Parliamentary questions

Johann Lamont

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

27 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to introduce a national accreditation scheme for property managers.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We are looking atproposals to take forward a voluntary national accreditation scheme forresidential property managers, based on recommendations of the HousingImprovement Task Force and subsequent work. This would involve governmentexpenditure. We will be cons…

27 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet representatives of the Scottish Consumer Council to discuss its Consumer Experiences of Property Management Services study.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: ScottishGovernment officials have had a number of discussions with representatives of the Scottish Consumer Council about the accreditation of property managers. Itis expected that a discussion of the new report, Consumer Experiences ofProperty Management Ser…

24 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-2128 and S3W-2129 by Adam Ingram on 9 August 2007, when it will be able to indicate (a) how many children will be involved in the pilot, as distinct from how many could be involved, and (b) how many of those children will be entitled to free school…

Answer · Adam Ingram: We will get a snap-shotfigure of how many took a meal, and whether or not they were previously eligiblefor school meals, on a date at the end of February. These figures will be availablenext summer when the report on the evaluation of the trial is published.<…

24 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of school pupils involved in the free school meals pilot it expects, based on the data currently available, will be entitled to free school meals who were previously not so entitled, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3645 on 6 September 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…

24 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-2913 and S3W-2914 on 20 August 2007 and to question S3W-2129 on 9 August 2007 by Adam Ingram, how many pupils in each pilot school could be entitled to free school meals, given the current data available, who were not previously so entitled.

Answer · Adam Ingram: We have had no reasonto calculate these figures. The most recent school meals data, including the number of pupils previouslyentitled to free school meals, is available on the Scottish Executive website at:<ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/S…

10 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the revised draft consultation document on physical activity and open space, as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 200, will be made public.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-3169 on 4 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

10 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for the circulation of a revised draft consultation document on physical activity and open space as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The draft ScottishPlanning Policy 11: Physical Activity and Open Space (SPP 11) was publishedfor consultation in August 2006. Following the consultation period, theresponses were analysed, and a final draft has been in preparation in the lightof the co…

10 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons proposals for statutory consultation if any new non-sporting green space is under threat were omitted from the revised draft consultation document on physical activity and open space, as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 2007.

10 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons a requirement for a minimum amount of open space in new developments was omitted from the revised version of a draft consultation document on physical activity and open space, as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 2007.

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings are planned with energy companies to discuss social tariffs.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have no immediateplans to meet with energy companies to discuss social tariffs.

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the interim findings of the micro-renewables pilot project will be published.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Interim findings fromScottish Government research projects are not published as a matter of course, andwe have no current plans to publish an interim report on the micro-renewables pilotproject. However, a final report is scheduled for publication in the autu…

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been done to develop warm zones.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmenthas given £239,000 to support the Dundee Community Energy Partnership, an area basedinitiative to improve energy efficiency.

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Warm Deal maximum grant of £500 will be increased.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Decisions about thelevel of future grant payments are a matter for the Spending Review. I currentlyhave no plans to adjust the level of payments.

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average grant was for houses under the Warm Deal programme in each year from 1999 to 2006

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:The average grantunder the Warm Deal programme in each year since 1999-2000, is shown in the followingtable:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 …

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses benefiting from the Warm Deal programme had all the measures on offer installed in each year from 1999 to 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2641 on 21 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Par…

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses benefiting from the Warm Deal programme received only loft insulation in each year from 1999 to 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:All dwellings benefitingfrom the installation of loft insulation under the Warm Deal programme will alsoreceive energy advice and low energy l…

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses on the Warm Deal programme in each year from 1999 to 2006 received only cavity wall insulation.

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses benefited from the Warm Deal programme in each year from 1999 to 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:The number of dwellingsbenefiting from the Warm Deal Programme since 1999-2000 is shown in the followingtable:<table border=1 cellspacing=…

3 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on the Warm Deal programme in each year from 1999 to 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:The total amount ofexpenditure on the Warm Deal Programme since 1999-2000 is shown in the followingtable:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cel…

2 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in each Glasgow primary school who will be involved in the free school meals pilot were not previously entitled to free school meals.

Answer · Adam Ingram: We do not have informationon predicted school rolls for the coming year. The most recent school meals data, including the number of pupilspreviously entitled to free school meals, is available on the Scottish Executivewebsite at <ahref="http://www.scotland.go…

2 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children will be involved in the free school meals pilot in Glasgow, broken down by primary school.

Answer · Adam Ingram: We do not have informationon predicted school rolls for the coming year. School rolls by stage for the lastacademic year are available on the Scottish Executive website at:<ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/16412/PupilsByStageAtSep…

2 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1188 by Adam Ingram on 13 July 2007, which Glasgow primary schools will be involved in the free school meals pilot.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2128 on 9 August 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/wa.s…

2 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take to support Renfrewshire Council in tackling its £145 million housing debt.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2909 on 14 August 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/wa.…

2 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take to support the Highland Council in tackling its £160 million housing debt.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2909 on 14 August 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…

2 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take to support the City of Edinburgh Council in tackling its £260 million housing debt.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Decisions on whetherto borrow and how to manage their housing income, expenditure and debt are mattersfor councils themselves, with regard to the Prudential Code.

21 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with COSLA regarding the implementation of the policy of having 18 pupils or fewer in P1 to P3 classes.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-1545 on 13 July 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/wa.se…

18 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Government’s response is to the survey by Unison that predicts that local authorities are facing a £305 million drop in income and the loss of 3,000 jobs over the next year.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Carbon offsetting is not asubstitute for reducing emissions at source. The Scottish Governmentacknowledges that offsetting can have a role in helping to avoid emissionselsewhere, but that priority must be given to domestic emissions reductions.In order…

2 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will confirm whether abolition of Communities Scotland would require legislation, as discussed during the Local Government and Communities Committee meeting on 27 June 2007 (Official Report c. 20).

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Ministers are currently consideringthe most effective organisational structures for the future delivery of CommunitiesScotland’s functions. That process will involve consideration of any legislationthat might be necessary to support the transfer of Communitie…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-684 by Stewart Maxwell on 18 June 2007, whether it considers that having a new independent organisation distributing lottery funding for sport and a different organisation investing in the priorities of Reaching Higher: Building on the Success of Spo…

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The prioritiesfor sport in Reaching Higher sets out the importance of strong organisations inorder to deliver improved performance and increased participation. We value thecontribution sportscotland can make to the implementation of the strategy andthese rema…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-684 by Stewart Maxwell on 18 June 2007, whether the setting up of a new, separate lottery distribution body for sport would fulfil its aim of de-cluttering the public sector landscape.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to thequestion S3W-684 answered on 18 June 2007. No decisions have been taken asyet. The question of sports lottery fund distribution will be considered aspart of the review of sportscotland, which will take place within the contextof the w…