Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-26928

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of (a) business and (b) domestic properties in the Stirling constituency has access to superfast broadband, also broken down by what percentage of those with access are connected, and how this compares with 2007.

The latest figures provided in December 2019’s Ofcom Connections Nations report for Scotland show that 77% of all commercial premises and 88% of all residential premises in the Stirling constituency now have access to superfast broadband of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps) and above.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on the take-up of broadband services on commercially deployed infrastructure, only that which relates to services on infrastructure funded through the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme. Ofcom’s data, however, indicates that - in 2019 - 55% of all lines in the Stirling council area had an active fixed broadband connection in excess of 30Mbps. The comparable figure for 2007 is not available on the Ofcom website.

Figures held by DSSB show that take-up of services delivered over DSSB-funded infrastructure now stands at over 64% in the Stirling area.

Question reference: S5W-26930

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many social and affordable houses have been built in the Stirling constituency in each year since 2007.

The following table shows the number of social and affordable homes delivered in each year since 2007 in the Stirling council area. Please note that we do not hold this information by constituency.

Of the 1473 delivered, 1140 are new build homes, with the remainder being a mixture of rehabilitation projects, off-the-shelf purchases and homes for low-cost home ownership from existing housing stock:

Financial year	Social	Affordable	Total
2007-08	127	9	136
2008-09	122	10	132
2009-10	73	33	106
2010-11	113	39	152
2011-12	103	17	120
2012-13	27	18	45
2013-14	105	44	149
2014-15	135	40	175
2015-16	83	83	166
2016-17	93	25	118
2017-18	55	16	71
2018-19	83	15	98
*2019-20	1	4	5
Total	1120	353	1473

* Covers figures up to 30 September 2019 (Quarters 1 and 2)

The following table shows the number of social and affordable homes delivered in each year since 2007 in the Stirling council area. Please note that we do not hold this information by constituency.

Of the 1473 delivered, 1140 are new build homes, with the remainder being a mixture of rehabilitation projects, off-the-shelf purchases and homes for low-cost home ownership from existing housing stock:

Financial year	Social	Affordable	Total
2007-08	127	9	136
2008-09	122	10	132
2009-10	73	33	106
2010-11	113	39	152
2011-12	103	17	120
2012-13	27	18	45
2013-14	105	44	149
2014-15	135	40	175
2015-16	83	83	166
2016-17	93	25	118
2017-18	55	16	71
2018-19	83	15	98
*2019-20	1	4	5
Total	1120	353	1473

* Covers figures up to 30 September 2019 (Quarters 1 and 2)

Question reference: S5F-03813

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2019

To ask the First Minister when the Scottish Government expects to publish its Budget.

Question reference: S5O-03865

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government how it can help improve safety on the trunk road network.

Question reference: S5T-01892

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are for its Budget of the General Election and the postponement of the UK Budget.

Question reference: S5O-03736

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal.

Question reference: S5O-03767

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2019
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the Stirling constituency have received a crisis grant through the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Question reference: S5W-25810

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 October 2019
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Russell on 14 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what legislative consent motions it will lodge in the Parliament in connection with the legislative programme of the UK Government to be announced in The Queen’s Speech on 14 October 2019.

In accordance with the Scotland Act 1998, as amended, the UK Parliament does not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. This covers legislation for devolved purposes (that is matters within the legislative competence of the Parliament), and changes to the competence of the Parliament or the Scottish Ministers (in line with the statutory procedural safeguards to competence under the Scotland Act).

In accordance with Chapter 9B of Standing Orders, the formal consent of the Scottish Parliament is required in relation to all proposals for Westminster primary legislation with regard to devolved matters, including alterations to devolved competence.

The principle of legislative consent, in all its elements, is crucial to the devolution settlement, acknowledging the constitutional position of the Scottish Parliament and the democratic mandate conferred on it by the people of Scotland. In the view of the Scottish Government, legislative consent will remain an essential part of the constitution of the UK for as long as the Westminster Parliament retains its current powers and functions in relation to Scotland.

In the normal course of business, legislation for devolved purposes should be scrutinised and determined in the Scottish Parliament. There may however be situations in which it is helpful and appropriate for legislation for devolved purposes to be taken forward at Westminster.

Within the legislative programme announced today by the UK Government, we have identified possible options to legislate for the benefit of Scotland on matters that are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, or which alter legislative or executive competence. The Scottish Government will consider the content of all Bills before deciding its recommendation to the Parliament on legislative consent. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine whether to give or withhold consent.

One particular consideration when determining if consent should be recommended to the Parliament will be in relation to provisions related to withdrawal from the European Union. Following the passage of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, the UK Government has made clear that it does not regard the consent of the Scottish Parliament is required for provisions or even specific Bills relating to EU exit. As a result, the Scottish Government has taken the position that until Scottish Ministers can be assured that the decisions of the Parliament will be respected, they will not lodge any legislative consent motions on Brexit-related provisions, except in the most exceptional of circumstances. However, regardless of any decision Scottish Ministers make regarding whether or not to support consent, it remains important that the Scottish Parliament can scrutinise any Brexit-related provision. The Scottish Government will continue to lodge legislative consent memorandums setting out its views on the substance of any such provision. It remains open to the UK Government to commit to respecting the Scottish Parliament’s views as regards EU exit-related provision.

The UK Bills which we currently expect may give rise to the requirement for the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament are:

Agriculture Bill

Animal Welfare Bill

Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill

Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill

Domestic Abuse Bill

Environment Bill

European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill

Fisheries Bill

Immigration and Social Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

Sentencing (Pre-Consolidation Amendments) Bill

Trade Bill

It is possible that further opportunities to legislate for Scotland by means of Legislative Consent Motion may occur in connection with other UK Bills, including Private Members’ Bills. Any additional proposals of this kind, together with any relevant amendments to the UK Government Bills listed above, will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise, in line with the requirements of Standing Orders.

Question reference: S5O-03609

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2019
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its programme to improve broadband connectivity in the Stirling constituency.

Question reference: S5O-03517

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2019
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government how tourism in the area could benefit from the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal.

Chamber and committees