Parliamentary questions
Kezia Dugdale
1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time-equivalent Transport Scotland employees there have been with the Edinburgh tram project since May 2011 and how many there were from (a) May 2008 to April 2009, (b) May 2009 to April 2010 and (c) May 2010 to April 2011.
Answer · Keith Brown: Details are as follows: May 2008 to April 2009 One May 2009 to April 2010 One May 2010 to April 2011 One May 2011 to August 2011 One September 2011 to present Four
25 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth has received reports from Transport Scotland on the progress of the Edinburgh tram project since May 2008.
Answer · Keith Brown: Ministers have been kept appraised of progress on an ongoing basis since May 2008.
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the erection of the Olympic symbol in a suitable location in Edinburgh.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The identification of a suitable location is primarily a matter for Edinburgh City Council. The Scottish Government stands ready to provide appropriate assistance as required. The Scottish Government is committed to making the most of the opportunities that …
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with Historic Scotland regarding a suitable location to display the Olympic symbol in Edinburgh.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Representatives of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games earlier this year held in principle discussions with officials of Edinburgh City Council, Historic Scotland and the Scottish Government.
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-02886 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2011, whether the short-life reference group will look specifically at the support of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME-CFS).
Answer · Michael Matheson: In June 2011, a number of healthcare professionals attended a Healthcare Improvement Scotland event in Dundee to discuss how best to help people with functional symptoms referred to neurological services. The event concluded with health boards asking for help…
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are to use the 2012 Olympics as a platform to encourage a more physically active nation.
Answer · Shona Robison: We will use the inspiration provided by the 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup etc. to encourage all Scots to be more active and help to make Scotland more physically active. We will be building on our activity and investment in Community …
23 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministerial direction was given to Historic Scotland regarding displaying the Olympic symbol in Edinburgh.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Following careful consideration of the proposal to display the Olympic symbols at Edinburgh Castle, Historic Scotland concluded that the proposal was not conducive to the successful operation of Scotland’s most popular heritage attraction. Historic Scotland …
22 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to children when developing the benefits framework of the Making Justice Work programme.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Consideration has been given to a range of users of the justice system in developing the benefits framework of the programme. This has included workshops with representatives of users, which have included Children 1st.
22 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given to children when considering changes to the justice outcomes of the Making Justice Work programme.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04150 on 30 November 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamenta…
22 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given to children in the running of project (a) 2, (b) 4 and (c) 5 of the Making Justice Work programme.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Each of the Making Justice Work projects contains a range of workstreams. While no specific strands of work at the moment directly relate to children, their needs are considered along with the wider set of users of the justice system. For example, within proj…
22 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to children when developing project (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3, (d) 4 and (e) 5 of the Making Justice Work programme.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Making Justice Work projects are at different stages of development. Consideration has been given to a range of users of the justice system in their design and in the development of the benefits framework. The intention is to hold further workshops when d…
22 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to children when developing national outcome 15 of the Making Justice Work programme.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: National outcome 15 is not an outcome of the Making Justice Work Programme but one of the outcomes in the National Performance Framework which has been in place since 2007. This outcome aspires to public services are high quality, continually improving, effic…
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01244 by Angela Constance on 16 November 2011, whether it will commit to do more to raise awareness and uptake of the childcare voucher scheme.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government strongly encourages both employees and employers alike to consider the full range of assistance available to working families, including childcare vouchers. We will convene a national summit with Scotland’s business community to explor…
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the age of criminal responsibility.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has no current plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility. Provisions In the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 raised the minimum age of prosecution from age eight to age 12 in March 2011.
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to learn from other countries' experience of incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in their legislation.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is considering examples of good practice from other countries in taking forward our Rights of Children and Young People Bill.
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what would prevent the full incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Scottish Government's proposed Children’s Rights Bill.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is not proposing to incorporate the UNCRC into Scots law. One reason for this is because Scottish ministers have other considerations and obligations to take into account in the exercise of their functions some which relate to human ri…
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met representatives of the Welsh Assembly Government to discuss its pathway toward incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in its legislation.
Answer · Angela Constance: Scottish Government officials have held, and will continue to hold, discussions with Welsh Assembly Government officials on the Rights of Children and Young People (Wales) Measure which placed a similar due regard duty on Welsh ministers to that proposed in o…
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child will place duties on public bodies when the Scottish Government's proposed Children’s Rights Bill comes into force.
Answer · Angela Constance: The recent consultation on the proposed Rights of Children and Young People Bill did not propose to place a duty to have regard to the UNCRC on public bodies. The consultation closed on 1 December and the responses are currently being analysed.
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how its child poverty strategy takes account of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Answer · Angela Constance: Through its child-centred approach, which is one of the three key principles of the child poverty strategy.
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its proposed Children’s Rights Bill will impose a duty on (a) the Scottish Government and (b) other public bodies to raise awareness and understanding of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Answer · Angela Constance: The recent consultation on the proposed Rights of Children and Young People Bill did not propose to place a duty on either Scottish Ministers or public bodies to raise awareness and understanding of the UNCRC. The consultation closed on 1 December and the res…
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to children’s-rights-proof all future legislation.
Answer · Angela Constance: The consultation on the Rights of Children and Young People Bill proposed that Scottish ministers in conducting any of their functions should: Identify the relevant rights and duties in the UNCRC and its Optional Protocols; Consider whether alternatives exi…
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its proposed Children's Rights Bill will do in addition to formalising case law on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Answer · Angela Constance: Scottish ministers are already taking forward a range of activity, including Getting It Right for Every Child and the Early Years Framework, to implement the UNCRC. The Rights of Children and Young People Bill is to underpin this progress and also ensure tha…
18 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to fully incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Scots law.
Answer · Angela Constance: The recent consultation on the proposed Rights of Children and Young People Bill did not propose to fully incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The consultation closed on 1 December and the responses are currently being analysed.
15 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of metal theft have been reported and how many people have been (a) charged and (b) convicted in each of the last five years for which information is available.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on thefts at the level of detail requested is not held centrally.
14 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the community engagement stakeholder event to be held in November will take into account communities of interest as well as geographically defined communities.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Invites have been sent to community based organisations which represent both geographically defined communities, such as community councils, and communities of interest. We expect these bodies to contribute to the event based on their experiences of the plann…
14 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that attendees at the community engagement event to be held in November are representative of the concerns of both geographically defined communities and communities of interest.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04048 on 25 November 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamenta…
14 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will select invitees to the community engagement stakeholder event to be held in November.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Invites have been sent to organisations which have practical experience of community engagement relating to planning proposals which can be controversial.
14 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the revised planning fees structure will encourage development and land-use change that benefits biodiversity and climate change.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Encouraging development and land use change that benefits biodiversity and climate change is part of the contribution of the planning system to achieving sustainable economic growth. As part of this, the planning fee covers the administrative cost of handling…
14 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on an automatic presumption of equal contact between the mother and father of a child on marriage breakdown and whether it plans to amend the law.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, when deciding whether to make an order about a child and, if so, what order to make, the court’s paramount consideration is the welfare of the child. I believe that approach, which is in line with Article 3 of the Unite…
4 Nov 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the accuracy of the residence of applicants for places at university is verified.
Answer · Michael Russell: Institutions of higher education must satisfy themselves of the accuracy and veracity of the residency claimed by an applicant in order to assess eligibility for regulated fee status. This can include, but is not limited to, confirming the address of the scho…