Neil Findlay

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times it has met the Department of Energy and Climate Change to discuss fracking.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is appropriate for the Scottish Government to liaise with UK Government departments on areas of mutual interest. This is particularly the case in circumstances where additional powers are due to be transferred to Scotland, as with the licensing of onshore …

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency not recording what was discussed as its meeting with other regulators across the UK.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)’s record management procedures are an operational matter for SEPA.

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency having met regularly with the Department of Energy and Climate Change to discuss fracking and public communications strategies.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s routine engagement with other regulators to share knowledge, emerging information and best practice.

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the inquiry taking place during the moratorium on unconventional gas extraction and fracking should report prior to the Scottish election in 2016.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: On 8 October 2015 the Scottish Government announced a timetable for a wide-ranging programme of research and a full public consultation. This timetable allows time to gather the information necessary to make the right decision for the people of Scotland. De…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the moratorium on unconventional gas extraction and fracking to end.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: No decisions about the future of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland will be made until ministers have considered the information gathered and the views expressed through the research and consultation process. Information about the consultation plans and …

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how regularly it has met the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to discuss the moratorium on unconventional gas extraction and fracking.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The moratorium on unconventional gas is a policy matter for the Scottish Government. In line with legislative requirements, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) were consulted in advance of the direction to SEPA to refer any application under the…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings it has had with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding fracking and what specific issues were discussed.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government is in regular dialogue with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding a range of issues, including its regulation of unconventional gas related activity.

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the GlobalScot network.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Information on the membership of the GlobalScot network is held and maintained by Scottish Enterprise. I have therefore passed your query to Scottish Enterprise, who will contact you directly with details of the membership of the GlobalScot network.

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the purpose is of its engagement with the Qatari Government.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The purpose of the Scottish Government’s international engagement is set out in Scotland's International Framework. In relation to Qatar this includes promoting long-term, sustainable economic growth for both countries, and to promote Scotland’s values of dem…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, during meetings with the Qatari Government, it has challenged its human rights record and, if so, what concerns it raised and what the response was.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Ministers have raised the issue of human rights with the Qatari Government on several occasions. Most recently, and as I stated in my answer to question S4W-25944 on 16 June 2015, I spoke with the Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy to r…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times (a) ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) Scottish Government agencies have met ministers and officials of the Qatari Government since May 2011.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Our records indicate that Scottish Ministers have met with the Qatari Government during visits to Qatar on four occasions. In addition, ministers have met the Qatari Ambassador and other representatives of the Qatari Government in the UK on seven occasions. …

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Qatari Government regarding investment in Scotland from the Qatari sovereign wealth fund.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government can confirm that the following discussions took place: The former First Minister in May 2008; Scottish Development International officials in September 2011 and May 2012; The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Citi…

18 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it, or its agencies, has/have had with the renewables industry in relation to attracting funding from Qatar.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Since 2011, Scottish Development International (SDI) has been engaged with a number of organisations in Qatar to promote investment opportunities in the Scottish renewable energy and low carbon technologies sector. The former First Minister visited Qatar in 2…

16 Dec 2015 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S4W-28782 by John Pentland on 15 December 2015, whether the recent issue with the software had not happened previously.

Answer · John Pentland: To inform investigations into whether the issue identified with the MAQA software at the end of November 2015 had occurred previously, the Scottish Parliament Information Centre has been commissioned to audit historical results of the draw for General and Por…

14 Dec 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussion the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has had with the Department of Energy and Climate Change in relation to fracking.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is in regular contact with other regulators across the UK and Europe to share best practice and learn from experience elsewhere. This helps them to ensure that their regulatory position is informed by best available …

3 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that people in Scotland subject to illegal conduct by undercover police officers should have access to a public inquiry and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I have written to the Home Secretary asking her to confirm that Lord Justice Pitchford’s inquiry is able to take evidence relating to activity by any undercover officers in Scotland that were authorised by and carried out by English and Welsh police forces as…

3 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many undercover police operations involving the (a) Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad and (b) National Public Order Intelligence Unit monitoring journalists, environmental activists, trade unionists or political activists Police Scotland and its predecessor forces hav…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

3 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many days undercover officers from the (a) Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad and (b) National Public Order Intelligence Unit have operated in Scotland over the last 25 years.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

3 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many undercover police operations Police Scotland and its predecessor forces have signed off in each year from 1999.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

3 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the actions of undercover police officers from forces based outside Scotland wishing to operate in Scotland need approval by senior officers in the area in which they wish to operate.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Authorisations made under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) for covert human intelligence sources (including undercover officers) do not need to be approved by senior officers in another police force. Paragraph 3.18 of the RIPA Covert Hum…

3 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many women who have been injured by transvaginal mesh implants have been refused surgery because of pending litigation involving surgeons, broken down by NHS board, and what treatment options are available for them.

Answer · Shona Robison: No woman who has been assessed and has agreed to treatment for a complication following a mesh implant has been refused treatment; her care will be transferred to an appropriately trained clinician. The treatment options offered will be individual to each wo…

3 Dec 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many women injured by transvaginal mesh implants currently require corrective surgery, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: Individual health boards will hold information on the number of women currently awaiting surgery. The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

1 Dec 2015 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it has carried out an audit of the randomised system for selecting members for oral questions to ensure that the recent issue with the software has not happened previously.

Answer · John Pentland: The recent issue with the software used to manage parliamentary motions, amendments, questions and answers (MAQA) resulted in not all of the members who submitted their names for the random draw for General and Portfolio Questions being included in the draw. …

30 Nov 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its non-profit distributing programme is regarded by the Office for National Statistics as a public sector programme.

30 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates and at what times it had meetings with Police Scotland or its predecessor forces to discuss the deployment of undercover officers for the purpose of monitoring environmental, political, trade union or pressure group activists between 1999 and 2015.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The deployment of police covert human intelligence sources is an operational matter for the police.

30 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it had with Police Scotland and its predecessor forces regarding the deployment of undercover officers for the purpose of monitoring environmental, political, trade union or pressure group activists between 1999 and 2015.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The deployment of police covert human intelligence sources is an operational matter for the police.

30 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times Police Scotland, or a predecessor force, gave authorisation for the deployment of undercover officers for the purpose of monitoring environmental, political, trade union or pressure group activists between 1999 and 2015.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has no role in authorising police covert human intelligence sources and does not collect any related statistics.

24 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many posts in the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service attract a recruitment and retention allowance or other market-based pay supplement and whether it will provide a breakdown of staff in these posts by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) geographical area.

24 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service pays in recruitment and retention allowances or similar market-based pay supplements.

24 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many posts in Highlands and Islands Enterprise attract a recruitment and retention allowance or other market-based pay supplement and whether it will provide a breakdown of staff in these posts by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) geographical area.