- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 19 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reform the law relating to long leasehold tenure
Answer
This is an area on which the Scottish Executive would prefer to await recommendations from the Scottish Law Commission before legislating.The Commission has given some attention to leasehold tenure in its 1998 report on Leasehold Casualties (Scot Law Com No 165) and it has recommended in its 1999 report on Abolition of the Feudal System (Scot Law Com No 168) that a maximum length be fixed for long leases of land. New residential leases are already limited to 20 years. However a major review by the Commission of leasehold tenure has been deferred until the Commission could complete reports on the Law of the Tenement (Scot Law Com 162), Abolition of the Feudal System and Real Burdens. Only the last of these is outstanding and a report is expected by early next year.The Commission is currently preparing recommendations to Ministers on its sixth programme of law reform and this is likely to include a review of long residential leases.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 19 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted by Her Majesty's Government about the appointment of a new National Governor for Scotland of the BBC and, if so, whether its response referred to candidates' acknowledged political affiliations as a reason to (a) prefer or (b) reject them.
Answer
Scottish Ministers have been consulted about the appointment of the BBC Scottish Governor. The political activities of candidates are declared during the appointments process. The criterion for recommending candidates is their suitability for the particular appointment.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 19 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to British Airways with regard to the restoration of a direct air service between Inverness and London Heathrow and whether it intends to ask Her Majesty's Government and the European Commission to make similar representations.
Answer
The Scottish Executive in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions have commissioned a study which is looking at the economic impact of the withdrawal of the air service between Inverness and Heathrow. The study is expected to report later in the summer. We shall consider its findings very carefully before determining our response.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 16 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty's Government about the impact of the Financial Services and Markets Bill on Scottish Friendly Societies, in particular the Braemar Royal Highland Society and the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, and, if so, whether these representations will include a request that the Bill be amended to reduce the costs and charges for which such societies will be liable.
Answer
The Financial Services and Markets Bill will set clear statutory objectives for the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The Bill imposes on the FSA a duty to ensure that the level of fees which it sets are efficient and economical and that the burdens it imposes are proportionate to the benefit to consumers. Clause 125 of the Bill imposes a requirement for the FSA to consult on proposals to make rules, including rules in relation to the FSA's fees. Individual Friendly Societies will therefore be able to make representations direct to the FSA if they were concerned about the level of fees.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 15 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer when arrangements for MSPs to have use of pre-postage-paid envelopes for constituency business will be finalised.
Answer
The SPCB are to be invited to consider at their next meeting the arrangements surrounding the issue of pre-postage paid envelopes to MSPs for constituency business. A paper will be tabled at that meeting, scheduled for 6 August, which will outline the options available. In the interim, rolls of stamps will continue to be available from the Mail Room in Parliament Headquarters for MSPs use in their constituencies.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 15 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the location of the nearest NHS Dexa scanner to residents within the Highland Council area and whether it will provide additional funding to enable a Dexa scanner and the appropriate associated staffing to be provided at Raigmore Hospital.
Answer
The nearest NHS Dexa Scanner to residents of the Highland Council area is located at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. There are 5 NHS Dexa Scanners in Scotland, 2 of which are in Aberdeen. The range and type of health services made available in any area are most appropriately decided at a local level. I am not aware of any plans by Highland Health Board to fund a Dexa Scanner locally.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 14 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the regulations governing the repayment of student loans taken out by students who started their courses in academic session 1997-98 or earlier (S.I. 1998/211) and in particular whether it intends to allow deferment of repayments to be backdated by more than 3 months in cases where application of the current rule would give rise to hardship.
Answer
We have no immediate plans to do so.
Three months does not seem to be an unreasonable period within which to expect borrowers whose income is below the repayment threshold to seek to defer their liability to repay.Where their failure to do so gives rise to hardship, the Student Loans Company Limited can in appropriate cases grant indulgence and offer an arrangement for the repayment of any arrears.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 14 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive the rate of interest at which it can secure borrowings from the Secretary of State and whether such borrowings can be used for investment in public service projects.
Answer
The Scottish Ministers may borrow from the Secretary of State only to meet a temporary excess of sums paid out of the Scottish Consolidated Fund over sums paid into that Fund, or to provide a working balance in the Fund. The interest charged by Treasury will be dependant on the timing and duration of such borrowings.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 14 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive to state the number of new build and renovated properties which will be affected by the Housing (Right to Buy)(Cost Floor)(Scotland) Order (S.I. 1999/611).
Answer
The number of properties affected will depend on both the timing of decisions by individual tenants to buy their home, and the level and timing of investment in the specific property. As a result, no estimate of the number of affected properties has been made.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 14 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding reform of the housing benefit system in Scotland and, if so, what these representations will be.
Answer
A number of options are being considered by Her Majesty's Government for improvements to the way in which Housing Benefit is provided. We will continue to liaise closely with the relevant Whitehall departments to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account as policy in this area is developed. We also expect Housing Benefit issues to be included in a Green Paper to be published by the UK Government later in the year, which will provide a further opportunity for all interested parties, including the Scottish Parliament and Executive, to express their views.
