James Kelly

8 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which financial years expenditure on the New Southern General Hospital will be made and whether it will provide an annual breakdown of such expenditure by (a) it and (b) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is as detailed in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign=top > <p >Year</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center >2009-10 £ million</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p…

26 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to consult housing associations and the Parliament on the reorganisation of Communities Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I announced my intention to abolish Communities Scotland to Parliament on 31 October 2007 and this process was completed on 31 March. The Director for Housing and Regeneration has contacted key stakeholders, including the Scottish Federation of Housing Associ…

26 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have made a commitment to build houses for rent and how many houses in total they have committed to build since May 2007.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: During the last Parliament, 2003 to 2007, local authorities completed a total of six houses in Scotland.</p> <p >Guidance is currently being prepared for local authorities on developing their Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs). This reflects the prop…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has modelled the economic impact of the council tax freeze across different council tax band rates.

Answer · John Swinney: Yes. Scottish Government modellingshows that on average households in Scotland across all council tax bands will be better off witha council tax freeze.</p>

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what input community and voluntary groups will have into the format and content of single outcome agreements.

Answer · John Swinney: We would expect each local authorityto continue its duty to engage with community and voluntary groups as it thinksfit when setting priorities, deciding on local outcomes and planning services aspart of the new arrangements.</p>

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how regional priorities will be assessed in funding social enterprises from the new Scottish Investment Fund.

Answer · Jim Mather: We are currently developing theobjectives of the new Scottish Investment Fund in consultation with the third sector.This process will be informed by the independent evaluation of Futurebuilders Scotland. Weintend to publish details of the new fund in March 20…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it will put in place to administer the new Scottish Investment Fund.

Answer · Jim Mather: We are currently developing theobjectives of the new Scottish Investment Fund in consultation with the third sector.This process will be informed by the independent evaluation of Futurebuilders Scotland. Weintend to publish details of the new fund in March 20…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent staff will be required in 2008-09 for the reporting and monitoring of local authority grants that were previously ring-fenced.

Answer · John Swinney: The bureaucracy and central monitoringassociated with the grants that are to be rolled up into the local government financesettlement with effect from 2008-09 will be removed completely. In its place, progressand achievements towards the national outcomes and…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent staff were involved in the reporting and monitoring of grants that will no longer be ring-fenced in each of the last three years.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally but the number of staff employed in the delivery of particularobjectives and functions is kept under continuous review. The ScottishGovernment wants to achieve a simpler, more effective public sector for Scotland,which i…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what savings will result in 2008-09 from reduced bureaucracy associated with the reporting and monitoring of local authority grants that were previously ring-fenced.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Governmentexpects substantial benefits will flow to local authorities following itsdecision to substantially reduce the bureaucracy and central monitoringassociated with former ring-fenced funding streams. No targets have been setfor the savings …

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what reporting and monitoring measures it will put in place in respect of local authority-controlled grants that were previously ring-fenced.

Answer · John Swinney: The bureaucracy and centralmonitoring associated with the grants that are to be rolled up into the localgovernment finance settlement with effect from 2008-09 will be removed. In itsplace, progress and achievements towards the national outcomes and commitment…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will report on its progress against its objective of achieving economic growth at UK levels by 2011.

Answer · John Swinney: How the Scottish Government willmeasure and report on progress towards the economic growth target is set out ina technical note published on the Scottish Government’s website, available at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/30090722/2">ht…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will report on its progress in meeting its target of 2% efficiency savings over the next three years.

Answer · John Swinney: We will publish anEfficiency Outturn Report in the autumn every year which will give details onthe level of savings we have delivered each year against our target of 2%.</p>

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to raise alcohol awareness in schools.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Through the concordat with COSLAwe are moving to an outcomes-focused approach which empowers local authorities andgives councils flexibility to meet the Scottish Government’s national outcomes andthe national indicators in support of those outcomes, including…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available through its concordat with COSLA to secure South Lanarkshire Council’s school building programme.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Under the terms of the concordatsigned with COSLA on 14 November, almost £3 billion of capital resources will beavailable to authorities over three years to secure investment in schools and otherinfrastructure, for deployment according to authorities’ own pri…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action will be taken in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to tackle increasing rates of cirrhosis.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not heldcentrally. You may wish to contact the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde directly fora response to this question.</p><p>Draft Budget proposals includean £85 million boost over three years to increase access across Scotland to earlyinte…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action will be taken in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to raise alcohol awareness.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally although some of the activity being carried out by NHS Greater Glasgowand Clyde to raise alcohol awareness is included in the Corporate Action Plan whichcan be accessed via the following link:</p><p><ahref="http://www.dr…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action will be taken in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to tackle health inequalities.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is alreadyseeking to reduce inequalities in health in all its activities and in its allocationof resources to these. The Scottish Government provides support through fundingtargeted anticipatory care interventions(Keep well), unm…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to build 30,000 affordable homes in the next three years.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has madeno commitment to build 30,000 affordable homes over the next three years. Our spending plans for affordable housing over the period2008-11 are 19% higher than the spending plans of the last administration for theperiod 2005-08.…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made for additional support nurses for sufferers from Parkinson’s disease following the announcement of its health strategy.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The planning of theworkforce, including specialist Parkinson’sdisease nurses, is a matter forNHS boards who are responsible for planning services in their area based on clinicalneed. Services for people with long-term conditions are also for NHS boards to pla…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a timetable has been set to complete the tender process for the M74 extension.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The final tender for the contractwas submitted on 9 November 2007. A decision on the award will be made once the assessmentof the tender is complete.</p>

12 Dec 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been undertaken to assess Scotland¿s future energy requirements.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scotland’s energy requirements are met by the private sector withina regulated market. However, the Scottish Government takes a range of actions topromote the development of clean energy, including provision of financial supportto renewable technologies, with…

12 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the existing M74 project completion date of 2011-12 remains in place.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The final tender for the M74was submitted on 9 November. It is important that this is properly assessed to ensurethat it delivers value for money. The intention remains to complete the projectby 2011-12 subject to the outcome of the tender assessment.</p>