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: S5F-04031

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2020

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5F-04004

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2020

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-27493

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs have left Scotland to work (a) in the rest of the UK, (b) in an EU member state and (c) outside the EU in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S5W-27497

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) headcount and (b) full-time equivalent number of GPs has been on 31 January in each year since 2010, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S5W-27495

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many GP practices there were on 31 January 2020, broken down by NHS board, and how this compares with 31 January 2010.

Question reference: S5W-27492

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many current GPs it expects will retire in the next (a) five and (b) 10 years.

GPs are independent contractors, therefore we do not hold the same level of data as for direct NHS employees.

Information on the age and gender of GPs is used in planning for the future GP workforce, in conjunction with information on leavers and joiners.

Our workforce planning takes account of the information available on those interested in re-entering or retiring from the profession and we support a number of initiatives to retain GPs who are considering leaving the profession, including support for GP appraisals, mentoring, and coaching as well as a new Stay in Practice Scheme.

We have a record number of GPs working in Scotland and are working to further increase the current numbers by at least 800 in the next 10 years.

Question reference: S5F-03984

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2020

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-27201

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is offering to the employees at the SHB Hire Ltd branch in Airdrie who are facing redundancy in light of the plan by Enterprise Rent-A-Car to close it; what discussions and communications it has had with the branch’s staff, and what information it has regarding whether they are covered by the TUPE regulations.

We have provided support for employees affected by developments at SHB Hire Ltd in Airdrie through our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative. Through providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals affected by redundancy are out of work.

Three PACE Presentations on support available through PACE were delivered to employees onsite on Friday 7 February 2020. PACE National Guides were distributed to those present and additional copies were left for distribution to those who were unable to attend the presentations.

Of the 39 people who attended, 32 completed a PACE registration form and further PACE support is being provided as requested.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car have set out it is creating vacancies in specific areas of their business and the company is encouraging staff to apply for these vacancies. Staff will carry over with them their terms and conditions of employment.

Question reference: S5W-27200

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 20 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the plan by Enterprise Rent-A-Car to close the SHB Hire Ltd branch in Airdrie; on what date it was initially informed of this decision; whether it will provide details of the subsequent discussions and communications that it has had with the business regarding this, including what dates these took place, and whether it has offered to provide support to keep the branch open, and, if so, what response it has received.

The Scottish Government became aware of the situation at SHB Hire Ltd on the 15 January 2020. The Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) team first attempted to engage with the employer on 16 January and was eventually successful on 22 January 2020.

The immediate priority is on supporting those affected by this announcement. Three Presentations on support available through PACE were delivered to employees on Friday 7 February 2020. PACE National Guides were distributed to those present and additional copies were left for distribution to those who were unable to attend the presentation. Of the 39 people who attended, 32 completed a PACE registration form and further PACE support is being provided as requested.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK acquired SHB Hire Ltd in July 2019, including its fleet of 18,500 commercial vehicles. The Airdrie site is one of 16 that was operating across the UK. Enterprise is creating vacancies in specific areas of its business, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, encouraging employees to apply and allowing them to carry their conditions of employment over with them.

Question reference: S5W-27202

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 20 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the plan by Enterprise Rent-A-Car to close the SHB Hire Ltd branch in Airdrie could have on the area’s economy, and what action it will take to mitigate this should the closure go ahead.

The Scottish Government’s immediate priority is with the employees affected by the closure of the SHB Hire Ltd branch in Airdrie and we have provided support for employees through our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting business and local communities across Scotland. In 2018-19, Business Gateway supported over 2,000 businesses, more than 500 new start-ups to begin trading, and helped 38 existing businesses to develop their business plans and growth ambitions in North Lanarkshire. Scottish Enterprise also offered 70 R&D and innovation grants to North Lanarkshire companies with a collective value of around £1.5m and supported investment – including SIB investments and Regional Selective Assistance – totalling almost £15m, designed to promote growth and create jobs.

North Lanarkshire Council was allocated £3.25 million from the Town Centre Fund which enables local authorities to stimulate and support place based economic investments which encourage town centres to diversify and flourish, creating footfall through local improvements and partnerships.

Since 2013, North Lanarkshire has been allocated £9.85 million of funding from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund. This fund is delivered in partnership between Scottish Government and COSLA, supporting locally developed regeneration projects, helping to support and create jobs and build sustainable communities.

Our refreshed Economic Action Plan, launched in January, sets out how we will continue to support innovation, improve skills and stimulate growth in employment, whilst facing the challenges of Brexit, changing demographics and shifting global circumstances.