Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-21018

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-21016

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fully registered social landlords entered into a remodelled management agreement with Glasgow Housing Association in 2006 and how many houses were covered by each agreement.

Twenty-four registered social landlords entered into a Remodelled Management Agreement (RMA) with Glasgow Housing Association in 2006 covering a total of 34 local housing organisation areas.

A list of these registered social landlords and their LHO partners is provided, containing stock numbers covered by each agreement.

RSLs with Sub Committee LHOs

RSL	LHO	LHO Stock Number
Ardenglen HA	Ardenglen HA LHO	277
Blairtummock HA	Blairtummock LHO	186
Blairtummock HA	Rogerfield LHO	293
Calvay HA	Stepforward LHO	403
Cathcart HA	Cathcart HA LHO	306
Cernach HA	Cernach HA LHO	605
Gardeen H Co-op	Gardeen H Co-op LHO	92
Glasgow West HA	Argyle LHO (Anderston)	520
Glasgow West HA	Hyndland LHO	139
Glen Oaks HA	Glen Oaks HA LHO (Darnley)	363
Glen Oaks HA	Glen Oaks HA LHO (Pollok)	644
Govanhill HA	Govanhill HA LHO	632
Govanhill HA	Merrylee LHO	147
Maryhill HA	Maryhill LHO	2,668
Milnbank HA	Milnbank HA LHO	907
New Gorbals HA	New Gorbals HA LHO	2,415
North Glasgow HA	North Glasgow HA LHO (including Balgrayhill TMC)	1,124
North Glasgow HA	Balmore LHO	1,362
North Glasgow HA	Red Road Balornock LHO	2,055
Parkhead HA	Cross View LHO	311
Pineview H Co-op	Pineview H Co-op LHO	299
Provanhall HA	Provanhall LHO	199
Queens Cross HA	Queens Cross HA LHO (Burnbank, Cromwell, Dundas)	806
Queens Cross HA	Queens Cross HA LHO (Hamiltonhill)	819
Queens Cross HA	Queens Cross HA LHO (South Maryhill)	1,177
Shettleston HA	Shettleston HA LHO	902
Southside HA	Pollokshields TMC LHO	532
Southside HA	Halfway LHO	439
Southside HA	Cardonald Triangle LHO	537
Thenew HA	Holmbyre LHO	160
Tollcross HA	Tollcross Area	1,811
Wellhouse H Co-op	Wellhouse Tenants Direct LHO	499
Whiteinch & Scotstoun HA	Whiteinch & Scotstoun HA LHO	335
Yorkhill HA	Yorkhill HA LHO	172
		24,136

Thirty-four RSL sub-committee LHOs.

Twenty-four RSLs have sub-committee LHOs.

Question reference: S3W-21028

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-21027

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to the transfer of all Glasgow Housing Association stock to local tenant organisations.

Question reference: S3W-21029

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 10 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Scottish ministers have to give directions to Glasgow Housing Association.

Scottish ministers have the power to direct Glasgow Housing Association to delegate a specified range of housing management functions to Registered Social Landlords/Local Housing Organisations under section 68A of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. This is a time limited power and will end in 2011.

Scottish ministers issued the first set of directions and have delegated the exercise of the power to the Scottish Housing Regulator who will issue any future directions as appropriate.

Question reference: S3W-21355

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-21329

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-21333

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
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.

Question reference: S3W-21335

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times Taser guns have been used on people under the age of 18.

Question reference: S3W-21331

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions police officers have used a Taser gun to help apprehend a suspect.