Parliamentary questions
Johann Lamont
1,407 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals there are to hold discussions with the UK Government regarding improving uptake of benefits.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions requesting an early meeting to discuss the benefits system and other matters of mutual interest.</p>
13 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought information on how many children of asylum seekers were detained at Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre in each month of 2009 and, if so, what response it received.
Answer · Michael Russell: My officials have been informed that the UK Border Agency does not provide statistical information on a month by month basis. However, it has published quarterly reports for 2009 which are available on the UKBA website <a href="http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rd…
13 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33426 by Adam Ingram on 12 May 2010, what steps it is taking to make local authorities and kinship carers aware of the changes in respect of benefit disregard.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Changes to arrangements for disregard of certain allowances and payments to kinship carers would result from amendments to secondary legislation brought forward by the Department for Work and Pensions and primary responsibility for issuing any guidance rests …
12 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of secondary school pupils is entitled to free school meals according to the most recent survey.
Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33430 on 5 May 2010 which provided the most recent survey figures for the percentage of secondary school pupils entitled to free school meals. The 2010 School Meals Survey is not due for publication until 29<su…
12 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of primary school pupils is entitled to free school meals according to the most recent survey.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33428 on 5 May 2010 which provided the most recent survey figures for the percentage of primary school pupils entitled to free school meals. The 2010 School Meals Survey is not due for publication until the 29<…
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether representatives of kinship carers will be invited to the seminar on kinship care to be carried out in conjunction with the Association of Directors of Social Work.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The purpose of the seminar organised jointly with the Association of Directors of Social Work is to bring together the Directors of Children''s Services to consider what our shared priorities should be in ensuring that all looked after children, young people,…
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been with the Corporate Parenting National Training Programme carried out in conjunction with Who Cares? Scotland.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Since the Corporate Parenting National Training Programme was announced on 21 April 2010 a programme board has been established and has met once.</p> <p >Detailed programme plans including a schedule of training for all local authorities and community partne…
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding is going to the training of frontline workers carried out in conjunction with Child Poverty Action Group.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government fund the Child Poverty Action Group Scotland a total of £997,481 over 2008-11 to deliver second tier tax credit and benefit advice training to frontline workers.</p>
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to review the extent to which the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator is implementing the provisions of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 stipulating that bodies, including independent schools, should enjoy charitable status only if the fees…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, to meet the charity test, a body must be established only for charitable purposes and demonstrate it provides, or intend to provides, public benefit. When determining whether a body provides publ…
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of secondary school pupils was entitled to free school meals in 2009.
Answer · Michael Russell: The 2009 School Meals Survey, which took place in January/February 2009, recorded that 12.9% of secondary school pupils were entitled to a free school lunch.</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/22104701/0">http://www.scotland.gov…
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of secondary school pupils was entitled to free school meals in 2007.
Answer · Michael Russell: The 2007 School Meals Survey, which took place in January/February 2007, recorded that 14.2% of secondary school pupils were entitled to a free school lunch.</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/04134749/0">http://www.scotland.gov…
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of primary school pupils was entitled to free school meals in 2009.
Answer · Michael Russell: The 2009 School Meals Survey, which took place in January/February 2009, recorded that 17.4% of primary school pupils were entitled to a free school lunch. </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/22104701/0">http://www.scotland.gov.…
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of primary school pupils was entitled to free school meals in 2007.
Answer · Michael Russell: The 2007 School Meals Survey, which took place in January/February 2007, recorded that 18.6% of primary school pupils were entitled to a free school lunch. </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/04134749/0">http://www.scotland.gov.…
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial benefit there will be on average to kinship carers as a result of recent agreements between it and the Department of Work and Pensions with regard to the disregard of benefits.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government understands that the Department for Work and Pensions intends to modify UK benefits legislation which will give a full disregard rather than a partial disregard to kinship carers in receipt of a kinship care allowance. At the maximum, …
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many kinship carers will benefit from recent agreements between it and the Department of Work and Pensions with regard to the disregard of benefits.
Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33426 on 12 May 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <u><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
28 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to review its Race Equality Statement, issued in 2008.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Race Equality Statement covers the period 2008-11. A progress report on the Race Equality Statement is due later this year. </p>
1 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances when an ambulance returning to hospital can be dispatched without a paramedic on board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33017 on 23 April 2010. 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/Apps2/…
1 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances when an ambulance can be dispatched without a paramedic on board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service recruits and trains to allow for traditional accident and emergency ambulances to be staffed by a paramedic and a technician. In circumstances where this is not possible, due for example to sickness absence, the emergence medica…
1 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Ambulance Service last reviewed the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds and what its findings were.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service offered comments in September 2007 during the last review of the <i >Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds</i>. These were fed into the review process through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.</p>
1 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers last discussed the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds and what actions were taken.
Answer · Shona Robison: The <i >Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds</i> was last discussed by Scottish ministers in April 2008 prior to the publication of the latest version of the guide.</p>
1 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made to rapid response procedures for ambulances since May 2007.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Since 2002 the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has operated a system of priority based dispatch. The principles of priority-based dispatch are that calls should receive a speed and type of response that is appropriate to their clinical condition, and that th…
2 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to commission research on the levels of payments to kinship carers.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Scottish Government has no plans at present to conduct research on levels of payments to kinship carers. Decisions on appropriate levels of support for kinship carers are a matter for local authorities.</p>
2 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many kinship carers have accessed the training and development courses funded by the £6.2 million grant allocated for that purpose.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The £6.2 million grant was provided in 2007-08 to improve the training and development opportunities for both kinship and foster carers. A total of 2,274 kinship and 3,911 foster carers benefited from the funding.</p>
2 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors satisfaction levels among users of the kinship care advice and information service.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Kinship Care Advice and Information Service provides independent, quality and trusted advice on a range of topics, including the solution of complex benefit issues for kinship carers. Scottish Government seeks feedback on the experiences of advice line us…
2 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many kinship carers accessed the kinship care advice and information service in 2009.
Answer · Adam Ingram: During 2009, 762 kinship carers accessed the advice and information service provided by Citizen Advice Scotland.</p>
8 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels of foster care payments were in each local authority in 2009.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Information on levels of foster care payments is not held centrally. </p>
8 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 to facilitate parity of levels of kinship carer payments across local authorities without impacting on welfare benefits.
Answer · Adam Ingram : There are no plans to amend the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007.</p> <p >Local Authorities are best placed to decide how to achieve the commitment to pay kinship carers an allowance in the context of local needs and priorities and taking account of…
8 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been in its discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions on the impact of kinship carer payments on welfare benefits.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Discussions between the Scottish Government and the UK Government resulted in recognition of the issue facing Kinship Carers in the recently published <i >Support for All: the Families and Relationships Green Paper</i> (Cm 7787), presented to House of Commons…
8 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to local authorities on achieving parity in levels of kinship carer payments with that of foster carers by 2011.
Answer · Adam Ingram: A commitment to treat kinship carers of looked after children on an equivalent basis to foster carers is set out in the concordat between the Scottish Government and Local Government. Regulation 33 of the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 crea…
8 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is commited to achieving parity in levels of kinship carer payments with that of foster carers by 2011.
Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31595 on 4 March 2010. 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/apps2/b…