- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its intention to end the "postcode lottery of care" as described by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 14 December 2000 (Official Report, col.1039) will result in services being equally available in all health board areas and, if so, when this will be achieved.
Answer
Our National Health: a plan for action; a plan for change, published on 14 December, sets out fully the range of measures which will be taken to develop and achieve strong national and clinical standards across NHSScotland.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities currently require tenants who are exercising their right to buy to take out a particular building insurance policy as a condition of buying their home and which of these authorities receive commissions from the insurance premiums generated.
Answer
Conditions attached to right to buy sales relating to insurance policies are a matter for local authorities and prospective purchasers to agree. Information on these matters is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist local authorities in improving their planning systems.
Answer
In 1997 a Planning Audit Unit was set up within Planning Services Division of the Scottish Executive. Its initial purpose was to work with authorities to assist in securing improvements in the delivery of their development control service. As well as continuing to do this, it is now also working with authorities to improve their development planning functions.We also seek to keep national planning policy up to date. In November 2000 we published a revision of National Planning Policy Guideline 1: The Planning System. We will shortly be publishing a revision of Planning Advice Note 40: Development Control which will provide, inter alia, best practice advice on development control services.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a right of appeal for objectors to a particular planning development which has been approved.
Answer
We have no plans at present to introduce such a right of appeal into the planning system.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social consequences will be of delaying the construction of the M74 Northern Extension until the completion of a public inquiry and what the cost of the inquiry will be.
Answer
If a public inquiry is necessary then that is part of the statutory process and is not a delay. It is not possible to estimate the cost of an inquiry until the scope of any objections to the scheme are known.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact will be on regeneration, land reclamation and investment of constructing a modified M74 Northern Extension without junctions.
Answer
The scheme that will be taken forward in partnership with Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire, will have four key junctions. It will create significant investment and regeneration opportunities for the whole of west central Scotland and in addition, more locally assist in making contaminated land safe.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the report by the Federation of Small Businesses, Barriers to Growth and Survival, and, if so, when.
Answer
Officials in the Executive's Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department hosted a seminar on 7 December at which the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) gave a presentation on the report. This allowed the FSB representatives to discuss the findings with officials working on most of the subjects covered by the report. My officials will continue to meet regularly with the FSB.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the availability of venture capital finance to small businesses.
Answer
The Scottish Executive keeps the financial needs of small business under continued review. I am very pleased that the change of status afforded to Scottish Equity Partners - formerly Scottish Development Finance, Scottish Enterprise's investment arm - has allowed the company to raise £80 million for a new Venture Capital Fund aimed at early stage and growth technology companies. This will provide access to equity funding for an increasing number of Scottish small businesses.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any conflict of interest exists where a local authority uses its own operatives to carry out repairs on owner-occupied property which it factors, rather than seek quotes on behalf of owners, given the factor's responsibility to act in the owner's best interest.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-12520.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the earliest date is when the construction of the M74 Northern Extension can commence.
Answer
I expect construction works for the new motorway to start in 2005 subject to completion of all of the statutory and procurement procedures.
