Parliamentary questions
Ross Greer
616 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19100 by Jamie Hepburn on 25 October 2018, what proportion of (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding to business it expects its fair work practices criteria to apply to.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: In the 2018-19 Programme for Government, we committed to introduce fair work criteria to business support grants through Regional Selective Assistance and other large Scottish Enterprise job-related grants, starting with grants offered in 2019-20. Building o…
30 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19092 by Ivan McKee on 27 September 2018, what proportion of (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding to business the human rights due diligence requirements apply to.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The human rights due diligence guidance on investments relates predominantly to foreign direct investment. The amount of funding spent on attracting and securing such investment is demand-driven and varies year on year. Information on the proportion of fundin…
30 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to answer to question S5W-18712 by Ivan McKee on 27 September 2018, whether any human rights checks were required to be carried out by Scottish public bodies before entering into an investment relationship or agreement with a third party prior to 14 June 2018 and, if so, whether…
Answer · Ivan McKee: Before the publication of the Scottish Government guidance, Scottish public bodies were required to comply with the Appraisal and Evaluation guidance in the Scottish Public Finance Manual. Although there is no legislative requirement for such checks to take p…
25 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it is providing to each local authority to provide mental health first aid training (a) in schools and (b) to teachers.
Answer · John Swinney: We take child and adolescent mental health very seriously. Since 2014, the Scottish Government has supported delivery of mental health first aid training by offering a grant to local authorities to undertake the Scottish mental health first aid training progr…
23 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19092 by Ivan McKee on 11 October 2018, which section of the Scottish Public Finance Manual contains the statement regarding human rights due diligence checks.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Reference to Human Rights Due Diligence checks is in the Appraisal and Evaluation section of the Scottish Public Finance Manual.
8 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment by the Minister for Local Government and Housing on 29 May 2018 during the stage 1 debate on the Planning (Scotland) Bill regarding its “commitment to effective front loading of the planning system” (Official Report, c.13), what its response is to reports that Sc…
Answer · Derek Mackay: As laid out in their Business Plan, Scottish Enterprise works in partnership with other bodies to promote the full extent of Scotland's assets. On this occasion, the responsibility for dealing with planning applications and local planning matters rests with L…
8 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been provided by Skills Development Scotland to companies involved in the arms trade in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: As this is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland I have asked their Chief Executive to respond to you directly.
3 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-02429 by John Swinney on 3 October 2018 (Official Report, c. 13), what action it will take to investigate the reason for the fall in the number of co-ordinated support plans from 6% of those with an identified additional need in 2010 to 1% in 2017.
Answer · John Swinney: We will continue to monitor the statistical information on co-ordinated support plans and will engage with ADES and CoSLA on these issues. In light of these discussions, we will consider if further revision to the statutory Supporting Learners' Code of Pract…
27 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how much and (b) what proportion of funding that has been awarded by (i) Scottish Enterprise and (ii) Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each of the last 10 years has been given to employers that were Living Wage-accredited.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: I refer the member to my answer to question S5W-19100 on 25 October 2018. 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/parliamentarybusiness…
27 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of employers that have received (i) Scottish Enterprise and (ii) Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding in each of the last 10 years were Living Wage-accredited.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise do not currently retain this information in this way. However, both agencies do consider all aspects of the Scottish Business Pledge when assessing applications for business support, including the Livin…
27 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18712 by Ivan McKee on 27 September 2018, whether its new guidance on human rights and the requirement to conduct an assessment are compulsory and, if not, how it will ensure that the guidance is followed.
Answer · Ivan McKee: All Scottish public bodies within the scope of the Scottish Public Finance Manual are required to follow the manual. The manual states: Human rights due diligence checks should be carried out before entering into an investment relationship or agreement or wit…
25 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that pupils with additional needs receive coordinated support plans where appropriate.
12 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Transport Scotland rejecting a bid from East Dunbartonshire Council for support from the Local Rail Development Fund to consider doubling sections of track on the Milngavie-Westerton route on the grounds that “Work is currently being taken forward by Network Rail to investi…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government works closely with industry partners and wider stakeholders to plan rail investment, including regular discussions with Network Rail. Network Rail and ScotRail are investigating the issues with performance on the Milngavie-Westerton r…
11 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the most recent guidance on human rights reputational risk management for its agencies and other associated bodies was developed; which stakeholders were consulted ahead of or during its development, and whether it will publish the guidance.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Guidance on Due Diligence: Human Rights was published on 14 June 2018. The Guidance, which was informed by best practive from organisations such as the Department for International Development, the United Nations, the European Convention on Human Rights and t…
10 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that ScotRail smartcards function effectively and ease congestion at stations.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government's National Transport Agency, Transport Scotland, meets regularly with ScotRail to discuss all aspects of ScotRail's Smart ticketing programme. Transport Scotland monitors on an on-going basis the delivery of ScotRail's Smart committed …
10 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10525 by John Swinney on 16 August 2017, whether the independent research into additional support for learning has been completed, and whether it will publish its findings.
