Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-21984

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost Serco NorthLink to charter the MV Hildasay from 2012 to 2018.

Question reference: S4W-21981

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, what discussions it has had with Caledonian MacBrayne regarding the rates of pay for ratings on the MS Clipper Ranger.

Transport Scotland has had regular discussions with CalMac Ferries and Serco NorthLink Ferries about pay levels for employees of SeaTruck since this was first highlighted as an issue by both operators.

We have made it clear, to both CalMac Ferries and Serco NorthLink Ferries, that we expect them to offer to pay for increases to be made to the wage levels of these crew members, backdated to the start of the charter agreements these companies have with Seatruck. However, we understand that Seatruck has still to agree to this offer.

CalMac Ferries and Serco NorthLink are actively pursuing a solution in the interests of the seafarers concerned.

Question reference: S4W-21983

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how much it cost David MacBrayne Ltd to charter the MV Hildasay from 2006 to 2012.

Question reference: S4W-21982

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when Caledonian MacBrayne chartered the MS Clipper Ranger; when the charter will end, and what the cost has been.

Question reference: S4W-21367

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason police misconduct hearings are only held internally, and what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding this.

Police misconduct hearings are held internally in line with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice on discipline cases that should be used in all workplaces. In line with section 54 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, the Police Service of Scotland (Conduct) Regulations 2014 and the Police Service of Scotland (Senior Officers) (Conduct) Regulations 2013 were consulted with the main policing stakeholders, including the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-21456

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of police misconduct hearings only being held internally, what protections are in place to ensure that they are conducted in a fair and impartial manner, and what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding this.

The Police Service of Scotland (Conduct) Regulations 2014 and the Police Service of Scotland (Senior Officers) (Conduct) Regulations 2013 take into account the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service code of practice on discipline cases that promotes fairness and transparency in all workplaces. In line with section 54 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, these regulations were consulted with the main policing stakeholders, including the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-21366

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that, in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights, police officers who have been found guilty of misconduct but who are not demoted or dismissed have a right to an independent and impartial tribunal.

The Police Service of Scotland (Conduct) Regulations 2014 and the Police Service of Scotland (Senior Officers) (Conduct) Regulations 2013 take into account the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice on discipline cases that should be used in all workplaces. The ACAS code of practice promotes fairness and transparency within workplaces, but officers have the right to seek redress to a finding of a misconduct process through an employment tribunal or judicial review.

Question reference: S4T-00710

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support Devro and its workforce following the announcement of major job losses.

Question reference: S4W-21084

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether its publishing, print, design and associated services contract that was announced on 17 February 2014 could be delivered by a single company and, if so, what information it has on how many Scotland-based companies could do so.

Services for publishing, print and design will not be delivered by a single company because these services are included under a number of frameworks. Scottish Procurement advertised for a single supplier to deliver a fully managed service for publishing, print, design and associated services. This framework is required to meet the needs of both the Scottish Government and other organisations that have made an operational decision to manage their publishing, print and design services in this way. Organisations that do not require a fully managed service can use the print services framework, which has been advertised and will have up to 17 print suppliers, or the design services lot of the current marketing services framework which has five design suppliers.

Historically, the fully managed service has been provided by a single supplier with extensive use of sub-contractors. The current supplier, APS Group (Scotland) Ltd is a registered Scottish company, who have an office and business premises in Leith where they employ 91 staff. APS have put in place an extensive supply chain and have awarded business to 154 Scottish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) over the past four years. The previous supplier of a fully managed service for design, print, publishing and associated services was RR Donnelly who are also based in Edinburgh.

Our past experience and recent market engagement suggests a number of potential providers are based in Scotland. In addition, as has been proven to date, the requirement lends itself to an extensive delivery strategy which enables Scottish based suppliers and SMEs to be awarded business through supply chain activity. The invitation to tender also made it clear that Scottish Procurement would consider single bids, consortia bids and the use of sub-contractors for delivery.

Question reference: S4W-21085

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether the tendering process for its publishing, print, design and associated services contract that was announced on 17 February 2014 is a new approach to such services and, if so, for what reason it was introduced.

The approach to the delivery of such services has varied slightly in that the requirement now includes provision of promotional items, display materials and DVD duplication. The provision of a fully managed service for publishing, print, design and associated services has been contracted out to a single supplier, with significant use of sub-contractors, since 1994. The current framework is open to the central government sector including the core Scottish Government, Scottish Government agencies, non-departmental public bodies, health boards and other organisations funded through Scottish Ministers. The new framework will be open to all Scottish public sector bodies. Use of the framework is not mandated.