Scottish Executive

Allotments

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to local authorities regarding regulations under section 6(1) of the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892.

John Swinney: Within the last year, advice has been given in response to queries from two local authorities. Aberdeen City Council asked about rent levels for allotments in its area. The advice given was that this was a matter for the council. The City of Edinburgh Council asked about the process attaching to the confirmation of allotment regulations prepared by the council. The advice given explained the process.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a local authority needs to formally make a regulation under section 6(1) of the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892 before being able to charge or increase rent for allotments.

John Swinney: A local authority may make regulations under Section 6(1) of the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892 as regards the letting of allotments, but the legislation does not compel them to do so.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have referred to it for approval amendments to section 6(1) regulations made under the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892.

John Swinney: A search of existing records has not identified any local authority as having referred for approval amendments to regulations made under section 6(1) of the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892.

Animal Welfare

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken since the 2004 consultation, Proposals to Revise Existing Animal Welfare Legislation - A Consultation, in relation to reared birds and raptors.

Richard Lochhead: The 2004 consultation sought views on issues which could be included in a new animal welfare act to replace the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912. The new Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 applies to all captive animals, not animals in the wild, therefore captive raptors are fully protected under its provisions.

The consultation paper specifically sought views on birds reared for sport shooting and the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 has a provision to enable Scottish ministers to issue a statutory code of practice on the rearing of gamebirds. A draft code is presently being developed and will be issued for consultation early next year.

Antisocial Behaviour

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued each year under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by local authority area.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued to under 18-year-olds each year under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: Statistics on the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued to adults and under 16s between 1 October 2004 and 31 March 2008, by local authority area, can be found on our website at www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com.

Information on the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued since 31 March 2008 is not held centrally.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued to under 16-year-olds each year under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: Statistics on the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued between 1 October 2004 and 31 March 2008, by local authority area, can be found on our website at:

www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com.

Information on the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued since 31 March 2008 is not held centrally.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent issuing antisocial behaviour orders under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by (a) year and (b) local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards the swallows that reside in Scotland each summer as native species and wild creatures.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is satisfied that swallows visiting Scotland in summer fall within the definition of "wild birds" for the purposes of Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, since Section 27 of the Act defines a wild bird for those purposes as "any bird of a species which is ordinarily resident in or is a visitor to Great Britain in a wild state".

Children

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26534 by Adam Ingram on 10 September 2009, when its response to the recommendations of the short-life working group on clothing grants will be published.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is fully committed to publication of its response to the recommendations of the short-life working group on school clothing grants.

Officials are currently working with COSLA to consider how the recommendations can be met within existing financial resources. A response will be issued following those considerations.

Community Councils

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support community councils.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA and the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC), are developing a package of measures to raise the profile and effectiveness of community councils throughout Scotland.

A Model Scheme of Establishment of Community Councils and Code of Conduct for Community Councils developed by the Community Council Working Group (CCWG) became available for adoption by local authorities earlier this year. The CCWG also developed a support document in the form of Good Practice Guidance for use by both local authorities and community councils.

Additionally, we have developed and launched three out of six community council pilot projects. The other three pilot projects are in train.

The Scottish Government is committed to the continued progress of community councils in Scotland as it recognises the important role, within the wider community empowerment agenda, that community councils can play in local life.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is provided to community councils by local authorities.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

It is for each individual local authority to decide the level of support that it provides to community councils in its area.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much grant funding each local authority has provided to community councils in each of the last five years.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

It is for each individual local authority to decide the level of funding it awards to the community councils in its area.

Electricity

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent newspaper reports, whether it has made a decision on the proposed Beauly to Denny power line upgrade.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to the question S3W-21310 on 9 March 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.

Employment

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many redundant apprentices have achieved employment through the ScotAction programme since its launch in May 2009.

Fiona Hyslop: Since the launch of Adopt an Apprentice on 10 June 2009, Skills Development Scotland has received 181 applications from employers seeking to recruit redundant apprentices. One hundred and seventy five of these applications were approved by 29 October 2009.

Energy

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what dialogue it has had with the Department for Energy and Climate Change regarding the requirement for carbon capture and storage technology to be fitted to all new thermal power stations.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government have been working closely with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on their clean coal consultation, including discussions around proposals for the basis on which coal fired power stations will be required to operate in the future. We have also held workshops in Scotland with DECC officials where the regulatory proposals for carbon capture and storage (CCS) were discussed with our stakeholders.

Fire Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned at the comments of Ken Ross of the Fire Brigades Union to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 that the COSLA was unable to tell the fire service "what formula or criteria it was using to determine the allocation that the fire service was going to get" and that "it seems that there is no longer a clear and transparent set of criteria for setting fire and rescue service budgets" (Official Report c. 2286) and, if so, what action it will take.

