Parliamentary questions
Jamie Greene
1,978 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the money allocated to support the roll-out of fibre cable broadband has been future-proofed to deal with any increase in demand or speed.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government and our partners are investing over £400 million in the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme, which is delivering new fibre-enabled infrastructure that can be built upon as technology advances. The predominant technology use…
12 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to encourage parity in the cost of access to broadband and other digital services across rural and urban areas.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Pricing of telecoms services is a reserved matter which falls within the remit of Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator. Whilst telecoms providers in the UK do not differentiate pricing on a geographic basis, we accept that there is generally less competition in r…
12 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to encourage more job opportunities in the digital sector.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scotland has a thriving tech community with home grown digital technology companies like Skyscanner and Rockstar North achieving global success – we want more of them to do so. We are trialling new methods of supporting business innovation, including a digita…
12 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all (a) households and (b) commercial premises that currently do not have the opportunity to access high-speed broadband will be included in its plans for 100% coverage.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to delivering 100% superfast broadband coverage by 2021. We are currently conducting an Open Market Review. This is a formal consultation with broadband suppliers to determine their commercial investment plans over the nex…
12 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out or plans on the effect would of driverless cars being allowed on roads.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government supports and encourages research, testing and development of autonomous vehicles in Scotland, subject to ensuring the safety of road users. Most of the relevant legislation is reserved to the UK Government and Transport Scotland is wo…
7 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the roll-out of high speed broadband to the last 5% of homes and businesses, including how it will manage the tender for public funds to provide this, and whether it will consider the widest possible range of technologies in reaching remainder households and premi…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We expect delivery of our 100% superfast broadband commitment to involve a number of different interventions, utilising a range of technologies and commercial solutions. Further details will be provided during 2017 once we have analysed the results of the rec…
7 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the UK Government’s announcement in the Autumn Statement of a £1 billion digital infrastructure investment.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: While further investment in digital infrastructure is to be welcomed, it is important that Scotland benefits from this new funding to reflect the greater challenges associated with delivering telecoms here. The Scottish Government is engaging with UK Governm…
7 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to turn any Scottish cities into "smart cities" in the future.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: In February 2015 I announced that £10 million had been allocated within the Scottish European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme for 2014-2020 for collaborative projects to make all of Scotland’s cities smarter. The £10 million in ERDF grant (which is…
7 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s announcement to assist start-up broadband providers through funding and tax reductions, how it plans to ensure that these incentives are offered to companies in Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is engaging with UK Government to obtain more detailed information on the Autumn Budget statement announcements and to seek opportunities for collaboration. We will work closely with the UK Government to ensure that Scotland benefits f…
7 Dec 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to work with the UK Government to with regard to the recently announced investment in 5G technology to ensure that Scotland benefits from this.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Regulation of mobile telephony is reserved to the UK Government. Nevertheless, the Scottish Government is seeking to engage with the UK Government at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the investment announced in the Autumn Statement supports early 5G tr…
25 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support job growth in the digital sector in island and rural areas.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We believe that the adoption and use of digital technologies by business will assist growth in all sectors in areas across Scotland. This is why we are so determined to ensure that all of our businesses have access to the connectivity which will enable them t…
25 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with the UK Government to ensure that the rollout of UK-wide 5G technology compliments its ambitions for greater mobile coverage and faster connections.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is keen to work with UKG to ensure that the investment announced in last week’s Autumn Statement supports 5G trials and deployment in Scotland. On 25 October 2016 I wrote to Matt Hancock MP, Minister of State at the Department of Cultu…
25 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on using the TV whitespace spectrum to broadcast internet to island and rural areas.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: TV White Space technology could potentially be used to deliver broadband services to rural areas in future. The Scottish Government has provided approximately £410,000 of funding to the University of Strathclyde's Centre for White Space Communications to tria…
25 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to increase the number of computer science teachers.
Answer · John Swinney: We have increased student teacher intake targets for the fifth year in a row and are setting targets to train teachers in the subjects where they are needed most. We delivered a successful #inspiringteachers campaign focusing on STEM subjects which has resul…
25 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with the UK Government to ensure that the spending on digital infrastructure projects that was outlined in the Autumn Statement is aligned with its own plans.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The UK Government’s announcement of planned investment in digital infrastructure could potentially help to deliver the Scottish Government’s world class ambitions and our commitment to deliver 100% superfast broadband access by 2021. Although the Scottish Go…
25 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage more women to have careers in the digital sector, and what proportion of the digital workforce is female.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Recent figures show that women make up only 18% of those in technology roles across Scotland’s economy. The Scottish Government is working with key partners from the public sector, academia and industry to address this imbalance. Through the ICT and Digital …
25 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with its initiatives to increase the number of people graduating in STEM subjects.
Answer · John Swinney: STEM education and training is vital for meeting the demands and challenges of our economy and for building the society we want to see now and in the future. The Scottish Government have a comprehensive and ambitious plan for improving Scotland’s STEM talent …
21 Nov 2016 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider holding a public inquiry into deaths in childbirth in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
16 Nov 2016 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the North Ayrshire economy of moving the Arran ferry service from Ardrossan to Troon.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I announced on 3 November that Transport Scotland has commissioned a STAG style study to consider potential mainland berthing options for the Arran ferry service. The study will look at the options objectively, taking into account the local social and econom…
9 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 action it is taking to ensure that the Police Scotland review of its estate will take account of any concerns raised by communities about the impact of the closure of station…
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. Changes to the police estate require the approval of the SPA. The SPA have made clear that proposed c…
9 Nov 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out regarding what representation an independent Scotland could have in the European Parliament and on the European Council.
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had or plans with broadband providers regarding the (a) cost and (b) speed of connections in rural, remote and island areas compared with urban areas.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has regular dialogue with broadband providers on a range of issues, including speeds. Responsibility for overseeing the quality of service, cost, and speeds delivered by broadband providers sits with Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator. T…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote (a) software development and coding and (b) other digital skills across the education system.
Answer · John Swinney: Throughout education, the Government and its partner bodies are working to equip all young people with the digital skills they need to thrive in modern society and the workplace, from basic digital literacy through to more specialist computing science discipl…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that mobile coverage is available in all rural, remote and island areas.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Although reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government is committed to doing everything we can, with the powers and funding available to us, to improve mobile coverage across Scotland, including rural, remote and island areas. In June 2016, we agreed an ac…
12 Sep 2016 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to tackle homophobic bullying in schools in light of the recent survey by the Time for Inclusive Education group.
11 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in each year since 2011 for the purchase of tobacco products by under-18-year-olds.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There were no prosecutions for the purchase of tobacco products by under 18-year-olds since 2011-12.
11 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in each year since 2007 for the sale of tobacco products to under-18-year-olds.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of people prosecuted and convicted in Scottish Courts for offences under the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 Section 18(1) and Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 Section 4(1) is given in the following table. Pe…
26 May 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what timetable it is working to in its pledge to examine extending the minor ailment service.