James Kelly

28 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) properties have been purchased and (b) people have been supported each year under the Help to Buy scheme.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The total number of properties purchased through the Help to Buy (Scotland) schemes between 2013-14 and 2016-17 is over 10,000. Broken down by financial year the numbers were; Financial Year Number of Properties Purchased 2013-14 750 2014-15 3690 2015-…

28 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much homeowners have paid (a) in total and (b) on average each year on fees to meet the administrative costs of agents administering post-sale queries regarding the Help to Buy scheme.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: This is a matter for the Help to Buy (Scotland) administering agents. The Scottish Government does not set these fees and they are paid directly to the administering agent. The information requested is not held centrally.

8 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14810 by Humza Yousaf on 8 March 2018, what Transport Scotland's timetable is for the introduction of the Class 385 trains, and whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm by what date it expects the trains to be introduce…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The date for introduction of the new class 385 trains is a matter for ScotRail, Hitachi and Caledonian Rail Leasing (owners which lease trains to ScotRail) to agree once approval for the fleet is granted by the ORR. Various technical and manufacturing issues …

21 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects Class 385 trains will be introduced for service.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotRail must ensure each new train is fully tested to meet the necessary safety and approvals standards before entering service and this will only be achieved after trains are approved by the independent, Office of Road and Rail (ORR). Feedback gathered from…

21 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for the cost of resolving reported problems with windscreens following testing of Class 385 trains.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The cost of resolving any issues flagged up during testing will fall to the train manufacturer and any delays will need to be resolved within the commercially confidential agreement between Hitachi (manufacturers), ScotRail (operators) and Caledonian Rail (ow…

21 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it first expected Class 385 trains would be introduced for service.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The first four trains in the new c385 fleet should have entered service by the end of Autumn 2017.

19 Feb 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the funding for anti-sectarianism initiatives for 2018-19.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: We have invested £13 million since 2012 in tackling sectarianism with £9.8 million directly invested to support community based organisations deliver grassroots work. This unprecedented amount allowed the delivery of nearly 200 projects across Scotland includ…

6 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the additional expenditure that has been set out in the Budget is being drawn from (a) the Scotland Reserve and (b) 2017-18 underspend.

Answer · Derek Mackay: In supporting 2018-19 expenditure plans, the amount to be drawn from the Scotland Reserve will be determined by the final level of underspend available at the end of the 2017-18 financial year. Full details of the 2017-18 provisional outturn and underspend wi…

6 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been held each month in the Scotland Reserve.

Answer · Derek Mackay: £74.2 million and this amount has been held each month in the Scotland Reserve.

30 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01722 by Aileen Campbell on 24 January 2018, whether it will to provide an update on the funding of the Scottish Sports Association for 2018-19.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I recently met with the Scottish Sports Association (SSA) and members of the Scottish Parliament’s cross party group on sport to discuss how we develop a sustainable financial future for the SSA. I have also considered all representations received on this iss…

30 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will allocate in 2018-19 to projects that tackle sectarianism.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: We have set out our proposals for our Draft Budget for 2018-19. Once the Budget process in the Scottish Parliament is complete, we will be able to set out our more detailed proposals for community safety funding in 2018-19, including for issues such as tackli…

26 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported continued decline in cervical screening coverage.

Answer · Shona Robison: Cervical screening saves around 5,000 lives a year and prevents up to 8 out of 10 cervical cancers. Increasing coverage in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme is a key objective for the Scottish Government and that is why up to £5m of funding from the …

21 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to support the introduction of heroin-assisted treatment, in light of the reported delay in delivering a drug consumption room in Glasgow following a ruling by the Lord Advocate and the position adopted by the Home Office.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-13632 on 24 January 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…

21 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of HIV infections there were among people who inject drugs in (a) Glasgow and (b) the rest of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area following the recent outbreak of the condition, and how many (a) died and (b) are in sustained HIV treatment w…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Data provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde reports that there have been 109 new confirmed HIV infection cases in people who inject drugs since 2015, predominantly within Glasgow. The number of cases identified outwith Glasgow is less than 5 therefore figu…

21 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the rate of HIV infection is among people who inject drugs in (a) Glasgow and (b) the rest of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, also broken down by gender, and how many are involved in prostitution.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: As outlined within the 2008-09 – 2015-16 Needle Exchange Surveillance Initiative (NESI) report, (http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resourcedocument.aspx?id=5863) the estimated HIV prevalence of injecting drug users in Greater Glasgow and Clyde is 2.5%. The NESI data…

21 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the scale of the needle exchange transactions across Glasgow city centre was in the month after the closure of the  programme at Glasgow Central Station, and how this compared with the month before it closed.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-13632 on 24 January 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…

21 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether alternative needle exchanges (a) have been introduced and (b) are planned to replace the programme at Glasgow Central Station and, if so, at what locations.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-13632 on 24 January 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…

21 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has discussed with Network Rail reopening the needle exchange programme at Glasgow Central Station and, if so, whether a date has been suggested for a resumption of the service.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The provision of addiction services in Glasgow, including needle exchange services, is a matter for Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership. Following the announcement of the closure of the service within Glasgow Central Station, Ministers supported effort…

18 Dec 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the finding by the Institute for Public Policy Research Scotland that the budget for day-to-day spending is expected to fall by £250 million between 2018-19 and 2019-20.

14 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to expand support for employee ownership, and whether this includes promoting worker co-operative developments.

Answer · Keith Brown: Support for employee ownership is delivered by Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS), who raise awareness of the value of co-operative and employee ownership models, and provide specialist advise. CDS currently supports 92 of these businesses, with approxim…

7 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether ScotRail on-board hospitality staff are paid for the duration of their shift, excluding time between stations.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The terms of ScotRail's on-board hospitality staff hours and pay are a matter for ScotRail and the Scottish Government does not hold details of the pay for the duration of their shift.

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which minister certified that the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill was compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and from whom did that minister seek advice on the matter. 

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-13248 on 15 December 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamenta…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Human Rights Commission's submission to the Justice Committee in November 2017, which raised concerns regarding whether the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 is compliant with the European Convention on…

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: As I explained when giving evidence to the Justice Committee on 5 December in relation to the proposed repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012, under the Scotland Act 1998 the Scottish Government has a …

4 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of on-board ScotRail hospitality staff who are employed through agencies are (a) paid at least the real living wage and (b) on zero-hours contracts.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is a strong proponent of the living wage and is fully committed to all ScotRail employees and contractors receiving at least the living wage and that is why we have written it into the ScotRail franchise contract. The ScotRail Franch…

4 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of ScotRail on-board hospitality staff are employed through agencies.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The decision to use agency staff is a commercial decision for ScotRail. The Scottish Government does not hold details of what proportion of ScotRail on-board hospitality staff are employed through agencies.

4 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which staff roles in ScotRail are outsourced to agencies.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The decision to use agency staff is a commercial decision for ScotRail. The Scottish Government does not hold details of which staff roles in ScotRail are outsourced to agencies. The Scottish Government, however, recognises the importance of ScotRail to our…

4 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with ScotRail regarding the use of agencies in employing staff.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government meets regularly with ScotRail to discuss a broad range of areas. I have raised my concerns directly with ScotRail regarding the use of agency staff to fulfil Franchise Services.

28 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it can provide for owners of properties affected by aluminium composite material cladding.

23 Oct 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether public sector workers should be given a real-terms pay increase in 2018-19.

25 Sep 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding its decision to withdraw support for the needle exchange programme at Glasgow Central Station.