Paul Sweeney

7 Dec 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact industrial action by public sector workers will have on the delivery of its Covid Recovery Strategy.

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) scores the social value of shipbuilding tenders from overseas shipbuilders with the same weighting as tenders from Scotland or UK shipbuilders.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: CMAL scores foreign and domestic shipbuilders the same. The evaluation criteria cannot discriminate against any bid as each compliant bid is valued on its own merit.

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) assesses social value during tendering for shipbuilding contracts.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: CMAL ask for information regarding Fair Working Practices and Community Benefits as part of all their high value tender exercises, in accordance with the Scottish Government’s Statutory Guidance.

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the future refit, maintenance and repair of the two Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) commissioned ferries under construction by Cemre Marin Endustri in Turkey will take place in (a) Scotland or (b) the wider UK.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Future maintenance and any refit work is the responsibility of CalMac. The maintenance contracts for these vessels will be undertaken in line with the wider contracts that the operator has in place at point they enter service. Currently the majority of the C…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be an opportunity for UK suppliers to supply into the contract for two ferries awarded to Cemre Marin Endustri in Turkey by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), or whether the shipbuilder will determine the supply chain.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Contract awarded by CMAL is a standard BIMCO NewBuildCon and as such the decision regarding equipment lies with the shipyard. Ship building and the supply of goods is a global business and Cemre Marin Endustri in Turkey has contracted with Scottish manuf…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12299 by Shona Robison on 1 December 2022, when it expects to publish its response to the final report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Asylum Provision in Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question to S6W-12299 on 1 December 2022, the Scottish Government will publish its response to the Asylum Inquiry Scotland’s final report in due course. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the P…

5 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to Skills Development Scotland, how it measures (a) outcomes, (b) performance and (c) value for money.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) are issued with a Ministerial letter of guidance at the start of each financial year, setting out delivery expectations for the year ahead. In addition, SDS publish an annual Strategic Plan which is subject to Ministerial re…

5 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board has met in the last year.

Answer · John Swinney: The Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board (ESSB) has met once over the past year, on 25 March 2022. As set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET), published in March 2022, the ESSB has been restructured to become the new NSET Delivery…

5 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board, how it assesses (a) outcomes, (b) performance and (c) value for money.

Answer · John Swinney: The Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board was supported by an independent Analytical Unit which monitored the impact and outcomes of the enterprise and skills system through a Performance Framework. Details of the Board’s Performance Framework can be found he…

5 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Advisory Council for Economic Transformation, how it assesses (a) outcomes, (b) performance and (c) value for money.

Answer · John Swinney: The Advisory Council for Economic Transformation was established in July 2021 to help shape the 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET). Following its publication, the NSET Delivery Board was created to oversee the successful implementati…

5 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Advisory Council for Economic Transformation has met in the last year.

Answer · John Swinney: The Advisory Council for Economic Transformation was established in July 2021 to help shape the 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET). The Council met 4 times in July 2021, August 2021, September 2021 and October 2021 ahead of the publi…

29 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12034 by Michael Matheson on 28 November 2022, whether the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council's Collaborative Framework Charter includes within its scope a specific workstream to develop a windfarm support service operation vessel design and buil…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has been working closely with the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council’s Collaborative Framework Working Group, which is comprised of all active offshore wind developers in Scotland, the enterprise agencies and ORE Catapult, to develo…

29 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12034 by Michael Matheson on 28 November 2022, what steps it is taking to address any uncompetitive government support for refund guarantees and performance bonds that are inhibiting the growth of commercial shipbuilding in Scotland relative to othe…

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government supports the growth of commercial shipbuilding in Scotland and has welcomed the UK Government’s intention to introduce a Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (HSCGS) as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh. We look …

29 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will detail the extent of subcontract work being undertaken by Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited for BAE Systems on the Type 26 Frigate programme.

Answer · John Swinney: Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited has advised us that it has reached agreement to second some of its staff to work for BAE Systems on fabrication work for the Type 26 Frigate programme. The precise details are subject to ongoing commercial discussions be…

25 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients are currently receiving treatment for brain tumours in Scotland.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This is a matter for Public Health Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.  

