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.

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Question reference: S5W-08015

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria police officers use when determining whether to detain a person under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, and under what circumstances officers would consider interviewing without detention.

Question reference: S5W-06832

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains the case that neither the Lord Advocate nor the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service personnel involved in Lockerbie-related matters would take part in the consideration of the Police Scotland report on Operation Sandwood and that an independent counsel would consider the report and, if so, who this counsel will be.

As has been confirmed previously, in accordance with normal practice any report emanating from Operation Sandwood will be dealt with fairly and robustly by independent counsel, supported as required by a senior Procurator Fiscal with no prior involvement in the investigation into the bombing of Pan Am 103. Independent counsel will be appointed if any report alleging criminality is received.

Question reference: S5W-06831

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the Lord Advocate will publish a substantive response to the letters sent to him on 7 June, 30 July and 15 December 2016 from members of the Justice for Megrahi committee, which sought clarification on the Crown Office and Police Scotland enquiries into criminal allegations arising from the Abdelbaset al-Megrahi case.

Question reference: S5W-06844

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government who will decide on what action should be taken arising from the findings of the Police Scotland report on Operation Sandwood.

If there is any report submitted by Police Service of Scotland alleging criminality by named individuals, the Law Officers consider it important that such allegations in accordance with normal practice are dealt with fairly and robustly by independent counsel, supported as required by a senior Procurator Fiscal with no prior involvement in the investigation into the bombing of Pan Am 103. Independent counsel would therefore be expected to decide on what action should be taken.

Question reference: S5W-05339

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will investigate claims that some staff affected by the restructuring plans of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have been advised by NHS management that they should not speak to MSPs, MPs or councillors regarding these proposals without first advising the NHS board that they are doing so.

Question reference: S5W-01362

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 July 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 August 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take regarding the Scottish Information Commissioner's finding that NHS Dumfries and Galloway breached the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 by refusing to issue chronic pain waiting times information and "wrongly" claiming that it did not hold the information.

Question reference: S5W-01363

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 July 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 August 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will carry out a review of the role played by the Information Services Division (ISD) in NHS Dumfries and Galloway's breach of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 with regard to chronic pain waiting times information and whether the ISD needs to play a more proactive role in ensuring proper handling of freedom of information requests.

The Scottish Government is not intending to carry out a review of the role of Information Services Division (ISD). National Services Scotland (within which ISD sits) and NHS Dumfries and Galloway, like other public bodies, are responsible for implementing the Freedom of Information Act and the Commissioner is responsible for enforcing and promoting FoI. The Scottish Information Commissioner's finding is a matter for NHS Dumfries and Galloway to respond to. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of transparency for all public bodies and, as such, expects all NHS Boards to fully comply with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Question reference: S3W-20020

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the amounts of the bonuses paid to executives of non-departmental public bodies, government agencies and companies owned by Scottish ministers in each year from 1999 to May 2007.

Question reference: S3W-20180

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 4 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what inquiries are being carried out into the disclosures made by the directors of the Royal Bank of Scotland in relation to the bank’s rights issue in 2008 and whether the Lord Advocate is satisfied that the directors have complied with relevant statutory requirements since.

Compliance with the relevant regulatory regime is a matter for the Financial Services Authority and not the Lord Advocate, whose role in respect of statutory requirements in respect of banks is limited to the investigation and prosecution of criminal offences. It would be for the police and regulatory agencies to determine whether there is a basis for a criminal investigation. I am not aware of any criminal investigation.

Question reference: S3W-20481

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 February 2009
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been received under section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 since 1999, also broken down by (a) the relevant education authority, (b) the subject matter of the complaint, (c) complaints investigated by HM Inspectorate of Education and (d) the outcomes of the complaint.