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-22930

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether all ferries operated by Serco NorthLink as part of the 2012-18 Northern Isles contract already comply with the limits relating to the sulphur dioxide content of marine fuel contained in the regulations due to come into effect on 1 January 2015.

Question reference: S4W-22928

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of the public sector bid for the 2012-18 Northern Isles ferry contract and whether there are any outstanding freedom of information requests on this matter.

Question reference: S4W-22931

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether all ferries operated by Shetland Line (1984) Limited as part of the contract for freight services to the Northern Isles already comply with the limits relating to the sulphur dioxide content of marine fuel contained in the regulations due to come into effect on 1 January 2015.

Question reference: S4F-02363

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 November 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 November 2014

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the KPMG study that indicates that more than 400,000 workers in Scotland are being paid less than the living wage.

Question reference: S4W-22929

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of David MacBrayne Ltd’s bid for the contract to operate Swedish ferry services in the Baltic Sea.

Question reference: S4F-02326

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2014

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that ScotRail has recorded nearly £100 million in profit since 2008, with £95 million of that being paid to shareholders.

Question reference: S4W-22379

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the document setting out the strategic vision for the long-term future of Glasgow Prestwick airport.

Question reference: S4W-22329

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether its special advisers will stand down ahead of the purdah period of the referendum campaign and, if so, what pay-off arrangements it has made.

Question reference: S4O-03402

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Scottish Funding Council regarding the European regional development funding that was given to the Woodburn House site of the former Langside College.

Question reference: S4W-21213

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many public sector employees are paid the living wage, broken down by (a) public body and (b) job role.

Since 2011, this Government has ensured all staff within our responsibility have been paid a living wage. We are committed to supporting the Scottish Living Wage for the duration of this Parliament, a decisive long-term commitment to those on the lowest incomes.

Whilst all public sector employees directly subject to our public sector pay policy (details available at www.scotland.gov.uk/publicsectorpay) are paid at least the living wage, there are just over 600 employees paid at the living wage rate. We are unable to provide the details by individual organisation. Due to the small numbers involved, there would be a risk of identifying individual employees.

In the white paper we have publicly stated our commitment for a sustainable and fairly rewarded employment with the living wage and minimum wage central to our employment policy.

We fully support the principles of the Scottish Living Wage campaign and recognise it aims to make a real difference to the people of Scotland, by encouraging employers to reward their staff fairly.

To help increase the number of employers paying the living wage across all sectors in Scotland, we are providing funding for the Poverty Alliance to promote take up of the living wage accreditation scheme in following the example we have set.