Parliamentary questions
Mr Keith Harding
382 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the individual members, including their remuneration and expenses, of the Deprivation Review Steering Group, together with the criteria for selecting members of the group, its budget allocation and the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The membership of the steering group, which I chair, is as follows:<U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Scottish Executive</U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Mr Jack McConnell, Minister for Finance<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Ms Wendy Alexander, Minister for Communities<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Ross Fin…
6 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the individual members, including their remuneration and expenses, of the "It Pays to Pay" Implementation Working Group, together with the criteria for selecting members of the group, its budget allocation and the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The membership of the "It Pays to Pay" Implementation Group comprises officials from local government, CoSLA and the Scottish Executive. The local government representatives are finance officials nominated by CoSLA and the Scottish Executive represe…
6 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the individual members, including their remuneration and expenses, of the Strategic Issues Joint Working Group, together with the criteria for selecting members of the group, its budget allocation and the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The membership of the Strategic Issues Joint Working Group comprises officials from local government and the Scottish Executive. The local government representatives were nominated by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Scottish Executive rep…
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of National Lottery grants awarded in Scotland are given to organisations in Fife, broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's National Lottery Awards database, the proportion of National Lottery grants in Scotland given to organisations in Fife, broken down by parliamentary constituency, is shown in the table below:<TABLE BO…
2 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on elected provosts.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive's policy on directly-elected provosts or leaders is being considered as part of the post-McIntosh consultation exercise. Our position will be announced shortly.
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many posts in the Scottish Executive, including its agencies, have been created in or transferred to Fife since 6 May 1999.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive and its agencies currently have 114 staff in the Fife local authority area. No additional permanent posts have been created in or transferred to Fife since 6 May 1999.<P>The Executive's policy on location and relocation of civil service…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Single Social Tenancy Working Group, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the Working Group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive invited representatives from landlord, tenant and housing professional interests to act as an informal steering group for the production of a model single social tenancy agreement. The group has met once so far. It does not have a budge…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Common Repairs Working Group, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the working group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive invited representatives from various organisations representing landlord, tenant and housing professional interests to act as an informal working group to identify gaps in the current factoring process. The group has met three times so …
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Common Housing Registers Steering Group, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the Steering Group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive invited representatives from the Chartered Institute of Housing, Shelter, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, CoSLA and Scottish Homes to act as an informal steering group to consider the development of common housing registers…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Strategic Review of Executive Funding to the Black and Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the review group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Members of the Review Group were selected for their individual expertise and knowledge of the voluntary sector and the topics to be covered by the review. Although the review has not been allocated a specific budget, the Executive will fund any consultancy wo…
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Review of Councils for Voluntary Service, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the review group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Members of the Steering Group to consider the Review of Councils for Voluntary Service were selected for their individual expertise and knowledge of the topic to be covered by the review, and their knowledge of the work of the voluntary sector. The group met …
31 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Race Equality Advisory Forum, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the forum, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: A number of organisations were consulted about the membership of the forum. In deciding on the membership I aimed to balance the experience, skills and backgrounds of the individuals with the need for the membership as a whole to cover the range of interests …
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the individual members, together with their remuneration and expenses, of the (i) Race Equality Advisory Forum, (ii) Review of Councils for Voluntary Service, (iii) Strategic Review of Executive Funding to the Black and Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector and (iv) Common…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Membership of these groups is detailed below.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Members of groups (i), (ii) and (iii) are entitled to claim for travelling and subsistence expenses, which are paid in accordance with Scottish Executive staff rates. Remuneration and expenses of…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the individual members, together with their remuneration and expenses, of the (i) Leadership Advisory Panel, (ii) Part V (Police Act 1997) Voluntary Issues Review, (iii) Working Group on Houses in Multiple Occupation Guidance and (iv) Supporting People Stakeholders' G…
