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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-23425

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2019
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what information it can provide regarding the visit of the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science to Berlin recently.

I attended a series of meetings and events in Berlin with “Connected Scotland” partners to underline the value that the Scottish higher education sector places on its close partnerships in research, innovation and education with German counterparts. I undertook a series of targeted engagements with key stakeholders in Berlin including the Federal German Ministry of Education and Research and the DAAD (the German Academic Exchange Service) - helping open the door to establishing a more formalised partnership between Scotland and Germany in these policy areas. I engaged with Scottish alumni at one of the events and was able to strongly signal at all meetings and events that Scotland is welcoming to EU citizens and remains open for business despite the continued uncertainty posed by Brexit. Scotland recognises that Germany is the top country in Europe for collaboration with Scotland through the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, and is the European country that sends the most students to Scotland. Scottish innovation centres and research pools could seek to increase their research partnerships with Germany including key clusters or other groups there. Germany is Scotland’s fourth highest trade and sixth highest investment partner. These partnerships are vital in ensuring Scotland’s success as well as Germany’s. There is huge goodwill in both Germany and Scotland to maintain and develop partnerships despite the current Brexit disruption.

Question reference: S5O-03309

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the initial findings of Social Security Scotland's client and staff insights research programme.

Question reference: S5O-03161

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what impact Brexit will have on higher education institutions.

Question reference: S5O-03143

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports tourism across the Mid Fife and Glenrothes constituency.

Question reference: S5O-03030

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on GP out-of-hours closures at Glenrothes Hospital.

Question reference: S5O-02975

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study.

Question reference: S5W-21827

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the Fair Work Action Plan.

I am pleased to announce that our Fair Work Action Plan is being published today.

The Action Plan sets out the strategic approach the Scottish Government will take to help employers embed and mainstream fairer working practices within their workplaces – making fair work the norm right across Scotland. It has been developed in consultation with the STUC, the Fair Work Convention, employers and other stakeholders, and allows us to consider how fair work can support and be supported across all government strategies and maximise our leverage to promote good jobs and support business growth.

Fair Work is central to our economic strategy: it is good for workers, good for business and good for Scotland. Fair Work is an iterative process and the new actions and approaches we are proposing will develop over time. The Action Plan will, therefore, be refreshed to reflect the progress being made. Our focus will be on: supporting employers to adopt Fair Work practices; delivering Fair Work to a diverse and inclusive workforce; and, embedding Fair Work across the Scottish Government. Actions include:

working with employers and partners to deliver Fair Work First;
delivering the refresh of the Scottish Business Pledge to ensure closer alignment with the Fair Work Framework and establishing a business-led leadership group forward to take forward implementation and promotion;
co-hosting an International Fair Work Summit with the Fair Work Convention;
extending the Workplace Equality Fund;
supporting trade unions to embed Fair Work in workplaces;
increasing the number of people employed who are paid the real Living Wage;
engaging with the UK Government to enhance worker's rights; and,
as an employer, the Scottish Government demonstrating our leadership by adopting Fair Work practices.

The Fair Work Action Plan can be viewed via the Economic Action Plan website at https://economicactionplan.mygov.scot/fair-work .

Question reference: S5O-02902

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to modernise facilities at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

Question reference: S5O-02827

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications of Brexit are for Scotland, which voted 62% to remain in the EU.

Question reference: S5O-02769

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports initiatives that celebrate and promote locally-sourced and produced food and drink.