Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-13630

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports on 4 January 2022 that, when excluding those aged between 16 and 24 in full-time education, 148,000 people living in Scotland have never been in employment.

Many people who report that they have never worked are suffering from long-term sickness or disability, or are looking after family. Just because someone does not have a job does not mean they are not making a valuable contribution to our economy and society.

The Scottish Government’s devolved employment support service, Fair Start Scotland, helps people with disabilities, long term health conditions and other barriers to progress into sustainable employment.

Through our Fair Work policy we are supporting the development of a labour market that is open, inclusive and offers good quality and rewarding jobs for everyone.

We are committed to developing life-long skills training opportunities, which support people to enter the workforce and enjoy valuable and rewarding careers.

Question reference: S6W-13724

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the financial value of the dark web in Scotland, and what recent discussions it has had with Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency and the UK Government on this issue.

The Scottish Government does not hold information relating to the financial value of the dark web in Scotland. Regulation of the Internet is reserved to the UK Government.

The Scottish Government maintains a close working relationship with Police Scotland, The National Crime Agency and other UK Government Departments and Agencies with respect to cyber security, cyber enabled and cyber dependent crime to ensure an effective response to the threat from cyber criminals to Scottish people and businesses.

Question reference: S6W-13758

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) 3D-printed guns and (b) 3D printers being used for illicit purposes have been seized by Police Scotland in each year since 2018.

Question reference: S6W-13723

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) guns, (b) knives, (c) other offensive weapons and (d) prohibited drugs have been seized/intercepted in mail and courier delivery services by Police Scotland, including items imported from overseas, in each year since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-13759

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals have been (a) charged and (b) convicted in relation to offences concerning the 3D-printing of guns and other offensive weapons, in each year for which data is available.

A range of charges could be relevant, depending on the facts and circumstances of individual cases. For example, 3D-printing of guns and other offensive weapons would potentially be charged and prosecuted under s3(1)(a) and s5(2A)(a) of the Firearms Act 1968 or s141(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. However, neither the COPFS dataset nor the Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings dataset holds information at the requested level (i.e. 3-D printing).

Question reference: S6W-13604

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by Peel NRE that its decision to withdraw plans for a facility in Clydebank to turn plastic waste into fuel for buses and cars was made due to the Scottish Government’s moratorium on thermal treatment facilities, which “creates a negative environment”, and what assessment it has made of the number of jobs and value of investment that could result from such a facility.

The Scottish Government’s priority is to move to a circular economy, which means reducing our demand for raw material, increasing reuse and repair, and recycling more. Where we do produce unavoidable and unrecyclable residual waste, we must ensure we treat it responsibly.

In terms of waste incineration, the independent review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy made it clear that Scotland does not need additional waste incineration facilities to treat our unavoidable and unrecyclable municipal residual waste beyond those for which planning permission has already been granted. That is why National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), as approved by parliament on 11 January, makes clear that development proposals for energy-from-waste facilities will not be supported except under very limited circumstances. The independent review did not consider waste to fuel facilities, such as the proposed plastics to hydrogen development.

Scottish Government has not assessed the number of jobs or value of investment that could result from such a facility. However, available evidence suggests that delivering a circular economy provides local employment opportunities and lower cost options to access goods. 10,000 tonnes of waste can create up to 296 jobs in repair and reuse, compared to 1 job in incineration, 6 jobs in landfill or 36 jobs in recycling.

Question reference: S6W-13779

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 18 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the research commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union, Scottish Firefighters Occupational Cancer and Disease Mortality Rates: 2000-2020, which was published on 10 January 2023.

The safety and wellbeing of all fire and rescue officers is of upmost importance to the Scottish Government.

We will continue to support SFRS in its partnership work with the Fire Brigades Union and Professor Anna Stec to build on the existing work of their dedicated Contaminants Group.

The Scottish Government will carefully consider any related proposals from the FBU or SFRS as a result of this important research.

Question reference: S6W-13381

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports in the Sunday Mail on 18 December 2022 that 1,029 Police Scotland officers retired between January and October 2022, and that the number of police officers is at its lowest level in 14 years.

As I said in my answer to Donald Lumsden (S6O-01659), policing is and will continue to be a priority for the Scottish Government. Scotland has a higher number of officers than at any time during the last administration – and more per head of population than England and Wales (30 officers per 10,000 population in Scotland, compared to 24 officers per 10,000 population in England and Wales (at 31 March).

Officer numbers fluctuate due to the cycle of recruitment and retirement, and this was further impacted by last year’s police pension changes. However, I was pleased to see that Police Scotland welcomed around 900 new recruits in 2022.

Our officers are the best paid in the UK, which recognises the hard work and dedication of the police workforce across Scotland. Basic starting salary for a constable in Scotland is around £5,000 more than in England and Wales and the maximum salary is also higher.

Question reference: S6T-01103

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by the Chief Inspector of the Constabulary that some Police Scotland officers lack empathy and show outdated attitudes in domestic abuse cases.

Question reference: S6W-13382

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding the reported 150% increase in burst water pipes in December 2022.

The Scottish Government and Scottish Water are in regular dialogue about a number of issues, including the potential for burst water pipes.

I was briefed in person by Scottish Water on the expectations that the recent thaw would bring a substantial increase in the number of bursts across Scottish Water’s network and I was reassured that additional response teams were ready to tackle that anticipated situation.

Tell us your views

Seòmar agus comataidhean