- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11211 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 November 2000, whether it will commission research into allegations regarding the surreptitious use of drugs in nursing and residential homes.
Answer
I have no such plans at present. The arrangements that are in place and those that are planned for the future are designed to ensure high quality care and protection for all care home residents. I will keep the need for research on this specific aspect under review.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 26 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2707 by Jackie Baillie on 14 December 2000, how many credit unions were extant in 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 and in the current financial year; where those currently extant are located, and how many low cost insurance with rent schemes currently exist.
Answer
Figures on credit unions are available from the Registrar of Credit Unions now part of the Financial Services Authority. In 1997-98 the Registrar's annual report recorded that there were 124 credit unions in existence in Scotland. In 1998-99 this had risen to 135. The Registrar's report for 1999-2000 is not yet available but the FSA confirm that as of 16 January there were 138 credit unions registered in Scotland. The Registrar's report details the address of each credit union but aggregate figures are only provided for Scotland.
There are currently no details available on the number of low cost insurance schemes available but the Executive is in the process of establishing which local authorities provide such schemes. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations operates a scheme on behalf of housing associations and approximately 80 housing associations participate.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11248 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 November 2000, how it intends to monitor the allocation of the #10 million earmarked to support carers.
Answer
Under the Strategy for Carers in Scotland local authorities have been asked to spend £10 million a year from this year on supporting carers, double the funding previously earmarked. The strategy requires authorities to report to the Executive in detail on how they use their share of these resources. This is being done through local authorities' Community Care Plans and their annual updates. These plans and updates must be accompanied by a letter from local carers' organisations confirming that they have been consulted on the use of these resources and that they are satisfied with how the money is being spent.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 26 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics are available on the level of personal debt and whether any are available (a) on a geographical basis, (b) broken down by household income and (c) showing the increases or decreases in levels of personal debt under (a) and (b) in each of the last three years.
Answer
Official statistics on the level of debt are limited. The Bank of England provides details on consumer credit by type of lender but not broken down either by geographical area or household type. The lack of such data is an issue being considered by the DTI Taskforce on Overindebtedness with which the Executive is involved.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 26 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11588 by Jackie Baillie on 29 November 2000, whether it will give a detailed breakdown of the allocation of the #10 million for refuge development; what criteria will be used in allocating funding, and whether there is any ceiling on the amount available for existing refuges.
Answer
£2 million will be made available in the years 2001-02 and 2002-03 and £6 million will be spent in 2003-04.Bidding guidance is currently being drawn up and will be issued shortly.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 25 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10406 by Sarah Boyack on 29 November 2000, (a) what funding sources are available for cycle projects, (b) how much funding is available from each of these sources, (c) which bodies and individuals have made funding applications to these sources, (d) which bodies and individuals were successful and (e) how much each body or individual received, in this financial year.
Answer
Responsibility for the provision of cycling infrastructure rests with the local authorities. They receive a block allocation for expenditure on a number of services including transport. It is for the local authorities to allocate resources in accordance with locally determined priorities. Information about the level of spending by local authorities on cycling projects is not held centrally.
However, cycling projects are eligible for support from the Public Transport Fund which was announced in 1998 in the Scottish Transport White Paper to assist local authorities to provide key value for money developments to their public transport network. It is open to all of Scotland's local authorities and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority to bid for support from the fund.So far, three Public Transport Fund Competitions have taken place with 53 projects receiving funding totalling over £95 million. During this time, eight bids for projects for improved cycling facilities have been received; all have been successful and received support from the fund. The projects and allocation is listed in the table.In May 2000, I announced that local authorities had been allocated additional capital consents, totalling £5.2 million, to take forward work on implementing safer routes to school schemes. It is for individual authorities to take decisions on the specific measures to be implemented in their areas having regard to local needs and priorities. Measures could, however, include capital expenditure on cycle projects related to safer routes to school schemes.In addition, there are occasionally funding opportunities from other sources such as the Millennium Commission which provided resources for the development of the National Cycle Network. However, these are not administered by the Scottish ExecutiveAuthority | Project | Total Award (£ million) | Allocation 2000-01 (£ million) |
| Dumfries & Galloway | Dumfries Transport Initiative1 | £1.063 | £0.3 |
| Midlothian | Sheriffhall Cycle Bridge | £0.802 | £0.802 |
| East Renfrewshire | Cycling and Walking Facilities | £0.450 | - |
| Dumfries & Galloway | Stranraer Integrated Transport Package1 | £0.943 | - |
| East Ayrshire | Cycling and Walking in Kilmarnock | £0.670 | - |
| Argyll and Bute | Cycleways in Helensburgh and Lomond | £1.900 | - |
| Perth and Kinross | Cycle Commuter Routes | £0.200 | - |
| Renfrewshire | Integrated Transport Improvements1 | £0.268 | - |
Notes:1. Project also includes other public transport measures.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 25 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10405 by Sarah Boyack on 29 November 2000, (a) whether any funding will be available to the Borders Rail project from the Public Transport Fund for walking and cycling projects as an integral part of the rail development, (b) whether there are budget limits to such local projects and (c) what the total budget is available for the year 2001-02 for such projects.
Answer
The Public Transport Fund (PTF) is supporting cycling and walking measures both as part of wider public transport improvements but also as stand-alone projects. The award to Scottish Borders Council for the development of the railway to the Central Borders is to assist the council take the project forward through the parliamentary process. As part of any future bid by the council to the PTF, walking and cycling measures could be included as part of any wider application.In the first three rounds of the PTF only projects which cost over £200,000 have been eligible for assistance under the PTF. In September 2000 I announced that the fund would be increased to £150 million between 2001-04 and I indicated that I propose to give more prominence to cycling and walking projects. Details will be issued to local authorities shortly about the arrangements for seeking bids to the next round of the fund. The budget for the PTF in 2001-02 is £40 million.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11489 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 December 2000, whether enhanced criminal record certificates will be available without charge to voluntary organisations working with other vulnerable people such as disabled and elderly people.
Answer
Enhanced criminal record certificates for those working with vulnerable people aged 18 or over would become available only after regulations are made under section 115(4) of the Police Act 1997. The question of charging volunteers working with vulnerable adults for the enhanced certificates will be considered before any such regulations are drafted.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 25 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Social Security on any impact which the current level of Invalid Care Allowance has on its National Strategy for Carers and, in particular, on the living standards of carers.
Answer
The Strategy for Carers in Scotland is aimed at addressing the needs of carers for better information and more flexible health and social care support. Financial support to carers through the social security and benefits system remains the responsibility of the UK Government. We welcome the Government's recently announced packages of financial measures to help carers. The measures include substantial increases in the weekly Carer Premium, an increase in the earnings limit for Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) and extending eligibility for ICA to carers over the age of 65, all of which should help deliver improvements in the living standards of many Scottish carers.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 25 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what criteria will be used in prioritising those eligible under its central heating programme, (b) how many households it estimates will have central heating installed under the programme before winter 2001 and (c) how the allocation of the funding is to be administered, monitored and audited and how much of the funding will be required for these purposes, expressed as a figure and a percentage of the total overall budget.
Answer
The Central Heating Working Group is considering the question of priority need and a report will be published shortly. No estimate of the kind described at (b) has yet been made. Funding will be administered by local authorities, Scottish Homes and a managing agent for each of the three sectors of the stock. They will be responsible for monitoring and auditing.
