Parliamentary questions
Tommy Sheridan
857 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much total (a) planned expenditure and (b) outturn expenditure was in respect of (i) total managed expenditure for Scotland and (ii) the housing component of the Communities budget, or previous equivalent, excluding the Supporting People budget, for each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not heldcentrally. The recruitment of police officers and police support staff is a matterfor individual chief constables.</p>
3 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the (a) planned and (b) outturn expenditure was in respect of (i) total managed expenditure for Scotland and (ii) the housing component of the Communities budget, or previous equivalent, excluding the Supporting People budget, for each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06 and what the …
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested is shown in the following table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=86 rowspan=2 valign=top> <p align=center>Year</p> </td> <td width=186 colspan=2 valign=top> <p align=center>Total Man…
20 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the Glasgow Housing Association and all its subsidiary and associated companies use the public appointments process to refresh their independent board membership.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>This is a matter for GlasgowHousing Association (GHA) as an independent housing association. GHA must operatein line with its constitution in f…
20 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to prevent the next chief executive officer of the Glasgow Housing Association from holding a place on its board.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>This is a matter for GlasgowHousing Association (GHA) as an independent housing association. All housing associationsregulated by Communities S…
20 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure the transparency and democratic governance of the Glasgow Housing Association in accordance with the Langlands principles.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30674 on 19 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the P…
20 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make compulsory the circulation of all technical reports and competitive tendering documents to all tenants of the Glasgow Housing Association.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows.</p><p>Glasgow Housing Association isan independent housing association. Communities Scotland, as the housing regulator,has no plans to make the circu…
20 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to remove restrictions on the election of tenant members to the board of Glasgow Housing Association.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows.</p><p>This is a matter for GlasgowHousing Association (GHA) as an independent housing association. GHA must operate in line with its constitution in …
20 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a right of appeal for members of the board of the Glasgow Housing Association against expulsion from the board.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows.</p><p>Communities Scotland hasno plans to introduce a right of appeal. This is a matter for the board of GlasgowHousing Association.</p>
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the refinancing of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project has changed the contract length from financial close and, if so, what the change has been.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30560 on 15 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the refinancing gain arising from the refinancing of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project has been retained by the private sector to compensate for a lower rate of return than that expected at bidding stage.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-30560 on 15 January 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…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the net present value and cash value gains of the refinancing of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project are to (a) the private sector and (b) NHS Lothian and, in respect of NHS Lothian, whether it will detail the form in which these gains have been made, such as reductions in annu…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30560 on 15 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how refinancing has changed the base internal rate of return to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI consortium.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30560 on 15 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) percentage capital growth and (b) total capital gain has been on investors’ investment in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not held.</p>
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how refinancing has changed the net present value and cash value of the cash-flow to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project consortium shareholders over the contract term.
Answer · Andy Kerr: As negotiations for the refinancinghave not been concluded this information is not yet available.</p>
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of NHS Lothian’s income the annual charge arising from the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project represent, and how that has changed as a result of the refinancing.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The charge for the EdinburghRoyal Infirmary PFI project currently equates to 3.3% of the total NHS Lothian incomefor 2006-07. It is not yet known how thiswill change as a result of refinancing as negotiations have not been concluded.</p>
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what annual payments are to be made to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI consortium over the contract term and how these changed as a result of the refinancing
Answer · Andy Kerr: The following table shows theestimated annual payments to be made to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI consortiumover the current contract period. As negotiations for the refinancing have not beenconcluded it is not yet known how these might change.</p><table…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any equity shares in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project have changed hands since financial close.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The current shareholders forthe Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project are as follows:</p><p>Balfour Beatty: 73.9%.</p><p>Infrastructure Investors: 26.1%.</p><p>I also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30556 on 15 January 2007. All answers to writ…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the equity providers were for the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The original shareholders forthe Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project were as follows:</p><p>Morrison Construction: 15%.</p><p>RBS: 42.5%.</p><p>Balfour Beatty: 42.5%.</p>
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital was raised by the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI consortium to deliver that project, broken down into (a) equity, (b) subordinated debt and (c) senior debt.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The capital raised by the EdinburghRoyal Infirmary PFI consortium to deliver the project was as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=133 valign=top> <p> </p> </td> <td width=80 valign=top> <p align=ce…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children will be in temporary accommodation this Christmas.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive collectssnapshot data on the number of households in temporary accommodation at the endof each quarter, including information on households with dependent children. Dataon the use of temporary accommodation are available online in the p…
13 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the refinancing of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI project resulted in any change in risk allocation and termination liabilities and, if so, how the additional risks have been priced.
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is still committed to and on course to achieve the 2012 deadline to end homelessness in Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive remainscommitted to the target to abolish the priority need distinction in homelessnesslegislation by 2012. This will entitle all unintentionally homeless people to permanentaccommodation. Local authorities have been set an interim targ…
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were registered as homeless (a) in Scotland and (b) broken down by local authority area in each of the last six years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of applications assessedas homeless under the homelessness legislation by local authorities are shown inthe following table.</p><p>Number of ApplicationsAssessed as Homeless by Local Authority: 2000-01 to 2005-06</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 c…
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding increasing assistance to low-income families and benefit claimants in order to meet the costs of a basic funeral.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Department of Work and Pensions(DWP) provide assistance to low-income families and benefit claimants in order tomeet some of the costs of a funeral through the regulated Social Fund Funeral Grant.The Social Fund as part of the DWP is a reserved matter to …
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the cost of a basic funeral and what information it has on how much low-income families and benefit claimants are entitled to claim from the Department of Work and Pensions to cover these costs.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am not aware that the ScottishExecutive has made any estimate of the cost of a basic funeral. Low-income familiesand benefit claimants can claim some of the costs to meet a basic funeral throughthe DWP’s Social Fund Funeral Payment. The amount allowable cov…
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations it has carried out into who leaked the MacKay report on the Scottish Criminal Record Office’s handling of the Shirley McKie case to Mike Pringle MSP.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The circumstances of the unauthoriseddisclosure of the Mackay & Robertson report are presently under considerationby Crown Office and, as such, it would be inappropriate to give further detailsat this time.</p>
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any fingerprint experts currently working in the Scottish Fingerprint Service have been removed from the list of authorised experts maintained by the Executive and, if so, how many have been removed and on what dates, who recommended such removals and when the experts received wri…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Forensic scientists (includingfingerprint experts) may be authorised under section 280(5) of the Criminal Procedure(Scotland) Act 1995 for the purposes of section 280(4) of that act, i.e. the co-signingof reports in relation to routine evidence for criminal p…
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fingerprint cases have been prepared for court by each fingerprint bureau since 1999.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The number of fingerprint casesprepared for court by each fingerprint bureau of the Scottish Fingerprint Serviceis as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=52 nowrap> <p> </p> </td> <td width=74> <p al…
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the job roles and responsibilities will be of all positions in the fingerprint departments in the Scottish Police Services Authority from 1 April 2007.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.
30 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing establishment and structure will be of the fingerprint departments in the Scottish Police Services Authority from 1 April 2007.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.