Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23076 on 5 May 2009. 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.

The Scottish Government Travel Plan includes a commitment to increase the percentage of staff commuting to work by walking, cycling and public transport. In March 2009 we implemented a salary sacrifice for the purchase of bicycles for the commute to work for Scottish Government staff. Work is on-going to investigate the possibility of using a salary sacrifice scheme for annual season tickets for bus.

In actively supporting such schemes, we would hope other employers also consider salary sacrifice schemes for all forms of travel to work including bus passes. The Scottish Government has also issued guidance providing advice to employers about developing a bus salary sacrifice scheme.

Proposals for low interest loans, interest-free loans or equity release schemes for a range of purposes, including investing in homes energy efficiency measures, will come forward later in the year.

The Energy Technology Partnership (ETP) is a partnership of Scotland''s universities dedicated to collaborative research across the energy field. The partnership''s members currently employ 250 academics and 650 researchers across several higher education institutions, the largest power and energy grouping of its kind in Europe.

One of the key strategic objectives of the ETP is to achieve economic benefit for Scotland from its activities, through knowledge exchange, new company formation and working with industry to commercialise its science base. The ETP is actively supporting the creation of indirect jobs in Scotland, through participation in inward and outward trade missions with Scottish Development International and working closely with our colleagues in Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Island Enterprise to develop closer working relationships with the 2500 energy related companies in Scotland.

The Scottish European Green Energy Centre will create 10 direct and 60 indirect jobs over the next five years. These direct posts will work across the range of activities of the centre, to promote collaborative research opportunities between Scottish companies, universities and their European counterparts; to secure funding for this research, and to disseminate the results of this research across the EU.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23078 on 5 May 2009. 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.

Part 7 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 (the 2004 Act) provides that a local authority can issue an Antisocial Behaviour Notice (ABN) on the landlord of a relevant house where the tenant or occupant is engaging in antisocial behaviour. We consider that a house occupied under a holiday let would be included in the definition of a relevant house for the purposes of the 2004 act.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23136 on 29 April 2009 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22157 on 1 April 2009. 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.

Local authority officials, at a meeting of the Scottish Houses in Multiple Occupation Networking Group and in direct contact, have informed the Scottish Government of concerns, based on their experience, that some landlords may be evading the requirements for licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) by claiming that properties are let on a short-term basis and that tenants have principal residences elsewhere. This was identified as a particular concern in relation to the accommodation of migrant workers.

As previously stated, we will be considering the options for implementing new HMO provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 later this year. The issue of short-term lets, and what types of accommodation require to be licensed under those provisions, will be part of our discussions with stakeholders.

The Scottish Government''s Public Sector Pay Policy encourages a total reward approach to public sector pay, including non-pay rewards such as salary sacrifice schemes.

Salary sacrifice schemes for other public sector workforce groups in Scotland are a matter for the employers within these groups.

The Scottish Government is actually encouraging more employers in Scotland - public, private and voluntary sector - to offer their staff childcare vouchers, which are a form of salary sacrifice scheme.

During his budget speech on 4 February 2009, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced proposals for the first stage of an ambitious area based Home Insulation Scheme supported by £15 million of new government funding in 2009-10 plus £15 million from other sources. Since then, the Scottish Government has been working with stakeholders, including COSLA, to finalise details of the scheme and announcements will follow in due course.