Chamber and committees

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: S3W-03491

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to further education students under 19 from low-income families domiciled in Scotland but studying in England, other than the educational maintenance allowance.

The education maintenanceallowance is the main form of support for students under 19 regardless of wherethey study. Students can contact their local authority to find out what other supportoptions may be available.

Scottish domiciledstudents studying dance and drama courses in England may be eligible for a means-tested Dance and Drama Award (DaDA), which consistsof a tuition fee contribution and a living costs allowance.

Question reference: S3W-02400

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 22 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase funding for theatre.

Question reference: S3W-02401

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of local authority and registered social landlord vacancies in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 were offered to households presenting as homeless under section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, broken down by local authority area.

Table 1 shows thepercentage of permanent lets by local authorities to homeless households for2004-05. Figures for 2005-06 can be found in the Scottish GovernmentStatistical Bulletin (Housing Series) Housing trends in Scotland: quarters ending 31 March 2006 (HSG/2006/5, Table 26). This is availableon-line in the publications section of the housing statistics branch referencesitehttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/PubHousingTrend.

The number ofpermanent lettings during a period tends to be lower than the number ofdwellings falling vacant, and therefore, to provide a more meaningfulcomparison, lets to homeless households are presented as a proportion of allpermanent lets.

Percentage oflets by registered social landlords to homeless households referred undersection 5 are shown in Table 2.

Table1 Permanent Lets to Homeless Households by Local Authority: 2004-05

	Total permanent lets	Lets to homeless households	Lets to homeless as % of all lets
Scotland	33,872	9,454	28
Aberdeen City	2,650	266	10
Aberdeenshire	1,246	271	22
Angus	882	325	37
Argyll and Bute	523	202	39
Clackmannanshire	442	197	45
Dumfries and Galloway	na	na	na
Dundee City	1,886	167	9
East Ayrshire	1,487	222	15
East Dunbartonshire	314	124	39
East Lothian	461	143	31
East Renfrewshire	250	87	35
City of Edinburgh	3,397	1,088	32
Eilean Siar	132	47	36
Falkirk	1,359	489	36
Fife	3,117	695	22
Glasgow City	na	na	na
Highland	1,364	415	30
Inverclyde	759	207	27
Midlothian	242	131	54
Moray	373	176	47
North Ayrshire	1,165	489	42
North Lanarkshire	3,680	1,356	37
Orkney	62	17	27
Perth and Kinross	610	322	53
Renfrewshire	1,489	279	19
Scottish Borders	na	na	na
Shetland	199	28	14
South Ayrshire	829	239	29
South Lanarkshire	2,492	482	19
Stirling	460	136	30
West Dunbartonshire	1,123	428	38
West Lothian	879	426	48

Source:Lettings returns by local authorities to Scottish Executive CommunitiesAnalytical Services Division (Housing Statistics).

Notes:

1.Following housing stock transfers, figures for Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Scottish Borders arenot included.

2.Figures for total number of lets include households moving into the publicrented sector (new lets) as well as those transferring from one councilproperty to another.

Table2 Permanent Lets by Registered Social Landlords to Homeless Households Recorded as Section5 Referrals:2004-05 and 2005-06

Scotland	2004-05			2005-06
	All lets	Permanent lets to homeless households	Lets to homeless as % of all lets	All lets	Permanent lets to homeless households	Lets to homeless as % of all lets
	29,299	3,659	12	28,346	3,814	13

RegisteredSocial Landlords Operating in One Local Authority Area

Local Authority	All lets	Permanent lets to homeless households	Lets to homeless as % of all lets	All lets	Permanent lets to homeless households	Lets to homeless as % of all lets
Aberdeen City	3	0	0	680	69	10
Aberdeenshire	128	2	2	564	41	7
Angus	na	na	na	468	25	5
Argyll and Bute	221	11	5	375	21	6
Clackmannanshire	na	na	na	212	8	4
Dumfries and Galloway	1,271	431	34	1,225	426	35
Dundee City	12	0	0	1,114	18	2
East Ayrshire	210	24	11	346	27	8
East Dunbartonshire	44	0	0	153	0	0
East Lothian	112	0	0	203	22	11
East Renfrewshire	118	2	2	183	15	8
City of Edinburgh	680	80	12	1,746	142	8
Eilean Siar	40	6	15	69	11	16
Falkirk	na	na	na	363	32	9
Fife	274	12	4	987	27	3
Glasgow City	10,490	1,997	19	11,724	2,247	19
Highland	167	15	9	676	93	14
Inverclyde	341	30	9	441	30	7
Midlothian	na	na	na	224	34	15
Moray	40	4	10	271	23	8
North Ayrshire	72	10	14	408	46	11
North Lanarkshire	434	43	10	848	102	12
Orkney	95	2	2	48	4	8
Perth and Kinross	214	45	21	401	66	16
Renfrewshire	866	27	3	1,089	52	5
Scottish Borders	1,354	244	18	1,281	19	1
Shetland	62	2	3	49	5	10
South Ayrshire	206	20	10	200	14	7
South Lanarkshire	318	11	3	538	23	4
Stirling	149	0	0	208	7	3
West Dunbartonshire	535	106	20	542	100	18
West Lothian	336	41	12	710	65	9

RegisteredSocial Landlords Operating in More than one Local Authority Area

All lets	Permanent lets to homeless households	Lets to homeless as % of all lets
10,507	494	5

Source:Annual Performance and Statistical Return by registered social landlords toCommunities Scotland Regulation and Inspection Division.

