John Lamont

19 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government about marking Veterans Day in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: National Veterans Day (NVD) is an initiative of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and major decisions about the funding of events to mark NVD are a matter for them. MoD officials have kept their Scottish Government counterparts informed of decisions to provide fu…

19 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to mark Veterans Day in Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: National Veteran''s Day is an initiative of the Ministry of Defence and major decisions on the funding of events is a matter for them. We are aware that the MoD have made funding available to the cities of Stirling and Aberdeen and to the town of Kelso to fac…

3 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislative controls on light pollution.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. We have included proposals to add light pollution to the statutory nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the Public Health etc (Scotland) Bill, which is currently being considered by the Parliament.</p> <p >The light controls p…

30 Jan 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to improve access to NHS dental provision in Roxburgh and Berwickshire.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Borders is committed to improvingaccess to NHS dental services in Roxburgh and Berwickshire. Plans are currentlyproceeding for the creation of two six surgery dental units, one in Coldstream andthe other in Hawick.</p>

23 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give housing associations greater powers to deal with antisocial tenants.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We have no currentplans to add to the powers housing associations already have to deal with antisocialbehaviour.</p>

23 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give housing associations more powers to evict antisocial tenants.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We have no currentplans to add to the robust powers already available to housing associations (andlocal authorities) under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.</p>

23 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy to deal with antisocial tenants.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The ScottishGovernment has a national antisocial behaviour strategy which was introduced withthe Antisocial Behaviour Act 2004. The strategy, which applies to all includingtenants is currently under review, the findings of which will be reported to Parliament…

16 Jan 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to support rural branch GP surgeries.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The GP contract has built-infunding to reflect the additional costs of providing primary medical services inrural areas.</p><p>Around £300 million is distributedon the basis of the Scottish Allocation Formula, which is weighted to the needsof rural practices.…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address the issue of trustee remuneration and the provision of trustee indemnity insurance under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Executive is currentlyconsidering the most appropriate action in relation to the restrictions placed onthe provision of trustee indemnity insurance under the Charities and Trustee Investment(Scotland) Act 2005.</p><p>I am clear that the restricti…

5 Dec 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring and assessment mechanisms are in place to analyse the effectiveness of the free school meals pilot in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Following a competitivetendering exercise, conducted in line with the Scottish Government’s Proceduresfor Commissioning and Managing Social Research, Ipsos MORI has been appointed toconduct the independent evaluation of the free school meal trial for primary …

23 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are permitted to sell property at a price that they consider to represent best value, even in circumstances where this does not represent the highest price.

Answer · John Swinney: Local authoritiesare expected to dispose of land for the best consideration reasonably obtainableto achieve their best value obligations, under Part 1 of the Local Government inScotland Act 2003. However, that does not mean that best value can only be achieve…

15 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5450 by John Swinney on 26 October 2007, whether it will install water coolers connected to the public supply in its Victoria Quay offices.

Answer · John Swinney: Water coolers connectedto the mains public supply are installed as appropriate. There is one within VictoriaQuay which services the restaurant area.</p>

13 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the Weeds Act 1959 to cover non-agricultural land.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Weeds Act appliesto all land and empowers the ScottishGovernment to serve notice requiring the occupier of land to control the spreadof five injurious weeds - common ragwort, broad-leaved dock, curled dock, creepingthistle and spear thistle. My officials …

12 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in relation to the proposed ragwort welfare code under sections 37 and 38 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: My officials are finalisingdraft animal welfare guidance on how to prevent the spread of ragwort. This willbe issued for a 12 week consultation period in January 2008. After the consultationresponses have been considered final guidance will be issued under se…

24 Oct 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to upgrade the A1 in Berwickshire.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are currentlyno plans to upgrade the A1 in Berwickshire. However, the A1 is recognised as oneof the nationally strategic transport corridors which will be considered as partof the Strategic Transport Projects Review. This will examine the longer term ne…

17 Oct 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance will be available to Scottish Borders Council to continue the provision of free school meals after the initial pilot ends.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Fundsfor the initial pilot has been funded from the 2007-08 budget.</p><p>Anydecision about extending the provision of free school lunches for primary 1 to 3pupils in the Scottish Borders – and to primary 1 to 3 pupils in the other localauthorities participat…

16 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many litres of bottled water, including water from water coolers, were purchased by its office at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, in 2006 and at what cost.

