- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to lay regulations with regard to part 5, chapter 1 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 (Digital Government, Public Service Delivery).
Answer
Part 5, Chapter 1 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 relates to improving Public Service Delivery. It includes regulation-making powers in relation to the disclosure of information by a public authority (or persons providing services to a public authority) to other public authorities (or persons providing services to them). The Scottish Ministers will consider how best to make use of the regulation-making powers it has under Part 5, Chapter 1 but there are no firm plans yet in place to lay any such regulations. There would be consultation on any proposals in line with the provisions of section 44(4) of the 2017 Act. Any regulations made by the Scottish Ministers under Part 5, Chapter 1 would be subject to the affirmative procedure in the Scottish Parliament.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 19 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the main differences will be between the proposals in its forthcoming bill on organ donation and those in the Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc.) (Scotland) Bill, which was considered in session four.
Answer
The Scottish Government consultation on increasing organ and tissue donation set out workable proposals for a soft opt out system of organ and tissue donation which were significantly different from those in the Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc.) (Scotland) Bill. The proposals can be found here: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/health-protection/organ-and-tissue-donation-and-transplantation/supporting_documents/00511160.pdf.
The Scottish Government intends to introduce legislation during this Parliament which will provide for a workable soft opt out system of organ and tissue.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the full-time equivalent (FTE) students identified in the numbers provided in the recent Audit Scotland report, Scotland's colleges 2017, took part in either a "Get ready for work" or "Employability fund" course, and whether these students were included in the FTE numbers.
Answer
The Audit Scotland report used the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) infact online database in order to calculate Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) for the 20 incorporated colleges in Scotland.
The infact database can be used to split the number of FTE’s down by a number of variables, including individual college as Audit Scotland have done, however it does not have an accurate estimate of SDS Employability fund supported FTEs: https://stats.sfc.ac.uk/infact/index.htm
A more appropriate measure of students who are supported at college by SDS is the Funded FTEs as published by the SFC in the Official Statistics ‘College Statistics 2015-16’ publication. This shows that of the 117,204 Scottish Government funded FTEs delivered in 2015-16, an estimated 750 of them were funded through SDS’s Employability Fund: http://www.sfc.ac.uk/communications/Statisticalpublications/2017/SFCST032017.aspx (available in the background data file - Figure 3)
The Get Ready for Work programme was superseded by the Employability fund in 2013-14.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether any minister or official (a) was consulted by UK Government ministers or officials and (b) has received any information from Police Scotland or the City of Edinburgh Council in respect of the Home Office's immigration compliance and enforcement patrols in Scotland relating to EU migrants rough sleeping, as reported in The Ferret on 15 June 2017.
Answer
The Scottish Government was not consulted by the UK Government or officials, nor have we received information from City of Edinburgh Council in respect of immigration compliance and enforcement patrols of EU nationals rough sleeping in Scotland. Scottish Government officials have however engaged with the Home Office and Police Scotland to clarify the position.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether any minister or official made any representations to the Home office, Police Scotland or the City of Edinburgh Council in respect of the Home Office's immigration compliance and enforcement patrols in Scotland relating to EU migrants rough sleeping, either before or since the report on this matter was published in The Ferret on 15 June 2017.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have engaged with the Home Office and Police Scotland to clarify the position on immigration compliance and enforcement patrols in Scotland relating to EU nationals rough sleeping. The Minister for International Development and Europe has written to the UK Immigration Minister expressing our concern that we were not consulted in advance of these measures being adopted, and seeking assurance from the UK Government that EU Treaty rights, and the dignity of EEA nationals, are being respected.
Officials are also working with the COSLA Migration, Population and Diversity Team to understand the extent of these patrols.
The Scottish Government is clear that any enforcement measures taken must be humane and respect the rights and dignity of migrants, particularly those who may be vulnerable or at risk. EEA nationals, who exercise their right to free movement within the terms of EU law to move to Scotland, have a legitimate reason to be here and will continue to be welcomed.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 17 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01107 by John Swinney on 14 June 2017 (Official Report, c. 27), what impact its record on education has had on media coverage of the portfolio.
Answer
The Scottish Government strives to present a balanced assessment of our education system and encourages others to do likewise. The number of our young people leaving school for a positive destination is at a record high of 93.3 per cent. Success in national qualifications is well documented. In every school visit, Scottish Ministers meet confident, engaged young people who have a huge contribution to make to society. We would encourage everyone, including all members of the Scottish Parliament, to reflect the strengths and achievements that they see in the schools in their constituencies in their own dealings with national and local media.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines are in place for (a) undercover police officers that investigate and (b) police dealing with informers, from campaign groups, and which authority drafts these.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03262 on 5 October 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland uses undercover officers to investigate social justice campaign groups and, if so, how many it has used each of the last five years.
Answer
The use of undercover officers is an operational matter for the Police Service of Scotland.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how undercover police are trained.
Answer
The training of police officers, in whatever discipline, is a matter for the Police Service of Scotland.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what human rights protections it considers that non-violent campaign groups and social justice campaigners should have in relation to the activities of informants or undercover police.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to creating a modern, inclusive Scotland which protects, respects and realises internationally recognised human rights. We fully support the existing human rights protections found in the European Convention on Human Rights, given domestic effect through the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Scotland Act 1998, and also the safeguards contained in EU Law. These rights belong equally to all people and the Scottish Government will continue to work with public, private and third sector partners to achieve a shared vision of a Scotland where everyone can live with human dignity.