Parliamentary questions
Liam McArthur
3,644 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the capacity increase on Arran ferry routes (a) in absolute terms and (b) per capita resulting from the chartering of the MV Alfred.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This Scottish Government has made no assessment. As per the terms of the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services contract CalMac are required to consider and address capacity issues. As part of this they record and publish carrying statistics.
18 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the increase in ferry fares for2025-26 is being implemented several months earlier on Northern Isles routesthan on Clyde and Hebrides services.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The usual timing of the annual implementation of changes to ferry fares has been consistent for many years and is defined in the Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) contract as January and the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contracts as the start o…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter of 3 October 2024 from its Directorate for Culture and Major Events to the managing director at The Orcadian, what assessment it made in order to identify "essential need" prior to the freeze on public sector marketing expenditure.
Answer · Shona Robison: Following the implementation of emergency spending controls (which included the public sector marketing expenditure freeze), a process was put in place across all policy areas to rigorously assess which essential marketing expenditure should still proceed in …
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement in the letter of 3 October 2024 from its Directorate for Culture and Major Events to the managing director at The Orcadian that it is advised by procured agencies on the most "cost-effective media mix", whether it oversees the assessments made by procured agenci…
Answer · Shona Robison: All Scottish Government media planning and buying is proposed by media agencies appointed in call-off arrangements from the Media Planning, Buying and Associated Services Frameworks. The Providers of the Framework services have all been successful as a result…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter of 3 October 2024 from its Directorate for Culture and Major Events to the managing director at The Orcadian, whether any assessment was undertaken regarding the anticipated quality-adjusted life year (QALY) impact on individual campaigns as a result of the freeze …
Answer · Shona Robison: As detailed in the answer to question S6W-30730 on 20 November 2024, individual campaign requirements were assessed on a case by case basis further to the implementation of emergency spending controls, and decisions on whether or not to proceed with planned a…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any assessment was undertaken regarding the anticipated quality-adjusted life year (QALY) impact of the freeze on public sector marketing expenditure as a whole, and, if so, what the outcomes of any such assessment were.
Answer · Shona Robison: The freeze on public sector marketing expenditure was part of a wider exercise to introduce the necessary emergency spending controls to achieve a balanced budget. Cabinet Secretaries were given a directive to freeze all marketing expenditure with immediate e…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement in the letter of 3 October 2024 from its Directorate for Culture and Major Events to the managing director at The Orcadian that it is advised by procured agencies on the most "cost-effective media mix", what its position is on whether (a) "return on investment" …
Answer · Shona Robison: Since the announcement of the freeze on marketing expenditure, the following public health campaigns have subsequently been assessed and approved to run in 2024-25 in line with the process set out in the answer to question S6W-30726 on 20 November 2024, and t…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter of 3 October 2024 from its Directorate for Culture and Major Events to the managing director at The Orcadian, how it defines "essential need" relative to paid-for media activity.
Answer · Shona Robison: As part of the process to assess essential marketing expenditure for 2024-25, the use of paid-for-media activity is considered where it is required to help achieve specific policy outcomes. This can include a requirement to reach specific audiences or to ensu…
10 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Orkney Ferries Task Force, including a list of all of the occasions when the Task Force has met in 2024.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government remains committed to the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force, which is supporting the Council address its fleet replacement challenges.The Task Force has met twice in 2024, on Thursday 18 April and on Wednesday 2 October and meeting mi…
8 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, what its position is on what any differences in principle are between the proposed domestic homicide and suicide reviews and existing fatal accident inquiries.
Answer · Angela Constance: Part two of the Criminal Justice Modernisation & Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 24 September 2024, includes provisions to create the statutory framework for what will be Scotland’s first …
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the report that it commissioned on the constitutional role(s) of the Law Officers for Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: Work is progressing towards finalisation of research after which a report will be published.
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the report that it commissioned on the constitutional role(s) of the Law Officers for Scotland has been completed.
Answer · Angela Constance: Work is progressing towards publication of the report to develop a detailed baseline understanding of the distinct roles and functions of the Law Officers and how the functions of law officers operate in other countries.
