- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 29 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00236 by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016, whether it will publish the full details of its consultation on devolved social security benefits and when the consultation will (a) begin and (b) end.
Answer
The Scottish Government will publish a broad consultation on social security in Scotland this year, ahead of its commitment to publish a social security bill within the first parliamentary year. This will be notified to parliament through usual channels.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 29 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the role of independent advocacy in the future delivery of social security.
Answer
Providing support for people will be a vital part of the future delivery of social security in Scotland and independent advocacy has a critical role in this. Our forthcoming consultation will ask for views about advocacy as well as wider advice and support. We are working with people who receive social security and the organisations that support them to design a system that is responsive, person-centred and treats people with dignity and respect.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 29 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00241 by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016, by what date it will publish the funeral costs plan.
Answer
We expect to publish the funeral costs plan by spring 2017, following development in collaboration with stakeholders, through round table discussions and a national conference on funeral poverty due to take place in autumn 2016. It will include views gathered during the broad consultation on social security in Scotland which will take place in 2016.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 28 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered moving Revenue Scotland operations to North Lanarkshire.
Answer
This is a matter for Revenue Scotland, which is a non-ministerial department and officeholder in the Scottish administration. I have asked Elaine Lorimer, Chief Executive of Revenue Scotland, to respond to the member directly.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 28 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government in relation to the future of HMRC Cumbernauld and whether and, if so, when it has had discussions with staff representatives.
Answer
HMRC Cumbernauld is a Whitehall department and as such this is a reserved matter.
However, when HMRC announced the next stage of their building our future transformation programme in November 2015, the First Minister personally spoke to the second permanent secretary at HMRC to relay her grave concerns over these job losses.
This is a worrying situation for staff and we are fully committed to working with all interested parties at local, national and UK level, including the trades unions, to mitigate the impact of HMRC office closures in Scotland.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 27 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish the minutes of meetings of the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group.
Answer
Minutes and papers of the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group are published on the Scottish Government website: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/OrganDonation/STG/STG%20Papers/SDTGMinutes
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 27 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group.
Answer
Membership of the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group is published on the Scottish Government website at:
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/OrganDonation/STG/STGmembership
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 27 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group will next meet and what matters will be discussed.
Answer
The next meeting of the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group will be held on 28 September 2016. The Chair will set the agenda for this meeting with input from group members nearer the time.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00248 by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016, when the inspectors of the funeral industry will be appointed; what the selection criteria for the appointments will be, and for how long the appointments will last.
Answer
The Scottish Government is currently considering the implementation of the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016. It is anticipated that the appointment of inspectors of funeral directors will start once relevant regulations come into force, which is not likely be before 2018. The terms and conditions for the appointment are likely to be similar to those for the current Inspector of Crematoria who was appointed in 2015.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00248 by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016, what the terms will be of the review of the funeral industry.
Answer
The terms of the review will be developed in tandem with the procedure to appoint inspectors under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 and in consultation with representatives of the funeral industry.