Alex Cole-Hamilton

14 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to publicise the latest Muirburn Code to land managers in advance of the current moorland burning season, and what future steps are planned.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Following the launch of the revised Muirburn Code last year, publicity appeared in the relevant trade press and on social media, and land managers were directly notified by the Scottish Government’s Rural Payments and Inspections Division. The current Muirbur…

13 Nov 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the reform of vetting procedures for recruitment to the police service.

12 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18230 by Kevin Stewart on 4 September 2018, which body initially received the £6 million investment it made that was referred to in its news release of 8 June 2015. 

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government investment referred to in the news release of 8 June 2015 has been made available to the Hearthstone Investment delivery partner, Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association.

12 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19297 by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2018, for what reason it did not answer the question that was asked, and whether it will now confirm the time period of the loan.    

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The loan arrangement between Hearthstone and Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association was a commercial arrangement which Scottish Government was not party to. We are unable to provide information on the terms of the loan.

12 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19297 by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2018, how the repayment of the loan to Hearthstone affected the quantity of housing stock due to be delivered by Edinvar Castle Rock.    

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Hearthstone provided initial private finance loan investment to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association (CRE) to enable delivery of social rent homes through this scheme. CRE subsequently repaid the loan to Hearthstone but continue to work with the local auth…

12 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19300 by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2018, what it considers to be the period in which the loan was repaid to Hearthstone.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The loan arrangement between Hearthstone and Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association was a commercial arrangement which Scottish Government was not party to. We are unable to provide information on the terms of the loan.

12 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date Transport Scotland will introduce signs in Edinburgh and Fife that direct appropriate vehicles to the Queensferry Crossing to replace the signage that directs all traffic to the Forth Road Bridge.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Signage is provided on the Scottish Trunk Road Network to towns and cities and as the Queensferry Crossing is not in itself a destination there are no current plans to provide signage. When the Forth Road Bridge was constructed it was considered to be a desti…

5 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has conducted regarding the public's view on its plans to ban price offers and restrict the display of discretionary foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar in retail and food service outlets.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Food Standards Scotland’s Food in Scotland Consumer Tracking Survey measures changes in Scotland’s attitudes, behaviours and knowledge in relation to food over time. Consumer views relevant to the Government’s consultation on restricting the promotion and ma…

5 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the regulations governing the factoring of residential properties by private companies.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Ministers have a duty under the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 (the Act) to prepare, from time to time, a code of conduct setting out minimum standards of practice for registered property factors. The Code was introduced in October 2012 and is …

5 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the conduct of private companies that factor residential properties is regulated.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 provides for the conduct of factors to be regulated by requiring anyone acting as a factor to be registered and to comply with a code of conduct which sets out minimum standards of practice in the delivery of services …

22 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the consultation, Building Standards Compliance and Fire Safety, what plans it has to reduce the threshold whereby people need to notify neighbours of building work of £50,000 or less.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Neighbour notification is not a requirement of building standards legislation. As such the Building Standards Compliance and Fire Safety review consultation makes no reference to this. Whilst neighbour notification is a requirement regarding applications for…

22 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it expects to receive in Barnett consequentials from the reported £557 million that the UK Government is expected to raise from the auction of renewable energy licences, and how it will allocate this.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The UK Government confirmed on 11 th October 2018 that £557 million will be made available for less established renewable technologies to bid for in Contract for Difference (CfD) auctions. Developers will compete for this funding in CfD auctions to be held at…

22 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in (a) drama groups and (b) festivals in each local authority area in each of the last three years.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government recognises the pivotal role that culture and creativity plays in people’s lives across Scotland and, whilst it does not directly fund drama groups or festivals through local authorities, it provides funding to Creative Scotland to supp…

22 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the training of court reporters.

