Parliamentary questions
Drew Smith
636 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-00025 by John Swinney on 20 May 2011, how many (a) full-time equivalent, (b) part-time, (c) casual and (d) other employees its agencies employed in Glasgow on 5 May 2015.
Answer · John Swinney: The following table details staff working within Scottish Government agencies in Glasgow as at 30 April 2015. 2015 Full-time equivalent employees 704 Part-time employees 118 Agency temps, Contractors etc. 135 Employees on a fixed-term contract 10…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-00024 by John Swinney on 20 May 2011, how many (a) full-time equivalent, (b) part-time, (c) casual and (d) other employees it employed in Glasgow on 5 May 2015.
Answer · John Swinney: The following table details staff working within the core directorates of the Scottish Government in Glasgow as at 30 April 2015. 2015 Full-time equivalent employees 602 Part-time employees 97 Agency temps, Contractors etc. 61 Employees on a fixed…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many employees are covered by the living wage accreditation scheme.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Research carried out by KPMG in October 2014 indicated that Scotland has a higher proportion of employees paid the living wage compared to both the UK as a whole and each devolved UK nation. The report estimated that approximately 81% of earners in Scotland w…
24 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what minimum distance between home and school entitles a pupil to access a local authority school transport service and whether it plans to review this.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Local authorities have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the transport between home and school of pupils residing and attending schools in their area. In considering these arrangements, aut…
24 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many compulsory redundancies there have been in each further education college since 2011.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Ministers have made clear their expectation that colleges should do everything possible to avoid compulsory redundancies. I have asked the Chief Executive for the Scottish Funding Council to wr…
23 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has stopped funding Scottish Swimming's Top Up programme, and what evaluation of the programme it carried out before reaching this decision.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Swimming Top Up programme was a time limited fund to enhance the work done by Scottish Swimming and local authorities to provide swimming lessons for primary school children across Scotland. Over the four years since the programme began in 2011, the Scott…
23 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of primary school leavers who are unable to swim.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: This information is not held centrally but may be collected by local education authorities.
23 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S3W-05666 by Jim Mather on 6 November 2007, whether it will provide an update on how many deaths by drowning and submersion there have been in each year since 2007, broken down by World Health Organization code.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The information requested is provided in the following table, which includes the three character codes for the relevant categories of the World Health Organization’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (10th Revisi…
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce measures that will enable local authorities, social workers and the police to apply to courts to ensure that any person whom they suspect of trying to take someone abroad for female genital mutilation purposes will be required to surrender their passport and oth…
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government takes female genital mutilation (FGM) very seriously it is an unacceptable and illegal practice, a form of child abuse and violence against women, and a violation of the human rights of women and girls. The Scottish Government is firml…
8 Jun 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met the management of ScotRail.
5 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25592 by Michael Matheson on 4 June 2015, whether it will provide a breakdown of how much has been raised for the CashBack for Communities scheme in the Glasgow City Council area in each year.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government, the Police and the Crown Office do not currently hold Proceeds of Crime data at the level of detail requested. Organised crime knows no boundaries. Our priority is disrupting and dismantling criminal enterprises, and I welcome the …
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-04265 by Fiona Hyslop on 30 April 2015 (Official Report, c.1), what further action it has taken to resolve the dispute.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As I said in response to your previous question, it is a matter for National Museums Scotland (NMS), as the employer, and the unions to work together constructively to resolve the dispute. The cost of the full reinstatement of weekend working allowance is £39…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether South Glasgow University Hospital's helicopter pad and its associated access arrangements are fully operational.
Answer · Shona Robison: The helicopter pad at the new South Glasgow University Hospital is fully operational.
