Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which powers proposed in the Social Security Bill will be used to establish the Jobs Grant, and for what reason the grant is not provided for on the face of the bill.
4 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which provisions in the Social Security (Scotland) Bill will be used to establish the Jobs Grant, and for what reason the Jobs Grant is not provided for on the face of the bill.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing the Job Grant for young people aged 16-24 year olds who have been unemployed for 6 months or more, and we are currently exploring the best legislative option for delivery in Scotland.
24 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent in each year since 1999 on labour market training, also expressed as a percentage of GDP.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: This information is not held centrally.
24 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09857 by Keith Brown on 28 June 2017, what the value of each project was each year, broken down by sector.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Development International measures the value of inward investment in terms of the number of jobs created for the Scottish economy. Information on total planned jobs for each year and sector requested is set out in the following table. 2012-13 201…
24 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of customer service satisfaction each year for the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) carries out a regular review of customer satisfaction. The following table presents survey findings from 2010 onwards: Survey Date Mar-15 Oct-13 Aug-12 Mar-11 Mar-10 % of businesses would work with S…
24 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its current GDP forecast is for each year until 2021-22, and how this compares with previous estimates.
Answer · Keith Brown: The latest Scottish Government forecast of Scottish GDP was published in the Draft Budget 2017-18 Devolved Taxes Methodology Report on 15 December 2016. The report is available from: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/12/6669/4 There are no previous for…
19 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08107 by Keith Brown on 28 March 2017, whether there is sufficient data (a) collected and (b) available on the ethnicity pay gap.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The official source of information on the ethnicity pay gap is the Labour Force Survey, collected and published by the Office for National Statistics. ONS have previously published information on the ethnicity pay gap for the UK at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/emp…
19 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08107 by Keith Brown on 28 March 2017, whether it will request that the Office for National Statistics produces pay gap data on personal characteristics such as ethnicity and nationality.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: A request has been sent to ONS on the 28th of July requesting Labour Force Survey (LFS) earnings and pay gap tables. We have requested: 1. Information on the ethnicity (white/Non-white) pay gap and the nationality (UK national/Non-UK national) pay gap for Sc…
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the spending on each fuel poverty programme compared with the budget allocated 2016-17, and how any underspend has been re-allocated.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution announced the 2016-17 provisional outturn figures on 22 June. These are currently subject to the final audit process. The final 2016-17 Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency budget was £119m. An increase of £16…
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes were built in 2016-17, and how many were for social rent.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: A total of 7336 affordable homes were delivered in 2016-17 and of these, 4580 were for social rent. Of the total affordable homes delivered 4634 were newly built homes, including 3671 newly built homes for social rent. The Official Statistics on the Affordab…
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many housing completions there have been by (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) the private sector in each year since 2007-08.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The following table shows the number of new build housing completions by (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) the private sector in each year since 2007-08: Financial Year Local Authority new build Housing Association new build Private …
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Scottish Enterprise measures and analyses the effectiveness of the action that it taking to close the gender pay gap, and whether it will publish the findings of this work.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Addressing the gender pay gap in Scotland does not sit with Scottish Enterprise (SE) alone, there is a role to be played by all agencies, other partners and the private sector. Due to the many factors influencing changes to the gender pay gap, it is extremely…
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action Scottish Enterprise is taking to close the gender pay gap, and what outcomes have been achieved.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10353 on 14 August 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/…
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what future action it will ask Scottish Enterprise to take to close the gender pay gap.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government has noted the recent report by the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee and will consider their recommendations in full. Action is already being taken to assist in closing the gender pay gap in Scotland but we are keen to consider any…
11 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact implementing the recommendations in the report, Good work: the Taylor review of modern working practices, will have on job insecurity and exploitation at work in Scotland.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: While the Taylor Review’s ambition for all work to be fair and decent aligns with the Scottish Government’s Fair Work agenda, the report fails to recognise that Scotland has been ahead of the curve for some time with regards fair work issues, including promot…
11 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who is on its panel on the collaborative or gig economy; how often it has met; what its remit is, and when it will report.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Expert Advisory Panel on the Collaborative Economy met for the first time in May 2017 and will meet monthly until November. The panel will present its report to Scottish Ministers in December 2017. The Panel’s purpose is to provide advice, exper…
11 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on including Uber on its panel on the collaborative or gig economy, given the reported view that hiring drivers on a self-employed basis means they have no entitlement to holiday pay, pensions or workers' rights.
