Parliamentary questions
Richard Leonard
963 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
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 offered by (i) Scottish Development International, (ii) Scottish Enterprise and (iii) other public bodies to help prevent the closure of the Greggs bakery in Loa…
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International provided information on the types of public sector support, including financial support, SE Account Management, and Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service engagement, that could potentially be made a…
1 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the reduction in the Skills and Training budget in 2017-18 will have on Skills Development Scotland's ability to grow the economy and develop the workforce.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: There is no reduction to the budget for Skills Development Scotland in 2017-18. In the Budget Bill, approved by this parliament on 23 February, the Skills Development Scotland grant in aid budget increases from £176.1m in 2016-17 to £179.6m in 2017-18. This…
7 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) Regional Selective Assistance and (b) other support has been provided to Greggs plc to safeguard or create jobs at its (i) Cambuslang plant and (ii) plants across the rest of the country in each of the last five years.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: No Regional Selective Assistance or other financial support has been provided by the Scottish Government or Scottish Enterprise (SE), to Greggs plc for its Scottish sites in the last five years. However, SE officials have offered support through the Scottish …
7 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions (a) it and (b) its agencies have had with Greggs plc regarding the restructuring of its (i) Cambuslang plant and (ii) plants across the rest of the country.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Following the announcement of the proposed closure of the Loanhead bakery, the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism spoke with Greggs' Company Secretary on 3 March 2016, along with Scottish Development International (SDI) and Scottish Government official…
21 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in facilitating the transfer of administrative responsibilities for reserved tribunals, including employment tribunals.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government is progressing the transfer of reserved tribunals to Scotland. I met with the Senior President of Tribunals in November 2016 and will be meeting the president of the Employment Tribunal (Scotland) later this month. The draft Order in …
16 Nov 2016 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its review of the Police Scotland estate, what impact the potential closure of stations will have on public confidence in the police.
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00181 by Michael Matheson on 8 November 2016 (Official Report, c. 3), what powers it will have to reject any of the findings of the Police Scotland review of its estate.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04677 on 24 November 2016. 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…
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00181 by Michael Matheson on 8 November 2016 (Official Report, c. 3), on what date ministers were advised by Police Scotland that it was seeking approval from the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to review its estate, and when the SPA advised ministe…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Governance of the Police Service of Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), as established in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 with cross-party support. The SPA approved the Police Scotland Estate Strategy on 24 June 2015.
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00181 by Michael Matheson on 8 November 2016 (Official Report, c. 3), what powers it has to ask Police Scotland to suspend or cancel the review of its estate.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Governance of the Police Service of Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority, as established in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 with cross-party support. The Scottish Government has no current plans to use its powers to direct th…
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent police civilian staff jobs there have been in each year since 2007-08.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Data on the number of Full Time Equivalent civilian staff in the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland is published by the SPA on a quarterly basis. For ease, the information you have requested is provided in the table below. Police Staff Quarterly …
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what savings it anticipates will be made as a consequence of its enterprise and skills review; whether the assets of the enterprise companies will transfer to the proposed statutory board once it is established, and which respondents to the consultation proposed or supported a statutory …
Answer · Keith Brown: The phase one report identified that we should optimise what can be achieved by seamlessly working across the enterprise and skills bodies with a focus on agreed priorities and objectives, as well as the need to deal with the perceptions of a cluttered landsc…
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the boards of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council will be abolished as part of its enterprise and skills review.
Answer · Keith Brown: There will be a new single, strategic Scotland-wide statutory board to co-ordinate the activities of SE and HIE, SDS and the SFC, in order to bring greater integration and focus to the delivery of our enterprise and skills support. This will focus on fully al…
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) trades union and (b) business representatives will sit on the statutory board that has been proposed in its enterprise and skills review.
Answer · Keith Brown: Such detail will be worked out as part of the in-depth operational planning for the new Scotland-wide statutory board that is being taken forward as part of phase two of the review and is due to last six months.
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council will remain as non-departmental public bodies following its enterprise and skills review.
Answer · Keith Brown: The bodies involved in the Enterprise and Skills Review will each retain their separate legal status.
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what involvement Highlands and Islands Enterprise will have on the statutory board that has been proposed in its enterprise and skills review.
