Parliamentary questions

Neil Bibby

1,029 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

26 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work on international engagement, what recent contact it has had with the Turkish government, including any requests for meetings from either side, and what plans there are for representatives of the two governments to meet.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government has enjoyed a number of recent engagements with Government of Türkiye on issues ranging from tackling climate change, to boosting trade and investment and increasing tourism and cultural collaboration. This type of international collab…

25 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost is of safety-critical or otherwise vital repairs required on all closed Historic Environment Scotland assets and facilities that are required to be carried out before those assets and facilities can be reopened to the public.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including the cost of repair work on its closed assets and facilities, are best answered by Historic Environment Scotland. I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to resp…

19 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been of conducting the latest Scottish Household Survey (SHS), and how much it cost to conduct the SHS in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Household Survey costs in the following table cover both the social survey (approximately 10,500 households interviewed per year) and the physical survey (approximately 3,000 residential properties inspected per year). Due to the COVID-19 pandemi…

19 Dec 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the proposed closure of Paisley, Ferguslie Park, Greenock, Bishopbriggs and Milngavie police stations.

14 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the procurement process for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme, what assessment it has made of the estimated cost difference to it between the direct award of a contract and a competitive tendering process.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: No decision on the procurement route for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme has been taken as work on the Outline Business Case is ongoing. Ministers will update the Scottish Parliament once this work is complete and a decision has been taken.

13 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to reduce waiting times for the processing of claims at Social Security Scotland.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The most recent Adult and Child Disability Payment statistics show improvement, with more applications being processed in the last quarter than at any time since the benefits were launched – underlining the strong progress Social Security Scotland are making.…

6 Dec 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with GMB to discuss the future of the Ferguson Marine yard.

23 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has requested confidential commercial information from Scotland Excel in the course of 2023, and, if so, what information it has requested, for what purpose, and whether Scotland Excel complied with the request.

Answer · Elena Whitham: As part of our National Mission to reduce deaths and improve the lives of people impacted by drug use, the Scottish Government commissioned Scotland Excel, as the centre of procurement expertise in local authorities, to undertake market analysis and engagemen…

22 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, and what was discussed.

15 Nov 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the education secretary last met with Renfrewshire Council, and what issues were discussed.

1 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported planned closure of Erskine Park Home.

31 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total (a) salary bill is and (b) (i) national insurance and (ii) pension contributions are for the (A) one senior civil servant and (B) 24 other civil servants working on the Building a New Scotland papers.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government does not disclose individual personal details regarding pay. For the financial year 2022-23, the costs of the Scottish Government’s Constitutional Futures Division, which co-ordinates the Building a New Scotland prospectus series, are …

26 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture was first made aware of the First Minister’s decision to announce an additional £100 million for the arts and culture sector on 17 October 2023.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture was made aware in the week leading up to the announcement.

26 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the additional £100 million of funding for arts and culture includes, and, in particular, whether it includes an explicit increase to the national performing companies annual budget line for the next five years.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: On 17 October the First Minister announced plans that will see Scottish Government investment in arts and culture more than double, so that in five years investment will be £100 million higher than it is now. Ministers will take decisions about where the fund…

26 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a timeline outlining when decisions about the distribution of the additional £100 million for the arts and culture sector will be made, and, if so, when.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Ministers will take decisions about where the funding is allocated in 2024-25 and future years subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament. The draft budget will be published later this year and wil…

26 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister's announcement of an additional £100 million for the arts and culture sector on 17 October 2023, how this figure was arrived at; how the funding will be distributed over the next five years, and whether it will be attributed on an annual rolling basis, or u…

25 Oct 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its priorities are for its 2024-25 Budget.

18 Oct 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees is taking to support Show Racism the Red Card.

Answer · Emma Roddick: Can I firstly take the opportunity to thank Show Racism the Red Card for their work - I was proud to join fellow MSPs and the First Minister at the photocall that Mr Bibby organised a few weeks ago. I understand that they have engaged with officials across Mi…

2 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether ministerial responsibility for fair work in the culture sector sits with the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, or with the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Fair work is the responsibility of all Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers across Government, but the responsibility for fair work in the culture sector sits with me. However, the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy maintains overall …

6 Sep 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will provide to support the work of the Inverclyde Task Force, including in relation to investment in facilities at Ferguson Marine.

26 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to deliver a fair pay offer to local government workers and to prevent trade union strike action in Glasgow's parking services and velodrome impacting on the Cycling World Championships.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I am aware that all three of the SJC Trade Unions have balloted members on proposed industrial action. However, the negotiations on local government pay are rightly between COSLA as the representative of the employer, local government, and the Trade Unions re…

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to align with EU law, what assessment it has made of how many (a) directives, (b) regulations and (c) pieces of tertiary legislation, that it considers relate to areas of devolved competence, have been passed by the EU since 1 January 2021, and how many of …

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government is committed to aligning with EU law where that is possible and will have a meaningful impact on the outcomes we share with the EU. This is delivered through routine monitoring by policy experts. Therefore the Scottish Government does …

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions it has aligned with EU legislation, since 1 January 2021, by means other than the Scottish Ministers’ "keeping pace" power under the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government is committed to aligning with EU law where that is possible and where it will have a meaningful impact on the outcomes we share with the EU. In doing so we acknowledge that alignment in all cases is not possible. Consideration of alig…

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions the Scottish Ministers have used their "keeping pace" power, under the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021, to align with EU (a) directives, (b) regulations and (c) tertiary legislation, since 1 January 2021.

Answer · Angus Robertson: I refer the member to the answers to questions S6W-15749, S6W-15748 and S6W-15747 on 15 March 2023. Since this question was last answered, the ‘keeping pace’ power has not been used further by Scottish Ministers. All answers to written parliamentary questions…

31 May 2023 · 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 an updated table, including data for (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2022-23.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: According to data acquired directly from the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), in March 2023 Aberdeen City Council closed 6 libraries, Cornhill, Cults, Northfield, Ferryhill, Woodside and Kamhill. No other Scottish Libraries have permanently cl…

31 May 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to prevent recent cuts to bus services in Renfrewshire.

10 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what recent steps it has taken to support public libraries.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) with annual funding of £665,000. SLIC provides leadership and advice to Scottish Ministers, local authorities, and the wider libraries sector. This includes £450,000 for the…

19 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with West College Scotland, and what was discussed.

29 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, following the announcement in August 2022 that the next ScotRail fares increase would be postponed by two months to March 2023, when it expects to announce the new fare prices.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government took the decision last year to freeze ScotRail fares as part of a suite of measures to tackle the ongoing cost of living crisis. More broadly the Scottish Government has committed to pilot the removal of ScotRail peak fares on all Scot…

22 Mar 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many GP surgeries are not currently accepting new patients.