Parliamentary questions
Kezia Dugdale
1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many one-to-one interviews Skills Development Scotland has carried out with young people categorised as amber by the My World of Work initiative.
Answer · Angela Constance: This is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland and they have been asked to respond directly.
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-07726 by Angela Constance on 20 June 2012, how many job opportunities were (a) created and (b) filled by the Social Enterprise and Third Sector Challenge Fund and how many people were still in employment (i) three, (ii) six and (iii) 12 months after…
Answer · Angela Constance: The Social Enterprise and Third Sector Challenge Fund was delivered via 24 organisations and offered participants a range of opportunities varying from short term training to longer term supported employment. The final date for participant entry to the progr…
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the capital investment programme supports the employment of young people.
Answer · Angela Constance: Over the spending review period (2012-13 to 2014-15) the Scottish Government will support investment of more than £10 billion through the capital budget, revenue-financed investment through the Non Profit Distributing pipeline, Regulatory Asset Base rail enha…
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the Minister for Youth Employment has had with sector skills councils, broken down by (a) date, (b) issues discussed and (c) attendees.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Minister for Youth Employment has had meetings with Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) as follows: 8 March 2012 – Improve (Jack Matthews, Kelvin Thomson), People 1st (Brian Wisdom, David Allen) and SEMTA (Brian Humphrey) (also attending was Simon Perryman of …
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that modern apprenticeships are shaped and influenced by growth sectors
Answer · Angela Constance: Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are responsible for developing Modern Apprenticeship (MA) Frameworks and the underpinning National Occupational Standards (NOS) to meet the needs of their respective industries. MA Frameworks are approved for delivery in Scotland…
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) college placements and (b) training opportunities have been established by the Energy Skills Partnership, broken down by participating college.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Energy Skills Partnership has supported the following training opportunities at participating colleges: College Energy Skills Challenge Fund Low Carbon Skills Fund ESP Industry led CPD Work Readiness (enhanced programmes for existing students) Bui…
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) apprenticeships and (b) work placements it has taken on over the last 12 months, broken down by directorate.
Answer · Angela Constance: During the financial year 1 April 2012 - 31 March 2013 the Scottish Government delivered 196 opportunities for unemployed young people which included the employment of 64 new Modern Apprentices, 7 Get Ready for Work Training Placements, 105 student placements…
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Employability Forum has met in the last 12 months; who attended each meeting, and what was discussed.
Answer · Angela Constance: The inaugural meeting of the reconstituted Scottish Employability Forum (SEF) took place on 31 January 2013. The SEF will meet bi-annually and the next meeting will take place on 5 September 2013. The list of forum members and record of the discussion that t…
29 Apr 2013 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on comments by the Chairman of the Yes Scotland campaign that a separate Scottish currency would give “more flexibility, more freedom” and “a wider range of economic levers” than its plans for a currency union.
24 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reduce the number of police officers in order to meet budget savings targets.
24 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason GP practices do not have the same statutory equality duties as NHS boards.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS health boards and special health boards are public authorities listed in Schedule 19 to the Equality Act 2010 (“the Act"). As such they are subject to the general public sector equality duty in section 149(1) of the Act and the specific duties laid down i…
23 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there has been a reduction in the number of people with learning difficulties entering further education since 2007 and, if so, what its position is on this matter.
Answer · Michael Russell: Our position has been to encourage the college sector to offer courses which have the best prospect of leading to a job either directly, or after further learning at a higher level. That applies regardless of whether or not the student has learning difficulti…
23 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the findings of the assessment it carried out of the effects of the recent reduction on further education college budgets on (a) disabled people, (b) people with additional support requirements and (c) people entering college not directly from secondary school.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is continuing to fund the college sector in a way which maintains the number of full-time equivalent student places. It is for each college itself to decide which courses to offer within the overall level of activity it agrees with the…
17 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00311 by Michael Matheson on 16 April 2013 (Official Report, c.18528), whether it will invite Dame Elish Angiolini to participate in the independent commission to examine the policies and practices that are in place for handling ashes and cremated r…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Dame Elish has confirmed her on-going commitment to her investigation into the former practice at Mortonhall crematorium. This, alongside other pre-existing commitments, prevents Dame Elish from direct participation in the Commission. However, Dame Elish has…
17 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00311 by Michael Matheson on 16 April 2013 (Official Report, c.18528), (a) when and (b) to whom the independent commission to examine the policies and practices that are in place for handling ashes and cremated remains will report.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The commission will produce recommendations by the end of the 2013 and will report to Scottish Ministers.
