Mark Griffin

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of applicants expected for funeral payments in each of the next four years; what information it has on how many applications for funeral payments were made in Scotland in each of the last five years; what the estimated annual cost of these payments…

Answer · Angela Constance: Estimating the number of people who are eligible for the funeral payment is difficult because of the limited Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) data available and the unpredictable nature of life events. Table 1 provides estimates of the number of possibl…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to change the eligibility requirement for the funeral payment in the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00236 on 14 June 2016. 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/28…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the adequacy of the funeral payment provision for funeral expenses.

Answer · Angela Constance: We have worked extensively with all those with an interest in the area of the costs of funerals and the adequacy of funeral payments. We commissioned a report on funeral poverty from John Birrell, Chair of the Scottish working Group on Funeral Poverty and Cit…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the funeral payment in Scotland will be at the same level as that provided by the UK Government.

Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00236 on 14 June 2016. 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/28…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to change the funeral payment in the next 12 months.

Answer · Angela Constance: We want the powers to control the funeral payment as soon as practically possible, however timescales for delivering benefits in Scotland are yet to be formalised. There is much work to do to support our policy objectives on funeral poverty and the costs of a…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what the level of the Sure Start Maternity Grant would be had it been uprated in line with the (a) retail and (b) consumer price index since 2002.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The department for work and pensions is responsible for the Sure Start Maternity Grant. However Scottish Government analysis shows that the £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant payment had been uprated in line with the (a) retail and (b) consumer price index sinc…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the basic cost of having a child.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00229 on 15 June 2016. 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…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of applicants expected in respect of its replacement for the Sure Start Maternity Grant in each of the next four years; what information it has on how many applications were made in Scotland for the grant in each of the last five years, and what th…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Estimates of the number of applicants expected for the Maternity and Early Years Allowance will depend on decisions yet to be taken about the rollout of this benefit and the eligibility criteria that will be used. For the purposes of policy development, we h…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to change the eligibility criteria in its replacement for the Sure Start Maternity Grant in the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00226 on 15 June 2016. 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…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in deciding to replace the Sure Start Maternity Grant, what assessment it made of the adequacy of the grant for assisting with the costs of a child.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: For the purposes of developing the Maternity and Early Years Allowance, Scottish Government officials have carried out an assessment of the cost of essential items for a new born child and shared these with stakeholders. We consider that these items could be …

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government at what payment level it will set its replacement for the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Our intention is to create a Maternity and Early Years Allowance. For those eligible, a maternity payment will be made for the first child of £600. Maternity payments for second and subsequent children will be £300. Payments of £250 will be introduced for all…

25 May 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce new arrangements to replace the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We are still considering our plans for the operation of the new Maternity and Early Years Allowance, including questions such as eligibility criteria and timescales for introduction. We want to implement the new benefit, which will replace the Sure Start Mate…

29 Feb 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the Forth Road Bridge closure has affected the condition of roads on diversionary routes.

1 Feb 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the judgement by Sheriff V Smith against North Lanarkshire Council in relation to the siting of snack vans near schools.

Answer · Maureen Watt: With a significant number of children choosing to purchase food from nearby outlets during the school day, the food environment around schools has an important role to play in encouraging children and young people to eat a healthy balanced diet. The Scottis…

25 Jan 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport last met NHS Lanarkshire and what was discussed.

11 Jan 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with EU officials regarding funding for public infrastructure projects, including the new Cumbernauld Academy.

14 Dec 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages the development of new allotment sites.

2 Nov 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average police response time is to reports of serious violent crime.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold information about police response times to reports of serious violent crime. Police Scotland Contact, Command and Control centres receive around 500,000 emergency (999) calls per annum. HMICS has recently provided assuran…

26 Oct 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support the PACE team can provide to unemployed professional footballers who have been released by their club.

5 Oct 2015 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the report by the Child Poverty Action Group, The Cost of the School Day.

24 Sep 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning last met Universities Scotland to discuss the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Angela Constance: I last met with Professor Sir Pete Downes, Principal of University of Dundee and Convener of Universities Scotland and Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland to discuss the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill on 20 May 2015. This is only one …

21 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the European Commission.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government regularly meets with representatives of the European Commission. For example, Deputy First Minister John Swinney was in Brussels on Monday 21 September 2015 where he met with Commissioners Pierre Moscovici and Jonathan Hill and discuss…

14 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the removal of old age psychiatry beds from Coathill Hospital and the impact on people using public transport to visit.

Answer · Maureen Watt: This was a decision for NHS Lanarkshire to make. Only proposals which constitute major service change are subject to ministerial approval. Nonetheless, the associated public engagement process undertaken by the health board was consistent with national guidan…

7 Sep 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact is of EU rule changes on capital projects in Central Scotland.

31 Aug 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial impact the delayed timetable for the announcement of its draft budget will have on local authorities.

Answer · John Swinney: The current devolution settlement sees around 80% of the Scottish budget being directly determined by decisions taken in Westminster meaning that we have no alternative but to await the outcome of the UK spending review before publishing the draft budget. Whi…

15 Jun 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the college student headcount in 2014-15 compares with 2008-09.

2 Jun 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what services the SQA has provided to overseas (a) companies and (b) governments in each year since 2007; how much it charged for each service; when payments were requested; what payments have been received, and how much remains outstanding.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). I have asked the Chief Executive of SQA to write to you.

2 Jun 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it began to develop its plans to establish numeracy hubs and what discussions it had with (a) Education Scotland, (b) COSLA and (c) teachers' unions prior to these being introduced.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government supported the development of six inter-authority numeracy hubs as a direct outcome from the 'Enhancing Local Numeracy Strategies' national conference held in Stirling in June 2013. The conference was planned and hosted jointly by the S…

21 May 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to report on the outcome of its consultation on the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board.

18 May 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Deaf people have undertaken a modern apprenticeship in the last five years.