Neil Bibby

4 Dec 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it determines what constitutes a major service change in the NHS.

22 Oct 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed.

2 Oct 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work on inclusive communication.

1 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will specify the definition that it used to outline communities that could benefit from regulations on inclusive communication when determining its legal competence to introduce laws in this area.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: This work related to a new duty related to inclusive communication in Scotland made under the Equality Act 2010. This means that the legislation could only relate to communities who have protected characteristics set out in that Act.However, the Scottish Gove…

1 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29171 by Kaukab Stewart on 3 September 2024, how it plans to monitor the use of inclusive communication guidance, tools and resources and the impact of powers under Regulation 11 of the Scottish Specific Duties on listed public authorities.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of accountability and seeks to ensure that it is built into everything that we do. Regarding monitoring arrangements, the responsibility for oversight of compliance with the Equality Act 2010, including compli…

1 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its commitments on inclusive communication, what alternative legislation or regulations were considered beyond any restrictions identified under the Equality Act 2010, and what the reasons were for any such alternative routes not being pursued.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Our commitment relating to inclusive communication was part of our work considering improvements to the operation of the Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”) in Scotland, which is contained in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. The Scottish …

1 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29171 by Kaukab Stewart on 3 September 2024, whether it will provide further details of the “restrictions related to legislative competence” that led to the decision to stop work on the proposed, and reportedly widely supported, new publ…

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The content of any legal advice is confidential. By long-standing convention, successive Scottish and Westminster Governments have not disclosed the source or content of legal advice other than in the most exceptional circumstances.However, we have sought to …

1 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29171 by Kaukab Stewart on 3 September 2024, and in light of the commitment in its Programme for Government 2021-22 to act on inclusive communication, its consultation on new regulations between 2021 and 2022, its proposed new regulations in 2023, a…

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The decision to enhance public authorities' inclusive communication through guidance, tools, and training was communicated in a letter by myself, issued to stakeholders on 14 August 2024. Officials are now undertaking a scoping exercise and gap analysis endea…

1 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29611 by Jenny Gilruth on 20 September 2024, what evaluation it has carried out regarding the impact on educational performance of providing around 280,000 free digital devices and 14,000 connectivity packages to learners, and for what reason it did…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government provision of devices and connectivity packages during the pandemic was an emergency response to ensure disadvantaged learners could remain in contact with schools, teachers and learning during the periods when schools were closed.The r…

9 Sep 2024 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Commonwealth Games potentially being hosted in Glasgow in 2026.

5 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported cessation of all “non-essential” advertising for the remainder of the financial year, what advertising it considers to be “essential”. 

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government freeze on public sector marketing expenditure for the remainder of the year is a necessary decision to ensure we have a balanced budget. There will be some limited Scottish Government activity where costs have already been committed, o…

4 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) it has allocated to and (b) has been spent by the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, and whether its commitment to invest £500 million in the fund by the end of the current parliamentary session remains its position.

Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Scottish Government remains committed to investing £500m in Whole Family Wellbeing to improve holistic family support so that families get the right support, in the right way and at the right time.Since 2022 over £110m of Whole Family Wellbein…

4 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on issuing pupils with free laptops and digital devices, and what evaluation it has carried out of the impact of this policy on the educational performance of the pupils who have received these devices.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Up to 2022, around 280,000 digital devices had already been provided to learners by local authorities and the Scottish Government, along with 14,000 connectivity packages.As set out by the Finance Secretary, the £10m budget for purchasing additional dig…

3 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its working definition of austerity.

Answer · Shona Robison: Austerity measures are those which take forward a definite policy of reducing public spending on programmes and activity irrespective of the impact on the outcomes of those programmes and activity.For example, the Labour UK Government’s severe restricti…

15 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work on inclusive communication, following the closure of its consultation on a Scottish Specific Duty on inclusive communication.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: I issued a letter to stakeholders providing an update on the Scottish Government’s work on inclusive communication on 14 August 2024. Due to restrictions in relation to legislative competence, the decision has been made to enhance public authorities' in…

26 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the feasibility study conducted by (a) Aberdeen and (b) Glasgow airport on establishing a multi-modal hydrogen innovation hub to be published, and what it expects the next steps in this process will be.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: In May 2023, Glasgow Airport Ltd. were awarded a grant of £150,000 from the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme (HIS) to test the feasibility of a hydrogen production, storage and distribution hub at Glasgow Airport. Work on the project, which involves a consortium of…

26 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what factors led it to choose Aberdeen and Glasgow airports as possible locations for a multi-modal hydrogen innovation hub.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Launched in 2022, the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Innovation Scheme (HIS) is supporting projects under the themes of renewable hydrogen production, hydrogen storage and distribution, and integration of hydrogen into our energy system. All applications for …

24 Jun 2024 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported public safety and environmental concerns arising from the fire at Linwood industrial estate on 23 June.

17 Jun 2024 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what assurances the Scottish Government can provide to the arts and culture sector to ensure confidence, in light of the reported issues with the sponsorship of cultural events.

10 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14445 by Neil Gray on 7 February 2023, whether it will provide updated information on how many public libraries have closed in each year since 2009, based on the latest information available.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Further to the answer provided to question S6W-14445, according to information gathered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) in financial year 2022-23, 8 out of 474 public libraries closed in Scotland. The data for the total number of libra…

1 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what cross-government action it is taking to support Scotland’s islands and their economies.

10 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of all funding streams that are being used, or could be used, to fund anti-racist education initiatives.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to embedding anti-racism in education. As part of the Anti-Racism in Education Programme for financial year 2023-24 the Scottish Government provided the following funding streams aimed at providing anti-racist e…

10 Apr 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy meant by her reported comments to the Ferguson Marine workforce on 9 April 2024, that the Scottish Government will “stand with you long into the future”.

12 Mar 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the BBC Scotland Disclosure programme, Surviving Domestic Abuse, which was broadcast on 11 March.

11 Mar 2024 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Creative Scotland has awarded £85,000 to the project Rein, in light of concerns about its explicit content.

6 Mar 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the creation of a national online support platform to expand music learning for children and young people in Scotland.

1 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason section (a) 9 and (b) 10 of the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018 is not in force.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: Sections 9 and 10 of the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018 are not in force because the requisite court rules are not in place. Civil court rules govern the procedure to be followed in cases heard in the Court of Session an…

21 Feb 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with BT Group/EE regarding the proposed closure of its Greenock call centre.

9 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23936 by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024, notwithstanding that it has not yet made a decision on the procurement route, whether it has conducted any assessment of the estimated cost difference between the direct award of a contract and a competitive…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Ministers are carefully considering the outline business case for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme, which includes the procurement route and a full financial assessment of the programme. This is an important, complex issue and an update will be provide…

31 Jan 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to local authorities from its 2024-25 Budget.