Daniel Johnson

19 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last assessed any economic contribution that university spin-outs have made to the economy.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The latest Higher Education – Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) Survey Report by the Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) was published on 04 April 2023. This survey includes information on the number of active spin-offs founded at Scottis…

12 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the reported decline in the (a) total number of registered businesses and (b) number of growth sector registered businesses in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The latest statistics show that despite the challenging economic conditions, the total number of businesses in Scotland rose to 360,910 in 2022, a 5.2 per cent increase on the previous year. However we know businesses in Scotland are struggling because of Br…

12 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work on skills alignment, including (a) its strategic intent for skills alignment, (b) the outcomes that it aims to achieve and (c) how it will measure progress.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) published the Shared Outcomes Framework (SOF) in March 2022, which set out our intent to develop a skilled workforce for Scotland. It includes a series of proj…

12 Apr 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the rate of business start-ups in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Our National Strategy for Economic Transformation sets out how we will establish Scotland as a world-class entrepreneurial nation, recognised as one of the best countries to start and grow a business. Since the Strategy’s publication we have announced the ap…

31 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the names of each Special Adviser, also broken down by their (a) responsibility and (b) pay band, and what the total cost of employing Special Advisers is expected to be (i) in 2023-24 and (ii) over the course of the parliamentary session.

Answer · George Adam: Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers. As at the date of your request, the fo…

31 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time employees there are in each (a) cabinet secretary's and (b) minister's private office, broken down by pay scale.

Answer · George Adam: The number of full-time employees and their pay scale for each Cabinet Secretary's office and Minister's private office are as follows. Minister C1 B3 B2 B1 A4 Deputy First Minister & Cabinet Secretary for Finance 1 1 1  1 Cabinet Secretary for NH…

21 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported second year of consecutive contraction in the number of businesses that are based in Scotland.

17 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it plans to publish the findings of its consultation on the draft of the new physical intervention in schools guidance.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government held a public consultation on the draft of the new physical intervention in schools guidance in 2022 Physical intervention in schools: draft guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The consultation closed at the end of October. We are …

15 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much financial support it will provide to the third sector across Edinburgh and the Lothians to support refugees from Ukraine in the financial year 2023-24.

13 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Biffa’s contract as the logistics service provider for the Deposit Return Scheme, what (a) type and (b) number of lorries have been negotiated for the scheme’s launch on 16 August 2023, and what its response is to reports that Biffa is (i) buying and (ii) manufacturing new l…

Answer · Lorna Slater: Circularity Scotland, the scheme administrator is a private non-profit company and is responsible for operating the scheme, including its logistics. Questions regarding the detail of their contracts should be directed to them. The Scottish Government can how…

13 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the potential carbon footprint of the vehicles that will be used in the Deposit Return Scheme, and what it is doing to limit any carbon emissions.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The potential carbon footprint of the vehicles used in Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme was factored into the modelling work carried out during the scheme’s development and the work concluded that scheme will reduce CO2 emissions by 4 million tonnes over 25 y…

15 Feb 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support local, independent food and drink businesses in rural areas.

24 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps the Scottish Prison Service is taking to (a) identify and (b) provide treatment for prisoners with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Jim Kerr, Interim Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: From a learning and education perspective, all individuals admitted to custody are invited to participate in a screening proce…

17 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it will be doing in the coming year to help farmers mitigate any impacts of rising costs in the sector.

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration was given to reintroducing temporary non-domestic rates relief for the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors ahead of the draft Scottish Budget 2023-24.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government has backed Scotland’s economic recovery with more than £4.7 billion in direct business support since March 2020. The Scottish Government considered a range of options in advance of the Scottish Budget ? 2023-24, including options for s…

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it had with business organisations ahead of the announcement, contained in the draft Scottish Budget 2023-24, that the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief thresholds would be reformed.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government accepted the independent Barclay Review’s recommendation that the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) be evaluated and commissioned the Fraser of Allander Institute to do so. After the publication of the evaluation on 8 March 2022, the …

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment of the economic impact of the reforms to the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief thresholds was carried out in advance of the publication of the draft Scottish Budget 2023-24.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The reforms of the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) relief announced in the Scottish Budget ensure that it remains the most generous in the UK, and will continue to take 100,000 properties out of rates altogether. We are expanding the upper eligibility thr…

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the full cost of its advertisement, Winter Pressures Advert.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The total cost for this campaign, which was active from 4 January 2023 and is currently scheduled to end on 19 January 2023, was £226,952.

21 Dec 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that schools are inspected regularly.

7 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of responses to written correspondence from MSPs to the Scottish Government were issued within the stated timeframe of 20 working days.

Answer · George Adam: The Scottish Government aims to answer all ministerial correspondence within 20 working days and regularly reviews and monitors its performance against this target. Correspondence from MSPs; councillors; third sector organisations and other key stakeholders;…

7 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the longest wait for a reply to written correspondence to the Scottish Government by an MSP has been in the last year, and whether it will provide details of the correspondence and reasons for the length of wait.

Answer · George Adam: The Scottish Government aims to answer all ministerial correspondence within 20 working days and regularly reviews and monitors its performance against this target. Within the last year (December 2021 to December 2022), the longest response time was 272 days…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to support the implementation of the recommendations in the British Academy of Audiology Independent Review into the Paediatric Audiology Service at NHS Lothian, which was published in December 2021.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13019 on 16 December 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) urgent, (b) high and (c) medium-term recommendations in the British Academy of Audiology Independent Review into the Paediatric Audiology Service at NHS Lothian, which was published in December 2021, have been implemented.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government meets regularly with NHS Lothian in relation to their current status on the NHS board performance escalation framework, this involves the Board working through and reporting progress against a formal Recovery Plan that covers all the B…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12330 by John Swinney on 5 December 2022, whether it will provide the current budget allocations for the groups and sub-groups named.

Answer · John Swinney: The groups and sub-groups named in response to S6W-12330 that have an allocated budget are:Scottish Cities Alliance Leadership Group - £196,000 per annum (this is the Scottish Government’s portion of the funding for the Scottish Cities Alliance)Scottish City …

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12330 by John Swinney on 5 December 2022, when each of the groups and sub-groups named last met.

Answer · John Swinney: Further to the list of active groups and sub-groups within the Finance and Economy portfolio provided in answer to question S6W-12330, the last meeting dates for these are set out in the following table: Groups Date of Last Meeting Apprenticeship Approval …

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12330 by John Swinney on 5 December 2022, whether it will provide a list of (a) members and (b) leaders of each of the groups and sub-groups named.

Answer · John Swinney: In response to the request for members and leaders of each of the groups and sub-groups named in the answer to question S6W-12330, the non-Scottish Government representation on, and leadership of, the groups named are set out in the following table. In line …

30 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many lifeguards are currently employed for the swimming pool in its Victoria Quay building.

Answer · Ivan McKee: There are no lifeguards employed.  

30 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on maintenance for the swimming pool at its Victoria Quay building in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The costs for maintenance of the swimming pool at the Scottish Government's Victoria Quay property in each of the last five financial years is: 2018-2019 - £31,365 - inclusive of Facilities Management planned preventative maintenance costs and sub-contractor…

30 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on heating the swimming pool at its Victoria Quay building in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The gas and electric used for the swimming pool at Victoria Quay is not sub-metered. The figures in the following table are estimates based on assumed operating times. The costs reflect that the heating was turned off to the pool in April 2020 and has remain…

30 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many days the swimming pool at its Victoria Quay building has been operational in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The pool has been shut since the start of Jan 2020. It has been used 0 days in 2020, 21 and 22 and was available for use throughout 2018 and 2019.