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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

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Question reference: S4F-00343

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2011

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the Reform Scotland report, Powering Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-03567

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to enable small businesses to compete more effectively against larger companies outwith Scotland for public sector contracts.

The Scottish Government is committed to using public procurement to drive the Scottish economy. This requires action on two fronts – we must make it easier for suppliers to access public sector contract opportunities and we must also ensure that Scottish suppliers are competitive and understand the public market well enough to construct winning bids.

We are working with suppliers (through the Supplier Engagement Working Group) to take action on both these fronts. In particular:

Public Contracts Scotland provides businesses with easy and free-of-charge access to contract opportunities. Since the launch almost 60,000 suppliers have registered (84% are SMEs) and regular e-zines are sent to these suppliers to update them on reform initiatives.

a Standard Pre-Qualification Questionnaire to be used by the entire public sector was published for consultation in December. We aim to award the contract to develop this system later in the year, and roll it out next year. This will ensure that only questions which are proportionate to the risk involved in a contract are asked, and also that suppliers only have to enter their answers into a database once – they can then be used for all procurement exercises.

Last week we launched an online guide for suppliers, the Supplier Journey, which seeks to explain the procurement process in straightforward terms meaningful to suppliers and gives practical information on how suppliers bid for business. The Supplier Journey will be regularly reviewed and updated based on supplier feedback.

At their last meeting the Supplier Engagement Working Group agreed to examine the SNP manifesto commitment to establish a unit to provide small and local businesses with advice to make them better placed to win public sector contracts in Scotland and throughout the UK.

Question reference: S4W-03218

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive who determines the eligibility criteria for the provision of independent advocacy.

Question reference: S4W-03217

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive where the functions of the Advocacy Safeguards Agency were transferred on it ceasing to operate.

Some of the functions of the Advocacy Safeguards Agency were absorbed within the NHS organisations involved in the development of standards, monitoring and support for the NHS. For instance advocacy is a key aspect of the NHS Patient Focus and Public Involvement programme of work and its provision is monitored as part of this.

The review of the Principles and Standards for Independent Advocacy organisations and groups (2002) was taken forward by the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance when the Advocacy Safeguards Agency was dissolved. The Principles and Standards for Independent Advocacy published in 2008 are available at: http://www.siaa.org.uk/images/stories/siaaprinciples%26standardsforweb.pdf

Question reference: S4W-03219

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider taking steps to ensure the accreditation of individuals and organisations that provide independent advocacy services.

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance is already funded by the Scottish Government Health Directorates to support and promote independent advocacy. A range of publications and guidance documents are available on their website at http://www.siaa.org.uk/content/view/187 to assist advocacy organisations to operate in a clear and responsible way and to ensure the provision of high quality advocacy.

Question reference: S4W-03195

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected spend on construction associated with the M80 upgrade is and how this compares with the original forecast.

Question reference: S4W-02949

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 21 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how many precognitions of Scottish Police Services Authority fingerprint experts were or have been undertaken by the Crown Office in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011, broken down by fingerprint bureau.

Question reference: S4W-02948

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 21 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions the Crown Office has issued regarding the precognition of fingerprint or other forensic experts when they have submitted evidence in respect of criminal cases.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has issued guidance on the precognition of expert witnesses, including fingerprint and forensic experts.

The guidance provides that where an expert witness has been instructed by the Crown and the witness is to be asked to express an opinion, including an expert witness in relation to fingerprint evidence, that witness should always be contacted for the purposes of precognition interview. The nature and extent of the precognition interview will depend on the significance of the evidence in the case. The interview will normally be conducted in person, although there may be particular circumstances where interview by telephone will be appropriate.

Question reference: S4W-02958

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or any of its agencies, has been advised of a recommendation to relocate the Scottish Police Services Authority and, if so, where the recommendation originates.

Question reference: S4W-02915

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedural differences exist between the circumstances in which it (a) has to consider an appeal regarding a rejected planning application and (b) decides to call in a planning application.

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