Paul Sweeney

31 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the new resources, Promoting race equality and anti-racist education, from Education Scotland will include materials on the experiences of Irish people, and people of Irish descent, living in Scotland, and any discrimination they have experienced.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The definition of race underpinning the Education Scotland resource Promoting and Developing Race Equality and Anti-Racist Education: An Overview is the definition present in the Equality Act 2010. This definition encompasses white ethnic groups, including wh…

26 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what criteria it uses to determine whether countries are listed as red on its international travel and managed isolation regime, and what information it has on the support available to people from Scotland who travel to countries listed as amber, whic…

Answer · Michael Matheson: Ministers take decisions on travel restrictions based on evidence provided by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC). These reports take into account a number of factors in judging the risk associated with travel from each country, including case numbers, inciden…

25 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider extending the ScotGEM bursary to cover all medical students in Scotland.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotGEM students are very specifically entitled to apply for a £4,000 per year ‘return of service’ bursary. This means for every year they take this they are committing to stay and work in NHS Scotland for a corresponding amount of years. Once the first cohor…

20 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider opening a Connecting Scotland phase of applications focused on refugees and asylum seekers, in light of previous phases having centred on certain other vulnerable groups.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government has committed to extend the Connecting Scotland programme over the course of this Parliament to reach a total of 300,000 people. Work is underway to scope the future service, including how best to reach priority groups who we know are …

20 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how long the Connecting Scotland initiative is planned to operate for.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Connecting Scotland was planned to run till the end of 2021. However, the depth of the challenges of digital exclusion that the pandemic has revealed mean we are extending the programme till the end of this Parliament in 2026, as set out in the Programme for …

9 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to introduce Compulsory Sale Order (CSO) powers for local authorities.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government is committed to strengthening compulsory purchase powers for local authorities and introducing new compulsory sale orders. We are developing these proposals in the context of policies set out in the Housing to 2040 route map (see Hous…

9 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01683 by Jamie Hepburn on 6 August 2021, what its reasons are for not applying direct government oversight of the restoration of the Glasgow School of Art, and whether it considers the restoration as a project of national importance.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is an autonomous Higher Education Institution (HEI), and as such has responsibility for its own strategic and operational decision making, including those related to the rebuilding of the Mackintosh building. The GSA has made c…

9 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its response to the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance, and when it will publish the programme for delivery of the actions identified in its response.

Answer · Shona Robison: Due to the pandemic, the work to address the recommendations published by the Parliamentary Working Group was postponed. In January this year a revised timetable was published on the Scottish Government website and the revised timetable can be accessed via th…

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) plan, (b) governance and (c) estimated timescale is for the full restoration of the Glasgow School of Art.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Glasgow School of Art is an autonomous Higher Education Institution, and as such has responsibility for its own strategic and operational decision making, including those related to the restoration of the Mackintosh Building. The Scottish Funding Council con…

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which ScotRail-operated (a) rolling stock, (b) carriages and (c) locomotives have been sent out of Scotland for (i) maintenance, (ii) overhaul and (iii) repair works in each of the last two years, and what the value of these works was.

Answer · Graeme Dey: ScotRail led maintenance, overhaul and repair works are carried out in Scotland at their own maintenance depots in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. Where specialist repairs are required ScotRail utilise local facilities such as Brodie Engineering in Kilmar…

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding the structural integrity and planned strengthening works to the A739 Shieldhall overpass.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Transport Scotland has recently attended a meeting with Glasgow City Council on 26 May to discuss the maintenance and financing of the repairs for the Clyde Tunnel. At this meeting, the structural integrity and planned strengthening works to the A739 Shieldha…

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions the M8 between junctions 13 and 26 has been closed to (a) eastbound and (b) westbound traffic in each of the last five years.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The following table provides the information held on the number of closures due to roadworks and incidents on the M8 between junctions 13 and 26 between July 2017 and July 2021. We have been advised by our operating Company that figures for 2016/17 are curren…

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish (a) the contract and (b) all correspondence regarding its appointment as the managing agent of Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd during its administration.

Answer · Kate Forbes: No. The Scottish Government do not routinely publish contracts and their accompanying correspondence.

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it was agreed that it would act as the managing agent of Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd during its administration.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Scottish Ministers became the managing agent for Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited on 16 August 2019.

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all correspondence between it and (a) Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) and (b) HCC International Insurance Company regarding the reported forfeiture of the £25 million bond from HCC International Insurance Company.

