Jamie Greene

20 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported decrease in university graduates’ salaries, in light of reports that they only have 11% higher wages than non-graduates, down from nearly 40% 10 years ago.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Higher Educations Statistics Agency (HESA) statistics show us that three and a half years after graduating, former UK Domiciled students of Scottish universities are earning a median salary of £27,500 – which is the highest in the UK.

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Scotland’s shop vacancy rates reportedly being higher than the rest of the UK, and average household spending reportedly decreasing, what its position is on raising taxes, and what impact raising taxes would have on (a) household spending and (b) economic and business growth.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is committed to competitive business rates and took action to reduce bills in light of the 2017 revaluation. The Scottish Government published the 'The Role of Income Tax in Scotland's Budget' report and it makes clear that any new inc…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect NHS staff, in light of reported figures showing a 46% increase in incidents of verbal or physical aggression against NHS Tayside staff.

Answer · Shona Robison: Any violence or aggression against NHSScotland staff is unacceptable and we have policies in place to provide a continuously improving and safe working environment. We encourage NHSScotland Boards to commit to supporting appropriate action, including pursuing…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take regarding reports that over a quarter of patients awaiting cataract surgery are not seen within the waiting time target.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are taking significant action to reduce waits for all patients including those waiting for cataract surgery. I recognise that some patients are experiencing long waits, which is why the Scottish Government announced at the end of August £150 million fundin…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take regarding the anticipated increase in rail traffic around the Christmas holiday period to ensure that there is minimal inconvenience for passengers.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotRail is required through the Franchise Agreement to manage the delivery of rail services, to accommodate the anticipated increase in rail traffic around the Christmas holiday period. Over this period, ScotRail will be providing four additional services o…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will respond to the chair of the Scottish Police Federation’s reported comment that police officers are “not properly equipped” to deal with armed suspects, in light of the recent stabbing of an officer at Edinburgh College.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In line with current approved standard operating guidelines, all frontline officers are equipped with handcuffs, PAVA spray, a baton and body armour. Any changes to this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable who would take into account the latest r…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will respond to reports that schools in rural areas are far less likely than urban schools to receive aid from the Pupil Equity Fund due to its definition of poverty.

Answer · John Swinney: Through the Scottish Attainment Challenge we have committed £750 million over the course of this parliament to close the poverty related attainment gap for our pupils from the most deprived areas. This funding includes £120m of Pupil Equity funding in 2017-18…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the reported five-fold increase in alcohol-related liver disease among 35 to 55-year-olds in the last decade.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government’s alcohol strategy, Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action, is well regarded internationally and contains over 40 measures to tackle alcohol misuse. The Framework has been shown to have a positive impact …

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects all NHS boards to meet the 18-week target for psychological therapies.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Latest published figures for the quarter ending June 2017 show Health Boards reported an average waiting time equal to or lower than the 18 week standard with a number of these recording an average wait of 9 weeks of lower (half the target wait time). We rem…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects all NHS boards to meet the 18-week target for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

Answer · Maureen Watt: Boards are continuing to reduce their waiting times below the access standard for CAMHS services. Latest published figures for the quarter ending June 2017 show 13 of the 14 Boards in Scotland recorded an average waiting time within the 18 week standard with …

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to invest further in mental healthcare to ensure that patients receive appropriate levels of care, in light of reported research by the Scottish Association for Mental Health, which suggests that almost half of mental health patients received poor quality care under the…

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies, including NHS boards and local authorities, to support implementation of policy. Care and treatment will be delivered in accordance with clinical an…

3 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated to encourage electric vehicle usage.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-12461 on 15 November 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/parliamentarybusin…

3 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it encourages electric car usage, particularly in rural areas.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We allocate funding to a range of initiatives to encourage electric car and van usage. Funding is provided to all 32 local authorities, distributed according to formulae approved by COSLA. Also all consumer and commercial incentives are available nationwide. …

3 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated to (a) increasing the number of and (b) maintaining electric vehicle charging points.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Since 2011 the Scottish Government has allocated over £15 million for the provision of electric vehicle charge points. Part of this funding includes provision of warranties to cover the maintenance and repair of these charge points. Future spend on charging …

3 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many electric vehicle charging points there are in Scotland, and where they are located.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) we already have one of the most comprehensive EV networks in Europe with over 700 charge points, including over 175 rapid chargers. The ChargePlace Scotland website (www.chargeplacescotland.org) provides location and availability…

