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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: S6W-02912

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the minutes of any meetings that have taken place between (a) cabinet secretaries, (b) ministers and (c) representatives of Scottish Enterprise and representatives of CalaChem in Grangemouth.

As no timeline has been specified by the member, information from‎ 22 March 2021 to 22 September 2021 is provided. During this period, no meetings have taken place between Cabinet Secretaries or Ministers with representatives of CalaChem Ltd in Grangemouth. The Scottish Government does not hold the information on Scottish Enterprise meetings with CalaChem Ltd centrally. However, I have requested that Scottish Enterprise respond to the member directly with this information.

Question reference: S6W-02909

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a proposed loss of 500 jobs at McVities in Glasgow and 100 jobs at CalaChem in Grangemouth, whether it will commit to producing an Industrial Strategy for Scotland that is investment-led, jobs-first, people-centred and manufacturing-driven.

The Scottish Government was deeply concerned to learn of the ongoing risk to jobs at both McVities and CalaChem. The member will be aware of the ongoing engagement between the Scottish Government and McVities, and I have already responded to the member in relation to engagements with CalaChem.

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation will represent a coherent Green Industrial Strategy for Scotland, which, supported by the Just Transition Plans for industry, will include a vision for reinvigorating the Scottish manufacturing and industry, supporting Scottish supply chains and creating high-quality jobs.

Question reference: S6W-02911

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government on which dates meetings have taken place between (a) cabinet secretaries, (b) ministers and (c) representatives of Scottish Enterprise and representatives of CalaChem in Grangemouth.

As no timeline has been specified by the member, information from 22 March 2021 to 22 September 2021 is provided. During this period, no meetings have taken place between Cabinet Secretaries or Ministers with representatives of CalaChem Ltd in Grangemouth. I last visited CalaChem as Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation on 5 November 2019. The Scottish Government does not hold the information on Scottish Enterprise meetings with CalaChem Ltd centrally. However, I have requested that Scottish Enterprise respond to the member directly with this information.

Question reference: S6W-02910

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it (a) has taken to date and (b) plans to take to avoid the potential loss of 100 manufacturing jobs at CalaChem in Grangemouth.

The Scottish Government was deeply concerned to learn that CalaChem Ltd is entering into a consultation with its manufacturing services workforce in Grangemouth. Through Scottish Enterprise we have engaged with CalaChem Ltd, and will continue to work with them throughout its consultation period to explore all possible options to support the business and workforce.

In the unfortunate event that job losses should occur, the Scottish Government will provide support to all affected employees through our initiative for responding to redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE). We have already contacted the company and have outlined the offer of PACE support for employees in the unfortunate event this may be needed.

Question reference: S6W-02583

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to build a case for making a direct award of the next Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract to an in-house operator, as stated on page 28 of the Scottish Government Ferry Services Procurement Policy, Interim Report - Emerging Findings, published in December 2017.

The Scottish Ministers are committed to ensure the most efficient and best value arrangement to deliver our key lifeline ferry services. An independent review of the current legal structures and governance arrangements around the provision of ferry services is already underway. There is nothing ‘off limits’ to the appointed consultants when addressing the issues within the scope of the review, including the direct award option. The review remains on track and we hope to publish the provisional outcomes of the review around the end of the year.

Question reference: S6W-02582

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding whether the (a) individuals and (b) organisations on the Ferry Industry Advisory Group have been consulted, as part of the current review of transport governance structures in Scotland, being carried out by Jacobs UK Limited for Transport Scotland.

Scottish Government officials engaged ferry stakeholders, including some representatives also on the Ferry Industry Advisory Group, as part of the National Transport Strategy review, which included the review of transport governance.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02580 on 13 September 2021 on stakeholders engaged by Jacobs as part of the review on transport governance structures in Scotland. 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

In addition, a review of the current legal structures and governance arrangements around the provision of ferry services is underway. As part of this review, we will work with all key stakeholders to ensure the most efficient and best value arrangement to deliver our key lifeline ferry services.

Question reference: S6W-02581

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of when the contract between Transport Scotland and Jacobs UK Limited, to review transport governance structures in Scotland, was signed, and what the duration of the contract is.

Jacobs were awarded the review of transport governance structures in Scotland, which formed part of the National Transport Strategy review, through a Task Order. This was progressed as a call off from the previously signed Agreement as a supplier for one of the Lots forming part of the Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for Transport and Land-Use Modelling and Transport Appraisal and Planning.

The duration of the Task Order was 13 and a half months from November 2017 to 31 December 2018.

Question reference: S6W-02579

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01420 by Graeme Dey on 6 August 2021, whether it will provide details of (a) the terms of reference for the independent review and (b) the value of the contract between Transport Scotland and the consultants for this work.

Question reference: S6W-02580

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what information is has regarding whether Jacobs UK Limited has consulted (a) trade unions and (b) other stakeholders, as part of its contract with Transport Scotland to review transport governance structures in Scotland.

A collaborative approach including stakeholder engagement was undertaken by Jacobs in taking forward the work to consider the roles and responsibilities of the bodies within Scotland as part of its review of transport governance structures. Transport Scotland published a report in July 2019: national-transport-strategy-transport-governance-working-group-report.pdf .

Stakeholders engaged in this process included: the National Transport Strategy (NTS2) Roles and Responsibilities Working Group; the Society of Chief Officers in Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS); Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) leads; Transport Scotland and Scottish Government modal policy leads; and public transport operators.

In July 2019, the Scottish Government launched a consultation on the draft National Transport Strategy for Scotland including two questions relating to transport governance regarding democracy, decision-making and delivery. Trade unions had the opportunity to provide a response to the consultation and one trade union, ASLEF, did so and 1, 221 responses to the consultation were received in total.

Question reference: S6O-00139

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures have been put in place to keep prison officers and prisoners safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.