Questions and answers

Question reference: S5O-01381

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to food banks that operate outwith the remit of the Trussell Trust.

As part of our £1 million per annum Fair Food Fund we currently provide support to 13 food banks; six affiliated with the Trussell Trust and seven independents.

The Fair Food Fund supports the development of approaches that support people affected by food poverty in a dignified, sustainable way and that reduces reliance on emergency food aid. We believe access to sufficient, nutritious food is a basic human right and that no one in a nation as rich as Scotland should have to access food banks. We will continue to challenge the UK Government welfare cuts that are the key driver causing increased demand for emergency food provision.

Question reference: S5O-01332

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to recognise the 2017 SFA Grassroots Awards winners, including Drumchapel United, which was named the Best Community Club for helping schools develop young peoples’ skills and fitness.

The Scottish Government recognises the achievements of all the winners at the Scottish FA Grassroots Awards 2017, which were held at Hampden on 21 September.

This annual event celebrates the success and achievements of the unsung heroes across Scotland who bring football to their local communities.

I’d like to congratulate Drumchapel United, on winning its Best Community Football Club award recognising the role the club plays in the area.

Further to this, on the same evening, Drumchapel won the Community Hub/School/Club of the Year Award at the Team Scotland Awards sponsored by sportscotland.

I would be delighted to liaise with the Member to identify an opportunity for me to visit the club and congratulate the dedicated club volunteers in person.

Question reference: S5W-11568

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5O-01247

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in delivering town centre status for underdeveloped areas, including Drumchapel in Glasgow.

Question reference: S5W-09818

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 21 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what legislative consent motions it will lodge in connection with the legislative programme of the UK Government to be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 21 June 2017.

In accordance with the Sewel Convention and Scotland Act 2016, the UK Parliament does not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. The Convention covers legislation for devolved purposes (that is matters within the legislative competence of the Parliament), and changes to the competence of the Parliament or the Scottish Ministers (in line with the safeguards to competence set out in equivalent statutory procedures under the Scotland Act.).

The formal consent of the Scottish Parliament is required in relation to all proposals for Westminster primary legislation with regard to devolved matters, including alterations to devolved competence, in accordance with Chapter 9B of Standing Orders.

The Sewel Convention, in all its elements, is crucial to the devolution settlement, acknowledging the special constitutional position of the Scottish Parliament and the democratic mandate conferred on this Parliament by the people of Scotland. In the view of the Scottish Government, the Sewel Convention will remain an essential part of the constitution of the UK for as long as the Westminster Parliament retains its current powers and functions in relation to Scotland.

In the normal course of business, legislation for devolved purposes should be scrutinised and determined in the Scottish Parliament. There may however be situations in which it is helpful and appropriate for legislation for devolved purposes to be taken forward at Westminster.

The Scottish Government is committed to assessing opportunities of this kind on their merits and to working closely and constructively with the UK Government, on a case by case basis, to deliver legislation which best meets Scotland’s needs. The Scottish Government is equally committed to working with the UK Government to pursue opportunities to extend devolved competence of both this Parliament and Scottish Ministers, accountable to this Parliament.

Within the legislative programme announced today by the UK Government, we have identified potential opportunities to legislate for the benefit of Scotland on matters that are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or which alter legislative or executive competence.

The UK bills which we currently expect to give rise to Legislative Consent Motions in the Scottish Parliament are the:

Financial Guidance and Claims Bill

Repeal Bill

The Scottish Government will consider the content of these Bills before deciding its recommendation to the Parliament on legislative consent. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine whether to give or withhold consent.

It is possible that further opportunities to legislate for Scotland by means of Legislative Consent Motion may occur in connection with other UK bills, including Private Member’s bills. Any additional proposals of this kind, together with any relevant amendments to the UK Government bills listed above, will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise, in line with the requirements of Standing Orders.

Question reference: S5W-08630

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much shipbuilding is worth to the economy of (a) Glasgow and (b) the rest of Scotland.

In 2014, the shipbuilding sector accounted for £512 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) in Scotland. It is not possible to provide separate figures for Glasgow, and the rest of Scotland, due to confidentiality constraints.

Note that shipbuilding GVA figures for Scotland are sourced from the Annual Business Survey, conducted by the Office for National Statistics. Shipbuilding GVA figures for Scotland are published on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business/SABS/ShipProfile. Data for 2015 will be published in August 2017.

Question reference: S5W-02983

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 September 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the names of the special advisers in post; what their responsibilities are; what their pay bands are; how many special advisers there are in each pay band, and what the current total salary cost of employing special advisers is.

Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers.

There are currently 12 Special Advisers in post and their specific responsibilities are as follows:

Name

Role

Liz Lloyd

Chief of Staff to the First Minister including the co-ordination of the Special Adviser team.

Responsible for the First Minister’s Strategic Programme in Government including European engagement and Inter-governmental relations.

Stuart Nicolson

Head of Communications.

Senior Political Spokesperson for the First Minister.

Colin McAllister

Head of Policy.

Senior Special Adviser to the Deputy First Minister.

Special Adviser for Education & Skills.

Special Adviser for Finance (jointly with Liz Lloyd).

First Minister’s Questions, Programme for Government.

Ewan Crawford

Senior Special Adviser supporting Ministers on Government Economic Strategy, Europe and Constitutional issues.

