Stephen Kerr

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address reports of burnout and low morale among police officers in Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: This is an operational matter for Police Scotland. The Chief Constable stated to the Criminal Justice Committee that the wellbeing of police officers and staff is one of her main priorities. Police Scotland has made a £17 million investment in wellbeing…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service regarding the number of police officers cited for court but not required to give evidence.

Answer · Angela Constance: The citation of witnesses is a matter for the independent Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The Scottish Government is, however, supporting justice partners to drive reforms to improve our criminal justice system to make it more efficient and ensure…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money has been spent to date on defending legal challenges related to its policies on gender self-identification.

Answer · Shona Robison: There have been a number of court cases in recent years relating to gender. Some of them did not relate to gender self-identification. In one of them, the Scottish Government was the pursuer rather than the defender. I list the position in relation to four ca…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that public bodies, including (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Scottish Prison Service, are complying with their obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

Answer · Angela Constance: All public bodies, including Police Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service, are expected to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.Compliance with the Act is a matter for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The EHRC op…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos, receive Scottish Government funding but are not directly accountable to ministers.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Non-departmental public bodies devolved to Scotland are operationally independent from Scottish Ministers but are ultimately accountable to Scottish Ministers for their performance. The national public bodies directory contains a full list of non-departmental…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many working groups currently exist within its (a) departments and (b) agencies, and how this compares with each year since 1999.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24570 on 29 January 2024.All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committee…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what methodology it uses to evaluate the efficiency and necessity of public bodies.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Public bodies are reviewed quarterly as part of the Scottish Government’s Assurance cycle to ensure they are operating efficiently and effectively.One of the key aims of our Public Service Reform (PSR) programme is to drive efficiency and effectiveness …

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential savings from consolidating or abolishing underperforming public bodies.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government is progressing the Public Sector Reform Programme to ensure public services are sustainable, efficient and effective. Our work in this area is expected to save up to £280 million over a two year period by the end of 2024-25.We ha…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many non-departmental public body, also known as quango, employees are employed in roles related to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and what the total cost is of these roles. 

Answer · Ivan McKee: The information requested is not held centrally; this is a matter for individual non-departmental public bodies. You can find links to each body’s website at National public bodies: directory - gov.scot where there will be further information.

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce duplication among public bodies.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government continues to identify opportunities to remove unnecessary duplication across the public bodies landscape.In July 2024, public bodies were asked to provide information to identify opportunities for delivering services in alternative way…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many new non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos, have been created since 2007, and how many have been abolished.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The national public bodies directory contains a full list of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and shows their creation date. The national directory can be viewed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-public-bodies-directory/pages/executive-non-…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the Scottish budget is allocated to public bodies and how this has changed over the past decade.

Answer · Shona Robison: Given the changes in the Scottish Government’s devolved powers over the last decade, it is not possible to apply direct like with like comparisons in Scottish Government funding levels over the past decade, notably due to the addition of around £5…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many non-departmental public body, also known as quango, employees earn salaries exceeding £85,000 per year.

Answer · Shona Robison: As part of the commitment to be an open and transparent government, we promote the disclosure of names and salary details of senior public sector staff. Since October 2010, Scottish non-departmental public bodies have been asked to list the names and salary d…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the highest salary currently paid within the non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos, is.

Answer · Shona Robison: The highest salary currently paid is £240,000 for the Chief Executive of the Scottish National Investment Bank. This is also the figure published in the Bank’s Annual Report 2024. Senior salary information can be found for individual public body&r…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on public sector wages for non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos, in each of the past five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is a matter for the individual non-departmental public bodies. You can find links to each body’s website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-public-bodies-directory/pages/executive-non-departmental-public-bodies/ where each body will have…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos, has been in each year since 1999.

