Parliamentary questions

Tavish Scott

2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

12 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to its funding for advocacy services being paid directly to the bodies delivering such services.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are currentlyno plans to change funding arrangements for advocacy services.I also refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-4272 on 20 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, th…

12 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding support it plans to provide for advocacy services in Shetland in 2008-09; which bodies will receive such funding, and how its use will be monitored.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-4272 on 20 September 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on 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 what funding support it is providing for advocacy services in Shetland in 2007-08; which bodies are receiving such funding, and how its use is being monitored.

12 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding support it provided for advocacy services in Shetland in 2006-07; which bodies received such funding, and how its use was monitored.

Answer · Shona Robison: There is a duty onNHS boards and local authorities under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003 to secure the availability of independent advocacyservices for people who have a mental health condition. These services may be securedby the NH…

12 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3944 by John Swinney on 11 September 2007, whether the fact that it has made decisions to base the new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in Edinburgh and to cancel the planned relocation of NHS Health Scotland, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and…

Answer · John Swinney: As noted in myanswer to question S3W-3944 on 11 September 2007, the decisionson the location of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission and the NHS SpecialHealth Boards were taken on the basis of the specific considerations outlined inmy answer. In both case…

7 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy to negotiate with the UK Government for the devolution to the Parliament of responsibility for oil and gas fields in the waters around Scotland includes a proposal to devolve a share of the tax revenue from each oil or gas field to the nearest coastal local authority an…

Answer · Jim Mather: The ScottishGovernment is committed to discussionswith the UK Government on options for the transfer of responsibility for oiland gas resources to the Scottish Parliament.We will focus onthis issue of principle. Issues of subsequent allocation of reven…

7 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to undertake any consultation on the development of a strategy for Scotland’s languages at either a national or local level.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the memberto the answer question S3W-4117 on 26 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/wa.…

7 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to respond to submissions to the previous administration’s consultation on a strategy for Scotland’s languages.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-4117 on 26 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/…

7 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a strategy for Scotland’s languages.

7 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policies for Scotland’s languages will reflect the diversity and vigour of Scotland’s many dialects.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Governmentwill seek to promote the richness and diversity of the languages spoken in Scotland in their different forms. Good progress is being madein a number of areas of language activity and promotion within Scotland and we intendto build on an…

6 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its intended council tax freeze in 2008-09 will also apply to water and sewerage charges.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Water chargelevels are set by an independent process of economic regulation led by theWater Industry Commission for Scotland. The commission sets limits on thecharges that Scottish Water will apply during any given period at lowestreasonable overall cost. The…

6 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for setting the level of council tax in each local authority area.

Answer · John Swinney: It is the responsibilityof each individual local authority to determine its own level of council tax takinginto account the total resources available to it and its local needs and priorities.That is why I am in constructive discussions with local government t…

6 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the legal power to stop a local authority from increasing council tax in its area from its 2007-08 level.

Answer · John Swinney: There are existinglegislative powers to enable Scottish ministers to propose a reduction in counciltax levels in certain circumstances but I believe that a council tax freeze at 2007-08levels can best be achieved through negotiation and agreement with local g…

6 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the legal power to require every local authority to freeze council tax at 2007-08 levels.

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2952 by John Swinney on 14 August 2007 and given that it will make an announcement in due course on future policy on the location of public sector posts, on what basis it decided to base the new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in Edinburgh and t…

Answer · John Swinney: The decision to basethe Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in Edinburgh was taken following careful consideration of the options identified by theprevious administration. As the Cabinet Secretary for Justice noted in his announcement,the decision reflects t…

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation has been made of the suitability of the use of Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme forage definitions when assessing Organic Aid Scheme applications from Shetland and what the outcome has been of any such evaluation.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The forage definitionin the Scottish Forestry GrantScheme (SFGS) (which opened in2003), is not used as a basis for assessing forage in the Organic Aid Scheme (OAS).

