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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: S6W-03769

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations approved to be on the Crown Commercial Service framework agreement, RM6008, in the Management Consultancy Framework Two, it considers have expertise in the delivery of social care.

The Framework represents a range of skills required for major transformation programme support including programme management and governance setup as opposed to social care delivery experience. The Framework was established specifically in recognition of the need for such services on an occasional basis and is available for use by all UK public bodies. It sought to address the understandable lack of such specialist internal resources due to the temporary nature of such a requirement. Calling off from the Framework provides access to a range of skill sets, and levels and areas of specialism drawn from a team of resources as opposed to reliance on single individuals.

Question reference: S6W-04333

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it last met with trade unions representing Scottish Parliamentary Service and MSP staff.

Question reference: S6W-04332

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what it considers to be its obligations under the Fair Work Convention with regards to staff employed directly by MSPs.

Question reference: S6W-03797

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 4 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02134 by Ivan McKee on 7 September 2021, whether it will provide an update on its review of the UK Government’s Subsidy Control Bill and its impact on public contracts for (a) rail and (b) ferry services in Scotland, and which external organisations it has consulted as part of that review.

The process of reviewing the UK Government’s Subsidy Control Bill is ongoing. This is at a relatively high level while we await sight of proposed supporting subordinate legislation and guidance which may impact on specific sectors, such as rail and ferries.

I gave evidence on 26 October to the House of Commons Committee considering the Bill, making clear Scottish Government concerns that the Bill as drafted impinges on the Devolution Settlement. I continue to press UK Minister Paul Scully on our concerns about the Bill and its progress.

External organisations have not yet been approached at this stage but this will likely form part of the process moving forward.

In the meantime, compliance with applicable Subsidy Control rules is an important part of our considerations on rail contracts and will form part of any consideration around new options that may be available for procurement of ferry services and/or impact on ferry fares policy.

Question reference: S6O-00346

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will produce consolidated accounts for the whole public sector in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00285

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what specific targets it will apply to the Islands Bond.

Question reference: S6W-03038

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd has had with (a) CalMac Ferries, (b) shipbrokers and (c) shipowners regarding the charter of vessels to increase carrying capacity on routes in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

On 5 October 2021, the Scottish Government was delighted to announce the purchase, by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), of the MV Utne which will provide additional resilience to the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service network.

Regular discussions with CMAL on the charter and potential purchase of available and suitable vessels to support and improve services on Scotland's ferry networks will continue.

Question reference: S6W-03824

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-03686

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the current rate is for face-to-face appointments with GPs, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-02703

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which national public sector organisations tendered for PPE, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the financial year 2020-21; which companies or organisations have been awarded contracts from these tender exercises; where these companies or organisations are based, and what the financial value was of each contract awarded to each of these companies or organisations.

All pandemic PPE procurement undertaken by public sector organisations has been conducted in line with the relevant public procurement legislation and policy. In addition, direct awards have taken place using procedures outlined in Regulation 33 within the Public Contract (Scotland) Regulation 2015.

Information on contracts awarded by the Scottish Government for PPE was included in the answers to PQs S6W-02211 and S6W-02212 on 28 September 2021.

Information on contracts let by other national public sector organisations is a matter for those bodies.

The Procurement (Scotland) Regulations require all public bodies to publish an award notice for all regulated procurements no later than thirty days after the award of the contract. These can be found on the Public Contracts Scotland website: www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers