Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-12630

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many times since May 2016 have ministers met with others in their capacity as a minister with no officials present; when these meetings took place; what the purpose of the meeting was, and who attended.

Question reference: S5W-12629

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether its ministers work to the same standards as UK ministers regarding having officials present when they meet with others in their capacity as a minister.

When meeting with external organisations Scottish Government Ministers work to the Scottish Ministerial Code, see section 10.18:

https://beta.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2016-edition/pages/11/

The code is in line with section 8.14 of the UK Government Ministerial Code:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/579752/ministerial_code_december_2016.pdf

Where a Minister is involved in a meeting, conversation or exchange with external organisations which raises substantive issues relating to Government decisions or contracts, and where no Private Secretary, adviser or official is present, they should inform their Private Office, who will arrange for the basic facts to be recorded (see Ministerial Code paragraph 4.23).

Question reference: S5W-12628

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance ministers work to regarding how ministerial meetings are (a) conducted and (b) recorded.

Scottish Government Ministers adhere to the Scottish Ministerial Code which includes a section on Ministerial Conduct (section 1.2):

https://beta.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2016-edition/pages/2/

Scottish Government guidance requires that formal minutes are taken where there are discussions of substantive government business, where policy areas arise or where there are significant action points.

We would not generally take minutes of goodwill visits, hospitality events, catch ups or courtesy conversations where no policy decisions arise and where it may be sufficient to record within the official diary that the meeting has taken place.

Where a Minister is involved in a meeting, conversation or exchange with external organisations which raises substantive issues relating to Government decisions or contracts, and where no Private Secretary, adviser or official is present, they should inform their Private Office, who will arrange for the basic facts to be recorded (see Ministerial Code paragraph 4.23).

Question reference: S5W-12784

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many rail staff are employed by Abellio ScotRail.

Question reference: S5W-12718

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to standardise the provision of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) across the country.

Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are provided by Health Boards to meet the requirements of their local population. Health Boards may provide services in different ways according to local need. All CAMHS services are working to the target that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

We want to drive improvements in CAMH services and are committed to ensuring that children and young people get access to high quality mental health services. Action 17 in the Mental Health Strategy is to fund improved provision of services to treat child and adolescent mental health problems and we are investing £15 million supporting better access to CAMHS and innovation.

Question reference: S5W-12785

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff have (a) been made redundant and (b) taken voluntary severance since Abellio took over the ScotRail franchise.

Question reference: S5F-01746

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to concerns that A&E waiting times at St John's Hospital have been misrepresented.

Question reference: S5O-01490

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure there are no fire station closures during the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S5O-01455

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact is on the culture sector of reduced local government budgets.

Question reference: S5W-12385

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will implement the code of practice for equipment interference and computer hacking by Police Scotland, and what oversight of these powers by (a) the Parliament and (b) other institutions it proposes.

The equipment interference code of practice will be issued pursuant to section 24 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000, which provides that the Scottish Ministers shall issue one or more codes of practice relating to the exercise and performance of powers and duties conferred or imposed by or under a number of Acts, including Part 5 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. A 12-week public consultation ended on 29 September and responses are being analysed. The Orders which bring the codes into effect will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

Oversight will be provided by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office as per Part 8 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

Chamber and committees