Christian Allard

Answer · Alex Neil · 24 Feb 2016

The proposed Immigration Bill is underpinned by a flawed drive to reduce numbers of migrants as a goal in its own right, without any consideration of the damaging impact of reducing numbers at any cost. The Scottish Government has made it clear to the UK Government that if any part of the Bill is not right for Scotland, we would expect the UK Government to take the views of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government into account.
A general policy memorandum is one of a number of ways in which the Scottish Government can express its opposition to specific policy or legislative proposals from the UK Government. In the case of the Immigration Bill our preferred approach has been to make representations directly to UK Ministers on the specific proposals of the Bill and the effect they will have in Scotland. We have also opposed the Bill in debates both inside and outside the Parliament, including by being supportive of the member’s motion against the Bill in the debate on 21 January 2016.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn · 9 Dec 2015

The National Neurological Advisory Group's (NNAG’s) mid-year review report supported the need for a change in focus for the group, going from monitoring 104 clinical standards to moving towards a smaller number of priority areas. At the NNAG meeting in February 2015 priorities were discussed but no final decision was made. Since then we have been working with stakeholders to identify priorities for the future and to consider the most appropriate structure for NNAG and related work to achieve the outcomes desired. Arising from that work, Scottish Ministers will confirm the way forward in early 2016.