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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.

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Question reference: S3W-05829

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to develop and adopt a domestic violence employment policy.

Question reference: S3W-05827

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what support and guidance is available to its employees affected by domestic violence.

Tackling domesticabuse is a priority for the Scottish Government and we have worked closely withour staff networks, trades unions and internal and external partners to raise awarenessof the issue and to create and implement an effective domestic violence policy.

We will publish ourpolicy for staff during the week commencing 26 November 2007, to coincide with National Domestic Violence Week. Itwill provide guidance for both staff and managers in identifying and dealing withdomestic violence and will also signpost internal and external support organisationsthat can help those who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic abuse.

In addition, key staffwithin our Human Resources function have been trained in identifying domestic abuseand providing support for staff and line managers.

Question reference: S3W-05828

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what support and guidance is available to its managers to increase awareness in the workplace of the signs of domestic violence and to develop effective responses.

Question reference: S3W-05825

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Mike Pringle on 5 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what support and guidance is available to its employees affected by domestic violence.

In answering thisquestion, I take it that the reference to “affected by” domestic violence meanssubjected to domestic violence. Where an employee of the SPCB reported this,either to line management or a representative of the Personnel Office, the SPCBwould offer support in the work place. The way that the SPCB would do thiswould be dependent on the needs of the employee at that time, for example:

The employeewould be able to access, on a completely confidential basis, our EmployeeAssistance Programme (EAP) provider which is available 24 hours a day. Therange of services available include telephone or face to face access to a fullyqualified counsellor and access to information specialists;

To assist linemanagement in such cases, access is also provided to the EAP. This allowsmanagement to discuss how they should respond appropriately to the situation,and

In addition, theSPCB has the option of supporting the employee through referral to ouroccupational health service. This would apply especially where the employeewas returning to work after a long term absence and would allow the SPCB toensure that relevant support measures were in place at work.

If the employeeneeded to make alternative domestic arrangements or require time away fromwork, the SPCB offers a range of flexible working options.

In cases wherethe domestic situation of an employee was manifesting itself in the work-place,again there are a range of measures we can take:

the on-sitePolice presence can be alerted. The Police can help with practical advice aswell as responding to any formal complaint;

we can screencalls for the individual, and

we can agree toalter the individual’s work pattern, approve a career break and consideroptions for working off-site if necessary.

If financialadvice is needed, this can be provided via the EAP.

In the case ofneed for direct financial assistance the employee would be assisted in makingan application to the Benevolent Fund of which the SPCB holds corporatemembership.

It is the aim of the SPCB to support sensitively and with professional help any employee whofinds him or herself in this regrettable situation.

Question reference: S3W-05826

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Mike Pringle on 5 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what support and guidance is available to its managers to increase awareness in the workplace of the signs of domestic violence and to develop effective responses.

If an employee tells his/herline manager in confidence that he/she has been subjected to domestic violence,the SPCB has measures in place to provide effective support to the employeeconcerned and the line manger. Such measures include:

Support from the PersonnelOffice to enable the manager and any colleagues of the employee concerned todeal sensitively with the situation;

24 hour access for themanager to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider. This can includecoaching in dealing with sensitive situations such as this.

Support from the PersonnelOffice in assisting the manager to put in place flexible working options and orother adjustments to the work or working environment, should these be requiredby the employee, and

If the employeeis returning from prolonged sick leave, a referral to our Occupational HealthService will be made and recommendations received as to how best support the employeeat work. The manager and Personnel Office would work together in implementingthe recommendations from the Occupational Health Service, ensuring that the employee’sconfidentiality was maintained at all times.

Question reference: S3O-01017

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 1 November 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the development of the renewable energy sector in Scotland.

Making the most ofScotland’s renewable energy potential will be vitalto achieving our ambitions for sustainable growth, security of supply and tacklingclimate change.

The First Ministerhas held discussions with Ofgem over transmission charging and we are continuingto make the case for a charging regime which supports rather than works againstenvironmental objectives. We are also exploring sub-sea grid development.

We have endorsed planningpolicy SPP6 and we are supporting local authorities in the urgent task of preparingplanning guidance for their area.

We are operating grantschemes for wave and tidal energy, biomass and hydrogen fuel cells – and we willensure that there is effective support for the continued development of these technologies.

Renewables legislationprovides for higher levels of market support for wave and tidal generation thanelsewhere in the UK and we are looking closely at proposals forthe banding of different technologies. We will also bring forward proposals forpromoting renewable heat

We are engaging withindustry and other stakeholders to address any barriers to the further developmentof our renewables sector, including at a community level.

Question reference: S3W-05335

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken following the consultation on licensing of taxi/private hire car booking offices.

Question reference: S3W-05334

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms exist to allow regulation by licensing authorities of non-standard vehicles such as stretch limousines and decommissioned ambulances and fire engines that are available to the public for hire.

Question reference: S3W-05333

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the recommendations of A Report by the Task Group Set Up to Review the Licensing Provisions Contained in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, published in November 2004, have been implemented in relation to taxis and private hire cars.

The task grouprecommendation to set up a focus group has been implemented. Liaison with thefocus group has assisted in the preparation of guidance to licensingauthorities. This will address a range of issues relating to the licensing oftaxis and private hire cars and will include several issues on which guidancewas called for in the task group report. We expect to publish this guidancelater this year.

Most of the otherrecommendations, however, require primary legislation and this Government isconsidering how that might best be achieved.

Question reference: S3W-05330

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 24 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce alcohol-fuelled crime and antisocial behaviour in Edinburgh.