- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding ending its training of the National Police of Colombia in light of (a) the reported crackdown on protesters in Colombia in spring 2021 and (b) an Amnesty International report that stated that the protestors had faced intentional police violence.
Answer
The Scottish Government supports Police Scotland’s international activity which involves reaching out to all parts of the world, including Colombia. This activity supports the prevention of crime at source and ensures the sharing of best practice in policing in order to help the stabilisation of communities beyond our borders. All Police Scotland activity is underpinned by a human rights-based approach which has a strong focus on community engagement. Central to that is an emphasis on de-escalating conflict and ensuring that the right to protest can be freely and peacefully exercised.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether the decision to put in place a recruitment freeze in its health and social care directorate was made by the Chief Executive of NHS Scotland and Director-General Health and Social Care.
Answer
The Chief Executive of NHS Scotland and Director-General Health and Social Care put in place a temporary pause on filling vacancies not currently advertised within Health and Social Care Directorates from 4 April 2022. Over the last two years, the Health and Social Care directorates have expanded to respond to the pandemic. The pause has been put in place for a short period to recognise the changing nature of the response now needed from the Portfolio. It allows time to consider the future size, shape and services that need to be delivered and how staff can be supported appropriately. The recruitment pause is designed to ensure that any planned activity is aligned to the organisation’s longer term workforce plan.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when the recruitment freeze in its health and social care directorate (a) was put in place and (b) will come to an end.
Answer
The Chief Executive of NHS Scotland and Director-General Health and Social Care put in place a temporary pause on filling vacancies not currently advertised within Health and Social Care Directorates from 4 April 2022. The pause will remain in place for no longer than necessary, while consideration is given to the future pandemic response.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with non-governmental organisations and human rights campaigners regarding Police Scotland’s training of the National Police of Colombia.
Answer
It is for Police Scotland to decide how best to engage with non-governmental organisations in the context of an international deployment. I can, however, confirm that Police Scotland discussed this particular deployment with a Scottish-based NGO which has a strong track-record in Colombia. Police Scotland has also held discussions with representatives from indigenous communities in the country. This approach has helped to ensure that officers are aware of human rights concerns and that there is transparency in relation to the purpose of the deployment. Doing so reflects a human rights-based approach and is consistent also with Police Scotland’s Code of Ethics.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what human rights considerations it took into account when taking the decision to approve the deployment of Police Scotland officers to Colombia.
Answer
The Scottish Government gives full consideration to ensuring all human rights obligations are stringently assessed and observed for all Police Scotland requests for overseas deployments, including to Colombia. For our part, the Scottish Government condemns human rights abuses wherever they occur and has always been clear that Scottish public authorities, including Police Scotland, should act to promote human rights and to challenge poor practice in the context of any engagement with overseas partners
Police Scotland complete an Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessment prior to any approach to the Scottish Government to ensure that all activity is consistent with all domestic and international human rights obligations. All Police Scotland engagement with Colombia has been undertaken with the full support of the British Embassy in Bogota, and the UN International Organization for Migration (UN IOM). Safeguards have been built in to the arrangements for the deployment so that appropriate action can be taken should any human rights concerns be identified by Police Scotland officers. These are as follows:
- All interventions by Police Scotland incorporate measures to reduce the risk of human rights violations.
- Training on Human Rights is incorporated into all courses and interventions.
- Police Scotland retains and provides for reduction, suspension or stopping assistance, if they identify any human rights concerns.
- Police Scotland staff are specifically briefed to raise participants’ awareness that good practice respects human rights at every opportunity.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what direct consultation was undertaken with the staff affected in relation to the decision to put in place a recruitment freeze in its health and social care directorate.
Answer
The Scottish Government regularly consult with trade unions on matters impacting the workforce, in line with our partnership agreement, and have notified them of enhanced recruitment controls being put in place. We remain committed to making the best and most efficient use of our resources.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the total volume, in kilograms, was of below Minimum Conservation Reference Size (a) cod, (b) haddock, (c) herring, (d) whiting, (e) sole, (f) plaice and (g) saithe that was discarded by Scottish boats in 2021, in ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) areas (i) 4 and (ii) 6a.
Answer
The total quantity of discards below Minimum Conservation Reference Size from Scottish vessels is not currently estimated. Marine Scotland estimates the total weight of unwanted catch (catch that was not considered suitable for commercial sales) below Minimum Conservation Reference Size for demersal trawlers and seine netters for each year, using data collected by scientific observers on-board fishing vessels. (Fishing trips by vessels using other gears are not surveyed.) The estimates for 2021 are given in the following table. These estimates are for fishing trips by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad.
Estimates of the total weight of unwanted catch (kg) below Minimum Conservation Reference Size caught in 2021 in ICES subarea 4 and division 6a by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad, fishing with demersal trawls or seines.
Species | ICES region |
(i) 4 | (ii) 6a |
(a) Cod | 338,000 | 1,000 |
(b) Haddock | 4,087,000 | 3,048,000 |
(c) Herring | 1,000 | 42,000 |
(d) Whiting | 271,000 | 84,000 |
(e) Sole | 0 | 2,500 |
(f) Plaice | 30,000 | 47,000 |
(g) Saithe | 4,000 | 0 |
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the total volume, in kilograms, was of (a) cod, (b) haddock, (c) herring, (d) whiting, (e) sole, (f) plaice and (g) saithe that was discarded by Scottish boats in 2021, in ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) areas (i) 4 and (ii) 6a.
Answer
The total quantity of discards from Scottish vessels is not currently estimated. Marine Scotland estimates the total weight of unwanted catch (catch that was not considered suitable for commercial sales) for demersal trawlers and seine netters for each year, using data collected by scientific observers on-board fishing vessels. (Fishing trips by vessels using other gears are not surveyed.) The estimates for 2021 are given in the following table. These estimates are for fishing trips by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad.
Estimates of the total weight of unwanted catch (kg) caught in 2021 in ICES subarea 4 and division 6a by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad, fishing with demersal trawls or seines.
Species | ICES region |
(i) 4 | (ii) 6a |
(a) Cod | 2,161,000 | 532,000 |
(b) Haddock | 7,051,000 | 4,061,000 |
(c) Herring | 337,000 | 332,000 |
(d) Whiting | 1,703,000 | 216,000 |
(e) Sole | 0 | 2,500 |
(f) Plaice | 49,000 | 75,000 |
(g) Saithe | 721,000 | 56,000 |
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessments it has made of any increased use of online appointments on patients' access to GP services.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2022
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the work to make an informed policy decision on the contribution of North Sea production to the global climate emergency and to Scotland’s economy, security and wellbeing, as outlined in the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme, and at what specific stage this work is currently at.
Answer
As part of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Government has committed to undertaking a Programme of Work and analysis to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with our climate change targets and the goal of the Paris agreement to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. This work is detailed in the Scottish Government’s response to question S6W-03953 on 25 October 2021.
The Programme of Work’s evidence base and some of its initial outputs will feature in the Scottish Government’s draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP) which will be published in Autumn 2022. The ESJTP will consider the whole energy system as part of the strategy and indicate the change required in electricity generation, heat, transport and all energy demand across Scotland.
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
