- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 15 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to energy companies about the rising number of disconnections.
Answer
The legislation andregulation of the energy sector is a reserved matter and the performance of theenergy companies is monitored by the regulator, Ofgem, and also by the consumerwatchdog, energywatch. We have, however, expressed our concern to the energycompanies about the rise in disconnections and how the companies are operatingin Scotland.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 15 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its fuel poverty reduction target, whether it is aware of statistics published by Ofgem on the number of disconnections broken down by energy company.
Answer
Yes and we have expressedour concern about the rise in disconnections to the companies concerned.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed Personal Bankruptcy and Diligence Bill will end the practice of bank arrestment being used as a form of diligence against those who receive state benefits by way of (a) personal bank accounts or (b) Post Office card accounts.
Answer
We recognised, in our April2002
Enforcement of Civil Obligations in Scotland consultation
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/justice/CivOb-00.asp, the need for protecting those living on subsistencelevels from the effects of the arrestment of their social security benefits whenin their bank or other accounts. Respondents supported but gave no clearpreference for the solutions offered. We are combining the best elements of theseoptions with further discussions with the UK departments on the practicalitiesof delivery into proposals for reform of the law of diligence to be consultedupon in this parliamentary year. This is a complex matter. I will write to themember with more detailed background information and a copy of the letter willbe placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address in a revised system of water relief for domestic consumers the issue of closing the gap between the income support allowance for water and sewerage and the actual charges levied.
Answer
Income support is a reservedmatter for the UK Government.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what options it has considered to protect people whose state benefits are paid into (a) personal bank accounts or (b) Post Office card accounts from bank arrestments as part of the proposed Personal Bankruptcy and Diligence Bill.
Answer
Discussions are continuingwith the Department of Work and Pensions on proposals for the reform ofarrestment and furthcoming following from the consultation document Enforcementof Civil Obligations in Scotland.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will work with local authorities in the context of the proposed Personal Bankruptcy and Diligence Bill to ensure that bank arrestments are not served on individuals whose state benefits are paid into (a) personal bank accounts or (b) Post Office card accounts.
Answer
Local authorities will beincluded in the consultation on proposals for the reform of arrestment and furthcomingas part of the reform of the laws of personal bankruptcy and diligence, later inthis parliamentary year.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue the Transitional Water and Waste Water Charges Scheme in any form for domestic water users beyond March 2004.
Answer
The Executive is assessingthe impact that ending the scheme will have. It is doing this in light of the harmonisationof charges that has taken place since the scheme was introduced. It remains thecase, however, that the main means of assisting vulnerable groups are improvingefficiency at Scottish Water and retaining the link between water charges and counciltax banding and discount arrangements.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for further consultation on the reform of bank arrestments.
Answer
We intend to consult on proposalsfor the reform of arrestment and furthcoming as part of the reform of the lawsof personal bankruptcy and diligence, later in this parliamentary year.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how effective the Transitional Water and Waste Water Charges Scheme has been in providing assistance to the poorest households.
Answer
The objective of theTransitional Water and Sewerage Charges Reduction Scheme was to help low incomehouseholds adjust to higher water and wastewater charges. The focus of thescheme was on households in band A, in the former North of Scotland WaterAuthority where increases were particularly steep, and those in band B acrossthe whole of Scotland. The scheme has been effective in achieving this.
It remains the case, however,that the main means of assisting vulnerable groups are improving efficiency atScottish Water, which will ease pressure on charges and retaining the linkbetween water charges and council tax banding and discount arrangements.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the Water Customer Consultation Panel's report Affordability of Domestic Water and Wastewater Charges and the recommendation that the scale and scope of the transitional relief scheme should be extended.
Answer
The Executive is not awarethat the Water Customer ConsultationPanels have published a report on Affordability of Domestic Water andWastewater Charges.
