- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 24 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioner households currently (a) have and (b) do not have central heating, broken down by local authority area and parliamentary constituency
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally. The programme to deliver central heating to all local authority and housing association stock will be completed during 2004 and for tenants transferring from Glasgow City Council to a new social landlord during 2006. In the private sector an estimated 40,000 owner occupiers and private renters aged 60 or over will have central heating installed by the end of March 2006.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 23 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28385 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 September 2002, why it did not detail in that answer how many times, and with regard to what appointments, within European Union institutions it has been consulted by Her Majesty's Government since May 1999.
Answer
The answer given to question S1W-28385 reflects the confidential nature of discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government regarding these appointments.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 23 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29050 by Mr Jim Wallace on 20 September 2002, whether it will detail any occasions on which the (a) dispute resolution procedures under the bilateral concordats at (i) senior official and (ii) ministerial level have been used and (b) Joint Ministerial Committee has intervened since May 1999, detailing what the outcome was and which ministers were involved.
Answer
There has been no recourse to the dispute resolution procedures under the bilateral concordats. Neither has the Joint Ministerial Committee had to intervene to resolve a dispute since May 1999.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 23 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer by the First Minister to the question by Mr John Swinney during the point of order on 30 May 2002 (Official Report, c 12522), whether it will list each European Union Council of Ministers meeting where Scottish ministers have led the delegation in particular discussions; when each such meeting took place; what the topic of discussion was, and which minister was involved.
Answer
The detail of exchanges within EU Council of Ministers meetings is confidential. The agenda and conclusions of the relevant meetings are available on the Europa website at: www.europa.eu.int.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 22 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27777 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2002, how many appointees in the last 12 months failed to complete political activity forms prior to appointment to a non-departmental public body.
Answer
I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-20118 on 26 March 2002 and S1W-25468 on 30 April 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa. Since 26 March, no appointee has failed to complete a political activity declaration form.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 17 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18802 by Angus MacKay on 19 November 2001, whether it will list the number of (a) public appointments made to non-departmental public bodies, (b) appointees that declared a political affiliation and (c) appointees affiliated to each of the political parties in Scotland since 1 April 2001.
Answer
There have been 381 appointments and re-appointments made within the period 1 April 2001 to 20 September 2002. Of these, 293 (77%) declared no political activity. Details of the 88 (23%) who did declare political activity are as follows:
| Political activity in support of: |
| Conservative | Labour | Liberal Democrats | SNP | Other |
| 8 (2%) | 53 (14%) | 9 (2%) | 8 (2%) | 10 (3%) |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 17 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made for free central heating installation in each of the 10 Scottish parliamentary constituencies in Central Scotland under its central heating programme; how many of these applications have been approved, and how many installations have been carried out.
Answer
The information requested is not collected on a constituency basis. However, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29435 on 8 October 2002, which provides a breakdown of the number of heating systems installed in the local authority and housing association stock by local authority area and in private sector houses by postcode area. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 16 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27777 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2002, whether it will list the (a) appointments and (b) re-appointments advertised through the parliamentary notification system since May 2002 and where and when each such vacancy was advertised.
