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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 1089 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-06190

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 30 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it considers that a Minister agreeing to write a weekly exclusive for one newspaper has on other media outlets and their readers.

Question reference: S5W-06189

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 30 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much the First Minister will be paid for her weekly column in the Daily Record, and whether she plans to donate this to charity.

Question reference: S5W-06191

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 30 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that a Minister agreeing to write a weekly exclusive for one newspaper allows for fair competition and access to government for other newspapers and their readers.

Question reference: S5W-06187

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 30 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister has breached section 9.29 of the Scottish Ministerial Code, that “Ministers should also avoid promoting an individual company’s products or services by association”, as a consequence of her writing a weekly newspaper column.

Question reference: S5W-06185

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 30 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much time the First Minister plans to spend writing her weekly column for the Daily Record.

The Ministerial Code makes it explicitly clear that Ministers may engage in writing for newspaper publications, and outlines various conditions which should be observed in doing so.

All of those conditions are being met in this case, and as such the First Minister’s contributions are entirely in line with the provisions of the Code.

The First Minister receives no payment for her weekly column, and the arrangement does not prevent her from contributing to other newspapers and media outlets. The Daily Record column, as with the First Minister’s fortnightly column in the Glasgow Evening Times, is drafted in personal time.

Question reference: S5W-06186

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 30 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it took on the implications of the First Minister writing a weekly newspaper column on her commitment under section 9.29 of the Scottish Ministerial Code that "Ministers should also avoid promoting an individual company’s products or services by association”.

Question reference: S5W-06568

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to make alterations to its concessionary travel scheme for people over 60 or who are in a disability scheme.

In the coming months the Scottish Government will be consulting on ways in which to ensure the longer term sustainability of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

Transport Scotland will be engaging initially with stakeholders to get their views, so that we understand the social, equality and other impacts of any potential changes. This will help inform a formal public consultation later in the year.

People are living longer, staying healthy longer, and staying in work later in life. We want to ensure that our successful concessionary travel scheme continues to benefit those who have the greatest reliance on free bus travel. We do not plan to make any changes to the eligibility criteria for the scheme for those with a disability. We are also mindful of the need to safeguard the position of existing card holders and ensure that any changes will not affect those already in possession of bus passes.

Question reference: S5W-06570

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what communications it has had with stakeholders to discuss a possible review or alteration to its concessionary travel scheme for people aged over 60 or who are in a disability scheme.

Question reference: S5W-06569

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether concessionary travel for people over 60 or with a disability should be (a) means tested, (b) a universal benefit, or (c) a national entitlement with a one-off fee.

Question reference: S5T-00336

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the eligibility age for the concessionary travel scheme.