Paul Sweeney

31 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to eliminate bogus self-employment practices in Scottish public sector construction contracts.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Employment and taxation, including false and deceptive declarations by self-employed workers, are reserved matters.The Scottish Government introduced eLearning in December 2024 which complements existing practical guidance to support the application of Fair W…

30 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm whether the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit's budget has been reduced by 3%, or just over £30,000.

Answer · Angela Constance: Funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit for 2025-26 has not been reduced. The Scottish Government grant to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit has been increased from £1.17 million in 2024-25 to just over £1.2 million for 2025-26. This r…

27 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote the development of short sea shipping lanes across Scotland and the British Isles, in an effort to shift freight off the roads.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is supportive of the introduction of shipping services that remove freight from Scotland's roads.The Scottish Government and Transport Scotland have engaged with port and haulage stakeholders to explore options to increase trade moved …

25 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to close the reported gap between the amount of land allocated and permissioned for homes, and the number of homes being completed.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Across Scotland, there is a high-level estimate that more than 164,000 homes have planning permission but have not yet been built. This has set the context for the 23 actions set out in the Planning and Housing Emergency Delivery Plan that we published last N…

23 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its energy policy, what its position is on the potential future development of the stable salt reactor (SSR) design. 

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government’s position on traditional fission nuclear energy is clear: we do not support the building of any new nuclear power stations under current technologies. Nuclear energy creates a legacy of radioactive waste, requiring complex and e…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding progress on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications with Ukraine.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government has not had any recent discussions with the UK Government on mutual recognition of professional qualifications with Ukraine. It is ultimately for the professions’ independent regulators to determine the process for recognition of…

20 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work Social Security Scotland is undertaking to improve its communication with applicants for Child Disability Payment.

19 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has communicated lessons learned from the process of negotiating the end of private finance initiative contracts to NHS boards, as per the recommendations in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report by Audit Scotland. 

Answer · Neil Gray: The challenges that PFI contracts present at their expiry are understood within the NHS and a programme of work is underway to support Health Boards to manage them.NHS Scotland Assure and the Scottish Futures Trust have a joint Specialist Support Team to assi…

19 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations made by Audit Scotland in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report, whether it has plans to publish clear and transparent annual progress reports on the work to reform NHS services. 

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government will publish its Health & Social Care Service Renewal Framework by the end of June, which sets out our medium and long-term intentions for transformative change. We are committed to publishing annual reports on progress against the…

19 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the publication of its medium-term financial framework for the Health and Social Care portfolio, in light of the recommendations made by Audit Scotland in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report. 

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government remain committed to publishing its Medium Term Finance Framework and are working towards a publication date of late 2025-26.

19 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S6W-37468 by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025, whether any work has taken place internally on potentially extending restrictions to smoke-free places, and, if so, what restrictions are currently being considered.

Answer · Jenni Minto: As noted in my answer to S6W-37468 the Scottish Government are taking forward work as part of our Tobacco and Vapes Framework to review the impact and potential implementation of further place based restrictions alongside a review of the implementation of res…

17 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to expand the deployment of solar panels across the NHS Scotland estate.

Answer · Neil Gray: The NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 includes a target to deliver a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings compared to a 1990 baseline by 2030 and net-zero emissions from its estate by 2040. To support…

15 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Scotland's Railway should utilise surplus steel, in light of reports that there is several million pounds worth of surplus steel from the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme in long-term storage at Bridgeton Yard.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The reuse of surplus materials from rail projects is an issue for the asset owner. Where such materials are owned by Network Rail (as opposed to private contractors), these materials are utilised for future enhancement and renewals projects reducing the cost …

13 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is undertaking any ongoing survey of local residents to capture their views regarding any changes in the community in relation to (a) drug-related litter, (b) instances of drug dealing and (c) street smoking or injecting, within the vicinity of the Thistle safer drug cons…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Thistle will undergo a comprehensive, independent evaluation, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and led by a collaboration of academic institutions, including the University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, and other …

12 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will assess any impact that the closure of Axis Studios and the reported loss of 160 jobs has had on the animation studio sector in Glasgow, and what information it holds on how many people who lost their jobs as a result of the closure have gained new employment with local di…

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government is very interested in the development of the screen industry as a whole including the animation sector. The animation sector is monitored through the Economic Value in Screen Report published by Screen Scotland, the report is published…

