John Wilson

27 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what procedures are in place to ensure accountability for funding that it provides to organisations.

Answer · John Swinney: Public sector organisations are held to account via annual reports and accounts, which are laid before the parliament. Accounts are normally subject to audit by the Auditor General and all public sector organisations are subject to examination by the Auditor …

27 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with local authorities in Central Scotland regarding improving employment opportunities. 

Answer · John Swinney: Ministers regularly meet with local authorities across Scotland to discuss a range of issues including supporting economic growth. For example, amongst other meetings last month, the Minister for Planning and Local Government met with North Lanarkshire Counci…

15 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what procedures will be in place for investigations of the single fire and rescue service in cases that would currently be investigated by a different fire and rescue service.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Police and Fire Reform Act 2012 introduces independent investigation of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service by inspectors appointed under the Act. Where necessary, inspectors may also provide advice to others carrying out investigations, such as the poli…

15 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what procedures will be in place for investigations of the single police force in cases that would currently be investigated by a different police force.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: From 1 April 2013 the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner will be able to carry out investigations into incidents involving the police that would currently be undertaken by other forces.

6 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in delivering 25% social housing provision as part of new build housing developments.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Information on the delivery of social housing as part of new build housing is not held centrally. The most recently published figures on affordable housing securing planning consent in Scotland however may prove helpful - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publicatio…

6 Nov 2012 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what procurement policy provisions it has made since May 2011.

5 Nov 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in promoting community asset transfers in urban locations.

5 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding the tendering of contracts for ferry services and whether any such discussions are scheduled for the future.

Answer · Keith Brown: Earlier this year I had discussions with European Commission representatives to explore the potential for raising the six year maximum contract length. I had a further meeting in Brussels on 9 October where I again pressed the European Commission to relax the…

5 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will make a statement on the (a) tendering process for the contract to run Clyde and Hebrides ferry services from 2016 and (b) procurement process for new vessels for domestic ferry routes.

Answer · Keith Brown: On 26 September 2012 I announced to the Parliament in the answer to S4W-09856 the Scottish Government's plans for the tendering of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. Details of the procurement process will be made available in due course. Replacement vess…

10 Sep 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police and what issues were discussed.

28 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that businesses based in Scotland are given priority in relation to public procurement contracts awarded by Scottish Water.

Answer · Alex Neil: As a publicly owned utility entity, Scottish Water must comply with the European Union Treaty which prohibits discrimination on grounds of locality or nationality and specific EU rules on procurement by utilities, given effect in Scots law by the Utilities Co…

28 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the delivery of the public procurement contracts awarded by Scottish Water.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has put in place governance mechanisms to monitor the deliver of the objectives ministers have set. These governance mechanisms can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/waterindustryscot/statgovcon/governance…

28 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria Scottish Water uses when awarding contracts.

Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Water awards contracts on the basis of the most economical advantageous offer, which balances the commercial elements of an offer with the service/technical offering. The criteria used in each tender evaluation depends on the nature of the goods or s…

28 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Water since April 2011 regarding procurement policy issues.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is in regular dialogue with Scottish Water on a wide variety of issues, including procurement policy issues.

26 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure the financial viability of housing associations for 2013 and beyond.

Answer · Keith Brown: Under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010, the Scottish Housing Regulator is responsible for monitoring, assessing and reporting on the financial wellbeing and standards of governance of housing associations and other registered social landlords and, where approp…

26 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the potential impact of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 on housing benefit, what mechanisms are in place to assess the performance of housing associations.

Answer · Keith Brown: Under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010, the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is responsible for monitoring, assessing and reporting on the performance of housing associations and other registered social landlords. The mechanisms for undertaking such assessment…

26 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, following the introduction of the proposed universal credit, whether it considers that housing associations will have a role in establishing credit unions.

Answer · Keith Brown: Housing associations and other registered social landlords are independent organisations. Subject to any relevant regulatory requirements of the Scottish Housing Regulator, it is for the governing body of each association to decide what, if any, role it would…

18 Jun 2012 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what impact the recent changes to the Parliament's IT system have had on services to members.

13 Jun 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the broadband infrastructure in Central Scotland.

23 May 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what employment initiatives it is pursuing in Central Scotland.

22 May 2012 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding the proposals for electricity market reform in the UK Government's draft Energy Bill.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The draft Energy Bill, published by the Department for Energy and Climate Change on 22 May 2012, contains a set of legislative proposals aimed at taking forward the Electricity Market Reform (EMR). The EMR provisions are crucial to Scotland’s future energy m…

16 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether any members of quangos are in receipt of (a) civil service or (b) local government pensions.

Answer · John Swinney: Information about the personal pension arrangements of people who hold non-executive appointments on the boards of Scotland’s regulated public bodies is not held centrally.

16 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the pay scales are for members of quangos.

Answer · John Swinney: Public appointments are not paid by way of a pay scale but receive a daily fee. The Chair and Members Daily Fee Framework is set out in the Technical Guide to the Pay Policy for Senior Appointments and is available on the Scottish Government website at www.sc…

16 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been members of two or more quangos at the same time in each year since 2006.

Answer · John Swinney: There are currently 40 people who hold two non-executive appointments and three people who hold three non-executive appointments on the boards of Scotland’s regulated public bodies. This information was not held centrally in the form requested before the Cod…

16 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are members of more than one quango.

Answer · John Swinney: There are currently 43 people who hold two or more non-executive appointments on the boards of Scotland’s regulated public bodies.

15 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how recent changes to the ticketing policy on the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link are being advertised.

Answer · Keith Brown: ScotRail advise that it is continuing to re-brief its station and on-train staff on this change and to ensure that 50 Journey Flexipass retailers are aware of this. The information shown on ScotRail’s 50 Journey Flexipass ticket will be amended at the next op…

15 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent changes have been introduced regarding the use of Flexipass tickets by passengers using the stations on the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link that were previously designated as intermediate stations.

Answer · Keith Brown: Previously, ScotRail’s 50 Journey Flexipass was a corporate travel option for travel between Glasgow and Edinburgh and vice versa and did not permit boarding and alighting at intermediate stations except Croy on the Edinburgh – Glasgow Queen Street route and …

15 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive at what stations on the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link passengers can use a Flexipass ticket.

Answer · Keith Brown: ScotRail’s 50 Journey Flexipass tickets are available for Standard or First Class travel on all routes between Edinburgh and Glasgow including via Bathgate. ScotRail advise that, following a recent change, it allows customers holding a 50 Journey Flexipass ti…

9 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures NHS Lanarkshire follows in relation to concerns raised with an MSP about the medical treatment of a patient who has died without a next of kin.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have confirmed that they operate their formal complaints policy in line with the national guidance and relevant legislation. Revised national guidance on “Handling and Learning from Feedback, Comments, Concerns and Complaints about NHS Health…

9 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long NHS Lanarkshire's consent form policy has been in operation for dealing with patients' MSPs.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have confirmed that, consistent with national guidance and relevant legislation, their consent form policy has been in place since 2005.