Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-11743

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 12 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Syrian refugees receive the support required under the refugees action plan, and what plans it has to review whether the support offered by the assigned integration support teams is meeting their needs.

The operation of refugee resettlement schemes is reserved to the UK Government and managed by the Home Office. Support for refugees arriving under the Syrian Resettlement Programme is provided by local authorities, who report to the Home Office on delivery of the programme in their areas.

The New Scots refugee integration strategy provides a framework for the integration of all refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland. The Scottish Government is working with COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council and a wide range of other partners to develop the next New Scots strategy for publication in early 2018.

Question reference: S5F-01613

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2017

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will undertake a national audit of the number of people who are rough sleeping.

Question reference: S5W-11256

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what accountability the Glasgow Colleges Regional Board has to ministers; what role it plays in appointments to the board and the other senior executive positions at the college, and what its position is on the salaries paid to the board and the other senior executive positions.

The Chair of Glasgow Colleges Regional Board (GCRB) is appointed directly by Scottish Ministers; Ordinary members of the board are appointed by the Chair and the Regional Board with approval from Scottish Ministers. Ordinary members are appointed through an open recruitment process with regard to the Government’s College Sector Guidance on Board Appointments.

The level of the Chair's salary is determined by Scottish Ministers. GCRB has responsibility for the salaries of the executive team and responsibility for funding decisions over the college region. The Scottish Funding Council awarded GCRB fully-operational fundable body status from 1 April, 2017 and provides funding directly to GCRB for the management of funds within the region.

Glasgow Colleges Regional Board has reconsidered its decision and it will not implement the proposed salary changes. The Scottish Government has been in close dialogue with GCRB and the Scottish Funding Council on this matter. All publicly funded institutions should ensure that they operate with maximum efficiency and effectiveness recognising the expectations of the Scottish Government that those funded from the public purse should operate within the spirit of the principles of the Public Sector Pay Policy.

Question reference: S5W-10937

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has reimbursed local authorities under the Scottish Welfare Fund scheme, Assistance with Housing Costs for 18-21 year olds.

Reimbursement details are subject to agreement through COSLA’s usual processes, and funding for 2017-18 will be announced and included as an adjustment to this year’s Local Government Finance Order in February 2018, with payments to Local Authorities being made thereafter.

Local Authorities in full service areas reported to COSLA that to date there have been a number of enquiries resulting in one case receiving assistance for housing costs through the Scottish Welfare Fund. COSLA report that advice has been given to all those who have presented at Local Authorities as a result of being denied assistance with housing costs through Universal Credit, and in at least 50% of these cases the individual has been able to claim an exemption through DWP after receiving advice and support to do so.

Question reference: S5O-01248

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to further the automation of benefits to help poorer families.

Question reference: S5O-01216

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to put specific provisions in the Social Security (Scotland) Bill to rule out private contractors conducting disability assessments.

Question reference: S5W-10815

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement Scottish Enterprise has had with Pladis regarding the future of manufacturing at its factory in Tollcross, Glasgow.

Scottish Enterprise (SE) has been actively supporting the company’s manufacturing business at Tollcross for the last three years, and work is currently ongoing with SE’s Workforce Innovation team to support workforce development. SE also has a strong relationship with Pladis UK and recently spoke about the concerns raised by the GMB Union over future investment at the Tollcross site. SE has been advised that there are no current plans to reduce the company’s operation at the site.SE met with the company on 16 August 2017 to continue its engagement and support activity to help optimise the site’s competitiveness and secure its long-term future.

Question reference: S5W-10814

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of Pladis and what issues were discussed.

The Scottish Government’s economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise (SE), last met with Pladis representatives on 16 August 2017. Issues discussed included SE’s ongoing support for the Tollcross site and its staff; recent press coverage of GMB union concerns over future investment at Tollcross; the economic conditions facing Pladis across the UK; and the investment of over £5m in recent years by Pladis at the site for operational and production line improvements.

Question reference: S5W-10816

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support has been provided by (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) other agencies to (i) Pladis and (ii) the previous owners of the McVities factory in Tollcross, Glasgow, since 2010.

a) The Tollcross site under United Biscuits ownership engaged with Scottish Enterprise (SE) in late 2013, to help the site through a three year £7.2m modernisation plan to transform the company’s operating performance and improve overall efficiency. An SE Training grant of £808,000, and advisory support from the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS), were provided to support the Tollcross site and its employees. The business was acquired by Yildiz Holding in November 2014, with the last stage of SE’s modernisation support still ongoing.

SE support of £193,000 was granted to Pladis (owned by Yildiz Holding) in October 2016 to help attract a significant manufacturing project to the Tollcross site and create new jobs. SE funding supported technical expertise, staff training and innovations required to develop the product for the UK market. SE is continuing to engage with the company under current owner Pladis to support the Tollcross site in the workforce development area.

b) Support for United Biscuits was offered through the Scottish Government’s initiative for responding to redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE), in 2011 and then in 2015 (by which time the company was owned by Yildiz Holding but retained the trading name United Biscuits).

2011 - PACE representatives delivered a capacity building presentation to HR staff and unions on 17-6-2011.
2015 - PACE information was shared with staff who were taking voluntary redundancy, as there were no compulsory redundancies, and they were advised to contact PACE for further help, if required.

On both occasions, PACE representatives met with the company and outlined the support they could give to those at risk of being made redundant. The company decided not to proceed with the support offered through PACE, however, and used an alternative service instead.

There has been no PACE support provided to Pladis.

Question reference: S5W-09675

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to (a) prevent spatial segregation in urban areas, (b) monitor areas that are at risk of segregation and (c) tackle existing segregation in cities, particularly in areas where ethnic minorities represent a higher percentage of the population.

The Scottish Planning Policy states that that “Local development plans should allocate appropriate sites to support the creation of sustainable mixed communities and successful places and help to ensure the continued delivery of new housing.” As the statutory housing authority, councils have a requirement to prepare a Local Housing Strategy which among other things should consider the housing requirements of all equality groups and undertake an Equality Impact Assessment as per the Equality Act 2010. Within the Race Equality Framework 2016-30, there is a goal that "minority ethnic people have fair and proportionate influence on community planning”.

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