Jamie Hepburn

7 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that student debt in Scotland remains the lowest in the UK.

26 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the economic impact will be of the proposed merger between AG Barr and Britvic.

Answer · John Swinney: Both A G Barr Plc and Britvic Plc provided details in a Joint Statement on 14 November 2012 on the terms of a recommended all share merger. That document suggests that the merger will create one of the leading soft drinks companies in Europe, which will be he…

19 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities to deliver safe transport routes to schools.

5 Nov 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what benefits it expects to arise from the shift from the PFI/PPP to the non-profit distributing financing model.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The NPD model seeks to transfer risk and exert private sector discipline both during the construction phase of a project and throughout its lifetime, but without the excessive profits to the private sector and financing costs to the public sector associated w…

29 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how long a tenant of a (a) local authority and (b) registered social landlord is entitled to retain their tenancy while in residential care for a limited period.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: There is no set period that a tenant of a local authority or registered social landlord is entitled to retain their Scottish Secure Tenancy while in residential care. There are limited grounds under the Housing Scotland Act 2001 when a local authority or a re…

29 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for reclassifying a school as rural under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, on which the Rural School List is based, is updated every two years, and the most recent version was published in August 2012. Following the update of the Classification, the Rural Schools List is them amend…

29 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the criteria are for determining whether or not a school is classified as rural under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 requires Scottish Ministers to maintain a list of rural schools. Section 14 of the 2010 Act states that in determining the question of rurality when considering whether a school falls to be included in or exclude…

29 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4F-00858 by Alex Salmond on 20 September 2012, (Official Report, c. 11704), how much it has spent in dealing with the freedom of information (FOI) requests by the anonymous submitter referred to by the First Minister and what the average cost of dealin…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The report of the Scottish Government’s FOI Costing Exercise 2012, which was published on 14 November, shows that the average cost to the Scottish Government of responding an FOI request is £231, the cost of an internal review is £417, and an appeal to the Sc…

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of repayments would be over the lifetime of each PFI/PPP project initiated from 1999 to 2007 if the contracts had been procured under the non-profit distributing model.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As the rates applicable to any project reflect the market conditions when the actual contract is signed, it is not possible to assess how the costs of previous PFI projects would differ if those projects had been procured via the Non-Profit Distributing (NPD)…

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of repayments will be over the lifetime of each PFI/PPP project initiated from 1999 to 2007, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is available from the Scottish Government website under “Unitary Payment Charges” by way of the following link www.scotland.gov.uk.

2 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated asset value is of buildings built under each PFI/PPP project from 1999 to 2007, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is available from the Scottish Government website under “Project List - Done Deals” by way of the following link www.scotland.gov.uk.

13 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal entitlement owners of properties within social landlords' stock have to representation on groups set up by the landlords to review changes to the properties.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: We are not aware of any legal provisions in respect of groups of this nature. However, where decisions on repairs and maintenance are being taken under the Tenement Management Scheme, the scheme contains provisions on arranging meetings and consulting owners.…

13 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal responsibility social landlords have to consult the owners of properties within the stock owned by the landlord regarding potential changes to the properties.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: There may be provisions in title deeds on how decisions should be taken on repairs and maintenance of common space. If there is nothing in title deeds, or they are uncertain, the Tenement Management Scheme in the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2003 may be relevant.…

13 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal responsibilities social landlords have to people who own properties within stock otherwise owned by the landlords.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: There may be provisions in title deeds which lay down responsibilities and rights of owners of property in stock which is otherwise owned by social landlords. Social landlords acting as property factors need to comply with the provisions of the Property Facto…

3 Sep 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received clear information from the UK Government regarding its plans for public sector pension reform.

13 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children under the age of 12 have been charged with criminal offences in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) offence, (b) age, (c) gender and (d) police force.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of people charged is not held centrally. There have been no children under the age of 12 prosecuted in Scottish Courts in the financial years 1999-2000 to 2010-11. The majority of children aged under 16 will be dealt with by the S…

13 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions there have been under section 51 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, broken down by year.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Section 51 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 does not create a specific criminal offence and therefore there have been no prosecutions under this particular section. Instead, section 51 creates a list of factors which must be considered by the court…

13 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions there have been under section (a) 50 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and (b) 12 of the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table. People proceeded against in Scottish Courts under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 Section 50 and the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 Section 121, 1999-2000 to 2010-11: Financ…

27 Jun 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with North Lanarkshire Council regarding the condition and upkeep of schools.

13 Jun 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Indonesian Government.

23 May 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the possibility of waste material being transported from Dounreay to Sellafield.

9 May 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing Scotland’s Digital Future - Infrastructure Action Plan.

3 May 2012 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what impact the recent increase in the cost of postage will have on the Scottish economy.

11 Apr 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive at what stage phase III of the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme is.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government wrote to all local authorities on 24 February requesting applications for funding under phase 3 of the Schools for the future programme. Authorities are currently considering their bids and have until 21 July to submit an application.

23 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service about its staff or representatives discussing the matter of a precognition with an individual approached for precognition by counsel for an appellant.

Answer · Lesley Thomson: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has issued comprehensive guidance to staff on the precognition process including guidance for witnesses who are asked to provide a statement or precognition to the defence. The guidance states that witnesses shou…

23 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the position of the Scottish Court Service is on a judge sitting on a criminal appeal who is related to either the counsel of the appellant or representatives of the Crown.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive under what authority the police can charge haulage companies for escort duties on public roads.

Answer · Keith Brown: The charging of hauliers for police escorts has been agreed between Scottish Police Forces at the special services rates set by Association of Chief Police Offices in Scotland (ACPOS). The special services rate is designed to include an element for both wear …

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the police can insist on undertaking escort duties for haulage company vehicles on public roads and, if so, under what legislation.

Answer · Keith Brown: Where a haulage company vehicle’s laden dimensions exceed a defined overall width, length or weight the police in the interest of public safety will decide whether an escort vehicle is required and whether the escort is provided by the police or the haulier. …

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations there are requiring haulage companies to obtain an escort for their vehicles on public roads.

Answer · Keith Brown: The movement of abnormal loads is a reserved matter. There are currently no legislative requirements for abnormal loads to be escorted; however, in the interests of public safety the police decide when an escort is required. The Highways Agency on behalf of t…

12 Mar 2012 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide further information on its plans to improve childcare for pre-school children.