Parliamentary questions
Anne McTaggart
235 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what events are taking place in schools to promote 2012 as the UN International Year of Cooperatives.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government does not keep details of the vast range of activities that take place in individual schools regarding themed years. Education Scotland supports schools that use such event as a context for learning in key curricular areas through vario…
21 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase broadband take-up in Glasgow.
20 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding new prisons for foreign nationals only.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are at any time approximately 250 foreign nationals within Scottish prisons compared to around 11,000 in prisons in England and Wales. Foreign national prisoners held in Scottish prisons generally have access to the same regime and opportunities as othe…
20 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners assessed as being for deportation have been released into the community in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service does not hold this information. We have responsibility for advising the United Kingdom Borders Agency (UKBA) of all f…
20 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners are foreign nationals who are due to be deported at the end of their sentence.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service currently has 104 prisoners in custody who have a Prisoner Awaiting Deportation warrant. Of these 104 prisoners, 10 a…
20 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Minister of State for Immigration to discuss the deportation of foreign national prisoners.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I met with the Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency on 16 December 2011. The deportation of foreign national prisoners was discussed at this meeting.
30 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage growth in credit union membership.
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households in Glasgow are estimated to have access to broadband in their homes, broken down by (a) postcode and (b) parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Alex Neil: Households across the whole of the City of Glasgow local authority area have potential access to a broadband connection, although for such access to be activated requires the household to purchase this from a broadband provider. Ofcom’s Communications Infrast…
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the number of households in disadvantaged communities in Glasgow that have access to broadband in their homes.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government paper Scotland’s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland highlighted that “Broadband use is lowest among older people, those with health difficulties, and those on low incomes.” Broadband uptake in the 15% most deprived areas within Gl…
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve access to broadband for low-income families in Glasgow.
Answer · Alex Neil: Following on from the publication in March 2011 of Scotland’s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland, to better understand the barriers that prevent people taking up broadband services, a review of the evidence on barriers to digital participation in Scotlan…
3 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what process would be used to identify a replacement for the sixth Tax Incremental Financing project if Aberdeen City Council’s plans for Union Terrace Gardens was not progressed.
Answer · Alex Neil: The progress of all TIF pilot projects will be kept under review. Depending on the progress of TIF pilots, further councils may be invited to develop full TIF business cases for ministers’ consideration. Ministers will take decisions on further TIF projects i…
2 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met the British Transport Police.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I meet regularly with representatives of the British Transport Police. The last such meeting was on 10 November with Assistant Chief Constable David McCall and I will be meeting him again shortly.
27 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03317 by Kenny MacAskill on 27 October 2011, how much of each amount listed has been allocated and how much each organisation has received.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Over £44 million has been allocated to organisations under the Cashback for Communities Programme. The following shows the breakdown of this funding, by the amount paid to partner organisations to date and the total amount allocated to them through to 2013-14…
26 Oct 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is strengthening the social economy to enhance sustainable growth.
19 Oct 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for local access under the regionalisation approach proposed for the further education sector.
17 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce its decision on applications for funding from the Tax Incremental Financing pilot scheme.
Answer · Alex Neil: Regulations enable up to six TIF pilot projects to be designated to test how TIF would work in Scottish circumstances. Scottish Ministers have so far approved two TIF pilot projects: City of Edinburgh Council’s Edinburgh Waterfront scheme, for which final ap…
17 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have applied for funding from the Tax Incremental Financing pilot scheme.
Answer · Alex Neil: Regulations enable up to six TIF pilot projects to be designated to test how TIF would work in Scottish circumstances. Scottish Ministers have so far approved two TIF pilot projects: City of Edinburgh Council’s Edinburgh Waterfront scheme, for which final app…
12 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been made available by the CashBack for Communities scheme, broken down by activity.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: £44 million, recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, has been invested and fully committed through to 2014 into community programmes, facilities and activities largely, but not exclusively, for young people to the ultimate benefit of Scottish communit…
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote shared-campus schools.
Answer · Michael Russell: The joint Scottish Government/COSLA school estate strategy Building Better Schools provides guidance across a wide range of issues that authorities may wish to consider when determining school provision. It is not, however, prescriptive. It is for authorities…
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has met local authorities to discuss the building of shared-campus schools since 25 April 2009, broken down by (a) date and (b) minister involved.
Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Government representatives have not met with local authorities to discuss the building of shared campuses during the period in question. Detailed decisions over the configuration of particular school building projects are matters for individual autho…
2 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive with which local authorities the Scottish Futures Trust is in discussion regarding the building of shared campuses.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Futures Trust is exploring opportunities to provide local authority assets on shared campuses with all the authorities involved in the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme. The following authorities are considering or actively progressing …
25 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-00512 by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 June 2011, whether it will provide details of any subsequent meetings with Southern Cross Healthcare.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have not had any subsequent meetings with Southern Cross Healthcare. However, the National Contingency Planning Group for Adult Social Care which reports to me and Councillor Douglas Yates of COSLA, is in regular contact with Southern Cross and is keeping m…
25 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider establishing (a) employee ownership or (b) co-operative models for the care homes operated by Southern Cross Healthcare.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Southern Cross together with its lenders and landlords are currently engaged in the implementation of a transition plan for all their care homes across the UK. Their objective is that the responsibility for the provision of care in each care home will be succ…
25 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with COSLA establishing (a) employee ownership or (b) co-operative models for the care homes operated by Southern Cross Healthcare.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: COSLA attended a meeting with me and the GMB union on 13 July 2011, and employee ownership and co-operative models for care homes operated by Southern Cross were discussed. There have been no further discussions.
29 Jun 2011 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the level of insulin pump therapy available in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.