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: S1W-16942

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Angus MacKay on 11 July 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in the light of its consultation paper Modernising the Complaints System published in October 2000.

I have today published and laid before the Parliament a further consultation paper, A Modern Complaints System, which sets out detailed proposals for public sector Ombudsman arrangements in Scotland.

Modernising the Complaints System sought views on a wide range of issues which needed to be addressed in framing the Act of the Scottish Parliament which will put in place modern public sector Ombudsman arrangements for Scotland. The ideas discussed in that paper received a very positive response from consultees. The detailed proposals set out in A Modern Complaints System are based on those responses. The responses to this second consultation paper will help to shape the Bill, which I will in due course introduce in this Parliament.

Ministers remain committed to the promotion of modern government and high quality public services which are open, efficient, accountable and responsive to public need. To achieve this, it is essential that as broad a range of interests as possible is given the opportunity to respond to the consultation. Accordingly, this consultation paper, like the previous one, will be given a very wide distribution. It is also available on the Scottish Executive's website.

I will be writing to each MSP individually, enclosing a copy of the paper and encouraging them to let me have their views on this important subject. Copies of the paper are available from today in the Scottish Parliament's Reference Centre.

Question reference: S1W-16223

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 June 2001
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 11 June 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes it proposes to make to the structure of its departments.

With effect from Monday 11 June, the Finance Group and the Executive Secretariat will be brought together to form a new Department to be known as the Scottish Executive Finance and Central Services Department (SEFCSD). Bringing these two functions together will strengthen the links between finance and other key elements of the centre of the Executive which provide support for all ministers.From the same date, the Rural Affairs Department will become the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD). No changes in departmental responsibilities or structure are involved, but the new name will reflect ministerial portfolios.

Question reference: S1W-13173

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2001
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers are available to it to ensure that awards made to football clubs by sportscotland are used effectively, efficiently and for the purposes for which they were intended.

Question reference: S1W-14747

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 April 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will build on the skills of the Scottish electronics industry workforce to ensure that the industry is able to compete globally for higher value, higher skilled work.

The electronics industry is presently undergoing worldwide restructuring and it is crucial that the industry in Scotland acquires the skills to compete for high value work. Scottish Enterprise is currently conducting an audit of existing skills in the sector aimed at developing a strategy to meet the future requirements of the hi-tech industry.The new Future Skills Scotland unit will also have a key role in identifying current and future skills needs, and the labour market information and intelligence required to ensure relevant education and training provision to meet these needs.

Question reference: S1W-14746

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 17 April 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage diversification in the Scottish electronics industry.

Question reference: S1O-02969

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2001
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 15 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the views of pregnant women on maternity services are taken account of.

Question reference: S1O-02734

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 11 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the introduction of paternity leave would have on Scotland's economy.

Employment policy is a reserved area. The Department of Trade and Industry issued a Green Paper, Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice, on 7 December 2000. The paper includes an option to introduce paid paternity leave. The consultation runs until 7 March 2001.The Green Paper sets out the estimated cost to the state and to employers within Great Britain if paid paternity leave is introduced. There are no separate estimated costs for Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-08626

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 8 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what loans Greenock Morton Football Club has received from the Football Trust, on what terms the loans were granted and what proportion of the loans has been repaid.

Question reference: S1O-02725

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage skilled and experienced nurses to remain in frontline work in the NHS.

The Scottish Executive has already demonstrated its belief that an investment in staff is an investment in patient care. Last year's pay award for nurses was implemented in full, without staging with particular targeted awards for 8,500 of our most experienced nurses who received 7.8% or more than £100 per month.We realise that pay is not the only factor in encouraging skilled and experienced nurses to remain in frontline work in the NHS in Scotland and that is why guidance on family friendly policies which will address issues such as flexible working, childcare and breast feeding will be issued in the New Year. Through the Education and Training Strategy we are also investing in the skills of staff to help them perform their roles and duties and develop their full potential.In addition I have announced the creation of nine new consultant nurse posts bringing the total to 12 in Scotland. This will enable highly skilled experienced and motivated nurses to move up the career ladder whilst remaining in frontline work.

Question reference: S1W-11515

Asked by: Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 7 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct in Scotland a trial similar to the small scale trial of drug treatment for mesothelioma sufferers which is currently underway in Newcastle General Hospital.