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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-12432

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jackie Baillie on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics are available on the level of personal debt and whether any are available (a) on a geographical basis, (b) broken down by household income and (c) showing the increases or decreases in levels of personal debt under (a) and (b) in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S1W-12429

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sam Galbraith on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11306 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 November 2000, how many households it is estimated will be eligible under the relief scheme for water and sewerage charges for those on low incomes in each of the next three years and what the estimated administration costs are of the scheme.

The number of households that will qualify for assistance under the proposed scheme will depend on the charges levied by each of the water authorities in the coming year and the level at which any cap is set. As the charge levels have yet to be set and proposals for the scheme are still out to consultation it is not presently possible to identify the actual number of households that will qualify. It is however anticipated that at least 100,000 households throughout Scotland will receive assistance under the proposed scheme.With regard to the administration costs of the scheme my officials are presently discussing the implications for the billing process with local authorities. It is anticipated that suitable software adjustments can be made to the existing systems that will significantly reduce the requirement for on going administrative costs. This is however subject to any adjustments resulting from the consultation process. For this reason an estimate of the administrative costs is not available at this time.

Question reference: S1W-12431

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jackie Baillie on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11588 by Jackie Baillie on 29 November 2000, whether it will give a detailed breakdown of the allocation of the #10 million for refuge development; what criteria will be used in allocating funding, and whether there is any ceiling on the amount available for existing refuges.

Question reference: S1W-12428

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11248 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 November 2000, whether it will give a breakdown by local authority of the distribution of the #10 million earmarked to support carers.

The £10 million allocated to local authorities in 2000-01 under the Strategy for Carers in Scotland for services to support carers was distributed as follows:

Local Authority	(£000)
Aberdeen	411
Aberdeenshire	378
Angus	233
Argyll & Bute	204
Clackmannanshire	97
Dumfries & Galloway	301
Dundee City	326
East Ayrshire	244
East Dunbartonshire	166
East Lothian	177
East Renfrewshire	146
Edinburgh, City of	887
Eilean Siar	70
Falkirk	270
Fife	699
Glasgow City	1355
Highland	387
Inverclyde	181
Midlothian	134
Moray	155
North Ayrshire	283
North Lanarkshire	611
Orkney Islands	38
Perth & Kinross	274
Renfrewshire	322
Scottish Borders	237
Shetland Islands	40
South Ayrshire	244
South Lanarkshire	546
Stirling	161
West Dunbartonshire	183
West Lothian	242

Question reference: S1W-12470

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9641 by Henry McLeish on 19 September 2000, how many times the Scottish Textiles Forum has met to date; what decisions have been taken further to the forum's discussions, and what measures have consequently been implemented.

The Scottish Textile Forum met on 12 June and 12 September, and the next meeting will be on 31 January. Minutes of these meetings are available on the Scottish Executive's website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/who/elld/tra_tex.asp). Subgroups of the forum have been working on producing an action plan document for the industry. Plans are also being developed for future support of the textile industry by the Enterprise Network. Further announcements on these developments will be made in the spring.

Question reference: S1W-12427

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11248 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 November 2000, how it intends to monitor the allocation of the #10 million earmarked to support carers.

Under the Strategy for Carers in Scotland local authorities have been asked to spend £10 million a year from this year on supporting carers, double the funding previously earmarked. The strategy requires authorities to report to the Executive in detail on how they use their share of these resources. This is being done through local authorities' Community Care Plans and their annual updates. These plans and updates must be accompanied by a letter from local carers' organisations confirming that they have been consulted on the use of these resources and that they are satisfied with how the money is being spent.

Question reference: S1W-12426

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jackie Baillie on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2707 by Jackie Baillie on 14 December 2000, how many credit unions were extant in 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 and in the current financial year; where those currently extant are located, and how many low cost insurance with rent schemes currently exist.

Figures on credit unions are available from the Registrar of Credit Unions now part of the Financial Services Authority. In 1997-98 the Registrar's annual report recorded that there were 124 credit unions in existence in Scotland. In 1998-99 this had risen to 135. The Registrar's report for 1999-2000 is not yet available but the FSA confirm that as of 16 January there were 138 credit unions registered in Scotland. The Registrar's report details the address of each credit union but aggregate figures are only provided for Scotland.

There are currently no details available on the number of low cost insurance schemes available but the Executive is in the process of establishing which local authorities provide such schemes. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations operates a scheme on behalf of housing associations and approximately 80 housing associations participate.

Question reference: S1W-12475

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how often and on what dates the Scottish Textiles Forum has met since June 2000.

Question reference: S1W-12397

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 25 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10405 by Sarah Boyack on 29 November 2000, (a) whether any funding will be available to the Borders Rail project from the Public Transport Fund for walking and cycling projects as an integral part of the rail development, (b) whether there are budget limits to such local projects and (c) what the total budget is available for the year 2001-02 for such projects.

The Public Transport Fund (PTF) is supporting cycling and walking measures both as part of wider public transport improvements but also as stand-alone projects. The award to Scottish Borders Council for the development of the railway to the Central Borders is to assist the council take the project forward through the parliamentary process. As part of any future bid by the council to the PTF, walking and cycling measures could be included as part of any wider application.In the first three rounds of the PTF only projects which cost over £200,000 have been eligible for assistance under the PTF. In September 2000 I announced that the fund would be increased to £150 million between 2001-04 and I indicated that I propose to give more prominence to cycling and walking projects. Details will be issued to local authorities shortly about the arrangements for seeking bids to the next round of the fund. The budget for the PTF in 2001-02 is £40 million.

Question reference: S1W-12402

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11489 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 December 2000, whether enhanced criminal record certificates will be available without charge to voluntary organisations working with other vulnerable people such as disabled and elderly people.