Neil Findlay

11 May 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the statement by ScotNursing that it can only fill 40% of vacancies when it could previously fill 90%.

Answer · Shona Robison: The difficulties faced by private agencies in attracting staff to work for them are not a matter for Scottish Ministers. Our focus is on ensuring we have the right numbers of staff in place to ensure high quality care. On that our track record is clear. Under…

30 Apr 2015 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on fracking.

27 Apr 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in bringing to an end the dispute at the National Museum of Scotland.

13 Apr 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform has been involved in discussions with INEOS regarding its plans for fracking.

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has proposed reducing the funding arrangements for some modern apprenticeship training providers; what sector-by-sector analysis it has carried of the potential impact of this; which sectors will no longer be in a position to provide their current level of service; wha…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Funding for the modern apprenticeship programme in Scotland is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland (SDS). I have asked the Chief Executive of SDS to write to you with the information you have requested.

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the adoption of new technology to ensure that transparent and accurate medical notes on patients and a fair record of meetings with them are taken by the medical profession.

Answer · Shona Robison: GPs already routinely input relevant patient information gathered during consultations straight onto nationally approved digital applications in the practice; clinicians in a community or hospital context input data gathered from patient meetings in a structu…

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how NHS boards ensure that medical notes put on patients files are approved by the patient prior to appearing on computerised or manual systems.

Answer · Shona Robison: An important part of the eHealth Strategy is ensuring that patients have maximum opportunity to contribute information to the health care team and are able to access as much of their own information as possible. But ultimately it is down to the clinician – tr…

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to improving the transparency and accuracy of medical notes on patients by the medical profession.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government considers increased transparency as an important way of improving the accuracy of patient records. There are already some condition-specific NHS Scotland services that give patients an opportunity to access particular information onlin…

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in Scotland for landfill tax evasion in each year since 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Landfill tax in Scotland, prior to 1 April 2015, was reserved to the UK Government and collected and administered by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many enforcement officers with the sole remit of tackling landfill tax evasion will be required; how many are in place, and what plans it has to recruit additional officers.

Answer · John Swinney: This is an operational matter for Revenue Scotland. I have asked the chief executive to write to you.

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the level of landfill tax (a) evasion and (b) avoidance in Scotland, and what the estimate is for each of the next four years.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Landfill tax in Scotland, prior to 1 April 2015, was reserved to the UK Government and collected and administered by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. The Scottish Government will work with the Scottish…

31 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals to the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals have been recalled by ministers in each year since 2007, broken down by the nature of application, and how many applications were subsequently granted permission to continue.

Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Ministers have recalled 42 appeals for their own decision since 1 January 2007. Of these appeals, 16 have been allowed and two appeals are minded to be allowed subject to appropriate legal agreements being reached between the appellants and the plann…

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide substantive answers to questions S4W-24265, S4W-24267, S4W-24268, S4W-24269,  S4W-24270, S4W-24271 and S4W-24275, which received holding replies on 16 February 2015.

Answer · John Swinney: The following Parliamentary questions were answered on 24 April 2015 - S4W-24265, S4W-24267, S4W-24268, S4W-24269, S4W-24270, S4W-24271 and S4W-24275. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facili…

25 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has paid its apprentices in each year since 2007.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Modern apprentices have been employed within the Scottish Government since April 2011. They are brought in on the Scottish Government A3 pay range. The entry pay point for each year is as follows: From 1 August 2010 – £15,792 From 1 August 2011 – £15,792 F…

23 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it provides to (a) local authorities and (b) the voluntary sector for non-formal adult learning, in addition to that allocated for colleges and in employability funds.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government funds local authorities through the block grant. Decisions on the provision of non-formal adult learning are made at local level. Non-formal adult learning is part of community learning and development (CLD). Three year plans for CLD a…

23 Mar 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take as a result of the report by Sheriff Principal Bowen, Consumer Protections in Conveyancing Cases.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government is aware of the issues raised by Sheriff Principal Bowen’s report. I am in regular contact with the Law Society of Scotland as these issues have been the subject of discussion with the Law Society and, separately, with the Minister for…

22 Mar 2015 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to end the use of zero-hours contracts.

18 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of British Transport Police officers working on the Scottish rail network.

