Parliamentary questions
John Wilson
696 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties were transferred in each secondary stock transfer since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: A list of the completed secondary stock transfers from Glasgow Housing Association to local housing organisations and the number of properties contained in each is listed below.</p> <p >Completed Transfers</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 >…
9 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what registered social landlords were involved in each secondary housing stock transfer since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: A list of the registered social landlords involved in each secondary housing stock transfer since 2006 is provided in the following table.</p> <p >Completed Transfers</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > …
9 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the result has been of each secondary housing stock transfer ballot, including turnout figures, since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: 1. Fourteen secondary housing stock transfer ballots have taken place since 2006 and details of each are listed below.</p> <p >2. Ballots where tenants voted in favour and transfer has taken place:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thea…
9 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many secondary housing stock transfers have been subject to ballots since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: Fourteen ballots have taken place in secondary housing stock transfers in Glasgow since 2006.</p>
9 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many social housing units are (a) scheduled to be demolished and (b) available for social rent.
Answer · Alex Neil: (a) Glasgow Housing Association has confirmed that 8,115 units are currently scheduled to be demolished.</p> <p >(b) It has also confirmed that 60,034 units were available for social rent as at 28 March 2010.</p>
9 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties are currently subject to secondary stock transfer.
Answer · Alex Neil: To date, 3,024 units have transferred through secondary stock transfer, and another 1,036 will transfer by end June 2010. A further 16,891 units are currently in the transfer programme.</p>
1 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to implement the scheme for the transfer of prisoners’ healthcare from the Scottish Prison Service to the NHS.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The transfer of prisoners'' healthcare from the Scottish Prison Service to the NHS is planned to commence in autumn 2011.</…
1 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to improve staffing in relation to healthcare in the Scottish Prison Service.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >At present the Scottish Prison Service has no plans to increase the number of health care staff across the prison estate. I…
1 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to work with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to improve the condition of rivers, lochs and estuaries.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government works continuously with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to improve the quality of Scotland''s water environment. SEPA published the first River Basin Management Plans for the Scotland and Solway Tweed River Basin Dist…
1 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to work with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to improve river basin district water environment.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34026 on 9 June 2010. 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/Apps2/Bu…
1 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to increase efficiency savings identified in NHS Lanarkshire’s prescription budget.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire implemented its most recent prescribing action in February 2010 with the explicit aim of generating £2.2 million of annual savings on prescribing costs within financial year 2010-11. This was informed by the recent work of the West of Scotland…
1 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking with North Lanarkshire Council to improve collaboration between the NHS and the voluntary sector.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are keen to support the development of relationships at a local level between the third sector, local authorities, community planning partnerships (of which NHS boards are a statutory member) and other local partnerships so that the sector may play a signi…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local councillors have been represented on Scottish Government working groups since 2006, broken down by (a) date, (b) title, (c) political affiliation and (d) working group.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local councillors have been appointed to quangos since 2006, broken down by (a) title, (b) date, (c) political affiliation and (d) local authority.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Information relating to board membership details of the public bodies which are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland is detailed in the Directory of Public Appo…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many evictions by social landlords have taken place in each local authority area in each year since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: The number of eviction actions against council house tenants is published annually by local authority area on the Scottish Government website.</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/Evictions">http://ww…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of each publication produced by the Scottish Housing Regulator since its inception.
Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Michael Cameron, Acting Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Housing Regulator came into operation on 1 April 2008. Since this date, we have published Regulation Plans for…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what publications have been issued by the Scottish Housing Regulator since it came into existence, broken down by publication date.
Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Michael Cameron, Acting Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Housing Regulator came into operation on 1 April 2008. Since this date, we have published Regulation Plans for…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority will save in terms of efficiency savings in 2010-11.
Answer · John Swinney: Local authorities in Scotland have an efficiency target of £524.1 million in 2010-11. The level of efficiency achieved will not be available until autumn 2011, when the Efficiency Outturn Report for the year will be published.</p>
20 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the value was of each housing stock transfer bid that went to ballot since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: The five stock transfer proposals listed in my answer to question S3W-33795 on 2 June 2010 were balloted upon on the following basis:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=199 valign=top > <p align=center >Coun…
20 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties have been transferred through housing stock transfer in each year since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: The number of properties that have been transferred in connection with the five stock transfer proposals where ballots occurred after 1 January 2006 is 7,900. This excludes stock transfers of 500 properties or less.</p>
20 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has provided to assist in the consultation process relating to proposed housing stock transfer ballots in each year since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is not available in the precise form requested. In 2006, the then Scottish Executive set limits on the maximum amount of financial assistance payable in relation to the stock transfer set-up costs of councils and the potential receiv…
20 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what registered social landlords have been involved in housing stock transfers since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: River Clyde Homes is the only Registered Social Landlord in Scotland that has been involved in housing stock transfers in terms of actually taking ownership of transferred stock. Another four organisations were involved in stock transfers at the time of each …
20 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the result was of each housing stock transfer ballot, including turnout, since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: The results of each of the five stock transfer ballots since 1 January 2006 referred to in my answer to question S3W-33794 were as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=120 valign=top > <p align=left >…
20 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many housing stock transfers have been (a) subject and (b) not subject to ballots since 2006.
Answer · Alex Neil: Between 1 January 2006 and 31 May 2010, the number of local authority large scale voluntary stock transfer proposals (i.e. over 500 units) that have been a) subject to a ballot, is five and b) not subject to a ballot, is zero. </p> <p >Further details of th…
20 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken by (a) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (b) Scottish National Heritage and (c) Scottish Water to restrict the sites where Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed are prevalent and reduce their spread.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A brief summary of actions being taken by these three bodies in relation to Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed is as follows:</p> <p >(a) The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for co-ordinating River Basin Management Plans require…
20 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being done by Network Rail regarding the spread of Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed along railway lines in Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Vegetation management is an operational matter for Network Rail. However, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act it is required to control the spread of both Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed.</p> <p >Within Scotland, Network Rail confirms it has in place …
20 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures local authorities are taking regarding the growth of non-native invasive plants in graveyards and around derelict sites.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for individual local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.</b></p>
20 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what talks are being held with British Waterways regarding the spread of non-native invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed on canals, river banks, tow paths and adjoining land in Scotland.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I am not aware of any requests from British Waterways for discussion with Scottish Government ministers or officials on this specific topic.</p> <p >British Waterways carries out routine management and conducts surveys of aquatic plants to maintain a navigab…
20 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been taken regarding the eradication of Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed, given their contribution to river bank erosion.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The <i >Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy for Great Britain</i> provides a comprehensive policy framework to guide management response to invasive non-native species. This is based on the approach advocated by the Convention on Biological Diversity which p…
20 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are being held with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding the spread of giant hogweed, given the danger of skin blistering from contact with its sap.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33275 on 5 May 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/P…