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme criteria are used for forage definitions when assessing applications to the Organic Aid Scheme when Integrated Administration and Control System land classifications are used for the assessment of Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme, Environmentally Sensi…

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish ForestryGrant Scheme (SFGS) criteria have not been used to assess or determine eligibilityof forage definitions for applications under the Organic Aid Scheme (OAS). The definitions for forage have been in placefor over ten years in connection with th…

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been submitted by Shetland crofters or farmers to the Organic Aid Scheme for each year since 2005 and how many were successful.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There were no applicationsto the Organic Aid Conversion Scheme (OASC) submitted by Shetland crofters or farmersin 2005. There were two applications in 2006, one of which was successful.There were five applicationsto the Organic Aid Maintenance Scheme (…

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is undertaken to measure the availability of solicitors’ practices undertaking legal aid work under the Scottish legal aid scheme in each local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Regular analysis isundertaken by the Scottish Legal Aid Board of the number of firms which submit applicationsfor civil legal aid and advice and assistance. This analysis provides a reasonablydetailed picture of patterns of provision at local authority level …

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many solicitors’ practices currently undertake legal aid work under the Scottish legal aid scheme and how many undertook such work in each of the last five years, broken down into firms offering (a) only civil legal aid work, (b) only criminal legal aid work and (c) both civil and cri…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information onthe number of solicitors’ practices who undertake legal aid work is collected centrallyby the Scottish Legal Aid Board.The following tableprovides information on the number of firms receiving payment from the ScottishLegal Aid Board i…

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made in 2007 to the administration of the Scottish legal aid scheme and what further changes are envisaged.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A number of improvementshave been made to the Scottish legal aid scheme to deliver government policy oras part of the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s (SLAB) programme of continuous improvement.A new simplified system of Civil Advice and Assistancewas introd…

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of projects funded through the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives is due to be completed and when projects seeking continued funding will be advised of the outcome of the review.

Answer · Shona Robison: The review of theScotland Against Drugs Pilot drug projects commissioned by the Scottish Centre forHealthy Working Lives (SCHWL) is in its final stages and is due to be completedduring September. The review will be published and projects seeking continued fun…

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executivehow registered social landlords that are also registered charities can provide Homestake and other low-cost housing.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows:Communities Scotlandhas advised all registered social landlords that the agency would be prepared toprovide Homestake funding through a wholly…

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the aims are of the investment made by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in the UHI Millennium Institute and what terms and conditions apply to the investment.

Answer · Jim Mather: This is an operationalmatter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you in response to this question.

3 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executivewhether it intends to use Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme forage definitions or Integrated Administration and Control System land classifications in the assessment of applications to the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme after 2010 and what the reasons are for the choice.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We await the publicationof the European Commission’s fresh designation proposals in 2008 for the futureof Less Favoured Areas post-2010, and what this will mean for Scotland. Following this, proposals will be developed for a LessFavoured Area Support Scheme f…

29 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out its programme for the study into the benefits of applying a road equivalent tariff (RET) to the fares on ferry routes and its subsequent plans to introduce RET, also indicating when (a) the review consultants are to report to ministers, (b) ministers intend to make…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The study willcomprise three phases, an initial largely desk-based study to inform the pilotexercise, a subsequent pilot study in the Western Isles and a full evaluationof the impact and benefits of road equivalent tariff based on the evidencegathered during …

27 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to apply some form of road equivalent tariff fare to passengers and vehicles travelling on all ferry services to and between islands and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3669 on 13 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…

27 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made of the likely range of vehicle and passenger road equivalent tariff (RET) rates per mile prior to the appointment of consultants to undertake the study into the benefits of RET, which allowed ministers to predict that RET would provide islanders with cheaper fares…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Our expectation isthat fares based on Road Equivalent Tariff would be significantly lower than presentfares charged across the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles routes. However, there is no previous experience of RoadEquivalent Tariff in the UK and some a…

27 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the application of road equivalent tariff fares will provide islands served by longer ferry routes with a real benefit and that it will not widen any competitive disadvantage that such islands face in comparison with islands served by shorter routes.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Governmentrecognises the vital importance of supporting Scotland’s island communities. We understand the genuine concerns from all of ourremote and fragile communities about the affordability of ferry travel and the impactthat has on island econo…

24 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will end the suspension of active work and expenditure on the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link project.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Once the resultsof the governance review are known, Transport Scotland will implement the Scottish Government’s view as to the best course ofaction to take for the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link project.