- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2000
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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 might "wish to develop the effectiveness of money advice services which are delivered into Scotland's poorer communities" and whether it intends to act upon this recommendation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is committed to improving the effectiveness of money advice services in Scotland's deprived communities. We are working with relevant organisations on how best a national debtline for Scotland can be implemented to provide access to free, quality money and debt advice.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2000
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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 the present postcode area level information on benefit claimants be replaced with smaller area level information and what representations it intends to making to Her Majesty's Government in pursuit of this matter.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is currently reviewing all local area statistics for Scotland. We are in discussion with data users and DSS, in order to identify the range of needs, and to assess what level of information is available.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2000
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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 consider introducing and financing a remote living allowance to compensate for the higher costs of living in remote or island communities and whether it intends to act upon this recommendation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive provides for the additional costs to councils serving remote and dispersed rural and island communities through special measures in the local government finance distribution formula. Adjustments redistribute around £40 million of grant support towards rural councils each year, helping to meet additional service costs and hold down council tax levels. Additional assistance, totalling over £24 million this year, is provided through the Special Islands Needs Allowance to compensate councils with significant islands costs. A review of the level and distribution of SINA is due to be completed this year.
In addition, the Executive is providing record levels of support for lifeline air and ferry services and through the Rural Transport Fund, £14.6 million in new investment over three years from 1998-99 to improve transport links in rural Scotland.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2000
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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
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2000
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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
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2000
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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
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 August 2000
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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
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 1999
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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
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2000
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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
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2000
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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.