Answer · Ash Denham: I assume the member is referring to child welfare reporters, appointed by the courts to report on the welfare of the child in cases under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 on matters such as parental responsibilities and rights, contact and resid…

15 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that seven NHS boards will change their chief executives in the next year, and how many boards currently (a) have a chief executive in post, (b) are recruiting a chief executive and (c) have an interim chief executive in post.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Appropriate leadership is in place in all 22 of our NHS Boards. Every Board currently has a chief executive, with two operating on an interim basis. The recruitment process for one of those posts is underway, whilst arrangements to recruit to the other post w…

15 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish an annual report on workforce planning and seek to hold an annual parliamentary debate on this.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan was published in three Parts between June 2017 and April 2018. The next iteration of this work is the production of a fully integrated health and social care workforce plan by the end of this year. This will …

11 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) support and (b) guidance it provides to (i) NHS boards, (ii) local authorities and (iii) health and social care partnerships that work with external partners to provide alcohol and drug addiction services.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government provides over £70 million funding per year, to support NHS Boards and Integrated Joint Boards, for use by Alcohol and Drug Partnerships that work with external partners to provide alcohol and drug services. The Scottish Government also…

11 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has contingency funding set aside to provide emergency support to alcohol and drug addiction service providers.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: NHS Boards receive a baseline budget from the Scottish Government to provide health services for their local population. A proportion of this funding will be used to support alcohol and drug addiction services. We have invested over £746 million to tackle pr…

11 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the tumour profiling test for breast cancer patients, Oncotype DX, was made available for use by the NHS; which NHS boards offer this, and what information it has regarding the frequency of its use.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Boards are responsible for providing services to meet the assessed needs of their resident populations, taking into account relevant frameworks and guidance and within their annual allocations. Limited data on the provision and frequency of Oncotype DX is…

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18754 by Kevin Stewart on 27 September 2018, whether Ministers received any report on the provision of funding to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association before the loan was repaid to Hearthstone.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association and Hearthstone provided regular updates to Scottish Government Officials on the plans for the Hearthstone scheme and Scottish Ministers were kept informed on progress during the period in which the loan was repaid to H…

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18753 by Kevin Stewart on 27 September 2018, which local authorities are involved in the regular meetings to monitor funding to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association operates across a number of Local Authority areas in Scotland. In reference to the Hearthstone scheme, the relevant Local Authorities are Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk.

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18753 by Kevin Stewart on 27 September 2018, when the most recent meeting between officials and local authorities to monitor funding to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association took place.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association operates across a number of Local Authority areas in Scotland. In reference to the Hearthstone scheme, the relevant Local Authorities are Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk. The most recent meeting between Scottish …

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18753 by Kevin Stewart on 27 September 2018, when the loan was paid by Hearthstone to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association and when it was repaid by the housing association.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The loan arrangement between Hearthstone and Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association was a commercial arrangement which Scottish Government was not party to. We are unable to provide information on the terms of the loan.

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18753 by Kevin Stewart on 27 September 2018, what happened to the £6 million repaid to Hearthstone by Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The £6 million was grant funding provided by Scottish Government to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association (CRE) to enable delivery of social rent homes. CRE also accessed loan funding for its proposal which it has subsequently repaid to Hearthstone. CRE con…

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18753 by Kevin Stewart on 27 September 2018, whether any interest was levied prior to the loan being repaid to Hearthstone.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The loan arrangement between Hearthstone and Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association was a commercial arrangement which Scottish Government was not party to. We are unable to provide information on the terms of the loan.

5 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is of its proposed Family Law Bill.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government announced that we intend to introduce a Family Law Bill in 2018-19.

5 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the current arrangements put in place by the Bankruptcy Act (Scotland) Act 1985 allows for a loophole whereby child maintenance and aliment debts are not protected debts and can therefore be written off.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Under the current legislation arrears of child maintenance or aliment existing at the commencement of insolvency proceedings will rank with other equivalent debts and will be repaid from any available estate recovered by the trustee. Any balance remaining fol…

5 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have had their child maintenance and aliment debts written off under the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Accountant in Bankruptcy does not hold the information requested. The reason for this is that data held on debts discharged on the closure of proceedings under the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 and the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016 do not distinguish be…

1 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether claimants under the new social security arrangements will be supplied with a copy of the audio recording of their assessment, and have the right to ensure that Social Security Scotland's copy is destroyed.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The details surrounding audio recording as part of the assessment process will be developed as part of forthcoming service design work, with input from people with lived experience of disability assistance assessments. Policies related to audio recordings wil…

1 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which integration joint boards are recruiting additional mental health workers to meet Action 15 of the paper, Mental Health Strategy: 2017-2027 - 1st Progress Report.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We have been working with the Chief Officers of Integration Joint Boards on the development of this commitment. This includes obtaining further detailed workforce plans to provide information on workforce allocation, location of workforce for 2018-19 and deta…