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-01819

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging people to purchase fresh, local produce.

Question reference: S4O-01676

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how schools, colleges and universities are promoting Scottish literature.

Question reference: S4O-01646

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what recent representations it has made to BBC Scotland regarding job losses in its Highlands and Islands service.

Question reference: S4W-10951

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce an islands strategy and, if so, what (a) powers it is considering devolving to local authorities under this and (b) models of island autonomy in other countries it has considered.

Question reference: S4O-01525

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what policies it has in place to support micro-businesses in rural and remote areas with recruitment and employment.

The Scottish Government is committed to helping businesses in all parts of Scotland to grow and recruit additional staff.

For example, Scottish Enterprise account manages 422 rural companies and has supported over 100 rural businesses with organisational development and support. Meanwhile, Highlands and Islands Enterprise assists micro businesses with capital costs for projects that support job creation and provide recruitment advice.

At the national level, we have recently launched Our Skillsforce, which makes it easier for businesses of all descriptions to access information on recruitment and workforce development. As announced in the budget, the Scottish Government will also invest £15 million to support up to 10,000 young people into employment in small businesses across Scotland. This will help both to stimulate growth and tackle unemployment amongst young people.

Question reference: S4O-01553

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the development of crofting townships.

Question reference: S4W-10954

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 15 November 2012

Question reference: S4W-10955

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 15 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much Housing Support Grant Shetland Islands Council (a) received in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 and (b) will receive in 2012-13.

Shetland Islands Council received £1,216,809 of Housing Support Grant in 2010-11, and £991,693 in 2011-12. It has been awarded £760,950 of HSG for 2012-13 and will receive this amount in monthly instalments until March 2013.

This information was published in the following Statutory Instruments –

(a) (i) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2010/116/contents/made

(a) (ii) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2011/239/contents/made

(b) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2012/113/contents/made

Question reference: S4W-10166

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority regarding the transportation of waste materials from Dounreay to Sellafield.

The transportation of nuclear material and fuel is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Government has regular discussions with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) with regards to its performance and activities in Scotland. Through these discussions, the Scottish Government has urged the NDA to take all necessary steps to ensure that any movements of Dounreay Fast Reactor breeder fuels or other exotic nuclear materials from Dounreay to Sellafield are managed in a safe, secure and responsible manner, fully in line with regulatory requirements.

Question reference: S4O-01387

Asked by: Jean Urquhart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking on breaches of fish farm regulations in relation to the overuse of chemical treatments for sea lice infestations.