Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many housing associations there are, and how many have live housebuilding development projects (a) in place and (b) planned for each of the next five years, broken down by the number of units.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Housing Regulator publishes a directory of all registered social landlords which can be found at: https://www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk/find-and-compare-landlords/directory-social-landlords Information on housing associations currently …
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many new affordable homes it plans to deliver in each of the next five years.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Over the next five years, the Scottish Government will deliver at least 50,000 affordable homes. While the majority of these will be new build homes, the Affordable Housing Supply Programme includes initiatives such as the Town Centre Empty Homes Fund which e…
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the capacity of (a) housing associations, (b) local authorities and (c) the building industry to assist in the delivery of the target to build 50,000 new affordable homes in each of the next five years.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government works closely with all housing stakeholders to ensure that we make the best use of all our resources and expertise to deliver more affordable homes. The Joint Housing Policy and Delivery Group brings together stakeholders from across h…
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the interim finding of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Strategic Working Group that the target to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016 will not be met, what plans it has work to work with stakeholders to reset the target.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government remains committed to tackling fuel poverty. Last year we designated energy efficiency as a National Infrastructure Priority, which will be delivered through Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP).We will now develop a longer-ter…
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide additional funding to local authorities and housing associations to help meet the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing and, if so, how much.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Social landlords can use a wide range of funding to pay for the investment needed to bring tenants’ homes up to the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH). This comprises Scottish and UK Government schemes including the Energy Company Obligatio…
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum; when the forum last met, and whether it plans to continue with it.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum is chaired independently by Alan B Ferguson. Representatives from the following organisations are members of the group: Age Scotland Association for the Conservation of Energy Child Poverty Action Group Citizens Advice Scot…
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fuel poor households were identified in the most recent Scottish Household Survey.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The most recent statistics on fuel poverty were published in December 2015 Scottish House Condition Survey: Key Findings 2014 http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/12/8460) and show that there were around 845,000 fuel poor households in Scotland in 2014.
30 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it commissioned legal advice on Brexit; whether it was sought from external parties, and whether it will publish it.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Ministerial code is clear that Ministers must not divulge either the source or content of legal advice. However, the Scottish Government has committed to being as open and as frank as possible – with the Scottish people, as well as with the Scott…
30 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency planning it has undertaken to protect (a) the economy, (b) jobs, (c) mortgages and (d) pensions as a result of the outcome of the EU referendum and what action it plans to take.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to protecting Scotland’s relationship with the EU, following Scotland’s unequivocal vote to retain the wide range of economic and social benefits membership provides. Since 23 June, the First Minister has spoken to the Go…
30 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it uses external staff to fill temporary vacancies and, if so, who provides the staff.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does use external staff to fill temporary vacancies. The suppliers are: - Pertemps; Brightwork; ASA Resourcing; Harvey Nash Group; Parity Professionals and Spring Technology.
30 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which trade unions the Minister for Employability and Training has met; when, and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The STUC, and its affiliate trade unions, are key stakeholders with an interest in a wide range of government policy. The Government's Memorandum of Understanding with the STUC recognises the particular and important contribution that trade unions can make to…
23 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is carrying out an internal civil service-led review of advice provision and, if so, what the scope and purpose is of the review; who is involved with it, and when the findings will be published.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Advice services in Scotland are provided mainly by local authorities and the third sector. They are accessed by a cross-section of Scottish society, but are of particular value to the most vulnerable through their work to tackle social inequalities. In many c…
23 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will establish a new consumer body; what powers the body will have; what budget it will have, and how it will be funded.
