Parliamentary questions

Johann Lamont

1,407 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the progress made in implementing indicators and targets in second-phase single outcome agreements (SOAs) can be compared with that in the first-phase SOAs, given that they will be based on revised guidance.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20072 on 30 January 2009. 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/Apps…

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the targets and indicators agreed in second-phase single outcome agreements (SOAs) may be significantly different from those in the first-phase SOAs given that they will be based on revised guidance.

Answer · John Swinney: The National Indicators and Targets used in the development of the first phase of single outcome agreements (SOAs) are unchanged for the second phase. There are some changes to the Menu of Local Indicators but these changes are minimal. Most of the …

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the second-phase single outcome agreements will be based on the revised guidance issued in October 2008.

Answer · John Swinney: Yes. Second-phase single outcome agreements will be based on revised guidance issued in October 2008.

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the final reports on the progress made in implementing first-phase single outcome agreements will be published in September 2009.

Answer · John Swinney: In accordance with guidance issued in October 2008, councils will work towards producing an annual report on first-phase single outcome agreements in September 2009. The Scottish Government and our local government partners are presently considering the form …

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the interim reports on the progress made in implementing first-phase single outcome agreements will be published in April 2009.

Answer · John Swinney: In accordance with the guidance issued in October 2008, local government will, for one year only, provide an interim progress report on their first phase SOAs in April 2009. A consolidated report based on the information received will be placed in th…

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the second-phase single outcome agreements will be finalised and agreed in June 2009.

Answer · John Swinney: In accordance with the guidance issued in October 2008, the Scottish Government and Community Planning Partnerships are working towards having all second phase SOAs finalised and agreed by June 2009.

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the drafts of the second-phase single outcome agreements will be submitted in February 2009.

Answer · John Swinney: In accordance with the guidance issued in October 2008, Community Planning Partnerships are working towards submitting their draft single outcome agreements to the Scottish Government by the end of February 2009.

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on direct payments in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is in the following table: Value of Self-Directed Support (Direct Payment) Packages by Local Authority, 2007 and 2008 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=160 rowspan=2 valign=to…

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people received direct payments in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is in the following table: Number of Clients Receiving Self-Directed Support (Direct Payment) Packages by Local Authority, 2007 and 2008 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=160 …

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students from households below the poverty line are benefiting from the abolition of the graduate endowment scheme.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A household is in poverty according to the UK and Scottish Governments'' preferred poverty definition if its household income is below 60% of the median UK household income before housing costs. The household income used in this definition is adjusted to take…

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals from households below the poverty line have benefited from the extension of the free prescription scheme.

Answer · Shona Robison: We estimate that around 256,000 individuals living in relative poverty before housing costs will benefit from the reduction in prescription charges when they buy prescriptions. We do not know how many have benefited since the charge was reduced on 1 April 200…

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many car owners from households below the poverty line have benefited from the policy on free car parking at hospitals.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children from households below the poverty line have benefited from the free school meals pilots.

Answer · Adam Ingram: All P1 to P3 pupils in the five local authorities that participated in the free school lunch trial, including children from households below the poverty line in each authority, had access to free nutritious lunches during the trial. However, it is not possibl…

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners who receive pension credit do not have central heating.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) provides this data. Table 1 shows the number of people in receipt of pension credit by central heating status none. These figures are an estimate from a survey and so have an associated confidence interval. The table…

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who are in receipt of the state pension do not have central heating.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) provides this data. Table 1 shows the number of people in receipt of state pension by central heating status none. These figures are an estimate from a survey and so have an associated confidence interval. The table …

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people are in receipt of the state pension.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has no functions in relation to administration of the state pension, and therefore does not hold such information.

21 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to inform the Parliament on the progress made in the first phase of single outcome agreements.

Answer · John Swinney: In accordance with guidance issued in October 2008, Councils will, for one year only, provide an interim progress report on first phase SOAs in April 2009. A consolidated report based on the information received will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Infor…

15 Jan 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met money advice organisations and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Scottish Government officials meet regularly with representatives of the money advice sector. Their most recent meeting with Citizens Advice Scotland, and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, was on 22 December 2008, when they discussed the £1 millio…

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when in 2009 the conference on race, referred to in the Scottish Government Race Equality Statement published on 8 December 2008, will take place.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: No date has been set yet for the Race Equality Conference.

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the National Group to Address Violence Against Women will next meet.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19742 on 22 January 2009. 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/Apps…

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the dates of meetings of the National Group to Address Violence Against Women since May 2007.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The National Group to Address Violence Against Women has met on the following dates since May 2007: 26 June 2007 26 November 2007 19 February 2008 9 June 2008. The next meeting of the National Group will take place…

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the planned date is for holding IslamFest, which the Scottish Islamic Foundation was granted funding to organise.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The finance conference element of IslamFest will be held in June 2009. The Scottish Islamic Foundation is currently in discussion with local authorities and communities across Scotland regarding the delivery of further IslamFest events. Details of the dates a…

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the next meeting of the Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty learning network will be held.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19492 on 19 January 2009. 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/Apps…

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the first meeting of the Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty learning network was held.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The launch of the Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty learning network will be on Tuesday 27th January 2009. The network is new, but it builds on the work of earlier stakeholder fora supported by the Scottish Government. It now brings together in a mo…

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the next meeting of the reference group on self-directed support will take place.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The next meeting of the reference group on self-directed support will take place on Thursday 5 March 2009.

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the reference group on self-directed support last met.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The reference group on self-directed support last met on Thursday 30 October 2008.

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which three test sites have been chosen for consideration of how to improve the uptake of self-directed support.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Highland Councils have been selected as the three test sites. NHS Lothian and Borders Council will also be contributing to the development of the policy through other local initiatives.

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to produce a self-directed support strategy.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A roundtable on self-directed support was convened in June 2008 to consider a strategy to increase the uptake of self-directed support, as a result of which an on-going reference group has been established. Members subsequently discussed a draft strategy at t…

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the first meeting of the reference group on independent living will be held.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The first meeting of the reference group on independent living will be held on 6 February 2009.

8 Jan 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address the high proportion of young people from deprived backgrounds or with disabilities leaving school who are not going into employment, education or training.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This PQ was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0108-01.htm">http://www.scottish.pa…