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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-13706

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans are in place should the merger of British Transport Police into Police Scotland not be completed by April 2019.

Question reference: S5W-13701

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to have railway policing agreements in place between Police Scotland and each relevant train operating company; when negotiations for each agreement commenced, and what its position is on the length of time the negotiations have taken.

Question reference: S5W-13700

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government who would be responsible for the continued funding of the policing service on railways should the merger of British Transport Police into Police Scotland not be completed by April 2019.

Question reference: S5W-13703

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the current running cost is of the merger of British Transport Police (BTP) into Police Scotland, and what the projected final cost is, also broken down by the cost per BTP officer.

Question reference: S5W-13699

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Justice and (b) Minister for Transport and the Islands last met the British Transport Police Federation; what was discussed, and whether it will publish the minutes

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Minister for Transport and the Islands held meetings with the British Transport Police Federation (BTPF) on 10 March 2016; 10 August 2016; and 6 December 2016. There has also been correspondence in December 2016, June 2017 and October 2017 with regular engagement between members of the Joint Programme Board and the BTPF throughout the integration programme. Recent Joint Programme Board papers are now published online at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Justice/policies/police-fire-rescue/police-scotland/BTP/jpbprogramme/proactiverelease.

Question reference: S5W-13702

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the impact of the merger of British Transport Police into Police Scotland and whether it will publish the findings, including what potential (a) benefits and (b) threats to services the analysis concluded.

The supporting documents to the Railway Policing (Scotland) Bill provided an analysis of the integration of the BTP in Scotland into Police Scotland, including benefits and potential disbenefits identified by stakeholders. There was also further Parliamentary analysis and scrutiny during the process of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017.

Following the passage of the legislation, the Joint Programme Board is overseeing a programme of work to ensure all relevant issues are identified and managed as part of the integration process.

Question reference: S5W-13586

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the integration of the British Transport Police (BTP) and Police Scotland will move retired BTP officers who are in receipt of their police pension into a new segregated and protected group and, if so, (a) for what reason it reached this decision and (b) whether it will offer a crown guarantee to the retired officers.

Question reference: S5W-13501

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what financial modelling it has carried out to assess the impact on state schools of eligibility for charitable relief being removed from independent schools.

Question reference: S5W-13333

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 10 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the internal report of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) into the abandoned procurement process for structural fire kit and personal protective equipment to be completed and submitted to the SFRS Board and Audit Scotland, and whether the report will detail all of the evidence that it considered in coming to its conclusions.

SFRS has acknowledged that the performance of its procurement and asset management departments have, in this instance, fallen below an acceptable standard. A comprehensive investigation into the abandoned procurement process, led by an experienced Senior Officer, is underway.

The timing and actions following the investigation is a matter for the SFRS.

SFRS is committed to the effective use of taxpayer funds. It will adhere to all learnings and ensure it takes steps to strengthen its capabilities where required.

Personal Protective Equipment for Scotland’s firefighters has now been sourced from an established purchasing framework.

Question reference: S5W-13332

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 10 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost to date is, including litigation costs and settlement sums, of the abandoned Scottish Fire and Rescue Service procurement process for structural fire kit and personal protective equipment.