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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-03809

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Liam McArthur on 21 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for what reason its guidance on Members' publications restricts their issue within three months of an election, when the standard period at the UK Parliament is six weeks.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body does not follow the UK Parliament rules given that at Westminster MPs have restrictions on what they are permitted to publish using parliamentary funds including newsletters. Whereas the SPCB’s publications policy allows MSPs to issue annual reports and newsletters. It is therefore felt that it is more prudent to prohibit the issue of such publications for a longer period prior to a UK general election.

Question reference: S5W-26039

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2019
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the NHS National Services Scotland report on the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences: Review of Fire Systems, Electrical Systems and Medical Gas Installations.

Today I have published the second and final part of a review into compliance of all building systems at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences. Please find attached a copy of the report: https://www.gov.scot/publications/nhs-lothian-royal-hospital-children-young
-people-department-clinical-neurosciences-review-fire-systems-electrical-
systems-medical-gas-installations/

Following my commission when the move was halted in July, the latest NHS National Services Scotland report focuses on fire systems, electrical systems and medical gases. This document is supplementary to the NSS report published on 11 September 2019. The findings of this report have identified remedial work required within fire and electrical systems prior to occupation and also identified opportunities for improvement activity. We continue to work to the previously announced timeline.

NHS Lothian have today published a response setting out a programme of activity to address the findings in the NSS report following an assessment of the work to be completed. A wider action plan bringing together actions of both reports will follow in due course. Please find a link to the NHS Lothian response: NHS Lothian's Response Document

In my statement to Parliament on Wednesday 11 September, I set out the steps that would be taken to strengthen the management and assurance arrangements for completing all of the outstanding works necessary to open the facility, this includes taking forward the actions identified in both NHS National Services Scotland Reports.

The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People Oversight Board is in place and has overall responsibility for ensuring the completion of the works and the hospital opening, reporting directly to me as Cabinet Secretary. The Oversight Board is chaired by the Chief Nursing Officer and includes senior figures from Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, NHS National Services Scotland, Scottish Futures Trust and NHS Lothian.

Mary Morgan has been appointed Senior Programme Director, effective from 16 September, and will report directly to this Scottish Government. In this role, she has responsibility for the actions to ensure the facility is fit for occupation and will oversee the action plan to deliver a safe and complaint site for the new Edinburgh Hospital for Children and Young people and DCN.

Question reference: S5W-25760

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2019
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the NHS National Services Scotland report on the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences: Review of Fire Systems, Electrical Systems and Medical Gas Installations.

Question reference: S5W-25323

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many modern apprenticeship starts there have been (a) in each year since 2007 and (b) since April 2019, broken down by local authority area.

Modern Apprenticeship starts since 2007, including Q1 2019-20

2007-08 to 2012-13

Local Authority	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13
Aberdeen City	595	452	682	728	1,129	952
Aberdeenshire	714	615	824	1,041	1,240	1,305
Angus	311	217	496	537	601	654
Argyll & Bute	226	159	342	278	401	296
Clackmannanshire	162	125	260	243	340	329
Dumfries & Galloway	483	327	918	636	960	894
Dundee City	339	238	975	845	674	716
East Ayrshire	402	277	416	542	682	664
East Dunbartonshire	337	198	317	372	407	437
East Lothian	254	157	201	271	364	387
East Renfrewshire	218	151	241	257	311	262
Edinburgh, City of	941	559	988	1,403	1,618	1,427
Falkirk	497	387	650	924	939	963
Fife	1,010	660	1,155	1,319	1,672	1,613
Glasgow City	1,888	1,235	2,638	2,551	3,149	2,900
Highland	508	480	915	865	985	1,229
Inverclyde	347	164	330	295	393	368
Midlothian	258	195	221	340	450	427
Moray	200	179	283	310	423	452
Na h-Eileanan Siar	112	59	59	81	142	93
North Ayrshire	446	285	605	532	883	786
North Lanarkshire	1,385	850	1,563	1,785	1,955	2,126
Orkney Islands	64	35	87	59	123	92
Perth & Kinross	442	248	529	696	821	709
Renfrewshire	667	395	878	736	1,018	943
Scottish Borders	258	174	244	307	397	343
Shetland Islands	72	82	83	115	96	123
South Ayrshire	381	243	462	493	586	522
South Lanarkshire	1,219	711	1,373	1,447	1,712	1,744
Stirling	224	141	362	407	446	449
West Dunbartonshire	356	197	405	433	537	624
West Lothian	475	344	649	666	894	805
Outwith Area	12	40	65	47	79	57
Total	15,803	10,579	20,216	21,561	26,427	25,691