Fergus Ewing: The allocation of revenue funding to fire and rescue services is currently a decision for their constituent local authorities, taking into account their statutory obligations and national and local priorities.

We believe that local government is best placed to understand the unique geography, population spread and risk profile of their communities. For these reasons, a uniform funding formula may not be practical. But we remain open to discussing alternative approaches with our partners, where these bring clear benefits to the frontline services delivered in our communities.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the comments of Ken Ross of the Fire Brigades Union to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 that "our priority is to ensure that at the very least the number of firefighters on the front line is maintained if not increased. That can be done by redirecting funding to the front line from other areas where we see duplication and waste" (Official Report c. 2295).

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has made clear its expectation that future spending decisions should, wherever possible, protect the frontline services on which our communities depend. We are clear that when considering the delivery of services, local government should deploy the principles of Best Value, as well as considering options for shared services.

The Scottish Government and COSLA believe that there are significant efficiencies to be realised within our fire and rescue services and that these can be delivered without a reduction in the overall capacity of the service to protect our communities.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to (a) maintaining or (b) increasing the number of firefighters on the front line in the future years.

Fergus Ewing: Decisions on current and future resourcing requirements within the fire and rescue service are entirely for local government to take.

It is clear that local government will be operating within a more challenging economic climate in the future and the Scottish Government have made clear our expectation that spending decisions should protect frontline services wherever possible.

Flood Prevention

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the draft budget for 2010-11 for local government has had or will have additional resource added over the current year to assist local authorities with expenditure on constructing flood defences.

John Swinney: It was agreed during Spending Review 2007, that the funding of flood prevention schemes would be rolled up into the General Capital Grant distributed to local authorities with effect from 1 April 2008. The distribution of this funding took into account the then expected costs of a number of known schemes spread over the six years to 2013-14. It is for individual local authorities to determine how they allocate the General Capital Grant to all services, including the construction of flood defences.

Forth Crossing

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Scottish Futures Trust is not managing the Forth Replacement Crossing project.

Stewart Stevenson: Responsibility for delivering this project has been assigned to Transport Scotland and thereby retained directly by the Scottish Ministers.

Scottish Futures Trust is designed to support public bodies in the delivery of cost effective infrastructure and is advising Transport Scotland on the Forth Replacement Crossing procurement to help ensure value for money is obtained.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of evidence that banks are refusing to provide a mortgage because of a lack of confidence in a Home Report.

Alex Neil: We discussed the Home Report with all of Scotland’s major lenders for house purchase mortgages (as distinct from remortgage) around the time the Home Report was introduced and they confirmed that they would regard the Home Report as a sound basis for valuations, provided the surveyor was on their panel, the valuation was prepared within their time limits and there were not concerns about risk related to the particular house or borrower which required additional assurance on value. These parameters are generally the same as lenders applied to surveys and valuations prior to the introduction of the Home Report. We understand from the Council of Mortgage Lenders that they are not aware of any change in this approach and we do not have other evidence to suggest such a change.

The Scottish Government will undertake an interim review of the Home Report after 12 months of operation and we will take on board any refinements that are required to improve its implementation.

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Council of Mortgage Lenders regarding the Home Report since its introduction.

Alex Neil: Officials have had continued informal contact with the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) representatives since the introduction of the Home Report, including a meeting on 6 October, to monitor whether there has been any change in the position on the Home Report taken by the major lenders around the time of introduction. Independent consultants examining data needs for the proposed interim review of the operation of the Home Report discussed data sources and potential issues with the CML representatives, and the interim review will include discussion with CML.

Public Sector Staff

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration was given to removing the bonus element from the remuneration package for the post of chief executive of Scottish Enterprise.

Jim Mather: A bonus to a maximum of 10% of salary is included in the remuneration package to incentivise and reward exceptional performance by the chief executive. The bonus payment is non-consolidated, non-pensionable and requires the Scottish Government’s approval which will be subject to clear evidence demonstrating exceptional performance being available.

I have asked chairs of public bodies covered by the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy for Senior Appointments to invite chief executives to consider, in light of the current economic climate, waiving, on a voluntary basis, some or all of any bonus that may be due to them.

The previous post-holder was entitled to a bonus of up to 12.5% of salary; the new chief executive’s maximum bonus of 10% is in line with the exceptional performance reward available to other chief executives under the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy for Senior Appointments.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to local authorities regarding salary levels of chief officers; what action it proposes regarding any excessive increases in such salaries; whether it will make a statement on the matter, and, if so, when.

