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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-23326

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest time has been for a Scottish Welfare Fund application to be processed in the last year.

During 2018 the average (median) time taken for Scottish Welfare Fund applications to be processed was one working day for Community Care Grant (CCG) and the same working day for Crisis Grant.

We are unable to provide an accurate figure for the longest time, as we cannot distinguish between cases that are being processed and cases that have been closed and reopened. The most recent statistics on processing times are available in tables 8 to 11 of the official statistics publication “Scottish Welfare Fund Statistics: Update to 31 December 2018”, published at: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/swf/SWF31Dec2018 .

Question reference: S5W-23482

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 4 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the overtime rates are for (a) its and (b) Social Security Scotland's staff.

The staff below Senior Civil Service in Social Security Scotland are employed on Scottish Government Main (SGM) terms and conditions. The overtime rates in SGM are detailed in the following table. Staff in the Senior Civil Service are not entitled to claim overtime.

Overtime Rates	Monday to Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Public Holiday	Privilege Holiday
Staff in Band A	Time+½	Double Time	Double Time	Plain Time + TOIL (Double Time if TOIL not available)	TOIL (Plain Time if TOIL not available)
Staff in Bands B & C	Plain Time	Time+½	Double Time	Plain Time + TOIL (Double Time if TOIL not available)	TOIL (Plain Time if TOIL not available)

Question reference: S5W-23315

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of nitrites in school meals.

We are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our children and young people and recognise the key role schools have by providing healthy, balanced and nutritious food and drink.

In 2018 we consulted on proposals put forward by a scientific technical working group which reflected latest scientific evidence and dietary advice to make school food and drink even healthier. This included a proposal to introduce a maximum level of red and red processed meat served in schools.

The Scottish Government will be publishing the consultation report and detail on the changes to be made to the school food and drink Regulations, including action on red processed meat before the end of the June.

Question reference: S5W-23308

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 29 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to the Heriot Watt School of Textile and Design in each of the last 10 years.

The Scottish Government provides funding to universities in Scotland, including Heriot-Watt, via the Scottish Funding Council; this includes grants for teaching, research, and capital. As autonomous institutions, it is for each university to determine how to best use this funding to meet the outcomes set out by Scottish Ministers; as such, information on funding to the School of Textiles and Design is not held centrally.

Question reference: S5W-23227

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes and maintains staff morale across the social security programme.

Question reference: S5W-23211

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress being made in appointing a permanent social security programme manager.

The Programme has required to date, and will continue to require, specialist resources that are either not currently available or are in short supply within the Scottish Government.

To ensure the levels of resourcing and skills required for delivery are in place, the programme manager post is currently held by a highly experienced contractor. Their expertise in programme management from both public and private sector provides the opportunity for Scottish Government staff to learn key skills directly.

The Programme Manager leads the Programme Management Office functions and reports to the Programme Director, who has overall responsibility for the delivery of the totality of the programme. Senior roles within the programme have been consistent for the life of the programme. The Social Security Director and the Programme Director – the two most senior roles in the programme - have been in post since the beginning of the programme.

Question reference: S5W-23230

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether Social Security Scotland staff use telephony scripts and, if so, (a) for what reason and (b) whether it will publish these or place a copy in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Question reference: S5W-23231

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether frontline cyber protection is in place to protect the social security programme and, if (a) so, who provides this and (b) not, (i) for what reason and (ii) what progress it is making in identifying a provider.

Question reference: S5W-23224

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost will be of the IBM contract to provide a case management system for the social security programme in each of the next four years, and how the total cost of this contract compares with the original forecast of £8.3 million.

The current value of the IBM contract is publically available on the Public Contracts Scotland website.

The original £8.3 million value of the contract was to support the development and implementation of four Scottish Government benefits and the revised contract delivers much more than we originally asked for.

A four year breakdown of the cost of the contract is not available. It currently runs until October 2019, with an option to extend. The bulk of the projected costs therefore fall in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Question reference: S5W-23212

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that Social Security Scotland staff are adequately supported in their roles.

Social Security Scotland aims to recruit a diverse workforce, to ensure a positive induction process, and to provide ongoing learning and development opportunities.

Before an employee takes up a post, Social Security Scotland identify any adjustments which may be required to support an individual in their employment.

Social Security Scotland employs people on Scottish Government terms and conditions and aligns with Scottish Government People policies, ensuring a full range of employee support is available that reflects our values of dignity, fairness and respect.