- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the terms of appointment of the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration are, who he is employed by, what the cost of his office is, whether this cost is met from the Scottish block and whether he is based in his Edinburgh or London office.
Answer
The Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration is appointed by Her Majesty under article 4 of the Scotland Act 1998 (Transitory and Transitional Provisions) (Complaints of Maladministration) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1351). He holds office under Her Majesty and exercises his functions on behalf of the Crown.
The Scottish Parliament has power to determine the salary and allowances in respect of expenses for the Commissioner but, as the present Commissioner also holds office as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, he is not entitled to any salary in his capacity as Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) may determine the other terms and conditions of the appointment.
The costs of the Scottish Commissioner's office in Edinburgh will be paid by the SPCB. The appropriate amounts are a matter for the SPCB to settle with the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.The Commissioner himself continues to be based in his London office but complaints against the Scottish Executive and other Scottish public authorities will be dealt with by staff based in his Edinburgh office.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards the appointment of a permanent Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and how this appointment will be made.
Answer
Under section 91 of the Scotland Act 1998, an Act of the Scottish Parliament will be required to put in place the permanent arrangements for investigating complaints of maladministration. This will be preceded by a wide-ranging consultation process. My officials have begun initial research work and to identify issues which might need to be addressed.It will be for the Parliament to decide in due course what provision such an Act should make for the appointment of a permanent Commissioner.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted about the appointment of the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.
Answer
The Scottish Executive was informed of the appointment by the Secretary of State for Scotland. The appointment was made under transitional arrangements made by the then Scottish Office Ministers, so as to ensure that appropriate arrangements were in place to investigate complaints of maladministration from 1 July when the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive took up their powers.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 13 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake to give Sheriffs discretion to refuse or delay repossession decrees in the light of family circumstances in its first housing legislation.
Answer
The Courts already have discretion to supersede (that is, postpone) extract of decrees to repossess property if either or both parties to an action request that this be done and in considering this option, and where asked to, we would expect the Courts to take into account all the circumstances, including those of any family involved. However, I have made it clear that we are also willing to consider the case for further legislation to protect those facing repossession in Scotland should that prove necessary.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 10 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify for each of the last 3 years, broken down, if possible, between actions raised by first and second standard security holders (a) how many home repossession actions were raised in Scottish courts against private house owners; (b) how many such actions proceeded to decree; (c) how many repossessions took place, and (d) how many families left their homes as a result of such orders.
Answer
The court records do not differentiate between first and second security holders as regards the actions raised. Nor do they differentiate between actions against private home owners and other mortgagors. The available information is given in the table below. This shows the number of actions for possession raised in the sheriff courts in the years 1996, 1997 and 1998, and the estimated number of possessions carried out in 1996 and 1997. Figures for possessions carried out in 1998 are not available.
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
Actions raised (1) | 5444 | 5381 | 6934 |
Decrees granted (1) | 4249 | 4224 | 5367 |
| Estimated number of properties taken into possession (2) | 1940 | 2140 | N/A |
Source: (1) Scottish Executive Justice Department.(2) Council of Mortgage Lenders - the figures are estimates on returns from a sample of lenders and include abandonments or voluntary possessions where a decree for possession may not have been obtained.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 8 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify, for each of the last 3 years, the cost of administration to (a) the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, (b) the Student Loans Company and (c) further and higher education institutions of the assessment, collection and payment of student maintenance support and tuition fees.
Answer
The information requested is given in the table.
A. Cost of Administering the Student Awards Agency for Scotland
Expenditure is shown by Financial years.
| | Expenditure1 |
| | £m |
1996-97 | £3.7M |
1997-98 | £4.5M |
1998-99 | £4.7M |
1
Expenditure is on a full costs basis
B. Costs, met by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, of administering the Student Loans Company .
The costs of administering the Student Loans Company Ltd is met on a United Kingdom wide basis. Each of the Education Departments pays a share of the costs, calculated using a formula which takes into account the relative numbers of students for whom they have administrative responsibility.
| | Expenditure |
| | £m |
1996-97 | 2.3 |
1997-98 | 2.8 |
1998-99 | 2.8 |
C. Cost of Administration to further and higher education institutions of the assessment, collection and payment of student maintenance and tuition fees
Further Education Colleges assumed responsibility for maintenance awards for non-advanced courses and for tuition fees in April 1996. The direct cost of administering the schemes for 1996-97 and 1997-98 was approximately £1.7m or 4% of the overall annual bursary allocation. From 1998-99 onwards, administration costs have been included within the recurrent grant allocations. Information on Colleges' administration costs is not available centrally.Information on the administration costs of the collection and payment of student maintenance support and tuition fees in respect of higher education institutions is also not held centrally
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 8 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of introducing the new system of student tuition fees was, what the additional annual cost of the administration and collection of tuition fees is and what amount of tuition fees due in academic year 1998-99 remain uncollected.
