- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 10 January 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-26596 by Fergus Ewing on 16 December 2019, who will take on the role of Chief Forester when Jo O'Hara leaves her position as Chief Executive of Scottish Forestry.
Answer
We will shortly be beginning the selection process for a Chief Forester, with a view to making an appointment early in 2020.
This is an exciting and challenging time for forestry in Scotland, and this role will be an invaluable source of technical expertise and advice for Ministers. The appointee will also have key responsibilities to provide professional leadership across the public agencies, and to work with the wider sector to promote and grow the profession of forestry in Scotland.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 January 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how many and what percentage of railway stations offer full accessibility to disabled people.
Answer
Rail accessibility is a reserved matter, funding for accessibility improvements remains the responsibility of the UK Government. It is the policy of Scottish Ministers to have all rail matters, including accessibility, fully devolved to the Scottish Government.
In line with the Office of Rail and Road’s new Assisted Travel Policy guidance, railway stations in Scotland and throughout the UK have been reclassified into the following:-
Category | Scotland |
Number of stations | % |
Category A: The station has step-free access to and between all platforms, at all times trains are running, via level access, lifts or ramps (in accordance with new-build standards re gradient/length). | 134 | 37% |
Category B: The station does not meet category A, but has step-free access to either all platforms or at least one platform. In some cases, the station may be usable for some disabled and older people, but in others major barriers may exist which are likely to restrict the ability of some disabled or older people to use the station. This may include long or steep ramps, access between platforms that may be via the street, and there may not be step-free access to or between all station areas. | 182 | 51% |
Category C: The station has no step-free access to any platform. | 43 | 12% |
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether the timetable for its proposed legislation on fox hunting allows sufficient time for it to be passed within the current parliamentary session.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2020
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government who currently holds the role of Chief Forester, as established by section 73 of the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018.
Answer
The Chief Forester is currently Jo O’Hara, Chief Executive of Scottish Forestry.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government when the root cause analysis report on the North West Community Campus in Dumfries will be published.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2019
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what action it would expect the Scottish Prison Service to take to ensure that it is compliant with the Articles in the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child.
Answer
As an executive agency of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is already subject to the duties of Scottish Ministers under Part 1 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. Scottish Ministers are required to consider whether there are steps which they could take which would or might secure better of further effect of the UNCRC and to take those steps if they consider it appropriate to do so.
SPS launched a Family Strategy in 2017 that sets a clear direction for the improved delivery of family engagement for people in custody and a focus on how SPS can play its part in avoiding the intergenerational impact of parental imprisonment.
The incorporation of the UNCRC into domestic law aims to ensure that there is a proactive culture of everyday accountability for children’s rights across public services in Scotland. This will mean that children, young people and their families will experience public bodies consistently acting to uphold the rights of all children in Scotland. Like every devolved body, every health board, every council – the Scottish Prison Service – will be legally obliged to respect children’s rights.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how it will address the incompatibilities between the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child and existing legislation in its proposals to incorporate it into Scots Law.
Answer
Incorporation of the UNCRC into Scots law will ensure that children’s rights can be enforced. At present as part of their compliance with the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, Scottish Ministers carry out a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) when they develop new legislation.
Consideration is being given to whether the Bill should include a regime to enable rulings to be obtained from the courts as to whether legislation is incompatible with the children’s rights included in the Bill. The Scottish Government is also investigating whether it would be possible to provide for a remedial order procedure, so that the Scottish Government could remedy the incompatibility, as under the Convention Rights Compliance (Scotland) Act 2001.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how it will consult with children who are affected by imprisonment on its proposal to incorporate the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child into Scots Law.
Answer
The consultation on incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in Scotland received a total of 162 responses, one of which was Families Outside who represent families affected by imprisonment. To complement the public consultation, a bilateral official meeting was held with Families Outside over the summer. Overall, the Scottish Government engaged with over 180 children and young people across 7 Scottish Government-funded events and meeting 47 organisations representing a number of different sectors. We will continue to work closely with children, families and organisations representing children affected by imprisonment to gather views on incorporation of the UNCRC to ensure children’s rights are afforded the highest protection and respect possible within our constitutional settlement.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Prison Service will be impacted by its proposals to incorporate the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child into Scots Law.
Answer
The Scottish Government will work closely with public authorities to deliver a successful implementation of the UNCRC and will support them to deliver their services in line with the UNCRC to ensure that children’s rights are consistently upheld.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any incompatibility between the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child and existing legislation.
Answer
The UK is bound by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in international law. The Scottish Government respects and protects the UNCRC rights to help deliver our aim that children grow up loved, safe and respected, and so that they reach their full potential. It is the policy of the Scottish Government to reflect the UNCRC in legislation and policy. Section 1 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (CYP Act 2014), which commenced in June 2015, places specific duties on Scottish Ministers aimed at furthering the effect of the UNCRC in Scotland. As part of their compliance with the CYP Act 2014, Scottish Ministers carry out a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment when they develop new legislation. These assessments help Scottish Ministers consider how to advance the rights of children in Scotland; and how to protect and promote the wellbeing of children and young people.
In the development of this new legislation, the Scottish Government will consider how to put in place the highest level of legal protection of the rights of children possible within our constitutional settlement.