Answer · Frank McAveety: The details are as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Leadership Advisory Panel</U><P>Alastair MacNish<P>Anne Middleton<P>Charlotte Stenhouse<P>Professor Ian Percy<P>Duncan McGhie<P>Oonagh Aitken<P>Pat Watters<P>Maggie Symonds<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the individual members, together with their remuneration and expenses, of the (i) Common Repairs Working Group, (ii) Single Social Tenancy Working Group, (iii) Homelessness Task Force and (iv) Renewing Local Democracy Group.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: (i) The Common Repairs Working Group comprises representatives of the following organisations:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Scottish Executive<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Scottish Consumer Council<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Scottish Homes <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">CoSLA (Convention of Scottish L…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Supporting People Stakeholders' Group, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Supporting People Stakeholders' Group was established in January 2000. The Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, Scottish Homes, the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities, the Scottish Council …
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Working Group on Houses in Multiple Occupation Guidance, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the working group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Working Group on Houses in Multiple Occupation Guidance was established in July 1999 to oversee the preparation of guidance to local authorities on the establishment and administration of the proposed mandatory licensing scheme in their areas. The Convent…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Part V (Police Act 1997) Voluntary Issues Review, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the review group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Leading figures from key voluntary organisations, who had expressed keen interest in Part V issues, were invited to participate in the Review Group and to represent the views of their members. The group is chaired by Jackie Baillie, the Deputy Minister for Co…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Leadership Advisory Panel, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the panel, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Members were selected to bring a variety of perspectives to the remit of the group, in the light of the McIntosh report's recommendation that the group should include strong representation from local government and also a strong independent element.<P ALIGN="…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Renewing Local Democracy Group, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Renewing Local Democracy Working Group is a cross-party group representing the four main political parties. The main criteria for selection of its members were their commitment to local government, individual skills and the perspectives they bring to bear…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Homelessness Task Force, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the task force, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The membership of the Homelessness Task Force is drawn from a number of statutory, voluntary and professional bodies. The statutory and professional bodies, such as CoSLA and the Association of Directors of Social Work were invited to put forward individual n…
23 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to question S1W-2232 by Susan Deacon on 30 November 1999 and S1W-4679 by Susan Deacon on 26 April 2000, how many consultant clinical and medical oncologists were employed at each of the five Scottish specialist cancer centres in the year to September 1999 and how m…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The number of consultant clinical and medical oncologists employed at each of the Trusts that contain the five Scottish specialist centres is shown in the attached table 1. The information is given in terms of whole time equivalent at 30 September 1999. The t…
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to give a substantive answer to question S1W-5202 lodged on 9 March 2000.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: PQ S1W-5202 was answered on 23 May 2000.
16 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the polling hours in local authority elections.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Following the McIntosh report the Executive has consulted on a number of issues including the timing of elections and the eligibility of local government employees. We are presently considering the responses to these issues. It also established the Renewing L…
16 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the outstanding total rent arrears of former council tenants, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Information on the rent arrears of former council house tenants is not held centrally.
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to list all individuals and organisations who have made representations to it concerning the split-site nature of Bell Baxter High School, Cupar, Fife.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Yourself and Mr Iain Smith MSP on behalf of the Bell Baxter High School Board.
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to alter the date of the next local authority elections to 2003 from spring 2002.
Answer · Frank McAveety: This issue was included in our post-McIntosh consultation paper and we are presently considering the responses received. The outcome of the deliberations of the renewing local democracy group will also be relevant in reaching a decision.
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage the dispersal of civil service jobs to Fife.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Executive's policy on the location and relocation of civil service jobs remains as set out by the First Minister in his answer of 15 September 1999 (S1W-0558, Duncan McNeil MSP).<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Potential locations across Scotland will be considered on …
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost each local authority to clear its backlog of road repairs and maintenance.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested.
10 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the task forces, working groups, review groups, action groups and similar committees relating to local government finance established by the Minister for Finance since 6 May 1999.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Since 6 May 1999 I have set up the following groups relating to local government finance:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">the Strategic Issues Joint Working Group;<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">the "It Pays to Pay" implementation working group; and<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">the Depr…