Parliamentary questions
Angus MacDonald
470 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Changing Places toilets there are in each local authority area.
Answer · Maureen Watt: There are currently 157 Changing Places Toilets (CPT’s) across Scotland, distributed across 29 local authority areas. Unlike other areas across the U.K Scotland has seen an increase in the number of CPTs. The Scottish Government works closely with Pamis, the…
29 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to tackle climate change.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scotland is a world-leader on climate change, with sustained progress against ambitious targets and a commitment to strengthen these further with a new Bill. The statutory annual emissions reduction target has been met for the second successive year, and Scot…
15 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by Universities Scotland, Working to Widen Access.
7 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the commissioning of programmes with MG Alba.
31 Oct 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
25 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fire safety inspectors there were on 30 September (a) 2017, (b) 2010 and (c) 2007.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: On 30 September 2017, SFRS had 68 uniformed Fire Safety Enforcement Officers deployed across all of Scotland’s communities. This is supplemented by 13 specialist non-uniformed Auditing Officers. The Scottish Government doesn’t hold information on the numbers…
16 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent international efforts it has taken part in to address marine pollution.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government's Marine Litter Strategy has over 40 on-going action points which all aim to reduce the amount of litter entering our seas and international waters. The Strategy and action points support the international commission OSPAR in its objec…
6 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when properties in rural areas that are connected to exchanges via Exchange Only lines, rather than through green roadside cabinets, can expect to have access to superfast broadband.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Around 192,000 Exchange Only lines have been serviced to date by the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) roll-out. The DSSB programme is on target to extend fibre broadband access to 95% of premises in Scotland by the end of 2017, with over 800,000 pr…
24 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the office of the Judicial Complaints Reviewer is adequately resourced.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The office of the Judicial Complaints Reviewer (JCR) is a demand led role and consequently the budget for the JCR is not cash limited. My officials are working with the JCR to ensure that he has the necessary support and resources. The current expectation is…
6 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the implementation of the deposit return scheme.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is an ambitious policy that will completely change the way we approach the use and disposal of everyday items - it is therefore important that we take the time to do it right. We have asked Zero Waste Scotland to work in partnership with businesses, en…
7 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice it gave Scottish Canals prior to the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II canal in Grangemouth, and what its position is on whether the Queen Elizabeth Canal may have been a more appropriate and historically accurate name in Scotland
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government did not give any advice to Scottish Canals regarding the choice of name for this new stretch of canal. The Scottish Government acts as the conduit to gain approval from the appropriate people to use certain names with a Royal connectio…
7 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to calls for Gaelic to be given UNESCO status through its inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list or the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding list.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government considered this matter after it was raised in the President’s address at the Royal National Mod in October 2016. The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has not, at this stage, been ratified by th…
29 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding pay negotiations between Marine Scotland and Fishery Protection Vessel crews.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Constructive discussions with the recognised trade unions are continuing and the Scottish Government expect to reach a conclusion to pay negotiations shortly.
24 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with National Museums Scotland regarding (a) employing a Gaelic development officer, (b) integrating Gaelic content and context in exhibitions and (c) moving toward bilingual English-Gaelic signage.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The points mentioned are a matter for National Museums Scotland to consider in fulfilling its duties under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, and in consultation with Bord na Gaidhlig and I have asked the Director to write to you directly.
13 Jun 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Forth Valley and what issues were discussed.
7 Jun 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with Skills Development Scotland to address the reported shortage of HGV drivers.
2 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will use the apprenticeship levy to support the road haulage industry in dealing with the reported shortage of HGV/LGV drivers and, if so, how.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: In direct response to the views of employers in Scotland, and reflecting on the Apprenticeship Levy consultation responses we received, all of the funds raised through the Apprenticeship Levy will be invested in skills, training and workforce development to m…
22 May 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made following community requests to have a permanent SEPA presence in Grangemouth.
17 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any health impacts of ash clouds from Longannet on communities directly south of the River Forth.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Ambient Air Quality is monitored at local authority monitoring sites around the Forth Valley, including in West Lothian and Falkirk. The air quality recorded at these sites has not exceeded the daily Air Quality Objective (AQO) for PM10 particulate matter and…
16 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the whisky and agricultural sectors regarding the reported shortage of the by-product, draff, as a livestock feed.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has been in regular discussions and are continuing to work closely with the whisky (Scotch Whisky Association (SWA)) and agricultural (represented by the Scottish Tenant Farmer's Association (SFTA)) sectors regarding this issue. Thes…
15 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Ineos regarding improving security at the Grangemouth refinery and petrochemical plant.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government continues to engage closely with Ineos regarding the Grangemouth petrochemical plant and refinery. However, safety and security within the energy sector are matters that currently remain reserved to UK Government and its agencies.
1 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of dairy farmers had applied for EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid by the 1 May 2017 deadline.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The number of dairy EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid applications received by 1 May totalled 701. Using the Scottish Dairy Association's January 2017 estimate of 957 dairy holdings, this represents a 73.2% uptake. Applications are currently being assessed for el…
18 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Falkirk Council to discuss tourism opportunities in Falkirk district.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Ministers and officials regularly meet local authorities across Scotland to discuss a range of issues, including tourism, as does VisitScotland who held their March Board meeting in the Macdonald Inchyra Hotel in the members constituency.
10 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Ineos and (b) Unite the Union following the reported breakdown of talks at the Ineos petrochemical plant in Grangemouth.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government is engaging with both Unite the Union and Ineos and will continue to work closely with both organisations during and beyond the negotiation period. The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work met with representatives of Unite…
11 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in the pay settlement negotiations between Marine Scotland and the crew of marine protection vessels.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08010 on 14 March 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/2…
22 Feb 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in securing additional funding for BBC Alba.
15 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will receive the findings of NHS Forth Valley’s internal inquiry into the increase in the number of stillborn babies in the area in 2016.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: NHS Forth Valley has taken action locally to internally review all of their cases of stillbirth. The Board has also commissioned an independent external review to look into their 2016 stillbirths. The Scottish Government supports the action that NHS Forth V…
14 Feb 2017 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle Islamophobia.
8 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the agricultural sector.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Between 2014 – 2019, the Scottish Government will allocate in the region of 4.6bn in Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments to support Scottish Agriculture, in practical terms taking account of yearly currency fluctuations, this means around £500m per annu…
28 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03435 by Annabelle Ewing on 27 October 2016, on what date it will publish its response to the consultation paper, Developments in environmental justice in Scotland.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government is currently considering its response and will publish it as soon as possible but no date has been set.