- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Minister for Transport has (a) visited in-person and (b) met representatives from (i) Glasgow Airport, (ii) Edinburgh Airport, (iii) Glasgow Prestwick Airport and (iv) Aberdeen International Airport since being appointed.
Answer
Since my appointment as Minister for Transport, I have visited Edinburgh Airport and met officials on one occasion in person with a further meeting held virtually. I have met virtually the CEO of AGS Airports, who own both Aberdeen and Glasgow Airports, for a meeting. I have visited Glasgow Airport on two occasions when flying for Ministerial engagements. I have not visited Aberdeen Airport during my time as Minister for Transport. I have not visited Prestwick Airport as Prestwick is not within my Ministerial portfolio.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Education Scotland report, Approaches to recording and monitoring incidents of bullying in schools, published in February 2023.
Answer
The report shows that staff across schools are committed to promoting positive relationships within an inclusive environment and seek to prevent and address bullying.
We take the findings of the report very seriously and have put in place a range of actions immediately to respond. We have begun a review of our national anti-bullying guidance, Respect for All, and have established a working group of key stakeholders to support us in this.
HM Inspectors will undertake a second phase of the thematic inspection which will look at good practice in how schools are responding to bullying. Education Scotland will publish this report later this year. The findings will inform our future work.
We are engaging with the Teachers Panel and with teaching unions to discuss their experiences and how we could better support schools and pupils. The fifth wave of our Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research started in February and will provide a robust national picture of current relationships and behaviour. We will use this research and engagement with stakeholders, including the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools, to inform the development of further future policy, guidance and support for schools and school staff.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) volunteers and (b) paid staff currently work at Citizens Advice Scotland.
Answer
This is not a matter for the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the average response time was to phone calls to the Citizens Advice Scotland Helpline, and how many calls were (a) received and (b) discontinued in each year since 2019.
Answer
This is not a matter for the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15443 by John Swinney on 8 March 2023, whether it will name the law firms that have received a share of the £100,244, broken down by how much each firm received.
Answer
Since the response to question S6W-15443 on 8 March 20232, further legal fee claims have been paid. As of 15 March 2023, £124,650 has been paid to 10 firms.
It is not appropriate to name the firms as to do so could be interpreted as guiding applicants to particular firms. Applicants are directed to the Law Society of Scotland for support in finding a solicitor. In addition, as some firms have a claim in respect of only one application there is a small risk of applicant identification if the full list is provided.
Table 1 : Breakdown of Legal Fees paid up to 15 March 2023
Firm | Fees Paid (up to 15 March 2023) | Number of associated applications |
A | £2,400 | 1 |
B | £2,400 | 1 |
C | £76,440 | 33 |
D | £19,200 | 8 |
E | £5,340 | 3 |
F | £540 | 1 |
G | £2400 | 1 |
H | £13,080 | 7 |
I | £2,400 | 1 |
J | £450 | 1 |
Total Paid | £124,650 | 57 |
While applications can be made without the need for a solicitor, applicants are strongly encouraged to take up the offer of funded legal advice, particularly before signing a waiver and accepting a redress payment.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), also known as drones, have been available for use by Police Scotland officers in each year since 2019, and how many officers have received RPAS training.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. RPAS use, including training, is a matter for Police Scotland.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the February 2023 Cranfield Trust report, Demand, Survival, Change: The challenges facing charity management in Scotland.
Answer
The third sector is hugely diverse and works alongside the public and private sectors across all services and industries, often providing lifeline services in our most vulnerable communities. It faces many pressures but we know that there are particular challenges given fixed grants and falling donations.
We recognise that the third sector needs stability of funding and the opportunity for longer term planning and development. We are committed to delivering a Fairer Funding approach for the third sector, the cornerstone of which is multi-year funding, and we are now beginning the roll out of this commitment. We hope this will provide a much needed stable platform to enable the sector to work to its full potential.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce violence in schools.
Answer
Violence towards anyone is unacceptable and the safety of our children, young people and staff at school is paramount.
We have produced guidance for local authorities and schools to promote positive relationships and manage behaviour, including de-escalation of violent behaviour. There are a number of programmes that they use to do this.
Last week I met the Teachers Panel to discuss their experiences and how we could better support schools and pupils. The fifth wave of our Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research started last month and will provide a robust national picture of current relationships and behaviour. We will use this research and engagement with stakeholders, including the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools, to inform the development of further future policy, guidance and support for schools and school staff.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the (a) February 2023 Audit Scotland report, NHS in Scotland 2022, and (b) statement that the Scottish Government’s plan to "increase the GP workforce by 800 (headcount) by 2027" is "not on track".
Answer
We will give full consideration to the recommendations of this report, which sets out both the challenges, and successes, of the continued recovery of our NHS from a global pandemic.
We are making good progress against our GP commitment and since 2017 GP headcount has increased by 291 and a record 5209 GPs are now working in Scotland.
Progress is measured by the annual GP Headcount Public Health Scotland publication. The latest publication can be found at:
General Practice - GP Workforce and practice list sizes 2012 - 2022 - General Practice - GP workforce and practice list sizes - Publications - Public Health Scotland
The assessment by Audit Scotland does not take into account GP Registrars in their final year of training, when assessing progress against this commitment. These registrars spend 12 months full time equivalent in a GP practice.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support parents in Glasgow and the west of Scotland to find alternative childcare in light of the forthcoming closure of Rising Stars childcare centres on 31 March 2023.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides local authorities with funding to allow them to deliver their statutory duty to ensure all eligible children can access 1140 hours of high-quality funded early learning and childcare. Scottish Government officials have spoken to Glasgow City Council regarding the closure of Rising Stars, and the Council's early years team is supporting families with children who attend these settings to discuss suitable alternatives - including through one-to-one support where required.