Paul Sweeney

21 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28146 by Fiona Hyslop on 21 June 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding when the East Kilbride line will have an all-day, four-train-per-hour "turn up and go" timetabled service.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Peak times on East Kilbride to Glasgow route currently see 4 services per hour. ScotRail advises that off peak services, which see 2 trains per hour are meeting the current passenger demand. With this in mind, there are no current plans to extend the 4 trains…

16 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the redevelopment of Pollok roundabout, in light of reported capital funding constraints facing Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Glasgow City Council causing the project to be suspended.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic. The vast majority of …

16 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether bridge repainting has been included in the scope of works for improvements to Anniesland railway station in Glasgow.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The development work delivered at Anniesland Station is led by Network Rail. Network Rail advises that painting of the adjacent bridge is not included in the scope for the current station accessibility improvements. Accessibility is a matter reserved to the U…

12 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a national licensing provision to allow pubs to trade until 1.00 am during EURO 2024 fixtures, as has been done in England.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: Decisions about whether to allow for extended hours under alcohol licensing law are for independent local Licensing Boards. Unlike the Home Secretary under the England and Wales alcohol licensing regime, the Scottish Ministers do not have a power within the …

12 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to extend the scope of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 to cover all public procurement of goods and services.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government cannot extend the coverage of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 as it applies to England and Wales only. The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 applies a sustainable procurement duty on Scottish public bodies which whils…

12 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the East Kilbride line will have an all-day, four-train-per-hour "turn up and go" timetabled service.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27876 on 12 June 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-committees…

9 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the oil and gas sector supply chain employment levels have been in Scotland in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: This information is not held centrally. Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), a representative membership body for the UK offshore energy industry, estimated in their 2024 Economy and People report that the oil and gas sector supports around 206,000 jobs across the U…

6 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Transport Scotland being cited as a co-lead for a number of actions in the Glasgow City Centre District Regeneration Framework for Cowcaddens, published in November 2022, what Transport Scotland is doing to support work to (a) "undertake an accessibility audit of streets lea…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland continues to engage with Glasgow City Council regarding their aspirations for Glasgow City Centre, noting it is they who are responsible for bringing forward land use changes and the associated planning duties. The interests of Transport Sc…

2 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will urgently allocate the reported £450 million of European structural and investment funding, due to be returned to the European Commission by the end of the current financial year, to so-called shovel-ready bids within currently suspended capital programmes, including the R…

Answer · Kate Forbes: The media reports suggesting that £450 million of European Structural and Investment Funds will be returned to the European Commission by the Scottish Government are wrong. As I stated in Parliament on Thursday 13 June, all projects supported by this funding …

28 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has modelled the potential impact on public revenue in Scotland of reducing the VAT registration threshold to £30,000, which would be the same level as projected for 2027 under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment, from the current £90,000 threshold.

Answer · Shona Robison: VAT is a reserved area and the powers to set the VAT Registration Threshold sit with the UK Government. The Scottish Government has not modelled the impact on public revenue in Scotland of a reduction of the VAT Registration Threshold to £30,000. We encoura…

27 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Amey is using masking paint patches to cover graffiti on the South West Trunk Roads Network, whether it will (a) request that Amey fulfils any contractual obligation to remove any graffiti and (b) consider commissioning street art murals on structures that are m…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland will review Amey’s treatment of graffiti on the South West Trunk Roads Network against their contractual requirements. We are supportive of using street art to deter undesirable graffiti on trunk road structures. Work has already been commi…

26 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when East Kilbride will have an all-day, four-train-per-hour "turn up and go" assisted travel service.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail’s passenger assist service provides assistance to those who need help when travelling on the ScotRail network. Passengers who require assistance when travelling can turn up and use the help point to request assistance. For those who want peace of min…

26 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland and Scotland's Railway are actively promoting a policy of increasing population density in the vicinity of railway stations in Glasgow, in conjunction with local authorities, to underpin the business case for Clyde Metro.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As previously advised in answer to question S6W-26346 on 9 April 2024, the current phase of Clyde Metro is being led by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, working alongside Glasgow City Council and with Transport Scotland providing support in a project as…

22 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific consideration it has given to rights and protections for migrant workers as part of efforts to make Scotland "a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025".

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Migrant workers are essential contributors to our communities, public services, and vitally help address skills shortages. Scotland’s Fair Work Action Plan sets out actions to become a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025. The Scottish Government have funded th…

22 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of adding a question on the extent of fair working conditions and pay to the key quality indicators assessed in social care settings by the Care Inspectorate.