Answer · Keith Brown: Detailed operational planning for the new Scotland-wide statutory board is being taken forward as part of phase two of the review, which is due to last six months. We plan to consult with the current boards, including Highlands and Islands Enterprise, in taki…
11 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, with reference to its enterprise and skills review, what the position will be of the chief executives of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council by the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Keith Brown: The bodies involved in the Enterprise and Skills Review will retain their separate legal status and, in turn, the Chief Executives of the Agencies will retain their status.
4 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) financial and (b) other support (i) it, (ii) Scottish Enterprise, (iii) Highland and Islands Enterprise and (iv) the other public bodies that it has responsibility for has provided to Diageo plc in each of the last five years, and for what purposes.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government continually engages with Diageo as an important Scottish employer. We have provided the following support to Diageo Scotland Plc over the past five years, through our enterprise and skills bodies. Over the past five years, Scottish En…
2 Nov 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the rail unions.
21 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the vacancies that have been filled each year through Community Jobs Scotland have paid at least the living wage.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government introduced the living wage into Phase 5 of the Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) programme in 2015-16. The number of opportunities paid at the living wage in each year since it was introduced is as follows: Phase Numbers paid at Living W…
21 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects employers that use Community Jobs Scotland services to (a) have recognition agreements with the relevant trades unions and (b) pay at least the living wage.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We are committed to the Fair Work Framework which demonstrates its support of Trade Unions by saying that they are the primary channel of collective worker voice in Scotland and the UK. We encourage businesses to use this Framework to guide their activities i…
21 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) full-time and (b) full-time equivalent vacancies have been filled each year through Community Jobs Scotland.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Since 2011 Community Jobs Scotland has created more than 7,000 full time and part time job training opportunities with third sector employers across Scotland. The number of full time opportunities created in each year of the programme is as follows: FULL TIM…
21 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the vacancies that have been filled each year through Community Jobs Scotland have attracted additional funding because they paid at least the living wage.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government introduced the living wage into Phase 5 of the Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) programme in 2015-16. This increased financial support has been provided as part of the overall funding commitment for 2015-16 and 2016-17 and not offered as …
12 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the £1.9 million awarded in the last four years through the Framework for Supported Factories and Businesses to have been sufficient, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Framework Agreement for Supported Factories and Businesses was put in place by the Scottish Government in 2012 as a means of helping public sector buyers quickly access a range of good and services from those supported businesses on the framework. However…
12 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes the Framework for Supported Factories and Businesses.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government sees its responsibility as promoting contracting with all supported businesses and not just those on the Framework. The Scottish Government has raised awareness across the buying community and will continue to do so. Details of the Fra…
12 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that public bodies have at least one contract with supported factories and businesses; whether it is aware of any that do not and, if so, which; for what reason and what action it is taking.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold details of all contracts awarded by all public bodies in Scotland. However, since 18 April this year, all public bodies are required to publish a contracts register detailing regulated contract awards. For those bodies th…
12 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which body would be held liable for any damage to health from air pollution from a project that a local planning committee refused planning permission for but that went ahead following an appeal by the Scottish Ministers’ reporter.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan identifies that aggregates minerals are a significant natural resource and are essential to sustainable economic growth and development of the city region. However the Scottish Government recognises that…
12 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the Framework for Supported Factories and Businesses and whether a new framework will be launched after the expiry of the current agreement in September 2017.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Work is currently on going to determine the appropriate course of action on the expiration of the framework agreement. The Scottish Government is in discussions with stakeholders on how we best facilitate market access for supported businesses in line with th…
12 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that public bodies make the maximum possible use of reserved contracts for supported factories and businesses under the Scottish Sustainable Action Plan.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Sustainable Procurement Action Plan called on organisations to produce their own, individual, Delivery Plans setting out how, and by when, improvements in sustainable procurement will be made. Since the publication of that Action Plan in 2009, the Scottis…
12 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of objections from over 700 people and the decision of the local planning authority, what its position is on reviewing the decision of its reporter to uphold the appeal to extend the excavation area at Hillend Quarry, Caldercruix.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: In keeping with the majority of planning appeals to Scottish Ministers a reporter from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government was appointed by Ministers to make a delegated decision on their behalf. Once a reporter …
28 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish data measuring the performance of maternity and neo-natal care against the standards and recommendations on staffing and staff training set out in Neonatal Care in Scotland: A Quality Framework.