Robert Brown

8 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Building Standards Advisory Committee energy working party to report.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is intended to report in full to ministers, on the proposed changes to section 6 of the Scottish Building Standards Technical Handbooks, in early 2009.</p>

8 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on which dates the Building Standards Advisory Committee energy working party has met and on which dates it will meet.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Building Standards Advisory Committee energy working party met on 28 February 2007 and 1 May 2008. Future meetings are planned for 7 August 2008, 30 October 2008 and 27 November 2008.</p>

8 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the membership of the Building Standards Advisory Committee energy working party.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Building Standards Advisory Committee energy working party comprises:</p> <p >Brian Anderson, Heather Cuckow, Malcolm MacLeod, Bryan McAlister, Lori McElroy, Scott Restrick, Kenneth Ross, Mervyn Toshner, David Wedderburn and Bryan Woodley, with Scottish …

12 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the trends in funding support to the voluntary sector in Glasgow and how such support will be affected as a result of the Scottish budget.

Answer · John Swinney: Support for the third sector in Glasgow is primarily a matter for the Council, through the community planning partnership.</p> <p >We are working with COSLA, SoLACE and SCVO in a group whose aim is to strengthen the relationship between the third sector and…

15 May 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give priority to a play and communications strategy within its programme for government.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to play and is supporting play through a range of policies. We are committed to developing a strategic approach to play and the first step in doing so will be through the Early Years Framework, due for publication in the a…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it aims to move towards an optimum size for housing associations.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: There are no plans to move towards an optimum size for housing associations. The key is an organisation''s ability to meet need and deliver services effectively and efficiently, not its shape or size.</p>

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities there will be for community-based housing associations to take part in procurement tendering and development strategy in terms of the proposals set out in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11815 on 23 April 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/webap…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support development on brownfield sites by providing subsidy to reflect higher site remedial costs.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his budget on 12 April this year plans to introduce tax relief for the remediation of brownfield land. Draft legislation will be published for consultation this summer, and the relief will take effect from April 20…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to the support and expansion of the Scottish model of community-based housing associations.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Our aim is for a viable, thriving and varied social housing sector which includes community based housing associations. In <i >Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland</i>, the Scottish Government made clear its commitment to the future of social h…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether guaranteed or recommended rent levels will be among the criteria used under the procurement competition proposals set out in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: No decision has yet been made about the criteria to be used. The Scottish Government will consult on detailed proposals for a more strategic and competitive approach to allocating funding for social housing later this year.</p>

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what housing market area or areas would be used in the Glasgow area for the purposes of the development activity procurement proposed in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is possible that the geographies to be adopted for the purposes of a more strategic and competitive approach to procurement of social housing, as indicated within <i >Firm Foundations</i>, will be informed by housing market areas. However, no decisions hav…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assumptions it has made in respect of (a) the extent of rises in grant levels in housing association capital spend and (b) the causes of these rises, as referred to in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government believes that recent increases in housing association grant (HAG) are unsustainable. As a consequence, it has put forward proposals for HAG which reflect the income that housing associations expect to receive from rents and which refle…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procurement model proposed in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland will affect the ability and capacity of alternative providers to take part in future bidding rounds.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: In <i >Firm Foundations</i> the Scottish Government made it clear that it expects registered social landlords to continue to build the majority of social housing and to be the initial lead developers in a new approach to allocating funding. Over time, it migh…

14 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken to underpin the proposal in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland that a procurement model based on large-scale competition will lead to savings.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The research undertaken to underpin the proposed introduction of a more strategic and competitive approach to allocating funds for social housing in <i >Firm Foundations</i> consisted of: examination of the Communities Scotland''s data on housing association …

9 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its total investment in the school building programme will be over the current spending review period, broken down by funding method.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Local authorities are responsible for the detail of decisions on capital investment in school buildings, as was the case under previous administrations. Scottish Government financial support for local authorities is an important contributor to the totality of…

