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: S5W-11746

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the take-up has been of the New Supply Shared Equity (NSEE) scheme.

Question reference: S5W-11710

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that English language classes are available to (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers.

Question reference: S5W-11743

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 12 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Syrian refugees receive the support required under the refugees action plan, and what plans it has to review whether the support offered by the assigned integration support teams is meeting their needs.

The operation of refugee resettlement schemes is reserved to the UK Government and managed by the Home Office. Support for refugees arriving under the Syrian Resettlement Programme is provided by local authorities, who report to the Home Office on delivery of the programme in their areas.

The New Scots refugee integration strategy provides a framework for the integration of all refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland. The Scottish Government is working with COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council and a wide range of other partners to develop the next New Scots strategy for publication in early 2018.

Question reference: S5F-01613

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2017

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will undertake a national audit of the number of people who are rough sleeping.

Question reference: S5W-11256

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what accountability the Glasgow Colleges Regional Board has to ministers; what role it plays in appointments to the board and the other senior executive positions at the college, and what its position is on the salaries paid to the board and the other senior executive positions.

The Chair of Glasgow Colleges Regional Board (GCRB) is appointed directly by Scottish Ministers; Ordinary members of the board are appointed by the Chair and the Regional Board with approval from Scottish Ministers. Ordinary members are appointed through an open recruitment process with regard to the Government’s College Sector Guidance on Board Appointments.

The level of the Chair's salary is determined by Scottish Ministers. GCRB has responsibility for the salaries of the executive team and responsibility for funding decisions over the college region. The Scottish Funding Council awarded GCRB fully-operational fundable body status from 1 April, 2017 and provides funding directly to GCRB for the management of funds within the region.

Glasgow Colleges Regional Board has reconsidered its decision and it will not implement the proposed salary changes. The Scottish Government has been in close dialogue with GCRB and the Scottish Funding Council on this matter. All publicly funded institutions should ensure that they operate with maximum efficiency and effectiveness recognising the expectations of the Scottish Government that those funded from the public purse should operate within the spirit of the principles of the Public Sector Pay Policy.

Question reference: S5W-10937

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has reimbursed local authorities under the Scottish Welfare Fund scheme, Assistance with Housing Costs for 18-21 year olds.

Reimbursement details are subject to agreement through COSLA’s usual processes, and funding for 2017-18 will be announced and included as an adjustment to this year’s Local Government Finance Order in February 2018, with payments to Local Authorities being made thereafter.

Local Authorities in full service areas reported to COSLA that to date there have been a number of enquiries resulting in one case receiving assistance for housing costs through the Scottish Welfare Fund. COSLA report that advice has been given to all those who have presented at Local Authorities as a result of being denied assistance with housing costs through Universal Credit, and in at least 50% of these cases the individual has been able to claim an exemption through DWP after receiving advice and support to do so.

Question reference: S5O-01248

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to further the automation of benefits to help poorer families.

Question reference: S5O-01216

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to put specific provisions in the Social Security (Scotland) Bill to rule out private contractors conducting disability assessments.

Question reference: S5W-10814

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of Pladis and what issues were discussed.

The Scottish Government’s economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise (SE), last met with Pladis representatives on 16 August 2017. Issues discussed included SE’s ongoing support for the Tollcross site and its staff; recent press coverage of GMB union concerns over future investment at Tollcross; the economic conditions facing Pladis across the UK; and the investment of over £5m in recent years by Pladis at the site for operational and production line improvements.

Question reference: S5W-10815

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement Scottish Enterprise has had with Pladis regarding the future of manufacturing at its factory in Tollcross, Glasgow.

Scottish Enterprise (SE) has been actively supporting the company’s manufacturing business at Tollcross for the last three years, and work is currently ongoing with SE’s Workforce Innovation team to support workforce development. SE also has a strong relationship with Pladis UK and recently spoke about the concerns raised by the GMB Union over future investment at the Tollcross site. SE has been advised that there are no current plans to reduce the company’s operation at the site.SE met with the company on 16 August 2017 to continue its engagement and support activity to help optimise the site’s competitiveness and secure its long-term future.

Finance Year	No of households
2007-08	527
2008-09	651
2009-10	721
2010-11	491
2011-12	446
2012-13	302
2013-14	307
2014-15	252
2015-16	189
2016-17	179
Total	4,065