Chamber and committees

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

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-10107

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 12 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of its consultation on the future of right to buy.

Question reference: S4W-09816

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 4 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government (a) when and (b) where the position of chair of NHS Dumfries and Galloway will be advertised.

The post of chair at NHS Dumfries and Galloway will be advertised once the Parliament has had the opportunity to consider the Independent Evaluation into Health Board Elections.

The London School of Economics in association with the University of St Andrews is conducting the independent evaluation of the Pilot Health Board Elections. Their report is due to be completed and laid before the Parliament during the autumn of 2012.

Question reference: S4W-09637

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Water is prevented from offering compensation to residents who have been financially disadvantaged by road closures caused by projects that have taken longer than scheduled.

The Scottish Government has directed Scottish Water to undertake numerous improvements to water and wastewater services during the current regulatory period which runs from 2010 to 2015. These are improvements that will benefit communities across Scotland.

Scottish Water strives to keep works periods as short as possible and to deliver on schedule so as to minimise the impact on the local community. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, it is inevitable that some projects will take longer than scheduled.

Scottish Water is not under any statutory duty to compensate residents for financial loss allegedly caused by project overruns where there is a road closure. As these works are being taken forward to deliver benefits to the local communities and are funded by the generality of customers it is not considered appropriate to compensate residents for the inconvenience that may arise in the course of the construction of the necessary infrastructure.

Question reference: S4W-09347

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what legislation regulates the declaration of bankruptcy by individuals.

Question reference: S4W-09346

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether a creditor has the right of appeal when an individual declares themselves bankrupt and, if so, how an appeal may be lodged.

An individual cannot declare themselves bankrupt. A creditor has no right of appeal against a decision to award bankruptcy to an individual, irrespective of whether the award is made by a court following a creditor petition or by the Accountant in Bankruptcy following a debtor’s application for bankruptcy.

Should any creditor believe that a debtor fails to meet the criteria for the award of bankruptcy or considers that due process has not been followed, he may present this information to the Accountant in Bankruptcy or to the court as appropriate.

Question reference: S4W-09345

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether being in receipt of an income would prevent an individual from declaring themselves bankrupt.

In Scotland all debtor applications for an award of bankruptcy are made by the Accountant in Bankruptcy. Section 5(2) of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 (as amended) prescribes the conditions and criteria that must be met in order for an individual to apply for an award of bankruptcy. The income of an individual is not a condition or criteria listed in this section of the act therefore an individual in receipt of an income is not prevented from applying for an award of bankruptcy.

Question reference: S4W-09344

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances an individual may declare themselves to be bankrupt.

In Scotland, an individual may apply to the Accountant in Bankruptcy for an award of their bankruptcy if they: are Apparently Insolvent; or have signed a trust deed which failed to become protected; or have a Certificate for Sequestration. The individual must also owe a total debt of £1,500 or more, be living in Scotland or have lived in Scotland sometime during the last year, have not been made bankrupt in the last five years and pay the application fee of £200.

If these circumstances are met, the individual may then complete a debtor application form and submit along with their fee to the Accountant in Bankruptcy for an award decision to be made.

Question reference: S4W-08994

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to its consultation on the charging of premiums in the private rented sector.

The Scottish Government has announced its response to the consultation on the charging of premiums in the private rented sector.

We intend to commence the provisions contained in section 32 of the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011 to amend the definition of a premium, and to lay secondary legislation in the Scottish Parliament confirming that arrangements for the forthcoming Green Deal programme do not fall under the definition of a premium.

Question reference: S4W-09009

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce secondary legislation under the Private Rented Sector (Scotland) Act 2011 to clarify the law on the charging of premiums in the private rented sector and if so, when.

Question reference: S4W-08957

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether details of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme published on the Transport Scotland website were changed to reflect the changes in the implementation plan and, if so, when.