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-09632

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of female genital mutilation have been identified in Scotland since 2011, and how many people have been convicted for this.

FGM, by its very nature, is a hidden issue. It may be underreported, and those who are affected may not be able to come forward or share their concerns.

Between 1 April 2014 and 13 June 2017 there have been 83 referrals made in relation to concerns for girls who were at risk of harm from Female Genital Mutilation. These child concern figures are taken from Police Scotland's Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) which was fully implemented in all divisions from the 1 April 2014. These concerns can be broken down as follows:

Financial year 2014-15 - 20 referrals

Financial year 2015-16 - 24 referrals

Financial year 2016-17 - 34 referrals

to date this financial year - 5 referrals

These referrals resulted in child protection procedures being undertaken, information shared and investigation carried out, with no criminality found.

To date there have been no convictions in Scotland, nor in any other part of the UK, for FGM related offences. Every referral or child welfare concern that is brought to the police relating to concerns that girls have been at risk of having FGM performed on them has been fully investigated by Police Scotland, and no criminality has been found.

Question reference: S5W-09590

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01047 by Humza Yousaf on 31 May 2017, whether it plans to change the criteria for new bus pass applications for people over 60.

In the coming weeks the Scottish Government will be consulting on ways in which to ensure the longer term sustainability of the Concessionary Travel Scheme. This follows substantial engagement with stakeholders.

This will be an open and transparent public consultation which will ask the people of Scotland how best to ensure that the bus pass is sustainable in the long term. The Consultation will also seek their views on our proposal to introduce free bus travel for Modern Apprentices.

I do not wish to pre-empt the consultation and will not be drawn on possible outcomes.

Question reference: S5W-09437

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 6 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to invest in wildlife tunnels and fencing to protect the common toad population.

Question reference: S5O-01047

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will maintain free bus passes for over 60s during the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S5T-00571

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met the Scottish Police Authority and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S5O-01033

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S5W-09137

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many survivors of human trafficking with "reasonable" or "conclusive" grounds determination under the national referral mechanism in Scotland received compensation or financial awards through (a) provisions in the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, (b) the criminal confiscation or civil recovery provisions in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, (c) the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and (d) the employment tribunal system in Scotland in each financial year since 2009-10.

Question reference: S5W-08940

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action (a) the Scottish Prison Service and (b) private prisons take to comply with with rule 7(f) of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules 2015), regarding collecting data about a prisoner's family.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Rule 12 of the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011, which is applicable to all prisons in Scotland including private prisons, provides a legal basis to obtain and record information from prisoners. Similar to rule 7(f) of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules 2015), information recorded may include details of prisoners’ next of kin, emergency contacts and any other personal particulars that are relevant.

Question reference: S5O-00976

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the recruitment of additional teachers and classroom assistants in West Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-08257

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by David Stewart on 2 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what (a) short- and (b) long-term projects it has introduced that aim to improve diversity in the Parliament's staffing; how much has been invested, and how the outcomes are or will be evaluated.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is committed to improving diversity in the Scottish Parliament and recently launched its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (2017-21).

This being the first year of the Strategy, the aim is to create a framework to support projects going forward. A new Strategic Board for Diversity and Inclusion will be established to oversee activities and monitor progress against desired outcomes set out in the Delivery Plan. The Board will be made up of senior officials who will be joined by representatives from a number of planned networks. These networks will be run by staff and will bring together people with a shared interest that identify with a particular group. For example, a ‘Women’s Network’ has already been established and has held a number of meetings and events. The main purpose of the networks is to provide opportunities for peer support and personal development but they will play a crucial role in helping the Scottish Parliament to better engage with Scotland’s diverse communities.

The Board will also have responsibility for short term projects like the Scottish Parliament’s young people’s apprenticeship programme which is now in its third year, and ensuring that diversity is built into the SPCB’s recruitment procedures which are currently being reviewed.

No additional resources have been allocated to develop the Strategy and implementation is being managed within existing resources as part of the overall work of the Human Resources Office.