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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-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.

Question reference: S5W-13359

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in implementing the recommendation in the report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, Strategic overview of British Transport Police in Scotland including the proposed transfer to Police Scotland, that (a) performance measures specific to railway policing should be monitored up to and beyond the point of the transfer, (b) additional performance measures specifically relating to the transfer should be developed, (c) a railway policing workforce strategy should be developed, (d) a detailed analysis of the benefits, disbenefits and risks of the transfer should be carried out, and (e) the Scottish Police Authority should explore how it can secure expertise in the rail industry or in railway policy among its board members.

Question reference: S5W-13317

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland will offer a similar service to the British Transport Police 61016 text number for reporting crime after it assumes responsibility for railway policing.

Question reference: S5W-13347

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the average class size is in Aberdeen City Council primary schools.

Question reference: S5W-13348

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the average (a) S1, (b) S2, (c) S3 and (d) S4 class size is in (i) English and (ii) Maths in Aberdeen City Council schools.

Question reference: S5W-13346

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many teaching posts are (a) unfilled and (b) filled by temporary staff in Aberdeen City Council (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools.

Teacher vacancy information as at 20 September 2017 can be found at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/Teaching/Staffing/TWPAG/KeyFactsandFigures

This information is not formal statistics and was collected for the purpose of informing the annual teacher workforce planning exercise. This is a snapshot of the vacancy situation as at 20 September.

Statistics on the employment type (permanent/temporary) of teachers by local authority in 2016 are published in the teacher census supplementary data (Table 7.7 primary and Table 7.8 secondary), available on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/teachcenssuppdata

Supplementary data for the 2017 census will be published by 6 March 2018.