John Swinney: Chief officers salary levels are a matter for local authorities themselves as independent corporate bodies.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to non-departmental public bodies regarding salary levels in 2010-11.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s public sector pay policies for staff pay remits and for senior appointments are revised annually. The 2009-10 pay policies were published in May 2009. The staff policy applies to pay settlements with effective dates from 1 May 2009 to 30 April 2010 inclusive and the senior appointments applies from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 inclusive.

Public sector pay policies for 2010-11 will be developed for publication in spring 2010. The policies will set out relevant pay limits for 2010-11.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions Scottish ministers have had since May 2007 with HM Treasury ministers about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence Scottish ministers have had since May 2007 with HM Treasury ministers about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions its officials have had since May 2007 with HM Treasury officials about funds held in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence its officials have had since May 2007 with HM Treasury officials about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions Scottish ministers have had since May 2007 with ministers in the (a) Department of Trade and Industry, (b) Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and (c) Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence Scottish ministers have had since May 2007 with ministers in the (a) Department of Trade and Industry, (b) Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and (c) Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence its officials have had since May 2007 with officials in the (a) Department of Trade and Industry, (b) Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and (c) Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions Scottish ministers have had with Department of Energy and Climate Change ministers about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence Scottish ministers have had with Department of Energy and Climate Change ministers about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions its officials have had with Department of Energy and Climate Change officials about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence its officials have had with Department of Energy and Climate Change officials about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions Scottish ministers have had with Welsh Assembly Government ministers about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence Scottish ministers have had with Welsh Assembly Government ministers about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions its officials have had with Welsh Assembly Government officials about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence its have had with Welsh Assembly Government officials about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has made numerous representations to the UK Government on the subject of access to Scotland’s Fossil Fuel Levy surplus.

The matter has been raised at ministerial meetings with UK Government counterparts and has been discussed at official level. We continue to make the case for a solution which would allow these funds to be released for investment in renewable energy in Scotland.

For example, a letter of 30 July 2009 from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth to the Chancellor included a request for a meeting with UK ministers to discuss the Fossil Fuel Levy as part of our joint preparation for the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December. To date, no reply to that correspondence has been received.

The dates and signatories of correspondence with the Treasury on this subject are shown in the following table:

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what projects have received grants under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme and how much they have (a) received or (b) been allocated in each year of the scheme.

Jim Mather: The following developers were successful in being offered a grant under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support (WATES) Scheme:

Developers do not receive WATES grants in each year of the scheme. Funding is drawn down on receipt of proof of eligible expenditure based on agreed milestones.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which projects that have received funds under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme have spent the funds allocated.

Jim Mather: All payments of funds to companies under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support (WATES) Scheme are issued in arrears, and on the evidence that the costs in question have actually been incurred. Based on this criteria, the following payments have been issued:

Completed Projects

Additional grant payments have been made to Ocean Power Technology (totalling £272,946) and Scotrenewables (totalling £329,255). Both of these developers have yet to complete their WATES projects.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it has received that the companies that have received funding under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme will be able to use the funds in 2009-10.

Jim Mather: All payments made to companies under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support (WATES) Scheme are made retrospectively based on legitimate evidence that eligible costs have been incurred. The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that WATES grants allocations are transferred to WATES project developers by March 2011. We are in discussions with all outstanding WATES developers regarding progress being made on their projects, in order to ensure that they remain active and that the deadlines for project completion and grant spend will be met.

If the developers are unable to provide evidence that they can do so by the March 2011 deadline, the WATES offer will be withdrawn and the funds recycled into future support for the sector, to be announced as part of our current budget considerations.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding available from the previous administration for the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme (a) has been allocated and (b) remains unallocated.

Jim Mather: All funding under the scheme has been allocated to projects. The response to S3W-28206 on 4 November 2009, outlines the payments that have been issued to projects. The answers to all 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.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake to recoup Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme funds that are not spent in 2009-10 and make them available to wave and tidal developers with firm plans to use them.

Jim Mather: We are holding discussions with developers of the outstanding Wave and Tidal Energy Support (WATES) projects regarding progress being made on their projects, to ensure that they are able to claim allocated funds by March 2011. If the developers are unable to provide evidence that they can do so by this deadline, the WATES offer will be withdrawn and the funds recycled into future support for the sector, to be announced as part of our current budget considerations.

Road Accidents

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been killed in accidents on roads in the Lothians region in each month since May 2007, broken down by road.

Stewart Stevenson: The following table shows the number of people who have been killed in road accidents in Edinburgh and the Lothians, by road, in each month since May 2007.

January to June

July - December

Note: * Figures for 2008 and 2009 are provisional.

Roads

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is regarding Nether Howcleugh, a derelict smallholding that was acquired during the construction of the M74.