Answer · Ivan McKee: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the work required to research, analyse and collate the data for each requested year would quickly breach the PQ cost threshold.Some of the information is available on the Scottish Gov…

21 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many public bodies there are in Scotland and how thisfigure compares with each year since 1999.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The total number of public bodies from 1999 until the present day has been captured in the following table.Please note that prior to 2010 it was not common practice to capture Executive Agencies, Non-Ministerial Departments, Other Significant National Bodies,…

20 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it used to make the assertion that "Migration is good for the economy, good for public services and good for Scotland", in the @scotgov X account on 14 February 2025.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government published ‘Migration - Meeting Scotland's Needs’ in January setting out the economic benefits of migration to Scotland.Scotland’s has distinct demographic challenges. While the UK’s working population is project…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic and employment impact of the UK Government’s reported plans to support the steel sector in Scotland with reduced electricity costs compared to any absence of targeted support for the Grangemouth refinery.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Plan for Steel hasn’t been published yet so the Scottish Government has not made an assessment of reported plans for the UK Government to support Scotland’s steel sector. An assessment of confirmed UK Government plans and support will be made …

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported concerns of HM Chief Inspector of Railways about “systemic” failings by Network Rail in ensuring the safety of bridges, tunnels, and stations, and how any such concerns may apply to Scotland’s rail infrastructure.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The safety of the rail network is a reserved matter under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998. The rail infrastructure in Scotland is owned and managed by Network Rail. The Scottish Government has fully funded Network Rail to meet its obligations as specified…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the reported decision by the health secretary not to act in response to a letter warning about potential non-compliance by NHS Fife with its legal obligations is consistent with the Scottish Government’s duty to uphold the Equality Act 2010.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government and Scottish Ministers act in a manner consistent with the Scottish Government’s duty to uphold the Equality Act 2010 at all times.

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a third of all hip and knee replacements in Scotland are now paid for privately, and what measures it is taking to address lengthy NHS waiting lists for these procedures.

Answer · Neil Gray: The principles of a health service free at the point of need are sacrosanct, and we are protecting this through our Budget which will provide a record £21.7 billion for health and social care. This includes £200 million to clear waiting list backl…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role it envisions for its economic agencies, such as Scottish Enterprise and Business Gateway, in addressing the reported gender export gap and supporting women-led businesses to expand internationally.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is committed to addressing the gender export gap in Scotland, confirmed by the findings in the recent Gender Export Gap research report.Recognising the significant economic potential of women-led businesses, we are determined to ensure…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what regulations and checks are made regarding any local authorities that are seeking to close rural schools, in relation to the veracity of their decision-making processes, including the consultation process.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Local authorities are responsible for the management of their school estate including decisions about the closure of schools. Local authorities are required by the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”) to carry out a full pub…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many requests for the closure of rural schools it has received from each local authority in each of the last four years.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Local authorities are responsible for the management of their school estate including decisions about the closure of schools. Scottish Ministers do not receive requests for school closures from local authorities.Local authorities are however required by the S…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to ensure that Transport Scotland takes action to mitigate any safety concerns regarding the Shawhead flyover in Coatbridge.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Regular updates will be provided by Transport Scotland to Ministers to ensure appropriate action is taken to address concerns at the Shawhead Flyover. The current position is that Transport Scotland has asked its maintenance contractor (Scottish Roads Partner…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many socially rented properties were vacant in each of the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The information is not available in the format requested, however, the Scottish Government routinely publishes data on local authority voids, with the latest data available here: Housing statistics: Local authority housing stock - gov.scot.Social housing land…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any local authorities have raised concerns regarding financial viability for the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27 financial year.

Answer · Shona Robison: More frequent and meaningful budget engagement with COSLA and Councils was fundamental to informing the record funding settlement made available to Local Government in the Scottish Budget 2025-26.That engagement included consideration of financial viability, …

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any local authorities are receiving special support beyond that which is offered to all local authorities to meet their particular budget issues.

Answer · Shona Robison: Whilst the vast majority of funding distributed to councils through the Local Government Settlement is distributed using a needs-based formula, including factors such as population, rurality, road length and deprivation, there are a number of discrete funding…

17 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support local heritage organisations, such as Friends of Kinneil, in their efforts to safeguard and promote key historical sites in the Central Scotland region.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government values both museums and heritage sites as important assets and recognises the undoubted benefits they bring to communities across Scotland.We will continue to support Museums Galleries Scotland, the dedicated national development body …