Parliamentary questions

Bob Doris

406 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

11 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the review of the private rented sector.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government announced in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland, that it would undertake an extensive review of the private rented sector. This review, which includes research and analysis commissioned externally, as w…

5 Feb 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on its commitment to work with local authorities to promote lower class sizes in primary schools.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0205-01.htm">http://www.scot…

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any changes to the rates of student support for further and higher education students that will apply for academic year 2009 -10.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I am pleased to announce the new rates of support for students in further and higher education for academic year 2009‘10. I am today placing in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the rates of those loans, bursaries and grants, which will be…

9 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will launch its Early Years Framework.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government and COSLA are launching the Early Years Framework today. The document is available at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/earlyyearsframework">www.scotland.gov.uk/earlyyearsframework<…

3 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage employers and trade unions in the college sector to review the principles that govern the reward and remuneration of staff.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I have today written to representatives of employers and unions in the college sector to ask that they look jointly at how the relationship between the success of the sector and the reward process might be improved. I have also asked that they do so in a way …

27 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the proportion of school leavers in positive and sustained destinations.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I will today launch 16+ Learning Choices, our new model for planning for the senior phase of Curriculum for Excellence. Through this vehicle, we will work with local partners to ensure all young people get an offer of appropriate continued learning, well ahea…

21 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to launch its response to Taking Forward The Government Economic Strategy: A Discussion Paper on Tackling Poverty, Inequality and Deprivation in Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I will launch the Scottish Government''s framework to tackle poverty and income inequality in Scotland - Achieving Our Potential - later today. A central element of the Framework is high level agreement between the Scottish Government and COSLA on priorities …

14 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities expects to confirm its final position.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The taskforce met for the last time in September. We reflected on the views of stakeholders expressed over the summer and the work of the Scottish Funding Council to review its processes and procedures in readiness for its new role. I am pleased to m…

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the report of the evaluation of its free school meals trial for P1 to P3 pupils in five local authorities.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The report of the evaluation of the free school meals trial is being published on Thursday 2 October. I have introduced an Order to the Scottish Parliament which will allow all local authorities to provide free school meals for P1 - P3 pupils enabling this co…

26 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last had discussions with Glasgow City Council.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government meets regularly with Glasgow City Council at ministerial and official level. The most recent ministerial meeting was held by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 18 June. I spoke with the Leader of Glasgow City …

19 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in deprived areas of Glasgow have class sizes of more than 25 in primaries one to three.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: That would depend on how we define deprived areas, but for example if we consider schools where 40% or more of pupils are registered for free school meals, Glasgow has 84 such schools, of which 32 have P1 to P3 classes over 25.

5 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish and respond to the report of the Chartered Teacher Review Group.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I have arranged for the report to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre today (Bib. number 45775) and will respond when I address the third annual National Chartered Teacher Conference tomorrow.

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what decision it has reached regarding allocation of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme and what changes it intends to implement to Housing Association Grant in 2008-09.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The government expects to spend over £1.5 billion on affordable housing over the next three years and to approve construction of at least 21,500 units (6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11). The number of units over 21, 500 this will secure…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the names of the members of the task groups taking forward the early years framework.

Answer · Adam Ingram: A joint policy statement on early years and early intervention was launched by Scottish ministers and COSLA on 18 March 2008. The work on developing the early years framework is now being taken forward by four task groups, each focusing their attent…

27 Mar 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in providing payments to kinship carers.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The concordat agreement between local authorities and the Scottish Government contained a commitment to pay allowances to kinship carers of looked after children. Funding for the payment of allowances to approved kinship carers of looked-after childr…

17 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the development of the early years framework.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government and COSLA are launching a joint policy statement on the early years framework today. The document is available at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/earlyyearsframework">www.scotland.gov.uk/ear…

17 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards meeting the SNP manifesto commitment to introduce legislation to improve the Children’s Hearings system.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I am pleased to announce thatScottish ministers intend to bring together the existing bodies which make up Scotland’s distinctiveChildren’s Hearings system of care and justice into a single body. We intend todo this in a way which ensures that local delivery …

19 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the recent announcement on teachers’ pay will mean for Scottish education.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I am pleased that we have reachedthis agreement, which is worth over 7% to teachers over the next three years (2.25%for 2008-09, 2.5% for 2009-10 and 2.4% for 2010-11).The deal struck by all threeparties within the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Te…

7 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses in each local assessor area have been rebanded for council tax following a material increase in value and subsequent sale in each year since 1997.

Answer · John Swinney: The information requested isnot held centrally. Information on the council tax banding of all domestic propertiesis held on the Scottish Assessors portal, however, it does not contain informationat the level of detail requested.

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Govan parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-7439 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Shettleston parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Baillieston parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Cathcart parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-7439 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Pollok parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-7439 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Anniesland parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-7439 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Kelvin parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-7439 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Rutherglen parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on small businesses in the form requested is not held centrally. However,information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which maybe eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is available for eachof the loca…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Springburn parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-7439 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Maryhill parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on smallbusinesses in the form requested is not held centrally.However, information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic propertieswhich may be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is availableon the Scottish Asses…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the National Fostering and Kinship Care Strategy will be launched.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Getting it Right forEvery Child in Kinship and Foster Care - the National Fostering and KinshipCare Strategy will be launched on 5 December 2007. Copies will be made available in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 44132) and at: </p…