Parliamentary questions

Andy Kerr

326 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, who will assess whether councils are delivering “as quickly as possible” in relation to reducing class sizes and whether parents will have any role in this.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Each council’s agreedrate of progress will be set out and reported on annually to ministers. These annualreports will be public documents.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether “as quickly as possible” in relation to reducing class sizes refers to each council individually or to local government as a whole.

Answer · Maureen Watt: We expect every localauthority to make progress as quickly as possible in reducing primary 1 to primary3 classes to a maximum of 18 pupils. It is recognised that the pace of implementationof class size reduction will vary across authorities depending on local…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether each local authority’s single outcome agreement will specify what is meant for the authority by “as quickly as possible” in relation to reducing class sizes.

Answer · Maureen Watt: This will be partof the agreement between each local authority and the Scottish Government.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether it has specific agreement with COSLA on the meaning of “as quickly as possible” in relation to reducing class sizes.

Answer · Maureen Watt: What is meant by“as quickly as possible” will be set out in the agreement with individualcouncils.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what its definition is of “as quickly as possible” in relation to reducing class sizes in primary 1 to primary 3.

Answer · Maureen Watt: This will vary dependingon the circumstances of each local authority and what is agreed with the ScottishGovernment.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether it will provide details of the action it expects each local authority to take, and for what action the Executive will be responsible, in developing and delivering A Curriculum for Excellence.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The concordatmakes clear that government and the local authorities will each do what it takesto develop and deliver Curriculum for Excellence. One of the 15 national outcomeswhich forms part of the concordat is to ensure that our young people are successfulle…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, how it intends to monitor whether its commitment to match Labour’s school building plans “brick for brick” is achieved.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Our commitment wasto match the planned school building programme that was in place prior to the election.To that end, three more schools PPP projects have been enabled to reach financialclose since May and we will continue to monitor and work with other autho…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, how much of the total capital grant available to local authorities it intends should be spent on major refurbishments of schools and new school buildings.

Answer · Maureen Watt: This will be a matterfor individual local authorities to determine according to their own priorities.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what sanctions it can use against any local authority failing to make year-on-year progress toward delivery of class-size reductions.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The concordat makesclear that the commitment to reduce class sizes in P1 to P3 is one sharedbetween the Scottish Government and local government.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether achieving size reduction in 10% of classes in primaries 1, 2 or 3 would be regarded as progress toward delivery.

Answer · Maureen Watt: We expect year-on-yearprogress overall toward delivery of the class size reduction policy. We willdiscuss with each authority and agree the progress that is possible in eacharea.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether the expectation that local government will show year-on-year progress toward delivery of class-size reductions applies to each individual local authority or to local government as a whole.

Answer · Maureen Watt: It applies to local governmentas a whole. Although the pace and scale of progress will vary between local authorities,we expect every local authority to use their best endeavours to reduce class sizesas quickly as possible.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether the capital grant fund is to fund any extra classrooms in order to meet progress toward class-size reductions.

Answer · Maureen Watt: One of the componentsof the package set out in the concordat is that local authorities agree to deliveron a specified set of commitments from within the funding envelope provided. Reducingclass sizes in P1 to P3 to a maximum of 18 as quickly as possible is on…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether, if one or more council does not freeze its council tax, the entire package will not remain intact.

Answer · John Swinney: Under the packageof measures available I expect all councils to deliver on all aspects of the agreedconcordat, including the council tax freeze. It is, of course, the responsibilityof each local authority to set its own council tax. If a local authority does …

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA and if no council tax deal is agreed in year two of the spending review period, whether local authorities will have to raise council tax by the rate of inflation for that year and for the previous year in order to protect local services.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-7363 on 14 December 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…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what funding will be made available in year two of the spending review period if no council tax freeze is agreed in that year.

Answer · John Swinney: I have made available£70 million of new resources to be allocated in each of the next three years toenable all councils to freeze their council tax at 2007-08 levels. These funds willbe retained until each local authority has made its determination of its cou…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether “to ensure delivery” means delivery in full or in part.

Answer · John Swinney: This depends on the particulargovernment policy or programme in question. For some, we would expect delivery infull, and for others, we would expect an agreed level of progress towards an agreedoutcome.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what its definition is of “delivery of key government policies and programmes”.

