- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 10 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold discussions with the UK Government on the need for data identifying those households on tax credits so as to ensure that they receive support from the Energy Assistance Package.
Answer
We are always seeking opportunities to promote the Energy Assistance Package in the most targeted and effective way. Identifying those in receipt of tax credits is important data, but as this is only one of a number of criteria for eligibility at stages 3 and 4 of the Energy Assistance Package it may have limited value. In addition, we will consider the results of the DWP data sharing pilot in shaping any future approach along these lines.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 9 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold discussions with the UK Government regarding criticisms expressed in the Citizens Advice Bureau report, Not working: CAB evidence on the ESA work capability assessment.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33775 on 7 June 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 9 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to hold discussions with the UK Government regarding the Citizens Advice Scotland report Unfit for Purpose.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33775 on 7 June 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 9 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what procurement practices it is taking to ensure that the companies it awards contracts to pay their employees a living wage.
Answer
It is the responsibility of all contractors to ensure that they comply with all relevant legislation when bidding for public contracts. Whilst the terms and conditions that apply to contracts may vary depending upon the nature of the contract in question, for certain contracts the conditions makes specific reference to contractors complying with the national minimum wage.
The Scottish Government recognises the scope that exists for procurement processes to deliver wider social benefits such as the creation of new training and employment opportunities through public contracts and has produced guidance encouraging the public sector to incorporate Community Benefit clauses into contracts where it is appropriate to do so.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 8 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the provision of data on low pay across Scotland.
Answer
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is the official source for earnings information. The survey is run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and can provide information about the number of low paid jobs as measured by those earning below the national minimum wage.
The Scottish Government (SG) works closely with ONS to continuously improve the ASHE survey ensuring that it provides high quality data and meets the needs of Scottish users. The SG along with other government departments negotiated with ONS to restore the 1 per cent sample of employees in the ASHE survey from 2009, after two years in which the sample size was reduced by 20 per cent. Work is also being progressed by the ASHE user group, of which the SG is a member, to review the ASHE methodology and consider whether the ASHE sample can be redesigned in a way that it is more efficient and makes best use of the resources and information available to ONS.
Estimates of the number of Scottish jobs paid below the national minimum wage from 2004 to 2009 are available from:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/jobs_below.xls.
Information on the distribution of earnings across the Scottish local authorities can be found in the latest ASHE 2009 results (table 7 and table 8):
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=15313.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals there are to hold discussions with the UK Government regarding improving uptake of benefits.
Answer
I have written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions requesting an early meeting to discuss the benefits system and other matters of mutual interest.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
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Current Status:
Awaiting answer
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that schemes such as those referred to in Women’s Aid’s Analysis of Local Authority Gender Equality Schemes include specific proposals to tackle violence against women.
Answer
Awaiting answer
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 2 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners, were living in poverty in each year between 2000 and 2009, broken down by local authority.
Answer
The figures for Relative poverty for Pensioners (below 60% of UK median income in the same year) in Scottish households between 2000 and 2009 are as follows:
| a. | Before Housing Costs | After Housing Costs |
| % | 000 | % | 000 |
| 1999-2000 | 27 | 240 | 28 | 250 |
| 2000-01 | 24 | 210 | 25 | 220 |
| 2001-02 | 21 | 190 | 24 | 210 |
| 2002-03 | 23 | 210 | 25 | 220 |
| 2003-04 | 22 | 190 | 21 | 180 |
| 2004-05 | 20 | 190 | 16 | 150 |
| 2005-06 | 20 | 190 | 16 | 150 |
| 2006-07 | 20 | 180 | 15 | 140 |
| 2007-08 | 21 | 200 | 16 | 150 |
| 2008-09 | 16 | 150 | 11 | 110 |
The figures above are from a survey which takes a random sample of the Scottish population. At smaller geographical areas the sample is limited to people from that area and so for smaller areas, estimates are less reliable.
Only a few analyses are published for areas below Scotland level and are not published at local authority level. At sub-Scotland level estimates are published for the proportion of individuals in relative poverty in urban and rural areas and in deprived areas.
The Scottish Government are aware of the demand for local authority level poverty figures and are carrying out work to improve the quality of income information recorded by the Scottish Household Survey with the aim of producing local authority - level estimates. For further detail please see the feasibility study which was carried out for this work in the government website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/IncomePoverty/income-imputation-study6 ) or contact the income and poverty statistics team on 0131 244 0794 or [email protected].
On the income and poverty website there is also a data sources and suitability page which discusses some of the main data sources available to researchers interested in income and poverty in Scotland and their strengths and weaknesses. This discusses some of the indicators which are currently available at local authority level to find out about income and poverty in Scotland.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/IncomePoverty/income-data-sources.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 2 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in Scotland were living in poverty in each year between 2000 and 2009, broken down by local authority.
Answer
The figures for Relative poverty for Children (below 60% of UK median income in the same year) in Scottish households between 2000 and 2009 are as follows:
| a. | Before Housing Costs | After Housing Costs |
| % | 000 | % | 000 |
| 1999-2000 | 28 | 300 | 32 | 350 |
| 2000-01 | 27 | 280 | 32 | 340 |
| 2001-02 | 27 | 280 | 31 | 330 |
| 2002-03 | 25 | 260 | 27 | 280 |
| 2003-04 | 24 | 250 | 27 | 280 |
| 2004-05 | 21 | 210 | 25 | 250 |
| 2005-06 | 21 | 210 | 24 | 250 |
| 2006-07 | 21 | 210 | 25 | 250 |
| 2007-08 | 20 | 200 | 24 | 240 |
| 2008-09 | 21 | 210 | 26 | 260 |
The figures above are from a survey which takes a random sample of the Scottish population. At smaller geographical areas the sample is limited to people from that area and so for smaller areas, estimates are less reliable.
Only a few analyses are published for areas below Scotland level and are not published at Local Authority level. At sub-Scotland level estimates are published for the proportion of individuals in relative poverty in urban and rural areas and in deprived areas.
The Scottish Government are aware of the demand for local authority level poverty figures and are carrying out work to improve the quality of income information recorded by the Scottish Household Survey with the aim of producing local authority - level estimates. For further detail please see the feasibility study which was carried out for this work in the government website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/IncomePoverty/income-imputation-study6 ) or contact the income and poverty statistics team on 0131 244 0794 or [email protected].
On the income and poverty website there is also a data sources and suitability page which discusses some of the main data sources available to researchers interested in income and poverty in Scotland and their strengths and weaknesses. This discusses some of the indicators which are currently available at local authority level to find out about income and poverty in Scotland.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/IncomePoverty/income-data-sources.
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 2 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make representations to the UK Government regarding changes to criteria for uptake of Independent Living Fund payments.
Answer
I have already been in correspondence with UK Ministers concerning this issue to highlight the negative repercussions which are likely to occur as a result of this change and to question the ILF''s decision to take this action with no prior consultation.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon will be meeting the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith and will raise this issue within the context of tackling poverty.
In addition, officials have also met with representatives from ILF to discuss this issue directly and will be meeting with DWP to discuss this further.
