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.

Question reference: S5W-00607

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff NHS Lothian employs and how this compares with September 2006.

Question reference: S5W-00304

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what the gender pay gap is in Scotland and how this compares with the rest of the UK.

Information on the gender pay gap in Scotland is published by the Scottish Government in Table 4 of Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings – Scottish Government Analysis on the Scottish Government web site. This is available at the following link: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Labour-Market/AnalyticalPapers/ASHESGAnalysis

Information for the gender pay gap for the UK is published by office for national statistics in the publication Annual Survey of Hours and Earning 2015: Provisional Results. This is available at the following link: http://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2015provisionalresults

Provisional estimates, sourced from these publications, show that:

For Scotland, in 2015, the gender pay gap for median full-time hourly earnings (excluding overtime) was 7.3%.

For the UK, in 2015, the gender pay gap for median full-time hourly earnings (excluding overtime) was 9.4%.

Question reference: S5W-00375

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help businesses address the gender pay gap.

Scotland has led the way since 1999 in narrowing the gender pay gap, which at 7.3% is currently the lowest in the UK and one of the lowest in the EU. However, that there is any pay gap at all in 2016 is unacceptable.

We know that there are many factors which influence the pay gap and we are providing practical support to businesses such as: funding the Close the Gap toolkit for small businesses on the benefits of improving gender diversity; funding initiatives to encourage businesses to adopt family friendly policies; and providing support to carers. These types of employer practices help women to enter and progress in the labour market and contribute towards narrowing the pay gap.

Question reference: S5O-00043

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what role breakfast clubs play in closing the attainment gap, and what support it provides to them.

Question reference: S5W-00303

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 8 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations have signed up to the Partnership for Change pledge to make a commitment to work toward a 50:50 gender balance on their boards by 2020.

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