- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the recommendation made by Energy Action Scotland to the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs during its investigation into poverty in Scotland that a detailed cost/benefit analysis of the impact on Scottish households of living in cold damp homes versus warm dry and healthy homes be carried out.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has commissioned a pilot evaluation of the health and other benefits of home insulation and central heating.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the recommendation in the recent report on poverty in Scotland by the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs that it should conduct a review into fuel poverty and energy efficiency in Scotland and whether it intends to act upon this recommendation.
Answer
The Department of Trade and Industry is leading an inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Fuel Poverty to develop a long-term strategy for tackling the problem. The work of the group covers Scotland and the Executive is represented by the Deputy Minister for Local Government. The strategy will be published later this year.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the recommendation in the recent report on poverty in Scotland by the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs that a record of subsequent developments in the working lives of New Deal participants should be placed in the public domain and whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty's Government in pursuit of this matter.
Answer
Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive.
The New Deal evaluation programme is carrying out detailed monitoring of the post-New Deal experience of a sample of individuals. We are committed to a continuous improvement strategy for New Deal and the Scottish New Deal Advisory Task Force are actively monitoring performance and progress.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give full details of the extent and consequences of the reported problems with this year's Standard Grades awards.
Answer
I made a statement to the Parliament yesterday on these matters.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 4 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive from which departmental budget end-of-year balances the extra #12 million for rough sleeping and homelessness initiatives announced by the Minister for Communities on 1 June 2000 came.
Answer
Of the extra £12 million for rough sleeping and homelessness initiatives, £8 million came from the end-year flexibility central reserve and the remaining £4 million from the additional money allocated to Scottish Assigned Budget as a consequence of the UK Budget announced in March 2000.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 4 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources will be allocated to rough sleeping as a result of the #34 million central reserve spending on health-related initiatives announced on 4 July 2000 and whether any such resources will be additional to, or part of, the extra #12 million funding for rough sleeping and homelessness initiatives announced on 1 June 2000.
Answer
A sum of £8 million from the central reserve was allocated to rough sleeping and homelessness initiatives and was included in the £12 million announced on 1 June. None of this money comes from the £34 million which was the subject of an announcement on 4 July 2000. Some £10 million was announced on 4 July to assist long-term care of the elderly. The remaining amount will go into health related spending, but no firm decisions have yet been made on this.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 30 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail representations it has received from housing association tenants seeking the right to buy.
Answer
We have received a number of letters and telephone calls from housing association tenants. Tenants and other interested parties will also have the opportunity to offer comments on our detailed proposals for the "modernised" right to buy as set out in Better Homes for Scotland's Communities - the Executive's proposals for the Housing Bill.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 August 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 30 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will answer question S1W-3483 lodged on 21 December 1999.
Answer
Question S1W-3483 was answered today.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 29 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the Scottish Tourist Board has to promote the tourist industry in West Lothian and Linlithgow.
Answer
None, promotion of the tourism industry in West Lothian and Linlithgow is the responsibility of Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 29 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides a written response to all letters it receives and within what timescale.
Answer
The Executive endeavours to reply to all correspondence it receives, whether addressed to Ministers or officials. The target for answering general correspondence is 20 working days. For those letters to which Ministers reply, the targets are for an acknowledgement to be issued within two working days of receipt of the letter; for a substantive reply to be issued within 17 working days of receipt; and for an interim reply to be issued where it is evident that a final reply cannot be issued within the 17 working day target.