25 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the level of research being undertaken in Scotland into the (a) understanding and (b) treatment of brain tumours.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not directly hold information on the research spend of other funders. An interrogation of the NCRI (National Cancer Research Institute) database indicated that £17,631,882 was spent on brain tumour research in the UK in 20/21 by …

25 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many clinical trials in NHS Scotland were run for brain tumour patients in 2020-21, and how many patients took part in any such trials.

Answer · Maree Todd: During the financial year 2020-2021 there were 20 trials open for patients with brain tumours in Scotland. 66 patients were recruited to these studies during the same period.  

23 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many registered doctors in NHS Scotland have applied to the General Medical Council for certificates of good standing in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Regulation of the medical profession is reserved to the UK Parliament and the Scottish Government does not hold this information.  

23 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many new post-foundation specialty training posts for junior doctors in NHS Scotland there have been in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: 725 additional training places have been created for trainee doctors since 2014. This includes 152 posts which were agreed to this year and will be recruited to in 2023. This represents the largest annual expansion to date, exceeding last year’s record by 13 …

23 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the total number of doctors have permanently left NHS Scotland in each of the last five years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested on what percentage of the total number of doctors have permanently left NHS Scotland in each of the last five years is not centrally available. We do not hold data on the number of staff that have permanently left NHS Scotland. Info…

21 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many active working groups there are that have a role in enterprise issues that fall within of the responsibilities of the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise.

Answer · Ivan McKee: A number of active groups have a role in enterprise issues that fall within of the responsibilities of the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise. These include sectoral groups coordinating work to transform different segments of Scotland’s eco…

21 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding enterprise issues that fall within of the responsibilities of the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, how it assesses (a) outcomes, (b) performance and (c) value for money in relation to capital investment.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Robust processes are in place for assessing the outcomes, performance and value for money of capital investment, tailored to the nature of the investment. For example, projects within the Scottish City and Region Growth Deal Programmes are developed in accor…

16 Nov 2022 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will reject the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings and Average Weekly Earnings average of 4.2% for uprating the Staff Cost Provision in the financial year 2023-24.

15 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider making a regulation in exercise of the power conferred by sections 17(2), (3) and (3ZA) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to test a 30 mph speed limit on the length of the M8 between Junction 22 and Junction 15, which is the area originally designated as th…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to reduce the speed limit on the M8 through Glasgow for the purposes of assessing the relationship between speed limit and congestion, noise and air pollution.  

15 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service regarding any investigations into the Park Inn tragedy of 26 June 2020, in Glasgow.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: The Lord Advocate is constitutionally responsible for the investigation of sudden, unexpected and suspicious deaths in Scotland. These functions are exercised independently of government. It would therefore be inappropriate for Scottish Government to have any…

15 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has indicated when any investigations into the Park Inn tragedy of 26 June 2020, in Glasgow, will conclude.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: The investigation by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident is ongoing and no final decisions have been taken regarding any court proceedings. There are a number of complex issues raised …

14 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will restructure and integrate Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited under the tripartite agreement between Transport Scotland, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and CalMac Ferries Limited in order for it to be able to directly award future public sector shipbuilding contrac…

Answer · John Swinney: The scope for the Project Neptune report published on 8 September 2022, which examined the governance arrangements of the existing tripartite arrangements, specifically excluded Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited. Further consultation regarding the future…

14 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria for Scottish or UK workshare has been specified by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited in its request for tenders for the detailed design, construction, testing, survey, equipping, completion and delivery of two Ro-Pax ferries for UK domestic waters, which has a deadline for…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: CMAL have used a closed tendering process through the Public Contracts Scotland portal for the procurement of 2 further Islay Class RoPAx vessels. This procurement allows for local content to be considered as part of the evaluation process amongst many other …

14 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and other relevant non-departmental public bodies design the specification of their shipbuilding contracts with the goal of sustaining and developing the shipbuilding and wider maritime industry supply chain in Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: CMAL is fully supportive of Scottish Shipbuilding industry and supply chain, both through support to delivery of the vessels at Fergusons and its role in the Scottish Maritime Cluster. Procurements for vessels include consideration of local content but are op…

14 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited will submit a response to the request for tenders by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited for Shipyard Detailed Design and Build Contract of RoPax Vessels, which has a deadline of 6 December 2022.

Answer · John Swinney: This is an operational matter for Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited.