Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-15634

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that there is a lack of railway policing experience among (a) the Scottish Police Authority and (b) Police Scotland's senior officers.

Police Scotland are analysing training needs to ensure the railway policing specialism is future proofed and preserved. In the course of the Railways Policing (Scotland) Bill, Police Scotland confirmed the intention would be to maintain a specialist railway policing function within the broader Police Scotland structure. Parliament was assured by Police Scotland that specialist knowledge, skills and experience of BTP officers and staff would be protected and maintained.

The Scottish Police Authority holds both the Chief Constable to account for the policing of Scotland, and the Chief Officer of the SPA to account for its role as employer of staff and the delivery of services to the board and policing.

Question reference: S5W-15620

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the Independent Advisory Group on Biometric Data within the next two years and, if so, what the timescale is for each recommendation to be implemented.

The Scottish Government response, which sets out next steps for taking forward each of the recommendations, is available at http://www.gov.scot/About/Review/biometric-data/sgresponse .

We will now work closely with Police Scotland and other stakeholders to develop detailed proposals and, subject to further consultation, would seek to introduce primary legislation later in the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S5W-15621

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Police Authority will be liable for the (a) setup and (b) administration costs of the segregated pension scheme for British Transport Police Officers in Scotland and, if so, how much has been set aside to meet this, and from which budget line it will be drawn.

Question reference: S5O-01993

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its proposals for agricultural support after the UK leaves the EU.

Question reference: S5W-15142

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to (a) take direct control of any of NHS Tayside’s financial operations and (b) move (i) control or (ii) management of any matter, whether financial or otherwise, that is currently controlled or managed by NHS Tayside to another body.

Question reference: S5F-02196

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that more than £400,000 was spent on consultants to oversee the British Transport Police merger.

Question reference: S5O-01938

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals there were in relation to the 2017 business rates revaluation, and how many have been resolved.

Question reference: S5W-15140

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support NHS Tayside following the departure of its finance director; whether the board will recruit a new finance director, and from which budget the costs of (a) recruiting and (b) paying them, whether through direct employment, agency cover or back-charged secondment from the Scottish Government, will be paid.

Scottish Government officials continue to work closely with NHS Tayside on the implementation of its Transformation Plan, focusing on returning the Board to financial sustainability.

The NHS Tayside Board will take a decision on the Director of Finance role later this month. In the meantime, NHS Tayside has taken a number of interim measures to provide cover for Director of Finance responsibilities:

1. The Director of Finance for NHS Grampian is providing professional advice and support to the Board in his capacity as Regional Finance Director for the North of Scotland Health Boards.

2. There has been a realignment of roles and responsibilities within the NHS Tayside Financial Team.

Question reference: S5W-15204

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address any gender inequality in policing.

Equality and Diversity within Police Scotland are matters for the Chief Constable and the Scottish Police Authority. Police Scotland's latest Equality and Diversity Mainstreaming Progress Report and Equality Outcomes can be found on their web site at: http://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/equality-and-diversity . The Scottish Government provides financial support to the Scottish Women’s Development Forum in support of Police Scotland’s gender equality agenda.

Question reference: S5W-15206

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what is position is on Police Scotland checking social media use as part of the firearms licensing process.

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