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: S3W-15439

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 August 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the rules governing the operation of the public sector land trawl.

The rules governing the operation of the public sector land trawl are to be found in the Scottish Public Finance Manual Guidelines on the Disposal of Tangible Fixed Assets. The guidance on the trawl mechanism is found in paragraph 14 and the Annex, particularly paragraph 7 of the Annex. The Scottish Public Finance Manual Guidelines are on the Scottish Government website and can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/spfm/disposalassets#a1.

Question reference: S3W-15408

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 August 2008
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 August 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what its projection is of the lottery funds that may be available for distribution in Scotland by the Big Lottery Fund, sportscotland, the Scottish Arts Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund in each of the next five financial years.

Question reference: S3W-13774

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 18 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what total receipts were generated from the sale of homes under right-to-buy legislation in each year since its introduction and what its best estimate is with regard to how such receipts were applied to (a) repayment of debt, (b) investment in new or improved homes by local authorities and other social landlords and (c) other purposes.

The number of sales to public authority sitting tenants under right-to-buy legislation and the total receipts from these sales are shown in the following table.

Right-to-Buy Sales and Receipts from Sales to Sitting Tenants of Public Authority Stock: 1979-2007

Year	Number of Sales	Total Receipts (£000)	Year	Number of Sales	Total Receipts (£000)
1979	1,000	7,345	1994	20,500	305,716
1980	4,700	35,355	1995	16,300	247,825
1981	8,800	69,291	1996	12,600	195,188
1982	12,300	103,890	1997	16,500	255,415
1983	15,000	138,833	1998	14,100	213,294
1984	13,700	136,161	1999	13,300	208,511
1985	12,600	127,869	2000	14,000	223,721
1986	11,400	120,948	2001	13,100	214,381
1987	15,400	159,218	2002	15,800	272,293
1988	24,800	250,179	2003	17,500	328,325
1989	32,500	335,156	2004	12,800	283,793
1990	29,300	317,090	2005	11,100	287,632
1991	20,600	254,346	2006	8,800	261,188
1992	21,700	292,502	2007	7,400	261,630
1993	18,100	260,175

Source: Sales 3 returns to the Scottish Government communities analytical services (housing statistics). Scottish Homes data provided by Communities Scotland.

Notes:

1. Public authorities include local authorities, new towns and Scottish Homes.

2. Public authorities with total stock transfers are included to ensure comparability over time.

3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 for sales and the nearest £1,000 for receipts, and include estimates due to outstanding returns.

4. All monetary values are nominal and not adjusted for inflation.

The Scottish Government does not hold information about the extent to which receipts from right-to-buy sales have contributed to debt repayment for the entirety of the period. Prior to 1996, there were no constraints on the use of such receipts. Between 1996 and 2004, local authorities were required to set aside a proportion of receipts for repayment of debt, 25% in 1996, rising to 75% in 1997. From 2004 onward, local authorities have had complete discretion over use of receipts. Information on the extent to which receipts have been used for other purposes is not held centrally.

Question reference: S3W-12865

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 27 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail for each of the four local authorities concerned the expenditure which gives rise to the aggregate figure of £148.4 million referred to as the sum “wasted in trying to get people to vote for stock transfer” by the Minister for Communities and Sport on 8 May 2008 (Official Report c. 8411) and what sources of information were used as the basis for that statement.

A significant amount of this money, almost £40 million, was spent on costs relating to the stock transfer process or on trying to persuade tenants of the benefits of stock transfer, something they ultimately rejected. That was a complete waste of money.

Despite £110 million being allocated to Edinburgh, Renfrewshire, Highland and Stirling by the previous administration for use before stock transfer, tenants still voted no in these areas. It was wasteful to spend money in support of an unsuccessful campaign, rather than part of a properly targeted investment programme.

The information was obtained by Scottish Government officials based on financial records kept by officials of the former national housing agency, Communities Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-12866

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 22 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new homes were built by local authorities and registered social landlords in each year from (a) 1979 to 1997 and (b) 1998 to the latest year for which the information is available.

Question reference: S3O-02455

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what internal research it has conducted on the possibility of local authorities reducing business rates in their areas and when it will be published.

Question reference: S3W-09377

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have taken place of the (a) Implementation Group and (b) Strategic Group which it established jointly with COSLA to examine aspects of the implementation and interpretation of the legislation in relation to free personal care; whether it has received any reports and recommendations from these groups and whether these will be published, and whether it has reached any conclusions on them and, if so, when these conclusions will be announced.

Several informal and formal meetings have taken place between Scottish Government and COSLA officials to discuss various strategic and implementation issues. In addition, there have been two meetings between Scottish ministers and the COSLA President to help guide this work. The Strategic Group is due to meet again at the end of this month, before a further meeting between ministers and the COSLA President.

Evidence on the issues of food preparation, waiting lists and eligibility criteria has been gathered from local authorities and will inform options and recommendations on the way forward, to be considered jointly by COSLA and Scottish ministers. We will also consider together the outcome of the independent review of funding for free personal and nursing care being led by Lord Sutherland, which is due to report at the end of March. Following this joint consideration, we will announce our conclusions on how to ensure the more effective delivery of this important policy.

Question reference: S3O-01031

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 1 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the Scottish Association for Steiner Waldorf Education since May 2007.

Question reference: S3O-00948

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the funding of the Edinburgh tram scheme.

Question reference: S3W-04327

Asked by: David McLetchie, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 September 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 1 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimated the cost of extending the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons to the disabled people on the lower rate of the care component of disability living allowance and, if so, how many people would benefit from such an extension of the scheme.