Parliamentary questions
Gordon MacDonald
269 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Sep 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions have had on Fair Start Scotland.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Fair Start Scotland (FSS), Scotland’s devolved employment support service, helps those who are further removed from the labour market to find and stay in work. The service was launched in April 2018 with an ambition of supporting 38,000 people by 31 March 202…
2 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the provision of regular bus services in semi-rural areas such as Ratho in the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency.
10 Aug 2020 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle so-called dirty camping, in light of more people looking to beauty spots such as the Pentland Hills for holidays this year.
31 Jul 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Republic of Ireland’s launch of its COVID-19 Tracker App, and the launch of Northern Ireland’s StopCOVID NI app, whether Scotland plans to develop its own contact tracing app.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Following careful consideration of all the options open to us, and taking into account the undoubted additional benefits that anonymous contract tracing technology can offer Scotland’s tried and trusted Test & Protect service, I can confirm that a contact tra…
18 May 2020 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that any COVID-19 related information that UK-wide companies and organisations are issuing to employees, customers and the public in Scotland is reflective of the guidelines from devolved administrations.
27 Apr 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on progressing the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · John Swinney: The Covid-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenges for our education system. Our overriding priorities are ensuring the health and wellbeing of children, young people and staff and maintaining a continuity of learning wherever possible whilst schools are…
27 Mar 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the first annual progress report on its A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government published its A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan Annual Progress Report on 30 March 2020. The report is available on the Scottish Government website in a range of accessible formats including Easy Read, BSL a…
25 Mar 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has issued to NHS boards regarding the management of cancer treatments throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The impact of Covid-19 on cancer patients has been a priority in all of our planning, and we must ensure that all appropriate measures are undertaken in the present situation to protect those living with cancer. We have been clear that vital cancer services …
11 Mar 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps prisons are taking to reduce the risk of the coronavirus, COVID-19, spreading among prisoners and staff.
26 Feb 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reached agreement with a political party to the support the Budget (Scotland) (No.4) Bill.
Answer · Kate Forbes: I am pleased to confirm that the Scottish Government has reached an agreement with the Scottish Green Party to deliver a Scottish Budget. This will support the wellbeing of the people of Scotland and enable crucial action to respond to the global climate emer…
26 Feb 2020 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what steps it is taking to ensure that Parliament computers that are no longer suitable for corporate use are disposed of in a way that has a positive impact on wider society.
Answer · David Stewart on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body currently utilises a contract which provides services for the secure removal of data, reuse, recycling and disposal of computers that are no longer suitable for corporate use. The emphasis for this contract is re-use o…
6 Feb 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken following suspected cases of the listed disease, Bonamia ostreae, in native oysters at new locations in Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government received information regarding the suspected presence of the parasite Bonamia ostreae at a shellfish farm located in the west of Scotland. There is no risk to human health associated with the disease, however it can cause mortality in …
29 Jan 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the UK Government’s proposed immigration controls could have on Scotland’s food and drink sector.
22 Jan 2020 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the UK Government proceeding to take the UK out of the EU on 31 January through the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill, despite the decision by the Scottish Parliament and the other devolved legislatures not to consent to the Bill.
20 Jan 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Infrastructure Commission for Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I am pleased to tell colleagues that the Infrastructure Commission for Scotland published its first report to Government on Scotland’s infrastructure ambitions and priorities on 20 January 2020. The report is now available at: https://infrastructurecommissio…
15 Jan 2020 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making to ensure that people with advanced dementia receive the health and nursing care that they require, as set out in the Alzheimer Scotland report, Delivering Fair Dementia Care for People with Advanced Dementia.
Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government welcomed Alzheimer Scotland’s Fair Dementia Care report. The healthcare needs of people with dementia are of course provided free by the NHS. We are working with partners to work to reform adult social care, launched in the summer an…
13 Jan 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding Scottish universities have received through the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme in the last five years.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scotland continues to perform relatively well compared with other UK nations, Scottish organisations have competitively won almost 687 million from Horizon 2020, since the programmes launch in January 2014 up to December 2019, this reflects our research excel…
13 Jan 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Scotland-domiciled students are studying abroad through the Erasmus+ programme, broken down by institution.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: ERASMUS+ does not provide a breakdown for Scottish-domiciled only. Table 2 of https://www.erasmusplus.org.uk/file/6042/download published on the central UK Erasmus+ website shows the outgoing student numbers for all UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), …
13 Jan 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many EU students have come to study in Scotland as part of the Erasmus+ programme since its inception.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Since the inception of the Erasmus+ programme in 2014, around 11,700 EU students have come to study in Scotland. This excludes students who are writing-up or on sabbatical.EU students make up typically around 90% of incoming ERASMUS+ students to Scottish HEIs…
13 Jan 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many EU students are studying in Scottish universities through the Erasmus+ programme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Recent Higher Education Statistics Agency data suggests there were 2,935 incoming ERASMUS+ students at Scottish universities in 2018-19. Of these, 2,655 were EU (non-UK) domiciled.
13 Jan 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Scotland-domiciled students have taken part in the Erasmus+ programme in the last five years.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Erasmus+ data covers students from the inception of the programme in 2014-15 to 2017-18, covering four years of data in total. It does not provide a breakdown for Scottish-domiciled only. We have instead provided numbers for outgoing students of all domiciles…
8 Jan 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider specific measures for parole in "no body" murder cases.
18 Dec 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the timing of the block grant settlement.
4 Dec 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Fairtrade road signs are deemed not appropriate because of their advertising nature when tourist information signs promoting private businesses are allowed.
12 Nov 2019 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for what reason its guidance on Members' publications restricts their issue within three months of an election, when the standard period at the UK Parliament is six weeks.
Answer · Liam McArthur: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body does not follow the UK Parliament rules given that at Westminster MPs have restrictions on what they are permitted to publish using parliamentary funds including newsletters. Whereas the SPCB’s publications policy …
29 Oct 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the NHS National Services Scotland report on the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences: Review of Fire Systems, Electrical Systems and Medical Gas Installations.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Today I have published the second and final part of a review into compliance of all building systems at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences. Please find attached a copy of the report: https://www.gov.scot…
9 Oct 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the NHS National Services Scotland report on the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences: Review of Fire Systems, Electrical Systems and Medical Gas Installations.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: We will publish the report week commencing 28 October, when Parliament returns from recess.
27 Sep 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £16 million referenced in the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport's ministerial statement on 11 September 2019 regarding the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The estimated additional costs relating to the RHCYP project are as follows. These estimates will be refined as plans are further developed. As noted in my statement to Parliament on 11 September, I will keep members updated on costs as work proceeds on resol…
12 Sep 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many modern apprenticeship starts there have been (a) in each year since 2007 and (b) since April 2019, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Modern Apprenticeship starts since 2007, including Q1 2019-20 2007-08 to 2012-13 Local Authority 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Aberdeen City 595 452 682 728 1,129 952 Aberdeenshire 714 615 824 1,041 1,240 1,305 Angus …
28 Aug 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its Recruitment and Retention Plan, which was announced in A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan in December 2018.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Later today, the Scottish Government will publish its A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Scottish Government Recruitment and Retention Plan for Disabled People 2019 . The document has been given to SPICe and is available at BIB 60934. This plan sets out …