Ross Greer

23 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to disabled people who want to make a train journey from an unstaffed station at short notice, and what action it is taking to increase this support.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: On board train staff will assist passengers who have booked in advance to board or alight at unstaffed stations. This service is provided by ScotRail, and all other train companies, as a condition of their operating licence issued by the Office of Road & Rail…

23 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional staff would ScotRail require to ensure that all passenger services run with at least one additional onboard staff member.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Franchise Agreement (Schedule 1.4) mandates ScotRail to use “all reasonable endeavours” to maintain a minimum staffing level for every train service of two members of staff. It is for ScotRail to determine, in consultation with staff whether and how many…

23 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of ScotRail passenger services have run without at least one additional onboard staff member in each year since 2010-11.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: From 2010-11 until April 2015 the ScotRail Franchise was operated by First ScotRail and Transport Scotland do not hold this information. Information in the detail requested has been supplied to Transport Scotland by ScotRail from Period 1 - April 2016. Per…

23 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the proportion of ScotRail services that are fully accessible to disabled people.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has secured a range of services and improvements for disabled and other passengers through the Abellio ScotRail franchise. For example, £3m of funding dedicated to make small access improvements at stations throughout the network suppo…

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what voluntary opportunities, which are accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, there are in schools for people who are opposed to the military’s involvement in education, and how these are promoted to pupils.

Answer · John Swinney: A range of volunteering opportunities are available to all young people in Scotland which they can choose to participate in either in schools or youth work setting, many of which are accredited. Participation in such youth awards can play a key role in helpin…

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it was aware that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reportedly paid out £2 million between 2011 and 2014 to cadets who experienced sexual assaults while in the care of the MoD and, in light of this, what its position is on the appropriateness of the cadet experience syllabus for Scot…

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has not been made aware of these reports. The cadet experience syllabus is not being rolled out in Scottish schools.

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) regarding the cadet experience syllabus in Scottish schools, and whether it was made aware of the reported sexual assaults of cadets while in the MoD's care.

Answer · John Swinney: The Cadet Experience is not being rolled out in Scottish schools. Instead community based Cadet Linked Detachments are working with a number of schools to deliver learning which supports Curriculum for Excellence, rather than following the UK Government model…

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07573 by John Swinney on 8 March 2017, what its position is on written answer HL1278/2015 in the House of Lords, in which the Under Secretary of State for Scotland indicates that a “linked detachment program” operates in six Scottish state schools, …

Answer · John Swinney: The UK Government has no responsibility for design and delivery of education policy and practice in Scotland. We do not support cadet units being based in state schools in Scotland.

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to consult with (a) parents, (b) teachers and (c) pupils on the use of the military to provide voluntary opportunities that are accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Answer · John Swinney: Where a local authority and schools are working with community based Cadet Linked Detachments to deliver learning which supports Curriculum for Excellence, we would expect the authority and schools to make parents, staff and children and young people aware of…

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether any sexual assaults of cadets in the Ministry of Defence's care happened (a) in Scotland and (b) to Scottish children.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has not received any information on whether any sexual assault of cadets in the Ministry of Defence’s care have happened in Scotland to Scottish children.

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether a Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment has been performed for the proposed cadet experience, and whether the results of this will be published.

Answer · John Swinney: Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) is a process through which officials can identify, research, analyse and record the anticipated impact of any proposed law and policy on children’s human rights and wellbeing. The CRWIA is a purpose built p…

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of children being bullied by instructors in the Combined Cadet Forces (CCF), what information it has on any Scottish schools reporting bullying to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in (a) the CCF and (b) Linked Detachment Groups; how many incidences of bullying in Scotla…

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has no information on Scottish schools reporting bullying to the MoD in the CCF or Linked Detachment Groups. Matters relating to defence are reserved to the UK Parliament. We would expect any instance of bullying in a Scottish school t…

17 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the submission to petition PE1603 from Scientists for Global Responsibility, which criticises the use of the military to teach STEM subjects in schools, and whether part of the proposed cadet experience will be used to teach STEM subjects.

Answer · John Swinney: Education Scotland published benchmark guidance earlier in 2017 which provides clarity on the national standards expected in each curriculum area and at each Curriculum for Excellence level in Scotland. The guidance affirms that teaching of STEM subjects in S…

17 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the distributional impact on households of its proposed Air Departure Tax reduction.

