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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S4W-09615

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 24 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria will apply in deciding how much of the annual minimum income for students of £7,250 from 2013-14 will be provided in the form of a bursary.

Question reference: S4W-09617

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 24 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much money the Student Loans Company provided to students in Scotland in the form of loans in 2011-12.

Question reference: S4W-09614

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 24 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum bursary amount for students will be in the annual minimum income of £7,250 from 2013-14.

Question reference: S4W-09374

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what type of restraint techniques should be used when restraining (a) children and (b) young people in residential units.

Physical restraint should only be used when absolutely necessary and when in the best interests of the child or young person.

Restraint techniques vary according to the system used. The national guidance Holding Safely (www.sircc.org.uk/library/practicepapers/holding_safely_complete) does not state any preferred system. The guidance does describe the circumstances in which physical restraint can be used and emphasises the need for proper risk assessments related to the child or the young person for instance age or size. While it does not describe the techniques, it does outline the necessary safety considerations and what staff must never do.

Residential Units should provide young people and their families with information on the policy related to physical restraint and will also be able to provide details of the system used.

Question reference: S4W-09371

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many times restraint techniques have been used on (a) children and (b) young people in residential units in each of the last two years.

Question reference: S4W-09372

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) guidance and (b) training is given to care providers on restraining (i) children and (ii) young people in residential units.

<>In 2005 the Scottish Government published extensive guidance “Holding Safely” (www.sircc.org.uk/library/practicepapers/holding_safely_complete), used across all residential child care services in Scotland. Holding Safely informs best practice and helps to ensure services and individual staff are aware of their responsibilities in understanding challenging behaviour and de-escalation techniques in advance of using physical restraint. This guidance is also referenced in the care standards and used to inform the inspection process.

Training for staff in physical restraint is typically delivered in a 4/5 day programme with annual or bi-annual reaccreditation depending on the particular restraint system that is used.

Question reference: S4W-07642

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will compile a register of schools that have asbestos.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/632) places a duty on the owners or leaseholders of all non-domestic public buildings, including schools, to manage the risk from asbestos. In the case of publicly funded schools, this duty rests with local authorities. For independent schools, the duty rests with the proprietors of the building.

The duty includes, among other things, a requirement to make and keep up to date records of the location and condition of asbestos-containing material (ACM) and presumed ACM in these premises. As we have no reason to believe this information is not being held, as required by the 2012 Regulations, the Scottish Government believes it is best that this information continues to be compiled locally rather than at a national level.

Question reference: S4W-07643

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the potential impact on public health, which organisations it has met since February 2012 to discuss how to deal with asbestos in schools.

All matters relating to health and safety at work, including managing asbestos in buildings, are reserved and advice is provided to relevant authorities by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/632) places a duty on the owners or leaseholders of all non-domestic buildings, including schools, to manage the risk from asbestos. In the case of publicly funded schools, this duty rest with the local authorities. For independent schools, the duty rests with the proprietors of the individual school.

While we have had no meetings with HSE since February 2012 to discuss how to deal with asbestos in schools, we do keep in regular contact with them. This allows us to be aware of any issues concerning asbestos in schools. We in turn are then able to ensure that local authorities are aware of their responsibilities in this regard.

Question reference: S4O-01150

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to assist care leavers into further and higher education.

Question reference: S4W-05945

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 13 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its procurement policy ensures that suppliers of its internet related services have a policy of blocking web pages that depict child sexual abuse.

The Scottish Government has incorporated a compliance and information assurance stage into the process for procuring its ICT and internet related services. The purpose of this is to ensure that regulatory requirements and content standards are met.

The Scottish Government’s own websites do not depict inappropriate content and internet access for staff is filtered to prevent access to inappropriate sites, include those containing pornographic or other offensive material. Scottish Government policies, including an IT Code of Conduct and the Civil Service Code, apply in determining the standards of conduct for civil servants.