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-07591

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the potential impact on employment, what steps it will take to prevent the recruitment of seafarers from countries outside the European economic area to work on one-port voyages in Scotland for pay rates below the national minimum wage.

Question reference: S4W-07592

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the potential impact on employment, what steps it will take to ensure that the national minimum wage is paid to all seafarers working on one-port voyages in Scotland and whether it will discuss this matter with the UK Government.

Question reference: S4W-07590

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the potential impact on employment, what representations it has made to (a) employment agencies and (b) shipping companies in Scotland on the recruitment of seafarers from countries outside the European economic area to work on one-port voyages in Scotland for pay rates below the national minimum wage.

Question reference: S4W-07589

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition of a one-port voyage is in relation to the (a) maritime and (b) offshore energy sector and whether it has requested legal advice on this matter since May 2011.

Although the definition of a “one port voyage” is not statutorily defined, it is a voyage where the departure and scheduled or intended arrival ports, which may be different, are in the UK.

It also means a voyage between places in the British Islands (including the Republic of Ireland) or from and returning to such a place during which, in either case, no call is made at any place outside those islands or its offshore installations on the UK continental shelf.

A ship can, for the purposes of a one port voyage, leave UK territorial waters within the meaning of the Territorial Sea Act 1987 to facilitate the purpose of the voyage, but it shall have a scheduled intention to return to a UK port where the intended voyage is to supply, support, service or standby for the offshore installations in the UK Continental Shelf waters.

Those joining vessels engaged on a one-port voyage and operating beyond British waters are not subject to work permit requirements, including the national minimum wage, and are subject to immigration controls only to the extent necessary to regulate their transit across UK territory to join the vessel and/or facilitate shore leave. Activity relating to one-port voyages is chiefly out with UK waters.

Question reference: S4W-07588

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, given the potential impact on employment, what representations it has made to the UK Government on the application of immigration law to non-European economic area seafarers working on one-port voyages in the (a) ferries, (b) maritime and (c) offshore energy sectors in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-01119

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether consultation with owner-occupiers is mandatory prior to a registered social landlord introducing factoring arrangements in blocks of flats in mixed tenure.

Question reference: S4W-07343

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what charities and voluntary organisations it funds.

The Scottish Government is maintaining levels of investment in the third sector to ensure that the sector is supported to play a full role in meeting the Scottish Government’s purpose and also to make an important contribution to public service reform. That is why over 2012-13 to 2014-15 we will invest a further £73.5 million in enhancing the capability and sustainability of the sector.

We are currently in the final stages of developing a new reporting method which will allow us to accurately track all direct payments made to third sector organisations by the Scottish Government and plan to publish this information later in the year.

Question reference: S4W-07294

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to consult (a) bus operators and (b) passengers on any proposed changes to the operation of the concessionary bus travel scheme.

Question reference: S4W-07290

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering making changes to the payments to bus operators in relation to passengers travelling with free bus passes.

We have commissioned MVA Consultancy to undertake independent research to improve and update the evidence base underpinning reimbursement payments to bus operators for carrying concessionary bus passengers under the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People. We cannot prejudge the outcome of that research but we expect it to provide information relevant to the reimbursement of bus operators in future years.

Question reference: S4W-07292

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has contracted external consultants to model and assess the operation of the concessionary bus travel scheme with a view to making changes and, if so, what consultants.