Answer · Kate Forbes: A court case regarding the HCC International Insurance Company bond is ongoing in the English Courts. I am unable to publish or say anything further at this stage.

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with (a) Glasgow City Council, and (b) officials from the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, on the proposed development of the Glasgow Metro rail project.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government has had significant engagement with the Glasgow City Region partners, including Glasgow City Council (GCC) on the concept of a Glasgow Metro. Transport Scotland are appraising case for investment in a Metro for Glasgow, through the se…

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Glasgow City Council on the proposed final phase of the East End regeneration route.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Transport Scotland has had no engagement with Glasgow City Council on the proposed final phase of the East End regeneration route.

20 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total transaction value of all publicly-owned land disposed to the private sector was in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Property transactions involving the sale of land and leases of 20 years and over are usually registered in the Land Register of Scotland. The register is managed and maintained by the Keeper of the Regis…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many asylum seekers are currently resident.

Answer · Shona Robison: Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament, and the Scottish Government does not hold data on individuals seeking asylum who are living in Scotland. The latest Home Office quarterly statistics recorded 3,904 people in section 95 asylum support in Scotla…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the cost of concessionary travel, including the Young Persons and Older and Disabled Persons Travel Schemes.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The total cost of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People and Young Persons is £223,097,800. This cost is for financial year 2020-21, and includes free bus and ferry travel and the Covid-19 Support Grant payments for the Older …

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it will undertake with (a) Glasgow City Council, and (b) SEC Limited to address the dilapidated condition of the SEC tunnel walkway, which links the Scottish Event Campus to the Exhibition Centre railway station, and whether it considers it feasible to expedite its planned r…

Answer · Graeme Dey: The covered walkway between Exhibition Centre station and Scottish Event Campus (SEC) is owned by Glasgow City Council (GCC). As GCC is an independently elected body, the Scottish Government cannot intervene on matters relating to local responsibilities or de…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement (a) its representatives and (b) Transport Scotland have had with Glasgow City Council regarding the (i) maintenance and (ii) financing of the repairs programme that is required to maintain the operation of the Clyde Tunnel.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Transport Scotland has recently attended a meeting with Glasgow City Council on 26 May to discuss the maintenance and financing of the repairs for the Clyde Tunnel. My officials are willing to continue to engage with the Council on this matter in order to aid…

9 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action its officials can take to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents at the Glasgow mother and baby unit for asylum seekers.

Answer · Shona Robison: Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament. This includes the provision of asylum accommodation, which is delivered by the Home Office through contracts with private sector companies, known as Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC). …

9 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with (a) Glasgow City Council and (b) the housing and care provider, Mears Group, regarding the Glasgow mother and baby unit for asylum seekers.

Answer · Shona Robison: In February 2021, the then Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, wrote to the Chief Operating Officer of Mears Housing Management about issues that had been raised with her about the mother and baby unit. She asked that no new women be trans…

9 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will refresh its New Scots strategy.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The New Scots refugee integration strategy is built on partnership and collaboration, led by the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council. The second New Scots refugee integration strategy was published in January 2018 and runs until Decem…

9 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will establish the Standing Council for Pandemics, and what its (a) scope and (b) membership will be.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Standing Committee on Pandemics will be established by 25 August 2021. The Standing Committee on Pandemics will be an advisory group to the Scottish Government, with a remit to advise on the future risks from pandemics and the steps we should take to add…

23 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will formally advise railway and travel providers of its decision that only essential travel between Scotland and Greater Manchester and Salford is permitted, to allow the customers affected to access full refunds.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Changes to travel restrictions affecting Manchester City Council and Salford City Council were notified to Parliament by answer to question S6W-00856 on 17 June 2021, and announced to businesses and the public through a media briefing by the First Minister, a…

18 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00395 by Humza Yousaf on 18 June 2021, whether it will increase the intentionally limited capacity of the Citizen Portal vaccine booking system, in light of recent Public Health Scotland data indicating that 500,000 vaccine appointments have been mi…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The online vaccine booking portal closed on 11 June. The online portal was part of the Scottish Government’s measures to widen the accessibility of vaccine appointments, and was extended for another week, on top of the original three week window. 40% of the …

17 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the state of its preparations for the COP26 conference.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We are delighted that COP26 is happening in Scotland and are working closely with the UK Government, Glasgow City Council, Public Health bodies and the UN to deliver a safe, successful and in-person conference in November. We recognise the significant challen…

16 Jun 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether demonstrated attainment from the 2020-21 school year will be used in determining learner grades.