Answer · John Swinney: The totalprovided was 123,884 litres of water at a cost of £34,201.90. This includedboth bottled water provided for restaurant and hospitality purposes and waterfor water coolers.</p>

16 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-3424 and S3W-3425 by Shona Robison on 6 September and 27 August 2007 respectively, whether it will make it explicit in the national minimum care standards for care homes that service users must have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day…

Answer · Shona Robison: As noted in the answer to question S3W-3425 on 27 August 2007, the National CareStandards for care homes already include the right for residents to have cold drinkswhenever they wish. Nonetheless, access to fresh drinking water in care homes willbe considered…

16 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3424 by Shona Robison on 6 September 2007, whether it will ensure that the provision of fresh drinking water is included in all future nutritional standards and guidance and adopt the policy of considering such provision as part of any future health …

Answer · Shona Robison: Provision of freshdrinking water is included in all nutritional standards which have already beenpublished or are currently being drafted and will be included as a matter of coursein any future nutritional standards.</p>

4 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4525 by Michael Russell on 26 September 2007, whether there are any legal obligations under existing regulations for central or local government to provide a water supply or reinstate one that has run out.

Answer · Michael Russell: Responsibilityfor the provision, adequacy and wholesomeness of a private water supply restswith the owners and users of that supply and not central or local government.</p><p>However, wherethe insufficiency or unwholesomeness of a supply for domestic purposes…

28 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are grants available to help businesses to provide changing facilities for babies on their premises.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Governmentdoes not provide grants to businesses for the provision of changing facilities.Most grant assistance to businesses is provided through Scottish Enterprise andHighlands and Islands Enterprise. However, there are also other bodies, includ…

21 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities are required to control the burning of waste such as horse manure.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In the main, the burningor other disposal of waste is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agencyrather than local councils. Arange of controls are available, depending on circumstances such as the scale of the activity and the exact nature of the…

21 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action local communities are required to take under the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006 to secure water supplies and what funding is available to assist them in such action.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Private WaterSupplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006 continue the role of localauthorities set out in the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 andthe previous Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations1992 to regulate private water supplies as part of their wider pu…

13 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Disclosure Scotland rules apply to migrant workers from (a) outside and (b) inside EU states to guarantee that checks are safe and thorough.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Disclosure Scotland, who carry out criminal record checks on behalf of Scottishministers, do not have access to information about the criminal records of foreignworkers before they enter the United Kingdom. It is the responsibilityof the person concerned to …

7 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, based on current efficiency levels, how many more wind turbines will need to be built for Scotland to have greater energy capacity from wind than nuclear sources.

Answer · Jim Mather: We have recentlyconfirmed that installed renewables capacity in Scotland exceeds that ofnuclear power. The Scottish Government is focussed on supporting rapidincreases in this renewables capacity across a range of sources, includingwave, tidal, biomass and hy…

31 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it can seek, store and give to third parties, pursuant to section 57 of the Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006.

Answer · Jim Mather: Section 57 strictlylimits the information which may be stored by the Registrar General for Scotland, the sources of that information and with whom it maybe shared. The limits, which may only be extended with the consent of the Scottish Parliament, are set out…

23 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-1653 and S3W-2751 by Michael Russell on 24 July and 16 August 2007 respectively, how much of the £75 million made available to local councils for flood prevention for 2006-2008 remains.

Answer · Michael Russell: The budget for thisfinancial year is £42 million of which £19.5 million has been allocated to date.It is for local authorities to come forward with confirmed schemes to take up theremaining resources.</p>

20 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2352 by Stewart Stevenson on 7 August 2007, under what circumstances a building owner is required to comply with current building regulations when converting, altering or extending an existing building and which sections of building regulations requi…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr PaulStollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer.His response is as follows:</p><p>Schedule 2 to Regulation4 and Schedule 6 to Regulation 12 of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, asamended, respe…

20 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it is allocating funding to local authorities to employ an additional 300 newly qualified teachers given the position in the market for probationer teachers.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The teacher inductionscheme guarantees an offer of a one-year teaching post to newly qualified, eligibleprobationer teachers. Since the scheme’s inception in 2002, an offer of a placehas been made for 100% of eligible probationers.</p><p>An additional £9 mill…

20 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will implement its goal to reduce class sizes when many schools have no additional accommodation or resources to accommodate extra classes.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-1362 on 10 July 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/wa.se…