Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1079 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S4W-24495

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 2 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the environmental scanning being carried out as part of the National Accommodation Strategy for Sex Offenders scheme is robust and fit for purpose and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Government considers that the environmental scanning being carried out as part of the National Accommodation Strategy for Sex Offenders (NASSO) is robust and fit for purpose.

Under the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA), the responsible authorities – local authorities, the police, Scottish Prison Service and the NHS – have legal and operational responsibility for assessing, managing and monitoring the risks posed by sex offenders. They make an environmental risk assessment to identify any housing-related risks in individual cases. The assessment helps to identify the most manageable housing for minimising the risk an offender may pose to the community.

The MAPPA national steering group provides a multi-agency national forum where discussion between the Scottish Government and MAPPA practitioners takes place to ensure that policy, guidance and legislation on all aspects of MAPPA including the NASSO remains fit for purpose.

The Care Inspectorate and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland are currently conducting a thematic review to assess the state, efficiency and effectiveness of MAPPA in Scotland, in terms of keeping people safe and reducing the potential risk of serious harm by registered sex offenders in our communities. The review is due to conclude later this year with a public report. The government will respond to any recommendations that the report makes about the NASSO.

Question reference: S4O-04064

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many referrals of children and adolescents with mental health issues to specialist child and adolescent mental health services have been rejected by those services in the last quarter.

Question reference: S4W-24186

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is participating in the Civil Service Reserves 1% Challenge, which is aimed at recruiting reservists from among civil servants and, if so, when this commenced.

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits of the skills and experience that its employees gain if they are members of the reserve forces. It therefore supports and encourages service in the reserves. In January 2014 a senior civil servant took on the role of ‘reserves champion’ within Scottish Government and since then the Scottish Government has participated in the cross-UK civil service network associated with the Civil Service Reserves 1% Challenge. She continues to lead efforts to support reserve service, and promote the benefits that it brings, within the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S4O-03987

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the Glasgow Curriculum and Estates Plan's proposed transfer of activity to the city centre does not have a detrimental effect on the training needs of people from deprived communities in Maryhill and Springburn.

Question reference: S4W-23605

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government who will be responsible for deciding how the £1 million pound fund for youth arts that was announced by the then First Minister in November 2014 will be disbursed between the country’s youth arts organisations; how this will be done, and what criteria will be used to determine the method.

In recognition of the value we place on Scotland’s youth arts, the then First Minister announced on 14 November 2014 a package of public and private sector funding to engage more of Scotland’s young people in culture and the arts through Time to Shine, Scotland’s Youth Arts Strategy. This new £1 million funding package will be a three year investment programme to support the national youth performing companies – the National Youth Choir of Scotland, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, YDance and Scottish Youth Theatre to contribute to the youth arts strategy as we count down to the 2018 Year of Young People. £250k of the fund will be generously provided by Clyde Blowers specifically for Scottish Youth Theatre.

Creative Scotland will administer and determine how best to allocate this fund and will monitor its delivery over the course of this period.

Question reference: S4W-23573

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 5 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-22402 by Paul Wheelhouse on 28 August 2014, whether it has now issued a consultation on its draft Low Emissions Strategy.

Question reference: S4W-23534

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many civil service pensioners in Scotland have recently experienced difficulties in receiving pension payments from MyCSP.

The payment of civil service pensions is currently a reserved matter and the responsibility of the UK Government. The Scottish Government is aware of a number of ex-employees who are experiencing on-going delays in receiving their first pension payment from MyCSP after retirement.

A participation agreement exists between the Cabinet Office and MyCSP which covers standards of service for all civil service departments including the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government is writing to the Cabinet Office to express concern at the standard of service currently being delivered by MyCSP.

Question reference: S4W-23536

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what sanctions it can impose on MyCSP when it makes incorrect payments to pensioners.

Question reference: S4W-23535

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that civil service pensions are paid (a) on time and (b) in the correct amount.

Question reference: S4W-23502

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 15 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) median time is between (i) a sudden and (ii) an unexplained death and a post mortem at the Southern General Hospital.