Parliamentary questions
Drew Smith
636 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities on the planning of places at nursery schools for three-year-olds.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Local authorities are currently required to deliver 475 hours per year of pre-school education to three and four year olds. It is the responsibility of local authorities to ensure that all eligible children are offered a pre-school place. The Provision of Sc…
8 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reinstate the recording of crimes of violence against public-facing workers in its annual crime survey.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The content of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) is regularly reviewed to ensure the survey continues to provide high quality evidence on a wide range of policy areas in a cost effective manner. Such questionnaire reviews also ensure that the surve…
2 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12540 by Margaret Burgess on 28 February 2013, whether it will break down the estimates provided by parliamentary (a) constituency and (b) region and what information it has on the estimates broken down by DWP districts in Scotland.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Impact assessments of the changes published by the Scottish Government and the Department for Work and Pensions provide analyses of numbers affected by local authority area within Scotland. The following table provides links to these published sources. Estima…
26 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish guidance specifically for midwives in relation to female genital mutilation
Answer · Alex Neil: Advice for midwives and other health professionals on specific issues such as Female Genital Mutilation is provided through their professional bodies. Therefore the Scottish Government does not plan to publish guidelines for midwives.
26 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish multiagency guidelines for frontline professionals in relation to female genital mutilation.
Answer · Alex Neil: Guidance on the legislation has already been produced and key agencies already have in place guidelines for their frontline staff. They provide information and training for staff with the aim of improving the identification and management of gender based viol…
18 Feb 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government plans to implement new measures to tackle child poverty.
17 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether and, if so, when it will issue guidance to local authorities on the definition of a bedroom in relation to the UK Government's changes to housing benefit in respect of under occupancy.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government is looking at all reasonable ways to mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s housing benefit cuts. Scottish legislation already provides flexibility for landlords to determine the number of bedrooms in their properties within certai…
13 Feb 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the international development priorities of an independent Scotland would differ from current UK aid policy.
28 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which non-governmental organisations (NGOs) it is working in partnership with regard to its International Development Fund and what criteria are used to determine these.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The full list of organisations that have received funding through the Scottish Government International Development Programme is set out in the following table. The International Development Fund also provides core funding to the Network of International Dev…
28 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how often (a) the Minister for External Affairs and International Development and (b) its officials liaises with UK Government (i) ministers and (ii) officials to discuss international development.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government officials regularly liaise with their UK counterparts to discuss a range of issues including International Development. Both the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs and the Minister for External Affairs and International Dev…
28 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used when determining the countries that will receive support through its International Development Fund.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scotland’s International Development Fund has been designed to reflect our historic relationship with countries such as Malawi as well as our contemporary links with South Asia through our diasporan communities. The Scottish Government also takes a country’s …
28 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated by its International Development Fund in each year since 2004-05.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government International Development Fund began in the 2005-6 financial year. Spend for each complete financial year since then is outlined in the following table. Year Amount 2005-6 £1,845,385 2006-7 £2,749,041 2007-8 £4,481,211 2008-9 …
28 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what countries are in receipt of support through its International Development Fund.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government International Development Fund currently supports projects in Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. More details can be found on the Scottish Government website http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/I…
21 Jan 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's report suggesting that a boy born in one of the most deprived 10% of areas in Scotland has a life expectancy 14 years below one born in the least deprived areas.
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the remit of the Expert Working Group on Welfare will consider establishing a minimum income level for (a) unemployed, (b) disabled and (c) low-paid people.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which members of the Expert Working Group on Welfare have experience of designing or administering a welfare system.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were on the shortlist for the Expert Working Group on Welfare and how many were (a) women, (b) registered disabled and (c) benefit claimants.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Four members were selected from an initial shortlist, compiled by officials, of seven candidates with expertise in public sector delivery, social policy, accountancy and economics. All originally shortlisted candidates were male and information on disability …
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been budgeted for the work of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) when and (b) where the Expert Working Group on Welfare will first meet and how often it will meet thereafter.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of the impact on its anti-poverty strategy, it considers that the welfare system is in need of reform and, if so, what principles would underpin its approach in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Expert Working Group on Welfare will consider pensions.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to tell recipients of UK welfare benefits whether criteria and payments will be maintained at the same levels in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013 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/parliamentary…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) which of its staff are involved in supporting the work of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Five Scottish Government officials working on policy and analysis related to welfare will have part-time roles in supporting aspects of the work of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants would be required to administer a welfare system in an independent Scotland and what information it has on how this compares with the number of civil servants in Scotland currently administering the welfare system.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The numbers of civil servants required to administer a welfare system in an independent Scotland will be dependent on a number of variables, such as: the ongoing impact of the UK government welfare reform programme; the public sector landscape that is inherit…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Expert Working Group on Welfare will issue a public call for evidence and hold evidence sessions in public.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with (a) the Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform, (b) SCVO and (c) COSLA prior to the establishment of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Expert Working Group on Welfare has been established to provide advice to Scottish Ministers. It has not been discussed with partners in local government or the third sector.
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the report of the Expert Working Group on Welfare will be made public.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Expert Working Group on Welfare has been asked to recommend new benefits.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the remit of the Expert Working Group on Welfare includes the abolition or reform of current welfare benefits.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…
8 Jan 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the remit of the Expert Working Group on Welfare includes currently devolved benefits.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12103 on 17 January 2013. 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/parliamentar…