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether reform of the constitutional role(s) of the Law Officers for Scotland should be carried out; if it considers that such reform should be carried out, what its position is on whether this should be carried out via an Act of the UK Parliament, or via an Act o…
Answer · Angela Constance: We have committed to consulting on the role of the Law Officers. To further that commitment research has been commissioned to develop a detailed baseline understanding of the many distinct roles and functions of the Law Officers and will provide information o…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to consult on reforming the constitutional role(s) of the Law Officers for Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: Development of the consultation will be informed by an initial phase of expert research, which is currently underway.
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government since July 2024 regarding potential reform of the constitutional role(s) of the Law Officers for Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: I wrote to the then Secretary of State for Scotland on 29 February and made a commitment to keep the UK Government appraised of progress on this matter as it develops.
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the report that it commissioned on the constitutional role(s) of the Law Officers for Scotland is subject to peer review, and, if so, how long it anticipates that this will take, and whether the report's author is able to release a pre-print of the report before the review stage …
Answer · Angela Constance: The report has been proposed for peer review, which will take some weeks. Release of a draft of the report is not proposed before the review stage is completed.
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland has corresponded with the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner about the reported proposals to deploy live facial recognition technology in Scotland, and, if so, whether this correspondence was undertaken before the Chief Constable outlined the proposals to the media.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported proposals from the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, what its response is to reports that the use of live facial recognition by South Wales Police has produced 2,833 false alerts, compared with only 72 resultant arrests.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the use of live facial recognition technology in public spaces is compatible with the priority stated in the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) of "ensuring spaces, routes and buildings feel safe and welcoming".
Answer · Ivan McKee: The fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) sets out the Scottish Ministers’ policies and proposals for the development and use of land. If an application for planning permission is necessary for any development associated with the use of live facial …
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported proposals from the Chief Constable of Police Scotland to deploy live facial recognition systems in Scotland, what its response is to the European Parliament's reported decision to classify the use of real-time biometrics in public spaces as posing an unacceptabl…
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner regarding the reported proposals from the Chief Constable of Police Scotland to deploy live facial recognition technology for law enforcement purposes.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported proposals from the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, what its response is to reports that the Metropolitan Police's use of live facial recognition technology produced verifiably correct matches on only 19% of occasions and that this was still "exceeding" its "…
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the use of live facial recognition technology in public spaces is compatible with the priority stated in the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) of "creating a sense of belonging and identity within the community".
Answer · Ivan McKee: The fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) sets out the Scottish Ministers’ policies and proposals for the development and use of land. If an application for planning permission is necessary for any development associated with the use of live facial …
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns regarding potential ethnic and racial bias, what its position is on whether the use of live facial recognition technology in public spaces is compatible with the position stated in the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) that "successful places" must …
Answer · Ivan McKee: The fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) sets out the Scottish Ministers’ policies and proposals for the development and use of land. If an application for planning permission is necessary for any development associated with the use of live facial …
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported low incidence of violent and criminal behaviour among the public at large, what its understanding is regarding how the risk of base rate neglect will be factored into the operational use of live facial recognition technology, under the reported proposals by Poli…
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported low incidence of violent and criminal behaviour among the public at large, what its understanding is regarding how the risk of base rate neglect will be factored into the use of live facial recognition technology in criminal proceedings, under the reported propo…
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Professor Angela Daly's reported comments that live facial recognition technology is "not fit for purpose" and is "generally unethical", in light of the reported proposals by the Chief Constable of Police Scotland to deploy the technology in Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its understanding is regarding whether, under the reported proposals by the Chief Constable, Police Scotland would use live facial recognition only temporarily for major events, or whether permanent installations would be set up.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the live facial recognition systems that Police Scotland's Chief Constable has proposed deploying for law enforcement purposes could be used as evidence in criminal proceedings.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
1 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Police Scotland can sufficiently monitor the workings of live facial recognition systems, as proposed by the Chief Constable, in relation to any equalities impacts, in light of the so-called black box problem affecting some AI systems.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…