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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: S5W-20947

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how the proposals in the draft Budget could support town centres in the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency.

The Scottish Government announced a wide package of measures in the budget to support town centres including maintaining a competitive business rates package which caps the increase in rate poundage below inflation; ensures that 90% of properties in Scotland pay a lower poundage than other parts of the UK; and supports small businesses through the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) which lifts small businesses out of rates altogether. Over 1,100 businesses in Inverclyde received up to 100% rates relief through the SBBS this year, an increase of more than 500 businesses over the last 10 years.

The Scottish Government also announced a new £50m Town Centre Fund to drive local economic activity and support town centres to become more thriving and sustainable places. This fund will enable local authorities to stimulate and support a wide range of investments which encourage town centres to diversify and flourish. The Scottish Government will work in partnership with COSLA and local authorities to deliver this fund including developing proposals on how this fund will be distributed and allocated.

Question reference: S5W-20948

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 22 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how the proposals in the draft Budget could support social housing in the Greenock and Inverclyde Constituency.

The Draft Budget announcement proposes an increase of £70 million to the funding available for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in 2019-20 - bringing the total to £826 million. These additional funds will help support partners to meet the Scottish Government’s ambitious target to deliver at least 50,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2021 by enabling the delivery of more social and affordable homes, including in the Inverclyde local authority area which covers the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency.

This increase builds on the longer-term certainty the Scottish Government has already given councils and housing associations by allocating resource planning assumptions to March 2021. Over this and the next two years to 2021 over £30 million will be made available to the Inverclyde local authority area to deliver affordable housing.

Question reference: S5W-20461

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress CalMac has made on delivering its commitments in relation to being awarded the Clyde and Hebrides contract following the tender process in 2016.

As part of their bid to operate the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services, CalMac Ferries Ltd made a number of commitments covering a wide range of activities during the lifetime of the contract. By the end of contract year 1 the company reported that 282 (82%) of these commitments as being completed or were track to be completed by the planned dates, of this number around 109 are recurring. All of CalMac’s commitments are reviewed on a regular basis by Transport Scotland and CalMac.

Question reference: S5W-20531

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm arrangements for the future provision of the publicly-funded Gourock-Dunoon ferry service, which is currently operating on the town centre-harbour route.

The Gourock Dunoon Ferry Service tender was cancelled today. This decision follows careful consideration of Audit Scotland’s Report on Transport Scotland’s Ferry Services, published on 19 October 2017, which recommended that Transport Scotland should consider the value for money of providing financial support for the route. The decision also reflects recent policy developments aimed at the increased use of public transport, the promotion of active travel and a reduction in vehicle emissions.

Responsibility for the future provision of the ferry service will now transfer to CalMac Ferries Limited with effect from 21 January 2019, when the current contract with Argyll Ferries Limited comes to an end. Thereafter, CalMac will provide a passenger-only service under the terms of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract. This will not include the transport of vehicles, in line with the State aid rules and the European Commission’s Decision of 28 October 2009 on Subsidies to CalMac and NorthLink for maritime transport services in Scotland.

Following the transfer of responsibility to CalMac, further consideration will be given to future vessel and service requirements. Consideration will also be given to improved harbour-side facilities for passengers in future. We will also work with Argyll and Bute Council and Inverclyde Council to identify opportunities to develop the ferry service for active travel purposes, to encourage more foot and cycle traffic to the benefit of the local areas. Discussions will also be held with key stakeholders on the introduction of electric vehicle hubs at both ferry terminals. All this will ensure that the ferry service is best placed to deliver a safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable passenger service into the future.

I will write to key stakeholders later today explaining the reasons for this decision and our plans for the future provision of a passenger-only ferry service on the town-centre harbour route.

Question reference: S5O-02686

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the health secretary last met the Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Question reference: S5O-02658

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with the minister for public health regarding CPR training in schools.

The health and education of our young people is a top priority for the Scottish Government. We work very closely across Government departments, and with our partners in education and health delivery to ensure that learning meets the needs of children and young people.

Under Curriculum for Excellence, education authorities and individual schools have the flexibility to decide whether they wish to provide defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation learning opportunities. I am aware that a number of local authorities have already committed to championing and promoting the learning of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in their schools.

Question reference: S5O-02626

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement the Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations has undertaken with port authorities regarding the implications of Brexit.

Question reference: S5W-18855

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to protect the printing industry.

In relation to the Print Industry, Scottish Government has two Frameworks in place. The new Scottish Government Publishing, Print, Design and Associated Services will utilise an extensive supply chain across Scotland, including Printers, to help deliver its services. This currently includes 114 SMEs, 89 of which are Scottish companies. We have also recently issued a Prior Information Notice for our Print and Associated Services Framework relet. This is currently a multi-supplier Framework, of which 10 of the 12 Suppliers are Scottish Printing SMEs. We expect to issue an Invitation To Tender in Autumn 2018, with an anticipated award early 2019.

To support the skills needs within the Print Industry, Proskills has developed a Modern Apprenticeship at two different levels to help companies develop their workforce and contribute to business and economic growth.

The Scottish Government through its enterprise agencies also continue to support industry by offering a broad range of services to help businesses in Scotland develop and grow. This includes support towards innovation and services to help businesses maintain competitive capability and productivity.

Question reference: S5F-02649

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 September 2018

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to help improve recycling rates and the quality of recycling.

Question reference: S5W-17322

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09647 by Shona Robison on 30 June 2017, when it will complete its work on the recommendations made by the Scottish Cosmetic Interventions Expert Group in its report on the regulation of independent healthcare at Phase 2, and when it will implement these.

Evidence to suggest that treatments that cause harm are being provided by non-medical professionals is so far anecdotal. The Scottish Cosmetic Interventions Expert Group (SCIEG) is continuing to work with a health researcher and has met with concerned medical professionals who have agreed to provide information on where these services are being offered.

It is only when this scoping work has been completed that the Scottish Government will be able to give a view on the most appropriate and effective means to take forward The Scottish Cosmetic Interventions Expert Group’s phase 2 recommendations.