Parliamentary questions
John Wilson
696 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is for dealing with grievance procedures in the directorates under the responsibility of its Director-General Environment.
Answer · John Swinney: Under the Scottish Government''s normal grievance procedures, grievances are dealt with by the local line manager of the complainant and given the sensitivity of these matters, details of cases are not shared. Information on the average time for handling norm…
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is for dealing with grievance procedures in the directorates under the responsibility of its Director-General Education.
Answer · John Swinney: Under the Scottish Government''s normal grievance procedures, grievances are dealt with by the local line manager of the complainant and given the sensitivity of these matters, details of cases are not shared. Information on the average time for handling norm…
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is for dealing with grievance procedures in the directorates under the responsibility of its Director-General Economy and Chief Economic Adviser.
Answer · John Swinney: Under the Scottish Government''s normal grievance procedures, grievances are dealt with by the local line manager of the complainant and given the sensitivity of these matters, details of cases are not shared. Information on the average time for handling norm…
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29109 by John Swinney on 1 December 2009, how assessments of progress are being made in relation to affordable housing by local authorities.
Answer · John Swinney: With regard to assessments of progress in relation to affordable housing paid for or supported by local authorities, we do not currently hold information centrally on properties funded wholly or partly by second home council tax funds. However, Scottish Gover…
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29915 by Alex Neil on 6 January 2010, on what risk basis the Scottish Housing Regulator will determine its regulatory engagement with registered social landlords.
Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Michael Cameron, Acting Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond.</p> <p >His response is as follows: </p> <p >We identify the risks each registered social landlord (RSL) presents to our regulatory purpose. The main risks to…
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for how long NHS Lanarkshire doctors are expected to support NHS 24 in providing additional triage cover over weekends.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS 24 employs or contracts with GPs in partner health boards, including NHS Lanarkshire, to respond to agreed levels of pre-prioritised calls from patients in their area. These calls are funded by NHS 24.</p>
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding has been allocated by NHS Lanarkshire and other agencies to support additional measures implemented to manage delayed discharges.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards and local authorities are expected to work within their combined resources to manage delayed discharge. £29 million previously earmarked for delayed discharge, was added to the overall local government settlement in 2008-09.</p> <p >The Lanarkshir…
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional measures have been put in place by NHS Lanarkshire and other agencies to manage delayed discharges effectively.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Lanarkshire have established a range of measures along with their local authority partners to ensure no patients are delayed in hospital for longer than necessary, but it is the whole system approach by the partnership which includes good communication be…
15 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations applied unsuccessfully for funding under the £70 million lending facility offered by the European Investment Bank and the Housing Finance Corporation.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Decisions about whether or not to apply to borrow money, and whether to lend money, are matters for the boards and committees that govern individual housing associations and lenders.</p>
15 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations have received funding under the £70 million lending facility offered by the European Investment Bank and the Housing Finance Corporation and how much each has received.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29860, on 11 January 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/Ap…
14 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff have been paid a settlement following disciplinary action in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09, broken down by directorate.
Answer · John Swinney: No settlement payments have been made to staff by the Scottish Government following disciplinary action.</p>
14 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff were subject to disciplinary action in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09, broken down by directorate.
Answer · John Swinney: In accordance with Scottish Government procedures minor and informal disciplinary action is handled within the line management chain. As a result the Scottish Government holds centrally information only on cases where formal, rather than informal, disciplinar…
14 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is for dealing with grievance procedures across the civil service.
Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.</p>
14 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service staff initiated grievance procedures against their employer in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold statistics centrally on grievances raised by staff.</p>
14 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether discussions have taken place with NHS boards regarding the introduction of a living wage of £7 per hour.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS pay is considered on a UK-wide basis through the Pay Review Body process which makes recommendations for the individual consideration of UK ministers and ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.</p> <p >The lowest paid staff in the NHS are cove…
14 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions regarding the introduction of a living wage of £7 per hour for all civil service staff.
Answer · John Swinney: As part of their 2008 pay claim relating to staff below senior civil service level, in the core Directorates and Agencies which make up the Scottish Government main pay bargaining unit, the recognised trade unions sought a common minimum pay rate of £8 per ho…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees of the Scottish Prison Service are on secondment and to what organisations they are seconded.
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 Scottish Prison Service have five employees on secondment who are on secondment to the Scottish Government, Prison Offi…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had, or plans to have, discussions with the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers on the issue of executive pay in local government.
Answer · John Swinney: Executive pay in local government is properly a matter for local authorities themselves. They know the resources available to them overall and must make the management choices.</p> <p >The Scottish Government meets regularly with the Society of Local Authori…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public subsidy will be paid to the National Theatre for Scotland in 2010-11 and how much was paid in the two previous financial years.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The National Theatre for Scotland is due to receive £4.548 million in revenue funding for 2010-11. It received £4.38 million in 2008-09 and £4.490 million in 2009-10. It received additional financial support from the Scottish Government''s International Touri…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to relocate any of its directorates and agencies to the North Lanarkshire local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: Decisions about the relocation of Scottish Government functions will be considered in terms of ensuring the best use of the existing government estate, providing best value for money for the Scottish Government as a whole and maintaining or improving the oper…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many housing associations and housing co-operatives have never received inspection visits from the Scottish Housing Regulator.
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 >Of the housing associations and housing co-operatives currently registered with the Scottish Housing Regulator, 14 have rec…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many housing associations and housing co-operatives were not inspected by Communities Scotland in its capacity as regulator.
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 >Of the registered social landlords currently registered with the Scottish Housing Regulator, 65 were inspected by Communiti…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19451 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, how many of its staff are seconded to the Improvement Service.
Answer · John Swinney: One member of the Scottish Government staff is seconded to the Improvement Service.</p>
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25643 by Alex Neil on 5 August 2009, who the members are of the working group on housing investment reform.
Answer · Alex Neil: Details of the membership of both investment reform working groups, along with the minutes and papers discussed at the meetings, are available from the Scottish Government''s website <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/investm…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimate is of the number of registered social landlords to be inspected by the Scottish Housing Regulator in 2010-11.
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 >In line with our risk-based approach to inspection, we no longer undertake cyclical inspections of registered social landlo…
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many registered social landlords were inspected by the Scottish Housing Regulator in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.
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 >(a) The Scottish Housing Regulator came into operation on 1 April 2008, following the dissolution of Communities Scotland. …
9 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding Arts & Business Scotland has received for 2009-10.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Arts & Business Scotland received a total of £427,930 of public funding in 2009-10.</p> <p >These investments have levered a further £311,000 through new arts sponsorship from businesses and have supported the provision of services to arts organisations…
2 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average financial contribution it has made to the establishment of windfarm developments.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government does not provide funding for commercial wind farms. Since the launch of the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) in 2003 and its successor the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) in April 2009, the…
26 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the capital expenditure figure of £24.6 million allocated to fire and rescue boards, as indicated in the local government finance settlement for 2010-11, will be distributed.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) on the allocations for 2010-11 are progressing well and a final decision will be made in January 2011.</p>
19 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities apply discretion to granting council tax discounts of between 10% and 50% on second homes and long-term empty properties.
Answer · John Swinney: The following table shows the discount applied by each local authority for second homes and for long-term empty homes in the current year.</p> <p >Council Tax - Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties, level of Discount for 2009-10</p> <table border=1 …