Answer · John Swinney: There are a number of key policiesand programmes outlined in the concordat that the Scottish Government and localgovernment are committed to delivering. In addition, we will work together, throughCOSLA, to develop policy in areas where local government has a …

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether the Gaelic Specific Grant will be considered for rolling up into future grant aid to councils.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: Gaelic specific grantsare available to local authorities to assist with the cost of delivering Gaeliceducation within their area, or towards the cost of providing access to it in anotherauthority’s area. In order to promote and extend Gaelic education in Scot…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what criteria were used to decide which funds were to be kept ring-fenced, showing the specific criteria used for each fund, and what criteria will determine future ring-fencing.

Answer · John Swinney: The question of whethera funding stream should remain ring-fenced was one of the many issues that werediscussed, and agreed, between the Scottish Government and COSLA in agreeing theterms of the joint concordat. All of these funding streams were considered on…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether the capital fund to be created will need to accommodate any new expenditure on police or fire service communications systems in the three-year period or thereafter.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Under the concordatagreed between Scottish ministers and COSLA, the ring-fence around the Police CapitalGrant will be removed from 1 April 2008, with the funding beingabsorbed into the main local government settlement.The Scottish Governmentwill be pro…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what the 2007-08 value is of each component of the funds that will be rolled together into general capital grant for 2008-09 and beyond and to which there will be an increase of 13%.

Answer · John Swinney: The following table shows the2007-08 value of each specific grant and the supported borrowing allocation thathas been rolled into the General Capital Support. The 13 per cent figure refersto the total increase in support for capital which was £860.4 million i…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what increase is planned in local authority capital in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

Answer · John Swinney: As per Table 27.01in the Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 document, the total capitalfunding for local authorities is £993 million in 2009-10, and £994 million in 2010-11.This reflects an increase of £133.4 million and £134.4 million, respectively…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether all distribution formulae currently used to distribute ring fenced funding will be subject to review over coming months and years under the established arrangements for deciding grant aided expenditure distribution.

Answer · John Swinney: Yes. The distributionof local government funding is kept under constant review and consideration willbe given to possible improvements to the current methodology. This will be partof the future discussions between the Scottish Government and COSLA as part of …

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, what distribution formulae will apply to each of the currently ring-fenced funds that are not currently distributed by formula to all local authorities.

Answer · John Swinney: In the interests of stability,as agreed with COSLA, the distribution of all local authority funding will be distributedby using the most appropriate indicator. Wherever appropriate, individual localauthorities will receive similar shares of funding in the nex…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether ring-fenced funds which are not currently distributed to every local authority, which have been distributed as part of decisions on a past bidding process, or which fund pilots or national campaigns will now be pooled and distributed b…

Answer · John Swinney: No. In the interestsof stability, as agreed with COSLA, the distribution of all local authority fundingwill be distributed by using the most appropriate indicator. This will include updateddistribution methodologies and indicators or matched to existing on-go…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether any of the funds to be rolled into the local government finance settlement in 2008-09 contain any part which has been intended for any organisation not part of the relevant local authority itself and, if so, what arrangements have been…

Answer · John Swinney: Yes I can confirmthat some of the rolled-up funding was previously provided to other organisations,either directly by central government or indirectly through local authorities. Underthe agreement, local authorities will commission services which may have pre…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether the funding to be rolled into the local government finance settlement in 2008-09 from currently ring fenced funds represents the total or a proportion of currently held centrally for allocation to local authorities and what the value i…

Answer · John Swinney: The 2007-08 baselineprovision for all of the ring-fenced grants and funding streams as contained intable 27.01 of the Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 will be allocatedin full to local authorities in each of the next three years.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether there will be a reduction in central monitoring of thew £2.2 billion of currently ring fenced funds that are rolled into general grant to local authorities.

Answer · John Swinney: The bureaucracy andcentral monitoring associated with the £1.6 billion of the £2.2 billion of grantsthat are to be rolled up into the local government finance settlement with effectfrom 2008-09 will be removed. In its place, progress and achievements towards …

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, how the £0.5 billion set out on page three of the concordat relates to the £0.9 billion set out on page 73 of Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: The £0.5 billion mentionedon page three of the concordat represents the amount of continuing ring-fenced grantspayable in 2008-09, excluding the amount of the Police Grant which the ScottishGovernment and COSLA have agreed should remain ring‑fenced. The…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, which the most likely candidates are to receive the further £0.2 billion of ring-fenced funds due to be rolled into the general revenue grant in future years, as set out on page three of the concordat.

Answer · John Swinney: The details of allthe continuing ring-fenced funding were set out in the Scottish Government’s LocalGovernment Finance Circular dated 13 December 2007.