Stewart Stevenson: Nether Howcleugh remains in the Scottish ministers’ ownership and is currently tenanted.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive by what process a member of the public could purchase Nether Howcleugh with the intention of refurbishing it as a smallholding.

Stewart Stevenson: Once the property has been declared surplus to requirements, it will be offered back to the previous owner or their successor at current market value in accordance with the Crichel Down Rules. If the previous owner or their successor declines the offer, the property will be advertised on the open market giving members of the public an opportunity to submit an offer should they wish to do so.

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the study conducted by AMEY on the Bellfield Interchange.

Stewart Stevenson: It is expected that the study will be published early in December 2009. Transport Scotland has written to you on 29 October with an update and will send you a copy of the final report when it is available.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the A9 north of Inverness.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the A9 between Dornoch and the Mound.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the A9 between Helmsdale and Brora.

Stewart Stevenson: In addition to those works planned on this route in our current programme, our future plans are set out in the Strategic Transport Projects Review – Intervention 4, Targeted Programme of Measures to Reduce Accident Severity in North and West Scotland.

This intervention comprises a range of measures such as road widening, improved alignments, overtaking lanes, junction improvements and other safety measures. The Transport Scotland website provides full details at:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/reports/publications-and-guidance/road/j10194c-09.htm.

Scottish Centre for Financial Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to remove the Royal Bank of Scotland from the management group of the Scottish Centre for Financial Education and, if so, when.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Centre for Financial Education (SCFE) is part of Learning and Teaching Scotland. Its future role and membership is under consideration by Learning and Teaching Scotland as part of its implementation of the financial education delivery plan, which the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced on 5 October.

Scottish Futures Trust

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24622 by John Swinney on 16 June 2009 and in light of the recent school building programme announcement and the role of Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) in managing this programme, whether the SFT will achieve annual savings of between £100 million and £150 million on infrastructure investment.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24622 by John Swinney on 16 June 2009, when the Scottish Futures Trust can be expected to meet the clear target of achieving annual savings of between £100 million and £150 million on infrastructure investment.

John Swinney: The Scottish Futures Trust has been set challenging savings and benefits targets by the Scottish Government, and their corporate plan for 2009-14, due to be published this month, will set out how they expect these to be achieved.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what contractual responsibilities the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Executive has apart from his work for the Scottish Government.

John Swinney: In common with other permanent secretaries, the employment contract for the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government does not specify detailed functions or responsibilities, apart from the accountable officer role.

Scottish Veterans Fund

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what projects have received funding from the Scottish Veterans’ Fund.

Alex Neil: Recipients of grant funding from the Scottish Veterans’ Fund in both 2008-09 and 2009-10 are detailed in the following tables. In addition, Veterans Scotland, which administers the fund on behalf of the Scottish Government, has been provided with £8,000 over the same two year period to meet its administrative and advertising costs.

Scottish Veterans Fund, 2008-09

2009-10

Student Accommodation

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students have been refused a place in university-provided student accommodation due to overcrowding in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) university and (b) year of study.

Fiona Hyslop: This information is not held centrally. University provided student accommodation is under the control of individual institutions.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students are eligible for a full young student bursary.

Fiona Hyslop: Based on information on background income, student characteristics, course type and study location, it is estimated that in academic year 2007-08 around 20,800 students were eligible for the maximum young student’s bursary (YSB).

This estimate is based on funding rules for 2007-08 and includes all students who were receiving the maximum YSB payment of £2,510.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students are eligible for the full amount of income assessed loan.

Fiona Hyslop: It is estimated that around 15,300 students in academic year 2007-08 were potentially eligible to receive all of their support via student loan. These students could potentially draw on loan support up to the maximum loan amount, which varies depending upon residential and individual study circumstances.

Transport

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal requirements are on commercial bus and coach operators to allow access to their services for passengers with mobility problems.

Stewart Stevenson: The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVR) 2000 is reserved to Westminster. This legislation sets out that all new buses have had to be accessible since 31 December 2000. All other buses must be fully accessible by 1 January 2017 at the latest and all coaches by 1 January 2020 at the latest.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether commercial bus and coach operators are required to carry mobility scooters belonging to passengers.

Stewart Stevenson: None of the accessibility regulations for buses and coaches, which are reserved to Westminster, cover the carriage of mobility scooters. This is because scooters are outdoor vehicles generally intended for use as an alternative to public transport for short trips.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a legal maximum load weight for commercial buses and coaches.

Stewart Stevenson: The Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998 (as amended) is reserved to Westminster. This legislation specifies a maximum authorised weight limit of 18,000kg for a two axle coach and 26,000kgs for a three axle coach.

The following questions were given holding answers:

S3W-28084

S3W-28086

S3W-28087

S3W-28088