Alex Neil

24 Feb 2021 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how much it spends annually on the provision of legal advice for the Parliament and its committees.

16 Jul 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in establishing a National Complex Mesh Removal Surgery Service.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Following a recommendation from National Specialist Services Committee (NSSC) and NHS Board Chief Executives, the Scottish Government approved the establishment of a Complex Mesh Removal Surgical Service supported with over £1.3 million of Scottish Government…

15 Jun 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the eligibility criteria and how to apply to the £1 million fund for women with mesh complications.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has progressed plans for a £1 million fund to help support women who have experienced mesh complications. This scheme will be open for applications from 1 July 2020. To apply for a one-off £1,000 payment, women must have received a tr…

19 May 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for the proposed £1 million fund for women with mesh complications.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has heard – first hand – about the physical and emotional impact that mesh complications have had on those affected, as well as their families. Having listened carefully, we have progressed plans for a £1 million fund to help support …

18 May 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has for introducing the new antibody tests for COVID-19 in Scotland.

12 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will, at an appropriate time, hold national remembrance events for those who have lost their lives as a result of COVID-19.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: It is important that we acknowledge the role and sacrifice made by key workers and others during the COVID-19 pandemic. The First Minister stresses this in her daily briefings and also notes the personal loss that is experienced by friends and family to those…

23 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are being made to defer council tax payments for people who have had their income reduced or lost as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Our priority is to ensure that those directly impacted by current events are protected and we have asked councils to ensure that recovery proceedings are not initiated in these circumstances. The well-established Council Tax Reduction Scheme means nobody has …

11 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates will be saved in business rates from the introduction of the new Intermediate Property Rate, broken down by each industry sector.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The following table sets out the net expected savings in Non-Domestic Rates Income that will result from the introduction of the Intermediate Property Rate in 2020-21, broken down by property class. These estimates are representative of Non-Domestic Rates pol…

20 Feb 2020 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it will make a decision regarding the level of MSP allowances for staff for 2020-21.

15 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make any applications to the UK Freeports Advisory Panel in order to establish Freeports in Scotland and, if so, which locations will be included in the applications.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Following the establishment by the UK Government of a Freeports Advisory Panel, the Scottish Government is seeking assurances from the UK Government that the interests of the Scottish economy will be taken into account in the development of any proposals. At…

26 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the report from the Independent Review Panel that undertook a review of the process followed by NHS Lanarkshire Monklands Replacement/Refurbishment Project will be published.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The report will be published this morning at 11:00 on the University of Glasgow’s website and can be accessed through the following link: https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/healthwellbeing/research/hehta/monklands/ Firstly, I want to reiterate the Go…

18 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23747 by Jeane Freeman on 13 June 2019, what progress it has made on improvements resulting from the short-life working group on support for women with complications from transvaginal mesh.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As I outlined in S5W-23747 that while the short-life working group is expected to publish its initial findings in the autumn, I would provide an update on what improvements could be made now. The Short Life Working group on mesh complications met for a third…

5 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in ensuring that women in Scotland have access to high-quality services for the treatment of mesh complications.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In March I asked that an Accountable Officer short life working group be set up to examine the present course of care for women who experience mesh complications. As set out in response to a previous parliamentary question (S5W-22523 on 1 May 2019), the group…

6 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18389 by Humza Yousaf on 6 September 2018, what the combined cost was for the reclamation, decontamination and remedial works on the site prior to the commencement of the construction work on the campus.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not have the information requested. The site of the former Gartcosh steel rolling mill was subject to decontamination works at the same time as the M73 motorway was being constructed. This work was undertaken by Lanarkshire Enter…

7 Jan 2019 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take regarding the cessation of trading in managing medical waste contracts by Healthcare Environmental Services Ltd, including supporting the 150 workers who have been made redundant.

