Colin Beattie

19 Dec 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its current road safety initiatives.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government publishes a Road Safety Framework Annual Report containing updates and progress reports on our broad range of road safety initiatives. The 2016 report is available online via the Transport Scotland website and the 2017 report will be p…

11 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent study, which found that air pollution can increase the risk of birth defects.

6 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in improving productivity across the country.

2 Nov 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest estimate is for the additional workforce numbers required to fulfil the expansion of funded Early Learning and Childcare entitlement by 2020.

Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government has developed a detailed model to inform our financial and workforce estimates in relation to our commitment to expanding funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). This draws, in particular, on the detailed information collected as pa…

25 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) membership and (b) remit will be of its working group to consider the legislation regarding the registration of electricians.

Answer · Keith Brown: An Electricians Working Group has been established to explore how best to respond to the challenge of ensuring the safety of electrical installations in Scotland. The membership reflects industry, safety and consumer interests. It includes representatives fro…

17 Oct 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making toward reaching its target of building 50,000 affordable homes before the end of the parliamentary session.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We have made excellent progress so far in reaching our ambitious target. It is vital that we set the foundations of a strong affordable housing programme in the early years of the target to allow for the sufficient volume of building to take place. And we ar…

28 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support Scotland's universities in attracting staff from the EU after Brexit.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Staff from the rest of the EU make a substantial contribution to our universities and we value their contribution. Our universities need to compete effectively for the brightest and best researchers from around the world. We are proud that Scotland is a desti…

20 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support staff at the Bilston Glen police call centre who are taking on extra work, including handling calls from other police forces in the UK.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The delivery of Police Scotland's contact, command and control function is an operational matter for Police Scotland with oversight from the Scottish Police Authority. Every Police Force (and other Emergency Authority) has an established reciprocal arrangeme…

11 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to support community policing during the current parliamentary session.

4 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its targets on climate change and sustainable development are supported through renewable energy projects such as the turbines in the Pentland Firth.

28 Aug 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial and employment support it plans to give fishing communities after the UK leaves the EU.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: EU funding, such as the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, which includes match funding from the Scottish Government, has made a vital contribution to safeguarding jobs and ensuring the prosperity of our fishing communities. Our communities and businesse…

20 Jun 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the impact on Scotland of the equalities and social security aspects of proposals in The Queen's Speech.

12 Jun 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many nurses from the rest of the EU have registered to work in Scotland since the EU referendum was held, in light of a recent report suggesting that there has been a 96% decline for the UK as a whole.

30 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent steps it has taken to promote culture and tourism in Midlothian and East Lothian.

10 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans for the Access to Elected Office Fund Scotland to be open to disabled people wishing to be nominated for the 2017 General Election.

25 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support adults who wish to return to education.

Answer · John Swinney: Full-time students aged over 25 on college courses and we are currently reviewing student support to ensure all students at university or college benefit from a fair and effective package of appropriate support.

21 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote apprenticeship schemes.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government's skills agency Skills Development Scotland promotes Modern Apprenticeships in a number of ways including its Apprenticeship.scot website and My World of Work. Through the Developing the Young Workforce agenda we are taking forward the…

21 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in each local authority have been (a) rebuilt and (b) refurbished in each year since 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: 2. Information specifying whether a school was built or refurbished is not available until 2009-10 Table 2: Number of schools which have been built or substantially refurbished1 in the financial year 2009-10 by local authority Built Substantially…

17 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role it considers that the Open University can play in widening access to education in Scotland.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Open University’s open access policy, combined with its flexibility and support has always provided an opportunity for learners from a range of backgrounds to access and study higher education courses in Scotland. In particular, the flexibility of part-ti…

20 Dec 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the steps that it is taking to tackle diabetes.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Our Diabetes Improvement Plan published in November 2014 sets out our vision to improve the lives of people living with diabetes in Scotland. The Plan focuses on eight priority areas for action, through which considerable progress is being made, for example:…

8 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the standards set out in its (a) Domestic Handbook 2016 and (b) Non-domestic Handbook 2016 regarding the design of tapered staircase treads.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There are no plans to review the standards set for tapered treads in either of the Technical Handbooks.

8 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns about antisocial behaviour, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding introducing a ban on fireworks unless used by a professional licensed company, and what action it can take to control the supply of fireworks.

Answer · Keith Brown: The UK Government regulates the sale and supply of fireworks. In response to concerns about the antisocial use of fireworks, the Scottish Government introduced the Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004 which restrict when fireworks can be set off. We have no …

25 Oct 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what savings it expects the Scottish Futures Trust to achieve in delivering projects.

19 Oct 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome was of the recent ministerial visit to Munich to discuss future trade with the EU.

21 Jun 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare on 16 June 2016.

7 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28403 by Derek Mackay on 24 November 2015, whether it will provide an update on what progress it is making on achieving grade separation for the Sheriffhall roundabout.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government remains committed to undertaking improvements at Sheriffhall roundabout. We continue to progress the option assessment process to identify a preferred option for the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout. The junction improvement …

26 May 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to help reduce waiting times at GP surgeries.

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision by North Yorkshire Council to approve testing for shale gas, whether it will provide an update on its position on fracking.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has put in place a moratorium to ensure that no unconventional oil and gas exploration can take place in Scotland. A comprehensive programme of research is already underway to investigate the potential health, environmental and economi…

7 Mar 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in reducing the education attainment gap.

15 Feb 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact that leaving the EU could have on Scotland’s fishing and farming communities.