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-30010

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-05529 by Shona Robison on 4 February 2016 (Official Report, c. 6), whether it sought further advice from the relevant clinicians following its announcement on 2 April 2014 that the four major trauma centres would be in place from 2016 and, if so, for what reasons.

Question reference: S4W-30009

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-05529 by Shona Robison on 4 February 2016 (Official Report, c. 6), what expert advice it received in advance of its announcement on 2 April 2014 that the four major trauma centres would be in place from 2016, and from whom it received this.

The National Planning Forum (NPF)’s Major Trauma Oversight Group (MTOG) has been tasked with looking at ways to enhance major trauma services in Scotland.

In 2013, NPF received the following report from MTOG, which informed advice to ministers:

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00494297.pdf

However, recommendation 13 of the 2013 report says:

“Once published, the findings of the GEOS study should be taken into account when considering configurations of a trauma network in Scotland, including whether the number of major trauma centres can and should be reduced further from four MTCs and where the optimal location(s) might be.”

The National Planning Forum’s work to establish the most appropriate model of major trauma care for Scotland continues. Scottish Ministers will consider the outcomes of this work in due course.

Clinicians from across Scotland continue to be involved in this work.

Question reference: S4W-30011

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-05529 by Shona Robison on 4 February 2016 (Official Report, c. 6), whether it will publish the advice that it received from the relevant clinicians (a) prior to and (b) since its announcement on 2 April 2014 that four major trauma centres would be in place from 2016.

Question reference: S4W-30007

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many days in advance agendas are published for board meetings of (a) the Scottish Prison Service, (b) the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, (c) Transport Scotland, (d) the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and (e) the Scottish Police Authority.

The information on publication of board agendas in advance of board meetings of the named organisations is:

a) The Scottish Prison Service does not have a board but a senior management group. The agendas of the meetings of the senior management group are not published.

b) The Student Awards Agency for Scotland does not publish board agendas.

c) Transport Scotland does not have a board but a senior management group. The agendas of the meetings of the senior management group are not published.

d) The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service aims to have board agendas published on its website five working days in advance of board meetings.

e) The Scottish Police Authority publish board agendas on its website on the day of board meetings.

Question reference: S4W-30008

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to public bodies regarding the publication of agendas and associated papers in advance of board meetings.

Although the Scottish Government does not provide any specific guidance on publication of agendas and associated papers in advance of board meetings, On Board – A Guide for Board Members of Public Bodies in Scotland highlights that stakeholders should have access to full and accurate information on the decision making processes and activities of each public body. All public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 are required to have a publication scheme setting out the information which is readily available.

Question reference: S4O-05648

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of planned reductions in higher education funding.

Question reference: S4W-29659

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 29 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what legal obligation it has undertaken in relation to its announcements of planned funding for (a) the dualling of the East Coast rail line at Montrose, (b) infrastructure to support housing development, (c) work on a new junction on the A90 at Laurencekirk and (d) digital infrastructure.

Question reference: S4W-29669

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be any restriction on the kind of retraining on offer to people applying for support from the transition training fund for workers made redundant from the oil and gas industry announced by the First Minister.

Question reference: S4W-29667

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support will be available to workers who have lost their jobs from the transition training fund for workers made redundant from the oil and gas industry announced by the First Minister, and what criteria will apply.

The transition training fund will be focused on people who have lost or face losing their jobs in the oil and gas sector and the support will help to transition into other roles in the oil and gas industry, and other energy industry and manufacturing employment. The fund will provide support by offering grants to individuals to support redeployment through retraining and upskilling. It will also aim to help people with the costs of maintaining any licences needed to work in the sector, and develop options to enable individuals to bring their skills and expertise into teaching.

Question reference: S4W-29671

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the transition training fund for workers made redundant from the oil and gas industry announced by the First Minister will be taken from existing budget allocations, and how much will be allocated to the fund in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) subsequent years.