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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-24733

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 August 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports of an increase in the number of arson incidents in prisons.

Question reference: S5O-03446

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent of the £308 million that it plans to allocate to social security by 2022-23.

The Financial Memorandum made it clear that the £308 million was an initial estimate for a four year programme which could change materially.

The costs of implementing the Social Security programme for financial year 17-18 were published as part of the Scottish Government’s consolidated accounts on 27 September 2018, the costs were £21 million. The consolidated accounts for financial year 18-19 are still being finalised and will be published in due course.

Question reference: S5O-03397

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what consultations it has had with tourism businesses in the north east regarding factors that can impact on the effectiveness of their operation.

Question reference: S5W-23518

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23146 by Humza Yousaf on 28 May 2019, whether it was aware that the Scottish Police Authority reportedly did not meet its commitment to move 100 officers from support roles to the front line in 2018-19, and, if it is not aware of such issues, whether it can meet its commitment that "decisions to slow police officer recruitment must not be taken until there is evidence that increases in operational policing capacity have been delivered".

The Scottish Government does not collect data on the number of police officers and staff in workforce categories. The deployment of police officers and staff is a matter for the Chief Constable and it is for the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to hold the Chief Constable to account for policing in Scotland, including the delivery of increased operational capacity.

HMICS is working with Police Scotland to provide scrutiny and assurance around the delivery of increased operational capacity and provides regular updates to the Chair of the SPA in this regard. It is important to note that Police Scotland’s plans for increasing capacity are based on improved ways of working (developing an enhanced understanding of and response to demand) and productivity gains associated with new technology, as well as adjustments in the balance of the workforce (including between officers and police staff). It is not simply a matter of moving officers around.

Police Scotland have recently developed a Framework for Strategic Workforce Planning to inform their approach. Crucially, it is for the Chief Constable to consider the right workforce mix and to continue to review Police Scotland’s capacity and capability in the context of any new and emerging threats.

The police officer quarterly strength data, as at 31 March 2019, shows there were 17,251 police officers in Scotland, an increase of 81 officers since 31 March 2018. This increase was in response to the risks associated with Brexit and shows the service's ability to respond to emerging threats, with the aim of always having the policing capacity to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities.

Question reference: S5W-23492

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done with all of the materials recovered from the Aberdeen to Inverness rail improvements project.

Network Rail is responsible for delivering the Aberdeen to Inverness Improvement Project (A-I) on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Network Rail advise they are committed to recovering, re-using and recycling materials as much as possible. An example of this on the A-I project is where Network Rail plan to re-use earthworks materials as part of the new station at Kintore.

Full details of how Network Rail work to recycle materials can be found via the following link:

www.railwayrecycling.co.uk

Question reference: S5W-23493

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its review of the National Transport Strategy, and when it expects to (a) publish a consultation on and (b) complete this review.

Question reference: S5O-03371

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-23239

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether prison officers receive formal training for dealing with prisoners with mental health problems and, if so, what form this takes.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

Responsibility for the delivery of clinical mental health services transferred from SPS to the NHS on 1 November 2011. NHS Health Boards are responsible for ensuring appropriate mental health provision, including psychiatric and psychological services are available in all prisons and that the needs of the prisoner population are met.

Whilst formal mental health training is highly specialised, the Officer Foundation Programme undertaken by all SPS Prison Officers on their initial appointment, includes formal training in Health and Wellbeing, and Suicide Prevention. All Prison Officers undertake refresher training in Suicide Prevention every three years.

The SPS has introduced additional training for key staff groups and is currently delivering Mental Health First Aid for Young People at HMYOI Polmont as well as providing mental health training for staff who work with women in custody. We intend to evaluate and learn from the impact of such training when introducing a new suite of continuing professional development for Prison Officers from 2020.

Question reference: S5W-23153

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it last published an annual report on its serious organised crime strategy.

Question reference: S5W-23158

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it has monitored the use of serious crime prevention orders since their introduction, and whether it will provide any data or reports produced from this.

Since the introduction of serious crime prevention orders (SCPOs) in 2016, the Scottish Government has met and corresponded regularly with relevant stakeholders including Police Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service to monitor their use and to consider issues around their future use and effectiveness.

The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce will be reporting on the use of SCPOs to date as part of a wider update on progress in implementing Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy later this year.