Sandra White

14 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact UK Government welfare policies are having on people in Scotland renting in the (a) private and (b) social sector.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the report published on 13 May 2018 for the Scottish Government’s assessment of the impact of welfare reform on tenants in both the private and social rented sector. This is the third follow up paper to the Annual Report on Welfare Refor…

1 May 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to expand the accessible travel initiative, the Thistle Assistance Card.

14 Feb 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the top export markets are for salmon and whisky in terms of value and volume.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: HMRC figures released on the 9th February show that the top export market for whisky remains the EU, with exports in 2017 to the EU accounting for nearly a third (31%) of total whisky exports. The EU is also the highest value market, with exports worth nearly…

17 Jan 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Scottish Water to discuss the company, Business Stream.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I meet with the Chair of Scottish Water and Scottish Water Business Stream regularly. I last attended Scottish Water’s Board meeting on 6 December 2017.

9 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to the 2018 Celtic Connections festival, and what engagements (a) ministers and (b) officials plan to undertake at the event.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Celtic Connections has received £550K of Regular Funded Organisations (RFO) funding from Creative Scotland equating to £183,334 and £4K towards the Gaelic and Scots Showcase in 2018. The Scottish Government Ministers and officials will be attending a number …

9 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the Celtic Connections festival on the economy of (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A Celtic Connections 2016 Economic Impact Assessment, carried out by EKOS Limited for Glasgow Life was published in June 2016. The report showed the following results: Celtic Connections 2016 generated expenditure of £5,537,195 from visitors from the Glasgow…

9 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the comment in The Scotsman on 31 December 2017 by the artistic director of the Celtic Connections festival that, (a) because of Brexit, (i) many international artists feel unwelcome in the UK because the country now appears "less internationalist in outlook", (ii…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government confirms that any form of Brexit will cause serious damage to Scotland and that the UK leaving the single market and customs union would be damaging to Scotland. We agree that ending free movement of people will have a negative impact …

1 Nov 2017 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of recent reports regarding harassment, what provisions are in place to protect staff and interns employed by MSPs.

30 Oct 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to deal with sexual harassment.

2 Oct 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement that it issued on 16 September, what its response is to the violence that took place during the independence referendum in Catalonia.

27 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase access to new medicines.

12 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of mosquito devices to deter the gathering of young people.

21 Jun 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

13 Jun 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of Glasgow City Council.

24 May 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Answer · Shona Robison: Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with representatives of all Health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

15 May 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to tackle homelessness in Glasgow and across the country.

19 Apr 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to preserve greenspaces.

30 Mar 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to address irresponsible parking.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Parking policies form an essential part of a local road authority’s traffic management strategy to help reduce congestion and improve safety. However, irresponsible parking can have a negative impact, particularly when inconsiderate, obstructive or dangerous …

27 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of a rise in the HIV infection rate in Glasgow.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: We are aware of the rise in HIV rates in Glasgow which is primarily related to an ongoing outbreak in relation to injecting drug users. This incident is being managed by a multi-agency Incident Management Team, which involves relevant stakeholders including H…

8 Mar 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that there is equal pay for local authority staff across Scotland.

30 Jan 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what response it has received from the UK Government to the concerns that it has raised regarding people from Scotland being blocked from returning from overseas visits due to the United States imposing a travel ban.

25 Jan 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the application of business rates.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Barclay review of business rates will report to Ministers this Summer.

19 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the Celtic Connections festival on the economy of (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: An answer to this was provided in question S4W-29363 on 27 January 2016. Celtic Connections 2016 Economic Impact Assessment, carried out by EKOS Limited for Glasgow Life was published in June 2016. The report showed the following results: Economic Impact 20…

19 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to the 2017 Celtic Connections festival.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Creative Scotland has provided £550K of regular funding for the period of 2015-2018. In addition, they provided funding of £8K towards the Gaelic and Scots Showcase in 2017. Scottish Government, through Major Events, provided BEMIS funding during 2016-17 for…

19 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagements (a) ministers and (b) officials will be undertaking at the 2017 Celtic Connections festival.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs attended/is attending: The opening reception and concert with Laura Marling and BBC SSO Showcase Scotland Gaelic and Brazil reception BEMIS Burns Supper Karine Polwart, Wind Resistance La Ba…

17 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Glasgow Integration Joint Board report, Impact of Universal Credit on Homelessness Budgets.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is aware of the pressures on other services and budgets caused by the UK Government’s welfare reforms. We cannot fully mitigate all UK Government cuts, however funding for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) for both the bedroom tax …

17 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will use its new powers over universal credit (UC) to address reported concerns that there have been a number of homeless claimants entering the UC system in error.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We are aware there are some issues with homeless people on Universal Credit, however, it is not something that our new social security powers can rectify. We have raised the issue with DWP and asked them to investigate the Glasgow reports and find a way to re…

17 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact on its policy of tackling homelessness has been of the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scotland has some of the strongest homelessness rights in the world, but the Scottish Government has been clear that various aspects of the UK Government’s welfare reform has served to undermine these rights by reducing the resources available for homeless pe…

17 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of what the impact would be on homeless people of the proposal to close half of the job centres in Glasgow.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government recognises that homeless people, and those who face health and mobility problems, will be among those impacted by the reduction in JobCentre offices. Scottish Government is therefore pressing Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to en…

21 Dec 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are for Creative Europe-funded projects in light of the EU referendum result.