- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is exploring equity release schemes or development of the Scheme of Assistance process for those who are not entitled to assistance under stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package.
Answer
The Fuel Poverty Forum recommended that funding for the Energy Assistance Package could be further augmented through top-up funding or low-interest loans, or equity release. The Scottish Government is intending to consult on a number of issues related to the energy efficiency of housing in the next few months, and we are considering whether this issue should be included as part of that consultation.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, as a result of the transition to the new Energy Assistance Package, there will be an impact on people who have registered for the existing central heating and warm deal programmes.
Answer
No. Those who apply under the existing programmes up to 31 March 2009 will continue to have their applications progressed as now.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 8 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14053 by Adam Ingram on 19 June 2008, what progress has been made on its plan to consult on the possibility of a truth and reconciliation forum for victims of historical abuse.
Answer
Following discussions with the national reference group set up to take forward SurvivorScotland, the national strategy for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, the Scottish Government has developed a discussion paper for a truth and reconciliation forum, renamed Acknowledgement and Accountability which is about to issue.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13596 by Shona Robison on 5 June 2008, whether it communicated to the Scottish Ambulance Service the expectation that, given the continuing increase in fuel costs, mileage rates for volunteer ambulance drivers would increase.
Answer
The answers to all parliamentary questions that are related to their operation are communicated to the Scottish Ambulance Service.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15883 by Shona Robison on 2 September 2008, whether it plans to review the method of calculating mileage rates for volunteer ambulance drivers.
Answer
No. The method used to calculate mileage rates for volunteer ambulance drivers is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
The service will continue to review the rates on a monthly basis.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15883 by Shona Robison on 12 September 2008, whether it is content that the current mileage rates for volunteer ambulance drivers are sufficient.
Answer
This is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) and I am content with the assurances from them that the rate is sufficient to cover costs associated with the service provided, but the SAS will keep this rate under review.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15883 by Shona Robison on 12 September 2008, whether it is content that the method of calculating mileage rates for volunteer ambulance drivers provides a rate sufficient to cover the costs associated with the service provided.
Answer
This is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service and I am content with the assurances from them that the method used provides a rate sufficient to cover costs associated with the service provided. The service will continue to review the rates on a monthly basis.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15883 by Shona Robison on 12 September 2008, whether it will provide details of the factors other than the price of fuel that are taken into account by the Scottish Ambulance Service when considering mileage rates for volunteer ambulance drivers.
Answer
Other than fuel costs, which includes both diesel and petrol, the factors taken in to account are maintenance costs, car tax and car insurance.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13596 by Shona Robison on 5 June 2008, which expressed an expectation that, given the continuing increase in fuel costs, mileage rates for volunteer ambulance drivers would increase, why the rates remained unchanged when the AA reported an increase in average prices between May and July 2008.
Answer
The rates remain unchanged because they continue to cover costs.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank Mulholland on 26 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are for procurators fiscal in relation to the independent scrutiny of the translation into English of evidence in other languages.
Answer
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has provided guidance to procurators fiscal on commissioning translations. Where translation is required an appropriate translation agency will be instructed. The guidance instructs that, where possible, a translation agency provides translators who hold a valid certificate from Disclosure Scotland at Standard level and who hold relevant qualifications.
On instruction, translators are required to sign a Code of Conduct which sets out the standards expected when accepting interpreting and translation assignments from COPFS.
As a matter of routine, a copy of the translated document is provided to the defence who will consider whether the translation of the document should be reviewed by an independent party.
