of gambling. We consideredthis alongside an assessment of the potential economic impact of a regionalcasino …
20 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to his comments on 26 June 2006 at Glasgow Chamber’s “Glasgow Talks…with the First Minister” Business Breakfast in relation to Glasgow’s super casino bid that the Executive would need to weigh up the benefits that the initiative would bring to the city against the potential risks…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Ministers have consideredthe available evidence on the potential economic benefits and possible negativeimpacts of new casino developments.</p><p>We have decided that we arenot opposed in principle to new casino developments in Scotland,subject to there being…
19 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken in promoting the non-profit distributing organisation model of PPP.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information about the non-profitdistributing model has been provided to interested authorities, professional advisersand the market and is available from the Scottish Executive Financial PartnershipsUnit’s website at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ppp">w…
19 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-profit distributing organisation PPP contracts were awarded in 2005-06, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tom McCabe: One non-profit distributing organisationcontract reached financial close in 2005-06. This was Argyll and Bute Council’sschools project.</p>
19 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many PPP contracts were awarded in 2005-06, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested isprovided in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Procuring Body</p> </td> <td valign=top> <p align=center>PPP Project</p> </td> <td valign…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer S2W-27681 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2006, which NHS board chief executives or directors of finance have not provided assurance statements in respect of hospital car parking charges.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28672 on 24 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer S2W-27681 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2006, which NHS board chief executives or directors of finance have provided assurance statements in respect of hospital car parking charges.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28672 on 24 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27681 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2006, what action it will take if monies raised from car parking charges are being used for purposes other than providing and maintaining car parking facilities.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28672 on 24 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27681 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2006, what legal action it can take if monies raised from car parking charges are being used for purposes other than providing and maintaining car parking facilities.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28672 on 24 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S2W-27681 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2006, whether the assurance statements obtained from NHS board chief executives or directors of finance to confirm that boards are not generating income that is being used for purposes other than providing and mai…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28672 on 24 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27681 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2006, whether it will provide a copy of the assurance statements obtained from NHS board chief executives or directors of finance to confirm that boards are not generating income that is being used for purposes oth…
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards that charge for parkingare NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Tayside and NHS Lothian.</p><p>Assurance statements were receivedfrom all NHS boards who charge and were also received from NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Borders,NHS Forth Valley, NHS Greater…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27679 by Mr Andy Kerr on 26 August 2006, what the initial projected costs were of the review of car parking arrangements in each NHS board.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28666 on 24 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27679 by Mr Andy Kerr on 26 August 2006, what financial costs have been incurred to date in respect of the review of car parking arrangements in each NHS board.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to thequestion S2W-28666 answered on 24 October 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
26 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27679 by Mr Andy Kerr on 26 August 2006, what consideration was given to the costs involved in the review of car parking arrangements in each NHS board.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to thequestion S2W-28666 answered on 24 October 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…