Answer · Keith Brown: As stated in the Scottish Government's response to the report of the Working Group on Consumer and Competition Policy for Scotland (http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00498180.pdf), we are working with stakeholders to consider the possible form and functions o…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many births in consultant-led maternity units have been by (a) Caesarean section, (b) forceps delivery and (c) other emergency intervention in each hospital in each year since 2009, also expressed as a percentage of all births.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The number of births by type of delivery for consultant-led maternity units and obstetric units alongside midwifery units has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 58076) For those delivery episodes occurring in Obstetric Un…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the breastfeeding rate is for mothers leaving hospital after giving birth in a (a) community and (b) consultant-led maternity unit.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: We do not routinely publish breastfeeding rates at discharge. However this data is collected on the Scottish Morbidity Record 02 (SMR02) submitted by maternity hospitals to Information Services Division Scotland and this data has been used to gather the infor…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government where births for women resident in (a) Dumbarton, (b) the Vale of Leven, (c) Helensburgh and Lomond, (d) Clydebank, (e) Bearsden and (f) Milngavie were (i) booked and (ii) subsequently delivered in each since 2009.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The information provided in the answer to this question is provided in a list of tables, is based on data per given financial year and therefore runs from 1April to 31 March of the following year. Birth location is often planned at the time of antenatal bo…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many births there have been by women resident in (a) Dumbarton, (b) the Vale of Leven, (c) Helensburgh and Lomond, (d) Clydebank, (e) Bearsden and (f) Milngavie in each year since 2009, also broken down by the number of home births.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The table below provides information on births for the above mentioned areas. To note: 1) Areas were determined by using the closest possible match using National Registers of Scotland (NRS) Scottish Postcode Directory. For more information on these geograp…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) membership and (b) remit is of its review of neonatal and maternity services; when the review will be completed, and on what date the findings will be published.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: a) The membership of the Scottish Government maternity and neonatal services review is as follows: Jane Grant (Chair), Chief Executive, NHS Forth Valley John Froggatt, Head of Improving Health and Wellbeing Division, Scottish Government Ann Holmes, Chief M…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the community maternity units that are operating in each NHS board area.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: A full list providing a breakdown of the alongside and free-standing maternity units in NHS board area is available below: NHS Board Community Maternity Unit Ayrshire and Arran Arran War Memorial Midwifery Led Unit, Crosshouse Dumfries and Galloway …
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29329 by Annabelle Ewing on 25 January 2016, whether it will provide an update on how many modern apprentices in the oil and gas sector have been hired using the Adopt an Apprentice scheme.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: As at 4 July 2016 Skills Development Scotland has approved 39 applications for support through the enhanced Adopt an Apprentice initiative.
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport is aware of the reported proposal in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde draft local delivery plan to transfer birthing services from the Vale of Leven Hospital to the Royal Alexandra Hospital and, if so, when the cabinet secretary was inf…
Answer · Shona Robison: The paper the member refers to was a leaked, draft internal discussion paper prepared for a private board seminar at the end of May 2016. Whilst I was not aware of the leaked paper until the member raised it on 23 June 2016, the same day NHS Greater Glasgow a…
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport last met the chair or chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to discuss services at the Vale of Leven Hospital, and whether it will publish the minutes of the meeting.
Answer · Shona Robison: Both ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with representatives of all health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to discuss matters of importance to local people.
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde local delivery plan is subject to ministerial approval.
Answer · Shona Robison: Local delivery plans are developed and finalised through discussion between the NHS board, their non executive board, and the Scottish Government. Finalised local delivery plans are agreed and acknowledged in writing, on behalf of the Scottish Government, by …
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated each year to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde toward the promotion of the Community Maternity Unit at the Vale of Leven Hospital since the publication of the agreement, Vision for the Vale, broken down by type of marketing activity.
Answer · Shona Robison: This government has substantially increased funding for all health boards since 2007. We have increased NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s frontline budget by £444.3 million from £1,634.9 million to a planned £2,079.2 million; a cumulative cash increase of 27.2% (…
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Greater Glasgow and Clydehas has carried out a public consultation regarding transfering birthing services from the Vale of Leven Hospital to the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00838 on 29 June 2016. 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/…
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the reported proposal in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde draft local delivery plan to transfer birthing services from the Vale of Leven Hospital to the Royal Alexandra Hospital would run contrary to the NHS board's commitment in the agreement, Vision for the V…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00838 on 29 June 2016. 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/2…
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the transfer of birthing services from the Vale of Leven Hospital or Inverclyde Royal Hospital to the Royal Alexandra Hospital would be classified as a major service change.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde are yet to provide formal proposals for service change with the necessary detail to inform such a decision.
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by Paul Wheelhouse on 15 June 2016 (Official Report, c. 26) that the Energy Jobs Task Force "has engaged with approximately 8,800 individuals" and the assertion in amendment S5M-00448.3 by Keith Brown that the task force "has supported 8,800", whether it will prov…
Answer · Keith Brown: As part of its wide-ranging efforts to support the oil and gas sector at this challenging time, the Energy Jobs Taskforce has provided significant levels of support under the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative. The 8,800 figure rep…
16 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-00367 and S5W-00369 by Keith Brown and Jamie Hepburn on 14 and 15 June 2016 respectively, whether it will provide a breakdown of how it arrived at the figure of "more than 2,500 individuals" being provided with support by the Energy Jobs Taskforce…
Answer · Keith Brown: The Energy Jobs Taskforce has delivered three large Partnership Action for Continuing Employment events in 2015 offering redundancy support; Skills Development Scotland has advised that over 2,500 people attended the three events. A fourth pace employment sup…
7 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the board of the Scottish Investment Bank is separate from that of Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Investment Bank is a division within Scottish Enterprise and does not have a separate board.