Pauline McNeill

30 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage the use of smart ticketing across public transport, and what progress is being made with this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, is undertaking a portfolio of projects to enhance Scotland’s smart services and deliver on the vision that ‘all journeys on Scotland’s public transport network can be made using some form of smart tick…

30 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent meetings it has had with (a) SPT and (b) the ScotRail Alliance regarding the use of smart ticketing.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government's National Transport Agency, Transport Scotland, has regular meetings with SPT and Abellio ScotRail regarding the use of smart ticketing. Transport Scotland officials are working with SPT and Abellio ScotRail to deliver smartcard inte…

29 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what conditions are attached to the £30 million that has been provided by the Building Scotland Fund to the property group, Sigma.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The £30m is a commercial loan between Scottish Ministers, via the Building Scotland Fund, and a Sigma Capital Group company. Key aspects of its design are that:The loan is a revolving credit facility.The loan is interest-bearing and repayable on commercial te…

29 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the eligibility criteria will be for the recently-announced national pilot scheme to provide loans for first-time buyers, including whether these will be available for purchasing all homes or only new-builds, and from what budget line the £150 million required to fund the scheme wil…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government will work with stakeholders to fully develop the eligibility criteria for the new scheme. The budget will be funded from financial transactions capital. Eligible first-time buyers will be able to purchase homes sold on the open market…

25 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what involvement it has in the running of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme for construction workers.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is a not-for-profit limited company whose directors are from a range of employer organisations and trades unions. CSCS cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the required tra…

25 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for trades people who have difficulty in paying for their Construction Skills Certification Scheme accreditation card.  

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland provides support for individuals to undertake Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Training which is necessary to obtain the CSCS accreditation card. This support is offered either through Modern Apprenticeship Framework…

25 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what scrutiny it undertakes of the operation of Construction Skills Certification Scheme accreditation cards for construction workers.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government does not operate the Construction Skills Certification Scheme Accreditation Cards.

23 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service regarding reports that the 140-day target date from full committal for criminal trials to begin is being breached.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply in writing within 20 days.

17 Apr 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service regarding reports that the 140-day target date from full committal for criminal trials to begin is being breached.

12 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the West Coast Main Line and reducing travel time from Scotland to London.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish and UK governments have discussed and identified a number of infrastructure enhancement options, including high-speed rail and signalling optimisation, to improve resilience, capacity and line-speed on the West Coast Main Line to reduce journey ti…

12 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the UK Government to discuss HS2 and its impact on Scotland; what the outcome was, and how many meetings there have been since 2007.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Officials of the Scottish Government last met their UK Government counterparts on 10 April 2019 as part of a regular set of meetings at which they discussed infrastructure options for high speed rail to improve speed, capacity, connectivity and resilience on …

12 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when they last had discussions. How many meetings they have had since 2007.

1 Apr 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that many pregnant women and homeless children are being housed by local authorities in substandard temporary accommodation.

28 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its timeframe is for the introduction of land value capture.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We have asked the Scottish Land Commission to investigate this issue and to provide recommendations on how we might more effectively capture land value increases. We expect the Scottish Land Commission to publish their findings shortly. We will then give cons…

26 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to consult on the outstanding special marine protected areas.

26 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Ofgem regarding the timing of the regulator's targeted charging review on investment in renewables, energy efficiency, innovation and onsite generation for businesses.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: My officials and I engage regularly with Ofgem to discuss a range of matters, including the effect of its Targeted Charging Review and other regulatory processes and consultations on consumers and investors. We recognise the uncertainty that the Targeted Cha…

26 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Ofgem regarding the regulator's vulnerable customers strategy.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has engaged extensively with Ofgem to make the case for Scottish consumers to be at the heart of its revised Consumer Vulnerability Strategy and to ensure Ofgem delivers on its statutory duties for all Scottish consumers. I plan to me…

26 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Ofgem’s targeted charging review, and whether it will make a submission to it.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government responded in early February to Ofgem’s consultation on its “minded to” decision on the Targeted Charging Review, following discussions with a range of stakeholders. Our response agreed that current charging arrangements need reform to…

26 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made any assessment of the impact that Ofgem’s targeted charging review will have on investment and innovation in onsite flexible generation in order to support a future flexible energy system.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government response to Ofgem’s Targeted Charging Review consultation pointed out that certain groups of consumers, particularly those whose consumption is lower, would, under Ofgem’s proposals, pay more than they do today in order to prevent them…

20 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many rent appeals the First-Tier Tribunal has dealt with in each year since 2015, also broken down by how many were upheld.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

25 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is from positive diagnosis of cataract to corrective surgical intervention.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information on specific procedures are not held centrally. The following tables provide the median for speciality ophthalmology waiting times for the quarters ending September and December 2018 (inpatient and day case from referral date) and new inpatie…

25 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that everyone referred for cataract surgery is managed to final and appropriate diagnosis.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government National Eyecare Workstream is working closely with Health Boards across Scotland to ensure that patients referred for cataract surgery get the appropriate treatment they need. Processes are in place to ensure that only those patients…

18 Feb 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government plans to take to help vulnerable energy consumers.

12 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the availability and affordability of shared housing for people for who are entitled only to the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Chapter 3.1 of the paper Housing and Social Security: follow-up paper on Welfare Reform, contains an analysis of the impact of the UK Government’s freeze to local housing allowance (LHA) rates, and is available on the Scottish Government’s website at the foll…

12 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have submitted rapid rehousing transition plans; what assessment it has made of the quality of these plans, and whether they will be made publicly available.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: All 32 local authorities have submitted first iterations of their rapid rehousing transition plans. Officials are currently in the process of reviewing the plans to provide individual tailored feedback to local authorities. Local authorities will publish thei…

12 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will develop prevention pathways for people deemed particularly vulnerable to homelessness, including those experiencing domestic violence and care leavers.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: As indicated in our Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan, published on 27 November 2018, during 2019 we are committed to reviewing the evidence and identifying the timetable and process for the design and implementation of preventative pathways for each g…

12 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a statutory duty on local authorities to prevent homelessness, and what analysis it has made of the imposition of similar duties elsewhere in the UK.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Ending Homelessness Together: High Level Action Plan, published jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA in November 2018, sets out a five year plan for how national and local government, with third sector partners will work to prevent homelessness in…

5 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for improving the energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings of residential tenement homes in conservation areas of Glasgow.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of all types of buildings as part of Energy Efficient Scotland which sets our 20 year programme to transform all types of buildings in Scotland so that they are warmer, greener and more e…

4 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has discussed with Network Rail increasing the capacity at Glasgow Central Station.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The South Glasgow Timetable Capacity Study (SGTCS), commissioned by Transport Scotland with support from Network Rail, has been undertaken in order to assess the impact of future rail enhancements required to meet future growth. The study objective is to unde…

4 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding whether Network Rail plans to increase the capacity at Glasgow Central Station.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Network Rail is currently considering a number of existing capacity issues on the Glasgow Central Station one of these being the South Glasgow Timetable Capacity Study (SGTCS). However, the Scottish Government is aware that Network Rail are also giving consid…