Paul McLennan

31 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to embed fair work practices across different industry sectors, in light of the CIPD survey report, Working Lives Scotland 2021, which states that 19% of employees say they have no voice channel at work at all.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government believes effective voice is key to fair work and welcomes the CIPD’s contribution to highlighting the need for and the promotion of worker voice. We note their Working Lives Scotland report states that 19% of employees say they have no…

31 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the reported skills mismatch in the labour market, in light of the latest data from the ONS showing that the number of job vacancies is at a record high, and the CIPD survey report, Working Lives Scotland 2021, which states that 28% of employees feel ov…

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government’s upskilling and retraining programmes, including Individual Training Accounts, the Flexible Workforce Development Fund and the Green Jobs Workforce Academy, are designed to equip workers with the skills that employers need now and wil…

31 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government in relation to reported labour shortages.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government continues to engage in discussions with the UK Government around reported labour shortages through several forums, including Business and Industry Interministerial Group QUAD Meetings and DEFRA/devolved administration inter-ministerial…

31 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Employment and Mental Health Short Life Working Group.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: In May 2021 we established our employment and mental health working group to help take forward a number of key employment actions from our Mental Health – Transition and Recovery plan. The group, consisting of policy officials, employer groups, trade unions …

31 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to support businesses that are experiencing higher than average instances of long-term employee absence, in light of research by the CIPD reportedly showing that 26% of organisations list long-COVID among their main causes of long-term sickness absence.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is keen to support businesses in ways we can and since the start of the pandemic have provided support of more than £4.4bn including COVID-19 non-domestic rates reliefs which have saved businesses around £1.6bn in reduced rates bills s…

31 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it can take to raise standards in the construction industry to protect consumers.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Through the work of the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) which I chair the Scottish Government is keen to see renewed focus on construction quality, including regulatory compliance, which will improve life-cycle value to clients and productivity of the ind…

31 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on establishing a mandatory licensing scheme for the construction industry to protect consumers from rogue traders, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding such a licensing scheme.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Scottish Government supports creating a sustainable quality culture across construction sector and protection of consumers is important. Although mandatory licensing is a reserved matter this is an issue we will raise with the construction sector to understan…

26 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, whether the keeper liability provisions, whereby the registered keeper of a vehicle is liable for the payment of a parking charge notice, resulting from parking on private land out with the conditions displayed, if the car's driver at the tim…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Transport Scotland, as part of the implementation of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, has been working on the liability provisions contained within Part 8 of the Act which will bring into force Keeper Liability across Scotland. I can advise that Part 8 (Re…

26 Jan 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it will undertake with COSLA and individual local authorities on the COVID-19 Strategic Framework that is currently being developed.

18 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the SQA will communicate the key areas to be covered within the forthcoming exam diet to (a) teachers and (b) pupils, in light of reported concerns regarding disruption to learning as a result of staff and pupil absences due to COVID-19 and the impact of the availability of subject …

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As I confirmed on 1 February, based on the ongoing disruption arising from Covid, the SQA has taken the decision to invoke the Scenario 2 contingency and revision support will be made available in early March. This revision support will complement the signif…

23 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the five commitments regarding stroke made in its 2019-20 Programme for Government.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The five commitments made in the 2019-20 Programme for Government were; 1) appoint a Chief Medical Officer Speciality Advisor for stroke care, 2) review and improve the current stroke care bundle to improve outcomes for patients, 3) collaborate across governm…

22 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it expects future national parks to be smaller in scale than existing national parks, as referred to in its shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party. 

Answer · Lorna Slater: Scottish Government is open minded as to the size of the areas which are put forward as candidate areas for National Park status. Reference to ‘smaller in scale’ in the Bute House Agreement was to dispel any perception that areas nominated would need to be of…

22 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of what is meant by "relevant legal conditions" in relation to the designation of new national parks, as referred to in its shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party. 

Answer · Lorna Slater: The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 defines the conditions which the Scottish Ministers must be satisfied or may be satisfied before an area may be proposed for designation as a National park. Under Section 2(2) of the Act the Conditions are: a. that the …

22 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the concepts of progressive land use and progressive development, as referred to in its shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party regarding the designation of new national parks, relate to sustainable land use and sustainable development. 

Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland’s land and the natural capital it supports is one of our most valuable assets, vital to our national prosperity and to our wellbeing as individuals and communities. By addressing the twin climate and biodiversity crises while improving individuals pu…

22 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include any new national parks as a national development in the forthcoming National Planning Framework 4, in light of the national spatial strategy, which is set out in the draft framework. 

Answer · Lorna Slater: We have no plans to include future designation of any new national parks as a national development in the forthcoming National Planning Framework 4. A draft was laid in Parliament on 10 November 2021 and a public consultation is also running alongside parliam…

22 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to go further than the commitment it made in its shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party to designate "at least one new National Park", and designate more than one new national park by the end of this parliamentary session.   

Answer · Lorna Slater: The process for identifying and designating one or more new National Parks in Scotland will involve a fair and transparent bidding and evaluation process to identify the area or areas which will be put forward to obtain National Park status and allow the stat…

21 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to publish the results of its consultation on a Sectoral Marine Plan for offshore wind for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is currently finalising its response to the consultation on a Sectoral Marine Plan for offshore wind for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas decarbonisation (INTOG), which will be published in the first quarter of 2022 .

21 Dec 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the environmental priorities will be for the new Chief Scientific Adviser for Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

8 Dec 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the latest Open with Care guidance is for care homes, in light of the emergence of the Omicron variant.

1 Dec 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration was given to increasing the maximum spend on both long and short campaigns for the forthcoming Scottish local council elections in May 2022.

1 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) direct and (b) wider impact on the (i) retail and (ii) tourism sector in (A) the Lothians and (B) Scotland of the UK Government's decision to withdraw tax-free shopping from the start of 2021, and what representations it has made to UK ministers on …

Answer · Kate Forbes: We have heard directly from retail businesses advising that the impact of these changes are already being felt, and that the new rules put Scottish and UK-wide businesses at a disadvantage when compared to other European destinations who continue to operate V…

23 Nov 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the veterans secretary has had with skills agencies regarding maximising employment opportunities for veterans.

12 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet the third sector organisations that are proposing the establishment of a statutory so-called future of work commission to help improve workplace wellbeing.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government recognises the issues raised by third sector organisations regarding the impact the Covid pandemic has had and is having on working lives, especially those in low-paid or insecure jobs. That is why a range of actions have been set out …

12 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has introduced to ensure that workplaces safeguard the mental wellbeing of their staff.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We know that meaningful, fair work can provide important benefits for people’s mental health and wellbeing. We also know that creating workplaces which support and promote good mental health benefit individuals and employers. Our ‘Mental Health – Transition…

12 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to bring together public, private and third sector stakeholders to inform and drive the policy decisions that will help reset working lives in a positive way that supports both good mental health and economic productivity.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government engages regularly with the public, private and third sectors on economic policy developments, including Fair Work, and our upcoming National Strategy for Economic Transformation. Fair Work is a key driver for sustainable and inclusive …

10 Nov 2021 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the Scottish Parliament’s budget is for both inbound and outbound school visits.

20 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its commitment to establishing a National Register of Ancient Woodlands relates to the existing Ancient Woodland Inventory.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The current Ancient Woodland Inventory provides an excellent starting point for a National Register of Ancient Woodlands. We are working closely with NatureScot and Scottish Forestry to determine the best approach to establishing a new National Register of An…

20 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of its commitment to establishing a National Register of Ancient Woodlands, and how it plans to work with planners and developers to protect ancient woodland and with land managers to enhance and restore ancient woodland conditions.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: We are working closely with NatureScot and Scottish Forestry to determine the best approach to developing a new National Register of Ancient Woodlands. This will help us to determine how best to work with planners, developers and land managers as this project…

20 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to strengthen policy on ancient woodland and veteran tree protection in National Planning Framework 4.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Our draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out how our approach to planning and development will help to achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045. This includes draft planning policy on Trees, Woodland and Forestry, which states that developm…

7 Sep 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of any sectorial skills and labour shortages in Scotland following Brexit.