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: S4W-05146

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03279 by Michael Russell on 31 October 2011, what progress it is making on the development of the next generation of Glow.

Question reference: S4W-05147

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03287 by Michael Russell on 31 October 2011, what payments it has since made and what contracts it has now agreed in relation to Glow.

Question reference: S4W-05134

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-04864 by Aileen Campbell on 19 January 2012, for what reason it has changed the target date for the agreement of local plans from January 2012 to September 2012.

The establishment of area support teams (ASTs) represents one element of the implementation programme due to take effect in September 2012. That is the implementation target date that the Scottish Government remains committed to delivering.

In respect of ASTs, the January target date is the date by which the National Convener anticipated having local plans agreed. The Scottish Government has not changed the target date for the agreement of ASTs from January to September 2012.

Question reference: S4W-05145

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03280 by Michael Russell on 31 October 2011, when it will complete engagement activity with the education community on the future development of Glow.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with the education community on the future development of Glow.

For example, activity specifically relating to scoping the functionality of the new Glow solution is due to conclude in February 2012. Looking forward, an event to engage the wider education community about progress with the new Glow solution and the ICT in Education programme is planned for April 2012.

Question reference: S4W-05135

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 27 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S4F-00316 by the First Minister on 1 December 2011 (Official Report, c. 4225) when it will seek a debate in the Parliament on human trafficking.

Question reference: S4W-04867

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the duty on public (a) bodies and (b) office holders to further the conservation of biodiversity under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 applies to the secretariat of the Scottish Cities Alliance.

Question reference: S4W-04865

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers its agenda for cities, as set out in Scotland's Cities: Delivering for Scotland, to be a plan or a project.

Question reference: S4W-04866

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its agenda for cities, as set out in Scotland's Cities: Delivering for Scotland, has been subject to a strategic environmental assessment.

Scotland’s Cities: Delivering for Scotland has been considered within the terms of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. It has been determined to be exempt under Section 7 of the 2005 Act, as it is likely to have no or minimal effect in relation to the environment.

A copy of the exemption decision, referred to as a pre-screening decision, is available on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Database, which can be accessed at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/environmental-assessment/sea/SEAG. The case identification reference is PRE\00406.

Question reference: S4W-04885

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing mandatory disclosure checks in respect of private landlord registration.

Under the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011 local authorities already have the power to request disclosure checks on registered landlords. A local authority can require that a private landlord provide a criminal record certificate if it deems it necessary when applying the fit and proper person test.

The Scottish Government is working in partnership with members of the Scottish Private Rented Sector Strategy Group to produce a consultative strategy aimed at improving standards and quality within the private rented sector in Scotland.

As part of development of the final strategy, due in summer 2012, the views of local authorities and other key stakeholders will be considered on the case for introduction of mandatory disclosure checks for all private landlords.

Question reference: S4W-04889

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing a minimum fine for landlord registration offences.

As part of development of the final strategy, due in summer 2012, the views of local authorities and other key stakeholders will be considered in relation to the case for introduction of a minimum fine for landlord registration offences.