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-09102

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 11 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government to ask how many 16- to 24-year-olds who had been unemployed for six months or more have moved into work since September 2016.

This information is not held centrally.

The Annual Population Survey, produced by the Office for National Statistics, and held by the Scottish Government, is the official source of information for unemployment (based on International Labour Organisation Definitions) amongst 16 to 24 year olds. However this measures economic status (employment, unemployment or inactivity) at a point in time and does not measure flows of individuals between categories of economic activity over time.

Question reference: S5W-09099

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will cease its engagement with Atos Healthcare.

Question reference: S5W-09100

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by Jeane Freeman on 27 April 2017 (Official Report, c. 44), which of the 11 devolved benefits will not be delivered by the new social security agency.

Question reference: S5W-09094

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Transplant and Donation Group last met.

Question reference: S5W-09130

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the new social security agency offering a public services card similar to that used in Ireland for the delivery of services.

My announcement to Parliament on 27 April 2017 presented the high level delivery model for social security in Scotland. Within that delivery model there are a wide range of detailed design decisions to be made. We will consider a range of options as we endeavour to provide a more integrated service for the new social security agency. Our processes and services will be evidence based, we will examine with interest the Irish approach, amongst others, and work closely with our Experience Panels to design and deliver a system that works best for individuals in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-09093

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Transplant and Donation Group last discussed opt-out.

Question reference: S5W-09098

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 9 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, following the establishment of a social security agency, whether decisions made by social security agency staff will be taken on behalf of the Scottish ministers.

Question reference: S5W-09096

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the commitment made by Jeane Freeman on 27 April 2017, that there will be "no contracting with the private sector" in the deniability assessment model, will be provided for in its social security bill.

As I stated in Parliament on 27 April, I have made a clear commitment that profit making companies will not be involved in delivering assessments for disability benefits once devolved to Scotland.

The Social Security Bill will be introduced to Parliament before summer recess for appropriate scrutiny and will enable us to deliver a new Scottish social security which has fairness, dignity and respect at its heart.

Question reference: S5W-09097

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what future engagements (a) ministers and (b) officials have with Atos Healthcare.

Question reference: S5W-08890

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 4 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department for Work and Pensions regarding using powers devolved under the Scotland Act 2016 to vary the (a) allowances, (b) premiums, (c) components and (d) elements within reserved benefits, and what the outcome was.

Discussions between the Scottish Government and Department for Work and Pensions are on-going.

Recent discussions about using powers devolved under the Scotland Act to vary elements within reserved benefits have focused on Scottish Government flexibilities through Universal Credit and the Benefit Cap and implementation of the UK Government’s policy to end automatic entitlement to Housing Benefit for 18-21 year olds.