Parliamentary questions
Stephen Kerr
2,595 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that any matters raised by whistleblowers within public services face independent scrutiny.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21068 on 14 September 2023. 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-commi…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to legislate for the establishment of a third-party body or person to support whistleblowing protection.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21068 on 14 September 2023. 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-commi…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to enhance whistleblowing protection.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21068 on? 14 September 2023. 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-comm…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that those who work in the public sector have had any relevant whistleblowing training.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that workers whistleblowing rights are protected, as outlined in the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Employment powers are a matter reserved to the UK Parliament, however, the Scottish Government encourage…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly taken the decision not to increase police officers' pay in line with the level of pay increases awarded to other emergency services.
Answer · Angela Constance: Agreement has been reached through the Police Negotiating Board for a 7% increase to officer pay across all ranks for 2023-24. It means that police officers in Scotland remain the best paid in the UK. The agreement recognises the valuable contribution police…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of police morale, in light of reports of officers leaving the service to pursue an alternative career as a response to a lack of pay increase in line with the level of pay increases awarded to other emergency services.
Answer · Angela Constance: We welcome the agreements reached with police officers and staff, which sees them receive a 7% pay increase for 2023/24. The agreement reached with officers, through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, means that police officers in Scotland remain the …
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its Programme for Government 2023-24, by what date it plans to introduce a "smart, digital and integrated ticketing and payment" system with public transport operators and authorities.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scotland’s public transport network currently offers passengers a mix of smartcard, smart payment and digital platforms for their travel needs. Transport Scotland made smartcards interoperable in 2019, and via our £1.1m Smart Pay Grant fund, we’ve supported o…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has budgeted to invest in a new Anti-Racism Observatory, as proposed in its Programme for Government 2023-24.
Answer · Emma Roddick: We are currently continuing to develop detailed proposals for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS). We will include financial provision for this of up to £1.5m in the 2024-2025 budget. Following the establishment of the Anti-Racism Observatory we …
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has budgeted for the establishment of a new Small Business Unit, as proposed in its Programme for Government 2023-24.
Answer · Neil Gray: The new Small Business Unit will be scoped out as part of a new Business and Better Regulation Directorate that will be formed from 18 September. Budget allocations will be finalised following budget planning work now underway.
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many communities it plans to support through its £9 million Investing in Communities Fund.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Investing in Communities Fund (ICF) currently supports 105 organisations receiving a share of £27 million over the three years 2023-24 to 2025-26. Many of the organisations receiving ICF are delivering their projects for more than one community area there…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its Programme for Government 2023-24 commitment to "Maximise the impact of public procurement through progressive procurement policy and practice", what framework it will use to determine what constitutes "progressive procurement policy and practice".
Answer · Tom Arthur: Launched in April 2023, the first public procurement strategy for Scotland articulates a high-level vision and roadmap for Scottish public procurement. A copy of that strategy can be accessed on the Scottish Government’s website at Public procurement strategy…
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what framework will be used to judge the effectiveness of the public sector four-day working week pilot proposed in its Programme for Government 2023-24.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The 2023-24 Programme for Government and Pay Strategy maintains our commitment to a four-day working week public sector pilot to assess environmental, health and wellbeing benefits and productivity gains this could bring. The pilot and the concluding report …
5 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its rationale was behind the appointment of each of the individuals on the Community Wealth Building Bill Steering Group.
Answer · Tom Arthur: In appointing the membership of the Community Wealth Building (CWB) Bill Steering Group, we aimed to ensure that all key groups of partners, in public, private, community and third sectors were represented. Membership of the CWB Bill Steering Group can be al…
4 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what discussions it has had with the Scottish Police Federation regarding improving working conditions for police officers.
