Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-17781

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that police officers have been called out almost 10,000 times to hospitals and health centres in the past five years.

No-one should be the victim of abuse or violence while at work and assaults on NHS staff are completely unacceptable.

The courts have extensive powers to deal robustly with those who attack emergency workers and we strongly encourage staff to report all instances of violent and aggressive behaviour through their local reporting systems. If it is a serious incident, then all efforts must be made to escalate to the Police as quickly as possible.

NHSScotland has joined the multi-agency Your Safety Matters (YSM) initiative, led by Police Scotland. YSM aims to minimise incidents of violence and aggression in workplaces, through campaigns, sharing resources and good practice.

Question reference: S6O-02288

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to modernise the fire estate.

Question reference: S6W-17615

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to revise its air quality strategy to include specific timescales that local authorities must comply with.

The Scottish Government's position on this is set out in the improvement plan which was produced in response to the recommendations set out in Environmental Standards Scotland's improvement report following its investigation into air quality. The improvement plan was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 27 March 2023 and can be viewed at: Environmental Standards Scotland air quality investigation - Scottish Government improvement plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-17614

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to explore introducing a bespoke monitoring body for air quality in Scotland.

The Scottish Government's position on this is set out in the improvement plan which was produced in response to the recommendations set out in Environmental Standards Scotland's improvement report following its investigation into air quality. The improvement plan was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 27 March 2023 and can be viewed at: Environmental Standards Scotland air quality investigation - Scottish Government improvement plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-17705

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) on identifying sectors of the economy with low levels of trade union (a) recognition and (b) membership.

The Scottish Government provided funding to the STUC for research into collective bargaining coverage in Scotland. This research was published in a report for the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) by the Labour Research Group in July 2021. It included recommendations both for the Scottish Government and STUC on how more collective bargaining - and the "voice" at work it provides - can be encouraged.

We have provided £250,000 annually to the STUC for the last seven years through the Trade Union Fair Work and Modernisation Fund which has supported unions in embedding the Fair Work Framework in Scotland’s workplaces. This funding has enabled unions to work proactively, building upon ongoing efforts, to tackle precarious work, and organising for Fair Work in less unionised sectors. The Scottish Government engages regularly with STUC in relation to this Fund.

Question reference: S6W-17603

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it has set for (a) collective bargaining coverage and (b) trade union membership in Scotland, and whether these targets were met in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-17602

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on course to meet any targets for (a) collective bargaining coverage and (b) trade union membership in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has made a clear commitment to promote collective bargaining through the inclusion of an employee voice indicator, measured by collective bargaining coverage, within the National Performance Framework.

Our National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) and our refreshed Fair Work Action Plan include actions to support to trade unions and the promotion of collective bargaining. In line with commitments in the Bute House Agreement, we are now strengthening our approach to conditionality. From 1 July 2023, all public sector grants will include a requirement to pay at least the Real Living Wage to all employees, and provide appropriate channels for effective voice. We published updated Fair Work First guidance on 24 March to support the adoption of this new requirement.

It is our belief that a progressive approach to industrial relations and to trade unionism is at the very heart of a fairer, more successful society. There is clear evidence that unionised workplaces have more engaged staff, have a higher level of staff training and a progressive approach to staff wellbeing.

Accordingly, we will continue to promote trade union recognition and collective bargaining, at both local and sectoral levels, across the economy to achieve improved conditions and enhance effective voice. Work is progressing in the social care sector to increase bargaining coverage and efforts are also ongoing in other traditionally low paid or precarious sectors to advance fair work and effective voice for workers.

Question reference: S6W-17604

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any progress it has made towards its targets for collective bargaining coverage and trade union membership in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-17704

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking (a) in general and (b) through its Fair Work agenda, to encourage trade union (i) membership and (ii) recognition, across the economy.

Question reference: S6W-17611

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any summaries of its findings from piloting implementation of community wealth building in Clackmannanshire, Fife, the Glasgow City Region, the South of Scotland and the Western Isles.

In collaboration with local and regional partners, the Scottish Government supported the development of Community Wealth Building (CWB) action plans for each area that set out practical actions to maximise the economic benefit realised for local communities, businesses and people.

Clackmannanshire, Glasgow City Region and Tay City region plans have been published on the Scottish Hub for Regional Economic Development website. Western Isles’ plan can be found here . South of Scotland Enterprise published their report on the potential for a CWB approach to adding energy efficient measures to Registered Social Landlord (RSL) housing stock in the South of Scotland, which concluded that 2,200 jobs could be created by 2023. The analysis can be found here: A roadmap to decarbonisation ,

A summary of all learnings from the pilots informed the Economic Development Associations Scotland (EDAs) practical CWB guide, available here: Community Wealth Building Scotland | EDAS

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