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-01674

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on developing grassroots football.

Question reference: S4W-11777

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-07334 by Richard Lochhead on 7 June 2012, whether it will act to ban the training of dogs using electronic shock collars following the review by the Companion Animal Welfare Council on research into banning such collars published in Veterinary Record.

Neither the CAWC report nor the Defra research referred to in SW-07334 have provided clear objective evidence that electronic training aids cause long-term harm to dog welfare when used appropriately. A ban on electronic training aids cannot, therefore, be justified on welfare grounds at this time.

However, we fully support the work that Defra is undertaking with the Electronic Collar Manufacturers Association to draw up guidance for dog owners and trainers advising how to use e-collars properly. We also support Defra’s work with the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to develop a manufacturers’ charter to make sure any e-collars on sale are made to high standards.

Question reference: S4O-01618

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the reduction has been in the number of hospital acquired infections in the NHS Ayrshire and Arran area since May 2007.

Question reference: S4F-01062

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2012

To ask the First Minister what impact the Scottish Government expects the additional capital resources announced in the Autumn Statement to have on Scottish employment.

Question reference: S4O-01563

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to boost manufacturing employment and output.

Question reference: S4O-01518

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review beta blocker prescribing recommendations following a study recently published in The Journal of the American Medical Association suggesting that beta blockers did not prolong the lives of patients.

Question reference: S4O-01486

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage the renewables industry to invest in North Ayrshire.

Question reference: S4O-01436

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the level of crime in North Ayrshire was in 2007 and what it is now.

Question reference: S4W-08122

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the Scottish economy will be of UK Government proposals to add VAT to the cost of repairing and maintaining listed buildings.

I am very concerned by the proposal to remove the VAT relief on approved alterations to listed buildings and I have written to the Treasury urging them to withdraw from this deeply regrettable proposal. The proposal will add 20% to the cost of alterations to listed buildings. The impact of this change will fall directly upon those owners of listed buildings who are not able to reclaim VAT. I have requested data underpinning the decision to impose this change, in particular the impact upon Scotland. Without these figures we are unable to estimate the full impact upon the Scottish economy.

Notwithstanding that specific impact, the Scottish Government advocates reducing VAT on repair and maintenance work on all dwellings regardless of listed status. It is currently levied at the standard rate of 20% on all such works. We believe such a reduction would be an important positive step which would stimulate economic activity; bring empty homes back into use; reduce the incentive to use non-VAT registered contractors; and help improve the condition of houses.

Question reference: S4W-08003

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 28 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the Scottish Enlightenment is taught in schools.

The Scottish Enlightenment provides an excellent way to inspire and engage young people in aspects of history, philosophy, science and other areas of the curriculum. A dedicated Scottish Enlightenment resource was developed by Education Scotland in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland and supported by the National Library of Scotland and the Heritage Education Forum. Such resources are being promoted and supported as we take forward the recommendations of the Scottish Studies Working Group, through the Studying Scotland resource and professional learning opportunities for practitioners.

Although information is not held centrally on the use of topics such as the Scottish Enlightenment, Education Scotland advise that most children and young people will meet aspects of the Scottish Enlightenment as they progress through their education and inspection evidence indicates that more schools are offering topics on the Scottish Enlightenment as Curriculum for Excellence is implemented.