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: S5O-02436

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Renfrewshire Council regarding the provision of childcare in the Paisley area.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with local authorities to discuss the delivery of the Early Learning and Childcare entitlement. These meetings can be through a number of routes, including one-to-one meetings or through engagement and working groups whose membership includes Scottish Government and local authorities.

Scottish Government officials have also been in contact with Renfrewshire Council in recent weeks regarding developments at Hillview Nursery in the Ferguslie Park area of Paisley.

Question reference: S5W-18031

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 18 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the relevant collective agreements are in the engineering construction industry.

In the context of public procurement, the Statutory Guidance on Addressing Fair Work Practices including the Living Wage in Procurement, published in October 2015, states that we expect contractors who deliver public contracts to take a positive approach to their workforce and adopt policies which demonstrate how they comply with relevant employment, equality and health and safety law, human rights standards and adhere to relevant collective agreements. What may constitute a relevant collective agreement will be determined on a contract–by-contract basis, and the detail of any agreement would be a matter for the employer organisation and its recognised trade union(s). Where such a collective agreement exits, and covers those employees working on the contract, then that agreement will be relevant.

Question reference: S5W-18531

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what decision it has made in relation to financial redress for survivors of pre-1964 cases of historic child abuse, and when this will be announced.

Following my statement to Parliament in November 2016, the InterAction Group established by SHRC and CELCIS began work to consult and engage on a potential financial compensation/redress scheme for victims/survivors of abuse in care in Scotland. Their recommendations, which I received on 5 September, cover all survivors of abuse in care in Scotland, including survivors of pre-64 cases of historic child abuse.

We will now give the recommendations early, detailed and sensitive consideration, and I will report back to Parliament in due course.

Question reference: S5O-02352

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2018

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

Question reference: S5O-02312

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of retailers in Renfrewshire, and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S5W-18030

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 29 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Statutory Guidance on the Selection of Tenderers and Award of Contracts: Addressing Fair Work Practices, including the Living Wage, in Procurement Statutory Guidance provides a workable mechanism for public procurement authorities to ensure that relevant collective agreements are utilised in public procurement.

Public bodies must have regard to the Statutory Guidance published in October 2015 after consultation with stakeholders, including the Trade Unions. It advises public bodies how to address Fair Work practices within their procurement exercises. It states that we expect contractors who deliver public contracts to adopt policies which demonstrate, for example how they comply with relevant collective agreements.

Question reference: S5W-18029

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 29 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update the Statutory Guidance on the Selection of Tenderers and Award of Contracts: Addressing Fair Work Practices, including the Living Wage, in Procurement.

We have no plans to update the Statutory Guidance. We have recently published best practice guidance and a toolkit (4 July 2018) to support the practical application of the Statutory Guidance, which was developed in collaboration with public sector representatives, the Fair Work Convention, trade unions and business representative organisations. https://beta.gov.scot/publications/addressing-fair-work-practices-including-real-living-wage-procurement-best/

Question reference: S5W-18028

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how its Fair Work Action Plan will assist public procurement authorities to help ensure that relevant collective agreements are utilised in public procurement.

The ‘Statutory Guidance on the Selection of Tenderers and Award of Contracts: Addressing Fair Work Practices, including the Living Wage, in Procurement’ advises public bodies how to address Fair Work practices within their procurement exercises. The guidance is clear that we expect contractors who deliver public contracts to adopt policies which demonstrate a commitment to fair work , for example, how they comply with relevant collective agreements. In July 2018, we published Best Practice Guidance and a Toolkit to further support the practical application of the Statutory Guidance.

The Fair Work Action Plan, that will be published by the end of 2018, will detail the steps that the Scottish Government will take, utilising the powers and levers available, to embed Fair Work in Scottish workplaces by 2025. In developing the Fair Work Action Plan, we will engage with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure the issues preventing employers from adopting fair work practices are understood and to identify and learn from good practice.

Question reference: S5W-18027

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its Fair Work Action Plan.

Question reference: S5W-17765

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 10 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to decrease the incidence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Scotland.