Parliamentary questions
Richard Leonard
963 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which of the recommendations that have been made by the Scottish Energy Advisory Board in each of the last five years have led to the commissioning of consultants or facilitators, broken down by the (a) the name of the project, (b) person or organisation commissioned and (c) cost of comi…
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: There have been a number of recommendations agreed by the Scottish Energy Advisory Board that have led to work being commissioned. These are set out in the following table: Project Name Recommendation Organisation Cost Year of recommendations Scottish …
22 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the Scottish Energy Advisory Board, broken down by length of service, and what its position is on the board's gender balance.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The current members of SEAB are listed on the Scottish Government website at the following link which is updated periodically: Those members, and their respective length of service are as follows: Co-Chairs Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister- Chair…
22 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09158 by Jeane Freeman on 22 May 2017, how many staff currently administer assessments for Atos Healthcare in Scotland.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The contract with Atos Healthcare for the delivery of assessments in Scotland is owned by The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Information requests regarding that contract should be directed to the Department for Work and Pensions.
19 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) dividend and (b) other payments ScotRail has made to its parent company, Abellio, since April 2015.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotRail has paid no dividend to its parent company, Abellio UK since April 2015, but has made routine payments for trading charges and re-charges of shared services provided to ScotRail.
19 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) ScotRail and (b) trade unions regarding the establishment of an employee gain sharing scheme, as required by the franchise agreement with Abellio, and what the reason is for the reported delay in establishing this.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Employee gain sharing is a Committed Obligation in the ScotRail Franchise Agreement, which was introduced by ScotRail in compliance with the specified date of 31 January, 2016 and is continuing to operate.
9 May 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when its officials last met Atos Healthcare.
8 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given in the last five years to taking the operations of the Grangemouth refinery into public ownership.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scotland’s oil and gas sector continues to offer major economic opportunities. It is estimated that, with the right fiscal, regulatory and market environment, as many as 20 billion barrels of recoverable oil remain under the North Sea and wider UKCS basin and…
8 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take if Ineos continues to be categorised as "poor" in its compliance by SEPA.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-09161 on 23 May 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/parliamentarybusiness/28…
8 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Ineos improves its operation regarding environmental performance.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Delivery and enforcement of environmental regulations is the responsibility of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). SEPA engages with regulated bodies through inspections, monitoring and wider engagement to ensure that environmental requirements…
8 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details of its (a) meetings, (b) discussions and (c) correspondence with Ineos in the last two years.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: It is not the policy of the Scottish Government to publish details of its discussions and correspondence with stakeholders. However, details of Ministerial meetings with all external stakeholders are regularly updated and is available on the Scottish Governme…
5 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the number of staff projected to be employed in the social security agency announced in the ministerial statement is lower than the 3,000 estimated for option 1 in the outline business case published on the same date.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The outline business case for the social security agency estimated that option one would employ around 2,500 staff, including around 500 staff administering assessments. The initial estimate of at least 1,500 jobs associated with the chosen model, as referre…
5 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the social security agency will be directly responsible for locally employed staff under the preferred delivery model.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Yes. Staff delivering locally based pre-claim advice and support will be directly employed by the social security agency.
5 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff the preferred delivery model for the social security agency will directly employ (a) centrally and (b) locally in each year to 2020.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: We estimate that the social security agency will employ at least 1,500 people by the end of this Parliament. The breakdown of this number by year and location has yet to be determined and will depend upon decisions yet to be taken.
5 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether social security agency staff will be employed under Scottish Government Main bargaining unit terms and conditions.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The terms and conditions of staff working in the social security agency have yet to be determined.
5 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) transfer of UK Government staff to the social security agency and (b) Cabinet Office statement of practice is on the agenda for the next meeting of the Ministerial Working Group on Welfare.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The agenda for the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare is still to be agreed.
26 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish a new anti-bullying strategy for schools.
19 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet representatives of the tourism sector.
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much NHS Lanarkshire expects to pay in staff costs in each of the next four years, and what projections it has made on what the impact on this would be of an (a) increase and (b) decrease in the number of (i) medical staff, (ii) administrative staff, (iii) agency staff and (iv) locum…
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government.
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it position is on how the proposal by NHS Lanarkshire to establish dedicated resources to encourage staff to work for the board for longer period reflects on the overall NHS workforce planning strategy since 2007.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is fully committed to a sustainable NHS. The National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, which will be published in Spring 2017, will take full account of the many demographic and other influences on our NHS workforce, ensuring it …
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the observation by NHS Lanarkshire in its consultation, Achieving Excellence that “onerous and stretched out of hours and on-call rotas for consultants impacting on recruitment and retention was identified as a challenge of the current clinical model which has elective and t…
Answer · Shona Robison: It is the responsibility of NHS boards to plan and deliver clinical services. In preparing their workforce plans, Boards are required to consider relevant local issues and demographics, and ensure all working patterns are safe and sustainable. Under this gov…
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much NHS Lanarkshire expects to pay in costs for administrating drugs in each of the next four years, and what projections it has made on what the impact on this would be of an (a) increase and (b) decrease in the (i) cost of drugs and (ii) number of GP prescriptions.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. Specific local information may be available from NHS Lanarkshire.
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support NHS Lanarkshire in meeting the primary care sector workforce capacity requirements identified by the consultation, Achieving Excellence.
Answer · Shona Robison: On Friday 10 March 2017, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport announced an additional £71.6 million will be invested in direct support of general practice, helping transform the way services are delivered in the community. The funds will directly suppor…
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to ensure that orthopaedic services at Wishaw General Hospital are provided in a high-quality environment with safe patient care and that the staff are fully trained to provide this.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s position on Patient Safety is very clear – it is, and will remain, paramount. Scotland is a world leader, internationally recognised for the improvements in care and safety its Patient Safety Programme has brought about. NHS Lanarks…
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much in financial resources has been transferred from hospital care to community care since the establishment of Integrated Joint Boards.
Answer · Shona Robison: Integration went live across Scotland on 1 April 2016, with strategic commissioning plans in place in each Integration Authority setting out local plans for service improvement. Integration Authorities are also taking account of the ambitions set out by the S…
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS Lanarkshire (a) planned to achieve £43million of recurring savings in its 2016-17 budget and (b) is forecasting a financial deficit in each year of the next two years.
Answer · Shona Robison: In order to deliver its services within the level of investment being made, NHS Lanarkshire and all NHS boards are required to deliver both reform of services and savings. The savings generated are reinvested in frontline care within the boards. NHS Lanarksh…
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that NHS Lanarkshire has recorded a (a) shortage of clinicians in a number of areas and (b) deteriorating performance in access to primary care, and what support it is giving to the board.
12 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position will be on any recommendation for a reduction in neonatal services in NHS Lanarkshire arising from the consultation, Achieving Excellence.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to working with NHS Boards to provide the best neonatal care for babies and families in Scotland. This is reflected in the Scottish Government review - The Best Start - a five year forward plan for maternity and Neonatal a…
12 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote technologies that help tackle climate change.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As set out in the draft Climate Change Plan, the Scottish Government is committed to working with business leaders and others to co-design policies and proposals which maximise commercial, export and job opportunities. For example, our Scottish Energy Efficie…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to employers to make reasonable adjustments to support their employees to recover from mental health problems.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, part of NHS Health Scotland, to provide information and advice on workplace health and wellbeing. The Centre, and the network of advisers in territorial NHS Boards, offer free and co…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact of the Mental Health Strategy 2012-15 on the employment rate of people with mental health problems.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08740 on 27 April 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/parliamentarybusiness/2…