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-12195

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to 20 to 24-year-olds seeking training courses.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) offers a range of ways for individuals of all ages to access training. Learners can contact SDS via more than one hundred locations throughout Scotland. SDS have space on their website detailing the services they deliver for individuals as well as their dedicated My World of Work online service to help people plan, build and direct their career throughout their lives.

SDS also offers advice by telephone to individuals looking for assistance on their helpline: 0800 917 8000.

SDS can advise individuals about both appropriate training available to them, and any associated funding for which they may be eligible.

Question reference: S4W-12194

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many training programme opportunities have been (a) available and (b) taken up by 20 to 24-year-olds in each year since 2008.

Question reference: S4O-01763

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Minister for Public Health is taking following his meeting with SANDS Lothian regarding Mortonhall Crematorium.

Question reference: S4W-11918

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 23 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning last met representatives of Queen Margaret University and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S4W-11917

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 23 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has had with Queen Margaret University regarding its decision to pursue compulsory staff redundancies.

Question reference: S4W-12193

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it helps local authorities provide 3-year funding streams to third sector agencies.

The Scottish Government aims to provide local authorities with three year funding allocations (year one final and years two and three provisional) in order to give them certainty in longer term financial planning, which in turn should help them to provide three year funding streams to third sector agencies.

The Joint Statement on the Relationship at Local Level between Government and the Third Sector states that: “As a general rule funders will aim to take a three year approach to both grant and contract funding” and would encourage authorities to operate in this way. The joint statement is clear that where three year funding is declined, local authorities will be clear on the reasons for taking such a decision.

Full and early involvement of the third sector in the co-production of service design and planning is likely to lead to funding packages that are satisfactory for all parties.

In addition, the Scottish Government supports the third sector by supporting the network of local third sector interfaces and through Ready for Business and Just Enterprise. One potential benefit of this support is likely to be the development of sustainable funding arrangements to the benefit of all parties.

Question reference: S4O-01729

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Edinburgh trams will be included in its concessionary fare scheme.

Question reference: S4W-11655

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the membership is of its stakeholder group discussing the future of the 2014-20 European Structural Funds and rural and fisheries programmes for Scotland.

A wide range of stakeholders are involved in developing the approach to Structural, Rural and Fisheries Fund programmes for 2014-20. Each Fund has its own consultation arrangements; and the Funds collectively have a reference group comprising COSLA, the enterprise agencies, Environment Link and the National Farmers Union Scotland. This group helps to set the strategic direction and content of the programmes, and also to determine the most appropriate method for wider consultation.

The Scottish Government recently held three public events, in Inverness, Perth and Glasgow, to discuss plans for the funds. These were attended by over 200 individuals and organisations from a very wide range of sectors; and the full material is available for viewing and further comments online to encourage wider engagement.

Question reference: S4W-03641

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent staff and at what grade are employed in its (a) freedom of information unit, (b) national conversation, referendum and elections division, (c) media monitoring unit, (d) events and speechwriting division and (e) UK relations unit.

The following table details the number of full time equivalent staff by grade in the Freedom of Information Unit, Elections and Constitution Division*, Media Monitoring Unit, Visits and Events team and the UK Relations team.

Total number of full-time equivalent staff, by grade at 30 November 2012**

Fast Stream

Temp Agency Worker

Total

Freedom of Information Unit	1	0	1.0	2.9	1.0	0	1.0	0	0	0	6.9
Elections & Constitution Division	0	1.0	1.0	1.8	3.0	1.0	3.4	4.0	1	0	16.2
Media Monitoring Unit	0	0	3.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	***1	4.0
Visits & Events team	1.0	0	2.0	2.0	3.0	0	1.0	0	0	0	9.0
Speechwriter	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0	0	0	1.0
UK Relations	0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.9	0	1.0	0.6	0	0	5.5

Notes:

*Formerly the National Conversation, referendum and elections division

**Includes vacancies

*** Agency staff do not carry civil service grades – this post is B1 equivalent.

Question reference: S4O-01661

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how its digital participation strategy will benefit people in Midlothian.