Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-32321

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what patronage assumptions were made by Transport Scotland in respect of the procurement of rolling stock for the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link project.

Question reference: S2W-32320

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the original patronage projections were for the Larkhall to Milngavie railway line and what the current patronage level is, expressed in passenger journey numbers and showing the percentage difference.

Question reference: S2W-32316

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has taken account of the general increase in rail usage, alongside existing demand projections for the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link project, in the procurement of rolling stock.

A rolling stock procurement planis being developed by Transport Scotland alongside the wider rolling stock procurement plan toaddress the requirements of both major projects and the increasing demand for railservices.

In planning the procurement of rolling stockfor the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link project Transport Scotland hastaken account of existing growth projections, including Network Rail’s Route UtilisationStrategy. Transport Scotland remains committed to ensuring that sufficient suppliesof trains are provided to meet projected passenger demand.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.

Question reference: S2O-12441

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 22 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the action being taken to improve care services for elderly people in Argyll and Bute.

The Joint Improvement Team hasbeen working with Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland to address high levelsof delayed discharge from hospital and implementation issues around free personalcare. Some improvements have been made in these areas, but more remains to be done.The Social Work Inspection Agency has brought forward its planned inspection ofsocial work services in Argyll and Bute and will report to ministers later this year.

Question reference: S2W-32135

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 15 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31669 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 February 2007, whether it will provide information on the powers of direction in relation to the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, in respect of the circumstances that would trigger their use and what measures may be taken.

Scottish ministers have thepower to issue directions to local authorities (either individually orcollectively) under section 5(1A) of the Social Work (Scotland)Act 1968 as to the manner in which they are to exercise their functions underthe 1968 act. A range of circumstances could trigger the use of a direction, includingthe need to formalise best practices or to intervene when local authorities arenot exercising their functions under the 1968 act in an appropriate way. Alocal authority has a statutory obligation to comply with a direction issued underthe 1968 act.

Question reference: S2W-32136

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 15 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31669 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 February 2007, when, and in what circumstances, the powers of direction under to the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 were last used.

Question reference: S2W-32134

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Robert Brown on 12 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31673 by Robert Brown on 19 February 2007, whether it will provide the annual local financial returns for social work expenditure and income in respect of services for older people in Argyll and Bute from 1999-2000.

The main breakdown of socialwork expenditure and income in respect of services for older people in Argyll andBute obtained from the annual local financial returns is detailed in the followingtables.

Argyll and Bute Council -LFR 3 (Social Work) Older Persons (£000)

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
Expenditure
Employee Costs	2,581	3,045	3,559
Operating Costs	0	0	0
: Third party payments to private persons or companies	1,904	2,527	1
: Third party payments to voluntary bodies	15	0	0
: Other accounts within the authority	0	94	114
: Other Local Authorities	0	0	0
: Health Boards and Trusts	143	131	173
: Other Public Bodies	0	8	3,111
: Other operating costs	991	1,165	1,154
Total Operating Costs	3,053	3,925	4,553
Transfer payments
: Grants to private persons or organisations	0	0	0
: Grants to voluntary bodies	0	4	0
: Other transfer payments	0	0	0
Total Transfer Payments	0	4	0
Total Gross Expenditure	5,634	6,974	8,111
Income
Grants (other than RSG)
: Specific Grants	0	0	0
: Other Grants	113	114	247
Total Grants	113	114	247
Rents, fees and charges	750	674	688
Sales	9	8	9
Other accounts within the authority	0	31	70
Other Local Authorities	0	0	0
Health Boards and Trusts	0	117	200
Other Public bodies	1	0	0
Interest and Other Income	29	11	83
Total Income	902	955	1,297
Distribution Of RCC and Support Service Costs
Revenue contributions to capital (RCC)	0	0	0
Support service costs	324	278	304
Total Net Expenditure Met from Council Tax, Non-Domestic Rates and Revenue Support Grant	5,056	6,297	7,119

Argyll and Bute Council -LFR 3 (Social Work) Older Persons (£000)

	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06
Expenditure
Employee Costs	9,691	9,020	9,968	10,227
Operating Costs	9,783	17,654	19,626	12,271
Third-party payments (gross)	8,450	14,149	15,836	10,999
Gross payments to private persons	0	102	276	0
Gross payments to private companies	10	1	49	0
Gross payments to voluntary bodies	0	45	60	39
Gross payments to Health Authorities	218	299	329	409
Gross payments to other local authorities	5	0	0	0
All other Third party payments	8,217	13,702	15,122	10,551
Premises, transport, supplies and services and other operating costs	1,333	3,505	3,790	1,272
Transfer payments	152	120	132	0
Grants to private persons or organisations	0	0	0	0
Grants to voluntary bodies	144	120	132	0
Other transfer payments	8	0	0	0
Support Services	626	586	725	3,476
Total Gross Expenditure	20,252	27,380	30,451	25,974
Income
Specific Grants	167	15	207	158
Other Central Government Grants (excl RSG)	0	4,411	6,382	0
Sales, Rents, Fees and Charges	1,289	1,770	1,781	1,623
Income from charges to service users	1,177	1,764	1,572	1,623
Other	112	6	209	0
Other Income	1,740	2,610	2,435	3,055
Contributions from other local authorities	0	0	0	100
Recharges (income from other accounts within the authority)	1,740	2,610	2,435	2,955
All other grants, reimbursements and contributions	338	1,075	1,406	1,734
Contributions from Health Authorities	292	1,075	1,406	1,730
Other grants, reimbursements and contributions	46	0	0	4
Total Income	3,534	9,881	12,211	6,570
Net revenue expenditure	16,718	17,499	18,240	19,404
Capital Charges	667	440	726	482
Net Revenue Expenditure Including Capital Charges	17,385	17,939	18,966	19,886
Revenue Contributions to Capital (RCC)	0	0	0	0
Net Revenue Expenditure Including RCC (Excluding Capital Charges)	16,718	17,499	18,240	19,404
Add back specific grants	167	15	207	158
FRS 17	N/A	9	274	284
Net Revenue Expenditure Including RCC (Excl Capital Charges) with Specific Grants Added Back	16,885	17,514	18,447	19,562

Question reference: S2W-31672

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2007
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 20 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take if there is an increased level of delayed discharge in the Argyll and Bute local authority area compared to rates for previous years.

Question reference: S2W-31669

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2007
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 20 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any powers to intervene in respect of any underfunding of care services for the elderly by Argyll and Bute Council.

The joint improvement team hasbeen working with Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland on developing theirstrategic governance and local management arrangements to help address thechallenges of providing for the needs of elderly residents. In addition, the Social Work Inspection Agency is currentlyinspecting Argyll and Bute Council’s social work services and the inspectionreport will provide an indication of service quality together with anyrecommendations the council will need to address.

I am closely monitoring theposition and will consider using powers in relation to joint working by localauthorities and health boards or powers of direction in relation to the SocialWork (Scotland) Act 1968 if required.

Question reference: S2W-31668

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2007
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 20 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the current underspend in relation to Grant Aided Expenditure by Argyll and Bute Council in respect of care services and what its position is on any further reductions in such services in the area.

The Scottish Executive isaware of Argyll and Bute Council’s expenditure on community care services. Grant AidedExpenditure is neither a budget nor aspending target but a needs based method for apportioning funding to localauthorities. It is for Argyll and Bute Council to allocate funding according to their local priorities,taking account of their statutory obligations. However, I have met the counciltwice to stress the importance I attach to the effective delivery of communitycare services, and the role of the joint improvement team has been extended to helpthe council and health board partners secure improved delivery of theseservices.