Parliamentary questions
Kevin Stewart
579 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities owners of derelict listed buildings have to ensure that their property does not fall into serious disrepair.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: All building owners have a general responsibility to maintain their property. There is no specific additional responsibility for the owners of unoccupied listed buildings. If it appears to a local authority that such a building is defective or dangerous they …
24 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many notices each local authority has issued in each year to owners of defective or derelict buildings under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Derek Mackay: This is a matter for local authorities. Limited information on defective buildings notices issued by individual local authorities since 2005 should be available on their online Building Standards Register. The only data held centrally is the Building Standar…
24 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to allow police and fire services to charge for call-outs to derelict buildings that have not been secured against vandals and fire-raisers.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are no plans to allow the new Police Service of Scotland or Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to introduce charges for call-outs to derelict buildings.
24 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers local authorities have to deal with owners of derelict buildings who do not secure their premises against vandals and fire-raisers.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The existing legislation enables local authorities to deal with defective or dangerous buildings. They can serve notice on the owner to carry out emergency work to secure the premises, where there is a danger to the public. If the owner does not carry out the…
17 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding holding military inquests in Scotland.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04694 on 4 January 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/parliamentary…
17 Jun 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Creative Scotland to discuss its work in Aberdeen.
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charities the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has taken action against in each of the last three years and what this action was.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07862 on 20 June 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/parliamentarybusi…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator takes when (a) charities and (b) trustees of charities fail to submit annual accounts.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07862 on 20 June 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/parliamentarybusi…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charities have failed to submit their accounts to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator for two or more consecutive years since 2005.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07862 on 20 June 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/parliamentarybusi…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charities failed to submit their accounts to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07862 on 20 June 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/parliamentarybusi…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charities are regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Answer · John Swinney: This is an operational matter for Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, a non-ministerial department. The Scottish Government cannot answer on behalf of OSCR. The member should therefore contact OSCR directly for this information.
11 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will audit the implementation of the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Keith Brown: The implementation of the Disabled Persons’ Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009 is currently audited through the reports that are produced by the local authorities at the end of June each year, on which the Scottish Government reports at the end of September. …
11 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much correspondence it has received from members of the public regarding the non-implementation of the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Keith Brown: We are not aware of any correspondence being received from members of the public specifically regarding the non-implementation of the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.
11 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council regarding implementing the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Keith Brown: No discussions have taken place between the Scottish Ministers and Aberdeen City Council regarding the implementation the Disabled Persons Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.
11 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when all of the requirements of the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009 will be implemented.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Disabled Persons Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009 does not state when all requirements should be implemented but required that the local authorities start the statutory process of implementing the legislation within 12 months.
11 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that councils comply with the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Keith Brown: Each local authority is required to publish an annual report on its performance of its functions in relation to the Act. The Scottish Government is also required to publish an annual report on the local authorities performance.
11 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many councils have fully implemented the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scotland’s 32 local authorities are at varying stages of implementing the Disabled Persons Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.
14 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA regarding houses in multiple occupation licensing in each year since its introduction.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Government officials have had discussions with COSLA representatives on various aspects of the mandatory houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing regime since it was introduced in 2000. Recently, this has included liaison with COSLA and individ…
14 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent staff are allocated to deal with houses in multiple occupation licensing in each local authority.
Answer · Keith Brown: Deployment of staff on activity related to licensing of houses in multiple occupation is a matter for individual local authorities. This information is not held by the Scottish Government.
14 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of houses in multiple occupation licences has been in each local authority in each year since their introduction.
Answer · Keith Brown: Setting of fee levels associated with licenses for houses in multiple occupation is a matter for individual local authorities. The information is not held by the Scottish Government.
14 May 2012 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to support low-paid and low-skilled people in the workforce.
Answer · Angela Constance: There is currently no public sector investment targeted exclusively at meeting the skills needs of low paid and low skilled individuals within the workforce. I can confirm that we are making changes to the Individual Learning Account (ILA) programme to focus …
12 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the UK Government about giving doctors and opticians the power to alert the DVLA about people who are unfit to drive because of eyesight problems.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with the UK Government about giving doctors and opticians the power to alert the DVLA about people who are unfit to drive because of eyesight problems.
12 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many optometrists are carrying out school visits to reduce the stigma of wearing spectacles, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The information requested is not held centrally. All NHSScotland health boards now provide an orthoptic or orthoptic-led pre-school vision screening programme, with the exception of NHS Orkney which provides an orthoptist-led screening programme in Primary…
12 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many optometrists are running red eye clinics, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The information requested is not held centrally. All optometrists can see emergency or red-eye patients. Such patients will either be dealt with by the optometrist or referred to secondary care depending on the presenting symptoms.
12 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an evaluation has been carried out of the work of the Grampian Eye Health Network and what the outcome was.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has not carried out an evaluation of the work of the Grampian Eye Health Network. This is a local NHS Grampian scheme and any evaluation of the scheme would be for the board to undertake.
12 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to promote free eye tests in areas of social exclusion.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We have reminded community health partnerships about the need to issue the leaflet Your Guide to Free NHS Eye Examinations in Scotland to vulnerable groups within their communities, which will include those in areas of social exclusion.
12 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it publicises free eye tests.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has produced a leaflet Your Guide to Free NHS Eye Examinations in Scotland, in association with Health Rights Information Scotland. This leaflet was revised in 2010. Supplies of the leaflet were sent to NHS boards for distribution to …
12 May 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports cultural initiatives in Aberdeen.
2 May 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding devolving air passenger duty.
22 Apr 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with type 2 diabetes have completed the Diabetes Education and Self-management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) course in each NHS board area since the course was introduced.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not centrally held. Information on the numbers and type of different structured education courses will be reported for the first time in the annual Scottish Diabetes Survey next year. There are a number of structured education courses, s…