Parliamentary questions
Robert Brown
1,531 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why funding for Project Scotland has been terminated.
Answer · Jim Mather: We have offered fundingto Project Scotland in 2008-09 of £1.4 million to ensure thatall current commitments to those seeking placements under its current programmecan be fulfilled.</p><p>We are appreciativeof the benefits that Project Scotland has generated i…
26 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to further implementation of the National Youth Work Strategy as a result of the strategic spending review.
Answer · Adam Ingram: As a result of the spending review, the funding available to support youth work and youthparticipation and engagement at national level totals £5.637 million for 2008-11(£1.868 million/£1.868 million/£1.901 million per annum). This will be used tobuild on pro…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to make RNIB talking books and similar products available free of charge through libraries on the same basis as normal books.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The provisionof library services is the responsibility of local authorities and the ScottishGovernment has no locus in the matter. However, the Scottish Government expectslocal authorities to make appropriate arrangements under the Disability DiscriminationAc…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to widen the range of educational materials available in alternative formats, particularly audio, for young people who are blind or visually impaired.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The ScottishGovernment has convened a group of stakeholders, including representatives fromRNIB, to consider the recommendations and implementation of the <i>Books forAll</i> report produced by the Centre for Communication Aids for Language andLearning in Apr…
13 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £10 million additional support for learning fund promised in the SNP manifesto will be additional to existing resources and in which financial year or years it will be made available.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Governmentwill be providing local government in Scotland with recordlevels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The vastmajority of the funding, including the additional support fund<i>,</i> will be providedby means …
13 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has made available to local authorities to support the implementation of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 in each year since implementation, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The resourcesmade available to local authorities to support the implementation of theEducation (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 in each year since implementation, broken down by localauthority, is provided in the following table.</p><tabl…
24 Oct 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives to PPP are available for funding major capital projects in schools, hospitals and transport.
Answer · John Swinney: There are variousfunding routes available to public sector organisations for major capital projects,including direct capital allocations from the Scottish Budget, the prudential borrowingregime for local authorities, and various forms of partnership delivery …
18 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue the Bus Route Development Grant scheme and, if so, whether it will maintain the current levels of funding allocated to the scheme.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Yes. With effect from2008-09 the funding currently provided by the Bus Route Development Grant will besubsumed within the local government finance settlement and will be available tolocal authorities to support new bus services in their area.</p>
11 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the provisions of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 will be commenced.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The passage of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 was the first step in amodernisation process aimed at creating a more efficient, inclusive andsustainable planning system that is fully fit for purpose. Immediate prioritiesare now focussed on implementing …
5 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to develop a play and communication strategy.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Governmentis developing an Early Years Strategy that will set the long-term policy directionfor pre-birth to eight years. It is likely that, within that process, we will beexamining strategic issues concerning play.</p><p>We are not, however,limi…
17 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to legislate to require Glasgow Housing Association to proceed with second stage transfer of housing stock.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government’sposition was made clear in the debate on 26 September 2007.</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-07/sor0926-02.htm#Col2087">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialR…
12 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to learn from the results of investing £20 million of Big Lottery funding over the last two years through the Young People’s Fund.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-4268 on 25 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…
12 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3909 by Linda Fabiani on 12 September 2007, whether it is aware of the imminent closure of the Big Lottery Fund’s Young People’s Fund programme and whether it has plans to sustain for wider purposes the infrastructure of the 32 local panels of young …
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Scottishministers are aware that the Big Lottery Fund’s Young People’s Fund has closed forapplications and that the Big Lottery Fund expects all the funds to be committedby November 2007. National Lottery funding is time-limited.</p><p>The Big Lottery Fundwil…
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up an independent commission or inquiry into the requirements of a strategy for private rented houses across Scotland, including houses in multiple occupancy.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentis taking various measures to improve standards in private rented housing and weare keen to explore how the sector can play a greater role in meeting housing needin the future. However, we have no plans to set up an independent inquiry.…
