Parliamentary questions
Lewis Macdonald
2,224 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what projects the Scottish Futures Trust rejected for inclusion as Tax Incremental Financing pilot projects, and on what grounds.
Answer · Alex Neil: Given the high level of demand for the projects in the pilot phase, it was not possible for every application received to proceed to the next stage. The following councils submitted applications to Scottish Futures Trust to develop full Tax Incremental Financ…
11 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council regarding the use of Tax Incremental Financing in the Union Terrace Gardens project.
Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) has previously met Aberdeen City Council to discuss the mechanics of Tax Incremental Financing (TIF), as part of the process of identifying potential pilot projects. SFT will work with Aberdeen City Council to develop a full TIF b…
11 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what remit it gave the Scottish Futures Trust in relation to the selection of Tax Incremental Financing pilot projects.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) has been asked to make recommendations to Ministers about Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) pilot projects that would be suitable to develop into full TIF business cases for Ministers’ detailed consideration. Once business cases…
8 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households will be in fuel poverty in each year between 2012 and 2016.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government does not produce projections of fuel poverty because of the difficulties in identifying future fuel prices, future income levels and stock condition at a household level. The Scottish Government recently announced a review of fuel pov…
8 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households will receive support under its fuel poverty spending commitments over the next three years.
Answer · Alex Neil: Final allocations under the fuel poverty budget for 2012-13 and future years are still to be made. Our current programmes will also be reviewed by the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum and recommendations made to me early in the New Year.
8 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with each energy supplier regarding the recent increase in gas and electricity prices.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Ministers have regular and ongoing bilateral discussions with each of the main energy companies and consumer bodies in Scotland on a range of issues, including energy process. Consumer Focus Scotland also led a discussion on fuel prices at the First …
8 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging local authorities to assist council house tenants who are in fuel poverty.
Answer · Alex Neil: All social landlords, including local authority landlords, must ensure that all their dwellings pass all elements of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) by April 2015. This will ensure all their properties meet a minimum level of energy efficiency to…
8 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging private landlords to assist tenants who are in fuel poverty.
Answer · Alex Neil: Help is available for tenants of private landlords who are in fuel poverty through Scottish Government energy efficiency and fuel poverty schemes, including: the Energy Assistance Package (EAP), the Universal Housing Insulation Scheme (UHIS) and a further £50…
2 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether life extensions for landfill sites are compatible with its zero waste policy.
1 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each NHS board spent on new equipment in each year between 2007 and 2011.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The answer is shown in the following table: NHS Board 2007-08 £ million 2008-09 £ million 2009-10 £ million 2010-11 £ million Ayrshire and Arran 1.946 2.207 2.207 2.207 Borders 0.551 0.621 0.621 0.621 Dumfries and Galloway 0.833 0.928 …
1 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards are required to maintain asset registers of medical equipment and, if so, what the value is of all medical equipment in each NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards are required to keep a database holding the minimum dataset for medical equipment but are not currently required to submit the value of their medical equipment to the Scottish Government. The property and asset management strategies for NHS boards …
1 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it provided to each NHS board to purchase new equipment in each year between 2007 and 2011.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Capital funding made available to NHS boards for the provision of medical equipment in each year between 2007 and 2011 is as shown in the following table: NHS Board 2007-08 £ million 2008-09 £ million 2009-10 £ million 2010-11 £ million Ayrshire and…
28 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans remain in place for Fastlink to extend to Clydebank.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has committed up to £40 million funding to the core element of Fastlink. Crucially, the business case now includes Glasgow city centre penetration and sets up Fastlink as an exemplar which can be built on elsewhere. The scope of the Fa…
28 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Fastlink project will be phased in and what the timetable is.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has committed up to £40 million funding to the core element of Fastlink. Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is responsible for setting out the delivery programme for Fastlink. The elements of the core scheme required for the Commonw…
28 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will allocate to each urban regeneration company in each of the next three years.
27 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03190 by Keith Brown on 27 October 2011, when it will place the required notice for the Borders Railway project in the Official Journal of the European Commission under the project’s new procurement model.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government do not intend to publish any further OJEU notice with regard to Borders Railway. As Network Rail will become the Authorised Undertaker for Borders Railway then they will become the procurement authority, and as such, any requirement fo…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has tested its proposal for a public health levy with the relevant businesses.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government engages regularly with a range of ratepayers and business organisations on the operation of the business rates system. The public health supplement has received support from a range of business organisations and health bodies, includi…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the (a) costs, (b) benefits and (c) associated risks of its proposed public health levy on (i) businesses, (ii) consumers and (iii) local authorities.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government cannot afford to ignore the scale of social problems that put pressure on the public purse. The total combined economic cost to Scotland of tobacco and alcohol misuse is estimated to be £4.7 billion each year. By introducing the publi…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that, except when a policy change does not lead to a cost or saving for business, third or public sector organisations, regulators or consumers, it is always necessary to carry out a business and regulatory impact assessment.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: No. In his letter of 10 March 2010 to the Convener of the Finance Committee, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth stated that a mandatory approach to business and regulatory impact assessments “would inevitably place an additional and disp…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it does not plan to carry out a business and regulatory impact assessment on the proposed public health levy, given its guidance suggesting that one is required when a proposal imposes additional cost on businesses.
Answer · John Swinney: The public health supplement will be subject to full and appropriate parliamentary scrutiny. Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments are not completed for every new policy or regulation as it would be disproportionate to do so. The publication of the Draf…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it did not consult on its proposed public health levy before making it part of the 2012-13 draft budget.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03473 on 27 October 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that a business and regulatory impact assessment should be carried out whenever a government proposal might impose additional costs on businesses.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is not always necessary to complete business and regulatory impact assessments. Decisions on whether or not a BRIA is prepared rest with the appropriate portfolio minister or Cabinet Secretary.
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the publication of a business and regulatory impact assessment on its proposed public health levy would highlight the extent to which the levy might impact on business and competitiveness.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03473 on 27 October 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the average business will have to pay as a result of the proposed public health levy in 2012-13.
Answer · John Swinney: The Public Health Supplement will apply only to large retail properties with a rateable value of over £300,000 which sells both tobacco and alcohol. Further detail will be available when legislation is laid in the new year.
18 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it carried out a business and regulatory impact assessment for the (a) Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Bill and (b) Forced Marriage etc. (Protection and Jurisdiction) (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A business and regulatory impact assessment was completed for the Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Bill as the bill contained provisions which would potentially have some impact on the legal aid budget and businesses operating in this area of the law. A business a…
10 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many tenement management schemes have included the installation of insulation in each year since 2004, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.
10 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many tenement management schemes have been established in each year since 2004, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.
10 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have used their powers under section 69 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Alex Neil: Section 69 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 amended the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 to add "the installation of insulation" to the definition of "maintenance" used for the Tenement Management Scheme. No figures are collected on how often decisions …
10 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to local authorities to improve the energy efficiency of tenements and other dwellings with common parts or shared burdens.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Universal Home Insulation Scheme (UHIS) provides grants to local authorities to operate schemes offering energy efficiency measures on a free-to-all basis, following a competitive bidding process. Councils should design their projects in the light of the …
7 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be allocated to each urban regeneration company in each of the next three years.
Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Government funding for the Urban Regeneration Companies forms part of the £30million Regeneration Funding line, contained in the draft budget document, for which Level 4 allocations were shared with the ICI committee on 24 October 2011. Specific all…