- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 24 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase funding to the Scottish Tenants Organisation.
Answer
We have no plans at present.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 23 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, for each year since 1996, how many prosecutions were carried out by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, how many prosecutions were successful, what the total cost was of carrying out prosecutions and what the level of fines was from successful prosecutions.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) does not carry out prosecutions. Cases of contravention of environment protection legislation, which are considered by SEPA to warrant legal action, are referred to the Procurators Fiscal service for prosecution. Decisions on whether or not to proceed with prosecution in particular cases are entirely a matter for the appropriate Procurator Fiscal. The costs of carrying out prosecutions are borne by the Procurators Fiscal service and not by SEPA. The following table sets out information on cases referred by SEPA to the Procurators Fiscal since April 1996:
| | 1/4/96 to 31/3/97 | 1/4/97 to 31/3/98 | 1/4/98 to 31/3/99 | 1/4/99 to 31/3/2000 | 1/4/2000 to 10/11/2000 |
Cases referred to Procurators Fiscal | 37 | 70 | 73 | 84 | 39 |
Successful prosecutions | 24 | 43 | 37 | 42 | 8 |
Number of cases where fines imposed | 18 | 37 | 28 | 30 | 8 |
Total fines imposed | £48,026.37 | £72,158.85 | £86,075 | £58,200 | £35,950 |
Note: Figures may differ from those published in SEPA's annual reports depending on when legal proceedings were resolved.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 23 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage more energy efficient use of offices and other buildings.
Answer
The Scottish Executive, through our Scottish Energy Efficiency Office, operates an extensive best practice programme to encourage more efficient use of energy in both industrial processes and building use. The programme provides free advice and consultancy in addition to interest free loans for small businesses. A key feature of the programme is a design advice scheme which aims to embed low energy design into new and refurbished buildings.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 23 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households and how many people will be relieved of fuel poverty as a result of all the initiatives currently in place to address this issue.
Answer
At the meeting of the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee on 1 November, I said that the Executive hope to take 250,000 households out of fuel poverty over the lifetime of this administration and the next. We will work towards this target through the Central Heating Initiative, the Warm Deal, New Housing Partnerships and other forms of investment to improve housing in Scotland. Our policies are complemented by the new Minimum Income Guarantee for pensioners and the £200 Winter Fuel Allowance. Progress will be monitored and the results will be published.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 14 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the inclusive capital spend was on council housing by Glasgow District Council and Glasgow City Council, broken down to show (a) the borrowing consent, (b) the spend from capital receipts and (c) capital expenditure funded from revenue in each financial year from 1975-76 to 1999-2000.
Answer
The following table provides a breakdown of Glasgow District/City Council's capital expenditure on council housing in each financial year from 1979-80 to 1999-2000. Information prior to 1979-80 is not readily available.
Glasgow District/City Council
Capital Expenditure on Council Housing
| | £ million |
Year | Borrowing Consent | Capital Receipts | Expenditure Funded from Revenue |
1979-80 | 58.197 | 1.512 | - |
1980-81 | 60.220 | 5.432 | - |
1981-82 | 57.732 | 4.387 | - |
1982-83 | 39.331 | 17.654 | - |
1983-84 | 59.126 | 12.950 | - |
1984-85 | 43.022 | 7.824 | - |
1985-86 | 52.501 | 10.189 | - |
1986-87 | 60.148 | 11.612 | - |
1987-88 | 70.086 | 25.231 | - |
1988-89 | 57.463 | 31.089 | - |
1989-90 | 47.556 | 49.985 | - |
1990-91 | 54.026 | 51.753 | - |
1991-92 | 59.675 | 42.153 | - |
1992-93 | 54.665 | 38.925 | - |
1993-94 | 57.923 | 43.548 | - |
1994-95 | 64.162 | 34.710 | - |
1995-96 | 60.630 | 30.493 | - |
1996-97 | 59.749 | 17.462 | - |
1997-98 | 43.179 | 8.319 | - |
1998-99 | 44.795 | 6.886 | - |
1999-2000 | 24.350 | 7.572 | 19.856 |
Source:1979-80 to 1992-93 Glasgow's HSG1A returns. 1993-94 to 1999-2000 Glasgow's CCPR returns.
