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: S4O-04585

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the chief executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and what was discussed.

Question reference: S4W-26358

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 13 July 2015

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) which of its directorates require external callers to use premium rate telephone numbers.

Question reference: S4W-25951

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 18 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government which neurological charities it has had formal meetings with in the last year other than the Neurological Alliance of Scotland and the National Neurological Advisory Group.

Scottish Government ministers and officials regularly meet with third sector stakeholders who support people living with a neurological condition. Since 1 June 2014, formal meetings have been held with the neurological charities listed below, and in some cases, there has been more than one meeting with some of these charities.

MND Scotland, The MND Association, The MS Society, Action for ME, the William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre, the Scottish Huntington’s Association, Momentum Scotland, Epilepsy Scotland, Revive MS Support, Bobath Scotland, Parkinson’s UK, The PSP Association, Leuchie House, Addressing the Balance.

Question reference: S4W-25952

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 12 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that changes in health and care services for people with neurological conditions are developed in cooperation with people living with neurological conditions.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to working with all stakeholders to improve outcomes for people with neurological conditions. We will continue to work with third sector colleagues and indeed, we will be refocusing effort in this area. To that end, we expect to increase funding for specific projects to improve services and experiences for people with neurological conditions. This year we expect to invest almost three times as much funding as last year – up to £210,000 – to support robust improvement projects.

Following our neurology clinical engagement day on 9 June 2015 we will be working closely with our National Neurological Advisory Group (NNAG) to consider how best to take this work forward with all our stakeholders in order to improve outcomes for people living with a neurological condition. Third sector members sit on our NNAG, as do neurological patient representatives.

Question reference: S4F-02792

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 May 2015

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government considers that there is a need to protect private tenants from unfair rent rises.

Question reference: S4O-04313

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent improvements it has made to student support.

Question reference: S4W-24908

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona McLeod on 25 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a programme similar to that in England to ensure that all nursery staff are trained to at least level two first aid.

This issue is currently under consideration. The Care Inspectorate is the body responsible for inspecting standards of care in Scotland, including day care of children services, and they have indicated that they will discuss with the Scottish Social Services Council and the Scottish Qualifications Authority first aid becoming mandatory in all early learning and childcare courses in Scotland.

In addition, as part of the ongoing Review of National Care Standards, the Care Inspectorate will consider introducing a specific standard regarding paediatric first aid training.

The Care Inspectorate have further stated that they welcome the successful campaign in England to introduce a requirement for newly qualified childcare staff with level 2 and 3 qualifications to have an emergency paediatric first aid or full paediatric first aid certificate, and have been monitoring developments with interest.

Question reference: S4O-04127

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it will increase the number of students from Lanarkshire attending university.

Question reference: S4O-04031

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is conducting in association with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to ensure high regulatory standards in waste management.

Question reference: S4O-03969

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 29 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce legislation on developing a new type of tenancy for the private rented sector.