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-02654

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much construction inflation has been applied in each year of the Forth Replacement Crossing project, and how this compares with the projections at Figure 12 in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) briefing 10/14, The Forth Replacement Crossing, Analysis of Costs.

The Scottish Parliament Reference Centre (SPICe) briefing 10/14, 'The Forth Replacement Crossing, Analysis of Costs', identified the total outturn cost range of the Forth Replacement Crossing Project as £1.72 billion to £2.34 billion with a median of £2.044 billion. The inflation estimate included in these figures was an approximate range of £300 million to £750 million with a median of £529 million. This equated to an average median annual inflation rate of 5.3%.

The construction inflation applied in each year to the Principal Contract of the Forth Replacement Crossing Project from the baseline date of December 2010 to date has been (rounded to the nearest million):

Financial Year 2011-12 - £3 million

Financial Year 2012-13 - £7 million

Financial Year 2013-14 - £5 million

Financial Year 2014-15 - £6 million

Financial Year 2015-16 - £4 million

Total to end of Financial Year 2015-16 - £25 million

The lower than expected levels of inflation have been incorporated into the updated budget forecasts for the Forth Replacement Crossing Project resulting in the current total outturn cost range being £1.325 billion to £1.35 billion.

Question reference: S5W-01537

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met its target to pay all final common agricultural policy payments by 30 June 2016 and, if not, what percentage of the total payment amount remains outstanding, broken down by Rural Payments and Inspections Division local office.

In response to the first part of your question, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01160 on 17 July 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

As outlined in that response, it is not possible to confirm the value of outstanding payments, and hence the percentage remaining to be paid, as cases are still undergoing processing and the number of businesses eligible for payment is subject to change while that processing continues. However, details of the number of currently eligible businesses either fully paid, partially paid or not paid, broken down by area office as at 14 September 2016 is in the following table:

Area Office	Eligible	Full	Part	Unpaid
Ayr	1817	1774	14	29
Benbecula	624	590	6	28
Dumfries	1373	1309	27	37
Elgin	474	464	2	8
Galashiels	1599	1507	29	63
Golspie	443	429	8	6
Hamilton	765	749	7	9
Inverness	1332	1298	14	20
Inverurie	2750	2673	33	44
Kirkwall	679	660	9	10
Lerwick	882	855	18	9
Oban	891	841	18	32
Perth	2567	2475	24	68
Portree	501	479	4	18
Stornoway	892	842	8	42
Thurso	711	689	9	13
Other	37	0	0	37
Total	18337	17634	230	473

Question reference: S5O-00164

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Standing Council on Europe plans to publish a report on Scotland’s relationship with the EU and, if so, when.

Question reference: S5W-01970

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist NHS (a) Grampian and (b) Tayside in (i) recruiting and (ii) retaining staff.

There are a range of actions that are already being taken to support NHS boards to recruit in remote and rural areas, from abroad and also to encourage those who trained or worked in NHS Scotland to return and work in the health service. We will continue to look at how we can build on this.

Whilst the Scottish Government works closely with boards to support their recruitment efforts it is up to boards to plan and deliver clinical services and to ensure that they have the correct staff in place to meet the needs of their services and deliver high quality patient care.

NHS Grampian

As part of their Recruitment and Attraction Strategy, the board continues to run local recruitment fairs throughout Scotland and utilises external websites, microsites and social media. This includes the offer of relocation expenses and short term accommodation. Other actions include the development of their two year “Newly Qualified Nurse Development” programme for new nurse graduates which has resulted in NHS Grampian recruiting 101 nurses all of whom will commence between mid-September and late October. A comprehensive induction programme for health care support workers is currently being developed alongside the return to practice for midwifery programme.

In 2016-17, NHS Grampian’s resource budget has increased by 6.6% to £882.3 million, an above inflation increase – the highest uplift of any territorial board, having previously increased by 6.3% in 2015 16.

NHS Tayside

Working in collaboration with local authorities and other partners NHS Tayside has an Attraction and Recruitment Strategy. This is designed to support the implementation of the corporate workforce plan in relation to the resourcing of the required workforce to deliver their strategic aims. This includes use of external websites, microsites and social media for recruitment. The board also continues to promote the further development of Modern and Foundation Apprenticeships.

In 2016-17, NHS Tayside’s resource budget has increased by 5.8% to £699.1 million, an above inflation increase, having previously increased by 2.5% in 2015-16.

Question reference: S5W-01969

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist NHS (a) Grampian and (b) Tayside in reducing dependency on agency staff.

In order to reduce the reliance on agency staff, the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland have launched a nationally coordinated programme for the effective management of all temporary staffing. The team are working with NHS Grampian and NHS Tayside to establish Regional and National Staff Banks to allow boards access to a high quality, flexible, workforce of appropriately qualified, experienced and competent staff when required, who work on NHS contracts and provide better value for money than alternative methods of filling the gaps.

We are investing in front line staffing, which has resulted in an increase in the medical and nursing workforce in these areas. In NHS Tayside there are 44% more Consultants and 4.2% more nurses. In NHS Grampian there are 38.7% more Consultants and 0.8% more nurses.

Question reference: S5W-01948

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many departmental meetings with ministers have been attended by each parliamentary liaison officer since June 2016, and who was in attendance at each.

Jenny Gilruth MSP met Mark McDonald MSP, Minister for Childcare and Early Years and Aileen Campbell MSP, Minister for Public Health and Sport on 14 June 2016 with Scottish Government (SG) officials.

Jenny Gilruth MSP met John Swinney MSP, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on 21 June 2016 with SG officials.

Angus Macdonald MSP met Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform on 29 June 2016 with SG officials.

Question reference: S5W-01947

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) special advisers or (b) ministerial private offices have shared restricted briefing material with parliamentary liaison officers since June 2016.

Question reference: S5W-01950

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government which parliamentary liaison officers have (a) received copies of ministerial briefing material and (b) attended ministerial meeting regarding matters pertaining to the work programmes of Scottish Parliament committees.

Question reference: S5W-01949

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many restricted documents have been shared with each parliamentary liaison officer since June 2016.

Question reference: S5W-01951

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government which parliamentary liaison officers are included on the circulation list of material it produces pertaining to the business of parliamentary committees.