3 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points, and where they will be located.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10921 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusi…

2 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the collision between an ambulance and a car on the road on 24 October 2017, what action Transerv is taking to make the A737 at Dalgarven safe; how much it has spent on this work in the last year; how much it expects to spend in 2017-18, and by what date this work will be co…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Road safety is of paramount importance in the operation of the trunk road network. Safer road design, improved speed management, continued maintenance and a better provision for vulnerable road users are amongst the steps being taken to reduce the numbers of …

2 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, what its position is on whether the requirement to provide an additional vessel on the Gourock-Dunoon route over winter indicates that the vessels on the route are inappropriate.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Due to significant weather disruption during winter 2011-12 and particularly, winter 2012-13, the Scottish Ministers took the decision to deploy the MV Coruisk on the Gourock to Dunoon route in passenger mode only to improve the resilience of the service. Ar…

2 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, whether it is aware of any issues that have arisen regarding officials’ training and experience in respect of the Gourock-Dunoon tender process.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: No significant issues have arisen. As a matter of course, Transport Scotland keep under review the requirement for training in respect of procurement issues, including the use of the new pre-qualifying European Single Procurement Document for future procureme…

2 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, what its position is on whether the Gourock-Dunoon service’s cost-to-subsidy ratio illustrates that the service level is excessive and inappropriate in respect to the needs of the community.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Gourock to Dunoon ferry service provides a vital transport link for foot passengers between Dunoon town centre harbour and the rail head at Gourock harbour. The public service obligation is set by the Scottish Ministers and the need for the service is def…

2 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, whether it will provide a breakdown of the difference between the original contracted non-fuel subsidy payments and the actual non-fuel subsidy payments for each contract year.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The following table details both the original contracted non-fuel subsidy payment and the actual non-fuel subsidy payments from Contract Year 1 to Contract Year 6 of the Public Service Contract between the Scottish Ministers and Argyll Ferries Ltd. Origina…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the work that CalMac identified in 2015 as being required, what improvements there have been to (a) the ferry fleet and (b) harbours.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Ferry Fleet Since 2015, improvements to the existing CalMac ferry fleet have been undertaken consisting of upgrades and refurbishments of a value of around £8m. In addition, three new vessels, with a total value of around £55m, have entered service: the MV L…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the highest wind level is that Scotland's ferries are permitted to operate in.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Vessels can operate in varying wind conditions. Wind speed is just one example of a range of safety considerations used in evaluating weather conditions before making a decision on whether it is safe to sail.

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask ferry operators to publish winter timetables to (a) allow extra time to be added for weather-related delays and (b) promote winter breaks.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Public Service Contracts for ferry services subsidised by the Scottish Government are published on the Transport Scotland website. https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/ferries/ferry-services/# The operators of these ferry services are required…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many ferries were delayed due to (a) fog and (b) wind in winter 2016-17, and how the number of delays due to technical issues in that period compared with those arising from the weather conditions.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Our ferry Public Service Contracts recognise that there are certain events which are not within the control of the operator, where it would be unreasonable to apply performance deductions to the operator. This is termed a “Relief Event”, and includes sailings…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where its proposed walking and cycling route to match the North Coast 500 will be located; how much it will cost; by what date it will be completed, and when it will be opened to the public.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We are currently working across portfolios and with other partners, including VisitScotland and Forrest Enterprise Scotland, to maximise marine, coastal, tourism and health opportunities for delivering a long distance walking and cycling path, building on the…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with its plans to develop nationwide segregated walking and cycling routes, including those not just on newly-built roads, and how much is being allocated from its active transport budget towards this.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I announced in September that £22.5 million will be invested in 5 projects from now until 2022, as part of the Community Links PLUS programme. There will be 2 projects delivered in Edinburgh and one each in Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling. In addition, the wi…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the active travel budget, and what percentage of people facing transport poverty this increase would support.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As outlined in our Programme for Government, we plan to double the Active Travel budget from £40 million to £80 million per annum from 2018-19. We will continue to build walking and cycling infrastructure in partnership with all local authorities and other pa…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it would cost to introduce the public sector obligation on the Benbecula-Glasgow air service.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This would only be considered if the current commercial service ceased to operate and no alternative operator chose to operate the route on a commercial basis. The cost of a PSO on the Benbecula to Glasgow air route would be dependent on the specification of …

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much is being spent by Transerv to make safe the Kilwinning section of the A737.