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-06050

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on drug prevention education in schools in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S5O-00599

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that communities and town centres provide at least a basic level of banking access for older and disabled customers and small businesses.

Question reference: S5O-00563

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist in the upskilling of workers on an ongoing basis.

The education system, along with employability and training programmes, aim to ensure that all of our people are equipped with the skills to successfully enter the labour market and contribute to our economy.

We consulted on our response to the UK Government's Apprenticeship Levy. In direct response to the views of employers as part of that consultation, the Scottish Government's draft budget for 2017-18 includes plans to introduce a new £10 million Workforce Development Fund to support the up skilling of those already in employment.

Question reference: S5W-05804

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many air weapon licence applications have been submitted since 1 November 2016, and how long it should take to process these.

Question reference: S5W-05801

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00231 by Mark McDonald on 29 November 2016 (Official Report, c. 3), whether it will provide additional resources to Police Scotland to deal with the claims of child sex abuse in football.

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting the police revenue budget in real terms for the entirety of this Parliament, delivering an additional £100 million of investment over the next five years, in addition to £55 million of reform funding in 2016-17. It is for the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to determine the best possible use of its budget according to national and local priorities.

Question reference: S5W-05091

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 13 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many state schools have offered courses in (a) Mandarin and (b) other non-European languages in each of the last five years, and what the take-up rate has been.

Schools provide language learning opportunities to pupils in many flexible and innovative ways, including non-certificated courses, clubs and master classes. The Scottish Government’s 1+2 languages policy is supporting this in both primary and secondary contexts. However, decisions on which languages to offer in which schools rests with each individual school and local authority, taking account of local circumstances.

The Scottish Government provides annual grant funding to the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools, based at the University of Strathclyde, provide strategic leadership of Scotland’s Confucius Classroom network. There are currently 21 Confucius Classrooms based in Scottish local authorities, a further 21 Confucius Classrooms based within primary schools will be established in the coming years. This further provision will provide the opportunity for more pupils to experience learning about China, it’s language and culture.

Entries to Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) National Qualification courses in Chinese languages (Cantonese, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional)) have increased over the past five years, while entries to SQA Urdu courses have remained largely static during this time. There are currently no other SQA National Qualification courses in non-European languages.

Question reference: S5W-05803

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 13 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding any deficiencies in legislation regarding the cross-border recognition of orders relating to the custody and care of children in Scotland and those in England and Wales.

The placing of children from England in Scottish secure units under orders from an English court is essentially a matter for local authorities in England and for the Scottish secure care providers.

However, following the 12 September 2016 High Court judgment impacting on those discrete arrangements, Scottish Government officials have worked alongside UK colleagues with a view to stabilising the current and forward positions for vulnerable young people from England and for the Scottish secure care providers.

Edward Timpson MP, Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families, wrote to me on 27 October 2016 seeking our ‘in principle’ agreement to progress a Legislative Consent Motion on an amendment to the current UK Children and Social Work Bill. That amendment will address a gap in law relating to the placement of young people from England and Wales in Scottish secure accommodation.

On 2 November 2016 I responded, giving our agreement in principle to progress the Legislative Consent Motion. That agreement stems from our concern for the welfare of the young people affected and from our interest in supporting the work of the secure care providers in Scotland. Our agreement is also contingent on the right safeguards being put in place for Scottish young people and Scottish secure care providers.

Scottish Government officials have since continued to work closely with UK counterparts to progress the proposed amendment to the Children and Social Work Bill.

Final consent of the Scottish Parliament will be required, and the Legislative Consent Motion is now being considered by the Education and Skills Committee.

Question reference: S5W-05802

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 13 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish court orders in each of the last 10 years under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 have placed children in secure accommodation in England and Wales.

Question reference: S5W-05089

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many 999 calls have been made to the (a) police, (b) fire and (c) ambulance service in each of the last 10 years, and how many were hoax calls.

Question reference: S5W-05796

Asked by: Gordon Lindhurst, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to reduce the costs of work carried out to conserve historic (a) buildings, (b) monuments and (c) tenements.

It is the responsibility of the owners of historic buildings, monuments and tenements to ensure the conservation and repair of their properties. The cost of conservation work is usually determined by the scale of the problem needing rectified. In view of this, the Scottish Government and Historic Environment Scotland advocate the regular inspection and maintenance of buildings to identify and rectify issues before they become problems, thereby reducing the risk of urgent and expensive repairs at a later date. Advice for owners of historic properties is available from Historic Environment Scotland.

With specific reference to tenements, the Scottish Government online guide, Common Repair, Common Sense, on the management of tenements in Scotland: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0041/00417200.pdf also notes that “Regular inspections followed by prompt remedial action will reduce the costs of minor and major repairs.” In September 2016, the Under One Roof web resource http://www.underoneroof.scot/ was launched as part of the Year of Architecture, Innovation and Design. This free, impartial resource provides advice for the owners and occupiers of tenements and flats in Scotland.

Some owners may be eligible for grant support towards repairs. Scottish Government funding for the historic environment is channelled via the Historic Environment Scotland grant schemes. The level of these grant schemes has been maintained over recent years, despite economic pressures. Grant programmes in Scotland's Cities are administered by local City Heritage Trusts, who can advise on grant eligibility and also provide advice to property owners.