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: S4O-05267

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Canals has any role in flood prevention.

Question reference: S4W-28891

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether self-directed support payments must be paid into a bank account that is held jointly by the recipient and whoever holds their power of attorney.

Question reference: S4W-28850

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 5 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can legislate in relation to private car parks and regulate parking charges issued by private companies.

Privately operated car parks are not subject to the provisions of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 or the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. The suitability of other existing powers to regulate private car parks and parking charges will depend on the scope and detail of the legislative proposal under consideration.

The Scottish Government is working with the private parking industry, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) and other stakeholders to identify and agree actions to address the concerns raised by CAS in its 2014 report It’s Not Fine and improve industry practices in Scotland. However, we will keep under review whether further action is required to ensure that best practices are adopted and maintained throughout the industry.

Question reference: S4O-04932

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is available to planning authorities to ensure that equalities are central to the decision-making process.

Question reference: S4W-28212

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether private nurseries that do not have a partnership with a council can attend the Early Years Collaborative.

Yes, we will consider any request to attend the Early Years Collaborative learning session as they arise, however places are limited at each learning session. We will take into account whether an organisation or individual is delivering a relevant service to the early years, is interested in applying quality improvement methodology in their workplace (or is already doing so) and is interested in sharing their learning with other attendees.

As places are limited, we also liaise directly with community planning partnerships and national partners, who are allocated a set number of places for each learning session and receive priority places.

Question reference: S4O-04577

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether accident statistics are held on shared spaces in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-23363

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 11 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government who the members are and what organisations are represented on the Scottish Independent Living Fund Project board.

The Scottish Independent Living Fund Project board was set up to ensure the needs of Independent Living Fund (ILF) recipients are represented as users transition to the new Scottish ILF. It will have an important role in shaping a fund for new users in Scotland. It is jointly chaired by the Scottish Government and Self Directed Support Scotland. As well as COSLA and Social Work Scotland, membership is drawn from a number of third sector organisations. These are as follows:

Self Directed Support Scotland

Dundee Carers Centre

PAMIS

Inclusion Scotland

Scottish Disability Equality Forum

Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability

Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living

ENABLE

Scottish Borders Social Enterprise Chamber

Membership will be kept under review and may change as the work evolves. Full details, including, the board's terms of reference and membership will be made available on the independent living pages of the Scottish Government's website shortly.

Question reference: S4W-23062

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to destitute (a) migrants and (b) asylum seekers.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling poverty in an effort to remove the barriers that stand in the way of individuals realising their full potential. The Scottish Government Equality Unit is providing just under £1 million in the period 2014-15 to several organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland.

However, the Scottish Government provides no direct support to destitute non-EEA migrants and asylum seekers because immigration and asylum are issues fully reserved to the UK Government under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998. People who are not nationals of an EEA state and not settled in the UK, are generally excluded from access to publicly funded support, by the terms of their UK visa or by their immigration status.

EEA nationals who meet EU ‘right to reside’ rules may be able to access public financial support, depending on their individual circumstances.

Question reference: S4W-23064

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities have a responsibility to (a) house and (b) give financial support to destitute (i) migrants and (ii) asylum seekers.

Tackling and preventing homelessness and destitution is a priority for the Scottish Government and we recognise the particular risk for vulnerable groups. The Scottish Government Equality Unit is providing just under £1 million in the period 2014-15 to several organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland.

However, immigration and asylum are issues reserved to the UK Government under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998. Adults who are not nationals of an EEA state and not settled in the UK, are generally excluded from access to local authority housing and financial support, by the terms of their UK visa or by their immigration status.

Local authorities are responsible for providing support to unaccompanied asylum seeker children. They also have very limited duties to support destitute asylum seekers who have care needs. Otherwise local authorities have no responsibility to provide housing or financial support to destitute asylum seekers.

EEA nationals who meet EU ‘right to reside’ rules may be able to access local authority housing and assistance, depending on their individual circumstances.

Question reference: S4W-23054

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether benefit appointees will be able to act on behalf of recipients of the Scottish Independent Living Fund or whether power of attorney or guardianship will be required.