Ken Macintosh

27 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the analysis of Financial Service Authority product sales by HM Treasury that suggests that 70% of all pension products bought by consumers in Scotland are from firms based in the rest of the UK.

Answer · John Swinney: HM Treasury analysis of FSA product sales data reveals a highly integrated market for financial services between Scotland and the rest of the UK, as reflected by the fact that 25% of pension products bought by consumers in the rest of the UK are from firms ba…

27 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking ahead of the independence referendum to identify pension schemes that operate both in Scotland and across the rest of the UK; what information it has on how many of the schemes fail to meet the requirement in the EU directive for occupational retirement schemes t…

Answer · John Swinney: Information on the valuations and recovery plans of UK defined benefit and hybrid pension schemes is published by The Pensions Regulator and is available on its website: http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/docs/scheme-funding-appendix-2013.pdf. Data held …

27 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has had with the Chief Constable regarding the publication of crime statistics.

20 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it can give to expand the provision of credit unions across the country.

6 Nov 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it considers reduced opening times at police stations such as Giffnock will have on residents' feelings of safety and security.

4 Nov 2013 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister, in light of the recent report by the Educational Institute of Scotland, what action the Scottish Government is taking to address the use of zero-hours contracts in the higher education sector.

29 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the repayment cost would be of borrowing the £296 million set out in the 2014-15 draft budget from the National Loans Fund in 2015-16 over (a) 10 and (b) 25 years.

Answer · John Swinney: The repayment costs for borrowing £296 million from the National Loans Fund will depend on the interest rate charged, the type of loan and the time taken to repay it. On the basis of an annuity loan, with equal half-yearly payments (to include principal and …

29 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the 2014-15 draft budget sets out borrowing £296 million from the National Loans Fund in 2015-16 over a 25-year period and not the 10-year maximum recommended in the UK Government’s white paper, Strengthening Scotland’s Future.

Answer · John Swinney: It is expected that borrowing powers will be used to invest in long-term assets, which have at least a 25 year life. This is consistent with Strengthening Scotland’s Future (CM7973) which indicated that a longer timeframe than 10 years may be negotiated if t…

29 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has agreed with the Treasury the 25-year repayment period set out in the 2014-15 draft budget for borrowing £296 million from the National Loans Fund in 2015-16.

Answer · John Swinney: As set out in the paper Strengthening Scotland’s Future (CM 7973) we plan to inform the UK Government of our spending plans, including the use of borrowing, at least six months before the start of the relevant financial year. For spending, including borrowin…

21 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it pays its apprentices per hour.

Answer · John Swinney: Modern Apprentices employed by the Scottish Government are not paid on an hourly basis, but as salaried staff on £16,042 per annum.

21 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the apprentice national minimum wage is a fair level of payment for apprentices.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has been consistent in its commitment to tackle poverty, fair levels of pay are an important part of that commitment. The UK Apprentice Pay Survey (2011) found that the average rate of gross hourly pay received by apprentices in Scotla…

21 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to apprentices in relation to (a) the costs of travel to and from their placement and (b) the purchase of equipment required for the apprenticeship.

Answer · Angela Constance: Apprentices who are normally resident in Argyll and Bute; Western Isles (Eilean Siar); Highland; Moray; Orkney and Shetland who incur travel costs as a result of attending structured and formal off-the-job training, required as part of their modern apprentice…

2 Oct 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors companies in receipt of government grants to ensure that they do not use so-called zero-hours contracts.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is responsible for a wide range of grants either directly or through our agencies and partners. My officials are currently looking at how these are monitored and will report back to me in due course. The Scottish Government does not di…

23 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17142 by John Swinney on 23 September 2013, what direction it gives to Scottish Enterprise regarding the granting of regional selective assistance.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Enterprise is fully accountable for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). RSA Guidelines have been in place, with regular updates, since the scheme was introduced in the 1980’s. These guidelines were originally developed in consultation with operatin…

23 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17141 by John Swinney on 23 September 2013, in what ways it monitors the use of regional selective assistance grants to ensure that “regional selective assistance will not be granted to companies that espouse the use of zero-hours contracts” (Offici…

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Enterprise is fully accountable for regional selective assistance (RSA). To claim an instalment of grant under the terms of an RSA offer, a business has to complete a grant claim form to confirm that project investment and permanent job creation/safe…

23 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17141 by John Swinney on 23 September 2013, whether this response is consistent with the statement by Fergus Ewing on 11 September 2013 that “regional selective assistance is not paid for zero-hours contracts” (Official Report, c. 22330).