Answer
This information is not collected centrally. Institutions already had in place arrangements for administration and collection of tuition fees from students. The extent to which additional costs are incurred as a result of the introduction of private contributions to tuition fees for new entrants will vary from institution to institution.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 6 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding the Scottish Further Education Funding Council has available to bring financial stability to further education colleges in the current financial year and what the procedure is for allocating these funds between colleges, including the precise basis for allocation.
Answer
When the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for the FE sector was announced last year, one of the main objectives of the extra £214 million for the current and the next two financial years was to improve the sector's financial stability.More than 98% of the increased funds available for the FE sector in the current financial year were allocated by the Secretary of State for Scotland before the Scottish Further Education Funding Council took over funding responsibilities on 1 July 1999. The Council has at its disposal for the remainder of the financial year three £1 million Funds for New Areas, Innovations and Ventures, and Collaboration and Rationalisation, plus a small contingency reserve.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 6 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take to ensure that further education colleges are advised of their annual financial allocations at an earlier stage than is currently the case.
Answer
The Scottish Further Education Funding Council is now responsible for allocating funding to individual further education colleges. It has announced its intention to advise colleges of their next annual financial allocations three clear months before the start of the funding year.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 6 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify, for each of the last 6 years, (a) the total number of students attending further education colleges in Scotland, broken down into full-time and part-time students (b) the total amount of capital and revenue support provided to further education colleges in Scotland, including the amount of money which is ring-fenced for specific purposes and (c) the number of further education colleges in Scotland showing a financial deficit and the amount of such deficit; and to specify the planned levels of financial support for further education colleges in Scotland over the next 3 years.
Answer
The information requested is as follows -
| Student Enrolments on Further and Higher Education Courses in Further Education Institutions in Scotland 1994-95 to 1997-98 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) | |
| | | | |
| | | | | |
Mode | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | |
| | | | | |
All student enrolments | 267,077 | 319,994 | 380,657 | 411,408 | |
Full-time | 54,764 | 56,362 | 61,903 | 65,563 | |
Part-time | 212,313 | 263,632 | 318,754 | 345,845 | |
| | | | | |
| (1) Includes students enrolled on vocational and non-vocational further education courses. | |
| (2) Further education institutions are defined in this table as the 43 incorporated colleges; the local authority |
| Colleges of Orkney and Shetland; and the Gaelic college Sabhal Mor Ostaig. Figures exclude | |
| Newbattle Abbey College. 1997-1998 is the latest year for which figures are available. | | | | | |
| (3) Data for 1996-97 and prior years excludes student enrolments at Sabhal Mor Ostaig, as data was not |
| Collected for these years. | | | | | |
| (4) A student enrolled on more than one course is counted for each course on which they enrol. | |
| (5) Data prior to 1994-95 is not on a comparable basis due to changes to the data collection source and methodology. |
| (6) Data includes courses at further and higher education level. | | | |
Total financial support 1993-1994 to 1998-1999 (7)
£ million | 1993-1994 | 1994-1995 | 1995-1996 | 1996-1997 | 1997-1998 | 1998-1999 |
| | | | | | | |
Revenue | 204.6 | 225.3 | 234.4 | 236.5 | 241.2 | 234.2 |
Bursaries | - | - | - | 45.0 | 45.0 | 44.0 |
Capital | 13.6 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 8.1 | 4.6 | 9.9 |
Total | 218.2 | 240.9 | 249.6 | 289.6 | 290.8 | 288.1 |
(7) No funding elements are specifically ring-fenced, thereby limiting maximum annual expenditure. Bursaries were funded directly by local authorities up to 1995-96. Provision for bursaries in 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 included funding for colleges' bursary administration costs.
Colleges showing financial deficits 1993-1994 to 1998-1999 (8)
| | 1993-1994 | 1994-1995 | 1995-1996 | 1996-1997 | 1997-1998 | 1998-1999 |
Colleges in overall deficit | 12 | 27 | 27 | 35 | 35 | 40 |
Total deficits £ million | 2.9 | 10.6 | 16.0 | 15.6 | 11.7 | 15.5 |
- Source of data is the National Audit Office Report "Scottish Further Education Colleges: Managing Costs" published in June 1999. Data shown is from annual accounts, except for 1998-1999, which is based on colleges' forecast figures. 'Overall deficit' is total income less total expenditure, including depreciation on the value of property inherited at nil cost on incorporation and exceptional restructuring costs. In 1993-1994, not all colleges included depreciation on the value of inherited property.
Support for the FE sector over the next three years£329 million is available for the FE sector in 1999-2000. Planned levels of funding in support of the FE sector are £358 million in 2000-2001, and £394 million in 2001 -2002.
