- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 13 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Finance and Local Government last met CoSLA, what issues were discussed and when he next plans to meet CoSLA.
Answer
I met representatives of CoSLA on 3 May to sign the local government Partnership Framework.I am meeting CoSLA on 26 September to discuss local government finance.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 6 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13022 by Henry McLeish on 31 July 2001, whether any other employees of the Scottish Executive receive an employer's contribution to their pension exceeding 15% and, if so, which employees these are.
Answer
The Scottish Executive pays employer's pension contributions in the form of Accruing Superannuation Liability Charges (ASLC's) for staff who are members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). The employer's contribution exceeds 15% for all staff earning in excess of £32,501 per annum.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it selected the members of its liquor licensing review committee.
Answer
We gave the committee a wide remit (including health and public order as well as licensing law). We therefore tried to secure a committee that combined a broad range of interests with a manageable size. We chose members with immediate expertise of the licensed and drink trades, and the operation of the current licensing arrangements. We chose members to cover public health and clinical medicine, policing, and legal and judicial affairs. We also chose members to represent the voluntary sector, and the interests of young people. The committee will doubtless take representations from a still wider range of individuals.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget has been allocated to cover the costs of the liquor licensing review committee.
Answer
The members of the committee are giving their time freely, but will receive travel and other reasonable expenses. We are able to meet those costs from within the Justice Department's existing budget allocation, and will set a precise figure when the committee has agreed its detailed programme of work and any associated visits.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the liquor licensing review committee is scheduled to meet over the next 12 months.
Answer
I understand that the committee met for the first time on 1 August 2001. It is for the committee to arrange its own programme of work.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the growth in teenage drinking reported in the National Centre for Social Research/National Foundation for Educational Research report Smoking, drinking and drug misuse among young people in Scotland in 2000.
Answer
The Scottish Executive supports a range of measures to tackle young people's drinking. Alcohol education in schools is an integral part of health education and personal and social development. This ensures that information about alcohol is given as part of a programme aimed at helping young people develop sound lifestyle choices and healthy living. We are also continuing to provide funding for agencies including the Health Education Board for Scotland, Alcohol Focus Scotland and DrinkWise who provide a range of information and advice on the dangers of under-age and excessive drinking and undertake a wide variety of preventative activities with schools and youth and community groups.The Executive is currently developing a national Plan for Action on Alcohol Misuse. The need to address young people's drinking has emerged strongly during the Executive's consultation on the plan.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 24 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage local authorities to improve the collection of council house rent arrears in the light of the increase in total rent arrears reported in Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure 1999-2000 to 2001-02.
Answer
In June 2000 the Accounts Commission and Scottish Homes published a report on Managing Rent Arrears. The report recommended actions that should be taken by both local authorities and registered social landlords to improve their management of rent arrears.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 23 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of hosting its three "Budget Roadshows" in Inverness, Kilmarnock and Dundee, including the hire of the facilities, any use of external consultants and publicity.
Answer
The Budget Roadshow in Inverness cost £2,876. This comprised £291 for the hire of the venue and refreshments, £2,435 for the hire of audio visual facilities, staging and the operating staff, and £150 for publicity. This does not include Executive staff costs.More than 80 people attended the event at Inverness. It was a highly successful meeting and many issues of interest and concern to the audience were raised.The remaining roadshows in Kilmarnock and Dundee will be held on 27 and 29 August, and we expect the costs to be similar to the Inverness roadshow. The costs will be met from existing budgets.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 23 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what factors it took into account in deciding (a) the locations for its "Budget Roadshows" and (b) which organisations and interest groups to invite to them.
Answer
The roadshow locations were chosen, as last year, to reflect a mix of urban and rural areas outwith the central belt.We have endeavoured to invite people to represent the public, private and voluntary sectors in the areas surrounding the host town or city, whilst aiming for an appropriately sized group.
- Asked by: Mr Keith Harding, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 21 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to redefine council tax bandings to take account of house price inflation.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-13768 on 14 March 2001.
