Parliamentary questions
Drew Smith
636 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who is assessing bids for the Cities Investment Fund.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Cities Investment Fund exists to help deliver the aims of the Scottish Cities Alliance as set out in Scotland’s Cities: Delivering for Scotland. It will be used to support collaborative programmes between cities that promote growth, lever investment and p…
21 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the (a) building and (b) facilities of the Glasgow Dental Hospital to be fit for purpose.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Property and Asset Management Strategy for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirms that the building condition of the Glasgow Dental Hospital was assessed as category C, not satisfactory/major change and/or investment needed for the physical condition face…
21 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote walking as a health intervention for less physically active people.
Answer · Shona Robison: During the last year Government investment has supported a wide range of projects and interventions that help people get active all over Scotland. Paths for All is an excellent example of this where around 20,000 people regularly take part in community walki…
21 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund specific work to promote regular healthy exercise in 2012-13.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are continuing to promote regular healthy exercise through Take Life On. This year’s campaign was launched on 13 February by Dr Andrew Murray the Scottish Government’s Physical Activity Champion who is on a six month secondment from the NHS. The campaign c…
21 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote health-enhancing physical activity.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to instil healthy and positive attitudes towards being physically active and to use the Commonwealth Games as a catalyst to encourage Scotland to become a healthier, fitter and more active nation. We aim to “Make more Sco…
20 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the public sector equality duty revised draft regulations will include proposals to publish data on (a) recruitment, (b) training and (c) grievance and disciplinary procedures for each protected characteristic, with the exceptions of gender reassignment and sexual orientation, as …
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We consulted on draft regulations which would require listed authorities to take reasonable steps to gather information on the protected characteristics of employees, including information on the recruitment, development and retention of employees, and to pub…
20 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include a duty to publish equality impact assessments in the public sector equality duty revised draft regulations and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is our intention to include a duty to publish the results of equality impact assessments in the public sector equality duty revised draft regulations. We consulted on this basis and there was support for the proposal. We believe that it will assist transpa…
20 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will lay the public sector equality duty revised draft regulations before the Parliament.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is our intention to lay the public sector equality duty revised draft regulations before the Parliament in March 2012.
20 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the analysis of responses received to its Consultation on Public Sector Equality Duty Revised Draft Regulations.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The analysis of responses to the consultation on public sector equality duty revised draft regulations will be published in March 2012.
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or its agencies provide internships that are unpaid.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not run a formal internship programme but we do offer both paid and unpaid work experience opportunities to students. We also participate in the Cabinet Office Fast Stream Summer Diversity Internship Programme which provides paid …
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or its agencies are, or have been, involved in the provision of workfare placements.
Answer · John Swinney: Neither the Scottish Government nor its agencies provide placements under workfare.
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the pay multiples for all staff that it employs, as proposed in the Hutton Review of Fair Pay in the public sector.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government prepares annual accounts in accordance with the Government Financial Reporting Manual (the FReM). The FReM requirements for 2011-12 include the disclosure of pay multiples in accordance with relevant guidance.
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all staff in its directorates and agencies are paid at least the living wage level.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy includes a specific requirement for employers covered by the policy to apply the Scottish Living Wage. Public Sector Pay Policy is available on the Scottish Government Internet (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Pub…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial parliamentary aides have been appointed; to which ministers, and what their responsibilities are.
Answer · Brian Adam: The First Minister has appointed 11 parliamentary liaison officers (PLOs), listed as follows, to assist in developing and maintaining a positive and constructive relationship between the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government. Parliamentary liaison o…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether familial relationships between any of its staff and elected politicians should be declared.
Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government staff are required to register their interests - and those of close family members - where there is the potential for a conflict of interest to arise.
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which special advisers are authorised to brief or comment to the media.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05728 on 2 July 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/parliamentarybusin…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all of its special advisers have signed a code of conduct and declaration of interests and, if so, whether these are publicly available.
Answer · John Swinney: The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers is currently under review as part of the new Model Contract for Special Advisers. The opportunity has been taken to incorporate amendments made necessary as a result of the Constitutional Renewal and Governance (CRAG) …
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its special advisers receive remuneration from other sources.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05728 on 2 July 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/parliamentarybusin…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it receives specialist advice from any person on unpaid basis.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government receives advice from a range of specialists on an unpaid basis. This advice is often given on an individual basis or as part of an advisory group/panel.
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S4W-00282 by John Swinney on 1 July 2011 and S4W-02893 by Bruce Crawford on 6 October 2011, how many special advisers it now employs; which ministers they are attached to, and what their responsibilities are.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05728 on 2 July 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/parliamentarybusin…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of employing special advisers has been in each year since 2007 and what the projected cost is for (a) 2012 and (b) 2013.
Answer · John Swinney: The cost of employing special advisers (SPAD) is held in financial years and since 2006-07 is as follows: SPAD Numbers and Costs Since 2006-07 Year No. Salary Salary Uprated to 2011-12 Prices*** ERNIC** Pension** Total Cost Total Cost Uprated to 20…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what services it has procured from Feisty Productions Ltd since 2007 and how much these cost.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Procurement Information Hub provides analysis of Scottish Government Accounts Payable data and holds no record of any spend with Feisty Productions from April 2006 to September 2011.
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-04927 by Kenny MacAskill on 20 January 2012, when it expects to publish its response to the report.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government will lead a parliamentary debate on trafficking in human beings on 29 February 2012 which will include an initial outline of our response to the key recommendations within the report. A more formal response will be issued to the Equali…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings has it had with the Stagecoach Group, or organisations associated with that group, in the last year and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Stagecoach group are an important contributor to the Scottish Economy. As such, they meet regularly with a range of government ministers and officials. A single record of all such meetings could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, from the…
17 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has paid a salary to any (a) civil servant, (b) official, (c) consultant or (d) contractor via a (i) private company or (ii) other arrangement for reasons of tax efficiency.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not pay salaries with reasons of tax efficiency in mind.
10 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons the male suicide rate is increasing.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of deaths by suicide in 2010 was one of the lowest in Scotland since 1991; however, as annual numbers tend to fluctuate from year to year, three year rolling average rates are used for monitoring purposes. Based on these three year rolling averages…
10 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the suicide rate.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We are continuing to take action to reduce suicide in Scotland through Choose Life, our suicide prevention strategy, and a range of initiatives including: the Breathing Space telephone advice service; action to increase access to psychological therapies, and …
8 Feb 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has achieved in tackling poverty.
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been disciplined as a result of inappropriate sharing of information with the media in each year since 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not collect statistics on this issue. Conduct of individual officers is the responsibility of the chief constable for each police force. Forces hold information on any misconduct of officers under their jurisdiction.
7 Feb 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to the police and prosecution services on the release of materials to the public or press, including scene of crime images and telephone or interview recordings, which are collated as evidence or for any other purpose, as part of a criminal investigation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not provide the police or any of the prosecuting services with guidance on the release of materials to the public or press as part of criminal investigations. Such decisions are for the police and prosecuting services.