Parliamentary questions

Margaret Mitchell

550 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

13 Nov 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported criticism of the Scottish Police Authority by some members of its board.

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in how many of the (a) criminal and (b) non-criminal complaints that the Police Scotland Professional Standards Division (PSD) has dealt with each year since 2013, which were referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the initial investigation was carried out by (A) PSD …

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government do not hold the data requested. The investigation of allegations of criminal conduct against police officers is a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) who can instruct Police Scotland or the independent P…

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the (a) criminal and (b) non-criminal complaints that the Police Scotland Professional Standards Division (PSD) has dealt with each year since 2013 were (i) resolved by PSD, (ii) referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and (iii) referred to the Police Inves…

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) criminal and (b) non-criminal complaints the Police Scotland Professional Standards Division has dealt with each year since 2013, also broken down by how many (i) were upheld and (ii) remain unresolved.

7 Nov 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice Professional Recognition Pilot.

6 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many women have been given prison sentences of (a) between (i) six and 12 and (ii) three and five and (b) less than three months in each of the last five years, broken down by (A) offence and (B) sheriffdom.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Information on the number of females given prison sentences (up to 3 months, over 3 months to under 6 months and over 6 months to under 12 months) by the type of crime/offence and sheriffdom is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre - Bib n…

24 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what preparations and police training it has introduced prior to the commencement of Part 1 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Since the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act (the Act) was passed, the Scottish Government has led a Part 1 Implementation Group comprising Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscals Office, the Scottish Legal Aid Board and the Scottish Courts and …

19 Sep 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NFU Scotland.

22 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government many police sniffer dogs there are.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. The deployment of police dogs is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

22 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which prisons have access to police sniffer dogs, and for how long each week.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: SPS manage and deploy its own Dog Teams. These teams are primarily based at HMPs Barlinnie, Edinburgh, Grampian, Low Moss, Perth and S…

16 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide guidance in relation to the Apologies (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government is working with the InterAction Action Plan Review Group to ensure survivors of historical childhood abuse are able to benefit as much as possible from the different strands of the Action Plan on Justice for Victims of Historic Abuse o…

15 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been convicted of puppy farming, and what penalties have been imposed, in each of the last three years.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The latest available information from the Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings Database shows there were no people convicted under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 in the three financial years up to and including 2015-16.

15 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the profitability of illegal puppy smuggling compared with drug smuggling, and the associated penalties, in each of the last three years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has not specifically assessed the profitability of puppy smuggling compared to drug smuggling or the associated penalties in each of the last three years, although public demand is known to fuel a lucrative trade in both. There are var…

9 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many firms in the (a) North Lanarkshire, (b) South Lanarkshire and (c) Falkirk local authority area are liable for the large business rates supplement.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The estimated number of properties liable for the large business supplement in 2017-18, by local authority area, is shown in the following table: Local authority area* Estimated number of properties liable for the large business supplement in 2017-18 Falki…

30 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue will be generated by the large business rates supplement in 2017-18 in the (a) Falkirk, (b) North Lanarkshire and (c) South Lanarkshire local authority area.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The estimated 2017-18 non-domestic rates income in respect of the large business supplement by local authority area is shown in the following table: Local authority area* Estimated 2017-18 non-domestic rates income in respect of large business supplement F…

30 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 16 December 2016, £10 million to support workforce development, how the Flexible Workforce Development Fund will operate, and from what date companies will be able to apply for support.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Flexible Workforce Development fund will be delivered through the college sector. Details of the fund are being finalised in consultation with stakeholders in advance of it being launched in Autumn.

25 May 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of disruption over the bank holiday weekend arising from the M8 M73 M74 improvements projects, whether it will confirm the completion date of the work and provide details of how Transport Scotland plans to reduce the level of disruption.

18 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each (a) police division or constabulary and (b) local authority area have been arrested for human trafficking offences in each year since 2012, also broken down by the legislation that they were arrested under; how many were subsequently (i) charged, (ii) prosecuted a…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold data on arrests nor does it hold information on the number of people charged or on remand. Information on the number of persons proceeded and convicted for human trafficking offences by the local authority of court locat…

11 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the completion date is for the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project.

Answer · Keith Brown: Following on from the opening of the new M8 Motorway in April and the M74 Raith Underpass in February, the final sections of the new and improved M8, M73 and M74 motorways will open fully across the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project over the coming day…

26 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Dyslexia Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: My officials meet regularly with Dyslexia Scotland through the ‘Dyslexia Making Sense’ and the ‘Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit’ Working Groups. They last met on 26 March and are due to meet again on 3 May. I have also met with Sir Jackie Stewart and Cathy Magee…

30 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many operations were cancelled in NHS hospitals due to a lack of anaesthetists in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08534 on 13 April 2017. 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/parliamentarybusiness/…

30 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies there have been for anaesthetists in NHS (a) hospitals and (b) board areas in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: Information on the number of vacancies for consultants with a specialty of anaesthetics in (a) NHS hospitals is not centrally held. Specific local information may be available from individual NHS boards. Information on the number of vacancies for consultants…

30 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, of the operations that were cancelled in NHS hospitals due to a lack of anaesthetists, how many were outwith their target waiting period in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: The specific information requested is not held centrally by ISD Scotland. Information has been published monthly on the number of operations cancelled each month since May 2015. Latest published figures for February 2017 indicated that NHSScotland scheduled 2…

30 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many anaesthetists have been employed in NHS (a) hospitals and (b) board areas in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: In the last five years, the number of consultants with a specialty of anaesthetics working in NHSScotland have increased by 90.3 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE), or 14.1% (from 640.6 WTE as at December 2012 to 730.9 WTE as at December 2016). Information on how m…

15 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the number of employees who are being made redundant at Kwik-fit Insurance Services in Tannochside, and how many of these have (a) found new employment, (b) chosen to undertake further training or study and (c) not yet confirmed a future role or path and will b…

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As soon as we became aware of developments at Kwik Fit Insurance Services in Tannochside, we set up a working group comprising Ageas, Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and North Lanarkshire Council to provide support to the…

2 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS Lanarkshire to deal with the number of people hospitalised because of cannabis use.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government continues to support drug and alcohol treatment services in Scotland and has invested over £630 million in them since 2008. The provision of specific drug and treatment services is for each local area to consider, taking account of lo…

2 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what procedures it has in place to reduce cannabis use.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government continues to tackle problem drug use through our strategy 'The Road for Recovery'. This strategy seeks to tackle problem drug use through a combination of prevention and education work. The Scottish Government has invested over £630 mi…

2 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support Maxim Business Park in filling its vacant office space in light of the imminent completion of M74/M73/M8 roadworks.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government and our agencies are working to deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth across Scotland, including in North Lanarkshire, by promoting Scotland as an attractive place for business and innovation while investing in infrastructu…

13 Feb 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives from the Scottish Roads Partnership.

31 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by Michael Matheson on 22 March 2016 (Official Report, c. 86), in light of the commitment given by the cabinet secretary, what work has been carried out to raise awareness of Lord Glennie’s judgment regarding the use of medical records in court.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Further to my announcement to Parliament in March 2016 that the Scottish Government would not be appealing Lord Glennie’s judgment, information was placed on the Scottish Government's Equally Safe blog page highlighting the impact of the judgment, and SG offi…