Answer · Maree Todd: As the Care Inspectorate is an independent non-departmental body, it operates at arm’s length from Government. Therefore, while Scottish Minsters can agree the strategic direction of public bodies, it is crucial that their independent role is respected. I ca…

21 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the current list of Specialist Reporting Agencies to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).

Answer · Ruth Charteris: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are in the process of finalising a comprehensive list of all Specialist Reporting Agencies, which will be made available within the next three months.

21 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support it is providing to NHS boards to help meet demand for adult (a) autism and (b) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government funds the National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) to support local areas to improve their neurodevelopmental support and diagnosis for adults; this includes diagnosis for both autism and ADHD. Since we accepted the recommendations o…

21 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current average waiting times for adult (a) autism and (b) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments.

Answer · Maree Todd: There is no national collection of waiting times for adult diagnosis of ADHD. Such collection is conducted at the level of Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), and is not aggregated nationally. However, the Scottish Government established the Nation…

21 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what interim support is available to people who are currently on long waiting lists for adult (a) autism and (b) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments.

Answer · Maree Todd: It is the responsibility of local Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) to put in place services to meet local needs, including the needs of adults with ADHD. Alongside this, the Scottish Government is engaged in work nationally to improve access to ADH…

18 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that all mental health hospitals and the State Hospital, Carstairs, have supplies of Samaritans freepost envelopes available to patients.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is working closely with Samaritans Scotland, as one of our key partners driving the delivery of the suicide prevention Creating Hope Together strategy, to better understand help seeking behaviour and increase signposting to local and n…

18 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that the Scottish Prison Service ensures that all Samaritans envelopes distributed in prisons with out-of-date return addresses are destroyed and that only envelopes with the current up-to-date freepost address, "Freepost Samaritans Letters", are distributed to in…

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: SPS recognise the importance of those in our care maintaining contact with family and friends coupled with their ability to access sup…

17 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to piloting opt-out HIV and blood borne virus testing in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has funded pilots of emergency department opt-out blood borne virus testing in three areas – NHS Lothian, NHS Grampian and NHS Highland. The funding allocations followed a call for bids which was open to all territorial NHS Boards, inc…

17 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role safer drug consumption facilities will play in its work to end new transmission of HIV in Scotland by 2030.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: Whilst the main objective of safer drug consumption facilities (SDCF) is to provide medical attention in the case of an overdose there is also a significant body of evidence for the important role SDCFs play in reducing the sharing of injecting equipment. Thi…

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make a high-level summary available of the benchmarking report that was undertaken by First Marine International on Ferguson Marine's shipbuilding facilities and its recommendations for improvement. 

Answer · Kate Forbes: We do not intend to release this information while it remains commercially sensitive. Release of this information at this time would be likely to weaken the commercial position of Ferguson Marine while they pursue future contract opportunities and provide an …

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on whether the Scottish National Investment Bank has acquired any equity share positions in (a) companies and (b) projects it has invested in. 

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish National Investment Bank makes commercial investments, debt and/or equity, in businesses and/or projects in line with the three strategic missions set for it by Scottish Ministers. The Bank’s investment decisions are independent of Government. T…

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what penalties there are for any window installation firms that knowingly fit inappropriate windows on (a) listed and (b) historic buildings in conservation areas without the correct planning consent.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Under planning legislation set out in The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (the 1997 Act) it is a breach of planning control to carry out any development, including the installation of replacement windows, without the required planning consent. …

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27130 by Maree Todd on 15 May 2024, when it expects a final decision to be taken on funding for Breathing Space in 2024-25.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of confirming funding allocations to partners as early as possible. We are working closely with NHS 24 to agree funding requirements for their mental health services in 2024-25, including for Breathing Space, …

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the performance of Scottish goods exports since 2019, in light of reports of other OECD countries' goods exports having grown by an average of 23% in this time. 

Answer · Tom Arthur: His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) release accredited official statistics estimating the value of the UK's regional trade in goods, covering both exports and imports. These can be accessed at the following address: uktradeinfo.com/trade-data/regional/ …

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will convene a conference, in conjunction with the Glasgow School of Art, to establish a national effort to restore the Mackintosh Building by 2030, in light of the reported delay of the project due to insurance arbitration.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Mackintosh Building is owned by The Glasgow School of Art, with responsibility for its own strategic and operational decision making. It has been a long standing principle that employers, building owners and managers are responsible for their own premises…

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) stating that companies in China receive nine times more government support, such as subsidies and tax breaks, than their counterparts in OECD countries such as the UK, and what…

Answer · Kate Forbes: Subsidies can make an invaluable contribution to businesses. However, if they are misused or overused, it can lead to undesirable outcomes. This is why Scottish Government subsidies are allocated in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. The OECD themselves …