Pauline McNeill

23 Feb 2022 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the creation of a development and recovery agency for Glasgow.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Glasgow Regional Economic Partnership recently published a Regional Recovery Strategy for the area which aligns closely with the priorities outlined in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation published earlier this week. Assisting with the City…

11 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason nightclubs are reportedly being refused grants from the Nightclub Closure Fund on the basis that their music is not louder than 85 decibels.

Answer · John Swinney: The Nightclub Closure Fund was available to nightclubs for support with meeting staffing costs for the period during which they were required to close between the 27 December and 24 January 2022. In order to qualify for this funding, businesses were required …

7 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any discussions on the future of HMP Kilmarnock will include the trade union, Community, which reportedly represents the majority of prison staff.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: SPS is taking forward the work in relation to the transition of HMP Kilmarnock from the private sector into public ownership. …

7 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is (a) taking and (b) planning to take in relation to the future of HMP Kilmarnock.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Following the decision by Scottish Ministers to transfer HMP Kilmarnock Prison to the public sector on expiry of the 25-year c…

2 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations it (a) has met and (b) plans to meet, to discuss the draft Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Shona Robison: The list of organisations that were met with ahead of the consultation on the draft Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill are included in the published consultation document . Since the consultation on the draft Bill was published in December 2019 meet…

24 Jan 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight role it plans to take over the Clyde Metro project, in order to support its timely delivery.

18 Jan 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for legal services regulation reform.

13 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what further funding it will provide to outdoor education centres in light of the reported reduced uptake from schools and short-notice cancellations as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Since the start of the pandemic, the Scottish Government has provided £2.5million support to outdoor education. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring learners have access to valuable outdoor learning experiences. We have had intensive discussions …

11 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what documents are required when making an application under the Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: People applying for a Young Persons Free Bus Travel National Entitlement Card (NEC) card are asked to provide 'proof of person' (the young person's name and age) and proof of residence (where the young person lives). For those aged 11 and over a digital photo…

14 Dec 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the scale of the problem of sexual assault faced by girls at school.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: There is no place for harassment or abuse of any form, whether in the workplace, schools, in the home or in society. Through our Equally Safe delivery plan and review of Personal and Social Education, we are taking action aimed at preventing sexual harassment…

7 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether people who are seeking asylum and living under immigration control will be included in the inquiry into the handling of COVID-19.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04922 on 17 December 2021. 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-committ…

7 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to deal with the reported rising number of homeless people who are being placed in temporary accommodation in the Glasgow area.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04786 on 15 December 2021. 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-commit…

6 Dec 2021 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to provide support to small businesses in light of reports that 20,000 small businesses ceased trading during the pandemic.

30 Nov 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met with key stakeholders, including business owners, to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine certification scheme.

30 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to manage the reported rising number of people experiencing homelessness being placed in temporary accommodation within the Glasgow area.

Answer · Shona Robison: Temporary accommodation offers an important safety net for anyone who finds themselves homeless. However, it should only ever be temporary. Our commitment to invest £50 million over this parliamentary term to end homelessness builds on the £37.5 million we ha…

29 Nov 2021 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that people are shutting down their electric and rationing their energy use in the face of rising charges.

23 Nov 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there should be more programmes in the school curriculum that aim to prevent violence in dating and intimate partner relationships.

22 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the suitability of how it funds free advice and law centres, and what its position is on whether there is a more efficient way to do this that provides greater security for employees in these organisations.

Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2018, the Scottish Government has consulted and reported on funding for advice services twice, publishing our review “Publicly-funded advice services in Scotland: review report” in 2018 and our “Debt Advice Routemap” in December 2019. Both reports ident…

22 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available to free advice and law centres, and for how long this funding will be available.

Answer · Shona Robison: In 2021-22, over £14 million has been provided to welfare and debt advice services aligned to Social Justice priorities and to projects in the Justice Programme, including law centres. The value of funding in future financial years will form part of the setti…

22 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the process that free advice and law centres must undertake to apply for its funding, and what the reasons are for the process operating in this way.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government funds advice services through a combination of longstanding funding relationships that ensure continuity of services, such as those delivered by Citizens Advice Scotland and the network of Citizens Advice Bureaux, or through a bidding …

16 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether data about the literacy levels of inmates in prisons and young offenders institutions is routinely collected.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Education in all public sector prisons is delivered through a commercial contract with Fife College. As part of Fife College’s…

16 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work is undertaken to establish a profile of the social background of inmates in prisons and young offenders institutions.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Since 1991 the SPS Prison Survey has provided a unique insight into life in Scottish prisons from the perspective of those who…

16 Nov 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the music industry to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

15 Nov 2021 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the impact of reduced face-to-face advocacy services on vulnerable people, such as victims of domestic abuse.

2 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prison officers are trained in the use of naloxone.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: NHS staff on duty within prisons will provide a clinical response to an overdose in custody, including the administration of n…

2 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the reported increase in ATMs moving from Free to Use (FTU) to Pay to Use (PTU) should be reversed, and what action can be taken to encourage businesses to operate Free To Use ATMs, particularly in rural areas, given the reported disproportionate impact on…

Answer · Ivan McKee: Any reported increase in Pay to Use ATM’s away from Free to Use ATM’s is a matter of great concern as it undoubtedly adds to the uncertainty faced by communities and businesses on their ability to access cash and other banking facilities. The Scottish Govern…

2 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is being given to a reduction or abolition of additional business rates specifically charged to businesses providing “through the wall ATMs” on top of standard business rates. 

Answer · Tom Arthur: The valuation of all non-domestic property is a matter for independent assessors, and the Scottish Government has no locus to interfere in that independent process. We have no current plans to alter the specific treatment of ATMs in the non-domestic rates sys…

26 Oct 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to introduce a system of nationwide rent controls.

25 Oct 2021 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government anticipates the impact of COP26 will be on Glasgow’s healthcare services.

18 Oct 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of people being "spiked by injection" or having their drinks spiked in nightclubs across Scotland.