John Scott

12 Dec 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the case management system that was procured from IBM in 2017 will process post wave 1 benefits.

5 Dec 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the long-term reduction in services at University Hospital Ayr, including the current proposals to remove cancer and vascular services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: It is right that Health Boards keep their services under review to ensure that they remain of the highest quality, consistent with national policies and best clinical practice. No decisions have been made in terms of the location of future services under the…

13 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents in which the word "fireworks" appears were recorded on Police Scotland command and control systems in each of the last five years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

13 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of an offence under the Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004 in each of the last five years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: (a) People reported to COPFS with at least one charge under the Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004. 2013-14 to 2017-18.  2013-14 2014-15  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004 10 17  8 * 8 Source: Crown Office & Procurat…

13 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been given the maximum custodial sentence of five years for carrying a knife in each of the last five years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The available information is provided in the following tables by financial year, which have been produced from the Scottish Government’s criminal proceedings database . The Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2017-18 will be published in late January 2019. Numb…

31 Oct 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted regarding a timescale for reducing the large business supplement.

24 Oct 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role local government will have in implementing the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board's strategic plan.

19 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the funding of arts and culture to the south of the central belt.

20 Jun 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the death rate from drug abuse in Ayrshire, in light of reports that this has more than trebled since 2010.

13 Jun 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the implications for wildlife in Scotland, what its response is to the joint study by the Mammal Society and Natural England, which states that almost one-in-five mammal species in Britain is at risk of extinction.

7 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the third supplementary to question S5F-02418 by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 June 2018 (Official Report, c. 18), whether it will provide further details of the discussions that it has had with Heathrow Airport regarding its plans to develop a third runway and the poten…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Scottish Government and Heathrow Airport Ltd in October 2016, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work has met with Heathrow Airport's Chief Executive Officer at 6 monthly…

16 May 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the long-term financial position of NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

4 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether improved bowel cancer screening techniques in NHS Ayrshire and Arran are leading to longer waiting times for colonoscopies following positive screening results.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: NHS Boards are responsible for planning and delivering bowel screening services to meet the needs of their local population. The new FIT bowel screening test was introduced in November last year. It is a much more user friendly test and as a result the bowel…

25 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its comment in the Programme for Government that "improving the education and life chances of children and young people is the defining mission of this Government", what its response is to South Ayrshire Council's reported plan to introduce fees for instrumental tuition for …

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises the value of the expressive arts which provide children and young people with opportunities to be creative and imaginative and to experience inspiration and enjoyment, contributing greatly to children and young people’s ment…

29 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support Scottish exports to international markets.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scotland’s international exports (excluding oil and gas) increased by £460 million to £29.8 billion in 2016. Whilst it is encouraging to see international exports continue to increase the Scottish Government recognises that more must be done to improve Scotla…

14 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the forthcoming combined alcohol and drugs treatment strategy will provide targeted prevention, intervention and treatment for women, in light of the 169% increase in drug-related deaths in the last decade among women, which was recorded in the report, Drug-related deaths in Scotland…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s refreshed Substance Misuse Treatment Strategy will recognise the need to develop appropriate high quality, person centred service responses to meet the specific needs of those most at risk from substance use who we know face wide ran…

6 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding establishing schemes that aim to attract more seasonal skilled labour across all sectors, such as the former Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme.

28 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions the Minister for Local Government and Housing has had with councils regarding the sustainability of services.

22 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish the consultation on the introduction of compulsory video recording of slaughter at abattoirs, as set out in its programme for government.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As announced in the Programme for Government, the Scottish Government will consult, by the spring of 2018, on the introduction of compulsory video recording of slaughter at abattoirs in Scotland to aid enforcement of welfare requirements by abattoir managemen…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the illegal release of beavers could have on flood mitigation measures in the River (a) Tay and (b) Earn catchment area.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The presence of beavers is not thought likely to have a significant impact on flood mitigation measures in the River Tay and Earn catchment areas. In the event that beaver activity such as burrowing or damming threatens flood mitigation measures, there are a …

10 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration the ongoing planning review is giving to surface water management and infrastructure.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The planning review aims to strengthen and simplify the planning system, and to ensure planning better serves Scotland’s communities and economy. It brings a greater focus on delivering the developments Scotland needs, with the infrastructure to support it. …

6 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with VisitScotland regarding tourism in Ayrshire.

5 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has invited any research institutions to evaluate the work of the University of Queensland with regard to methane reduction in cattle by including seaweed in their diet, and to assess whether a Scottish application might be found for this research.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Experts at Scotland’s Rural College were invited to consider these findings and advised that the reductions observed were based on laboratory based tests only, using seaweeds which are not native to Scottish waters. We remain keen to see how this research pro…

5 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has made of the claim made by the University of Queensland that including a certain type of seaweed in the diet of cattle can reduce their methane output by up to 90%.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is aware of this work as part of a wider assessment which it has undertaken on the potential for reductions in GHG emissions to be made through changes to livestock diets.

19 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects bovine viral diarrhoea will be eliminated from Scotland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is not possible to accurately predict how long Scotland’s industry-led bovine viral diarrhoea eradication (BVD) eradication scheme will take due to the nature of BVD spread, the variation of farming practices across Scotland and the changeable market force…

19 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to eradicate bovine viral diarrhoea.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government provides legislative backing and the ScotEID BVD database in support of an industry-led scheme to eradicate bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) from cattle in Scotland. Measures are currently in place to determine the BVD status of all cattle…

13 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the disease being present in Cumbria, what further action it is considering to stop the spread of bovine TB to Scotland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is closely monitoring the situation in Cumbria and the stringent disease control measures already in place for bovine TB continue to apply. The Scottish Government is committed to a comprehensive, practical and proportionate programme…

11 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when funding will be available to Scottish Water to address long-term flooding issues in Prestwick.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is making £760 million available in the 2015-21 period to support Scottish Water’s £3.6 billion investment programme. Included within this investment programme is over £150 million to reduce flooding and pollution from sewers. Floodin…

29 Aug 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support the development of collaborative working and better supply chain management in the aerospace sector.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government, and our enterprise agencies, are working with the sector to grow the aerospace cluster at Prestwick. The cluster includes successful companies such as GE Caledonian, Spirit AeroSystems, UTC Aerospace Systems, BAE Systems, and Woodward…

6 Jun 2017 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans it has to address the pooling of water on the roof of the Garden Lobby.