- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times and on what dates since May 2007 the First Minister has stayed overnight at the Marcliffe of Pitfodels Hotel in Aberdeen in his official capacity.
Answer
The First Minister has notstayed overnight in the Marcliffe of Pitfodels Hotel in Aberdeen inhis official capacity since May 2007.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 11 January 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7680 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 January 2008, whether the specific legislation published at public expense in Annex B to the White Paper “Choosing Scotland’s Future” is within the legislative competence of the Parliament.
Answer
I have nothing to add to myanswers to questions S3W-7680 and S3W-7681 on 9 January 2008.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 16 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been brought under section (a) 311, (b) 313, (c) 315, (d) 316, (e) 317 and (f) 318 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 in each year since the Act came into force and how many of the prosecutions have resulted in conviction.
Answer
Since the implementation of theMental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003, four charges have been prosecuted undersection 311 of the act. As at 17 December 2007, only one of these charges had reacheda conclusion and the accused was convicted of an alternative charge of breach of the peace. Charges can also be reported to the Procurator Fiscal under the MentalHealth (Scotland) Act 1984 if alleged offences took place before the 2003act came into force.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Bruce Crawford on 15 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6782 by Bruce Crawford on 3 December 2007, what the likely date of publication is for the revised version of the Scottish Ministerial Code.
Answer
I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-7755 on 20 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 14 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 15 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconvene the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum.
Answer
I am currently carrying out areview of fuel poverty programmes. As part of this review, I will consider whatwould be the most appropriate avenue for stakeholder engagement.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 14 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 15 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what further action it will take to combat fuel poverty.
Answer
We have allocated £45.9 millionin each of the years 2008-11 to fuel poverty programmes. I am currently reviewingthese programmes to ensure they are still fit for purpose and serve the needs of the people of Scotland.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 14 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 15 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when the full Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum last met.
Answer
The forum last met on 20 June2006.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 14 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that frontline staff in local authorities and other bodies that operate the concessionary travel scheme are properly trained to ensure that those who are entitled to the scheme under any of the qualifying criteria receive the card.
Answer
Staff within localauthorities who have responsibility for concessionary travel have been issuedwith a copy of The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and DisabledPersons (Eligible Persons and Eligible Services) (Scotland) Order 2006 which explainsthe operation of Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People.
They have also been issuedwith guidance notes prepared by Transport Scotland which gives further information relating toeligibility criteria and documentary evidence which must be supplied to supportan application on grounds of disability. The guidance notes also giveinformation on how to validate the application to ensure the applicant receivesthe correctly branded National Entitlement Card.
Transport Scotland staffhave provided training to local authority staff on aspects of concessionarytravel and have offered to provide further training if requested. Transport Scotlandrelies on local authority staff to ensure information is cascaded to all theappropriate staff within their public offices and third party agents which maybe used.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 14 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the information provided to local authorities and other bodies that provide concessionary travel cards to ensure that people with learning disabilities who are entitled to the cards receive them and that they are fully aware of the 15 qualifying criteria under which someone may be eligible.
Answer
Guidance notes which areissued to local authorities are reviewed on a regular basis to provide as muchinformation as possible to staff who deal with the validation of applicationforms for Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People.
The guidance notes providedetailed information relating to all eligibility criteria and provide advice tolocal authority staff to ensure application forms are validated correctly. Theguidance notes explain in detail the qualifying criteria for anyone with a learningdisability and the NCT002 mental health certificate which is required to becompleted, clearly states the qualifying criteria and who is authorised tovalidate the application.
Local authorities areexpected to ensure that their staff and agents are fully aware of alleligibility criteria and the supporting documentary evidence required.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Deputy First Minister on 6 December 2007 (Official Report, c. 4140), whether the draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill is competent and legal.
Answer
Choosing Scotland''s Future says (at paragraph 5.9 and paragraph 3 on page 35) that as far as legislative competence is concerned, a referendum could be held under the authority of an Act of the Scottish Parliament, depending on the precise proposition in the referendum Bill, or any adjustments made to the competence of the Parliament before the Bill is introduced.
