- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to conduct a review of house selling practices.
Answer
In December 2000,the previous administration announced the establishment of the HousingImprovement Task Force to look at the problems of housing quality in theprivate sector. The task force had a broad remit and one of the areas itconsidered was the house buying and selling process. The task force concluded inits final report of 2003 that although some changes should be made to thesystem, it should not be abolished.
You may wish toaccess the report at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Housing/Housing/16193/PolicyandLegislation/HousingImprovementTask.There are nocurrent plans to review house selling practices, but this is an area which Iwill keep under scrutiny.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its policy to end parental choice in the placing of children in primary schools.
Answer
We have no suchpolicy.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to recruit academic staff for the proposed Aberdeen dental school in time for teaching to begin by October 2008.
Answer
Initial discussionshave taken place between officials and university staff. These discussions are on-goingand will include the timescale for recruiting academic staff.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends that students completing degree courses at the proposed Aberdeen dental school will be awarded degrees by the University of Aberdeen.
Answer
Discussions on thecomposition of the degree curriculum are continuing between Dundee and Aberdeen Universities. Clarification on the awarding of the degree and curriculumwill be subject to the approval by the General Dental Council.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends that teaching of undergraduate students will commence on the premises of the proposed Aberdeen dental school by October 2008.
Answer
It is intended thatthe teaching of dental students will commence in Aberdeen from October 2008.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends that the proposed Aberdeen dental school should employ its own academic staff by October 2008.
Answer
Discussions are on-going,although it is possible that teaching staff at the dental school will be employedby Dundee and Aberdeen Universities.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether undergraduate students will be able to enrol for the proposed Aberdeen dental school for courses commencing in the 2008-09 academic year.
Answer
Yes. It is intendedthat prospective dental students will be able to enrol for courses commencing inthe 2008-09 academic year.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 18 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the fixed price procedure for selling homes in Scotland is being abused.
Answer
We have no evidencethat the fixed price procedure for selling homes in Scotland is being abused. But if the member has information to the contrary, he maywish to send it to me.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 12 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review the practice by landlords of inviting competing offers when renting residential property.
Answer
The ScottishGovernment does not have any plans to review this practice. We are aware of asmall proportion of landlords inviting competing rent offers. However, privatelandlords are free to set rent levels at market rates as long as the tenancybegan after 2 January 1989.
The ScottishGovernment has taken steps to improve standards in the private rented sectorand to encourage private landlords to follow best practice. For example, Irecently announced that the Scottish Government will provide funding for aNational Voluntary Landlord Accreditation Scheme. This will require memberlandlords and letting agents to follow good practice in letting property.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council since 8 August 2007 regarding the development of a 50-metre swimming pool in Aberdeen.
Answer
Whilst the ScottishGovernment have had no further discussions with Aberdeen City Council since 8August 2007 regarding the development of a 50-metre pool in Aberdeen, I havecontinued to encourage Aberdeen City Council to work with sportscotland to develop a project that is more cost effectiveand deliverable.
