Chamber and committees

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

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 2411 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S4W-19722

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the membership is of the independent review group led by Lord Bonomy in relation to corroboration.

Lord Bonomy has confirmed the following membership for the reference group for the review:

Rt Hon Lady Dorrian

Sheriff Michael O'Grady QC

Sheriff Norman McFadyen

Ian Cruickshank

David McKenna, Victim Support Scotland

Joe Moyes, Scottish Court Service

DCC Iain Livingstone, Police Scotland

Shelagh McCall, Scottish Human Rights Commission

J D Murray Macara QC

Murdo MacLeod QC

Jane Farquharson, Advocate

Frances McMenamin, SCCRC

Sir Gerald Gordon

Charles Stoddart

Professor James Chalmers

Professor Pamela Ferguson

It is understood that this list does not preclude changes in the composition of the group in light of the development of the work of the review.

Question reference: S4W-19725

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether consideration of stage 2 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill will be delayed until after Lord Bonomy’s independent review group on corroboration has reported to ministers.

The general principles of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill including the corroboration reform have now been approved by the Scottish Parliament and the Bill will proceed with its parliamentary passage in the usual way. Lord Bonomy’s independent review will consider any additional safeguards and changes to law and practice that may be necessary to maintain a fair, effective and efficient system in light of the removal of the corroboration requirement.

Question reference: S4W-19723

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when will Lord Bonomy’s independent review group (a) first meet and (b) report its findings on corroboration to ministers.

Question reference: S4O-03032

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many housing association newbuilds were completed in Dumfries and Galloway in 2013.

Question reference: S4W-19960

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 11 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that some mobile phone service providers do not permit calls to the police 101 number from pay-as-you-go services, and whether Police Scotland will raise this matter with the service providers.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland. However, I understand that Police Scotland has an established process in place to record any problems with the 101 system. This, together with further checks carried out by Police Scotland, show that there is no evidence of any connection problems with pay as you go mobile phones.

As always, in an emergency people should continue to use the free 999 number.

Question reference: S4W-19579

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether firefighters employed in the Dumfries Emergency Control Centre who relocate to the control room in Johnstone will receive (a) travel and (b) accommodation expenses and, if so, for how long.

Question reference: S4W-19573

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service consulted on the closure of the Dumfries Emergency Control Centre.

Question reference: S4W-19578

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the redeployment opportunities are in Dumfries and Galloway for firefighters employed in the Dumfries Emergency Control Centre.

Question reference: S4W-19572

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Scottish Police Authority consulted on the closure of the Dumfries police control room.

Question reference: S4W-19580

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether staff employed in the Dumfries police control room who relocate to the control room in Govan will receive (a) travel and (b) accommodation expenses and, if so, for how long.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority. However, I understand that all staff will be offered the option of alternative posts, re-training or offered the option to apply for voluntary release/early retirement, there will be no compulsory redundancies. I am also aware that Police Scotland will consult and liaise with all staff affected ahead of the proposed closures.