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: S6W-18647

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the working conditions of police officers.

The deployment of officers and their health, safety and wellbeing are matters for the Chief Constable, with oversight by the Scottish Police Authority, (SPA) and scrutinised by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS).

The Police Negotiating Board and the Scottish Police Consultative Forum negotiate and discuss changes to terms and conditions, before amendments are made to regulations; and then approved by Ministers

As part of the 2022-23 police officer pay deal, a strategic commitment was made to consider ways to reduce the working week and the disruption to police officers lives. Work has been ongoing since then with staff associations and across Scottish Government to look at ways to lower demands on officer time, in particular focussing on attendances at court and supporting mental health needs in the community.

Question reference: S6W-18747

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the amount of information detailed in the list of ministerial engagements, travel and gifts that is published monthly, in light of its commitment to transparency and accountability.

Question reference: S6W-18648

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs (a) last met and (b) will next meet with the Scottish Police Federation to discuss (i) pay and (ii) working conditions.

On 10 May I met with David Kennedy and David Threadgold from the Scottish Police Federation as part of my regular meetings where we discussed various topics of interest. As the pay claim for 2023-24 had been submitted, in line with the Police Negotiating Board, (PNB) protocols, it was not appropriate for us to discuss details of this during our meeting.

Our next planned meeting has been arranged for the 14 September 2023.

Question reference: S6W-18748

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on when it will next publish information on ministerial engagements, travel and gifts.

Question reference: S6W-18559

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with UK ministers to discuss its consultation on alcohol advertising and marketing, and what was discussed.

The then Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport Maree Todd MSP raised the consultation on alcohol advertising and promotion with Neil O'Brien MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care at a bi-lateral meeting on 1 March 2023.

Ms Todd set out the importance of taking action to reduce alcohol-related harms in Scotland, indicated that the consultation on alcohol advertising and promotion had issued and was live and highlighted that a UK wide approach on some areas of alcohol policy would be beneficial.

Question reference: S6W-18563

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Ministers last met with NHS boards to discuss staff wellbeing.

I met with the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce on 6 April. Members include NHS employers, recognised nursing and midwifery workforce experts, professional organisations and academics.

Members discussed wellbeing and agreed that it will be one of five key workstreams, in building a sustainable, attractive, fair, flexible, respected and empowered workforce for the future. I am due to attend the next taskforce meeting on 28 August.

Question reference: S6W-18625

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17951 by Tom Arthur on 30 May 2023, as it "routinely mandates the payment of at least the Scottish real Living Wage (£10.90) to employees directly involved in the delivery of its contracts", whether it plans to enshrine this mandate in legislation.

Employment law, including the minimum and national living wage rates, remains reserved to the UK Government. However, the Scottish Government will continue to use our Fair Work policy to encourage and promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland, including through conditionality in public sector funding. As such, there are no current plans to legislate in this area.

Payment of at least the real Living Wage is a clear way that an employer can demonstrate a commitment to their workforce, alongside other Fair Work First criteria.

Public bodies are responsible for their own procurement decisions. Despite that, we are continuing to engage with relevant sectors to encourage and promote fair work practices, including the real Living Wage, across the whole of the public sector in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-18693

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Ministers last met with (a) UK ministers, (b) the Welsh Ministers and (c) representatives of international governments to discuss (i) period dignity and (ii) the provision of free period products.

Question reference: S6W-18506

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the proposed summit on tackling violence in schools, (a) where and (b) on what date it will be held, and who will be invited.

Question reference: S6W-18623

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 14 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what provision it has made for providing free period products or helping to provide access to period products within funding allocated for international development programmes.

The Scottish Government has funded two successful international projects to help tackle global challenges around period dignity. Funding of £100,000 was provided to Water Aid Foundation to support women in Rwanda, and just under £13,000 was provided to a project through the Freedom From Fistula Foundation in Malawi.

These projects helped communities make and sell reusable period products and generate an income for community members. Funding was also used to donate free products to school pupils in these countries. Both projects were funded in collaboration with international development programmes and through the social justice budget.