Neil Findlay

25 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards in relation to alerting patients who have had a mesh procedure to its concerns.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has taken advice from a number of professionals, including the Chief Medical Officer’s medical staff, on the most effective way to communicate and support women who are experiencing complications following a mesh implant procedure. Ta…

22 Feb 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on fracking.

21 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it was made aware of NHS Lothian's intention to carry out a review of paediatric services.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Government officials were informed by NHS Lothian during a routine performance meeting on 28 January 2015 of the potential to carry out a review of paediatric services.

21 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it carries out due diligence in relation to all contracts to assess the suitability and independence of the researchers involved.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Research projects are commissioned following Scottish Government procurement guidelines. Further information on Scottish Government procurement can be found via the following website http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/Procurement

21 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many contracts it has awarded to assess the impacts of fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29953 on 7 March 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybus…

21 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what due diligence it carried out to assess the suitability of Ramboll Environ to provide independent research into the environmental impact of fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The procurement process for Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Understanding and Mitigating Community Level Impacts from Transportation followed Scottish Government procurement guidelines. Further information on Scottish Government procurement can be f…

21 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what companies submitted bids for a contract to investigate and report on the environmental impact of fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The procurement process for Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Understanding and Mitigating Community Level Impacts from Transportation followed Scottish Government procurement guidelines. AECOM, DNV GL, Ramboll Environ, Ricardo AEA, and WSS Energy Con…

21 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it awarded a contract to Ramboll Environ to investigate the environmental impact of fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The procurement process for Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Understanding and Mitigating Community Level Impacts from Transportation followed Scottish Government procurement guidelines. Further information on Scottish Government procurement can be f…

12 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has issued any contracts to companies to carry out social, economic or environmental impact assessments into fracking and, if so, which companies.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is taking a precautionary, robust and evidence-based approach to unconventional oil and gas. On 8 October 2015 the Scottish Government announced a comprehensive programme of research that will give the public and stakeholders access to…

12 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) economic, (b) social and (c) environmental impact assessment it has carried out into the impact of fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29953 on 7 March 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybus…

10 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many new-start apprentices in 2015-16 self-declared as disabled, broken down by apprenticeship framework.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) publish Modern Apprenticeship (MA) statistics, including MA starts by self reported disability status, on a quarterly basis. SDS' quarter 3 (i.e. to 25 December 2015) report for 2015-16 can be accessed via SDS' website: https…

10 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting employers to increase the number of disabled people in the workforce.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government’s focus is on supporting disabled individuals to progress towards sustainable employment. We do this, for example, through our Supported Employment place and train model, delivered by local authorities and other providers engaging with…

10 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of disabled people in the workforce.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting everyone who can and wants to work, including people with disabilities, to progress towards, progress into and to sustain employment. However, employment services are currently reserved to the UK Government. …

5 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many public contracts it, and other public authorities, have awarded to subsidiary and associated companies of Balfour Beatty in each year since 2011.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has awarded one contract in 2011 to Balfour Beatty Construction Limited for the final fit out of the Scottish Crime Campus. Details of contracts awarded by the Scottish public sector are publicly available on the Public Contracts Scot…

5 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether an equality impact assessment has been carried out on the work and remit of the Agricultural Wages Board in relation to the number of employees from ethnic and cultural minority communities and, if so, whether any recommendations have been made on the payment of the living wage.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (SAWB) is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) which was established under the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949. Its function is to set minimum rates of pay and other conditions of service for agricultural workers …

5 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has introduced to ensure that pay and conditions in the agricultural sector do not disproportionately disadvantage Polish and other Eastern European employees.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board sets annually terms and conditions for all agricultural workers employed in Scotland.

5 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in ensuring that the Agricultural Wages Board sets minimum hourly rates for all workers based on the living wage.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board is a non-departmental public body established under the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949 to set minimum wage rates and other conditions of employment for agricultural workers. The wages board takes decisions of its …

4 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28935 by Roseanna Cunningham on 18 December 2015, whether the Fair Work Convention has now considered the report, Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination in Scottish Workplaces, and, if so, what its response is, if not, when the convention will next…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Fair Work Convention is an independent body and therefore the Scottish Government is unable to comment on what its response will be. The Scottish Government is however aware that the convention has seen the report and fully expects it to factor bullying, …

4 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure accountability and transparency in relation to tackling bullying, harassment and discrimination in organisations that it commissions or funds.

Answer · Alex Neil: Organisations are expected, as part of the conditions of grant from the Scottish Government, to ensure that in relation to the purpose of the funding provided, they are compliant with the requirements of existing law, which includes equality legislation prote…

2 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29398 by Michael Matheson on 2 February 2016, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has asked the new chief constable about the activities of the Metropolitan Police's Special …

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29398 on 2 February 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…

28 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal recourse is available to victims in Scotland of any illegal undercover policing activity carried out by members of the Special Demonstration Squad.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The options available to any individual will depend on the facts and circumstances of their case. Depending on the particular circumstances, individuals may seek redress via the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which has jurisdiction to consider certain proceed…

28 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received a reply from the Home Secretary regarding extending the Pitchford Inquiry to cover Scotland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Discussions with the Home Office are ongoing.

25 Jan 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has confidence in the chair and the chief officers of NHS Lothian.

19 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take if the remit of the Pitchford inquiry into undercover policing is not extended to cover Scotland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is still discussing this issue with the Home Office and believes that extending the terms of the Pitchford inquiry is the right thing to do.

19 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has asked the new chief constable about the activities of the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) in Scotland, including (a) the extent of these activities, (b) which campaigns and individuals were investigated and (c) how man…

Answer · Michael Matheson: Regular discussions take place with the chief constable during which a range of subjects are discussed.

22 Dec 2015 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what it considers the reason is that the IT system in parliamentary offices and the system for remote working has been described as "diabolical".

Answer · John Pentland: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body are predominantly dependent upon the utilisation of the public broadband infrastructure in Scotland to facilitate remote working and to connect parliamentary constituency and regional offices with the IT system at Hol…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had, or plans to have, discussions with Sciencewise regarding public engagement and communications strategies on the issue of fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: To date, the Scottish Government has not held any meetings with Sciencewise regarding fracking. Public engagement plays an important role as part of the democratic process and our aim is to ensure that our public consultation delivers effective and successful…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Sciencewise in 2015.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government is represented on the Sciencewise Steering Group by an official from the Higher Education and Science Division. Meetings with Sciencewise in 2015 have taken several forms: A Scottish Government official attended two out of three forma…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There have been no meetings between the Scottish Government and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss hydraulic fracturing.

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met (a) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (b) the Department of Energy and Climate Change or (c) any other agency to discuss public (i) engagement and (ii) communications on the issue of fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is appropriate for the Scottish Government to liaise with a variety of agencies, bodies and government departments on areas of mutual interest, which may include matters of public engagement. The Scottish Government is committed to being an open, accessibl…