- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to select the independent panel of academics to oversee the multi-modal study of the transport corridors covered by the M8 and M80 and when it will report.
Answer
The independent panel of academics will be selected on the basis of their direct experience of multi-modal transport appraisal. Of particular relevance will be experience in transport modelling and appraisal, environmental assessment, economic development issues and land-use/transportation interactions.Officials are currently developing a draft study programme, including timescales, for my consideration.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the total funding package of #12 million allocated through the Scottish Healthy Homes Initiative will be index linked against inflation.
Answer
In November, I announced that the budget for the Warm Deal will be increased to £13 million in 2000-01 and £14.5 million in 2001-02.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the maximum grant of #500 available under the Warm Deal in Scotland programme will be index linked against inflation.
Answer
There are no present plans to review the grant maximum.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government through the Inter-Departmental Group on Older People to change the law to reduce the council tax benefit taper which requires pensioners to pay 20p in every # earned from their occupational or private pension over the income support level towards council tax and what assessment it has made of the effect on poverty levels such a change may have.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with United Kingdom Government Ministers and Departments on a wide range of issues, including council tax benefit. It is for the Department of Social Security to assess the impact of any possible changes to the council tax benefit taper.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the New Warm Deal so that cross subsidy of eligible flats within a given tenemental project can be considered providing that the average grant per flat does not exceed the maximum available.
Answer
There are no present plans for a review of this kind.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the New Warm Deal will operate indefinitely and, if not, how long will it operate for.
Answer
We have no plans to bring the Warm Deal to an end.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 20 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of people who died from cold-related illnesses in the last years for which figures are available were males over 65 and females over 60.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to the answer to his question S1W-3003.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 20 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the estimated cost of ending excess winter deaths in Scotland.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to the answer to his question S1W-3003.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 20 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how many excess winter deaths in Scotland it estimates there will be from cold-related illnesses this winter.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to the answer to his question S1W-3003.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 20 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Scotland it estimates are at risk from cold-related illness this winter.
Answer
There is no recognised and quantifiable grouping or selection of cold-related illnesses. Many illnesses, including illnesses such as coronary heart disease, may be exacerbated by cold conditions, but it is impossible to say in what proportion of these cold had an impact on the final outcome. There are therefore no figures collected centrally which would provide a simple count of those who may die of cold related illness, or on which basis any estimates of risk of illness or death, or subsequent cost to the NHS could reliably be calculated.
Whatever the issues surrounding such calculation, it is clear that cold can exacerbate poor health and that many people on low incomes can have difficulty in heating their homes adequately. In order to address this issue, a new grant scheme, called the Warm Deal, was introduced in Scotland on 1 July this year. The purpose of the scheme is to provide a package of home insulation measures up to a value of £500 for low income families. The Warm Deal can lead to savings on current fuel bills of up to £170. People can reinvest this amount to provide the extra warmth they need when they need it.The UK government has also taken a number of other measures to address these issues.
