Parliamentary questions
Neil Findlay
2,296 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what processes must be followed before opencast coal developers can begin extracting coal.
Answer · John Swinney: On a site for the working of minerals of over 2 hectares, pre-application consultation for a period of 12 weeks would be required before a planning application could be submitted and considered by a planning authority. Environmental impact assessment is mand…
13 May 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether concerns have been expressed about the new materials that have been provided to teachers to support the new national qualifications.
1 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-01964 by Nicola Sturgeon on 27 March 2013, when it will decide what measures it can include in the forthcoming Procurement Reform Bill to address the issue of blacklisting.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We remain in the process of considering the content for the Procurement Reform Bill.
1 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11742 by John Swinney on 18 December 2012, whether it will commission a public inquiry into blacklisting in Scotland following publication of the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee report, Blacklisting in Employment: Interim Report.
Answer · John Swinney: We have read the Scottish Affairs Committee’s Interim Report with interest and note that it intends to continue its rigorous investigations. It is appropriate for the Scottish Affairs Committee to conduct and conclude their inquiry into this issue as matters …
1 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10879 by John Swinney on 18 December 2012, what efforts it has made to contact trade unions with a view to considering strategies to ensure that companies involved in blacklisting (a) are not and (b) cannot be awarded public sector contracts.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have invited trade unions to work with us on the development of guidance for public bodies on addressing the issue of blacklisting in future procurement processes and public contracts. Invitations were sent on 4 April 2013 to trade unions, including those …
1 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken, or is taking, to ensure that companies involved in, or known to have been involved in, blacklisting are not awarded public sector contracts.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have invited the trade unions to work with us on the development of guidance for public bodies on addressing the issue of blacklisting in future procurement processes and public contracts. We are exploring the potential for asking additional questions of s…
1 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contracts it has awarded to (a) Kier Group, (b) Royal BAM Group or (c) Ferrovial or subsidiaries in each year since 2007, broken down by value, and what information it has on any other public sector contracts awarded.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not awarded any contracts to Kier Group, Royal BAM Group or Ferrovial or its subsidiaries since 2007. We do not hold information centrally on all of the contracts awarded by public bodies in Scotland.
1 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money is available from Skills Development Scotland and Scottish Enterprise to provide training and retraining for those employees affected by the liquidation of Scottish Coal.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Through our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative, we took immediate action to provide help and support for the individuals of Scottish Coal and Castlebridge Plant who were made redundant on 19 April 2013. We held four PACE Redundanc…
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made or will make of the impact of the most recent changes to the terms and conditions of short-term supply teachers.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which comprises membership from the Scottish Government, local authorities and teacher organisations, has undertaken three surveys to analyse the impact of the changes. The SNCT is currently discussing t…
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on resolving the reported shortage of short-term supply teachers.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is continuing to work within the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers to monitor issues relating to supply staff. The numbers of teachers trained each year includes an allowance to ensure that there is a pool of supply teachers…
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has had with (a) the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, (b) COSLA, (c) local authorities and (d) teaching unions on the impact of the most recent changes to the terms and conditions of short-term supply …
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which comprises membership from the Scottish Government, local authorities and Teacher organisations, has responsibility for the pay and terms and conditions for all teachers including those undertaking …
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to build one and two bedroomed houses for rent.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: In May 2012, we introduced a new three year resource planning system to enable councils to plan the delivery of affordable housing more efficiently and effectively. This new approach has enabled each council to bring forward strategic local programmes of soci…
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to cover any arrears accrued as a result of the so-called bedroom tax.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: I refer the member to the Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation) on 27 March 2013, which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=7893&mode=html#iob_71862.
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to prevent evictions arising as a result of the so-called bedroom tax.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: I refer the member to the answer to questions S4W-12541 on 25 February, S4W-13016 on 5 March 2013, S4O-01947 on 21 March and ‘Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation) on 27 March. All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. Th…
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide the same support to local authority and housing association tenants affected by the so-called bedroom tax.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Yes.
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to people affected by the so-called bedroom tax.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: I refer the member to the answer to question S4O-01947 on 21 March 2013 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/OfficialReport.aspx and to Bedroo…
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the proposal to close nursery care provision at St John's Hospital in Livingston.
Answer · Alex Neil: This is a decision for the NHS board as the relevant employer. NHS Lothian took the decision on 2 May to discontinue the provision of nursery services at St John’s Hospital when the last child based there has moved to pre-school education. The board has a…
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has discussed with NHS Lothian the current and the future provision of nursery care for NHS staff in Lothian.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is aware that NHS Lothian has reviewed nursery provision across all NHS Lothian sites. Whilst the Scottish Government welcomes employers providing family friendly work practices, any decisions to provide nursery care for the staff in …
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is in relation to nursery provision for NHS staff.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS staff and all parents should have access to high-quality and affordable childcare services which match children’s needs and parents working patterns.
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is in relation to nursery provision in public sector workplaces.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The provision of a nursery service, whether in a public, private or third sector workplace is the responsibility of the individual employer and not Scottish Government.
9 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Skills Development Scotland has appointed all regional employability partners under the Employability Fund programme; what assessments were carried out by prospective training providers, and whether all Employability Fund contracts were started on 1 April 2013.
Answer · Angela Constance: I will ask the chief executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you on this matter.
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the efficacy of renewable energy and what contingency plans it has in case of a shortfall in energy from renewables.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Renewable energy now provides more than a third of Scotland’s gross annual electricity demand. Our draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement sets out our approach to deliver the equivalent of at least 100% of gross electricity consumption from renewables …
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent Scotland would need to import energy from England and, if so, what form of energy.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scotland has long been a net exporter of electricity, with net exports of between 14% and 26% of total generation in each year from 2000 to 2011. We would expect this to remain the case in the event of a vote for independence.
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that having more than 15 to 20% of energy supplied to the national grid from wind farms would create instability in the system.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Evidence provided by National Grid to the recent Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee inquiry into the Scottish Government’s renewable energy targets suggests that higher levels of penetration will not present an insurmountable challenge to grid system opera…
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent Scotland would be a net importer of energy, and, if so, what form of energy.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scotland has long been a net exporter of electricity, with net exports of between 14% and 26% of total generation in each year from 2000 to 2011. We would expect this to remain the case in the event of a vote for independence.
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the expected energy output is of tidal turbines in the next five years.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has not set electricity targets in terms of the output of specific technologies. We expect and want a wide range of renewable technologies to be developed to ensure we have a balanced electricity mix.
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made a forecast of how much renewable energy England would purchase from an independent Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The amount of renewable energy purchased from Scottish generators in the event of a vote for independence will, as now, be determined by a regulated market which is aimed at ensuring secure and sustainable supplies of power at an affordable cost to consumers.…
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of energy provision will come from renewables in 2014-15.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has not made any forecast of this kind. However, we remain firmly on course to meet our renewable energy targets. Electricity generation from renewables in Scotland was at a record high in 2012, providing an estimated 38.7% of gross an…
27 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out a comparative analysis of current energy provision and energy provision in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We do not expect either Scotland’s energy needs or their provision to be affected in the event of a vote for independence. We intend that a single Great Britain market for energy will remain in place, and that this is an outcome which will best serve mutual i…
25 Mar 2013 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the audit of college waiting lists.