Parliamentary questions
Siobhan McMahon
301 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of school leavers are in positive follow-up destinations, broken down by (a) the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation and (b) local authority area, in each of the last three years, up to and including 2010-2011.
Answer · Michael Russell: Information on the percentage of school leavers from the 2010-2011 academic year in positive follow-up destinations will not be available until June 2012. Information on the percentage of school leavers in positive follow-up destinations in each of the last …
19 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with asthma have received a medication review since the introduction of the Chronic Medication Service.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.
16 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the First Minister's private office has spent on hospitality for employees of News International Ltd in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government hosted a dinner on 19 March 2009, involving the then editor of the Scottish News of the World, Bob Bird, to discuss the campaign for Mark’s Law. The cost was £173.30. There was no expenditure in 2009-10 or 2010-11. The Scottish Governm…
16 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on hospitality in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11, broken down by directorate.
Answer · John Swinney: Total Scottish Government expenditure on hospitality for the financial year 2008-09 (April 2008 to March 2009) was £1,186,757 and for the financial year 2009-10 (April 2009 to March 2010) was £1,174,119. Due to changes in the internal structure of the Scottis…
16 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the First Minister's private office spent on hospitality in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · John Swinney: First Ministerial events are organised by the Scottish Government Visits and Events team and the majority are funded from the central ministerial events budget. A breakdown of spend by financial year for First Ministerial events managed by this team are detai…
5 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01480 by Kenny MacAskill on 1 August 2011, what the outcome was for each of the 447 children that received bail in 2009-10, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The requested information has never been held centrally. Information on bail orders and court convictions are provided as separate datasets.
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01142 by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 July 2011, on what date each of the groups listed received a copy of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill as published.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The groups listed in question S4W-01142 received a link to the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill on 17 June following its publication on the Scottish Parliament website.
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01142 by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 July 2011, on what date consultations in respect of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill were initiated with each of the groups listed.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Consultations on the outline of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill for the groups listed in the answer to question S4W-01142 were initiated on the following dates: 3 June – Scottish Prison Service, 6 June – Scot…
3 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01142 by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 July 2011, which of the groups listed received briefings on the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill in the week preceding its date of publication.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: During the week preceding the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill the following organisations, listed in the answer to question S4W-01142, were briefed on the outline of the bill: Strathclyde Police, Scottish Footbal…
4 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children charged with a knife-related offence received bail at a (a) high or (b) sheriff court in each of the last three years, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of persons charged is not held centrally. Statistics on the number of persons aged 18 and under proceeded against for knife possession or handling an offensive weapon that received a bail order are provided in the table below. As re…
4 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged 10 to 13 have been charged with a knife-related offence in each of the last three years, broken down by police force.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The requested information is not held centrally.
4 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children charged with a knife-related offence subsequently committed a violent offence while on bail or being dealt with by a court or children’s panel, in each of the last three years, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The requested information is not held centrally.
4 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged 14 to 16 have been charged with a knife-related offence in each of the last three years, broken down by police force.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The requested information is not held centrally.
4 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged 17 and 18 have been charged with a knife-related offence in each of the last three years, broken down by police force.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The requested information is not held centrally.
4 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were admitted to HMYOI Polmont within two years of leaving secure care, in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.
1 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what transitional arrangements are in place to ensure continuity of care for the children affected by closure of St Philip’s Secure Unit in Airdrie.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has not received any formal notification from the board of managers about the future of St Philip’s secure unit. It is for the local authorities responsible for the care of young people currently resident at St Philip’s secure unit to…
1 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what transitional arrangements are in place to ensure continuity of care for the children affected by closure of St Philip’s Residential Unit in Airdrie.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has not received any formal notification from the board of managers about the future of St Philip’s residential unit. It is for the local authorities responsible for the care of young people resident at St Philip’s residential unit to…
1 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria Scotland Excel employs when deciding which secure units to award preferred bidder status; how those criteria were arrived at, and which organisation or body was responsible for establishing them.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the report by the Director for the Scotland Excel Executive Sub Committee of 17 June 2011 and published on Renfrewshire council’s website. The report can be accessed at: http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/Content/ce-jl…
1 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what transitional arrangements are in place to ensure continuity of care for the children affected by closure of St Philip’s Day Care Unit in Airdrie.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has not received any formal notification from the board of managers about the future of St Philip’s day school. It is for the local authorities responsible for the care of young people resident at St Philip’s day school to work with S…
1 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether staff made redundant as a result of the decision to remove preferred bidder status from St Philip’s Secure Unit in Airdrie will be given enhanced redundancy payments.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The terms of any redundancy package are a matter between the employer and their staff.
1 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to help staff who lose their jobs as a result of the decision to remove preferred bidder status from St Philip’s Secure Unit in Airdrie secure alternative employment.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government have not received formal notification about the future of St Philip’s secure unit. However, I understand that, at the request of the board of managers of St Philip’s, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) have met with ma…
22 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations were issued briefings regarding the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill; on what dates, and based on what criteria.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: At various points and in various ways, the following organisations were briefed on the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill: Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, …
20 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to the Central Scotland Green Network to develop the proposed John Muir Trail between East Lothian and the Trossachs.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: On behalf of the Scottish Government and the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) Partnership Board, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is actively taking the lead in developing this proposed 90 mile route between John Muir’s birthplace in Dunbar and the gatewa…
20 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing paid staff from its Climate Challenge Fund to assist community groups to realise their potential.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Yes, the Climate Challenge Fund can and does support the employment of paid staff by communities where that is the most effective means for delivering carbon emission reductions.
20 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to Energy Saving Scotland's eco-driving programme; how it will help publicise this, and what it does to encourage the public to eco-drive.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is providing grant funding to the Energy Saving Trust (EST) of £103,000 in 2011-12 to support its eco-driving programme for high mileage drivers. Eco-driving advice is available from the EST website at: http://www.energysavingtrust.or…
20 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will increase the number of (a) allotments and (b) other growing spaces.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: (a) The responsibility of allotment provision is the responsibility of the local authorities under the Allotment (Scotland) Act 1892. (b) The Scottish Government will continue to support the work of the Grow Your Own Working Group whose action plan is lookin…
20 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding the release of funding for infrastructure projects from the Fossil Fuel Levy account.
Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister and I have repeatedly pressed the UK Government to agree to release the Fossil Fuel Levy surplus to Scotland to fund additional investment in projects to support renewable energy generation. I discussed this matter with the Chief Secretary …
20 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up a fund to allow local authorities and other public bodies to take advantage of feed-in-tariffs to allow further investment in alternative energy projects.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: There are no plans to set up such a fund. The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Scheme is intended to replace, not supplement, public grant schemes as the principal means of incentivising small scale, low-carbon electricity generation. Because of this, and to ensure value…
15 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the capacity of Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland to carry out its duties in light of recent budget changes.
8 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes it proposes to make in relation to solicitors' access to prisoners in police custody, in light of the Cadder v Her Majesty's Advocate ruling.