- Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the SPCB) on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what it is doing to encourage the employment of more people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence (LDAN) in the Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is committed to building a diverse and representative workforce. The SPCB monitors and reports on the diversity of its staff, including people with a disability. Where a group is identified as underrepresented in the workforce, positive action measures are used to remove barriers and increase representation.
The SPCB is one of a small number of organisations in Scotland to be recognized as a Disability Confident Leader. This accreditation recognises the actions taken to actively encourage the recruitment of disabled people and the support provided to foster career progression. In keeping with this accreditation guidance has been developed for managers to ensure that they take an inclusive approach to recruitment, ensuring that our approach is open and accessible for all. This includes guidance and resources for managers and staff on creating an inclusive workplace for neurodivergent colleagues. Where a colleague with a learning disability, autism or neurodivergence requires support to access the recruitment process or work effectively, an adjustment plan is agreed with them to ensure that appropriate adjustments are put in place and updated, as required.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many shoplifting offences have been recorded by the police in each year since 2019.
Answer
The number of police recorded crimes of shoplifting are published in Table 1 of the Recorded Crime in Scotland bulletins. The latest data is shown in the following table.
year ending June 2019 | year ending June 2020 | year ending June 2021 | year ending June 2022 | year ending June 2023 | year ending June 2024 |
33,611 | 27,045 | 21,136 | 24,877 | 30,202 | 40,554 |
Source: Recorded Crime in Scotland: year ending June 2024
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment (a) Transport Scotland and (b) CMAL has made of comparative crewing levels for the Phase 1 contract in the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.
Answer
Crewing levels will be comparable with existing small vessels to ensure safe manning and operation of the new vessels when they are introduced. CalMac Ferries Limited will continue to engage with crew and unions ahead of the vessels introduction. Further detail on particulars of the vessels is available in Q&A documents on CMAL‘s dedicated SVRP website - Small Vessel Replacement Programme | CMAL Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (cmassets.co.uk).
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the successful bidder for the Phase 1 design and build contract in the Small Vessel Replacement Programme is required to recognise trade unions, including seafarer unions, at the (a) test and survey, (b) launch, (c) equip and (d) sea trial stage of the contract.
Answer
Consultation and engagement with seafarer unions has been ongoing for SVRP and will continue during the design and build stage and will include (a) test and survey, (b) launch, (c) equip and (d) sea trial stage of the contract.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to issue the invitation to tender for the Phase 1 design and build contract in the Small Vessel Replacement Programme, and what it anticipates the value will be of this public contract.
Answer
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) as procuring authority foresee the invitation to tender issuing late September/early October 2024. A contract range will be given but it will be for bidders to confirm the cost of the design and build contract and for CMAL to evaluate bids against the set criteria of the procurement process.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to remove any uncertainty and improve communication between it and landlords.
Answer
We will continue to engage and listen to the views of landlords, tenants and investors, through the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Stakeholder Group, the Housing Investment Taskforce, as well as ongoing targeted stakeholder engagement.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent police officers there were in 2023-24.
Answer
The Scottish Government publish full-time police officer numbers on a quarterly basis. The statistics published provide a snapshot of police strength at the end of each quarter. Police officer quarterly strength statistics Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent police officers at the end of each quarter during 2023-24.
Q2 2023 | Q3 2023 | Q4 2023 | Q1 2024 |
16,600 | 16,613 | 16,363 | 16,356 |
Source: Police officer quarterly strength statistics
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment (a) Transport Scotland and (b) CMAL has made of (i) passenger accessibility and (ii) crew training for the Phase 1 contract in the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.
Answer
Engagement and consultation have been undertaken on both aspects ahead of the live procurement. Passenger accessibility and crew training and familiarisation has also been included in the scope of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme ahead of successful delivery.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to better understand the
resource constraints associated with tradespeople in relation to the private rented
sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government engages regularly with stakeholders across the private rented sector to understand issues that may impact on landlords and their ability to fulfil their legal obligations.
Where necessary, Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments (BRIAs) are used to assess the costs, benefits and risks of any proposed legislation that may have an impact on the public, private sector, third sector or regulators.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the cost of the tendering process for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme Phase 1 contract.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information as the cost of tendering for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme is a cost borne by the bidders in the procurement process.