Answer
Details of appointments made since May 2002 and where and when each vacancy was advertised are noted in the following table:
| Public Body | Chair or Member | Date | Publication |
| Rent Assessment Panel | Member | 17 May 02 | The HeraldScotsman |
| 7 June 02 | Chartered Surveyor Monthly |
| Scottish Screen | Chair | 17 May 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| 19 May 02 | Scotland on SundayThe Herald on Sunday |
| Quality and Standards Board for Health in Scotland | Chair and Member | 24 May 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| Scottish Legal Aid Board | Member | 13 May 02 | Issued to the Faculty of Advocates for distribution to members. Previous advertisement for post attracted no applicants. |
| Crofters Commission | Chair and Member | 23 May 0224 May 02 | Oban TimesOrcadian |
| The HeraldPress and JournalWest Highland Free PressStornoway GazetteThe Shetland Times |
| Scottish Social Services Council | Member | 18 June 0220 June 0221 June 0222 June 0223 June 02 | Asian Times |
| Daily Record |
| The HeraldScotsmanThe Courier |
| Third Force News |
| Scotland on SundayThe Herald on SundayThe Sunday Mail |
| Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh | Member | 18 July 02 | Daily Record |
| 19 July 02 | The HeraldScotsmanTimes Higher Educational Supplement |
| 21 July 02 | Scotland on SundayThe Herald on Sunday |
| Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland | Member | 20 June 02 | The Big IssueThird Force News |
| 21 June 02 | The HeraldScotsmanPress and Journal |
| Fisheries (Electricity) Committee | Member | 18/19 July 02 | The HeraldScotsmanPress and JournalNew ScientistNew Civil Engineer |
| Scottish Environment Protection Agency | Member | 12 July 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| 14 July 02 | Scotland on Sunday |
| Sportscotland | Member | 26 July 02 | The HeraldScotsmanPress and Journal |
| National Waiting Times Centre Board | Chair and Member | 8 July 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-Alba | Chair and Member | 18 July 02 | An Gaidheal UrOban TimesWest Highland Free Press |
| 19 July 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and JournalStornoway Gazette |
| 21 July 02 | Scotland on SundayThe Herald on Sunday |
| Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards | Chair | 19 July 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| VisitScotland | Member | 6 Sept 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| Scottish Natural Heritage | Member | 30 Aug 02 | The HeraldScotsmanPress and Journal |
| NHS Trust Chairs | Chair | 16 Aug 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPaisley Daily ExpressGreenock Telegraph |
| 20 Aug 02 | Dumbarton Reporter |
| 21 Aug 02 | East Fife MailGlenrothes GazettePaisley & Renfrewshire GazetteLennox Herald |
| 22 Aug 02 | West Lothian CourierFife Leader NorthFife Leader SouthKirkcaldy HeraldDunfermline PressFife & Kinross ExtraGryffe Weekly NewsHelensburgh Advertiser |
| 23 Aug 02 | The Fife Free Press |
| Fife Herald |
| St Andrews Citizen |
| Parole Board for Scotland | Member | 23 Aug 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professions | Chair and Member | 6 Sept 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and Journal |
| Shetland NHS Board | Member | 6 Sept 02 | Press and JournalThe Shetland Times |
| Scottish Qualification Authority | Member | 6 Sept 02 | The HeraldScotsmanThe CourierPress and JournalTimes Educational Supplement (Scottish Edition) |
All vacancies were advertised on the Public Appointments website. Details were also sent to those bodies on the Parliamentary Notification system's external contact list, details of which have been given in the answer to question S1W-29322 on 11 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa In specified circumstances and, in particular, subject to satisfactory performance, the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice permits re-appointments to be made without open competition. Since May 2002 all re-appointments made were subject to satisfactory performance assessment and none were therefore advertised through the Parliamentary Notification system
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 14 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any requirement to introduce emergency legislation in respect of insurance cover for local authorities being lifted during the period of any industrial action by firefighters and, if so, whether such legislation would be introduced in the Scottish Parliament and whether it has any plans to introduce any such legislation.
Answer
There are no plans at this time to introduce emergency legislation.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 14 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 9 September 2002, whether it will list when there has been a vacancy for a Scottish position on (a) the Commission for Racial Equality, (b) the Equal Opportunities Commission, (c) the National Disability Council and (d) each of the UK research councils since May 1999; who it put forward for such vacancies and by which minister any names were put forward, and whether it is aware of who was finally appointed to each post.
Answer
The Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including public appointments. Kay Hampton was appointed in April 2002 to the Commission for Racial Equality as having special knowledge of Scotland. Rowena Arshad was appointed as the Scottish Commissioner for Equal Opportunities Commission in 2001. In June 1999, Alan Dickson, an existing member of the National Disability Council was designated as the member with special knowledge of Scotland. The National Disability Council was abolished in April 2000 following the establishment of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). The new position of DRC Commissioner with special knowledge of Scotland was filled for the first time in April 2000 by Elaine Noad. There are no Scottish positions on Research Councils.
