Parliamentary questions
Kezia Dugdale
1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it (a) encourages and (b) supports young people to become self-employed sports coaches.
Answer · Shona Robison: This government believes that good quality coaching will help to increase participation, motivate our young people to improve performance and keep physically active. This is why we are investing £2,124,000 into coaching this year alone. To demonstrate our co…
4 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the economic development of seaside destinations.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10037 on 30 October 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…
4 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to promote intra-Scottish tourism and how important this is to the economy.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Tourism is a key sector of the Scottish economy and tourism related industries are estimated to have contributed around £2.9 billion to Scottish GVA in 2010. There was a 3 per cent increase in domestic (GB) tourism visits to Scotland, involving an overnight …
4 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it can support the (a) development and (b) people's enjoyment of Edinburgh's seaside as a destination.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government supports the development, and people’s enjoyment of, Edinburgh’s seaside in a number of ways. [Working with public bodies these include, but are not restricted to outcomes, set out in the National Performance Framework. Relevant indica…
4 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it provides public funds to support seaside destinations.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: As I indicated in my earlier answer to S4W-05902 on 12 March 2012, the Scottish Government does not provide specific funding to support seaside destinations for tourism purposes. The Scottish Government works closely with a wide range of organisations includ…
27 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its advice triage system developed by the Accountant in Bankruptcy and Money Advice Service will provide advice to consumers specifically about short-term high-interest loans.
Answer · John Swinney: The triage system developed by Accountant in Bankruptcy and the Money Advice Service will be used by experienced money advisers to advise individuals of the range of options open to anyone struggling with debt, including consumer credit such as short term loa…
27 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to mention short-term high-interest loans in the debt information and advice package given to debtors petitioned for diligence or sequestration.
Answer · John Swinney: The Debt Advice and Information Package (DAIP) booklet produced by the Scottish Government provides important information to individuals who may be subject to diligence or bankruptcy. The DAIP booklet is designed to provide individuals with information about…
27 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice its National Debtline service offers to callers who mention payday loans.
Answer · John Swinney: The National Debtline advisers provide specialist advice to callers, which is backed up with written self-help materials. Payday loans will be considered as part of a holistic approach, which would take into account all factors relevant to the caller’s circum…
27 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to assess the impact of payday lending on consumers based on (a) gender or (b) age.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Household Survey 2011 annual report, at table 6.10, shows whether respondents had a loan, including from a payday lender. However, as there was such a small proportion of respondents who had taken a payday loan, they did not appear on the final t…
27 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it conducted impact assessments on the increase in payday lending on consumers prior to its draft budget 2013-14.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government did not conduct impact assessments on the increase in payday lending on consumers prior to its draft budget 2013-14.
26 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the law on common good.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government concluded a wide-ranging exploratory consultation on ideas for the proposed Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill on 26 September 2012. Questions were included in the consultation to explore whether the current rules applying to commo…
26 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what schools have dispensation for the two hours of PE a week target; what the reason is for the dispensation in each case, and how long it has been in place.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government launched a joint commitment with COSLA on 29 March 2012 to deliver at least two hours of PE in primary schools and at least two periods of PE in secondary schools for pupils in S1 to S4, by 2014. We expect all schools to deliver this t…
24 Sep 2012 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it expects any Private Bills to be introduced in 2012-13.
Answer · Mary Scanlon: Officials are currently aware of three prospective Private Bills that are likely to be introduced before the end of the current Parliamentary year. The actual number introduced in this period may, of course, differ from this as it is possible that not all thr…
24 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings (a) ministers and (b) officials have had with representatives of Wonga since May 2011; on what dates; who attended, and what was discussed.
Answer · John Swinney: There have been no meetings between Scottish Government ministers or officials with representatives of Wonga in the period since May 2011.
24 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09381 by Angela Constance on 18 September 2012, whether all S4, S5 and S6 pupils will be able to access careers guidance support on a one-to-one basis.
Answer · Angela Constance: Careers guidance provided to pupils in S4 to S6 is based on an assessment of need. For some pupils that will involve a programme of one-to-one coaching sessions. Others, who are more able to manage their career plans independently, will be offered services th…
17 Sep 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how its forthcoming Bankruptcy Bill will support the growth and development of credit unions.
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions there have been under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 for proxy purchase of tobacco in each local authority area; how many resulted in fines, and how much.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There were no prosecutions under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 in the financial year 2010-11, the latest year for which data is available. The Bill for this Act of the Scottish Parliament was passed by the Parliament on 27 Janu…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fixed penalty notices have been issued under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010, broken down by type of violation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of fixed penalty notices issued under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 is not held centrally.
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total and (b) average debt per debt payment programme was for people using the Debt Arrangement Scheme in the last year for which information is available, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: The Accountant in Bankruptcy produces annual reports which provide statistical information regarding the Debt Arrangement Scheme, Protected Trust Deeds and Bankruptcy. Their reports can be found at: http://www.aib.gov.uk/guidance/publications/corporate/annu…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it costs the Accountant in Bankruptcy to administer the Debt Arrangement Scheme.
Answer · John Swinney: Prior to the re-launch of the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) on 1 July 2011, the administration costs of Debt Payment Programmes (DPP) under DAS were funded by the public purse. A breakdown of the running costs since the re-launch of DAS in 2011 are detailed i…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the budget of the Accountant in Bankruptcy has been in each of the last three years.
Answer · John Swinney: The following represents the budget allocated to and drawn down by the Accountant in Bankruptcy by the Scottish Government for the financial years 2009 to 2012. Financial Year Budget Allocated Drawn Down 2009-10 £5.7 million £4.3 million 2010-11 £4.…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Debt Arrangement Scheme-approved money advisers there are in each local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: In 2010-11 there were a total of 90 Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) approved money advisers. The following table provides details of the number of approved advisers by local authority regions. Local Authority Region Aberdeen City 4 Aberdeenshire 2 Ang…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the administration costs of the Debt Arrangement Scheme are, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: Prior to the re-launch of the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) on 1 July 2011, the administration costs of DAS were funded by the public purse. Since the re-launch of DAS, the costs of administration are recovered by the Accountant in Bankruptcy via an administr…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much debt has been recovered through the Debt Arrangement Scheme in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area, also expressed as a percentage of the debt absorbed.
Answer · John Swinney: Statistics relating to payments received via a Debt Payment Programme (DPP) under Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) are not available for local authority areas. Information on the amount of debt outstanding annually in DPPs is available in the Accountant in Bank…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been placed on a debt payment programme in each year since the Debt Arrangement Scheme was created, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: Since the introduction of the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) on 30 November 2004, to the end of the financial year 2011-12, a total of 8,223 individuals have entered into a Debt Payment Programme (DPP) under DAS. Individuals who entered into a DPP under DAS …
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many money advisers it funds in each local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not directly fund money advisers, however, we do provide funding of £167,000 per year which is used to fund second tier training in this sector. Funding for Citizens Advice Scotland’s money advisers is provided by the UK Governme…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding its Debt Arrangement Scheme has received in each year since its inception, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: The Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) was introduced on 30 November 2004. Up until changes were introduced on 1 July 2011, the administration costs were funded from the budget allocated to the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB). Since 2006, AiB have been working to…
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many houses have been brought back into use since the introduction of the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: This information is not held centrally.
11 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will fund the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership beyond March 2013.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government is currently considering options for the future of the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership and hopes to announce its decision later in the year.
10 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment will be available in Scotland.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-09489 on 25 September 2012. 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/parliamentar…