Parliamentary questions
Pauline McNeill
2,364 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has held with (a) Transport Scotland and (b) Glasgow City Council regarding the development of the Clyde Metro.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Since the publication of the draft second Strategic Transport Projects Review in January 2022, a multi-partner working group consisting of Transport Scotland, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Glasgow City Council, known as the Client Delivery Group, …
29 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding plans are in place to implement and begin construction of the Clyde Metro.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Clyde Metro will be transformational for the region. It is likely to be a programme which will be delivered over a number of years, with the scale and capital costs required making it one of the largest programme of works Scotland will have ever seen. It is …
25 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support care home services that are at risk of closure due to the reported loss of funding in the National Care Home Contract Fee, in light of reported concerns that the provision of care for older people is increasingly complex.
Answer · Maree Todd: The National Care Home Contract sets the rate for publicly funded care home placements and is negotiated annually between COSLA, Scottish Care and Scotland Excel. The Scottish Government is not a contractual party to it. We are pleased Scottish Care members v…
25 Oct 2023 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards reaching a resolution to the ongoing dispute with the Fire Brigades Union.
12 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any of the women's organisations that it funds provides help and assistance to women fleeing abusive family situations, rather than intimate partner violence and abuse, and if this is the case, whether it can provide a list of those organisations. …
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Equally Safe is Scotland’s strategy to take action on all forms of violence against women and girls. By this, we mean violent and abusive behaviour directed at women and girls precisely because they are women and girls. We know that VAWG can have a devastatin…
12 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that landlines installed in prison cells are not being used for criminal purposes.
Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Permanent In Cell Telephony means individuals in prison can maintain purposeful family contact, including with children, which we know…
11 Sep 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle repeat offending, in light of a recent report that found that people who experience frequent and serious repeat violence often do not bring this to the attention of the authorities.
11 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding a potential congestion charge for drivers not resident in Glasgow.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government has not had discussions with the Council regarding specific congestion charging schemes including charging for drivers not resident in Glasgow. The Scottish Government has had discussions with the Council in the context of local measur…
6 Sep 2023 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the regeneration plans for Glasgow’s "Golden Z" will deliver the jobs and opportunities needed to grow the city’s economy.
6 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on how many prison estates it estimates were built using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.
Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Based on our knowledge of the SPS estate, we do not believe that RAAC is present within the prison estate. SPS is however conducting…
29 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the impact of the reported funding reduction of between £550,000 and £650,000 to the women's justice service, and specifically the reported reduction of capacity from 12 to eight beds in the Turning Point Scotland 218 service.
Answer · Angela Constance: Decisions about the commissioning of individual community justice services, such as the 218 Service in Glasgow, are a matter for local authorities. Community justice funding is primarily based on a local model, with the Scottish Government providing funding …
29 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on expanding the Caledonian System, since January 2022.
Answer · Angela Constance: Since January 2022, the primary focus of the Caledonian System has been on reaccreditation with comprehensive material provided to the Scottish Advisory Panel on Offender Rehabilitation (SAPOR) earlier this year. Accreditation is an important step in independ…
26 Jul 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent meetings it has had with stakeholders in the private housing sector regarding proposed changes to heating efficiencies regarding gas central heating.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Legislation relating to the efficiency of heating systems such as gas central heating is set out via Ecodesign and energy labelling product standards legislation which is reserved to the UK Government. The UK Government has recently consulted upon proposals t…
26 Jul 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned on converting gas boilers to run on alternative fuels.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: In February 2022 we published research commissioned through the ClimateXChange (CxC) into direct, point-of-use greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with zero carbon heating technologies, including hybrid boilers ( Direct greenhouse gas emissions from lo…
26 Jul 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its engagement with the public regarding alternatives to domestic gas boilers.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Later this year we will publish our Heat in Buildings Public Engagement Strategy setting out how we will work with stakeholders to increase public awareness and understanding of zero emission heating systems, the different technological options available and …
26 Jul 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its reported proposals to require households to improve their energy efficiency rating, including potentially penalising the use of gas boilers, is compliant with human rights legislation.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, set out a pathway to decarbonise Scotland’s buildings by 2045. The Scottish Government’s ambition, as part of a phased approach, is to see homes reach a minimum energy efficiency standard equivalent t…
26 Jul 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16060 by Patrick Harvie on 11 April 2023, whether it has commissioned, or plans to commission, updated research on the efficiency of heat pumps in domestic homes, since the evidence review of August 2021.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government have commissioned Energy Systems Catapult to model six different archetypes of Scottish homes, comparing the operation of zero direct emission heating systems (including air source heat pumps and electric boilers) with gas boilers. Thi…
24 Jul 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons there are no high secure healthcare beds for women in Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: There has been no female high secure provision in Scotland since 2009. The decision to stop providing treatment was because the majority of women at the time did not in fact require high security and the development of medium secure services provided an oppor…
20 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding action to tackle the reported rise of online child sex abuse.