17 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00311 by Michael Matheson on 16 April 2013 (Official Report, c.18528), whether the independent commission to examine the policies and practices that are in place for handling ashes and cremated remains will review the practices of (a) undertakers, (…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The commission will be tasked with examining all relevant policies and procedures.
17 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00311 by Michael Matheson on 16 April 2013 (Official Report, c.18528), whether the independent commission to examine the policies and practices that are in place for handling ashes and cremated remains will have powers to call witnesses under oath.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The commission will not be a statutory body and will not investigate specific incidents or allegations. The commission will not therefore need evidence to be submitted under oath.
17 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00311 by Michael Matheson on 16 April 2013 (Official Report, c.18528), how parents affected by (a) neonatal and (b) stillborn baby death will be represented on the independent commission to examine the policies and practices that are in place for ha…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is in the process of establishing the membership of the commission. We have committed to ensure that parents who have been affected will be represented.
17 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00311 by Michael Matheson on 16 April 2013 (Official Report, c.18528), what the (a) role and (b) remit will be of the independent commission to examine the policies and practices that are in place for handling ashes and cremated remains.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The role of the commission will be to ensure that a consistent approach to the treatment of ashes can be put in place across Scotland. The specific remit of the commission will be refined by the commission chair.
10 Apr 2013 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reform planning laws so that local authorities have the power to reject planning applications for certain retail units on the grounds of overprovision.
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in research into multiple sclerosis and what developments have been made since May 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government supports research in Scotland through the Chief Scientist Office (CSO). Since May 2007, the CSO has awarded £450,000 in direct funding to six research studies investigating multiple sclerosis. The CSO also supports research infrastruc…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support people with multiple sclerosis.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Our top priority for people with MS is to ensure that the Neurological Standards published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland are implemented, they offer the best mechanism for achieving safe, effective and person centred care. The standards will help ensure…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the last three years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish MS Register was launched in January 2010 with the aim of collecting information on all people registered in Scotland by a Consultant Neurologist receiving a new diagnosis of MS. The purpose of collecting this data is to provide information on the…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each NHS board area have multiple sclerosis.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Information does not allow explicit identification of the prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) within each NHS board. Information is available on the number of people who have been given a new diagnosis of MS in the past two years and is contained within th…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the Opportunities for All budget is for (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15, showing how much has been allocated in each year; to what it has been allocated, and how much has not been allocated.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has identified significant resources to fulfil our Opportunities for All commitment to guarantee all 16-19 year olds an offer of a place in education or training, including prioritising college places and Modern Apprenticeships for you…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the membership is of the Community Jobs Scotland Advisory Group.
Answer · Angela Constance: Membership of the Community Jobs Scotland Advisory Group is comprised of representatives of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Skills Development Scotland, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Scottish Local Auth…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its evaluation of the Community Jobs Scotland programme.
Answer · Angela Constance: The evaluation of Community Jobs Scotland will be published during summer 2013.
19 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what staff it has allocated to the NHS confidential alert line pilot announced by the First Minister on 29 November 2012 (Official Report, c. 14128), and what pay grade these staff hold.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has not allocated any staff to the Confidential Alert Line. The contract to provide this service was awarded to Public Concern at Work, as an external organisation.
19 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated for the (a) establishment and (b) running of the NHS confidential alert line pilot announced by the First Minister on 29 November 2012 (Official Report, c. 14128).
Answer · Alex Neil: The cost of the contract to establish and provide the Confidential Alert Line service in the pilot year is £32,000, this includes the cost of marketing materials. There is also likely to be, as yet unknown, an increase in the funding to Healthcare Improvement…
19 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister's announcement on 29 November 2012 (Official Report, c. 14128), when the NHS confidential alert line pilot will be (a) launched and (b) advertised to staff.
Answer · Alex Neil: The service commenced on 2 April 2013. Publicity materials were sent to NHS boards on 20 March 2013.