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-15555

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how town centre regeneration is supported through single outcome agreements.

Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs) set out a clear vision of what each Community Planning Partnership (CPP) wants to achieve for its area. Where a CPP decides to prioritise the regeneration of town centres in its area, this should be reflected in the SOA and the actions that flow from it. Furthermore, the guidance on SOAs requires each CPP to have a sharp focus on key policy priorities, like the economy and jobs, of particular relevance to town centres.

Question reference: S4W-15554

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how town centre regeneration is supported through the National Performance Framework.

The approach to town centre regeneration is outlined in our regeneration strategy, Achieving a Sustainable Future. The strategy takes an outcomes-based approach to regeneration that enables trends to be measured over time. These outcomes link to the national outcomes that underpin the National Performance Framework for Scotland.

Progress towards the achievement of the outcomes and the government’s purpose is assessed through a set of diverse indicators. We publish this material in an impartial and transparent way on the Scotland Performs website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Performance/scotPerforms

Question reference: S4O-02261

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how the National Planning Framework 3 will support town centre regeneration.

Our current consultation on the Main Issues Report for the third National Planning Framework supports town centre regeneration, and reflects the emerging findings from the Town Centres Review, including the need for a broader mix of uses in our town and city centres. Following consultation, we will consider this further in the Proposed National Planning Framework, which will be submitted to the Parliament later in the year.

Question reference: S4O-02127

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Lanarkshire regarding the unscheduled care action plan.

Question reference: S4W-14099

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it regulates laser eye surgery in the independent sector.

<>The Scottish Government does not regulate laser eye surgery in the independent sector. Laser eye surgery undertaken in high street laser clinics is a private arrangement between the patient and the optical practice concerned.

Doctors are required to be registered with the General Medical Council. A doctor that performs a laser eye surgery procedure will therefore be subject to regulation by the General Medical Council. Regulation of medical professionals is a reserved matter to the UK Government.

Question reference: S4W-14100

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Department of Health regarding the regulation of laser eye surgery in the independent sector.

The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with the Department of Health regarding the regulation of laser eye surgery in the independent sector.

Doctors are required to be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). A doctor that performs a laser eye surgery procedure will therefore be subject to regulation by the GMC. Regulation of medical professionals is a reserved matter to the UK Government.

Question reference: S4O-02070

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports manufacturing.

Question reference: S4O-01995

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the introduction of the Employability Fund.

Question reference: S4W-13674

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 27 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on employment, what contact it has had with the administrators of HMV regarding the firm going into administration and what support it is providing to affected staff.

The Scottish Government, through Skills Development Scotland, coordinates local response teams under the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative, to provide tailored help and support for people facing redundancy.

On 15 January 2013, HMV went into administration and Deloitte were appointed as administrators to manage the affairs, business and property of HMV.

Subsequently, the National PACE Team contacted Deloitte to offer PACE support but were told on 21 January 2013 that no store closures were planned except for the Perth store and no contact should be made to offer PACE support other than for the employees of the Perth store.

On 7 February 2013, the National PACE Team received details of 11 stores in Scotland which were due to close and the National PACE Team instructed the local PACE Chairs to make contact to offer PACE support for the affected employees. On 22 February 2013 the National PACE Team were notified of a further two stores to be closed and PACE support was also offered to employees in these stores.

PACE support was provided to 222 affected employees through the distribution of PACE Guides and the offer of PACE Presentations which were taken up by managers in eight of the stores being closed.

It is a matter for employers or administrators to accept the offer of PACE support and we will therefore continue our work to improve further our links with employers and insolvency practitioners.

Question reference: S4W-13671

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures the (a) traceability and (b) quality of hospital food.

The European Commission Regulation 178/2002 requires all food businesses to maintain a system of traceability. They are required to be able to identify the food business that they received a food product from, and the food businesses they supplied a food product to. There is no requirement for internal traceability within a food business or for traceability to the final consumer.

The Scottish Government lead in introducing national standards for food, fluid and nutrition in hospitals and has introduced malnutrition screening of all patients and nutrition champions in every NHS board and the development of a toolkit to assist all staff dealing with food, fluid and nutrition from catering staff to senior charge nurses.