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle the issue of overcrowded housing and houses in illegal multiple occupancy among migrant workers.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Migrant workers areentitled to the same protection from overcrowding and illegal letting as any othertenants. Local authorities are responsible for identifying unlicensed houses inmultiple occupation (HMOs) and ensuring that conditions of licences are complie…
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its latest estimate is of the number of rough sleepers, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The latest figuresavailable on Rough Sleeping can be found in the Scottish Government publication<i>Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation in Scotland: Quarters Ending 30June and 30 September 2006 </i>(temporary accommodation to 31 December 2006) avail…
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it is undertaking of the effectiveness of its policies on tackling rough sleeping.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentmonitors local authorities’ progress via homelessness statistics supplied by localauthorities (referred to in the answer to S3W-4217 on 21 September 2007) and progressreports currently submitted annually by local authorities detailing s…
5 Sep 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the consequences of the Scottish Government assuming responsibility for social security and pensions, as outlined in Choosing Scotland¿s Future: a National Conversation, and whether it will publish such analysis.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The government believesthat devolution could be extended to a range of areas which could bring Scotland the benefits and flexibility discussed in the whitepaper.</p><p>The nationalconversation will allow the people to express their views on areas for furtherd…
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to expand and build on the youth panels set up through the Big Lottery Fund.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The youth panels establishedto take important funding decisions for the Big Lottery Fund’s Young People’s Fundhave been a great success.</p><p>Indeed, the Parliamenthas already congratulated the Big Lottery Fund on setting up the local panels ofyoung people a…
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce new guidance on the recommended levels of school clothing grant.
Answer · Adam Ingram: There are no plansto issue new guidance on recommended levels of school clothing grants at present.</p>
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current level is of school clothing grant, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The following tablecontains the level of School Clothing Grants, broken down by local authority for2005-06. This is the most recent information available at this time centrally.</p><p>Gross Expenditureon School Clothing by Local Authority, 2005-06 (£000)</p><…
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual cost is of funding the school clothing grant, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: We do not hold theinformation requested centrally.</p>
3 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it makes to local authority school clothing grants.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Governmentcontributes to local authority school clothing grants through the “School Hostelsand Clothing” GAE assessment which forms part of the calculation of the local governmentfinance settlement. In 2007-08, £27 million was distributed under t…
30 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its current commitment is to Project Scotland and what funding will be made available to it.
Answer · Jim Mather: ProjectScotlandis a company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity whose aims andobjectives are to promote the welfare and relieve the needs of the populationin Scotland by encouraging and assisting young peopleto provide their skills and services v…
17 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its current estimates are of drug use in Scotland, broken down by category of drug and identifying numbers of problem drug users.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The estimated levelof drug use in Scotland by category of drug is not held centrally.</p><p>For estimated numbersof problem drug users (opiates and/or benzodiazepines only) in Scotland in 2000 and 2003, I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-3089 on …
17 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop more drug treatment services on a holistic social care rather than medical model.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The quality of provisionexpected from all services treating people with drug or alcohol problems is setout in the <i>National Quality Standards for Substance Misuse</i> <i>Services</i>.These standards include careful assessment and an individual personal plan…
13 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the rates of uptake of cancer screening in the Greater Glasgow area.
Answer · Shona Robison: The uptake of screeningin the Greater Glasgow area is a matter for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. However, the National Advisory Group on Breast and CervicalScreening are monitoring the decline in uptake rates for cervical screening andwill provide advice as …
24 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1660 by Adam Ingram on 23 July 2007, when it expects to make a decision on whether to proceed with the draft Children’s Services (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Adam Ingram: As stated in our responseto answer to question S3W-1660 on 23 July 2007, we are currently considering thegovernment’s wide ranging work to improve outcomes for children in Scotland andwill announce our decisions in due course including in relation to the draf…
10 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of budget difficulties facing police boards, how the Scottish Government will guarantee no cuts to frontline justice services.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to thequestion S3W-2062 answered on 26 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…
3 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many formal assessments have been carried out under the terms of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 in (a) South Lanarkshire, (b) Glasgow City, (c) East Renfrewshire and (d) North Lanarkshire council areas, showing also the numbers of children waiting …
Answer · Adam Ingram: The information requestedis not held centrally.</p><p>However, the numbersof pupils in each local authority with additional support needs in primary, secondaryand special schools, are published in tables 6.8, 7.6 and 8.5 respectively, of <i>Pupilsin Scotland<…