Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-01414

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest engagement has been with the UK Government on the impact of Brexit on Scotland’s food security.

Question reference: S6W-06479

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 10 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when a report on Year 1 of the National Transition Training Fund will be published.

The National Transition Training Fund (NTTF) was established in October 2020 as a key intervention to mitigate the projected rise in unemployment resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and was positioned to help fill a gap in how we supported individuals, aged 25+, who had lost their job or whose jobs were at risk as a result of the pandemic.

In response to recent Parliamentary Questions and in the NTTF / Young Person’s Guarantee Debate on 9 November 2021 we committed to publishing a report summarising the outcomes of Year 1. The report on Year 1 of NTTF has been published on the Scottish Government Website at http://www.gov.scot/ISBN/978-1-80201-962-9 .

Question reference: S6O-00568

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the support that it is providing to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.

Question reference: S6O-00418

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maggie Chapman MSP (on behalf of the SPCB) on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consultation was conducted with MSPs ahead of changing the allowances system.

I would like to begin by stating up front that we had to replace the travel and expenses system. The contract for that system was coming to an end, and it could not be extended further as it had reached its contract limit. We were required, as with all public bodies, to follow Public Procurement Scotland regulations and replace the system by putting the opportunity out to tender.

Given the system at the time was over 10 years old and travel and expenses systems had moved on significantly it was recognised that any new system would be a significant change for Members and their staff.

Therefore, as part of the survey carried out on the review of the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme in March 2019, and with the understanding that the system would need replaced, questions were included in relation to the submitting of claims and invoices, how this could be improved as well as seeking feedback on submitting claims through a new on-line travel and expenses system.

66.67% - two thirds - of those who completed the survey thought it would be more efficient to submit claims on-line rather than in hard copy. This feedback, as well as other views on what they would like to see in a new system, was built into the specification for a new system. Some of these suggestions included:

make it all electronic
being able to see invoices online
being able to submit online
see reports at any time not just once a month
an app where picture or receipt could be included and then submitted
be able to see progress of invoices/claims

We recognise that Members have experienced some difficulties during the roll out of the new system and the Allowances Office has worked with Members, their staff and our providers to rectify any issues experienced and to provide ongoing support and guidance as and when required.

Question reference: S6O-00403

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers to be the underlying strengths of any economic growth in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-02656

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet with representatives from Rangers FC, Police Scotland, Glasgow City Council and members from the Irish-Scottish community, in light of recent events in Glasgow and the reported singing of racist songs.

The Scottish Government unequivocally condemns all forms of hatred or prejudice, including anti-Irish racism, and understands the impact that recent events will have had on Irish communities in Scotland. There is no excuse – it is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Scotland is a diverse, multi-cultural society and this diversity strengthens us as a nation. That is why we are determined to tackle all forms of prejudice and discrimination.

We continue to work with Police Scotland who monitor the situation on reported hate crimes and hate incidents closely. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans also meets fortnightly with the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, where a number of matters are discussed.

Additionally the Scottish Government meets regularly with faith and belief organisations and consults with organisations representing the Irish-Scottish community. We are continuing to consider further engagement with representatives of communities impacted by recent events to provide reassurance that the Scottish Government take all forms of hate crime and bigotry seriously.

Question reference: S6O-00112

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on reducing child poverty.

Question reference: S6W-02630

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Clare Haughey on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of COVID-19 on the financial sustainability of childcare providers in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has today (31 August) published the Financial Sustainability Health Check of the Childcare Sector in Scotland .

This exercise has collected evidence on the sustainability of the childcare sector, in particular in light of the impacts of COVID-19. The Health Check has been informed by evidence and analysis from: detailed surveys of childcare providers; in-depth case study interviews with a range of providers; discussions with provider representative bodies; and analysis of trends in registration data. A supporting Analysis and Evidence paper has also been published.

As part of this exercise we have also collected updated information from all local authorities on the sustainable rates that they have set for providers in the private, third and childminding sectors to deliver funded early learning and childcare.

The Health Check sets out a range of actions that we will now work with the sector and delivery partners to progress. The actions will build on the substantial targeted financial support made available to the sector since March 2020, actions already being progressed, and aligning, where possible, with economy-wide support measures.

Question reference: S6W-00743

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it is carrying out to deal with sexual abuse in schools and colleges, in light of Ofsted’s review of this issue in England.

The Scottish Government is taking forward a wide range of action in schools and colleges to address gender based violence and sexual harassment.

To support schools to deliver learning on relationships, sexual health and parenthood education, Education Scotland have produced experiences and outcomes which set out what each pupil is expected to learn and how their learning is expected to progress through the four levels of learning.

In addition to this, we are funding a number of targeted programmes to support positive behaviour and relationships. This includes the Mentors in Violence Prevention Scotland Programme which is working to tackle gender stereotyping and attitudes that condone violence against women and girls; pilot of a whole schools approach to tackling gender based violence with Rape Crisis Scotland and Zero Tolerance; and, running up to three Fearless campaigns nationally to educate and support young people to speak up about crime, making their lives and that of their communities safer.

We are also developing a National Approach guidance document, with partners on the Gender Based Violence in Schools Working Group, to ensure consistency in messages on sexual harassment and gender based violence to everyone working with children and young people.

In colleges and universities, institutions are expected to adopt and adapt the Equally Safe in Higher Education Toolkit, and in doing so adopt a Gendered Analysis to this issue, assess their own policies and practices against the Toolkit and put in place policies, reporting processes and support arrangements to keep students safe.

The Scottish Government continues to fund several projects aimed at support the further and higher education sector, by developing online training and resources, particularly for the college sector; developing an institutional GBV Charter Mark and the parameters of effective risk management approaches to work already undertaken by Universities Scotland; and, to purchase an online tool to enable staff and students in certain Glasgow-based institutions to anonymously report gender based violence and racial harassment issues.

Question reference: S6O-00007

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the last meeting of the Oil and Gas and Energy Transition Strategic Leadership Group was held.

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