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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: S5W-09050

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much VAT (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Scottish Fire and Rescure Service have paid in total, and what information it has regarding how this compares with the amount paid by counterpart emergency services in the rest of the UK.

The amount of unrecovered VAT incurred by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) between April 2013 and March 2017 is of the order of £140m and is detailed in the following table.

	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	TOTAL
	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m
Scottish Police Authority	25.0	26.7	24.8	23.0*	99.5*
Scottish Fire & Rescue service	9.0	10.8	10.6	10.0*	40.4*
TOTAL	34.0	37.5	35.4	33.0*	139.9*

*: provisional figures.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the amount of VAT incurred by counterpart emergency services in the rest of the UK. However, unlike in Scotland, territorial police and fire services in the rest of the UK can reclaim VAT.

We will continue to press UK Ministers over this disparity which could see a cost to the Scottish public purse of £280 million by the end of the current parliamentary session (2020-21).

Question reference: S5W-09063

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with North Lanarkshire Council regarding reports that the local authority has changed its policy regarding the administration of the pupil equity fund.

The Scottish Government has had regular dialogue with North Lanarkshire Council in relation to the administration of Pupil Equity Funding. We have received assurances from the council that it is has withdrawn a proposal that did not meet all the conditions associated with this funding. Pupil Equity Funding must enable Headteachers and school leaders to deliver activities, interventions or resources which are clearly additional to those which were already planned and targeted to closing the poverty related attainment gap.

Question reference: S5W-09150

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by John Swinney on 31 January 2017 (Official Report, c.10) on the Scottish Government’s response to the independent review into the circumstances surrounding the death of Bailey Gwynne, whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has received a response from the UK Government to his letter seeking a UK-wide approach to address concerns regarding the online sale and delivery of knives.

The UK Government has responded favourably to the Scottish Government’s request for a joined up UK-wide approach to address mutual concerns about the online sale and delivery of knives.

The circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Bailey Gwynne at Cults Academy, Aberdeen, underlines why it is so vital that there are suitable controls in place to regulate and control the online sale and delivery of knives so that they cannot be obtained by our young people.

Officials from the Scottish Government and Home Office will now explore this issue further to ensure that any action that emerges has the maximum impact and addresses public safety concerns.

Question reference: S5F-01206

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2017

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to protect children and young people online.

Question reference: S5W-08882

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the introduction of drug driving limits in Scotland.

I can advise that the Scottish Government intends to bring forward before the end of 2017 the necessary secondary legislation to introduce drug driving limits in Scotland.

This legislation will provide for specific limits for a range of drugs and will provide for commencement of drug driving limits in 2019. This timing will allow for criminal justice agencies such as Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to make the necessary preparations for the introduction of drug driving limits. This includes making arrangements for the introduction of necessary testing equipment.

Question reference: S5W-08432

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how Education Scotland inspectors evaluate the quality and impact of habilitation provision in ensuring that the needs of visually impaired pupils are met.

Education Scotland inspections of schools and services evaluate how well the needs of all children and young people are being met, including those with visual impairment. Using a range of quality indicators Inspectors routinely evaluate how well schools and services plan for children and young people with additional support needs and how schools and services take account of statutory guidance and codes of practice.

Question reference: S5W-08434

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will embed into education, the standards and care pathways of the visual impairment network for children and young people, including the standard that every child diagnosed with a sight impairment will receive an assessment by a qualified habilitation specialist.

The Visual Impairment Network for Children and Young People (VINCYP) standards and care pathways were distributed widely across schools and services. In addition, information was disseminated through other events and practitioner networks such as the Scottish Association of Visual Impairment Educators (SAVIE). Practitioners are well informed about the standards and there is an expectation that they are embedded into practices to support visually impaired children and young people. It is for VINCYP to encourage the use of their standards.

Question reference: S5W-08433

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when its working group will commence work on habilitation provision recommendations contained in the Education and Culture Committee's 10th Report, 2015 (Session 4), Attainment of pupils with a sensory impairment.

The Scottish Government welcomed the Education Committee inquiry into the attainment of pupils with sensory impairment. In response the Scottish Government set up a Short Life Working Group to respond to the Committee’s recommendations. A plan which sets out actions to deliver against all of the recommendations was developed and we are confident of delivering against each.

A number of the actions to deliver the recommendations have already been completed and we are actively considering with key stakeholders the activities and actions required to deliver on the remaining recommendations by December 2018.

Question reference: S5W-08769

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 11 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will consult on proposals to enshrine safe NHS staffing in law, starting with the nursing and midwifery workload and workforce planning tools.

We are launching a formal consultation on legislative proposals on 12 April 2017. The consultation paper seeks views on proposals to introduce legislation that would require organisations providing health and social care to apply evidence based approaches to nursing and midwifery workload and workforce planning as there is already a validated framework, methodology and suite of planning tools that are mandated for use in NHS Scotland as part of Local Delivery Planning. However, the consultation proposes that this approach could be extended to other staff groups and care settings when methodologies are developed.

The consultation will run from 12 April to 5 July 2017. During this period, we plan to hold regional and other engagement events across Scotland in order to gather as many views as possible, including from practitioners and the public.

The consultation can be accessed through the following link: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/nursing-and-midwifery/safe-and-effective-staffing-in-health-care-setting.

Question reference: S5W-08352

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 30 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging fair work in the private nursery sector.

We will promote Fair Work practices across the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) sector. As part of this we want to see all childcare workers delivering the funded entitlement, across all sectors, paid at least the Living Wage from the introduction of the entitlement to 1140 hours in 2020.

Our Financial Review of Early Learning and Childcare, published in September 2016, found that 80% of practitioners and 50% of supervisors in private and third sector ELC settings, who deliver funded entitlement, are paid below the Living Wage.

That is why we will invest £50 million to extend payment of the Living Wage to all childcare staff delivering the funded entitlement in private and third sector nurseries, by the end of this Parliament.

We will work with local authorities and delivery partners through our new Service Models Working Group to progress this commitment.