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: S5W-25962

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) capital and (b) revenue budget has been for Scottish Canals in each year since its inception.

Question reference: S5W-25961

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) capital and (b) revenue budget was for housing maintenance and repair for British Waterways in Scotland in each of the last five years of its operation.

The Scottish Government allocates grant-in-aid to Scottish Canals for its statutory duties under the Transport Act 1968. The allocation of this funding is an operational matter for Scottish Canals. I understand that Scottish Canals do not hold the information requested which relates to the period prior to 2012 when the British Waterways Board was responsible for the canal network in Scotland, England and Wales.

Question reference: S5W-25960

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) capital and (b) revenue budget was for British Waterways in Scotland in each of the last five years of its operation.

Question reference: S5T-01877

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with craft brewers about the deposit return scheme.

Question reference: S5W-25957

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24817 by John Swinney on 4 September 2019, whether it will publish the reports regarding Brimmond School in Aberdeen by Buro Happold and by Fairhurst.

Question reference: S5W-25958

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24818 by John Swinney on 4 September 2019, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding for what reason a visual inspection report is being relied on in the case of Brimmond School in Aberdeen, in light of the recommendation by The Cole Inquiry that the use of such reports should cease.

Question reference: S5W-25959

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received the Aberdeen School project comments and discussion document from Stephen Dick and, if so, whether it (a) has sought any geotechnical opinion on its content of the document and (b) will provide a substantive response.

The Scottish Government has received the document from Mr Dick.

Aberdeen City Council has provided categorical assurances that there is no evidence to support these claims, and the Scottish Government are liaising with the Council regarding technical analysis of Mr Dick’s claims. Aberdeen City Council, in discussion with Hub North Scotland, will consider what further actions can be undertaken to provide greater assurance.

Question reference: S5W-25917

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 7 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints have been raised about home reports and the nature of these complaints.

Question reference: S5W-25919

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland or any of its contractors use zero-hours contracts.

Question reference: S5W-25918

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 7 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for making a complaint about an inaccurate home report.

Home reports must be signed off by a fully qualified member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and as such they are bound to act in accordance with the RICS guidance. If there are concerns about surveyors, they should be brought to the attention of the RICS, who may wish to investigate.

The surveyor is liable under the legislation to the buyer for any material loss suffered as a result of an incorrect home report. This ensures that the home report provides an independent assessment of the property, which can be relied upon by both the seller and buyer, based on a non-invasive inspection of the property.

Furthermore, a home buyer can contact The Property Ombudsman (TPO) for advice and possible investigation. TPO scheme is a UK government approved scheme to provide independent redress in relation to disputes between consumers and property agents.

	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Capital	2,300	2,300	1,700	2,000	2,000	3,000	3,500
Revenue	7,700	7,700	8,300	8,000	8,000	8,100	8,100
Additional capital	1,330	4,250	1,000			1,295	6,975
Total	11,330	14,250	11,000	10,000	10,000	12,395	18,575

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Capital	2,280	2,320	2,360	2,300	2,300
Revenue	9,120	9,280	9,440	9,200	7,700
Additional funding					500
Total	11,400	11,600	11,800	11,500	10,500