Ross Ingebrigtsen

Communications Special Adviser.

Deputy Spokesperson for the First Minister.

Strategic communications planning.

John MacInnes

Political Research.

Support for First Minister’s Questions and parliamentary debates.

Support to Communications and Policy Special Advisers.

Davie Hutchison

Special Adviser for Health & Sport and for Broadcasting.

John McFarlane

Special Adviser for Justice, Transport and the Economy.

Parliamentary Business.

Jeanette Campbell

Special Adviser for Communities, Social Security, Equalities, Jobs and Fair Work.

Kate Higgins

Special Adviser for the Rural Economy & Connectivity.

Support to the Head of Policy.

Katy Bowman

Support for the First Minister and the First Minister’s Private Office.

Outreach and stakeholder engagement.

Special Adviser for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs and policy support to the Chief of Staff.

David Miller

Special Adviser for Energy, Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform.

The Special Adviser Pay Bands and Ranges and the number of Special Advisers within each Pay Band currently in place are:

Pay Band	Current Pay Range	Number of Special Advisers
1	£39,445 - £52,904	7
2	£51,041 - £67,709	1
3	£65,017 - £83,963	4
3 (premium)	£83,549 - £100,942	0
4	£86,965 - £104,462	0

The estimated total cost of the current team of the 12 Special Advisers employed for a full 12 month period is £895,135. This includes all salary costs, ERNIC and employer pension contributions and the estimate can be broken down as follows:

ESTIMATED 12 MONTH COST OF CURRENT SPECIAL ADVISER TEAM

Number of Special Advisers	Salary Costs	*ERNIC	*Employer pension contributions	Total Cost
12	£669,505	£78,154	£147,476	£895,135

* The level of the employer ERNIC and pension contributions is not a matter for the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5W-00837

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the names of the special advisers in post; what their responsibilities are; what their pay bands are; how many special advisers there are in each pay band, and what the total salary cost of employing special advisers was in 2015-16.

Special advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a special adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers.

The *total cost of the team of 14 special advisers employed during the financial year 2015-16 was £1,140,104.

There are currently 10 special advisers in post and a further one will be appointed with effect from 1 July 2016. From 1 July 2016 the 11 special advisers and their specific responsibilities will be as follows:

Name	Role
Liz Lloyd	Chief of Staff to the First Minister including the co-ordination of the Special Adviser team. Responsible for the First Minister’s Strategic Programme in Government. Special Adviser for Finance and the Constitution (jointly with Colin McAllister) and Inter-governmental relations.
Stuart Nicolson	Head of Communications. Senior Political Spokesperson for the First Minister.
Colin McAllister	Head of Policy and Senior Special Adviser to the Deputy First Minister. Special Adviser for Education and Skills. Special Adviser for Finance and the Constitution (jointly with Liz Lloyd). First Minister’s Questions, Programme for Government.
Ross Ingebrigtsen	Communications Special Adviser. Deputy Spokesperson for the First Minister. Strategic communications planning.
John MacInnes	Political Research. Support for First Minister’s Questions and parliamentary debates. Support to Communications and Policy Special Advisers.
Davie Hutchison	Special Adviser for Health and Sport and for Broadcasting.
John McFarlane	Special Adviser for Justice, Transport and the Economy. Parliamentary Business.
Jeanette Campbell	Special Adviser for Communities, Social Security, Equalities, Jobs and Fair Work.
Kate Higgins	Special Adviser for Rural Economy and Connectivity. Support to the Head of Policy.
Katy Bowman	Support for the First Minister and the First Minister’s Private Office. Outreach and stakeholder engagement. Special Adviser for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs and policy support to the Chief of Staff.
David Miller	Special Adviser for Energy, Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.

The special adviser pay bands and ranges and the number of special advisers within each pay band currently in place are:

Pay Band	Current Pay Range	Number of Special Advisers
1	£39,445 - £52,904	7
2	£51,041 - £67,709	1
3	£65,017 - £83,963	3
3 (premium)	£83,549 - £100,942	0
4	£86,965 - £104,462	0

*Total cost includes all salary costs, earnings-related national insurance contributions and employer pension contributions.

Question reference: S5W-00723

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many parliamentary liaison officers have been appointed; to which ministers, and what their responsibilities are.

The First Minister has appointed 13 parliamentary liaison officers (PLOs), listed as follows, to assist in developing and maintaining a positive and constructive relationship between the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government and to take account of the views of the Parliament and of Scotland as a whole. PLOs are unpaid, are not members of the government and are not, therefore, bound by collective responsibility.

Parliamentary Liaison Officer	Portfolio
Ben Macpherson MSP Gail Ross MSP	Office of the First Minister
George Adam MSP Mairi Evans MSP	Communities, Social Security and Equalities
Ash Denham MSP	Culture, Tourism and External Affairs
Ivan McKee MSP Gillian Martin MSP	Economy, Jobs and Fair Work
Jenny Gilruth MSP	Education and Skills
Angus McDonald MSP	Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform
Kate Forbes MSP	Finance and Constitution
Tom Arthur MSP	Health and Sport
Fulton MacGregor MSP	Justice
Emma Harper MSP	Rural Economy and Connectivity

Question reference: S4O-05257

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on calls to revisit its position on the principle of universalism in public service provision.

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