Parliamentary questions
Jamie Hepburn
761 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been living with a parent with a known drug dependency in each of the last five years.
Answer · Angela Constance: Current best estimates suggest that between 40-60,000 children in Scotland may be affected by parental drug misuse. Of these, 10-20,000 may be living with at least one parent with a drug misuse problem. These figures are largely derived from Estimating the Na…
8 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Network Rail can exercise powers of deemed consent for developments on land that it has recently acquired.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992/223 (‘the Order’) permits certain classes of development without the need for express planning permission to be granted. The classes of permitted development include: Class 2…
8 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances Network Rail cannot exercise powers of deemed consent for developments on land that it owns.
Answer · Keith Brown: As stated in the answer to question S4W-02118 on 6 September 2011 the circumstances of whether or not Network Rail can or cannot exercise powers of ‘deemed consent’ will depend on the nature of the proposed development and whether or not the development falls…
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the average proportion of household income spent on rent in (a) the social sector and (b) the private rented sector in each year since 1950.
Answer · Keith Brown: The following table provides information on the average (mean) proportion of household income spent on rent in the social sector and the private rented sector. The data are taken from the Family Resources Survey and are only available back to 1994-95. As the …
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on public expenditure of the rise in VAT from 17.5% to 20%.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34796 on 14 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusi…
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the proportion of the population classified as living in fuel poverty in each year since 1950.
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the average ratio of household income to mortgage size in each year since 1950.
Answer · Keith Brown: Data on the average ratio of household income to mortgage size is not held centrally.
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the average proportion of household income spent on petrol and diesel in each year since 1950.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has collected data on household expenditure on fuel for motoring through the Scottish Household Survey since 1999. This was published on 31 August 2011 in Table 2 of Transport and Travel in Scotland 2010, previously Household Transport…
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what outlay on petrol and diesel costs there has been across the public sector in (a) cash terms and (b) as a percentage of public expenditure in each year since 1999.
Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the average proportion of household income spent on (a) electricity and (b) gas in each year since 1950.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish House Condition Survey collects information on fuel bills. As this information is taken from a survey there will be an associated amount of error with each of the estimates. The following table provides the information requested for the years w…
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the average proportion of household income spent on mortgages in each year since 1950.
Answer · Keith Brown: Data on the average proportion of household income spent on mortgages is not held centrally.
1 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to lengthen railway station platforms as part of its investment in rail and what benefits are envisaged at each location.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Executive has no plans to extend the length of any railway station platforms as part of its current programme of investment in rail.
1 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that those schemes to lengthen railway station platforms in which it has been involved have been a success.
Answer · Keith Brown: Yes, the Scottish Executive considers the schemes to lengthen railway station platforms in Ayrshire and Inverclyde, where the new class 380 trains are in operation, to have been a success. These platform extensions were delivered within budget and had no imp…
1 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to link services on the Cumbernauld and North Clyde lines as part of its rail investment programme.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) is being taken forward by Transport Scotland in partnership with Network Rail and ScotRail. It will deliver a step change in infrastructure, rolling stock and service provision between the two cities. The EGI…
1 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost to build the Garngad Chord.
Answer · Keith Brown: Following a detailed option appraisal review the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme Board (EGIP) have confirmed that The Garngad Chord is not required in order to realise the EGIP journey time objectives. The last cost estimate for the construction of t…
1 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop the Garngad Chord as part of its rail investment programme.
Answer · Keith Brown: Following a detailed option appraisal review the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme Board (EGIP) have confirmed that The Garngad Chord is not required in order to realise the EGIP journey time objectives. The Scottish Government has no plans to develop …
25 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much aluminium was used by (a) manufacturers and (b) fabricators in each of the last five years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This information is not held centrally.
25 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much aluminium has been produced in each of the last five years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Alcan Smelting is the only producer of primary aluminium in Scotland, and they have produced in the region of 47,000 tonnes of aluminium each year for the past five years.
25 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much aluminium was recovered by recycling in each of the last five years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) data indicates that local authorities in Scotland recycled approximately 5,113 tonnes of aluminium cans between 2005-06 and 2009-10. This breaks down as follows: Year Tonnes 2005-06 336 2006-07 706 2007…
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the creation of a housing renewal area might advance the demolition of privately-owned homes.
Answer · Keith Brown: Only houses that: ought to be closed or demolished under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 because they fail the tolerable standard or are obstructive; are classed as dangerous under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, or are in a state of serious disrepair …
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what areas are seeking housing renewal area status.
Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. Further details of how local authorities plan to use housing renewal area powers may be found in individual local authority local housing strategies.
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many areas are designated as housing renewal areas, and where these are located.
Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. There is no requirement for local authorities to inform the Scottish Government if they have designated an area as a housing renewal area.
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances can a registered social landlord (RSL) take forward a scheme of demolishing mixed tenure housing because the RSL considers it to be uneconomic to repair the homes that it owns.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government would expect an RSL to consult extensively with residents on proposals that affect their homes and that a high level of support is demonstrated. We would also expect the RSL to work closely with the local authority and ensure that any …
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether private home owners might be liable for the entire cost of work taken forward as part of a housing renewal area, including the demolition of homes.
Answer · Keith Brown: Owners will only be liable for costs in relation to their own property. Local authorities have flexibility to offer assistance under their compensation and scheme of assistance powers which can include practical information and advice as well as potentially f…
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what bodies can ask for a housing renewal area to be established.
Answer · Keith Brown: Anybody can ask a local authority to consider an area for housing renewal area designation. However, only a local authority can decide to use the housing renewal area powers and can only designate an area as a housing renewal area if it considers that a signi…
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how individuals or organisations can challenge (a) the creation and (b) individual aspects of a housing renewal area.
Answer · Keith Brown: When a local authority has identified an area for housing renewal designation it must inform the owner and occupier of each house in the area. The local authority must provide a proposed draft designation order which includes reasons for choosing the area, an…
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the work of the National Steering Group on Advocacy Support for Children and Young People.
Answer · Angela Constance: The National Steering Group on Advocacy Support for Children and Young People was established in September 2010. The group has initially been tasked with developing a set of principles and standards, commissioning guidance and evaluation resources for use whe…
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much is spent across the public sector on supporting independent advocacy services for children.
Answer · Angela Constance: Under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, the provision of independent advocacy is the responsibility of individual local authorities and the NHS. The Scottish Government does not hold information regarding the funding split within any…
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure that all children are able to access independent advocacy services.
Answer · Angela Constance: Section 259(5) of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 identifies that every person with a mental disorder (as defined under section 328) has a right to access independent advocacy services. This includes children. The funding of indepe…
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the role of independent advocacy in relation to Getting it Right for Every Child.
Answer · Angela Constance: Central to Getting it right for every child is the need to listen to the child’s views and to involve children and young people at all stages where appropriate and especially in planning and decision making that affects them. The approach encourages all pract…