Parliamentary questions

Kenneth Gibson

2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

1 Sep 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the cultural sector’s recovery in the current financial year, including the provision of funding.

24 Aug 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact parental smoking has on child poverty.

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when proposals for the introduction of Compulsory Sales Orders will be brought forward.

Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02179 on ? 1 September 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-comm…

19 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the £60 million that it committed to renewing every play park in Scotland during the current parliamentary session will be distributed to local authorities, and what mechanism will be used to determine the resources that will be allocated to each local authority.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government plan for its first 100 days includes the commitment to agree the first allocation of funding to councils for refurbishment of play parks. We are currently working with COSLA to confirm how the funding will be allocated and to set the p…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S6W-01033 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2021, what is meant by "certain infectious and parasitic diseases."

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Causes of death are categorised using the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10 th Revision (ICD-10). A link to this classification is available here: ICD-10 Version:2019 (who.int) For more detai…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01033 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2021, for what reason influenza, pneumonia and other infectious diseases were not included in the figures provided.

30 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children aged under 16, who went missing in 2019, were still missing a year later.

Answer · Ash Denham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Data on missing children can be sought from Police Scotland.

24 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people died of food poisoning in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: There were no death certificates stating any involvement with food poisoning in each of the last five years.

24 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people died of infectious diseases in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by disease.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The number of people who died of infectious diseases in each of the last five years are shown in the following table. These figures are available on the NRS website up to 2019. Data for 2020 will be published on 17 August 2021. This data can be accessed at: …

23 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used when distributing the Bus Partnership Fund.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Proposals to the Bus Partnership Fund were scored against the following criteria, which were published when the Fund opened on 9 November 2020:Evidence of congestion and ideas to reduce congestion, through improved emissions (25%)Partnership strength and demo…

22 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding reported plans to reduce universal credit payments by £1,040 a year, in light of concerns that this may lead to a return to austerity.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government has written to the UK Government on six occasions in order to urge them to retain the £20-per-week uplift to Universal Credit, and also extend it to people on legacy benefits, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance. The Scottish Government als…

22 Jun 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress on green ports in Scotland.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government has been ready for some time to press ahead with the process to establish green ports. Despite our commitment to moving forward in partnership, the UK Government has failed to engage with us to publish a joint applicant prospectus. We …

9 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider changing its COVID-19 regulations regarding the docking of UK cruise ships to enable passengers to embark and disembark in areas at protection level 2 or lower so that they have the same freedoms as people travelling between Scotland and England via plane, train …

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government has fully considered all of the suggestions made by stakeholders alongside all current data, scientific evidence and clinical advice available to us. Based on this assessment, subject to the relevant guidance being in place, our recomm…

7 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to introduce legislation for the incorporation of the human rights recommended by its National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership.

Answer · Shona Robison: A Human Rights Bill will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament during this Parliamentary session taking forward the recommendations of The National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership’s report.

7 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the human right to a healthy environment will be included in any of its forthcoming legislation.

Answer · Shona Robison: A Human Rights Bill will be introduced to Parliament during this Parliamentary session taking forward the recommendations of The National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership’s report. The right to a healthy environment for everyone will be included as part …

7 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to respond formally to the recommendations of its National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government co-chaired the National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership and wrote to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee on 11 March 2021 to outline its response to the Task Force recommendations. The letter The Scottish Government wrote …

7 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to North Ayrshire Council to provide targeted free school meal support during school holidays in the financial year 2021-22.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is providing local authorities across Scotland with £21.75 million to provide targeted free school meal support during the school holidays throughout the forthcoming school year. We wrote to local authorities on 14 May to inform them o…

7 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to North Ayrshire Council to provide free school meals to primary four children from August 2021, and to primary five children from January 2022, in the financial year 2021-22.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is providing local authorities across Scotland with £28 million to expand the universal provision of free school lunches to include all children in primary 4 starting from August 2021, and to include all children in primary 5 starting …

4 Jun 2021 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will support and fund the roll-out of body-worn cameras for police officers and ambulance crews.

26 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to developing countries to help them tackle COVID-19.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The aim of the Scottish Government’s annual £10 million International Development Fund (IDF) is to support and empower our partner countries: Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, and Pakistan. The COVID-19 Pandemic has greatly impacted our programme over the past year. On…

26 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will define milestone events, such as golden and diamond wedding anniversary celebrations, as "life events" in order to allow for their safe resumption.

Answer · John Swinney: Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals are recognised as life events within Scottish Government guidance. Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals are of particular importance to people and society and are protected under the European Convention on Human …

13 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when social distancing requirements on ferries to Scotland's islands will be the same as that on aircraft flying to islands.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Physical distancing has been an important element in controlling the spread of COVID which is key to keeping our economy open and moving forward to recovery from the impacts of the virus. Much work has been undertaken by operators in order to safely maximise…

11 Mar 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress on its proposals for fair, green ports in Scotland.

Answer · Ivan McKee: It was my clear expectation that the bidding process for green ports in Scotland would begin with publication of an Applicant Prospectus this month. Since the UK Government announced its intention to establish freeports around the UK, I and this government h…

10 Mar 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many knife crimes there were in North Ayrshire in the most recent year for which information is available, and how this compares with the peak year for such offences since 1999.

2 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many baby boxes have been given to parents since the initiative began.

Answer · Maree Todd: Registration opened on 15 June 2017, and delivery of Baby Boxes nationwide began on 15 August 2017 for all babies born and resident in Scotland. Up to 26 February 2021, we have distributed 166,813 Baby Boxes to families across Scotland.

23 Feb 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made to return Glasgow Prestwick Airport to the private sector.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Since the Scottish Government bought Glasgow Prestwick Airport (GPA) in 2013, we have been clear that it is our intention to return the business to the private sector when the time is right. In November 2020 a notice was placed in the Official Journal of the …

17 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the savings will be for each industry sector following the decision to extend the 100% business rates relief to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors for the entirety of 2021-22.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34997 on? 18 February 2021. 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/parliamentarybusin…

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it envisages garden centres will be re-opened.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Scotland's Strategic Framework sets out our approach to supressing the Covid-19 virus which is based on an assessment of each of the four harms and contains the broad measures in place in each of the protection levels. Garden centres can open in any area des…

4 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what savings might arise for the (a) retail, (b) hospitality and (c) leisure sector from the decision to extend 100% business rates relief for the first three months of 2021-22.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The decision to extend 100% business rates relief for the first three months of 2021-22, announced in the Scottish Budget on 28 January, was expected to save ratepayers £185m. On 16 February 2021, I announced that the Scottish Budget 2021-22 would extend the…

1 Feb 2021 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Institute of Fiscal Studies report that was published on 1 February, which suggests that the cost of lost schooling in Scotland due to the pandemic is at least £2.8 billion.