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to S4W-17398 on 4 October 2013. 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/parliamentarybusiness/…

18 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs last met the chief executive of Creative Scotland and what issues were discussed.

11 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it applies non-employment of workers on zero-hours contracts as a criterion for regional selective assistance funding.

Answer · John Swinney: Application of the criteria for regional selective assistance are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. We will ask the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to write to you on this matter.

11 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what checks it makes to ensure that regional selective assistance and other government grants do not support companies that employ workers on zero-hours contracts.

Answer · John Swinney: Checks on the proper application of regional selective assistance are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. We will ask the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to write to you on this matter.

11 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it includes the local authority contribution to non-profit distributing or other privately financed projects when calculating the 5% cap on its revenue-funded investment programme.

Answer · John Swinney: Annex A of the Draft Budget 2014-15 sets out how the Scottish Government is monitoring the long term investment commitments to manage within 5% of our expected future annual total DEL budget. As stated there, the assessment includes only those elements that i…

10 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which elements of the NHS management pay arrangements it plans to review.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has no plans to review elements of the current NHS executive and senior management pay arrangements. I have indicated that I would be interested in hearing views on how these arrangements might evolve in the future as we move towards o…

10 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what average percentage pay increase is being offered to NHS managers.

Answer · Alex Neil: Details of the 2013-14 pay settlement for NHS executive and senior managers will be announced in a forthcoming pay circular. This will be entirely consistent with Scottish Government Pay Policy for 2013-14.

10 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS managers are being offered an improved pay deal in autumn 2013.

Answer · Alex Neil: There are 916 whole time equivalent staff in the executive and senior management cohorts. These employees have been subject to a complete pay freeze of up to four years. Details of the 2013-14 pay settlement covering this group will be announced in a forthcom…

9 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for future support for people aged 16 to 24 with (a) cancer and (b) serious and complex long-term health conditions other than cancer in employment and training.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is committed to the support already in place and will continue to prioritise supporting young people into employment and training, especially those with serious health conditions and those furthest from the labour market.

9 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for people aged 16 to 24 with (a) cancer and (b) serious and complex long-term health conditions other than cancer to (i) access and (ii) maintain employment and training opportunities.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all young people with a disability, a long term health condition or an additional support need are supported as they access and maintain employment and training opportunities. This is done through a number…

9 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for future support for students aged 16 to 24 with (a) cancer and (b) serious and complex long-term health conditions other than cancer in further and higher education.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is determined to support all students, and in particular, those who are battling serious and complex long-term health conditions including cancer. From 2013-14, all students are eligible to apply for a maintenance support package wort…

9 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for students aged 16 to 24 with (a) cancer and (b) serious and complex long-term health conditions other than cancer to (i) access and (ii) maintain further and higher education opportunities.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is determined to support all students, and in particular, those who are battling serious and complex long-term health conditions including cancer. In general, access to further and higher education in Scotland is a competitive process…

9 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the effectiveness of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing's letter of 22 February 2013 to NHS boards encouraging them to support a culture of openness among staff.

9 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the provision of speech and language therapy for children with neurological conditions.

Answer · Alex Neil: All children access speech and language therapy services in the same way irrespective of whether they have been diagnosed with a neurological condition. Action 4.1 of the Allied Health Professions National Delivery Plan, published in 2012, specifically focus…

9 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides for speech and language therapy.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information about the funding provided for Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) services is not held centrally. Funding for NHS Speech and Language services is provided through general NHS Board funding; it is for each NHS board to determine locally what spend …