12 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work to attract investment to Scotland, and in light of reports that MIPIM is the world’s leading property market event, what (a) the reasons are for it and (b) information it has on the reasons for Glasgow City Region not having an exhibition or events programme at …

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is committed to making Scotland an attractive destination for investors. Our Programme for Government committed to increasing private capital investment in Scotland through delivering a co-ordinated programme to attract investment in p…

9 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing for the renovation and restoration of the People’s Palace Museum and Winter Gardens at Glasgow Green.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government has not to date, provided any direct financial support for the People’s Palace redevelopment project. However, I understand that this project was accepted onto Historic Environment Scotland’s, Historic Environment Repair Gr…

9 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on its financial support of the Scottish Events Campus expansion project.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As substantial financial pressures persist, we are unable to confirm whether it is possible to provide financial support to fund the planned expansion of the Scottish Events Campus (SEC). However, we continue to be open to further engagement with the SEC, whi…

9 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to develop the Scottish supply chain for the subcontract design, manufacture and export of pressure vessels for small modular reactors globally.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government has been clear that it does not support the development of new nuclear under current technologies. Small modular reactors, whilst innovative in size and location, present the same environmental issues as traditional nuclear power stati…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Trading Standards Scotland regarding the sale of single-use vapes.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has engaged with Trading Standards throughout the drafting of The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 (the Vapes Regulations).Trading Standards responded to the two consultations held on the Vapes Re…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many sellers of tobacco-based products have had their registration with the Scottish Tobacco Register removed in 2024-25 due to committing three breaches of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 and Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 w…

Answer · Jenni Minto: In the financial year 2024-2025, there was one banning order granted for tobacco and five banning orders granted for vapes.

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to broaden the types of places that can be designated smoke-free.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.The Scottish Government…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale will be for its consultation on a full ban on indoor vape usage.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.The Scottish Government…

4 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update planning guidance for local authorities to ensure that, when building control is assessing demolition building warrants that are sought for unlisted buildings that may be of special architectural interest, it checks with planning officers and Historic Environment S…

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government has no current plans to update planning guidance for local authorities on unlisted buildings and building preservation notices. Section 3 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 already sets out th…

30 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask Historic Environment Scotland to assess the Grangemouth refinery complex for any elements worthy of designation as listed buildings, including the nine natural draught (hyperbolic) cooling towers that are situated between the oil refinery and wider petrochemicals comp…

Answer · Gillian Martin: Following the cessation of oil refining at Grangemouth, the Scottish Government is backing a proposal by Unite the Union for an asset review at Grangemouth. Understanding what existing assets could be repurposed is critical to securing the transition, therefo…

29 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £2.64 million awarded to the Glasgow Meat Market sheds regeneration project by the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund in the 2021-22 financial year has been spent to date.

Answer · Tom Arthur: £636,431.99 has been spent to date.

29 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will escalate the emergency repairs and "living ruin" project at Springburn Winter Gardens from the reserve list of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund projects for the 2025-26 financial year, in light of it being an at-risk, category A-listed landmark building that is surroun…

Answer · Tom Arthur: It was not possible to support all of the submitted projects within the available budget. There is currently no scope to support the reserved projects however should additional budget become available this will be considered. As part of the pipeline approach …

29 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to hold a formal ceremony to mark the end of a century of oil refining at Grangemouth.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government’s priority is to ensure that those who are most impacted by the refinery closure receive support. We are providing support to the workforce, who are facing redundancy as a result of the refinery’s closure. We are providing …

29 Apr 2025 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will approach third-party Scottish manufacturers, such as Scotcrest or ScotClans, to authorise them to use the Scottish Parliament Corporate Identity and tartan to retail bespoke parliamentary plaques, which MSPs could purchase at their own expense to use for…

Answer · Christine Grahame (on behalf of the SPCB): Scottish Parliament officials will consider the viability of this proposal by assessing demand through our next retail survey for Members later this year. Officials will also consider how the Scottish Parliament’s Corporate Identity is used on the produ…

28 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local communities to hold their own commemorative events to mark VE and VJ Day.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government provided funding to support the efforts of Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland to commemorate the anniversary of VE Day through a concert at the Usher Hall on Tuesday evening. Titled Scotland’s Salute to VE Day 80, this was Scotlan…