Parliamentary questions
Kenneth Gibson
2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the action plan setting out remedial action to be taken by East Dunbartonshire Council regarding the administration of housing and council tax benefits will be implemented.
Answer · Jack McConnell: This is a matter for the local authority concerned.
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government to ensure that claimants in Scotland who are eligible for council tax benefit and housing benefit do not lose their benefit entitlement due to technical breaches by local authorities of the claiming and awarding procedures used.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit are reserved matters administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department of Social Security (DSS). Benefit claimants should not lose their entitlement due to technical breaches by local authorities.
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the "Three tiers" report referred to in the Controller of Audit's Overview Report on the 1997-98 Audits of Local Authorities is to be published.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Accounts Commission report <I>Three Tiers? Comparing the Cost of Managers in Councils</I> was published on Thursday 16 September 1999.
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have yet to comply with the Code of Practice on Following the Public Pound.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information because monitoring compliance with the Code of Guidance on Funding External Bodies and Following the Public Pound is the responsibility of councils' external auditors appointed by the Accounts Commission f…
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain the variation in the percentage of rent arrears across Scottish local authorities and which authorities have (a) no formal rent recovery policies (b) no rent arrears recovery timetable (c) delays in pursuing arrears and (d) take no action in respect of former tenan…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Rent arrears management is the responsibility of individual local authorities and the detailed information requested is not held centrally. The Accounts Commission and Scottish Homes are jointly carrying out a study into rent arrears management in local autho…
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to ensure that all Scottish local authorities implement best practice to address basic accounting and control weaknesses, including the absence of bank and other reconciliations, internal control deficiencies, weaknesses in the compilation and maintenance of asse…
Answer · Jack McConnell: These matters are dealt with through the audit process. The audit process exists to identify weaknesses in local authorities' systems, highlight these weaknesses to local authorities and make recommendations as appropriate. The Accounts Commission for Scotlan…
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the 1997-98 audits in respect of Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Highland, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian councils remain outstanding beyond their due submission date of 30 June 1999 and…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The completion of these outstanding audits is a matter for the Accounts Commission for Scotland. I have referred your question to the Controller of Audit who will write to you giving the reasons for the delays and the dates for likely completion.
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that there is an improvement in Inverclyde Council's DLO/DSO accounting arrangements and no repeat of the failure by a number of trading activities to achieve their financial objectives.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Accounts Commission has made a number of recommendations for all DLO/DSOs across Scotland and I expect all councils to act upon them. The unaudited DLO/DSO results for 1998-99 show that Inverclyde Council has acted to reduce the number of DLO/DSOs that fa…
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to assist Inverclyde Council in dealing with issues identified in the 1996-97 audit report which have not yet been successfully progressed, including the errors and differences in financial statements, the poor documentation to support accounts, the unreliability …
Answer · Jack McConnell: This is a matter for Inverclyde Council. We expect the council to address its difficulties and implement all recommendations that the external auditor made in the 1996-97 audit report. The external auditor will follow up these recommendations through the audi…
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive over what time period the #10.8 million underpayment in rate support grant to Fife Council in financial year 1997-98 resulting from the overstatement of rateable valuations of non-domestic properties will be recovered by Fife Council.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The adjustment in respect of Fife Council's original overstatement of its estimated non-domestic rate income for 1997-98 was made in a single payment to the Council on 3 February 1999.
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that 1998-99 audits of local authorities are completed to an acceptable standard and submitted by the due date of 30 June 2000.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The 30 June is the statutory deadline for the submission of unaudited accounts for the financial year 1999-2000. There is no statutory deadline for the completion of audits. The standard and completion of audits of local authority accounts is a matter fo…
14 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for ensuring that each Scottish local authority has adequate internal audit resources available to scrutinise the authority as a whole and whether it will encourage the establishment, where one does not currently exist, of an audit committee or similar structure to allo…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The allocation of resources and committee structures are matters for local authorities themselves. We encourage all authorities to ensure that they have robust internal audit systems in place.
