Ken Macintosh

19 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual value is of public sector construction contracts and what percentage of construction output they represent.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not collect information on the annual value of public sector construction contracts. Spending on construction in 2011-12 recorded by public sector bodies on the Scottish Government’s Procurement Information Hub was £2.437 billion…

19 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the proposed Procurement Reform Bill will reflect the findings of the Federation of Master Builders' report, Improving public procurement for construction SMEs.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Our proposals for the Bill were developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders, including business representatives. The recommendations set out in the Federation of Master Builders report serve as welcome conformation that businesses, especially s…

19 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will respond to the findings and recommendations of the Federation of Master Builders' report, Improving public procurement for construction SMEs.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Ministers have asked Robin Crawford and Ken Lewandowski to carry out an independent review of the way in which the public sector in Scotland procures construction work, and they have consulted the Federation of Master Builders as part of their review…

17 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to continue the work of the Children and Young People’s Allergy Network Scotland at the end of the current funding period.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Children and Young People’s Allergy Network has recurring funding from 2011-12 for a lead clinician and administrator. An application for the formalisation of the network’s future status as a national managed clinical network will be considered by the Nat…

17 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will establish a managed clinical network for allergy.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Children and Young People’s Allergy Network was established in April 2011 to strengthen and develop specialist services for children with severe allergies. The network has recurring funding from 2011-12 for a lead clinician and administrator. An applicati…

17 Jun 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much Amazon has received in regional selective assistance grants in the last year.

13 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its review of The Administration of Medicines in Schools.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has committed to review the guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools following the conclusion of the review of guidance on children unable to attend school due to ill health. This review is due to conclude in January 2014…

13 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many and what percentage of schools are equipped with emergency inhalers or medication to treat severe allergic reactions.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Pupils individual health care needs, and the plans to meet these healthcare needs, which include emergency procedures, determine the medication which is held in schools. The specific information requested is not held centrally.

13 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many school children have been diagnosed with asthma or a severe allergy.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Information on the number of pupils with asthma or a severe allergy are not collected or held centrally.

13 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the legal status is of protection against prosecution for school staff who have helped to administer or have administered medication to pupils.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: As the employer of staff in schools who administer medication to pupils this is a matter for education authorities. The guidance on the administration of medicines in schools makes clear that it is for education authorities to ensure that their insurance/inde…

13 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training is provided to all educational staff on the (a) recognition and (b) treatment of allergic reactions.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15688 on 26 June 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/parliamentarybu…

13 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) support or (b) training there is for (i) teachers and (ii) other school staff regarding the administration of medication for pupils with severe allergies.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools recommends education authorities should liaise with NHS boards to ensure that all staff involved with pupils with health care needs have received a basic understanding of those needs and to ensure sta…

13 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether schools are required to provide (a) support or (b) training for children with asthma or food allergies who have to self-administer medication in the case of an adverse reaction.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools makes it clear that It is for NHS boards to ensure that appropriate agreements are in place with education authorities, which determine the respective responsibilities of each in relation to the admin…

10 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14422 by Michael Matheson on 9 May 2013, when NHS Education for Scotland became aware of the need to provide additional dental vocational training places for 2013-14 graduates; what action (a) NHS Education for Scotland and (b) the Scottish Governme…

Answer · Alex Neil: NHS Education for Scotland (NES) first became aware of a need for additional dental Vocational Training (VT) places at the conclusion of its round one recruitment exercise at the end of January 2013. In accordance with its procedures, following an evaluation…

10 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a shortfall in dental vocational training placements and, if so, of how many.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government’s commitment is to match the number of dental Vocational Training (VT) places available in Scotland to the Scottish dental schools graduate output. The 2013 Scottish dental schools graduate output is 172 and, as of today, NHS Educatio…

10 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people graduated from dental school in 2013 and how many have secured a vocational training placement.

Answer · Alex Neil: 172 Dental students graduated from Scottish dental schools this year. 153 dental graduates have secured vocational training places to date and we are confident that the remaining Scottish graduates will be placed.

10 Jun 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what input it will have to Creative Scotland’s new vision statement.

6 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent civil servants are working on the white paper on independence.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Officials in policy teams across a number of areas in the Scottish Government are working on contributions which will be included in the White Paper.

6 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what transition plan it would put in place for civil servants if Scotland became independent.

Answer · John Swinney: In the event of a vote for independence in the 2014 referendum, Scotland would subsequently take responsibility for matters presently reserved to the UK Government. There would therefore be a continuing need for public services currently delivered by UK Gover…

6 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants work in the Scottish Government and how many would be required in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: Latest figures for Scottish public sector employment (Q1 2013), including Scottish Government civil servants, can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/06/9041 Unlike the UK Government, which cut 5,800 civil service jobs in Scotland bet…

6 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out on plans for a civil service in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s plans for a constitutional platform to enable the transfer of sovereignty from Westminster to Scotland are set out in “Scotland’s Future: From the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution, available at: http://www.scotl…

6 Jun 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of the Scottish civil service has been in each of the last five years and what the cost would be in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s policy of no compulsory redundancies and pay restraint means we can provide staff with job security at an economically challenging time, while delivering the efficiency savings necessary to live within the tight financial settlement …

23 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the modelling underlying its assertion that a reduction in corporation tax in Scotland equivalent to a fall from 23% to 20% “can increase the level of output by 1.4%, boost overall employment in Scotland by 1.1% (equivalent to 27,000 jobs) and raise ove…

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15187 on 3 June 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/parliamentarybus…

23 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact would be on Scotland’s tax revenues of a 3% reduction in Scotland’s rate of corporation tax.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15187 on 3 June 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/parliamentarybus…

23 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted modelling to measure the impact on Scotland’s tax revenue of reducing the rate of corporation tax in Scotland to 17%.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15187 on 3 June 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/parliamentarybus…

23 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to revise the corporation tax modelling referred to in its discussion paper, Devolving Corporation Tax in the Scotland Bill, in light of the decision by the UK Government to reduce the UK rate of corporation tax to 20% as of April 2015.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15187 on 3 June 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/parliamentarybus…

20 May 2013 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that its grants are awarded only to companies that pay correct levels of tax.

15 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will provide for improvements to the Caledonian Sleeper service and from which budget lines.

Answer · Keith Brown: £100 million has been committed to the improvement of the Caledonian Sleeper service. £50 million of this budget was provided by the Scottish Government and the remainder by the UK Government.

15 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken to (a) safeguard and (b) improve the Caledonian Sleeper service.

Answer · Keith Brown: £100 million has been committed for the improvement of the Caledonian Sleeper Service. £50 million of this money will be available to improve the rolling stock on the Caledonian Sleeper service. This compares with the lack of investment, under previous admini…

15 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has received from the UK Government for improvements to the Caledonian Sleeper service and on what it has spent this funding.

Answer · Keith Brown: Over £100 million remains committed to the improvement of the Caledonian Sleeper service in its entirety. £50 million of this was provided by the UK Government. The £50 million provided by the Treasury has been loaned to Scottish Water and is supporting thei…