9 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which schools, other than those contained in the previous administration’s proposed school building plan, it proposes to deliver, showing the (a) approximate timescale and (b) funding method for each.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The previous Scottish Executive did not hold a definitive list of proposed new school buildings because it is local authorities who are responsible for strategic and future school estate plans and funding methods for capital investment in school buildings.</p…

9 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which schools contained in the previous administration’s proposed school building plan it proposes to deliver, showing the (a) approximate timescale and (b) funding method for each.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The previous Scottish Executive did not hold a definitive list of proposed new school buildings because it is local authorities who are responsible for strategic and future school estate plans and funding methods for capital investment in school buildings.</p…

31 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop an outcome agreement in terms of the local government concordat to ensure improved outcomes for young care leavers.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Single Outcome Agreements will be based on the government''s national outcomes and councils'' local outcomes. One of the 15 national outcomes is to increase life chances for children, young people and families at risk and local authorities may choose to prior…

31 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the extent of the shortfall of supported and semi-independent living units for young care leavers.

Answer · Adam Ingram: No. Local authorities have a responsibility to undertake Pathways assessments and planning with eligible young people prior to leaving care which should set out what kind of accommodation best meets the needs of the young person and how this is to be obtained…

31 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend eligibility for on-going support for care leavers after the age of 18.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has no plans to extend eligibility for on-going support for care leavers after the age of 18. Local authorities already have powers under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to support and assist care leavers up until the age of 21, or 25…

31 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide more semi-independent living units for young people leaving care.

Answer · Adam Ingram: This is a matter for local authorities. They should ensure that they have a range of suitable accommodation to meet the needs of their young people leaving care. Guidance on the Regulations on Supporting Young People Leaving Care makes clear that while there …

31 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ban the use of bed and breakfast establishments and homeless hostels for young care leavers.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is for local authorities to put in place after-care arrangements to ensure that young people leaving care have appropriate accommodation. It is not generally appropriate for local authorities to require care leavers to apply as homeless in order to obtain …

31 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance to children’s reporters and hearings to prevent inappropriate discharges from supervision shortly before young people reach the minimum school leaving age and thus the threshold for aftercare support.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Discharge from supervision is a matter for individual Children''s Hearings. However, members of the children''s panels receive training which contains specific provision on the factors to consider when a hearing is being asked or is considering termination of…

31 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take in response to The Age of Leaving Care in Scotland report by the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government strongly welcomes the report by Scotland''s Commissioner for Children and Young People. The important issues identified therein are consistent with the key themes identified and work being taken forward through <i >Looked After Childre…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is investing in the infrastructure required to ensure the timeous diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Answer · Shona Robison: The planning and provision of services is a matter for NHS boards. The Scottish Medicines Consortium has made recommendations regarding certain treatments for age-related macular degeneration. NHS boards are required to take full account of these recommendati…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are national targets for timescales for the diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are no specific targets with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration. The Scottish Government set targets from the end of December 2007 whereby all patients will be seen in an out-patient clinic within 18 weeks of being…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards have authorised the use of Lucentis for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Answer · Shona Robison: The planning and provision of services is a matter for NHS boards. The Scottish Medicines Consortium has made recommendations regarding certain treatments for age-related macular degeneration. Lucentis was recommended for use in the NHS in Scotland for the tr…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish a widening access unit to improve university uptake rates from across the social spectrum.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are currently no plans to establish a widening access unit to improve university uptake rates.</p> <p >The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has lead responsibility for promoting widening access through its own activities, the four regional widening acces…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a tenancy deposit scheme in terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18137 on 2 December 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/Apps…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make child care support for college students an entitlement rather than it being provided through a discretionary fund.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Full-time higher education lone parent students currently have an entitlement to apply for Higher Education Lone Parent Grant and Higher Education Lone Parent Child care Grant.</p> <p >The Scottish Government currently has no plans to make other child care f…