- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any delays in the timescales set out by the Deputy First Minister for the submission of the comprehensive improvement plan by Glasgow Housing Association to the Scottish Housing Regulator in response to the critical inspection report of June 2007.
Answer
I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of The Scottish Housing Regulator, to respond. Her response is as follows:
We published our report on our inspection of Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) on 18 September 2007. In accordance with our published guidance, we required GHA to submit an improvement plan to us within eight weeks of publication of the report. An initial version of the plan was submitted within this timescale, on 13 November 2007.
We provided GHA with our comments on the plan, as is usual practice. GHA produced subsequent revisions and a final version was submitted on 1 February 2008. This version of the plan was then agreed by us.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how and when Scottish ministers, or the Scottish Housing Regulator on behalf of ministers, fulfilled the commitment to consult with each of the 64 registered social landlords or management-only local housing organisations in year two of the operation of their remodelled management agreements with Glasgow Housing Association.
Answer
I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of The Scottish Housing Regulator, to respond. Her response is as follows:
The first set of directions was issued in April 2006 under section 68A of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. At that time, we said that we would carry out a review in year two of their operation. We issued a consultation paper on the terms of our review in January 2009, and it is now underway.
It would not have been appropriate to carry out our review of the directions and Remodelled Management Agreement (RMA) until now. When we inspected Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) in 2007, we recommended that it carry out a fundamental review of its purpose and direction. It has been important for us to take account of GHA''s emerging proposals for future tenant empowerment and its progress with Second Stage Transfer when considering our proposals for the future management of directions.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is providing written comment and direction on Glasgow Housing Association’s consultation draft 2009-10 business plan, Above and Beyond - Shaping a New Vision for GHA, and whether Scottish ministers were consulted before the draft was circulated.
Answer
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing wrote directly to GHA on 9 February 2009, providing comments on GHA''s consultation draft Business Plan 2009-2010, Above and Beyond. Earlier drafts were made available to ministers.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the progress made by Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) on the second-stage transfer (SST) programme approved by its board in October 2007 and the timescales for SST initiatives detailed in the comprehensive improvement plan submitted by the GHA to the Scottish Housing Regulator.
Answer
I refer the member to answer to question S3W-21021 on 10 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an option for remodelled management agreements to lead on to community ownership.
Answer
The Remodelled Management Agreements currently give Local Housing Organisations preferred bidder status to bring forward second stage transfer proposals. Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) could continue to offer preferred bidder status if Remodelled Management Agreements do not continue to exist. The Scottish Government has asked GHA to give serious consideration to the future opportunities for community ownership and set out how that will be worked into its strategy.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what the approved establishment numbers were for each police authority in each of the last eight quarters.
Answer
Police officer establishments are a matter for police authorities and Chief Constables.
Figures on the number of police officers employed are collected on a whole-time equivalent basis each quarter. The 31 December 2008 figures were published on 3 March and are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47838).
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been recruited in each of the last eight quarters, broken down by police authority.
Answer
Police officer recruitment is a matter for police authorities and chief constables.
Figures on the number of police officers employed are collected on a whole-time equivalent basis each quarter. The 31 December 2008 figures were published on 3 March and are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47838).
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what educational and employment programmes are available in young offenders institutions and how many places on such programmes are available in (a) Scotland and (b) YOI Polmont.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
The Scottish Prison Service provides a range of educational and employment programmes in all prisons, including HM yoi Polmont.
The primary focus is to address basic skills needs such as literacy and numeracy and also to increase the skills and capabilities of prisoners to enhance their employability prospects.
Polmont offers seven Vocational Training courses, a range of educational courses to certificate level and has also developed significant links with external employers and employability groups.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers carry a Taser gun, broken down by police board area.
Answer
Scotland has 721 Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) trained in the use of Taser guns. Tasers are one of the options, alongside other weapons, that are available to AFOs when deployed.
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21330 on 6 March 2009, which sets out the number of police officers trained to carry a Taser gun, broken down by police board area.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are restrictions on using Taser guns on people under the age of 18.
Answer
There are no restrictions on the use of Taser guns on people under the age of 18. While the age of a suspect is taken into account when considering a proportionate policing response to firearms incidents, it is vital that police consider the threat posed first and foremost.
