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.

Question reference: S3O-00726

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 27 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to relieve the housing debt of councils, such as Dundee, which are proposing to retain their housing stock within council management.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3O-707 on 27 September 2007. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growthhas written to Treasury to establish whether there are any circumstances other thantransfer, where funding to redeem council housing debt could be made available.The answer is availableby accessing the following link; http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-07/sor0927-02.htm#Col2212.

Question reference: S3W-01657

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive why there is a delay in national consistency checking for the 1,260 staff of NHS Tayside who have been assimilated on account and when this situation will be resolved.

The implementation of Agendafor Change has taken longer than had been anticipated but the volume and complexityof the task of assessing pay for over 140,000 plus staff should not be underestimated.In addition, it was agreed in partnership that the assessment process put in placeshould be very deliberate and robust, which includes checking outcomes at locallevel to ensure consistency and then reviewing them at national level to ensurethat the job evaluation system is being correctly applied. There was and remainsa consensus of view across the health service that key to the successful deliveryof Agenda for Change pay was consistency and accuracy of assessment, rather thanspeed of process.

Normally, staff would have togo through both the local and national checking processes before they could be assimilatedto the new pay bands. However, in order to help conclude implementation of Agendafor Change, in March of this year it was agreed in partnership that staff couldassimilate after the local process was completed, with the national process carriedout with retrospective effect.

The national review process continuesat a significant pace, and I am pleased to say that we are close to completing themovement of staff to the new pay bands. In this respect, the great efforts thathealth boards and the trades unions have put in should be acknowledged.

In terms of NHSScotland as awhole, there are approximately 6,000 postholders still awaiting national review.In the case of NHS Tayside, 929 postholders have been reviewed recently, and thereports on these will be sent to NHS Tayside within the next seven to 10 days. Thisleaves a total of 98 postholders awaiting national review, and this will take placeover the coming weeks.

Question reference: S3W-00794

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Alex Johnstone on 18 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans it has to replace ordinary light bulbs in the Parliament building with energy saving bulbs.

We recognise thata number of areas of the building are lit by less efficient tungsten filamentlamps. Replacing these lamps will contribute towards our three year energyreduction target, which is currently on course to be achieved. A start has beenmade on identifying practical options for replacing lamps in a number of areas.In 2008 a full study will be undertaken to identify where it will be costeffective and feasible to replace lamps with energy saving ones.

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