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the reported withdrawal of fire appliances at Maryhill, Govan and Cowcaddens in Glasgow, Kingsway East in Dundee, Greenock, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Methil, Perth and Hamilton will have on the safety of the public.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The safety of those in our communities is paramount for the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service decision to temporarily remove these appliances was made following detailed modelling using …
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what impact any increased incident response times by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have on the safety of the general public and people endangered or affected by incidents.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Responding to incidents is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The Scottish Government does not hold information on average response times. SFRS responds to every emergency incident as quickly as possible with the appropriate leve…
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether average incident response times have increased or decreased since the creation of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and by how much.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Responding to incidents is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The Scottish Government does not hold information on average response times.
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the budget for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service would be in 2023-24 had its budget increased in line with inflation since it was created.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: SFRS was formed in April 2013 and the Resource budget for its first year of operations in 2013-14 was £277.23 million. Adjusting that figure using the ONS annual inflation figures for CPIH (Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs) means…
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the capital budget has been for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in each year since its creation.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The capital budget allocations to SFRS for each year since its establishment are as follows (in £ millions): 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 Capital 15.3 22.3 25.3 10.8* 32.5 32.5 32.5 36.85** 32.5 32.5…
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the reported withdrawal of fire appliances at Maryhill, Govan and Cowcaddens in Glasgow, Kingsway East in Dundee, Greenock, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Methil, Perth and Hamilton will have on incident response times within those communities.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service decision to temporarily remove these appliances was made following detailed modelling using historic incident data and a robust assessment of the risks present in the communities those fire stations cover. Withdrawal of th…
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns regarding a budget crisis within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, what action it plans to take to address this.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: There is no budget crisis within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The Scottish Government has provided a £14.4m increase in the budget cover for SFRS in 2023-24. In common with all public bodies in Scotland it is right that SFRS continues to review its …
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to maintain access to the support and assistance entitlements for all trafficking survivors, irrespective of nationality, under the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015, in light of any retrospective effect of the UK Government’s Illegal Migration Bill.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government has been clear that the UK Government's cruel Illegal Migration Bill should be withdrawn immediately. The proposals, if enacted, will unjustly harm some of the most vulnerable people in society by restricting access to support and assi…
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is conducting any equalities, human rights or children's rights assessments, in respect of any impact in Scotland of the UK Government’s Illegal Migration Bill.
Answer · Emma Roddick: This Bill will disproportionately impact vulnerable groups including victims of trafficking, children and LGBTQIA+ people. It is regrettable that the Home Office did not publish an Equality Impact Assessment for the Bill until the 10 May, by which point it ha…
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it or any other Scottish public authority is under a legal obligation to report persons to the Home Office who arrive in Scotland with no immigration permission, and, if so, what any such legal obligations are, and which authorities they apply to.
Answer · Emma Roddick: Scottish public authorities exercise their functions in accordance with all relevant legal requirements, including those set out in legislation passed by the UK Parliament relating to reserved matters. The Scottish Government has no functions in connection w…
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were held in police custody suites in Scotland, under UK immigration legislation, in each year from 2016-17 to 2022-23 inclusive, also broken down by (a) nationality of those detained and (b) police station.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of people held in police custody suites in Scotland.