2013-14 to Q1 2019-20

Local Authority	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20**
Aberdeen City	913	920	878	659	670	748	126
Aberdeenshire	1,258	1,253	1,083	1,011	991	1,047	158
Angus	668	622	643	612	620	591	78
Argyll & Bute	331	297	333	337	410	396	63
Clackmannanshire	287	297	289	346	319	327	34
Dumfries & Galloway	707	753	765	753	881	653	124
Dundee City	714	723	718	710	725	640	119
East Ayrshire	681	615	727	789	624	720	110
East Dunbartonshire	395	398	369	406	443	382	80
East Lothian	417	474	503	489	550	583	77
East Renfrewshire	271	303	293	284	309	329	48
Edinburgh, City of	1,465	1,495	1,608	1,672	1,654	1,813	276
Falkirk	913	899	918	873	992	972	171
Fife	1,927	1,568	1,734	1,736	1,893	1,820	227
Glasgow City	2,752	2,745	2,710	2,871	3,013	2,833	448
Highland	1,158	1,269	1,321	1,403	1,519	1,489	238
Inverclyde	382	404	386	353	327	351	47
Midlothian	412	422	427	565	584	637	61
Moray	429	455	488	431	437	427	70
Na h-Eileanan Siar	119	108	88	89	100	132	22
North Ayrshire	838	889	844	808	841	789	118
North Lanarkshire	2,005	2,074	2,146	2,265	2,253	2,299	407
Orkney Islands	108	65	120	102	135	140	26
Perth & Kinross	752	742	874	805	770	772	115
Renfrewshire	921	987	944	976	1,031	1,111	205
Scottish Borders	352	407	387	472	498	503	78
Shetland Islands	129	139	142	135	157	204	40
South Ayrshire	520	472	495	505	447	534	102
South Lanarkshire	1,545	1,674	1,644	1,733	1,850	1,932	347
Stirling	437	406	411	436	410	436	51
West Dunbartonshire	581	545	613	604	568	581	86
West Lothian	839	783	837	964	1,065	992	166
Outwith Area***	58	44	80	68	59	87	18
Total	25,284	25,247	25,818	26,262	27,145	28,191*	4,336

* *This includes 921 Graduate Apprenticeship starts, included in the overall figure for the first time in 2018-19. The Graduate Apprenticeships report provides a breakdown by local authority on pg36 - http:--www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk-media-45882-ga-report-2019.pdf

** Quarter 1, does not include Graduate Apprentice starts.

*** Outwith Area refers to MAs with a home postcode outwith Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-25543

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2019
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £16 million referenced in the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport's ministerial statement on 11 September 2019 regarding the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.

The estimated additional costs relating to the RHCYP project are as follows. These estimates will be refined as plans are further developed. As noted in my statement to Parliament on 11 September, I will keep members updated on costs as work proceeds on resolving the current situation.

Description	£000s

Costs associated with new hospital
Rectification for critical care and Haematology / Oncology	4,000
Contingency for further remedial action	2,000
	6,000
Costs of maintaining existing sites
Dual running of existing sites	1,500
Additional Maintenance at current RHSC / DCN	2,000
Additional investments in current RHSC and DCN facilities and equipment post July 19 delay (estimate)	3,700
	7,200

Project Team costs
Project Team Costs	1,500
Additional project support	550
Advisor Fees (legal, technical, financial)	300
	2,350

Independent reviews	500

Total estimated additional costs	16,050

Question reference: S5W-24997

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its Recruitment and Retention Plan, which was announced in A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan in December 2018.

Later today, the Scottish Government will publish its A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Scottish Government Recruitment and Retention Plan for Disabled People 2019 . The document has been given to SPICe and is available at BIB 60934.

This plan sets out the actions the government will take as an employer to support more disabled people into work in Scottish Government and to enable existing disabled employees to thrive and succeed at work.

The plan sets to achieve four key outcomes;

That we become an employer of choice for disabled people, with strong representation of disabled people at all levels of our workforce.
That we have an inclusive and supportive culture where disabled people can be themselves at work.
That our policies and practices work well, and work well together, to enable disabled people to thrive at work.
That we create accessible workplaces where everyone can thrive at work.

The plan reaches across government, across all grades, and includes commitments covering a range of areas from HR policies to learning and development and building an inclusive culture.

The Plan’s aim is that over the next 7 years, on average 25% of successful candidates will be disabled people. This aims to ensure we are on track to fulfil our ambition to be representative of the people of Scotland by 2025.

Question reference: S5O-03484

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what support can be given to the City of Edinburgh Council to manage traffic congestion across the city, especially during periods where visitor numbers dramatically increase.

Question reference: S5O-03399

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any action being taken to ensure that the Edinburgh festivals do not experience the same difficulties as last year regarding complex visa rules faced by some artists.

Question reference: S5O-03356

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 6 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the oversubscription of primary schools in Edinburgh.

Question reference: S5O-03271

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the UK Government’s immigration policy is having on the Edinburgh festivals.

The Scottish Government has longstanding concerns around how readily artists and performers can come to Scotland for the Edinburgh Festivals, and the problems that delays visa processes and indeed refusals that are overturned on appeals and after a late stage can cause festival organisers of all sizes.

The internationalism of the Edinburgh Festivals programme is at the heart of the city’s continuing appeal as the world’s leading festival city and we intend to continue to spread the message that we remain open. For artists and wider cultural exchange.