Parliamentary questions

Drew Smith

636 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21149 by Keith Brown on 29 May 2014, whether the information is now available and, if not, whether it will be published prior to the publication of the invitation to tender.

Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland officials are currently preparing estimates on the cost of tendering for the 2016 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract. These estimated costs are expected to be available by the end of 2014.

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the (a) shipping sector, (b) rail sector, (c) STUC and (d) trade unions regarding the impact of the directive (i) 2014/23/EU, (ii) 2014/24/EU and (iii) 2014/25/EU.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is planning to launch a public consultation exercise towards the end of this year seeking views on the policy principles and options available to Scottish Ministers when implementing the directives and as part of this process we intend…

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the directive (a) 2014/23/EU, (b) 2014/24/EU and (c) 2014/25/EU will have on the (i) invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract and (ii) length of public sector contracts in the (A) maritime and (B) rail sector.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The three new procurement directives must be transposed into Scots law by 18 April 2016. The Scottish Government expects Scottish regulations to be in place towards the end of 2015. The preliminary arrangements for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service are un…

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The new EU procurement directives must be transposed into Scots law by 18 April 2016. The Scottish Government is planning to launch a public consultation exercise towards the end of 2014, seeking views on the policy principles and options available to Scottis…

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take steps to ensure that the invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract will not be published prior to substantive discussions taking place with trade unions about conditions and pensions, and what the reasons are for its position on …

Answer · Keith Brown: Yes. The Scottish Government is committed to full and open engagement with all key stakeholders throughout the tendering process for the 2016 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress Transport Scotland has made with regard to the content of the documents in the proposed invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Ministers intend to publish a contract notice in early 2015, seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified organisations to tender for the 2016 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract. Following publication of the contract notice, the r…

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when (a) it and (b) Transport Scotland last met trade unions to discuss conditions and pensions in the proposed invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract; when it will next meet them, and what the reason is for any delay.

Answer · Keith Brown: I last met with the STUC, and a number of trade unions with an interest, on 29 July 2014. A broad range of issues were discussed including conditions and pensions relating to the 2016 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract. I also wrote to the Acting Gen…

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to continue supporting LGBT people following the reported success of Pride House during the Commonwealth Games.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to move equality for all of Scotland’s people forward in a positive direction. For LGBT people specifically, the clearest demonstration of this will be in December 2014 when same sex couples can get married i…

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available to LGBT organisations to host events celebrating LGBT equality.

Answer · Shona Robison: A process for allocating funding to organisations for equality work in 2015-16 is currently underway, the results of which will be published on the Scottish Government’s website in advance of the funding commencing in April 2015. LGBT organisations are curren…

3 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has offered to Pride Glasgow.

Answer · Shona Robison: Statements of support were provided to Pride Glasgow by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in 2008, 2010 and 2012 which underlined the government’s commitment to equality, our support for LGBT people, and our belief in a fair, inclusive society. In…

1 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what concerns have been raised about the safety of staff who cannot park at the new South Glasgow Hospitals site or in the surrounding streets.

Answer · Alex Neil: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have given the Scottish Government assurances that as part of the new South Glasgow Hospitals development there is a well-established staff advisory transport group comprising of managers and trade union representatives that staf…

1 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a workforce travel plan for the new South Glasgow Hospitals site and, if so, whether it considers it adequate.

Answer · Alex Neil: Yes there is a workforce travel plan for the new South Glasgow Hospitals campus and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is investing a further £5.2 million in this plan. The detailed travel plan includes close working with service providers to increase the frequenc…

1 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that there is adequate parking for staff, patients and visitors at the new South Glasgow Hospitals site.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is satisfied that the maximum number of car parking spaces, as determined in the planning consent process, will be provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. These spaces, combined with the enhancements to public transport, including …

1 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Glasgow City Council about the provision of parking for staff, patients and visitors at the new South Glasgow Hospitals site.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has corresponded with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on a number of occasions regarding the provision of parking for staff, patients and visitors. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have outlined the provision of 3,500 car parking spaces fol…

22 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will introduce the Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal.

22 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to improve the exchange of conviction information with (a) EU and (b) non-EU countries.

Answer · Lesley Thomson: The provision of information about conviction information is essential for prosecutors so that the full offending picture of the accused can be assessed when making decisions in cases that are reported to them. This ensures prosecutors can consider how best t…

9 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has sought with consular representatives to explain its case for Scotland leaving the UK.

4 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what secondary dental treatment for oral cancer is provided without charge by the NHS.

22 May 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Chief Constable.

20 May 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland’s comment that the white paper on independence “contained very little detail on tax”.

14 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Caledonian MacBrayne employees will work on preparing the company's bid for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

Answer · Keith Brown: This is a commercial matter for David MacBrayne Limited.

14 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates (a) Transport Scotland and (b) Caledonian MacBrayne will spend on the tendering process, including design of the tender documents, for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

Answer · Keith Brown: The anticipated spend by Transport Scotland on the tendering process, including design of the tender documents by Transport Scotland for the future Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, from 2016 onwards, has not yet been estimated. The anticipated spe…

9 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what events promoting the white paper on independence have taken place since November 2013, broken down by (a) parliamentary region and (b) minister and number of accompanying civil servants who attended.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is holding a programme of activity to inform the people of Scotland about Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland and to debate and discuss the issues in the referendum with the public. This incorporates the Scotland’s…

28 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on convenience store owners of the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Our Tobacco Control Strategy, Creating a Tobacco Free Generation, sets out our ambition to reduce smoking prevalence rates to less than 5% by 2034. Plain packaging is one of a range of measures that will help us achieve that ambition. We consulted on plain p…

19 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what share of the UK Research Councils' funding Scottish universities currently receive.

12 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take action to regulate very short-term private housing lets.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government has already taken action to strengthen the regulation of short term private lets. It made regulations in March 2011 that gave local authorities the power to serve an antisocial behaviour notice on landlords where an occupant or visitor…

5 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its plan to abolish the married couples' tax allowance if Scotland becomes independent would impact on couples who qualify for the allowance as a result of at least one partner being born before 6 April 1935.

Answer · John Swinney: In Scotland’s Future, the Scottish Government set out its intention to end the married couple’s transferable tax allowance, which the UK Government plans to introduce from 2015. The proposed married couple’s transferable tax allowance will benefit a limited n…

3 Mar 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the comment by the European Commissioner for Education that any attempt to treat Scottish and non-Scottish students differently could be regarded as "a covert form of discrimination on grounds of nationality".

17 Feb 2014 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments of the President of the European Commission that it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible" for an independent Scotland to join the EU.