Parliamentary questions
John Mason
303 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Dec 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the implications are of the Autumn Statement for Scotland's budget.
4 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many passengers there have been on the Glasgow to Edinburgh line via Airdrie since it reopened.
3 Oct 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on fuel poverty in the Glasgow (a) parliamentary region and (b) Shettleston constituency.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of households in fuel poverty for individual parliamentary constituencies. Information is available at local authority level from the Scottish House Conditions Survey. The most recent available …
2 Oct 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it responds to the finding in the Scottish Health Survey that Scotland has more than 30,000 problem gamblers.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Whilst problem gambling levels are relatively low at 0.7% of the population we recognise the serious impacts on those involved and their families. Gambling is a reserved matter. The Scottish Government has corresponded with the UK Government regarding our co…
26 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the role that junior football clubs have in communities, what recent contact it has had with the Scottish Junior Football Association regarding the future of such clubs and (a) protecting and (b) developing junior football.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the important role Junior football clubs play in communities across Scotland and I wrote to the Scottish Junior Football Association on 9 April 2013. The Scottish Junior Football Association are an affiliated national assoc…
26 Jul 2013 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will block internet access to payday loan companies on its IT network.
Answer · David Stewart: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body tries to strike the correct balance between unencumbered internet access, and protecting the interests of all the users of the IT network. At this time we do not block internet access to payday loan companies but will…
22 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the mix of alleged criminals caught in Scotland as a result of calls from mobile phones in the recent Crimestoppers poster campaign reflects the ethnic mix in Scotland or in the UK.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: In Scotland data on crimes recorded by the police are based on an aggregated count of crimes and offences recorded and cleared up by the police. No details are held relating to the victims and perpetrators of individual crimes making it impossible to extract …
19 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason a student from Scotland is eligible for full payment of tuition fees if studying theology at the University of Aberdeen but not if studying at the International Christian College in Glasgow, whose degrees are validated by the University of Glasgow.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has no control over the fees set by independent private colleges such as the International Christian College in Glasgow and therefore does not commit to meeting the full cost. Instead, the Scottish Government agrees to pay a fixed cont…
19 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the 17 independent colleges in Scotland referred to in letter 2013/0016689, dated 8 July 2013, to John Mason from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government provides support with respect to courses delivered by 57 independent private institutions in Scotland. The names are as follows: Achievable Care Training Scotland Cairellot Learning Centre Care Now Care Skills Direct CBT Ltd Chil…
19 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason students from England studying at the Scottish Baptist College and the International Christian College in Glasgow are eligible for loans from the Student Loans Company to pay their fees and students from Scotland are not.
Answer · Michael Russell: Policy on fees and loans is different in Scotland and England. Students living in Scotland who attend publically funded institutions in Scotland do not have to pay tuition fees whereas students in England are liable for fees of up to £9000 and are provided w…
24 Jun 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what effect the 2015-16 Spending Review will have on the Scottish Government's budget.
12 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many children would be affected if St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society was to close.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government does not have any information on how many children would be affected if St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society was to close.
12 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contact it has had with St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society regarding the recent ruling by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator that its policies discriminate against same-sex couples.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scottish Ministers and Scottish Government officials have engaged with the representatives of St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society through meetings and written communication on a number of occasions since the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator…
12 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been adopted in each year since 1999.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The information requested is published by the National Records of Scotland, and can be found in Table P1b of the 2012 Births, Deaths and Other Vital Events Preliminary Annual Figures statistical release, which is available via: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk…
17 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what costs were associated with the PFI project for the refurbishment of Bannerman High School in 2002.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The costs relating to the individual schools within the associated PFI contract are not held centrally and are a matter for the local authority. The costs relating to the overall PFI contract are available from the Scottish Government website under “PPP/PFI…
17 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what each local authority’s financial commitment to PFI/PPP will be for each of the next three years.
Answer · Michael Russell: This information is available from the Scottish Government website under “PPP/PFI Projects (operational)” by way of the following link: www.scotland.gov.uk.
17 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages local authorities to promote greater recycling.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The case for improving recycling rates is simple: it is good for our environment and it is good for our economy. We estimate that councils will be able to save in the region of £180 million in the cost of their waste services by 2025 if they meet the 70% targ…
17 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle diesel spillages as a result of brimming.
Answer · Keith Brown: The design of vehicles is covered by European standards. EC Directive 70/221 requires that commercial vehicles have in place appropriate measures to ensure that minimum leakage occurs.
17 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to encourage GPs to open surgeries for longer hours.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is investing approximately £12 million annually in an enhanced service arrangement to extend GP surgery opening hours beyond core hours. Participation in enhanced services are optional for GP practices and in 2012 we introduced more fl…
17 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the curriculum for excellence promotes financial education.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Curriculum for Excellence supports Financial Education as part of a wider focus on the development of numeracy. The expectation is that all teachers should seek to develop young people’s numeracy skills in all areas and at all levels. In addition, support fo…
17 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport regarding the potential for a new railway station in Parkhead.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport regarding the potential for a new railway station at Parkhead.
7 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding the council's commitment to roll out free public wi-fi.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has regular discussions on digital infrastructure issues with Glasgow City Council, along with the other Scottish cities, through the Scottish Cities Alliance. Delivering world-class digital connectivity in Scotland’s cities is a share…
15 Apr 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of Scotland’s public finances.
18 Mar 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the 2013 UK Budget.
15 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the opening of the M74 motorway extension has had on traffic flow on the M8 motorway and what the traffic flow is on the extension.
Answer · Keith Brown: Following the opening of the M74 Completion scheme, the average two-way daily flows along the M8 motorway, between Charing Cross and Ballieston, have reduced by around 18-20,000 vehicles per day. Across the Kingston Bridge the average two-way daily flows have…
10 Dec 2012 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Jobcentre Plus system of encouraging work experience is having on its policies that support people into paid employment.
2 Nov 2012 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support will be provided to staff at the Freshlink factory in Shettleston, who have been told that the factory is closing and moving its business to England.
16 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many mothers have been identified as drinking alcohol during pregnancy in each year since 1999, broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Data on the numbers of mothers identified as drinking alcohol during pregnancy have been collected on the Scottish Morbidity Record 02 (SMR02) form by Information Services Division Scotland from April 2003. Recording of this information has improved year on y…
16 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to discourage mothers from drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland's advice is that alcohol should be avoided when pregnant or contemplating pregnancy as there is no known safe time, type or amount of alcohol during pregnancy. This advice is incorporated into all relevant Scottish Gove…
16 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are known to have fetal alcohol syndrome.
Answer · Michael Matheson: National information derived from routine data collection relating to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is considered to be incomplete at present. Information is collected from systems which capture data relating to the health of babies shortly after they are born…