Parliamentary questions
Richard Leonard
963 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress was made on employability by the implementation and monitoring group responsible for that aspect of the Mental Health Strategy 2012-15.
Answer · Maureen Watt: We will shortly publish a full summary of the progress made by the Mental Health Strategy 2012- 2015.
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the integration of health and social care has had on services that aim to support people with mental health problems find and retain paid employment.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government holds the principle that care services should be as well-coordinated and seamless as possible. Our programme of health and social care integration, which brings together NHS and Local Authority care services, is helping to deliver this…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to health and social care partnerships regarding employment services for people with mental health problems.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government continues to engage with Integration Authorities to strengthen the links between health, social care and employability, however decisions for the delivery of services at a local level are for Integration Authorities to agree depending …
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding Commitment 34 in its Mental Health Strategy 2012-15 to establish a local government mental health forum to focus on areas of work where local government has a key role, including employability.
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…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to employers regarding supporting people 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 the employment rate for people with mental health problems was in comparison to the general population in each year from 2010 to 2015.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Information sourced from the Annual Population Survey in Table 1 shows the employment rate for the working age population overall, and also for those reporting health problems related to mental health. Those reporting health problems related to mental healt…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the employment rates for people with mental health problems are in comparison to the general population.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Information sourced from the Annual Population Survey below shows the employment rate: for the working age population overall and for those with mental health problems. People with mental health problems are defined as those who responded to the survey repor…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding Commitment 29 in its Mental Health Strategy 2012-15 to publish guidance setting out the evidence base for employability and mental health.
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…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role links workers play in helping people to find employability support in their local community.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Links Workers connect people to non-medical sources of support or resources in the community which are likely to help with the health problems they are experiencing. Link workers draw on a wide range of services to increase social skills, confidence and emp…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people with mental health problems it expects to be supported into employment in 2017 through the devolved Work Programme.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Our one year transitional employment programmes were launched at the beginning of April 2017. Work First Scotland will deliver employment support for up to 3,300 disabled people, including those with mental health conditions. Work Able Scotland will provide e…
7 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with the third sector to improve the employment rate for people with mental health problems.
Answer · Maureen Watt: We recognise the very specific challenges that some people with barriers to employment, including mental health conditions, can face in obtaining and securing sustained employment. That is why we worked with the Open Doors Consortium, a partnership of Scotla…
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what SEPA rating for pollution control has been given to the Grangemouth refinery in each of the last five years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Petroineos Manufacturing Scotland Limited holds the licence that covers the oil refining activities at Grangemouth. SEPA's Compliance Assessment Scheme is designed to demonstrate the level of compliance associated with specific licence conditions and is asses…
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many statutory notices have been served on the Grangemouth refinery by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government does not hold any information as health and safety are matters reserved to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and HSE are accountable to UK Ministers, given these concern matters reserved to Westminster.
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Ineos regarding the working practices, terms and conditions and pension arrangements of employees on the Forties pipeline following the company's purchase of it, and whether any guarantees were given.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08661 on 10 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/288…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that no members of boards, advisory groups or other bodies for which it has appointment responsibilities is an employee or representative of a company or organisation that has admitted the practice of blacklisting, unless they have subsequently taken adequate "self…
Answer · Derek Mackay: Any practice which seeks to suppress or censor the legitimate expression of opinion, or prevents individuals from exercising rights to freedom of association or privacy is unacceptable in a modern democratic society. The Scottish Government condemns any form …
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that it only procures goods and services from organisations that pay at least the living wage.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government considers the payment of the Living Wage to be a significant indicator of an employer's commitment to fair work practices and that the payment of the Living Wage is one of the clearest ways that an employer can demonstrate that it take…
22 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the Scottish Investment Bank.
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings ministers have had with businesses affected by the revaluation of business rates, and what the outcome was of these meetings.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Ministers meet regularly with ratepayers, trade bodies, business organisations, Assessors and other stakeholders to discuss business rates and the impact of the 2017 revaluation. As a result, a package of measures was introduced to support businesses in 2017…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether, in the revaluation of non domestic rates, the methodology adopted for retail, catering and other shopping facilities in airports has been applied consistently to all airports in Scotland.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08230 on 22 March 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/…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any minutes or notes of meetings with officials or representatives from the EU, including consuls, ambassadors and other representatives of EU member states, since the EU referendum.
Answer · Michael Russell: To maintain trust and credibility with foreign governments, we will not as a matter of course, proactively publish any minutes or notes of meetings with officials or representatives from the EU or other European Member States. We do retrospectively publish a …
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals against non domestic rates valuations there have been in each of the last five years, and what percentage of these were upheld.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government publishes regular analysis on the progress and results of revaluation appeals following the 2010 Revaluation. The latest publication, which can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Local-Government-Finance/NDR-Rate…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average time taken has been to make decisions on appeals from businesses regarding valuations for non domestic rates in each of the last five years.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold data on the average time taken to make decision on appeals, but does publishes regular analysis on the progress and results of revaluation appeals following the 2010 Revaluation. The latest publication can be found at: ht…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average time taken has been to make decisions on appeals from householders regarding council tax banding rates in each of the last five years.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings ministers have had with assessors regarding the revaluation of non domestic rates, and what the outcome was of these meetings.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08231 on 22 March 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/…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) since the EU referendum; what was discussed, and whether it will publish any notes or minutes of the meetings.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07503 on 7 March 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…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals against council tax banding rates there have been in each of the last five years, and what percentage of these were upheld.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the methodology for the revaluation of non domestic rates for commercial outlets in airports is the same as that for high streets, shopping malls and train and bus stations.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Valuations of all commercial premises are a matter for the independent Scottish Assessors.
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings ministers have had with airport representatives regarding changes to rateable valuations, and whether it will publish any notes or minutes of these meetings.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Ministers and officials meet regularly with ratepayers and representatives from various sectors to discuss business rates, including airports. Minutes are not routinely produced, especially where commercially sensitive information may be discussed.
14 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06985 by Paul Wheelhouse on 13 March 2017, what (a) financial and (b) other support was (i) offered and (ii) provided to Greggs plc from (A) Scottish Development International, (B) Scottish Enterprise and (C) other public bodies to assist the compan…
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08056 on 29 March 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…
14 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06985 by Paul Wheelhouse on 13 March 2017, what guarantees were (a) sought from and (b) provided by Greggs plc regarding the retention of jobs at the Clydesmill bakery in Cambuslang, in the event that the Loanhead bakery closed.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As Greggs have not received public sector financial support to develop the proposed centre of excellence, we were not in a position to seek formal guarantees on future employment levels at the Cambuslang site. Information was provided through SE and SDI on th…