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-04205

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe has sought from the UK Government regarding the impact of each product tariff on manufacturers under World Trade Organization rules, and whether it plans its own assessment of this.

The manufacturing sector remains a vital part of the Scottish economy. The Scottish Government is well aware of its importance and the implications that Brexit will have on the sector, its associated industries and their supply chains. Our priority is to protect all of Scotland’s interests and we are considering all possible steps to ensure Scotland’s continuing relationship with the EU. The UK Government has yet to set out its preferred model to underpin the UK’s future relationship with the EU. Other member states are also yet to collectively set out the relationship that they would wish the EU to have with the UK in the future.

Question reference: S5W-04455

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings there have been between Seatruck and (a) ministers and (b) Transport Scotland officials since 1 July 1999.

The Minister for Transport and the Islands met with the CEO of Seatruck on 10 November 2016, to discuss the issues around staff pay on the freight vessels currently operating on the Northern Isles ferry service. Transport Scotland officials were in attendance. Following a constructive meeting, further work will be undertaken by Seatruck and Transport Scotland to try and resolve the current situation.

Transport Scotland officials have met three times with Seatruck officials on other occasions.

Question reference: S5W-04457

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the time charter agreements for MS (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay were agreed with (i) Seatruck and (ii) Serco NorthLink Ferries.

Question reference: S5W-04216

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for the UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe has sought or is seeking guarantees about Japanese investment in Scotland and, if so, what these are.

The Scottish Government is working with its enterprise agencies to ensure that Scotland remains an attractive place for inward investment.

Following his statement to the UK Parliament on 31 October, I have written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy asking that he share the details of the reassurances he has given to Nissan on tariff free access to European markets.

Question reference: S5W-04490

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has done on the likely impact of business rate increases on the (a) number of rooftop solar cell and panel projects and (b) amount of energy produced by rooftop solar cells and panels.

Question reference: S5W-04215

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had or plans with the Japanese Government regarding the impact on Scotland of the findings of the report, Japan’s Message to the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Question reference: S5W-04459

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the charter agreements with Seatruck for MS (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay.

Question reference: S5W-04491

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the possibility of exempting rooftop solar cells and panels from business rates through secondary legislation.

Question reference: S5W-04460

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the charter parties for MS (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay.

Question reference: S5W-04376

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all seafarers who work on freight vessels that it time charters for Northern Isles ferry services from May 2018 are employed by companies that have Living Wage Employer accreditation.

The Scottish Ministers are currently considering all available options to promote fair work practices, including payment of the National Minimum Wage and, where possible, the Scottish Living Wage in their contracts. Under the current devolution settlement, responsibility for matters relating to employment rights and duties, including the National Minimum Wage, are reserved to the UK Government. The Minister has written to the UK Government to urge them to take action on the National Minimum Wage in respect of seafarers rates of pay.