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: S4O-01709

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on concerns regarding Glasgow City Council’s plans for the redevelopment of George Square.

Question reference: S4W-11955

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the consultation paper on redesigning community justice structures.

The consultation paper “Redesigning the community justice system” will be published today. It has been developed with input from key stakeholders, including COSLA and the Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW), and sets out three options for reforming the existing arrangements to establish a more effective system, with strong leadership and accountability, to reduce rates of reoffending.

The three options are:

Option A: An enhanced Community Justice Authority (CJA) model, where changes are made to CJA membership and functions.

Option B: A local authority model, where local authorities assume responsibility for the strategic planning, design and delivery of offender services in the community.

Option C: A single service model, where a new national social work-led service for community justice (separate to and sitting alongside the Scottish Prison Service) is established.

The consultation will run from 20 December 2012 until 30 April 2013. During this period we plan to hold a series of consultation events across Scotland, open to both practitioners and members of the public, to discuss what should replace the current arrangements. Further details on the dates and locations will be published shortly on the Scottish Government website: www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/offender-management. A copy of the consultation has been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (SPICe) (Bib number 54554)

Question reference: S4W-11596

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 29 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce satellite tracking of offenders in Scotland.

On 21 September 2012, the Scottish Government entered into a new electronic monitoring contract with G4S to provide electronic monitoring of offenders in Scotland from 1 April 2013. That contract will for the first time give the Scottish Government the capability to GPS track (satellite track) offenders.

GPS tracking has considerable potential and we are keen to explore what it can offer to the justice system in Scotland. The Scottish Government intend to issue a consultation paper on the use of GPS by summer 2013.

Question reference: S4W-11516

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 November 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on developing a fire and rescue framework for the new Scottish fire and rescue service.

I have today launched a consultation on the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2013 which invites comment on our strategic priorities for the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Copies of the consultation papers will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. Number 54465).

The draft Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2013 has been prepared in partnership with key stakeholders. The evidence supporting the development of priorities is drawn from recommendations for improvements from a range of publicly available reports, including, for example, the recent best value audits of fire and rescue services and the Galston Mine Inquiry.

Question reference: S4O-01484

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its international development strategy is in relation to the occupied Palestinian territories.

Question reference: S4O-01410

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the model of microfinance proposed by the Grameen Scotland Foundation for tackling poverty.

Question reference: S4F-00883

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 September 2012

To ask the First Minister what progress is being made with reducing waiting times for treatment for drug misuse.

Question reference: S4O-01289

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its priorities are for the next tranche of funding from the CashBack for Communities programme.

Question reference: S4O-01145

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what consensus it has reached with other parties regarding allowing the proceeds of fiscal fines to remain in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-06886

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Home Office regarding concerns that families may become destitute as a result of the award of the contract for the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers in Scotland to Serco.

The responsibility for the award of this contract is a reserved matter. However, Scottish Government officials have been kept informed by UKBA officials during the tendering process and initial roll out of the contract for the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers which was awarded to Serco earlier this year.

In December 2011, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs wrote to Home Office Minister, Damian Green MP expressing her concerns that the change in contract would not adversely affect the lives of asylum seekers living in Scotland, and noting that she wished to be kept fully informed of any developments.

In relation to families becoming destitute as a result of the award of the contract to Serco, UKBA have advised that families with dependent children under the age of 18 will remain entitled to accommodation and support until all members of the family are adults.

The Scottish Government remains clear that whilst asylum seekers are in Scotland they must be welcomed and supported.