Parliamentary questions
Stuart McMillan
787 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of repossession decrees led to property repossessions in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Office of Fair Trading regarding future economic and social implications of the credit crunch.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We are in regular contact with the Office of Fair Trading to ensure that markets, including the consumer credit market, work well for consumers.</p>
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people currently not in employment have stated that debt has been an impediment to re-employment.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.</p>
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people currently being treated for (a) stress, (b) anxiety and (c) depression cite debt problems as a contributing factor.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.</p>
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average level is of unsecured borrowing debt level.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.</p>
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been declared bankrupt in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Accountant in Bankruptcy maintains the Register of Insolvencies in Scotland and publishes statistics on personal insolvencies in Scotland by financial year, in their annual report.</p> <p >Details of the numbers of bankruptcies are not available by loca…
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to help people with unmanageable consumer debt.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We provide extensive support for money (debt) advice: through the local government settlement; by providing training and consultancy to help advisors deal with more complex cases; by helping fund National Debtline (a UK service) to ensure that advisors are aw…
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to deal with any social or economic impact of the credit crunch.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The most significant of our devolved powers are those relating to housing, and the provision of information and advice.</p> <p >I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16485 on 1 October 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are avail…
22 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with UK ministers concerning the level of consumer debt in Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We are in regular contact with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on consumer debt issues.</p>
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to introduce mentoring schemes among tourism-related industries.
Answer · Jim Mather: In partnership with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise supports Business Mentoring Scotland (BMS). The latest phase of BMS was launched on 20 August 2008. It aims to advise around 1,200 businesses per a…
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is measuring or plans to measure the success of the new streamlined approach to Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Enterprise to develop a performance measurement and evaluation framework that is focused on national outcomes as set out in <i >The Government Economic Strategy</i>.</p>
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it is giving to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to reduce carbon emissions.
Answer · Jim Mather: We offer loans of between £5,000 and £100,000 through our interest free loan scheme to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises make capital investments in energy efficiency and microgeneration technologies.</p>
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what practical support it is giving to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to reduce carbon emissions.
Answer · Jim Mather: We are funding the Carbon Trust in Scotland, the Energy Saving Scotland advice network and Envirowise Scotland to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to reduce carbon emissions. They provide a number of practical support measures including:</p> <p …
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what new road safety projects there have been in (a) East Dunbartonshire, (b) Inverclyde, (c) Renfrewshire, (d) North Ayrshire, (e) West Dunbartonshire and (f) East Renfrewshire in each year since 2002.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Road safety on local roads is a statutory responsibility of local authorities. However, local authorities are not required to provide details of each project they undertake, therefore the information requested is not centrally available.</p>
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the introduction of (a) traffic lights or (b) a roundabout on the A78(T) at Inverkip has been considered in order to reduce the incidence of traffic accidents.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are currently no proposals to signalise existing junctions or construct roundabouts on the A78 trunk road at Inverkip.</p>
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the introduction of average speed cameras on the A78(T) has been considered in order to reduce the incidence of traffic accidents.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The effectiveness of the A77 average speed camera system will be fully assessed once three full years of data is available. The potential to introduce more average speed cameras will be informed by this assessment towards the end of 2008, once accident data i…
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to local authorities for the specific purpose of road safety.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Support for local authority roads is provided through the core local government finance settlement. It is however for the local authorities themselves to determine the level of spending for road safety in their area.</p> <p >Generally it is the responsibilit…
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has put in place to make roads safer.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government takes road safety very seriously and is committed to making the roads safer for all road users.</p> <p >We are developing a 10-year road safety strategy for Scotland and have set up a panel of experts to advise on possible measures. T…
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to deter motorists from speeding on the A78(T).
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The management of speed is a primary consideration of road authorities, police forces, and Safety Camera Partnerships. Under the Scottish Safety Camera Programme, two mobile camera sites have been established on the A78. One is sited on Inverkip Road, Greenoc…
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many motorists who were caught speeding in each year since 2002 lived in (a) Greenock, (b) Gourock, (c) Port Glasgow, (d) Inverkip, (e) Wemyss Bay, (f) Bishopbriggs, (g) Kirkintilloch, (h) Bearsden and (i) Paisley.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level.</p> <p >Strathclyde Police Force may be able to provide this information.</p>
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many motorists have been caught speeding in (a) Greenock, (b) Gourock, (c) Port Glasgow, (d) Inverkip (e) Wemyss Bay, (f) Bishopbriggs, (g) Kirkintilloch, (h) Bearsden and (i) Paisley in each year since 2002.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level.</p> <p >Strathclyde Police Force may be able to provide this information.</p>
5 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to introduce compulsory eye examinations for people with learning disabilities.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16064 on 12 September 2008. 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/we…
5 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether health checks for people with learning disabilities include sight examinations.
Answer · Shona Robison: The framework for regular health assessments for people with learning disabilities that the Scottish Government is developing will include visual impairment checks.</p> <p >Furthermore, free eye examinations for all were introduced on 1 April 2006. Under the…
5 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in which local authority areas people with learning disabilities are referred for health checks.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16062 on 12 September 2008. 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/we…
5 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to determine whether people with learning disabilities should qualify for health checks.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is developing a framework for regular health assessments for all people with learning disability as part of the delivery of <i >Equally Well: Report of the Ministerial Taskforce on Health Inequalities</i>. This will build on developmen…
3 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to support initiatives such as the Sail Clyde strategy.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government will monitor the work of the Sail Clyde steering group to facilitate the implementation of Sail Clyde strategy by all its stakeholders.</p>
3 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to provide financial assistance to the marine leisure industry.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise (SE) will be providing support for sailing infrastructure developments in Stranraer and Largs. SE continues to work with Clyde Waterfront Strategic Partnership to exploit opportunities to increase marine leisure opportunities on the Clyde.…
3 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance has been provided to develop facilities for leisure boating in each of the last nine years.
Answer · Jim Mather: Financial assistance to develop the boating and sailing industry in Scotland has been provided by a range of organisations including Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), local authorities and sportscotland. Infrastructure support for t…
3 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance has been provided to develop the infrastructure for the sailing industry in each of the last nine years.
Answer · Jim Mather: Financial assistance to develop the infrastructure for the sailing industry in Scotland has been provided by a range of organisations including Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), local authorities and sportscotland. Infrastructure su…
22 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money each local authority has received as a consequence of fixed penalty notices for car parking offences being decriminalised in each year since 2001.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: For the local authorities where decriminalised parking enforcement has been in operation, the information requested is given in the following Scottish Executive/Scottish Government publications:</p> <p ><i >Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts, 2001</i> i…