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-08346

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding (a) it and (b) the NHS has given to organisations to settle employment tribunals, broken down by organisation.

The Scottish Government does not provide specific funding to NHS boards to settle employment tribunals.

The NHSScotland Central Legal Office, part of NHS National Services Scotland, provides legal support to boards in relation to litigation, at cost to individual NHS boards. Boards, as individual employers, will determine whether or not to settle employment tribunals, based on legal advice received, and will be expected to cover these costs from their own budgets. No specific funding is made available for this purpose.

Question reference: S4W-08344

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has given to the Black Leadership Network in each of the last three years and which (a) person and (b) organisation is accountable for the use of this.

The Black Leadership Network (BLN) was established under the auspices of the Council for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations (CEMVO) and the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance (GARA) now known as the Coalition for Racial Equality & Rights (CRER). The Scottish Government during the last three years has provided funding to CEMVO (£0.2million in 2009/10, £0.2million in 2010-11 and £0.19million in 2011-12) some of which was used to further develop the BLN. Although the BLN was initially funded by CEMVO it is now self financed by CRER and the responsibility for overseeing it lies with Jatin Haria, Executive Director of CRER.

Question reference: S4W-07964

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 25 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07216 by Keith Brown on 29 May 2012, what discussions it had with (a) Serco Group and (b) trade unions regarding employees' pensions prior to the announcement of preferred bidder for the 2012-18 contract for the Northern Isles ferry services.

On 11 October 2011 I met with the STUC and all of the trade unions with an interest, including the RMT, to discuss a range of ferry-related issues, including staff transfer arrangements in the event of a change of operator for the Northern Isles ferry services. I was able to provide assurance on application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) and the statutory pension protections. This formed part of my regular engagement with the trade unions on matters of mutual interest.

In a public procurement, in circumstances where there is a change of operator, staff are entitled to transfer to the new operator through the TUPE rules. This is a matter of law and was therefore not the subject of negotiation with either bidders or trade unions. Pension protection for workers who transfer under TUPE rules is provided for under sections 257 and 258 of the Pensions Act 2004.

Question reference: S4W-07965

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 25 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the pension entitlements of employees on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services are protected in the 2013-19 contract.

Under EU law, the Scottish Government will be required to go out to tender for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. In the event that the current operator, Calmac Ferries Ltd, was not successful in the procurement of services, staff would be entitled to transfer to the new operator through the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) rules. Pension protection for workers who transfer under TUPE rules is provided for under sections 257 and 258 of the Pensions Act 2004.

Question reference: S4W-07215

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been of the tendering process for the 2012 to 2018 contract for Northern Isles ferry services and what proportion relates to the competitive dialogue with bidders.

Staffing costs associated with the tendering process for the Northern Isles ferry services are considered to be part of Transport Scotland’s direct running costs. It is therefore not possible to provide details of the precise amount associated with this tender. However, the external cost to Transport Scotland for the Northern Isles tender is likely to be some £191,000. It is not possible to apportion how much of this cost is associated with the Competitive Dialogue process.

Question reference: S4W-07214

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings there have been between Transport Scotland officials and representatives of (a) NorthLink Ferries, (b) Serco Group and (c) other bidders as part of the competitive dialogue for the 2012 to 2018 contract for Northern Isles ferry services and whether minutes of those meetings will be published.

As part of the Competitive Dialogue process, Transport Scotland officials held three separate meetings with each of the individual bidders, including NorthLink and Serco Ltd. Bidders were also invited to attend a joint fourth meeting to discuss the financial base case model. All bidders attended this fourth meeting.

Minutes of Competitive Dialogue meetings are not a requirement of the tendering process and no minutes were taken.

Question reference: S4W-07217

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place regarding protections for the (a) workforce, (b) passengers and (c) affected communities during the competitive dialogue with bidders for the 2012 to 2018 contract for Northern Isles ferry services.

Question reference: S4W-07216

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what protections there are for the (a) workforce, (b) passengers and (c) affected communities in the 2012 to 2018 contract for Northern Isles ferry services.

In relation to the workforce, Transfer of Undertakings - Protection of Employment (TUPE) will apply, as a matter of law, to the staff and crew providing the Northern Isles ferry services. The new operator, Serco Ltd, will be working with the current operator, NorthLink Ferries Ltd, to discuss staff transfers.

In relation to users of these ferry services, and the affected communities, the new contract will specify in detail the services to be provided. We anticipate a seamless transfer between the current operator and the new operator.

These issues were discussed with each bidder during the Competitive Dialogue meetings.

Question reference: S4W-07219

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with representatives of Serco Group plc regarding the Scottish Government's final ferries plan and future ferry procurement and whether it will publish minutes from any such discussions.

Question reference: S4W-07218

Asked by: Siobhan McMahon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it will have with trade unions prior to embarking on future tendering processes for ferry services.

Trade Unions will be invited, along with any other organisations and individuals, to participate in any future consultation on ferry services. In addition, we will engage with the relevant Trade Unions when preparing tender documentation. We will also continue to hold regular meetings with Trade Unions to discuss ferry related issues, including tendering.

That is what happened in respect of the procurement of the Northern Isles ferry services when I met with the STUC, and all of the trade unions with an interest, on 11 October 2011 to discuss ferry related issues.