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have still to review bonus schemes to ensure that the DLO/DSO bonus earning capacity of each scheme is consistent with contract prices and achievement of statutory financial objectives.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have yet to put in place arrangements to ensure that corrective action is taken when poor financial performance is indicated from monitoring reports.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities do not yet account for DLO/DSO income expenditure on a full accruals basis.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have yet to produce business plans for their DLOs/DSOs explaining how their activities can be run profitably given the income generated from work undertaken for council departments.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have yet to issue a statement on their strategic objectives in service delivery recognising the clear separation of client and contractor and demonstrating how they will ensure value for money.
Answer · Frank McAveety: This issue was raised by the Controller of Audit in his report <I>1998-99 Overview of DLOs and DSOs in Scotland</I>. I have referred your questions to the Controller of Audit who will write to you to provide further explanation and information.
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have still to implement business continuity or disaster recovery plans in relation to the year 2000 IT transition.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Accounts Commission <I>report Millennium Countdown Year 2000 Compliance</I> published in May 1999 reported that 25 authorities planned to have contingency plans in place by 30 September and the other 7 planned to have plans in place by 30 November. The Ac…
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to ensure that Scottish local authorities assess rateable values accurately.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Valuations in Scotland are carried out by independent Assessors in accordance with an extensive framework of statute and case law that includes a judicial appeal process. Most rateable values are determined by reference to the actual rents applying both for t…
13 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide definitive guidance to all Scottish local authorities on the siting of telecommunications masts, particularly the siting of those masts near primary schools and high rise flats and, if not, why not.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I intend to issue for consultation a draft national planning policy guideline and draft planning legislation on telecommunications development. A planning advice note containing information and advice on siting and design will be issued to accompany the final…
7 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to inform the Parliament's Committees about Executive announcements.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Committee members may be informed of forthcoming announcements, such as news events or consultation documents, at briefings to Committees by Ministers or Scottish Executive Officials. Committee Clerks may also be informed of announcements through their Commit…
7 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to re-introduce free school milk to Scottish primary schools for pupils whose parents are in receipt of either income support or the working families tax credit and disabled persons credit.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, as amended, local authorities must provide free school milk, meals or other refreshments to all school children whose parents receive income support or the income based job seekers allowance.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><…
2 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to use its planning powers to introduce a national moratorium on the erection of mobile telecommunication masts on school grounds and within densely populated areas such as multi-storey flats in line with the policy of "prudent avoidance" as recommended by Friends of the…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no such planning powers.
1 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to encourage a greater number of tourist visits to Glasgow.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board has recently announced that hotels in the City enjoyed a 10% increase in occupancy in the first five months of this year compared with the same period in 1998. The new strategy which we are preparing will con…
1 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it will provide to ensure that businesses are year 2000 compliant, given that the award of training grants to deal with this problem has now been terminated.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The primary responsibility for taking action to prepare for the millennium bug rests with the business community. However, the Government have taken action to help businesses respond quickly and effectively. £2.6 million of Government money was made available…
1 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for the completion of the M77 and M74, the envisaged timescale, and how these plans will be funded.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The M77 (Fenwick to Malletsheugh) and the M74 Northern Extension are 2 of the 17 schemes under consideration in the Strategic Roads Review. I plan to report to Parliament on the Review shortly.
1 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to Her Majesty's Government in relation to the introduction of an "open skies" policy for cargo flights to and from Scotland, and the institution of a comprehensive bilateral agreement with the USA to eradicate any disadvantage businesses in…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government over a range of matters. We welcome the recent decision to open up Prestwick Airport to US cargo carriers and hope that this will improve the competitiveness of Scottish business.
1 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to Her Majesty's Government in relation to improving Scottish rail freight services and to the timetable for the implementation of its commitment to the establishment of Eurostar services from Scotland.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has concurrent responsibility with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions for rail freight grants in Scotland. The UK Minister for Transport and I announced on 13 September a £9.7 million Freight Facilities Grant a…
1 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not yet met with the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce in order to discuss their concerns about existing and future transport infrastructure development.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I am meeting a wide range of interested parties to discuss transport issues and will be arranging a discussion with Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.
1 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend park and ride facilities on the periphery of Scotland's cities.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: It is for local authorities to take forward the development of park and ride facilities in their areas. The Government's Preliminary Guidance on Local Transport Strategies encourages local authorities to set out their plans in interim strategies which are due…