Parliamentary questions
Neil Findlay
2,296 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impending closure of Hall's meat processing plant, what additional support it will provide to the (a) Calderwood core development area (CDA), (b) Winchburgh CDA, (c) Armadale CDA and (d) Heartlands project at Whitburn.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10393 on 5 November 2012. 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/Apps2/Busine…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what infrastructure projects it has supported in West Lothian in each year since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: Since May 2007 the Scottish Government has provided funding for major projects within the West Lothian area, such as the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link (£375 million), which opened to passengers in December 2010, and the West Lothian Schools Public Private Partne…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what infrastructure projects in West Lothian it will support to help boost employment.
Answer · John Swinney: An overview of the infrastructure projects which the Scottish Government is currently supporting in the West Lothian area is included in the following table. Project/Investment Details Forth Replacement Crossing This major project which is currently in co…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential economic impact of the closure of the Hall's meat processing plant in Broxburn, whether it will provide funding for developing the Dalmeny chord.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10393 on 5 November 2012. 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/Apps2/Busine…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will give to trade unions seeking to assist their members at the Hall's meat processing plant in Broxburn who are facing unemployment .
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10393 on 5 November 2012. 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/Apps2/Busine…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what resources it will give to (a) West Lothian Council, (b) charities, (c) the third sector, (d) social enterprises and (e) other agencies to deal with the impact of the closure of the Hall's meat processing plant in Broxburn.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10393 on 5 November 2012. 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/Apps2/Busine…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support employees of Hall's meat processing plant in Broxburn in finding new employment.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10393 on 5 November 2012. 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/Apps2/Busine…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which of its agencies are providing support to the employees of Hall's meat processing plant in Broxburn and what the nature of this support is.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10393 on 5 November 2012. 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/Apps2/Busine…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with West Lothian Council regarding the decision to close the Hall's meat processing plant in Broxburn.
Answer · John Swinney: West Lothian Council has been an integral part of the Hall’s of Broxburn Task Force from its first meeting on 5 July when the company announced the consultation on closure. We are working with West Lothian Council and Task Force members to provide the Partne…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support package it offered Vion Food UK to retain the Hall's meat processing plant in Broxburn.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise offered to buy the plant and lease it back to Vion Food Group along with a commercial loan in return for a long-term commitment from the company to provide employment at Hall’s of Broxburn.
16 Oct 2012 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to the West Lothian area following the announcement of the closure of the Hall’s meat processing plant.
11 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to take forward the recommendations of the One Planet Schools Working Group.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The One Planet Schools Working Group is concluding its report and recommendations, which are expected before the end of the year. The Scottish Government will consider the recommendations and take forward arrangements with partners to help build on the substa…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans for the Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre to work with other police force communications centres.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans to reduce the number of staff required to effectively operate Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether plans have been put in place to change the services provided by Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) monthly and (b) annual performance levels Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre has achieved in each year since it opened.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how (a) performance and (b) targets are measured at Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of sickness absence at Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre has been stress related in each year since it opened.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average rate of sickness absence has been for staff at Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre in each year since it opened.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many average hours of overtime per month each member of staff at Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre has worked in the last year.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff at Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre have been (a) trained police officers and (b) civilian staff in each year since the centre opened.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff at Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre are (a) trained police officers and (b) civilian staff.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are required to operate Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre effectively.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10142 on 2 November 2012. 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…
9 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are employed at Lothian and Borders Police Force Communications Centre and how many there have been in each year since the centre opened.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Staffing, resourcing, and performance of the Lothian and Borders Police Force Communication Centre are the responsibility of Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board and the Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police. From 1 April 2013 this responsibility wi…
5 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings (a) ministers and (b) officials have scheduled with private ferry companies and what the topics for discussion will be.
Answer · Keith Brown: I have no future meetings currently scheduled with representatives of private ferry operators. My officials have regular contract management meetings with Serco, the private company contracted by Transport Scotland to operate Northern Isles ferry services. Of…
5 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that any contractual provision for sub-contracting Clyde and Hebrides ferry services from 2016 does not lead to the unbundling of (a) profitable or (b) unprofitable routes.
Answer · Keith Brown: Once work begins on the preparation of tender documents for the procurement of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, Transport Scotland will consider whether bidders can be encouraged to include small, community operators in their tender, possibly as sub-con…
5 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what definition of (a) unbundling and (b) sub-contracting it uses in relation to the provision of domestic ferry services.
Answer · Keith Brown: Unbundling refers to the practice of tendering ferry routes individually, instead of or as well as a main group or package of routes. Sub-contracting refers to the common practice whereby a contracted operator contracts out part of their work (e.g. one or mor…
4 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a Scotland separate from the rest of the UK would keep (a) inheritance tax, (b) capital gains tax, (c) air passenger duty and (d) the aggregates levy.
Answer · John Swinney: This government believes that Scotland’s interests will best be served by all decisions affecting Scotland being made in Scotland. We therefore support taking full fiscal responsibility which would allow this Parliament to legislate for and set all taxes in t…
4 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the assertion made in Grasping the Thistle: How Scotland Must React to the Three Key Challenges of the Twenty First Century that (a) "profound differences in the economies of Scotland and England and the unsustainability of the prevailing UK monetary policy and cu…
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s position on public spending, monetary policy, public services and a range of other issues is a matter of public record. The Programme for Government is a recent statement of the Government’s position on these and a range of other iss…
24 Sep 2012 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government provides to colleges that merge.