Note:Some registered social landlords operate over more than one local authorityarea, and figures from these organisations cannot be broken down by localauthority prior to 2005-06.

Question reference: S3W-02402

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of households presenting as homeless under section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 were offered a secure tenancy by the local authority or registered social landlord in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 operating in that authority’s area, broken down by local authority area.

The informationrequested has been presented in a table showing the percentage of homelessapplications, and those assessed as being unintentionally homeless in priorityneed (for whom a local authority has a duty to secure permanent accommodation),in each local authority for 2004-05 and 2005-06 which resulted in an offer oflocal authority or registered social landlord accommodation. Due to the size of the table, this has been deposited in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre(Bib. number 43314).

Question reference: S3W-02404

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what action can be taken by local authorities against (a) private sector and (b) registered social landlords that fail to take action to control the antisocial behaviour of their tenants.

(a) If a privatelandlord fails to take action to control the antisocial behaviour of tenants,despite advice, the local authority may serve an Antisocial Behaviour Notice,specifying actions the landlord is required to take to address the situation. Failureto comply with the notice is a criminal offence and may result in a fine,suspension of rent, or the local authority taking over management of theproperty. Failure to address antisocial behaviour is also a factor that localauthorities must have regard to in considering whether a landlord is a fit andproper person to be entered on their register of private landlords. It is acriminal offence for a private landlord to let out property if theirapplication for registration is rejected by their local authority.

(b) Localauthorities have no jurisdiction to take action against registered sociallandlords (RSLs) regarding the antisocial behaviour of their tenants. Localauthorities work with RSLs and other agencies to develop and implement localantisocial behaviour strategies. RSLs are regulated by Communities Scotlandwithin a framework set by nationally agreed performance standards, includingstandards relating to the management of antisocial behaviour. A RSL’s performanceagainst these standards, and its responsiveness to its tenants, may form partof an inspection by the regulator.

Question reference: S3W-02405

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Scottish or UK legislation prevents the exchange of tenancies for properties owned by local authorities or registered social landlords where one property is in Scotland and the other in England.

Question reference: S3W-02403

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what action can be taken by tenants against (a) private sector and (b) registered social landlords that fail to take action to control the antisocial behaviour of other tenants.

(a) Neighbourswho are affected by antisocial behaviour by tenants of privately rented housingshould contact their local authority, who can take action against theindividual or, if necessary, against the landlord as described in the answer toquestion S3W-2404 on 9 August 2007.

(b) Tenants ofregistered social landlords (RSLs) have no legal basis for taking actionagainst their landlord for failing to control the antisocial behaviour of othertenants. A complaint to the Public Services Ombudsman would be the mostappropriate course of action if tenants felt their RSL was failing in itsduties.RSLs are regulated by Communities Scotland within a framework set bynationally agreed performance standards, including standards relating to themanagement of antisocial behaviour. A RSL’s performance against thesestandards, and its responsiveness to its tenants, may form part of aninspection by the regulator.

All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website thesearch facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S3W-02157

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 9 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has produced any guidance to local authorities regarding consultation with school communities when designing schools to be built using the public private partnership funding mechanism.

The ScottishExecutive has produced or sponsored several publications emphasising thecritical importance of early consultation with school communities, irrespectiveof the funding mechanism for the new school.

The followingpublications are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre:

School Design– Building Our Future: Scotland’s School Estate

Published in 2003(Bib. number 29066)

OptionAppraisal – Building Our Future: Scotland’s School Estate

Published in 2004(Bib. number 33149)

Designs On MyLearning – A guide to involving young people in school design

Published in 2005(Bib. number 43299)

Senses ofPlace – Designing Scotland’s Future Schools

Published in 2006(Bib. number 43300)

School Design:Optimising the internal environment

- Building ourFuture: Scotland’s School Estate

Published in 2007(Bib. number 42627)

Question reference: S3W-02331

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 6 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1933 by Stewart Maxwell on 20 July 2007, whether it will make the Homestake Open Market Scheme available to disabled residents in Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S3W-02161

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 1 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1473 by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 July 2007, which local authorities are not expected to have an operational common housing register by the end of 2007-08.