Gillian Martin

15 Jan 2018 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what implications the situation at the construction company, Carillion, might have on the completion of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and other infrastructure projects throughout Scotland.

19 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the potential withdrawal of funding by Aberdeen City Council to the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

5 Dec 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in publishing statistical information on the transitional devolved employment services.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is today publishing information outlining progress on the first six months of the transitional twelve month service that was launched in April 2017 and is designed to help up to 4,800 people with health conditions and disabilities into…

29 Nov 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done to ensure that working age people with health or disability issues have appropriate early support when they most need it.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of early intervention to help people with disabilities and health conditions to stay in or move into work. A range of health and employment support currently exists for people with disabilities and health con…

27 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it plans with Aberdeen City Council regarding future funding for the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

24 Nov 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government who the members will be of the new strategic board to co-ordinate and align the work of Scotland’s enterprise and skills agencies.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is today announcing the full list of members of the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board. This follows the appointment of Nora Senior as Chair of the Strategic Board in August. Ms Senior is chair of UK regions for global communicatio…

21 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what NHS workforce planning it is undertaking in relation to the potential impact of Brexit on staffing levels.

21 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much in Barnett consequentials will arise from the Transforming Cities fund, and how much of this will be allocated to improving transport links.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government received capital Barnett consequentials of £17.6 million for 2019-20 and £20.5 million for 2020-21 arising from the Transforming Cities Fund. Scottish Ministers will consider allocation of the Budget consequentials as part of their on-…

21 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the appropriate remuneration of university vice chancellors should be, and what discussions it has had with universities regarding this.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As autonomous institutions, the salary levels of Principals and Vice-Chancellors are a matter for each university's governing body and remuneration committee. However, the Scottish Government is clear that we expect universities to exercise restraint in setti…

21 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports NHS boards in developing the use of video call facilities to allow people (a) in remote and rural areas and (b) with mobility or travel issues to consult their GPs.

Answer · Shona Robison: The development and support of video consulting is being delivered via a collaboration funded by the Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Programme within Scottish Government. The collaboration includes NHS National Services Scotland, the Scottish Centre for Telehea…

21 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it plans with Aberdeen City Council regarding future funding for the Aberdeen International Youth Festival; how much support (a) it and (b) its agencies have given to the festival in each of the last 10 years, and what assessment it has made of the (i) economic and (ii) …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not provide any direct support to the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF). However, EventScotland has previously supported AIYF twice through the National Events Programme with a total of £33,303 (£18,303 in 2005 and £15,…

13 Nov 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its final energy strategy.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: During the first half of this year we published a suite of consultations under the Draft Energy Strategy, seeking views on the policies we have committed to, propose to undertake and are developing, in order to make sure we have a smooth transition to a low c…

8 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what investment in roads in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray it plans to ensure that the North East 250 tourist route has the capacity to handle any increase in traffic.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government welcomes industry-led initiatives where these can help boost sustainable growth and encourage visitors to specific areas of the country. The recently launched North East 250 is an example of such a private sector development which aims…

8 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it plans of the economic impact of the North East 250 tourist route.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-12557 on 21 November 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusines…

8 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it plans with the promoters of the North East 250 route regarding how it could bring tourism and boost the area's economy.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Key public sector support is already being given to the North East to encourage sustainable tourism growth. Both Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise work with tourism bodies, such as the local destination management organisations (DMOs) M…

8 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of how many additional people might visit the area because of the North East 250 route, and how it will ensure that the existing tourist sites have the necessary infrastructure and capacity to accommodate any increase in footfall.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The recently launched North East 250 is a privately led initiative which aims to boost tourism in Moray and Aberdeenshire, and we would expect that the organisation behind it will actively monitor the impact that the development may bring to businesses and co…

31 Oct 2017 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of recent reports regarding sexual harassment, whether it will consider a confidential and independent audit of the experiences of female MSPs and staff of sexual harassment to inform any decisions on how to protect them in the future.

26 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with BP regarding the decision to shut down the gas plant on its Glen Lyon floating production, storage and offloading vessel following a leakage.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The health and safety of oil and gas workers and the marine environment in the North Sea is of paramount importance. The Scottish Government engages closely with all parts of the industry including the trade unions to monitor health and safety and will contin…

18 Sep 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to gain greater access to data held by HMRC that could assist in economic policy making.

13 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to bring into use all empty and dilapidated buildings that remain undeveloped.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Since 2010, the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, which we support, has been instrumental in bringing over 2,400 empty homes back into use. We provide grant assistance to the Partnership to support empty homes officers and local authorities as it is widely r…

13 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the volume of unexploded ordnance in Scotland's waters.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Marine Scotland does not as a matter of routine collect or hold any information except that which is submitted as part of a marine licence application to remove and/or detonate unexploded ordnance. Marine Scotland has access to information published in the Na…

13 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it gives to the marine and offshore sectors regarding what action should be taken in the event of finding unexploded ordnance.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Marine Scotland if contacted would advise an enquirer to stop all works, do not disturb the item, leave the location and notify the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Health and Safety Executive and/or Police Scotland depending on the nature and location of the …

12 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent reports of surface break-up on the runway, which has caused delays to flights, what engagement it will undertake with Aberdeen Airport.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The operation and maintenance of infrastructure at Scotland’s airports is the responsibility of the relevant airport operator. The unscheduled closure of a runway can cause significant inconvenience for affected passengers and airlines. However, the top prior…

11 Sep 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the number of reported cases involving a child committing a sexual offence against another increasing by a third over the last four years.

4 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, 19 months after the announcement by the UK Government that it would appoint an oil and gas ambassador, no such appointment has been made; what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding this, and what analysis it has carried out of how t…

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: There has been no appointment of an Oil and Gas Ambassador which was previously publicly committed to by the UK Government. This failure to deliver on a pre- 2016 election commitment by the former Prime Minister, David Cameron, in yet another failure to follo…

30 Aug 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in appointing a chair of the new strategic board to coordinate and align the work of Scotland’s enterprise and skills agencies.

Answer · Keith Brown: The First Minister is today announcing that Nora Senior has been appointed Chair of the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board. Ms Senior is Chair, UK Regions & Ireland of global PR firm Weber Shandwick and has more than 25 years’ experience working with clie…

4 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more fresh fish to be eaten in schools.

Answer · John Swinney: The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008 places a duty on schools to provide oily fish (fresh, canned or frozen) at least once every three weeks. The 2008 guidance document which supports the implementation of the…

4 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent representations it has made to the UK Government regarding future energy priorities.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government seeks to maintain regular and effective communications with the UK Government regarding future energy priorities. However, this approach may not be reciprocated. For example, the Scottish Government has repeatedly called on the UK Gov…

4 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) impact on jobs and (b) economic benefit of the Mariner oil field, east of Shetland, and what engagement it has undertaken with Statoil regarding further development in the North Sea.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Statoil have stated that the next phase of the Mariner oil field will support up to 1,500 jobs, and that, once in production, 700 permanent jobs will be supported by the field which has an estimated 250 million barrels of oil and an expected peak production o…

4 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has held with GE and Baker Hughes regarding their merger and what impact this may have on jobs in the (a) north east and (b) the rest of Scotland.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I regularly meet with senior representatives from the oil and gas industry. I most recently met with GE on the 1st June 2017 where a broad range of energy issues including GE’s interests in offshore oil and gas activity, renewables, and the Scottish Governmen…