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: S4W-20122

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how a digital bill of rights would impact on devolved areas of responsibility and what its position is on this matter.

A digital bill of rights is not being considered actively at the present time. Under the Scotland Act 1998, however, there is a specific duty on Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament to act in accordance with the rights set out in the European Convention of Human Rights, including the right under article 8 to respect for private and family life, which applies to the internet as elsewhere.

A world class digital Scotland requires people to be confident and comfortable in the use of the internet. In this regard, the Scottish Government notes the recent call by Sir Tim Berners-Lee for a digital bill of rights and will continue to monitor the development of thinking about such a bill.

Question reference: S4W-20121

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many changes have been made to policy or legislation as a result of carrying out a privacy impact assessment.

Question reference: S4O-03083

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consideration it has given to the future capacity needs of the Parliament in the event that it exercises significant additional powers.

Question reference: S4W-20065

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 19 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has achieved the 2012 greenhouse gas emissions target.

Question reference: S4W-19212

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 January 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 24 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it is reviewing the (a) suitability and (b) effectiveness of short assured tenancies in the private rented housing sector.

Question reference: S4O-02862

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the quality and affordability of private rented housing.

Question reference: S4W-19100

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 January 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 17 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of private tenancy deposits has been paid into a protected deposit scheme.

Question reference: S4W-19165

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-18881 and S4W-18886 by Michael Matheson on 8 January 2014, whether it supports the prohibition of so-called "gay to straight conversion therapy".

Question reference: S4W-18868

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by David Stewart on 9 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information it has on the proportion of its staff who are members of trades unions, also broken down by (a) office and (b) team.

Question reference: S4W-18865

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by David Stewart on 9 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what arrangements are in place for its staff who are not members of trades unions to raise concerns or negotiate on issues such as terms and conditions.

We recognise three unions PCS, Prospect and FDA, and actively encourage membership as part of our employment processes. We consult and negotiate with them jointly as the TUS (Trade Union Side) on concerns or issues such as staff terms and conditions.

In addition we have a Parliamentary Staff Forum where staff members can raise issues on any general aspect of working in the Scottish Parliament; this is open to all staff. The Staff Forum is also used as a consultative forum by management on emerging policies and initiatives but does not have any negotiating role in relation to terms and conditions. All staff can also raise concerns about any issues, including terms and conditions, with the HR Office or their line manager