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-09985

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to recent statistics, which show that housebreaking figures in Govanhill have more than doubled in two years.

Day to day decisions on operational policing are a matter for Police Scotland, with the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. I understand that Police Scotland is helping to tackle housebreaking in Govanhill through dedicated Community Investigation Units and additional officers based at Cathcart Police Office.

In June this year, Police Scotland established "Operation Mighty" across Glasgow. This is a multi agency approach to tackle all forms of criminality, specifically targeting criminals who present the greatest risk to the community.

Question reference: S5W-09861

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 10 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to fill mental health vacancies at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to a sustainable NHS and its workforce, which continues to deliver a consistently high quality healthcare service to the people of Scotland.

While the Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality healthcare, it is for each NHS Board to decide best how to utilise funding, facilities and staff while taking account of national and local priorities to meet local health needs. We expect NHS Boards to plan their facilities and workforce to deliver these services, ensuring the provision of safe, effective and high quality patient care, delivered by the right professional at the right time.

The Scottish Government have put in place a £54 million comprehensive package of support to improve access to mental health services for adults and children, which will provide funding for additional staff, for workforce development and for in-depth improvement support to local services. In this first year £4.3 million has been awarded to Boards across Scotland to build capacity within mental health services. Further funding has been awarded through NHS Education Scotland to provide each Board an individual, tailored offer of funding and workforce development.

One of the keys to ensuring that the principle of “ask once, get help fast” is met is ensuring the right workforce is in place. Action 15 in the recently published Mental Health Strategy 2017-27 commits the Scottish Government to increase the workforce to give access to dedicated mental health professionals to all A&Es, all GP practices, every police station custody suite, and to our prisons. Over the next five years increasing additional investment to £35 million for 800 additional mental health workers in those key settings.

Question reference: S5W-09947

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response it to the Scottish Housing Regulator document, Report on statutory intervention at Wellhouse Housing Association, in which the regulator detailed the "fundamental failings" that led to its intervention.

The Regulator operates independently of the Scottish Government to safeguard and promote the interests of tenants.

The Government was not involved in the statutory intervention, but welcomes the steps that the Regulator took to protect the interests of tenants at Wellhouse. The great majority of social landlords provide a high quality service for their tenants, but this report undoubtedly provides sobering lessons for the sector.

Question reference: S5W-09860

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 3 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated annual running cost is of Glasgow's safer drug consumption facility.

Question reference: S5W-09659

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost implications would be of the reported delay in the implementation of electric trains on the Glasgow to Edinburgh main line.

Question reference: S5W-09680

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent EIS survey, in which 86% of respondees said that they believed that their burden has increased in the last year, with 19% saying that they would not recommend teaching as a profession.

The Scottish Government takes the views of teachers extremely seriously and we have announced concrete proposals to address teacher workload issues.

On 29 August last year, Education Scotland published clear, practical advice for teachers and practitioners on what they should and should not be expected to do when planning learning, teaching and assessment. Definitive benchmark guidance has been published for all the curriculum areas to support teachers’ judgement when assessing learner progress from pre-school through to S3. The report of Education Scotland’s review of the Curriculum for Excellence demands placed on schools by local authorities was published on 19 September 2016 and its findings should empower teachers to challenge unnecessary workload demands.

We have also taken concrete steps to reduce workload related to the National Qualifications. In September last year, I announced the removal of mandatory unit assessments from National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications. The removal of the units will free up time for teachers to spend with their students. Teachers will not have to undertake the formal unit assessments except under exceptional circumstances. This is what the EIS and others told us was significantly contributing to workload, and was welcomed by the EIS when announced.

I also meet with the Chief Executive of SQA every month to consider what action can be taken to improve the position on teacher workload yet further.

Question reference: S5W-09682

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it issues regarding the allocation of the Pupil Equity Fund.

Pupil equity funding is allocated by the Scottish Government to schools on the basis of the number of children and young people in P1-S3 known to be eligible for free school meals under the national eligibility criteria.

The Government has issued guidance to schools on the use of Pupil Equity Funding. The guidance, which is available on the Government website at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/Raisingeducationalattainment/pupilequityfund/guidance, sets out clear principles to support schools and local authorities to work in partnership and to plan how to effectively invest the additional £120 million to improve the educational outcomes of children and young people affected by poverty.

Question reference: S5W-09515

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the quality of rivers.

Question reference: S5O-01083

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to prevent violent crime.

Question reference: S5W-08766

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures from the Local Data Company suggesting that, in the last year, more shops closed in Scotland than in any other part of the UK.

We are aware of the report from the Local Data Company and whilst the figures on shop closures are of concern it is encouraging to note that Scotland fares particularly well in terms of stores opening. The report shows that the average retail vacancy rates in towns across Scotland is decreasing – 13.5% in 2013 compared to 12.6% in 2016. Matthew Hopkinson, Director at LDC, comments: "Overall, the data shows that Scotland is making good progress in responding to the challenges of modern place management.

Scotland’s Town Centre First Principle agreed with COSLA, together with the range of measures in the Town Centre Action Plan, set the conditions and underpin activity designed to tackle key issues such as empty shops, diversify the town centre offer and thereby attract a range of businesses and services to locate there. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the retail sector to maximise its potential in relation to the town centre agenda.

We also deliver the most competitive business tax environment in the UK, with two in five properties in Scotland paying zero or reduced rates under the Scottish Government’s Small Business Bonus Scheme and relief is also available under Fresh Start, offering businesses occupying certain long term empty properties a business rates discount for their first year in those premises.