Chamber and committees

There have been noministerial meetings with housing groups, local authorities or private landlordorganisations to discuss implementation of private landlord registration. However,officials meet with these groups regularly.

The legislation governingthe registration of private landlords set out in the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 includes provision for the suspension of thetenant’s liability to pay rent where the landlord should be and is not registeredwith the local authority. Housing benefit is not payable where there is no rentliability. We have worked with the Department for Work and Pensions to make registrationofficers and housing benefit officers aware of the importance of communicating toensure that housing benefit is not paid in these circumstances. The Scottish governmentwill monitor the implementation of these provisions and determine their effectiveness.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-953 on 21 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

All local authoritiesare making progress in implementing private landlord registration but I would liketo see more rapid progress in some areas. The Scottish government is working closelywith local authorities to help them in this process.

Delivering environmentaljustice will, of course, be part of the key cross-cutting programmes to deliverthis Government’s five strategic objectives. All communities and individuals havethe right to expect a fairer, safer, healthier and greener environment to live,work and relax in.

More immediately,and at a very practical level, I expect to announce shortly the names of the successfulprojects from across Scotland which will receive grants from the £2 millionEnvironmental Justice Fund. This work will enhance specific areas that have sufferedfrom environmental blight.

This news will bewarmly welcomed in the communities concerned.

One of the principlesof Hungry for Success, the report of the Expert Panel on School Meals publishedin 2002, was eliminating stigma. A key recommendation within the report was thatschools should explore processes to protect the anonymity of those in receipt offree school meals. The Scottish Executive has supported Local Authorities and schoolsin taking this forward through the funding provided for Hungry for Success,£120 million up to 2008, and by sharing good practice. Progress has been made, buta new duty under the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Scotland Act 2007will require all local authorities to ensure that anonymised systems will be inplace in all of their schools. This new duty is intended to commence in August 2008.

I do not presentlyhave meetings set up with groups and organisations but anticipate meeting a widerange of these organisations in due course.

I referthe member to the answer to question S3W-904 on 22 June 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I referthe member to the answer to question S3W-904 on 22 June 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I can confirm thatthere will be no decisions on the future of sportscotland without a full appreciationof the facts and that the future of sportscotland will be considered within thecontext of the wider review of public bodies announced by the Cabinet Secretaryfor Finance and Sustainable Growth on 24 May 2007. Until these conclusions are reached,sportscotland will continue to play a significant role in the implementation ofReaching Higher.