Answer · Angela Constance: The deployment, working conditions and health and wellbeing of officers are matters for the Chief Constable. There are processes and mechanisms in place for the Scottish Police Federation to raise any concerns or suggestions for change with Police Scotland th…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much in total NHS Scotland has paid out in compensation in each year since 2007.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02957 on 12 October 2021. 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-committ…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the (a) provision and (b) maintenance and servicing of free bikes since 6 May 2021.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: From May 2021 until the end of March 2023 £4,367,055 was spent on 3,800 bikes distributed under the Free Bikes pilot. This figure includes the costs associated with various methods of providing maintenance of the bikes and we are unable to disaggregate the fi…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many free laptops, Chromebooks or tablets have been given to schoolchildren since May 2021.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is committed to improving digital access for learners and ensuring that every school aged child has access to a device by the end of this Parliament. We continue to work COSLA to progress delivery of this commitment. To inform this pr…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10759 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 September 2022, how much it estimates it will cost to "update when necessary" the laptops, Chromebooks and tablets given to every school child in Scotland.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We continue to work in partnership with local authorities and COSLA on delivery plans to ensure every school-aged child has access to a digital device by the end of this parliamentary term in 2026. This work includes consideration of procurement processes an…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12406 by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2022, whether it will provide an update on how many free bikes have been given to school pupils since May 2021.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The total number of free bikes issued during the free bikes pilot until the end of March 2023 was 3800. This number relates to bikes issued to school age children between P1 and S6. The bikes would have included a number of specialist and adaptive bikes, whic…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many laptops it has purchased since 1 March 2020, broken down by the brand of laptop, and what the total cost was of these purchases.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government have purchased the following laptops since 1st March 2020 for use on the SCOTS network. Number of laptops Brand Total Cost (inc VAT) 8710 HP £5,623,084.72 79 Microsoft £113,011.98
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average GP-to-patient ratio has been in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Public Health Scotland Publish information on the number of GPs and patients nationally and by Health Board and this is available at: General Practice - GP Workforce and practice list sizes 2012 - 2022 - General Practice - GP workforce and practice list size…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps each of its directorates has taken to reduce costs during the cost of living crisis.
Answer · Shona Robison: In mitigating the impacts of the cost of living crisis, the Scottish Government has taken action to reduce costs, including through our Emergency Budget Review (EBR) in autumn 2022. This responded to the new pressures arising from the crisis, and set out unpr…
31 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings from the 2021-22 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey, which were scheduled to be published in mid-2023.
Answer · Angela Constance: Information on future releases of Official Statistics by the Scottish Government can be accessed at: Official statistics: forthcoming publications - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This shows that publication of the next set of results for the Scottish Crime and …
25 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs and her predecessor have had with the Scottish Police Federation regarding police pay, since 1 January 2023.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs has three scheduled meetings per year with representatives from the Scottish Police Federation and met with them on 21 December 2022, 10 May 2023 and next scheduled for 21 September 2023. The Scottish Police …
3 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations in section 5 of the report, A Progressive Stroke Pathway, which was published in March 2022.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government Published the Stroke Improvement Plan in June 2023, which considers the recommendations made in the Progressive Stroke Pathway and sets out the Scottish Government Policy on Stroke. An update on the recommendations made in section 5 of…
3 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding is in place to support social prescribing in Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has invested significantly in social prescribing through Community Link Workers within general practice. Funding for Community Link Workers in general practice is included within the Primary Care Improvement Fund. Health and Social Car…
3 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what policies it has to support social prescribing in Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government recognises that social prescribing can be an effective method of improving an individual’s physical, mental and social health. It plays an important role in helping us achieve our commitment to prevention, holistic care and Realistic M…
3 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to improve the knowledge and understanding amongst healthcare professionals of all symptoms of a potential stroke.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Ensuring healthcare professionals have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to provide care to the required standard remains the responsibility of local NHS Boards. To monitor the provision of education within stroke services, the Scottish Stroke Impr…
12 Jun 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the future and viability of rural schools.
9 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18198 by Jenny Gilruth on 7 June 2023, whether it can confirm that only £50 million has been allocated to fund the teachers' pay settlement and that the remaining £155 million is still to be found within the education and skills budget for 2023-24.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As set out in the answer to S6W-18198, at the point of the Scottish Budget 2023-24 being published we had confirmed a contribution of £50 million to the teachers’ pay deal agreed in March 2023. This was included in the local government finance settlement for …