- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29344 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, what obstacles to volunteering opportunities it intends to tackle.
Answer
The main obstacles to volunteering in Scotland that we intend to tackle are poverty, disadvantage and social exclusion and we are doing this through our programme for government. However, there are also institutional and operational obstacles, principally relating to an individual's ability to access advice and guidance on volunteering.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29346 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether it will consider removing the 75% capital receipts clawback rule from local authority housing in light of its commitment to allow local authorities and their tenants to decide how best to secure investment in council housing.
Answer
Following representations from COSLA I have agreed that COSLA and Executive officials should, on a no commitment basis, meet to discuss issues surrounding the use of capital receipts.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29346 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, why the social justice section of its spending proposals 2003-06 mentions only stock transfer as an option for improving housing infrastructure and whether it will provide financial support for other proposals brought forward by local authorities for improving housing infrastructure.
Answer
In addition to the support provided to councils for stock transfers the Executive also provides consents for local authority borrowing on the Housing Revenue Account. In the current year the borrowing consents are set at £180 million. Local authorities also undertake capital investment using receipts and rental income. The Executive is always happy to consider the merits of alternative proposals brought forward by local authorities and others.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29346 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether it will consider writing off the capital housing debt of local authorities if councils and tenants, in light of local circumstances, decide not to transfer their housing stock.
Answer
It has always been made clear that the arrangements agreed with HM Treasury for dealing with local authority housing debt would, as is the case in England, only apply in the case of whole stock transfers. The Executive does not have the resources to meet these costs from within its own budget.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29340 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether figures on entry into higher and further education indicate a gap between deprived areas and the rest of Scotland.
Answer
Yes. However, the most recent data available indicates that this gap is narrowing. Between 1998-99 and 2000-01 the percentage of further education students from "High Deprivation" areas increased from 18% to 24% and from "Above Average" deprivation areas from 17% to 22%.Information available on entry into higher education institutions is found in the Performance Indicators on Higher Education (HE) in the UK, published by the Higher Education Funding Councils in December 2001. Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 18498). Table 1a of these indicators shows that the proportion of young full-time first degree entrants to HE from low participation neighbourhoods increased from 16% in 1997-98 to 18% in 1999-2000.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29341 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether house-breaking is the only criminal activity that is relevant for monitoring area-based deprivation.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30123 today. 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/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29338 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether it intends to use the small basket of indicators rather than those in Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters to measure progress on social justice.
Answer
No. The small basket of indicators, which are based on existing targets including social justice milestones, is intended to offer an additional means of measuring progress on social justice.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29340 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether its spending proposals for 2003-06 will lessen the gap in the figures for entry into higher and further education between people from deprived areas and those from the rest of Scotland.
Answer
Widening access to learning opportunities for those from disadvantaged areas continues to be a priority. Funds awarded for the period from 2003-06 will continue to support initiatives in this area and the Executive will continue to monitor the impact of these initiatives.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29338 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether having exclusive access to at least four modern computers for every class fits its definition of specific outcomes.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30126 today. 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/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 15 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29338 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 September 2002, whether having exclusive access to at least four modern computers for every class is one of its targets.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30126 today. 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/webapp/search_wa.
