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-22725

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available to LGBT organisations to host events celebrating LGBT equality.

Question reference: S4W-22732

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take steps to ensure that the invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract will not be published prior to substantive discussions taking place with trade unions about conditions and pensions, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S4W-22738

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21149 by Keith Brown on 29 May 2014, whether the information is now available and, if not, whether it will be published prior to the publication of the invitation to tender.

Question reference: S4W-22736

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the (a) shipping sector, (b) rail sector, (c) STUC and (d) trade unions regarding the impact of the directive (i) 2014/23/EU, (ii) 2014/24/EU and (iii) 2014/25/EU.

Question reference: S4W-22730

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what progress Transport Scotland has made with regard to the content of the documents in the proposed invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

Scottish Ministers intend to publish a contract notice in early 2015, seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified organisations to tender for the 2016 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

Following publication of the contract notice, the required documentation will be prepared and issued to qualifying organisations inviting them to participate in the competition for the award of contract.

Question reference: S4W-22734

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the directive (a) 2014/23/EU, (b) 2014/24/EU and (c) 2014/25/EU will have on the (i) invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract and (ii) length of public sector contracts in the (A) maritime and (B) rail sector.

The three new procurement directives must be transposed into Scots law by 18 April 2016. The Scottish Government expects Scottish regulations to be in place towards the end of 2015.

The preliminary arrangements for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service are underway and it is expected that the formal procurement process will commence in early 2015 and will therefore be subject to the existing, and not the forthcoming, regulations.

The duration of public contracts is not an issue that is governed by the procurement directives. In respect of maritime contracts, guidance issued by the European Commission on Council Regulation No. 3577/92 (maritime cabotage) advises a duration of six years, which may now be extended up to 12 years where justified.

Question reference: S4W-22729

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when (a) it and (b) Transport Scotland last met trade unions to discuss conditions and pensions in the proposed invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract; when it will next meet them, and what the reason is for any delay.

I last met with the STUC, and a number of trade unions with an interest, on 29 July 2014. A broad range of issues were discussed including conditions and pensions relating to the 2016 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

I also wrote to the Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) on 7 October 2014, explaining that the tendering team for the contract was now in place and that officials from the team would contact the STUC to discuss those elements of the contract relating to conditions and pensions. I am also planning to meet the Acting General Secretary of the RMT on 6 November 2014 to discuss a range of issues relating to rail and ferries.

Question reference: S4W-22726

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to continue supporting LGBT people following the reported success of Pride House during the Commonwealth Games.

The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to move equality for all of Scotland’s people forward in a positive direction. For LGBT people specifically, the clearest demonstration of this will be in December 2014 when same sex couples can get married in Scotland for the first time.

On 10 October 2014, More Powers for the Scottish Parliament: Scottish Government Proposals was published. One proposal for extending devolution in Scotland is that equal legislation should be devolved. This, in addition to providing funding to LGBT organisations and continuing to work closely with LGBT stakeholders and communities, will help progress equality for LGBT people in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-22728

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the invitation to tender for the 2016-22 Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

Question reference: S4W-22733

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 October 2014

The new EU procurement directives must be transposed into Scots law by 18 April 2016. The Scottish Government is planning to launch a public consultation exercise towards the end of 2014, seeking views on the policy principles and options available to Scottish Ministers when implementing the directives and will also seek views on the regulations required to fully implement the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.