James Kelly

1 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03436 by Annabelle Ewing on 21 October 2016, how many arrests were made in relation to the Rangers versus Celtic match of 23 October 2016, and how many of these were in relation to (a) the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communicatio…

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: At the Celtic versus Rangers match on 23 October 2016, there were 16 arrests in total.  6 of these came under Section 1 of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.

18 Oct 2016 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what additional resource it will commit to SPICe in each year during the current parliamentary session to take account of the impact of new welfare powers that are due to be devolved.

Answer · Andy Wightman: The SPCB budget is determined on an annual basis and is subject to parliamentary scrutiny and approval, so it’s not possible to state the annual resourcing for each year during the current parliamentary session. The SPCB’s budget bid for 2016/17 reflects a…

18 Oct 2016 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what additional resource has been committed to SPICe to respond to enquiries following the UK decision to leave the EU.

Answer · Andy Wightman: While no additional resources have been allocated to SPICe specifically as a consequence of the UK decision to leave the EU, the additional resources allocated under the Parliament-wide resourcing exercise, referred to in the answer to S5W-03903, are expected…

12 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it maintains a record of EU law transposed into Scots law.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government submits a report to the Scottish Parliament twice a year, detailing the Scottish legislation transposing EU law in devolved areas. The reports are published on the Scottish Parliament website. This does not include EU law that has dire…

7 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which Scottish public bodies have made staff redundant outwith voluntary redundancy schemes in each year since 2011.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Since 2007, the Scottish Government has been committed to a policy of no compulsory redundancy across those bodies covered by Ministers’ Public Sector Pay Policy and since 2011, NHS Scotland. The no compulsory redundancy policy has been extended until 2016-17…

7 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been made redundant by each Scottish public body outwith voluntary redundancy schemes in each year since 2011.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Since 2007, the Scottish Government has been committed to a policy of no compulsory redundancy across those bodies covered by Ministers’ Public Sector Pay Policy and since 2011, NHS Scotland. The no compulsory redundancy policy has been extended until 2016-17…

3 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02892 by Annabelle Ewing on 27 September 2016, how many arrests were made in relation to the Aberdeen v Rangers match of 25 September 2016, and how many of these were in relation to (a) the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communicati…

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Investigations into disorder related to the Aberdeen FC v Rangers FC match on 25 September 2016 are still on-going. Police Scotland has advised that to date two individuals have been charged with alleged breaches of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Thr…

3 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government about the funding that was allocated in its March 2015 Budget to tackling nuisance calls, and how much of this was allocated to Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government recently held conversations with the UK Government regarding the funding that was allocated in its March 2015 Budget to tackling nuisance calls. This funding is to provide call blocking devices to people identified as being at high ris…

3 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, as part of its Nuisance Calls Commission, it will investigate the potential for further funding for call blocking technologies for vulnerable people.

Answer · Keith Brown: The second session of the Nuisance Calls Commission, in January 2017, will look to empower and support companies that want to do the right thing, for example by providing guidance or finding ways to share best practice and find effective ways to tackle persis…

3 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the consumer principles outlined in the Programme for Government will include details of a one-stop-shop for consumers, as recommended by the Working Group on Consumer and Competition Policy for Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: The full range of recommendations from the Working Group will be a key consideration in that work.

29 Sep 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have multiple sclerosis, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. The MS Register, operated by NHS National Services Scotland’s Information Services Division (ISD) and supported by the Scottish Government, gives a figure of 2,731 people who reported to the Register within the period …

21 Sep 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the 2014 transition of patients in Rutherglen and Cambuslang from NHS Lanarkshire to NHS Glasgow.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03099 on 4 October 2016. 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 Sep 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reported difficulties being experienced by patients in Rutherglen and Cambuslang due to NHS Glasgow being unable to access their medical records.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Lanarkshire have advised that there are no changes to hospital flows as a result of the changes to health board boundaries and that patients in Rutherglen and Cambuslang continue to be able to access the same acute hospital services in Glasgow as they alw…

15 Sep 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many arrests were made on the weekend of 10 and 11 September 2016, and how many of these were in relation to the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Investigations into disorder related to the Celtic FC v Rangers FC match on 10 September 2016 are still on-going. Police Scotland has advised that to date one male has been charged with an alleged breach of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening …

7 Sep 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many arrests there have been in connection with football matches in each year since 2013 and under what legislation, also broken down by the number of subsequent (a) charges, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Information on arrests is not held centrally. The Scottish Government publishes information on charges reported by the police to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), under the 'Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications…

10 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there has been a delay in publishing details of ministerial travel since December 2015 on its website and, if so, for what reason, and when it will publish them.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The delay in publishing details of Ministerial travel was due to pre-election publication restrictions. All travel for the previous administration has now been published at: http://www.gov.scot/About/People/14944/travel Ministerial travel from May 2016 onwar…

20 Jun 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on repealing the offensive behaviour at football legislation.

8 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work in communities to tackle sectarianism it is funding, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) project.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government is investing over £1 million to support the delivery of community-based work to tackle sectarianism in 2016-17. The funding takes the total Scottish Government investment in work tackling sectarianism to £12.5 million over five years, …

8 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the safer communities budget is committed to the implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-000626 on 17 June 2016. 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/2…

26 May 2016 · Portfolio Question

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

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

24 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports in The Sunday Post on 21 May 2016 suggesting that senior management at Glasgow Prestwick Airport have filed expenses claims for staying at five-star hotels, including in London and Las Vegas, and what discussions it has had with the airport’s operators wit…

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with Glasgow Prestwick Airport on the expenses claimed by the senior management team at the airport. In compliance with European Union state aid rules, the airport is operated on a wholly commercial basis and at …

24 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports in The Sunday Post on 21 May 2016 suggesting that Glasgow Prestwick Airport spent (a) £600,000 on management consultants, (b) £90,000 on recruitment consultants and (c) £15,000 on a four-day team building exercise for executives, and what discussions it ha…

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with Glasgow Prestwick Airport regarding use of consultancy support or other professional services. In compliance with European Union state aid rules, the airport is operated on a wholly commercial basis at …

14 Mar 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the pay of workers in the hospitality sector.

9 Mar 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-30084 by John Swinney on 7 March 2016, whether it considers the regulation of claims management companies in Scotland to be adequate, in light of the level of reported nuisance calls about PPI.

Answer · John Swinney: The majority of claims management companies in Scotland are wholly owned by solicitors and as such are regulated by the Law Society of Scotland. There is little hard evidence of malpractice in Scotland, however we intend to consider the position of regulation…

25 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what projects have received funding through its tackling sectarianism initiatives in 2015-16, also broken down by the (a) amount awarded and (b) date the award was made.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: This government has provided more funding for work to tackle sectarianism than any administration before us. Our funding has supported 38 projects and a small grant programme to tackle sectarianism in 2015-16. Confirmation of awards was made on 15 January 201…

24 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29488 by John Swinney on 4 February 2016, whether it conducted a privacy impact assessment on its energy efficiency policies and, if so, whether this identified a risk of increased nuisance calls.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government has not undertaken a privacy impact assessment on its energy efficiency policies. However, all relevant organisations involved in the delivery of our energy efficiency schemes are required to have appropriate data protection policies i…

24 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29584 by John Swinney on 9 February 2016, whether it will provide details of the work that it is carrying out with the UK Government and key stakeholders regarding the effectiveness of regulation in this area, and which minster is taking lead respon…

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is clear that current UK regulation of nuisance calls and texts is fragmented. We believe more can be done at a UK level to make the regulation and enforcement of nuisance calls work more effectively for consumers, for example – The …

24 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29584 by John Swinney on 9 February 2016, in light of the proposed devolution of consumer advocacy and advice, whether it is aware of the findings of the trial that Trading Standards Scotland carried out in 2015 on call blocking technology and, if s…

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is aware of Trading Standards Scotland's recent trialling of the trueCall technology for blocking nuisance calls. Reports of the technology's effectiveness - blocking over 95% of all nuisance calls received during the trial and providi…

22 Feb 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the 2016-17 local government settlement will have on communities.

25 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its procurement process actively supports the take-up of telemarketing certification schemes such as the Telephone Preference Service.

Answer · Keith Brown: The relevant UK certification scheme for organisations which engage in telemarketing (i.e. which engage in outbound marketing calls to UK consumers or which outsource to a company that makes such calls) is "Telephone Preference Service (TPS) Assured". TPS Ass…