John Mason

27 Jan 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on unpaid internships that last longer than one month.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We believe that fair work is crucial to delivering inclusive growth. The Scottish Government only offers support to external graduate placement programmes that offer good quality, paid internships. All interns on these programmes are paid at least the Scottis…

18 Jan 2016 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding the possible reintroduction of the post-study work visa.

12 Jan 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the homeless hostel, the Bellgrove Hotel.

9 Dec 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the three Glasgow colleges each receive a fair share of the region’s resources.

24 Nov 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with First Group concerning its proposed closure of the Parkhead bus depot and the potential for redundancies or job transfers.

10 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects powers over varying the Scottish rate of income tax to be devolved.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish rate of income tax will commence in April 2016, under powers devolved in the Scotland Act 2012, and the rate will be proposed in the Draft Budget for 2016-17. It will be for the Scottish Parliament to decide whether to approve the rate proposed. …

10 Nov 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with HM Revenue and Customs regarding when it will be able to set the different rates of income tax band independently of each another, and from what date it expects it will be able to do so.

Answer · John Swinney: A power for the Scottish Parliament to set rates and thresholds for income tax bands was proposed by the Smith Commission. These powers would be conferred by the Scotland Bill, if enacted at Westminster. HM Revenue and Customs has confirmed that, assuming the…

27 Oct 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to setting the Scottish rate of income tax at a higher rate than the rest of the UK.

Answer · John Swinney: From April 2016, UK income tax rates for Scottish taxpayers will be reduced by 10p and I therefore need to set a Scottish rate and will do this as part of the Draft Budget for 2016-17. In reaching a proposal for a rate I will take a wide range of factors int…

2 Jun 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that resources for GP practices should be moved from richer areas to poorer areas.

26 May 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it can take to reduce the use of barbed wire in the vicinity of cattle in order to protect the quality of hides for leather production.

26 May 2015 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what improvements can be made to committee rooms so that on-screen presentations can be seen by everyone present.

1 May 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding children with an autistic spectrum disorder being sent to mainstream schools.

28 Apr 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme.

13 Apr 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that more could be done to improve the legal rights of fathers in relation to parental custody disputes.

16 Mar 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the financial impact would be in Scotland of an increase in the inheritance tax threshold to £1,000,000.

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many places at private nurseries are funded by Glasgow City Council, and how this compares with the rest of the country.

Answer · Fiona McLeod: Glasgow City Council has 2,802 early learning and childcare registrations at partner provider nurseries. This equates to 24% of their total early learning and childcare registrations. The national proportion of early learning and childcare registrations at p…

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children attend nursery outside of their council area and which local authorities are experiencing (a) additional and (b) less attendance as a result.

Answer · Fiona McLeod: Information is not held centrally on how many children take up their entitlement to early learning and childcare out with their own local authority area; and, which local authorities experience additional or less attendance as a result.

10 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to improve the employment rate for people from ethnic minorities and whether this has improved in comparison with other groups.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: We believe that individuals from different ethnic backgrounds enrich Scotland socially, culturally and economically and recognise the importance of increasing employment rates amongst ethnic minorities. During the period 2012-15 we will provide over £5.2 mil…

2 Feb 2015 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the recent Celtic versus Rangers match had on police resources.

12 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of paragraph 25 of Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in Schools, individual teachers will have the final say over which resources they choose to use for such education.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The choice of resources in any part of the curriculum, including relationships, sexual health and parenthood education, is decided in partnership between the teacher, school and local authority. Individual teachers are expected to work within that context and…

12 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of paragraph 28 of Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in Schools, no teacher will be required to promote a particular type of relationship to which they have a deeply held objection.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: It is correct that no teacher should promote or oppose a particular kind of relationship. This is a feature of the guidance on Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in Schools. In fact, paragraph 28 of the Conduct of Relationships,…

12 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of paragraph 27 of Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in Schools, no teacher will be required to teach aspects of such education to which they fundamentally object.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Paragraph 27 of the Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) Education in Schools guidance makes plain that “In issuing this guidance it is the Scottish Government’s expectation that if a teacher is asked to teach aspects of RSHP educatio…

5 Jan 2015 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what contact it has had with the administrators of City Link Limited.

8 Dec 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how the Scottish budget method of consultation and committee deliberation compares with that of the UK.

3 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the people appointed named persons under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 are in place and, if so, whether it will provide a breakdown by gender.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act places a duty on the local authority and health board to make available the named person service to all children from birth up to 18 or school leaving age (whichever is later). The named person statutory requiremen…

2 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Glasgow City Council's decision to reduce the budget of the Glasgow Association for Mental Health by 40% and what it can do to ensure that its services can continue.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: This is a local matter for Glasgow City Council. The council has a responsibility to work with its partners to ensure all those who need to access mental health services can do so quickly and effectively, in line with Scottish Government policy and their stat…

18 Nov 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the economic benefits of immigration from the EU are to Scotland.

4 Nov 2014 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its position is on offering a small discount or other incentives to encourage the use of cashless payments in the Garden Level Restaurant.

27 Oct 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Glasgow City Council’s decision to award a house in multiple occupation licence to the Bellgrove Hotel and whether it considers this an appropriate level of regulation for a building housing over 140 people.

7 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions were or have been secured in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014 under the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012, also broken down by club.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Statistics relating to people convicted of offences under the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 are available on page 79 of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2012-13 statistical bulletin. This is available v…