- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain the variation in the percentage of rent arrears across Scottish local authorities and which authorities have (a) no formal rent recovery policies (b) no rent arrears recovery timetable (c) delays in pursuing arrears and (d) take no action in respect of former tenants arrears.
Answer
Rent arrears management is the responsibility of individual local authorities and the detailed information requested is not held centrally. The Accounts Commission and Scottish Homes are jointly carrying out a study into rent arrears management in local authorities and housing associations. The study is due to be completed next summer.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have yet to put in place arrangements to ensure that corrective action is taken when poor financial performance is indicated from monitoring reports.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to ensure that all Scottish local authorities implement best practice to address basic accounting and control weaknesses, including the absence of bank and other reconciliations, internal control deficiencies, weaknesses in the compilation and maintenance of asset registers and the lack of reconciliation between the assessment roll and valuation roll.
Answer
These matters are dealt with through the audit process. The audit process exists to identify weaknesses in local authorities' systems, highlight these weaknesses to local authorities and make recommendations as appropriate. The Accounts Commission for Scotland is responsible for securing the audit of local authorities in Scotland. Auditors appointed by the Commission make recommendations and ensure that these are implemented.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities do not yet account for DLO/DSO income expenditure on a full accruals basis.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have still to review bonus schemes to ensure that the DLO/DSO bonus earning capacity of each scheme is consistent with contract prices and achievement of statutory financial objectives.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have yet to produce business plans for their DLOs/DSOs explaining how their activities can be run profitably given the income generated from work undertaken for council departments.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to my answer to question S1W-1523.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review recent data indicating that internet websites encouraging suicide are contributing to the high level of suicides among young people in Scotland.
Answer
I am not aware of the data referred to. There is a range of factors that contribute to suicide rates and these include the accessibility of means of suicide. The regulation of Internet services are a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to clarify the law relating to suicide in Scotland by introducing legislation similar to the Suicide Act 1961 or in any other way.
Answer
Neither suicide nor attempted suicide is a criminal offence in Scotland. In the case of attempted suicide, depending on the circumstances, it may be that other separate charges arise such as breach of the peace or possession of an offensive weapon. Where a person assists in the suicide of another, such conduct could, in some circumstances, give rise to charge for a range of offences from assault, through culpable homicide to murder.There are no plans to change the law in Scotland.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 27 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish local authorities have still to implement business continuity or disaster recovery plans in relation to the year 2000 IT transition.
Answer
The Accounts Commission report Millennium Countdown Year 2000 Compliance published in May 1999 reported that 25 authorities planned to have contingency plans in place by 30 September and the other 7 planned to have plans in place by 30 November. The Accounts Commission is undertaking a second assessment of local authorities Year 2000 compliance and the results of that will be announced at the National Infrastructure Forum in October.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 27 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to ensure that Scottish local authorities assess rateable values accurately.
Answer
Valuations in Scotland are carried out by independent Assessors in accordance with an extensive framework of statute and case law that includes a judicial appeal process. Most rateable values are determined by reference to the actual rents applying both for the subjects being valued and subjects comparable in size, character and situation.
