Ivan McKee

18 Apr 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what scope there is through its International Development Fund to support projects that are not in its four partner countries, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia and Pakistan.

10 Apr 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the long-term protection of the marine environment, in light of reports that humpback whales are returning to Scottish waters.

5 Apr 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when a new chief executive will be appointed to Scottish Enterprise.

Answer · Keith Brown: Following a rigorous recruitment process, Steve Dunlop has been appointed as the new Chief Executive and will take up his post in May 2018. Paul Lewis will continue his role as interim Chief Executive until this time.

28 Mar 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in 2018-19.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Ministers have set the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland the financial targets of achieving:a 3 per cent efficiency saving on the unit costs of all their statutory products and services; andat least a 5 per cent profit on their non-statutory produc…

26 Mar 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government is making on negotiations regarding devolved powers, in light of it being one year until the UK is scheduled to leave the EU.

27 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), in light of the delay in introducing the class 385 trains, what support it is offering to passengers, including (a) fare reductions and (b) minimising disruption, and what action it …

Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotRail has a communications plan in place using all of its regular media channels to inform travel choices. This provides passengers with the timings of longer trains on the route via Falkirk and details of alternative, parallel routes. In order to encourag…

27 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), how many services will operate with fewer carriages each day until the class 385 trains are operational. 

Answer · Humza Yousaf: There are 124 weekday services, 62 in each direction, on the Edinburgh-Glasgow via Falkirk High route. The allocation of carriages which are planned to operate until the introduction of the class 385 trains has taken account of measured passenger demand on pa…

27 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), how many class 385 trains have been ordered, also broken down by the services that they will operate on.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: 70 trains comprising 234 carriages are being procured by Caledonian Rail Leasing from Hitachi. Abellio ScotRail will lease the carriages during this Franchise term and Scottish Minsters have secured future use of the whole fleet by ScotRail Franchisees until …

27 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many class 380 trains are operating (a) peak and (b) off-peak services on the Glasgow-Falkirk-Edinburgh line, and how many carriages each has.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Two 7-car C380 trains have been operating since 10 December 2017 on the Edinburgh -Glasgow via Falkirk High route. These depart on the hour in each direction from Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street across the day and provide 100 extra seats per journey compar…

27 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what impact the class 385 trains will have on capacity on the Glasgow-Falkirk-Edinburgh service.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Compared to 6-car C170 diesel trains 26% more seats will be provided when all Edinburgh-Glasgow services are operated by 7-car trains and this will rise to 44% more seats when 8-cars run on all peak time services.

27 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), in light of reports that the delay in the introduction of the class 385 trains has been partly due to manufacturing problems, whether ScotRail has or plans to seek compensation from …

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14854 on? 6 March 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at ttp://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusi…

27 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what communication it has had with Hitachi regarding what ministers consider the importance to the railway network is of delivering the class 385 trains.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The First Minister and I have met twice with senior management from the global Hitachi organisation to reiterate the importance of this new fleet to Scotland’s Railway and the wider Scottish Economy. I also visited the Hitachi factory at Newton Aycliffe last …

26 Feb 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what progress has been made on the creation of a Scottish National Investment Bank.

20 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the Budget is providing support for health services.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Budget for 2018-19 increases funding for health services in Scotland by more than £400 million to £13.1 billion, with frontline NHS Boards receiving an uplift of 3.7%. This uplift includes £175 million additional investment in reform…

31 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the potential links between early onset neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, MS, ME and MND and people who have worked in industries where they are exposed to excessive noise and vibration, and whether it would consider commissioning a research study into th…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the GB-wide regulator for health and safety at work. Employers are required to control employees’ exposure to noise and vibration under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and related regulations. This includ…

18 Jan 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport has reached a conclusion regarding NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s major service change proposals (a) to transfer inpatient and day case paediatrics from Ward 15 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley to the Royal Hospital for Childr…

Answer · Shona Robison: I have today written to the Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) to confirm my decisions in relation to these major service change proposals. Having carefully considered all the available information and representations, I have decided t…

17 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the performance of NHS boards to ensure that they deliver the highest quality services for the populations that they serve.

10 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the work of organisations that mentor care-experienced young people, such as MCR Pathways in Glasgow.

Answer · Maree Todd: In 2017-18, the Scottish Government provided £250k to MCR Pathways from the £750m Attainment Scotland Fund in partnership with Glasgow City Council. We also provide £750k per annum to Intandem, Scotland’s national mentoring programme for looked after childre…

21 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme will have on (a) congestion and (b) maintenance issues, which are often cited as reasons for delays and cancellations on the Edinburgh-Glasgow rail line.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The first Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) electric trains entered service in December 2017. The new class 385 electric trains which will enter service in 2018 will enable the operation of seven and eight carriage length trains between Edinburgh…

20 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the justice system will take into account the rights of disabled people post-Brexit.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Over the past 40 years EU law has become woven into the fabric of UK and Scots law including the development of disability legislation. Legislating to protect the right of disabled people is generally a reserved matter which is the responsibility of the UK Go…

19 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that any post-Brexit shortfall in funding for organisations in Scotland that help disabled people will be met.

Answer · Angela Constance: EU funding benefits Scotland significantly. Brexit has created uncertainty for communities across Scotland who rely heavily on this investment and are unable to plan beyond the UK’s departure of the EU. We have committed to maintain our current record level o…

19 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the information it produces regarding Brexit will be made available in accessible formats.

Answer · Angela Constance: All Scottish Government communications and content are written in Plain English and designed with the audience and accessibility in mind. We aim to adhere to W3C accessibility standards for online content and can offer a range of alternative formats which inc…

19 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that its 10% quota of accessible homes is not put at risk by Brexit.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Housing remains a top priority for the Scottish Government and that is not affected by Brexit. We will not allow the UK Government’s approach to Brexit to jeopardise our vision for all people in Scotland to live in high quality sustainable homes that they can…

6 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that departmental spend is delivering the most effective outcomes in terms of the National Performance Framework indicators.

6 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been charged each year under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 for the purchase of (a) tobacco and (b) nicotine vapour products on behalf of persons under 18, and how many were subsequently (i) prosecuted and (ii) convicted.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The following table contains the figures for Offences involving tobacco and persons under 18. Offences involving tobacco and persons under 18, 2011-12 to 2016-17. 2011-12 65 2012-13 55 2013-14 41 2014-15 25 2015-16 25 2016-17 23 This covers the …

4 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on affording wild land, as defined by Scottish National Heritage, the same or greater protection from development as national (a) parks and (b) scenic areas.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We already have policy in place to protect wild land. Both Scottish Planning Policy and National Planning Framework 3 give significant protection to wild land areas. The Planning Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 4 December 2017 and there are …

28 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the additional funds being allocated to the SME Holding Fund under the Scottish Growth Scheme.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The 2017 Programme for Government indicated that, through the Scottish Growth Scheme, we would expand the SME Holding Fund by £25 million and that, alongside additional private sector investment, we expected this to provide over £100 million to innovative, hi…

20 Nov 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it will make of the impact on Scotland of the cost of Brexit.

16 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will bring forward the consultation on a review of the provisions of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 on parental responsibilities and rights and contact and residence cases involving children.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: We intend to issue a consultation early next year on potential changes to primary legislation in this area. We are also committed to making changes where we can in advance of primary legislation to improve how cases under section 11 of the Children (Scotlan…

16 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to strengthening support for children in maintaining contact with both parents despite marital/relationship breakdown.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of supporting parents and children through relationship breakdown, particularly given the impact that divorce and separation can have on children. That is why we are providing around £2 million a year through …