13 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of 150 jobs being at risk at Healthcare Environmental Services Ltd in Shotts, what action (a) it and (b) its agencies will take to protect these, and whether it will carry out an urgent review of the (i) reasons for the business being in this position and (ii) impact…

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Scottish Government officials offered support for employees of Healthcare Environmental Services Ltd (HES) as early as November 2018 through our PACE initiative. This offer of support was not accepted by the company until 27 December 2018 when HES made employ…

7 Dec 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19837 by Jeane Freeman on 9 November 2018, when it will provide an update on the arrangements to establish a review to provide an independent assessment of NHS Lanarkshire’s consideration of the replacement for University Hospital Monklands.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Government continues to support a replacement of University Hospital Monklands, to provide modern health facilities and a range of specialist services for the benefit of patients across Lanarkshire and those living with the Monklands catchment area. I as…

25 Oct 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish Professor Alison Britton’s investigative report, An Investigative Review into the process of establishing, managing and supporting Independent Reviews in Scotland.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Professor Britton's report has been published today and can be viewed here: www.gov.scot/ISBN/9781787813342  

23 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) it and (b) each of its agencies spent on the reclamation, decontamination and other remediation of the land on which the Scottish Crime Campus is located, prior to the construction works being undertaken.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not have this information to the level requested. The Scottish Government purchased a serviced site from Enterprise Lanarkshire (now Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire). The site had previously been de-contaminated by the enterprise…

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is an appeals procedure for prisoners who (a) do not wish to participate and (b) wish to participate but have not been selected to do so, in the Scottish Prison Services's Self-Change Programme and, if so, whether it will provide details, and how many appeals have been (i) …

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: There are no such appeals procedures in relation to decisions about participation in the Self-Change Programme (SCP). Individuals can …

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners have not been able to commence the Scottish Prison Service's Self-Change Programme on the targeted start date and, of these, how many have, as a result, not been granted parole on their (a) parole qualifying date or (b) punishment part expiry date, broken down by priso…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: This information is not held by SPS in the format requested.  

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment or evaluation has been made of the Scottish Prison Service's Self-Change Programme since it commenced, and whether it will make this publicly available.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Since the introduction of the Self Change Programme (SCP) in 2014, no evaluation has been undertaken. A small scale study was however condu…

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) criteria, (b) process and (c) decision-making process is in relation to enrolling a prisoner on the Scottish Prison Service's (SPS) Self-Change programme, and who within the SPS takes the final decision as to whether an individual prisoner must take part in the programme.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: Decisions surrounding an individual’s suitability for the Self-Change Programme (SCP) follow the same process undertaken for other off…

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners per annum the Scottish Prison Service's Self-Change Programme has the capacity to handle, and how many prisoners are currently on the programme, broken down by prison facility.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: The Self-Change Programme (SCP) is a rolling programme which runs continuously throughout the year, with group members ‘rolling’ out o…

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners have (a) commenced and (b) completed the Scottish Prison Service's Self-Change Programme in each year since the programme started, also broken down by prison facility.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: Due to the nature of the delivery of the Self Change Programme (SCP), this information is not held in the format requested. SPS do how…

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total budget and (b) the actual expenditure for the Self-Change Programme administered by the Scottish Prison Service has been in each year since it commenced, broken down by (i) prison facility and (ii) average cost per prisoner.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Regrettably this information is not held by SPS in the format requested.  

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost is per year of keeping a prisoner serving a life sentence in jail.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Scottish Prison Service (SPS) does not record the costs of housing differing categories of people in our care. As a Key Performance Indicat…

29 May 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will take urgent action to ensure that appropriate life-saving drugs are made available to people with cystic fibrosis.

1 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Lord Advocate will consider ordering an independent criminal investigation into all aspects of the case of Donal Alphonsus Nolan against Advance Construction (Scotland) Ltd and others, which was heard in the Court of Session in 2013 and was subject to a number of subsequent a…

Answer · James Wolffe QC: COPFS has not received a report of alleged criminality in connection with the civil litigation referred to in the Parliamentary Question. If a person connected with the civil litigation believes that a crime has taken place, the matter should be reported to P…

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the possible impact of Brexit on the fishing industry, and whether it will publish this.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scotland's Place in Europe: People, Jobs and Investment sets out the possible impacts of leaving the EU on the Scottish economy, including the fishing industry (paragraphs 93-97). The Scottish Government has also undertaken work to look at how leaving the EU…