Note:
Borrowing consent reduced in 1999-2000 to reflect the transfer of HRA debt, associated with demolished stock, to the General Fund. This resulted in a £20 million saving in loan charge expenditure on the HRA, which was used to fund capital expenditure. The net result was, therefore, neutral in terms of overall resources available for expenditure on housing. Borrowing consent in 2001-02 is due to be reinstated to £43.75 million.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 9 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support legislative and administrative changes designed to facilitate the use of buy back flexible tenure schemes by housing associations and other registered social landlords.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-10685.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 9 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to encourage the development of flexible tenure schemes on the model of the buy back scheme used by Weslo Housing Management.
Answer
Mortgage rescue provides support to home owners in mortgage difficulties and can help families to remain in their homes and avoid the negative effects of repossession. We are aware of a number of mortgage rescue schemes operating in Scotland with support from some of the major lenders. By building on their experience, we are keen to look for ways to extend the availability of such support throughout Scotland and I hope to announce more details in the coming months.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 7 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make use of leasing rather than purchasing to facilitate the modernisation of technology in Scottish hospitals.
Answer
NHS Trusts have the flexibility to lease or purchase equipment. It is a local decision for them and will depend on the type of equipment required, its expected life, priorities for the use of available capital and the achievement of best value for money.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 7 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to modernise technology in Scottish hospitals.
Answer
The Government is committed to the use of modern technologies across the NHS in Scotland. On 6 July additional funds totalling £30 million were announced for medical and IM&T equipment. The funds were allocated in August to health boards and Trusts who were given some flexibility to deal with local priorities but were asked to adhere to a number of priority areas. These were:
Radiology equipment including MRI and CT Scanners
Improvements to equipment used in the treatment of coronary heart disease including stroke
Refurbishment of facilities for mental health patients
Decontamination and sterilisation systems
IM&T systems for basic IM&T infrastructure and systems in support of mental health and electronic patient records.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 6 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant neurologists were in post in each hospital in Scotland in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answer
Information on the number of consultants in post is collected at Trust level and does not detail the number of staff in each hospital. The tables below show the number of consultant neurologists employed by the NHS in Scotland for the last three years. Table 1 details the position at 30 September 1999, after the April 1999 reconfiguration of NHS Trusts; Table 2 details the position for the two years prior to Trust reconfiguration. The tables should be read in conjunction with the notes below.Table 1 - Consultant neurologists employed by the NHS in ScotlandHeadcount at 30 September 1999
| Number |
Scotland3 | 37 |
Ayrshire & Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 |
Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | 3 |
Yorkhill NHS Trust | 2 |
South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust | 15 |
North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust | 5 |
Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | 2 |
Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust | 5 |
Grampian Primary Care NHS Trust | 1 |
Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust | 10 |
West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust | 2 |
Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust | 5 |
Forth Valley Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 |
Dumfries & Galloway Acute & Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 |
Table 2 - Consultant neurologists employed by the NHS in Scotland
Headcount at 30 September 1997 and 1998
| Number |
| 1997 | 1998 |
| Scotland3 | 32 | 33 |
South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Kirkcaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Southern General Hospital NHS Trust | 14 | 15 |
Yorkhill NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust | 3 | 3 |
Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust | 3 | 3 |
Stobhill NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Glasgow Community & Mental Health Services NHS Trust | 1 | - |
Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Hairmyres & Stonehouse Hospitals NHS Trust | 2 | 2 |
Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust | 3 | 4 |
Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust | - | 1 |
West Lothian NHS Trust | 2 | 2 |
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust | 3 | 3 |
Western General Hospitals NHS Trust | 9 | 9 |
Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 5 | 4 |
Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Dumfries & Galloway Acute & Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust | 1 | 1 |
Notes for Tables 1 and 2:
1. Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.
2. Includes honorary appointments.
3. There is an element of double counting of "heads" in this table because doctors can hold contracts in more than one Trust.