Answer · Michael Matheson: British Transport Police advise that there are currently 223 police officers and 50 support staff working for British Transport Police on the Scottish rail network.

18 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult on its plans for policing of the rail network from 2016.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Police Scotland is responsible for policing in Scotland and it is an anomaly that policing of the railway is out with the jurisdiction of our national Chief Constable. Integration of the British Transport Police (BTP) within Police Scotland will ensure the mo…

18 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what safety impact assessment it has conducted of merging the British Transport Police with Police Scotland and whether it will publish the details.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government will continue to engage with all key stakeholders throughout 2015 on proposals to shape the integration of the function of BTP in Scotland within Police Scotland. This will include the British Transport Police (BTP), the BTP Federation…

17 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the First Minister will host the living wage summit she announced on 26 November 2014.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Further to my answer at Fair Work, Skills and Training portfolio questions on 25 March 2015, when I confirmed the Living Wage Summit would take place prior to the summer recess, I can confirm the date as 3 June 2015.

16 Mar 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report by Fiona McKenzie for NHS Lothian regarding concerns about the perinatal ward at St John's Hospital.

13 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Amec Building Ltd, (b) Amec Construction Ltd, (c) Amec Facilities Ltd, (d) Amec Ind Div, (e) Amec Process & Energy Ltd, (f) Amey Construction, (g) B Sunley & Sons, (h) Balfour Beatty, (i) Balfour Kilpatrick, (j) Ballast (Wiltshire) PLC, (k) Bam Construction (HBC Construction)…

Answer · Keith Brown: Information on contracts awarded by Scottish public bodies is already in the public domain and can be found on Public Contracts Scotland which can be accessed at: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Default.aspx

3 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported long-standing problems at the Deans South housing estate in Livingston; what action it is taking to resolve these matters, and what resources it has offered West Lothian Council to help purchase the remaining properties on the estate.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: West Lothian Council, as the strategic housing authority, is responsible for resolving the housing situation in Deans South, Livingston and its offer to buy back any of the owner-occupied properties, at the District Valuer valuation plus £15,000, will continu…

3 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Housing and Welfare last visited the Deans South housing estate in Livingston.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Minister for Housing and Welfare (and predecessors) has been kept fully briefed on the situation concerning the Deans South housing estate in Livingston and has met with the local MSP, elected representatives and council officials on five occasions over t…

3 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to review the legislation regarding intestacy, and how it will consult people who consider that the current law has had a negative impact on them.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Law Commission (the Commission) reviewed the law of succession and issued a report in 2009: Report on Succession (Scot Law Com No 215). The report made recommendations on a range of succession issues including: Intestacy (where a person dies w…

2 Mar 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government which contractors named by the Scottish Information Commissioner as having used the services of The Consulting Association have been awarded public contracts since 20 November 2013.

Answer · Keith Brown: In relation to Neil Findlay’s question, I can advise that the Scottish Government is not aware of any publication by the Scottish Information Commissioner in relation to the naming of contractors as using the services of The Consulting Association. We do not…

26 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to young farmers who want to (a) rent and (b) purchase their own farm.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) will provide Scotland’s new entrant young farmers with help towards the start-up costs associated with a new farming business. All costs, including land acquisition, linked to an approved business plan will be …

25 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the review into the concerns raised by Dr Jane Hamilton about the perinatal service and its management at St John’s Hospital, Livingston.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The review was commissioned by NHS Lothian rather than by the Scottish Government. The publication of its findings is a matter for NHS Lothian.

17 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on which date the contract for the V&A Dundee was (a) awarded and (b) signed.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Dundee City Council is the contracting authority for the V&A Dundee construction project. The chief executive of the council has confirmed that he would be happy to address any questions the member has regarding the construction project.