Mary Fee

10 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes were built by (a) the Scottish Special Housing Association and (b) Scottish Homes in each year since 1999.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Special Housing Association ceased to exist from 31 March 1989. The following table shows the number of homes delivered with funding provided by Scottish Homes in each year since 1999, until it ceased to exist on 31 March 2001: Year No. of com…

10 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006 and, if so, how it complies with the provisions of article 33.

Answer · Shona Robison: The UK Government ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2009 on behalf of all administrations in the UK. The Scottish Government Equality Unit is the designated focal point for facilitating and co-ordinating the imp…

29 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on severance packages in the college sector since 2011.

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has received each year from the European Investment Bank for use in housing projects.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government does not receive funds from the European Investment Bank for use in housing projects. Individual housing associations may access funds, but the Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the approach set out in Homes Fit for the 21st Century: The Scottish Government's Strategy and Action Plan for Housing in the Next Decade: 2011-2020, which green industries are involved in the completion of affordable homes.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The promotion of environmental sustainability in the development of greener homes is being supported through the Scottish Government Greener Homes Innovation Scheme. This scheme, currently comprising 319 new homes (13 projects) was launched on 25 September 20…

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes designed to meet the requirements of (a) disabled and (b) older people in order to facilitate independent living have been built in each year since 2009-10.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The following table shows a breakdown of completions for older/wheelchair/physically disabled provision from 2009-10 to 2013-14: Category 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Provisional Older 489 577 575 401 458 Older Physical Disabled 15 …

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any extra funds have been allocated to social landlords to help meet the April 2015 target for the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and, if so, how much.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) is not funded directly by the Scottish Government. The SHQS is funded through social landlords’ investment plans, including prudential borrowing for local authorities and private sector borrowing for housing associ…

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any social landlords have indicated that they might not meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by April 2015.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The independent Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is responsible for monitoring landlords’ progress towards meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). The SHR reported earlier this year that ten social landlords anticipated that some of their housin…

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that all social landlords will meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by April 2015.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The independent Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is responsible for monitoring landlords’ progress towards meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). The SHR reported earlier this year that social landlords are making steady progress towards the 20…

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-03527 by Michael Matheson on 24 September 2014, how many people are on the waiting list at each IVF centre.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not currently available centrally.

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-03527 by Michael Matheson on 24 September 2014, which IVF centres have not met the 12-month waiting time target, also broken down by current waiting time.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The 12 month waiting time target does not start until 31 March 2015. Waiting times are currently up to 15 months in the IVF centre located within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Current waiting time broken down by referring NHS board as follows: NHS Ayrshire …

25 Sep 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-03527 by Michael Matheson on 24 September 2014, which IVF centres have met the 12-month waiting time target.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The 12 month waiting time target for IVF does not start until 31 March 2015. However, all referring NHS boards using the IVF centres in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh are currently meeting the target.

22 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it spent in 2013-14 on renovating historic buildings in West Scotland.

15 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how IVF and other infertility services will be affected by possible NHS budget reductions.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There are no planned budget reductions to IVF or other infertility services, nor indeed wider NHS budgets. The Scottish Government has a record of protecting and increasing the NHS budget, and our latest £12.1 billion resource budget reflects a funding increa…

14 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on calls for sexually active gay and bisexual men to take antiretroviral drugs to reduce the spread of HIV.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The British HIV Association/British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Position Statement on pre-exposure prophylaxis in the UK advises that more clinical research is needed before the benefits, risks and cost effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrE…

14 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the World Health Organization's Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations.

Answer · Michael Matheson: HIV continues to be a priority for the Scottish Government and as such, we welcome the World Health Organization’s consolidated guidelines. HIV policy, as set out in The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework, focusses on the key populations in Scotla…

14 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance there is for Scottish Government reporters making planning recommendations.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Reporters are required to carry out an examination for a local development plan and make recommendations in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1997, the Town and Country Planning (Development Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2008, Scottish Gove…

14 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what local circumstances Scottish Government reporters take into account when making planning recommendations.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Regulation 21 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 limits the scope of the matters to be assessed in the examination to issues raised in unresolved representations. The reporters will fully consider the represent…

14 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a right of appeal for local authorities to challenge planning recommendations made by Scottish Government reporters and if such right has been removed, when.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The recommendations made by reporters in examining a planning authority’s local development plan are largely binding on planning authorities who may only depart from recommendations in specific defined circumstances. These are set out in the Town and Country …

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with an epidermoid brain cyst have been referred to the NHS in England for treatment, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally.

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have an epidermoid brain cyst; how many are receiving gamma knife treatment for this, and how many consultants specialise in treating the condition, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is not held centrally.

19 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what body an independent Scotland would introduce to assume the functions of the Child Support Agency.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish and UK Governments have a common interest in working together, as envisaged by Paragraph 30 of the Edinburgh Agreement, to support each other in maintaining the delivery of services during the agreed period of transition. We believe that this opt…

16 Jun 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors that found that housing demand is outstripping supply leading to rises in house prices.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government is taking a wide range of action to support the delivery of new housing across all tenures and throughout Scotland, stimulating activity, protecting and creating jobs and helping to secure our vision for housing. That includes our pl…

23 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum single payment is that can be made into a prisoner's private cash account.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: “There is no maximum single payment limit regarding a prisoner’s private cash account across the Scottish Prison Service estate. However, lo…

23 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how prisoners' private cash accounts are (a) monitored and (b) controlled.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: “Prisoners’ private cash accounts are monitored and controlled in strict accordance with the Scottish Prison Service Financial Policy and Gu…

23 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in light of the recommendations made by Audit Scotland in its 2013 report, Housing in Scotland.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government’s detailed response to the report and recommendations was considered by the Public Audit Committee on 11 December 2013. The committee was happy with the level of detail provided and described the response as positive. The response was …

23 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review whether greenbelt areas in West Scotland can be used for housing developments

Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), published in 2010, sets out the government’s planning policy in relation to the green belt. This requires that a review of specific greenbelt boundaries should be part of the development plan process led by the planning authori…

11 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost is of implementing a co-ordinated support plan under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The information requested is not held centrally. Education authorities and other agencies have duties under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (as amended) to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of t…

11 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties in each local authority area have been purchased under the mortgage to rent scheme.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Since February 2003, there have been 2,375 properties purchased under the mortgage to rent scheme. From 2009, the mortgage to rent scheme was expanded to include mortgage to shared equity, becoming the Home Owner Support Fund. Table 1 illustrates the number…

7 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15853 by Frank Mulholland on 6 September 2013, how many people have been prosecuted for police assault since 2007.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: The following figures reflect the number of charges since 2007 of assaults committed against Police Officers, in terms of section 41(1)(a) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, section 89(1) of the Police Act 1996 and section 90(1) of the Police and Fire Reform …