Parliamentary questions
Mark Griffin
2,186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 May 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning last met Education Scotland and what was discussed.
23 Mar 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport last met NHS Lanarkshire and what was discussed.
Answer · Shona Robison: Ministers and government officials regularly meet with representatives of all NHS boards, including NHS Lanarkshire, to discuss matters of importance to local people.
18 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will give public transport authorities the power to compel public transport operators to participate in multi-operator ticketing schemes.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Sections 28-32 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 enable local transport authorities to specify what ticketing arrangements should be available for their areas and to seek to make these available on a voluntary basis. If they cannot achieve satisfactory ar…
16 Mar 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce levels of fuel poverty.
12 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, other than exam results and qualification attainment, what national indicators or measures it will use to monitor progress on closing the attainment and achievement gap for pupils.
Answer · Angela Constance: As clearly set out in our Programme for Government, we are committed to ensuring that educational outcomes for all learners are improving and that inequity is eradicated. A range of educational performance data, including school-leaver destinations, exam resu…
12 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Attainment Fund will improve the attainment of pupils with additional support needs irrespective of whether they live in the most deprived local authority areas.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Attainment Scotland Fund is targeted at local authorities with the biggest concentration of primary school pupils living in households in our most deprived areas. It will focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing in the primary sector to suppor…
9 Mar 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many non-teaching staff there are in schools and how this compares with 2013-14.
26 Jan 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish a future jobs fund for Scotland.
26 Jan 2015 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that science lessons in schools are being underfunded by £8 million per year.
19 Jan 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to implement the recommendations of Jackie Brock's report on safeguarding vulnerable children.
Answer · Fiona McLeod: In November 2014 when the Brock report was published the then Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning acted decisively accepting its recommendations in full. The report is one strand of a wider improvement programme to ensure Scotland’s approach…
5 Jan 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers staffing levels in NHS Lanarkshire satisfactory.
17 Nov 2014 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to make roads safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
4 Aug 2014 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to First ScotRail being fined more than £2 million since 2011 for running too few coaches in a practice known as “short-forming”.
11 Jul 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been detained under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 in each year since 2007, also broken down by the number detained in (a) mental health, (b) NHS and (c) Scottish Prison Service facilities.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39346 on 24 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliament…
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many horses were in service with each former police constabulary in each year from 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scotland continues to see the benefits of a single police service. Policing remains strong, shaped and delivered in communities, while specialist expertise and equipment, including horses, can be deployed flexibly and efficiently whenever they are needed. Th…
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many horses are in service with Police Scotland.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scotland continues to see the benefits of a single police service. Policing remains strong, shaped and delivered in communities, while specialist expertise and equipment, including horses, can be deployed flexibly and efficiently whenever they are needed. Th…
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many dogs were in service with each former police constabulary in each year from 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scotland continues to see the benefits of a single police service. Policing remains strong, shaped and delivered in communities, while specialist expertise and equipment, including dogs, can be deployed flexibly and efficiently whenever they are needed. The …
17 Jun 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many dogs are in service with Police Scotland.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scotland continues to see the benefits of a single police service. Policing remains strong, being shaped and delivered in communities. Specialist expertise and equipment, including dogs, can be deployed flexibly and efficiently whenever they are needed. The …
9 Jun 2014 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the survey published by Transform Scotland to mark the launch of its Fix It First campaign.
2 May 2014 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities have adapted the loop equipment that they provide to people with hearing loss since the introduction of digital televisions and radios.
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed closure of the upper level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street station will coincide with work being carried out at the Winchburgh tunnel.
Answer · Keith Brown: The initial assessment is that disruption will be less overall if the works at the two tunnels are done at separate times. This is to do with the resilience of the overall network and the wider performance impacts. The rail industry is still working to arrive…
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it has received from Serco NorthLink that it will introduce measures to improve its communications strategy, in relation to dealing with vessel failure, with (a) island communities, (b) passengers, (c) trade unions and (d) businesses; what those measures will be, and when…
Answer · Keith Brown: Serco Northlink Ferries Ltd consistently review their communications strategy and provide regular updates to Transport Scotland. The daily and key recipient briefings introduced during the Hamnavoe service interruption have been captured in the contract busi…
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its experience of vessel breakdowns on Scottish ferry routes, what steps it is taking to develop constructive relationships with shipbrokers and what assurances it has received that Serco NorthLink will undertake to develop such relationships.
Answer · Keith Brown: Serco NorthLink Ferries Ltd and CalMac already have very constructive relationships with shipbrokers.
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what costs Scrabster Harbour Trust incurred in making alterations to accommodate MV Helliar berthing in Scrabster between April and May 2013.
Answer · Keith Brown: The costs were a matter between Serco NorthLink Ferries Ltd and Scrabster Harbour Trust and would have been subject to settlement through the operator’s insurers.
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent comparison has been made between the maintenance standards for vessels working on the (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebridean ferry routes.
Answer · Keith Brown: There has been no comparison made between the maintenance standards for vessels working on the Northern Isles ferry services or the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. Both require to comply with the minimum regulatory standards for vessels, set by the Maritim…
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what minimum legal standards apply to the maintenance regime for vessels working on Scottish ferry routes.
Answer · Keith Brown: The minimum regulatory standards for vessels are set by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. This includes international safety management standards which include regulatory requirements for a detailed maintenance system to be in place for each vessel.
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects Serco NorthLink’s (a) insurance claims and (b) negotiations with the engine manufacturer regarding the breakdown and repair of the MV Hamnavoe between April and May 2013 to be completed.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20246 on 27 March 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…
19 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what caused the (a) damage to and (b) failure of the crankshaft on the starboard main engine of the MV Hamnavoe on 25 April 2013.
Answer · Keith Brown: The report into the breakdown of the MV Hamnavoe published on 7 March 2013 indicated that the damage and failure of the crankshaft was unforeseen and was not as a consequence of any action taken by Serco NorthLink Ferries Ltd
17 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what basis it considers that its childcare plans for an independent Scotland would create a 6% rise in female employment.
3 Mar 2014 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Glasgow Airport Strategic Transport Network Study will be published.