Answer · John Swinney: The independent research into additional support for learning has been completed. The research is going through quality assurance and clearance processes and will be published in October.
6 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18053 by Michael Russell on 24 August 2018, what further impact assessments, contingency planning proposals and advice regarding a "No Deal" Brexit it plans to publish ahead of the UK’s planned withdrawal from the EU.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government intends to take a coherent, consistent and collaborative approach to preparations for EU exit and I refer the member to my statement on 11 September where I outlined the Government's plans, which include: the alignment of existing fina…
3 Sep 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11258 by Keith Brown on 20 September 2017, for what reason the figures in the answer have twice been amended, and to what extent it considers that this meets section 1.2 (c) of the Ministerial Code, which states that “It is of paramount importance t…
Answer · Ivan McKee: I am very disappointed that information provided to the Scottish Government by our enterprise agencies in good faith proved to be inaccurate. We have now corrected the records and apologised to the members for the errors. We have made it clear to our Enterpr…
30 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £200,590 provided to Raytheon by way of a grant by Scottish Enterprise since 2007 has been used to manufacture laser-guided missile systems, including Paveway IV missiles, or any equipment related to Paveway missile systems.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Scottish Enterprise are the agency who are party to contractual arrangements with Raytheon for specific grants. I have asked their Chief Executive to respond to you directly.
30 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the intended purpose, or purposes, was of the £200,590 provided by way of a grant to Raytheon by Scottish Enterprise since 2007.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Scottish Enterprise are the agency who are party to contractual arrangements with Raytheon for specific grants. I have asked their Chief Executive to respond to you directly.
30 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14272 by Keith Brown on 23 February 2018, what steps it has taken to ensure that public funding provided by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to companies involved in the arms trade has not been used to manufacture munitions.
Answer · Ivan McKee: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18383 on 14 September 2018. 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…
30 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14272 by Keith Brown on 23 February 2018, what it defines as "munitions" whose manufacture or export will not be supported by it, and for how long this criteria has been in place.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The working definition for munition is a ‘weapon or ammunition – particularly for military use’. Scotland’s enterprise agencies do not support the manufacture or export of munitions.
30 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03736 by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016, what criteria it uses to define companies involved in the arms trade.
Answer · Ivan McKee: As stated in the answer to S5W-03736, Highlands and Islands Enterprise provided funding figures for a range of activities in businesses that may be targeting defence contracts as part of their operating strategy. Scottish Enterprise used the industry standard…
7 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to make preparations for any impact on Scotland of a "no deal" outcome in the negotiations to leave the EU.
Answer · Michael Russell: Scotland voted to remain in the European Union. The Scottish Government’s view is that remaining within the European Union is the best option for Scotland’s future. Failing that, as set out in Scotland’s Place in Europe and Scotland’s Place in Europe: People,…
6 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers of children and young people (a) with vision impairment and (b) who are deaf there have been in each year since 2007, broken down by local authority.
Answer · John Swinney: Statistics on the number of teachers with a main subject of visual impairment and hearing impairment are published in the teacher census supplementary data (split by primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) and are available on the Scottish Governm…
6 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the report by the Scottish Sensory Centre, The Qualification of Teachers of pupils with visual impairment, or pupils with hearing impairment or pupils with multi-sensory impairment (vision and hearing impairment).
Answer · John Swinney: The Qualification of Teachers of pupils with visual impairment, or pupils with hearing impairment or pupils with multi-sensory impairment 2016 report, was commissioned by the Scottish Government, in response to the Education & Culture Committee’s inquiry into…
23 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15018 by John Swinney on 8 March 2018, when it plans to publish data on support staff in schools, which is ordinarily included in the Teacher Census Supplementary Data release.
Answer · John Swinney: Statistics on school support staff for 2017 were published on 31 July 2018. They can be accessed at the following page on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/SupportStaff.
23 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its commitment in the Programme for Government 2017-18, how many schools currently have a home-school link worker.
Answer · John Swinney: Based on data collected as part of the September 2017 school staff census there were 201 FTE home school link workers employed in Scotland and each worker may serve multiple schools. In addition to these staff, other local authority staff may provide similar …
13 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03736 by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016, whether it will provide the (a) name of and (b) amount received by each company involved in the arms trade that received funding from Scottish Enterprise in each year since 2006.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise I have asked their Chief Executive to respond to you directly.
6 Jun 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported low uptake of coordinated support plans among pupils with additional needs.