Parliamentary questions
Johann Lamont
1,407 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation document on a new regulatory body for registered social landlords will be circulated.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government''s discussion document <i >Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland </i>included proposals for modernising the regulation of social housing. 85% of those who commented on these proposals indicated broad support for them. Fol…
20 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what interim arrangements have been put in place to regulate registered social landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has established the Scottish Housing Regulator as an executive agency to undertake the regulation of social landlords. All regulatory guidance issued by Communities Scotland remains valid and is now the responsibility of the new body. …
20 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of school leavers in 2006-07 who did not go into education, employment or training had (a) physical and (b) learning disabilities.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The available information relates to school leavers with additional support needs and is presented in the following table.</p> <p >Per Cent of School Leavers not in Education, Employment or Training with Additional Support Needs, 2006-07</p> <table border=…
20 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many school leavers in 2006-07 who did not go into education, employment or training had (a) physical and (b) learning disabilities.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The available information relates to school leavers with additional support needs and is presented in the following table.</p> <p >Number of School Leavers with Additional Support Needs Not Going into Education, Employment or Training, 2006-07</p> <table b…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been made available to Glasgow City Council to meet the £32.5 million capital costs necessary to implement the Scottish Government’s class size reduction policy.
Answer · Maureen Watt: In July 2007, we announced an additional £40 million of capital grant across Scotland for financial year 2007-08 linked to future capital expenditure arising from possible implications for buildings of class size reduction. Glasgow City Council''''s share was…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been made available to Glasgow City Council to meet the £14.75 million staffing costs necessary to implement the Scottish Government’s class size reduction policy.
Answer · Maureen Watt: We have signed a historic concordat with local government that provides record levels of funding of £34.9 billion over the spending review period. This represents an increase of 13.1%. In return local government has agreed to reduce class sizes in primary 1 t…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many draft outcome agreements have been submitted by local authorities.
Answer · John Swinney: Councils are not required to submit their draft single outcome agreements to the Scottish Government until 31 March 2008.</p>
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9824 by Stewart Maxwell on 3 March 2008, how much of the £1.7 million to be saved by abolishing Communities Scotland will be made (a) in the first year and (b) year-on-year over the next three years.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10709 on 12 March 2008. 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/webapp…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9824 by Stewart Maxwell on 3 March 2008, how much of the £1.7 million to be saved by abolishing Communities Scotland will be (a) staffing, (b) administrative and (c) capital costs.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We have identified efficiency savings of £1.7 million which arise from the abolition of Communities Scotland. The new and more streamlined structures from 1 April 2008 present savings under a range of headings including staff and administration costs, but we …
21 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated under the heading “Tackling and Preventing Homelessness” or previous equivalents in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08, showing the amount assumed to be allocated for (i) addressing rough sleeping, (ii) provision of housing information and advice, (iii) p…
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Tackling and Preventing Homelessness grant was created in 2007-08 as an amalgamation of three previous funding streams “ Homelessness Task Force funding, the Furnished Tenancies Grant and the Glasgow Hostels Decommissioning Programme. The amounts allocate…
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are planned with the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding its concerns about the proposals to abolish the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As part of the government''s decision to amalgamate the Public Transport Users'' Committee for Scotland with the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, officials will be engaging with a number of organisations, including the Equality and Human Rights Com…
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are planned with the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance regarding its concerns about the proposal to abolish the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As part of the government''s decision to amalgamate the Public Transport Users'' Committee for Scotland with the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, officials will be engaging with a number of organisations, including the Scottish Accessible Transport…
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are planned with NHS boards regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the House of Commons Defence Committee’s report on the health care needs of military personnel and their families.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9991 on 27 February 2008. 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/weba…
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to implement the recommendations of the House of Commons Defence Committee’s report on the health care needs of military personnel and their families.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9991 on 27 February 2008. 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/web…
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the poorest 20% of the population will benefit from the abolition of the graduate endowment payment.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This information is not available. Under the provisions of the Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill, Scottish ministers will report to Parliament on the proportion of the poorest 20% of the population who will benefit from the abolition of the graduat…
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the poorest 20% of children will benefit from the free school meals pilot.
Answer · Adam Ingram: All P1-P3 pupils in the five local authorities participating in the free school lunch trial, including the poorest 20% in each authority, will have access to free nutritious lunches during the trial. The evaluation of the trial will investigate whether there …
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the poorest 20% of the population will benefit from the freeze on council tax.
Answer · John Swinney: Initial estimates suggest that the proportion of the poorest 20% of households that will benefit as a result of the council tax freeze is 48%. This analysis also estimates that no-one is estimated to lose out as a result of the council tax freeze.</p>
20 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the poorest 20% of the population will benefit from the removal of prescription charges.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not available.</p> <p >We regard prescription charges as a tax on ill health. The removal of prescription charges will end the unfair system and bring equity for all Scots.</p>
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether community engagement falls within the remit of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth or the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing.
Answer · John Swinney: Community engagement is a key element of a wide range of policy areas and contributes towards all of our Strategic Objectives, for which the Cabinet collectively has ownership. The most consistent links are with our Objective to make Scotland wealthier and fa…
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how spending by community planning partnerships on community engagement will be monitored in the event of the abolition of Communities Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: Responsibility for the implementation of Community Planning sits with the Partnerships themselves, and it is up to individual partnerships to decide on the detail of how community engagement is carried out. The Public Service Reform Directorate of the Scottis…
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which agency will be responsible for publishing information and guidance on community engagement in the event of the abolition of Communities Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA and third sector bodies, will issue any new information and guidance on community engagement if those involved in engagement work feel there is a need for it.</p>
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which agency will be responsible for national co-ordination of the Communities Voices programme in the event of the abolition of Communities Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: The Community Voices Programme is now part of the Fairer Scotland Fund. The Scottish Government is responsible for the performance management arrangements for the Fairer Scotland Fund.</p>
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which agency will be responsible for monitoring national standards for community engagement in the event of the abolition of Communities Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: The National Standards for Community Engagement are a good practice tool which have a part to play in improving community engagement. They are not mandatory. A recent evaluation of the impact of the standards, which will be published soon, has shown that they…
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which agency will have responsibility for national co-ordination of community engagement in the event of the abolition of Communities Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: Community engagement is a key element of a wide range of policy areas and contributes towards all of our strategic objectives. As such, the Scottish Government has a key interest in national co-ordination of policy on community engagement.</p>
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial savings are anticipated from the abolition of Communities Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The First Minister said in Parliament on 31 January 2008 that taking Communities Scotland into government will generate efficiency savings of £1.7 million.</p>
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in devising single outcome agreements, it is intended to draw on the English experience of adopting a flexible approach to the retention or removal of ring fencing.
Answer · John Swinney: In developing single outcome agreements appropriate for Scotland, we have drawn on a wide range of public and private sector sources, both at home and abroad, to inform our thinking.</p>
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in devising single outcome agreements, it is intended to draw on the English experience of identifying targets for aspects of health and care where local authorities have an input.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9818 on 3 March 2008. 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/webapp/wa…
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in devising single outcome agreements, it is intended to draw on the English experience of having 18 statutory targets for education and early years.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9818 on 3 March 2008. 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/webapp/wa…
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in devising single outcome agreements, it is intended to draw on the English experience of negotiating 35 targets for each local authority.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9818 on 3 March 2008. 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/webapp/wa…
13 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in devising single outcome agreements, it is intended to draw on the English experience of piloting local area agreements.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9818 on 3 March 2008. 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/webapp/wa…