Parliamentary questions
Liam McArthur
3,644 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments by the Scottish Information Commissioner in The Ferret on 20 April 2017 that the performance of ministers on freedom of information is “totally unacceptable” and “rude”.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government takes its responsibility for FOI seriously and in the large majority of cases we respond on time and in full. The number of FOI requests received has been steadily increasing with more than 2000 requests received in 2016 and more recei…
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to improve its handling of freedom of information requests in light of the report in The Ferret on 20 April 2017 that Scottish Information Commissioner has instructed it to make improvements over the next six months.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08935 on 8 May 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusine…
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment by the Scottish Information Commissioner in The Ferret on 20 April 2017 that she was "dissatisfied" with ministers' performance in the handling of freedom of information requests and that a formal intervention process had been launched.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08935 on 8 May 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusine…
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report in The Ferret on 20 April 2017 that it did not respond to eight appeals by the Scottish Information Commissioner in 2016-17.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08935 on 8 May 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusine…
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been convicted for driving under the influence of drugs in each year since 2013.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The latest available data on the number of convictions for motor vehicle offences relating to being unfit through alcohol or drugs is contained in the following table. Please note that data is not held separately in relation to these offences between offences…
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of its position statement on the Universal Periodic Review of human rights in the UK, for what reason it did not include its decision not to ban justifiable assault of children in Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government position statement describes the current policy and legislative context in Scotland and reaffirms that the Scottish Government does not support the physical punishment of children. Progress in this area will be achieved by providing p…
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07711 by Mark McDonald on 16 March 2017, whether the entire report will be placed in the public domain.
Answer · Mark McDonald: We will put all the findings of the report in the public domain, by summer 2017.
21 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of its position statement on the Universal Periodic Review of human rights in the UK, for what reason issues regarding prison overcrowding are not included.
Answer · Angela Constance: 2011-2012. The population has subsequently reduced and continues to do so, and is now on average around 7,500. The published figures for 2016 show only two prisons remaining overcapacity.
18 Apr 2017 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent comments by the Children's Commissioner on protecting children from physical punishment.
11 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed wild fisheries bill will make provision for a scheme for rod licences.
5 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of spending from the Islands Housing Fund, and (a) how many and (b) where houses have been built.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has received expression of interest to the Islands Housing Funds that could deliver in the region of 100 homes, however projects have a natural time lag between a scheme launch and being ready to go on site as participants seek the rel…
5 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made implementing the Islands Housing Fund, and which stakeholders, including local authorities and housing associations, has it consulted regarding its plans.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Islands Housing Fund recognises the unique needs of our island communities. It sits alongside the Rural Housing Fund and was launched in September 2016 using the same guidance which had been developed with the external stakeholder group which helped shape…
31 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on research by Cardiff University that suggests that charging for disposable cups could cut their use by up to 300 million a year in the UK, and whether it supports the introduction of a charge on disposable cups.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce a charge on disposable cups. We will consider the issues raised by the Cardiff University research that was published at the end of March 2017, alongside engagement with stakeholders about our wider …
28 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the UK Climate Change Committee proposal published in its report, Advice on the new Scottish Climate Change Bill, to shift the overall accounting framework on emissions to one based on actual emissions, and whether it considers that this would be more transparent than…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government welcomes the recently published advice from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) on the levels, forms and mechanisms of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the forthcoming Climate Change Bill. The Scottish Government is comm…
28 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the UK Climate Change Committee report, Advice on the new Scottish Climate Change Bill, and whether it supports a greenhouse gas reduction target of 80% or 90% by 2050.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government welcomes the recently published advice from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) on the levels, forms and mechanisms of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the forthcoming Climate Change Bill. The Scottish Government is comm…
28 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its forthcoming climate change bill will express targets relative to emissions in 1990 as percentage reductions, and whether the bill will make provision for annual targets.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government welcomes the recently published advice from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) on the levels, forms and mechanisms of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the forthcoming Climate Change Bill. The Scottish Government is comm…
28 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what response it has given to the UK Climate Change Committee proposal published in its report, Advice on the new Scottish Climate Change Bill, that Scotland's shares of international aviation and international shipping emissions be included within Scottish targets, and what impact this …
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government welcomes the recently published advice from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) on the levels, forms and mechanisms of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the forthcoming Climate Change Bill. The Scottish Government is comm…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many projects from (a) rural and remote areas and (b) the rest of Scotland have been funded by the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, broken down by how much funding they received.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme was launched on 20 March 2015. It is a collaborative partnership led by the Scottish Government, working with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Futures Trust and Resource Efficie…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that projects are informed about the new round of funding from the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, and how applications will be judged.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I launched the low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme's (LCITP) Innovative Local Energy Systems funding invitation in a speech to key stakeholders at the Scottish Renewables Annual Conference in Edinburgh on 21 March 2017. LCITP itself is a collabora…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many projects have been unsuccessful with applications for funding from the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The principle of the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme is to support Scotland's accelerated transition to a Low Carbon Economy. Where projects are unsuccessful it is because they have failed to meet the eligibility criteria or failed an independe…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what areas of Scotland will be included or excluded from the new round of funding from the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme targeted at remote and rural areas.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08371 on 21 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/…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the delivery of the new food and drink strategy, Ambition 2030, and £10 million funding package will promote island produce, and how it will ensure that organisations, businesses and charities can access this support.
Answer · Keith Brown: The industry leadership body, Scotland Food and Drink, facilitated an extensive engagement exercise with businesses across Scotland to help inform the development of Ambition 2030 - as part of that, ideas were sought on actions to further promote island and r…
20 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on making the electric vehicle charge point scheme, Charge Place Scotland, a free service when its network experiences problems, and what assessment it has made of what the cost of this would be.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Almost all of the ChargePlace Scotland electric vehicle charge points are currently free to use for drivers. It is a decision for the respective charge point host (for example a local authority or commercial premises) whether they wish to introduce a tariff a…
16 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that prisoners across the prison estate have equity of access to care and services, including throughcare support.
Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2011 the responsibility for the provision of healthcare in prison settings changed from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to NHS Scotland. NHS standards for health care therefore apply to the provision of care within the prison setting and the Scottish …
16 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many throughcare support officers there have been in each prison in each year since 2010.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The following table shows the staffing complement of throughcare support officers (TSOs) in each prison since their introduction in 2012. E…
16 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, what its response is to the comment in the report, HMP Kilmarnock Full Inspection 7-18 November 2016, that “It was unsatisfactory that prisoners in HMP Kilmarnock were being denied the same level of throughcare support that they would have received if they had been located in a differen…
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Whilst HMP Kilmarnock does not employ Throughcare Support Officers (TSOs), throughcare support is offered by TSOs attached to public sector …
16 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the report, HMP Kilmarnock Full Inspection 7-18 November 2016, that “there were no HMP Kilmarnock staff appointed or funded to be Throughcare Support Officers”, and what discussions it has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding this.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer provided to S5W-08185 on 28 March 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the…
16 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were homeless (a) when entering and (b) on release from prison in each year since 2010.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service does not hold this information. Scottish Government’s Homelessness statistics show that the number of people le…
14 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Audit Scotland report, i6: a review, what the estimated cost to police operations will be in each year up to 2021 of there continuing to be no single police IT system.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The information requested is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority.
14 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Audit Scotland report, i6: a review, which IT system Police Scotland is now using.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Police Scotland uses a variety of information technology systems. The details of these are a matter for the Chief Constable.