16 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on 16 May 2017 (Official Report, c. 15), on what dates it has held joint meetings with Colleges Scotland and EIS-FELA regarding the implementation of the agreement that was reached in 2016.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: There have been no joint meetings with the Employers Association of Colleges Scotland and EIS-FELA held by the Scottish Government.

8 May 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to prepare for the event of no deal being agreed following the Brexit negotiations.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is considering a range of scenarios in relation to Brexit. It will be much easier to predict and plan for all scenarios if Scotland is fully engaged in the negotiation process. It is clear is that a no-deal scenario would be extremely…

4 May 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the decision by the SQA to restrict teachers’ access to exam papers after the exam has been taken to prevent "inappropriate postings" on social media.

26 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that the importance of consent is taught as part of sex education in schools.

Answer · John Swinney: I agree that consent is an important and integral part of all sex education in schools. That is why it will be included within the Scottish Government review of personal and social education.

20 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the working group on LGBTI inclusive education will report its findings.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises the importance attached to the work of the LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group. It is essential the Working Group be given the time and space to look at these important issues carefully and it will be for the group to de…

10 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its proposed review of personal and social education, whether it will provide details of (a) the full remit of the review, (b) the terms of reference for the review, (c) the review's timescale, (d) who will conduct the review, (e) what efforts will be undertaken to consult sta…

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government will publish this information when it is available. Initial discussions have been held between officials from the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and COSLA to consider potential options for taking this review forward. These id…

4 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to progress action 110720004 in the Clyde and Loch Lomond Local Flood Risk Management Plan, natural flood management work on Gruggies Burn in Dumbarton.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government does not implement flood risk management measures. Local authorities and other responsible authorities, such as Scottish Water, are responsible for delivering these actions. The natural flood management work in the Gruggies catchment …

16 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which of Scotland's harbours and ports are (a) publicly owned and (b) privately operated.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: There are large numbers of ports and harbours around the Scottish coast ranging in size from large commercial ports to local piers, slipways and marinas. Ownership models include harbour trusts, privately owned harbours, local authority ownership and harbour…

15 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to support local government pension funds that wish to divest from fossil fuels and reinvest in projects such as social housing.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has encouraged pension funds to invest into affordable housing. Key to success is close partnership working across the public and private sector to ensure there are clearly defined investment opportunities. An early example is Falkirk …

27 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if an expansion of cadet forces in schools is undertaken, how it will ensure that schools can offer viable alternatives to pupils who may on moral, ethical, personal or religious grounds not wish to take part.

Answer · John Swinney: There are no cadet forces in schools and no expansion is planned.

27 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding it has received since 2015 as a result of UK Government action to expand cadet forces in schools, and what resources it has provided to (a) cadet organisations and (b) peace education.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has received no additional funding from the UK Government to expand cadet forces.

27 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it undertook prior to any policy changes since 2015 that may facilitate cadet forces’ (a) integration with the curriculum for excellence and (b) access to pupils.

Answer · John Swinney: There has been no change in policy. The Scottish Government continues to support a distinct Scottish approach to developing cadet forces, with the syllabus integrated into Curriculum for Excellence, rather than following the UK Government model with the schoo…

27 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on cadet forces in state schools.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s position is unchanged in support of a distinct Scottish approach to developing cadet forces as voluntary, community-based units. We do not support cadet units based in state schools.

15 Feb 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the concessionary travel scheme to people aged 18 or under.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Young People already provides discounts on bus and rail travel within Scotland for all young people living in Scotland aged 16 to 18. Using the Young Scot smart card, the Scheme offers a one-third discount off the …

8 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates it has met the Hometown Foundation since May 2016; who attended; what the purpose was of each meeting; what was discussed, and what future meetings are planned.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has met with the Hometown Foundation on two occasions since May 2016, to hear about their proposals for state-funded autonomous schools. I met the Director of the Hometown Foundation on 25 October 2016. Officials were also present. The…

27 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made toward the electrification of the Glasgow to (a) Kilmarnock and (b) East Kilbride line.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is committed to rail electrification recognising the key benefits it brings in terms of improved journey times and connectivity, environmental benefits and reduced industry costs. Future electrification schemes, such as Glasgow to Kil…