- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek an assurance from the Scottish Legal Aid Board that either - (a) the targets within which Advice and Assistance, Civil and Criminal accounts should be paid are being met; or, (b) arrangements are being made to ensure that the targets will be met in future.
Answer
The targets set out in the Board's annual Corporate Plan are the subject of monthly monitoring by the Board. Recently the Board has fallen seriously behind the targets on the payment of criminal legal aid accounts, and slightly behind in other areas. The Board has recently had a drive for improved quality in accounts assessment, and this, combined with staff turnover, has led to delays. The Board has put in place measures to tackle the backlog including additional staff and is now starting to recover the position. I am being kept fully informed of the developing situation.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the Housing (Right to Buy)(Cost Floor)(Scotland) Order (S.I. 1999/611) and the Right to Buy Cost Floor Determination.
Answer
No. However, the Housing Green Paper sought views on the Right to Buy more generally. Responses to the Green Paper on this and other issues are currently being collated and analysed.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to lay before the Parliament the 38 responses made to the February 1998 consultation paper on changes to the Right to Buy scheme and cost floor rules.
Answer
Copies of 37 of the responses are being placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. In the remaining case, comments were provided on an "in confidence" basis.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to restore, for a period of six months or other trial period, to those tenants affected by the Housing (Right to Buy)(Cost Floor)(Scotland) Order (S.I. 1999/611) the right to purchase their council house with the benefit of the discount which they would have received under the previous rules.
Answer
No. The Housing (Right to Buy) (Cost Floor) (Scotland) Order took effect on 1 April 1999 and applies to all applications to purchase served on or after that date.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to meet with members of the Scottish Legal Aid Board to discuss delays in Legal Aid payments.
Answer
My officials have met senior officers at the Board twice recently and this matter has also been discussed with the Board in the Tripartite Group which also includes the Law Society of Scotland. I am being kept fully informed and plan to meet the Board in due course as part of my familiarisation with the key players in the justice system.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures does it intend to introduce to promote tourism in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
Together with my Ministerial colleagues, Alasdair Morrison and Nicol Stephen, I have had a useful preliminary meeting with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourist Board. We discussed some of the opportunities and challenges that face the tourism industry in the years ahead.It is my intention to ask the STB to consult widely and to prepare a new strategy for the industry by around the end of this year. This strategy will identify action that needs to be taken in the highlands and islands and elsewhere to ensure that the tourism industry throughout Scotland realises its full potential.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 17 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures does it intend to introduce to promote tourism in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
Together with my Ministerial colleagues, Alasdair Morrison and Nicol Stephen, I have had a useful preliminary meeting with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourist Board. We discussed some of the opportunities and challenges that face the tourism industry in the years ahead.It is my intention to ask the STB to consult widely and to prepare a new strategy for the industry by around the end of this year. This strategy will identify action that needs to be taken in the highlands and islands and elsewhere to ensure that the tourism industry throughout Scotland realises its full potential.