Answer · Keith Brown: The members of the Scottish Expert Advisory Panel on the Collaborative Economy were chosen to represent a wide range of knowledge and expertise on the benefits and challenges of the collaborative economy. This necessarily includes members drawn from collabora…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01180 by Kevin Stewart on 28 June 2017, what information is collected by local authorities on rough sleeping.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: HL1 Data on Homeless Applications is collected by SG from all Local Authorities. Any additional information collected by Local Authorities for their own use is not collated by SG. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10273 on 26 July 2017 for mor…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01180 by Kevin Stewart on 28 June 2017, how many rough sleepers there are in Scotland, and what the source of the information is.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10273 on 26 July 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01180 by Kevin Stewart on 28 June 2017, whether it will answer the question regarding when it last organised a nationwide street count of rough sleepers.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government does not organise nationwide street counts of rough sleepers. The Scottish Government agree with many in the housing sector, including third sector organisations, that street counts are not a reliable or effective way to gather informa…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget lines account for the underspend of £13 million in the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work portfolio.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The figures announced on 22 June are currently subject to the final audit process which will conclude in September and as such remain provisional at this stage A summary by budget line of the provisional outturn figures reported is provided in the following …
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget lines account for the underspend of £76 million in the Education and Skills portfolio.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The figures announced on 22 June are currently subject to the final audit process which will conclude in September and as such remain provisional at this stage A summary by budget line of the provisional outturn figures reported is provided in the following …
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01180 by Kevin Stewart on 28 June 2017, whether its statistics division collates information from local authority homelessness returns on the scale of rough sleeping.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10273 on 26 July 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01180 by Kevin Stewart on 28 June 2017, what has been the level of rough sleeping in each local authority area in each year since 2011.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Information on rough sleeping is collected by local authorities at the point that a homeless application is made. Homeless applicants are asked whether any member of the household has slept rough at any point in the previous 3 months, and also if they have sl…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget lines account for the underspend of £85 million in the Communities, Social Security and Equalities portfolio.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The figures announced on 22 June are currently subject to the final audit process which will conclude in September and as such remain provisional at this stage A summary by budget line of the provisional outturn figures reported is provided in the following …
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what resilience testing there has been of Peterhead; how quickly it can power a black start, and what capacity it can deliver.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Testing of Peterhead is a matter for Scottish and Southern Energy as the station owner/operator, liaising with National Grid. Peterhead does not have black start capability, as it requires power from the network to begin generating, but could play an importan…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met the National Grid to discuss a black start.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I met with Phil Sheppard of National Grid on 21 December 2016, in my capacity as Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, to discuss winter security of supply, including black start. This was followed by an extraordinary meeting of the Scottish Energy Ad…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle litter sinks on the Clyde.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is taking action to reduce the amount of litter entering all our waters, not just in the Clyde, to bring ecological, economic and social benefits. Our approach and actions are listed in our Marine Litter Strategy, overseen and co-ordin…
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of marine litter on tourism.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There is currently no centrally held assessment of the impact of marine litter on tourism. The evidence base for the levels of marine and coastal litter is limited and the Marine Litter Strategy seeks to build on existing data capture.
10 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which body is responsible for the collection of marine litter where it has washed up at the shoreline.
Answer · Angela Constance: There is no single body responsible for the collection of marine litter washed up at the shoreline. The collection of marine litter left at the high tide mark on the shore is the responsibility of the land owner.