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what representations regarding governance or leadership at Glasgow Clyde College it has received from (a) students, (b) staff, (c) members of the public and (d) other interested parties and what action was taken.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has received a number of representations about governance of the college. The Scottish Funding Council is reviewing aspects of the governance and management of Glasgow Clyde College consistent with its powers under the Further and Hig…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met or discussed governance or leadership at Glasgow Clyde College with (a) the Scottish Funding Council, (b) the Glasgow Colleges' Regional Board, (c) the EIS, (d) NUS Scotland and (e) the college's management and what the outcome was.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the Scottish Funding Council about all colleges including Glasgow Clyde College. The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the new interim chair and new interim chief officer of the Glasgow Coll…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure good governance and effective leadership at Glasgow Clyde College.
Answer · Angela Constance: This government has taken steps to require every publicly funded college, including Glasgow Clyde College, to comply with the Code of Good Governance for Scotland’s Colleges. The Scottish Funding Council is reviewing aspects of the governance and management…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding legal guarantees for NHS waiting times in the rest of the UK.
Answer · Shona Robison: Scotland is the only country in the UK which has a waiting time guarantee set out in primary legislation.
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what occasions each general hospital in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area has been recorded as meeting the NHS waiting time guarantee for all procedures.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hospitals have effectively delivered the 12 weeks legal treatment time guarantee since it was introduced on 1 October 2012, with over 225,000 patients having benefitted from the guarantee and only 31 patients having exceeded the …
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which procedures (a) are and (b) are not covered by the NHS waiting time guarantee.
Answer · Shona Robison: Any patient who has agreed an inpatient or day case treatment procedure will be covered by the legal treatment time guarantee with the exception of the following services assisted reproduction, obstetrics and organ, tissue or cell transplantation whether from…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what redress is available to patients when the NHS waiting time guarantee has not been met.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19009 on 15 January 2014. 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…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many rough sleepers have been identified in the Glasgow local authority area in each year since 2007.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: There are two questions in the Scottish Government homelessness (HL1) dataset relating to rough sleeping and these ask: Has any member of the applicant household slept rough during the three months preceding their application? Did any member of the applican…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on each of the demands in the Shelter Scotland campaign, Make Renting Right.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Shelter Scotland’s Make Renting Right campaign calls for a modern tenancy system which delivers stability and flexibility for those in the sector, predictable rents and a fair system for sorting out problems when they occur. Shelter Scotland has supported the…
19 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of what awards under the CashBack for Communities scheme have made in the Glasgow local authority area each year.
Answer · Michael Matheson: CashBack funding is not allocated on a geographical basis. Rather, the Scottish Government allocates available funds to partner organisations who are responsible for running projects across Scotland, delivering outcomes to give our young people positive, purp…
12 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of stem cell donors.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Anthony Nolan Trust (ANT) is a UK charity that matches individuals willing to donate their blood stem cells or bone marrow to people with blood cancer and blood disorders who desperately need lifesaving transplants. They work to recruit and retain the bes…
29 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on (a) how many and (b) what occasions a Scottish Government employer, including non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, has sought the assistance of ACAS to resolve a dispute between it and a recognised trades union.
Answer · John Swinney: Within the Scottish Government main bargaining unit (core directorates and some other bodies) and Scottish Government marine bargaining unit there has been no use of ACAS in resolving disputes with the trade unions. It is a matter for individual employers wh…
29 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4F-01163 by Alex Salmond on 31 January 2013 (Official Report, c.16266), which of the projects he listed have been completed.
Answer · Keith Brown: The current status of those projects listed in question S4F-01163 is provided in the following table. Project name Current status Brechin High (Angus Council) In construction Wick High (Highland Council) In construction James Gillespie’s High (City of …
29 Apr 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Barnett consequentials arising from a mansion tax could help the NHS meet its waiting time guarantee.
22 Apr 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to resolve the industrial dispute at the National Museums of Scotland.
17 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many pedestrian crossings there are and how many are fitted with tactile cones, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The information requested is not held centrally.
10 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact it considers the amendments to the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Risk of Being Drawn into Terrorism) (Amendment and Guidance) Regulations 2015 will have on public sector bodies.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Counter-Terrorism is reserved and the legislation, and assessment of its impact, is therefore a matter for the UK Government. The impact assessment for the UK Government secondary legislation can be found at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2015/160/pdfs/…