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: S4W-19857

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent data that shows an increase in UK emissions between 2011 and 2012, what progress it is making to ensure that the policies and proposals set out in its second Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP2) are being implemented to meet future Scottish climate targets.

Progress towards targets is reviewed and reported on annually by our independent advisors the UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC). In their latest progress report in March 2013 the CCC recognised that Scotland has made good progress in delivering on emission reduction measures and that this lays the foundations for meeting ambitious Scottish emissions targets and building a low carbon economy in Scotland. The CCC will publish its next progress report at the end of March 2014.

We expect the policy framework we have developed, the second Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP2), will allow us to meet our targets. While annual fluctuations in emissions are to be expected, the long term trend shows that emissions are reducing in Scotland and we remain confident Scotland is on a trajectory to achieve the ambitious 2020 target of a 42 per cent emissions reduction, based on emissions adjusted for trading within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Scotland’s unadjusted emissions have fallen by 29.6 per cent from 1990, and between 1990 and 2011 Scotland’s emissions reduction was the largest in Western Europe (the EU15).

We will work closely with delivery agents and stakeholders to make sure that we have the right package in place. Where we can we will deliver more and will continue to seek additional ways in which we can maximise the impact of the investments we make. However, Scotland’s actions alone are not enough and that is why we need the rest of the UK to match Scotland’s ambition and targets on tackling climate change. With full powers in an independent Scotland to take our own decisions in areas such as energy and fiscal policy, and a direct voice in the UN and EU, Scotland would have greater freedom and more influence on issues that are fundamental to the low carbon transition.

Question reference: S4W-19216

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-18970, S4W-18971 and S4W-18973 by Fiona Hyslop on 14 January 2014, whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm (a) what stakeholders it consulted about establishing a separate media regulator in an independent Scotland prior to publication of the white paper on independence, (b) what discussions it has had with representatives of Channel (i) 4 and (ii) 5 regarding the continuation of commercial broadcast licences in an independent Scotland and (c) what representatives from the BBC it consulted and on what prior to publication of the white paper on independence.

Question reference: S4W-19136

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 22 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it is consulting local authorities to determine the allocation of funding for free school meals.

Question reference: S4W-19191

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 January 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-18974 by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 January 2014, which specific industry stakeholders it consulted regarding coverage obligations for internet providers and when these consultations took place prior to the publication of Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland.

Coverage obligation issues, such as those related to the recent 4G spectrum auction, have been discussed at regular meetings between Scottish Government officials and Mobile Network Operators. Officials met with EE on 17 October 2013, O2 Telefonica on 3 October 2013, Three on 12 September 2013 and Vodafone on 16 October 2013. In addition, officials met with the Mobile Operators Association on 30 October 2013.

Question reference: S4W-19122

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the definition of “fairer” is in the Minister for Environment and Climate Change's comment to BBC Scotland that “There should be a fairer distribution of land, communities should have access to land to fulfil their aspirations.”

The Scottish Government recognises that the current distribution of land is highly concentrated, given that reportedly just 432 landowners own 50% of the privately owned land in Scotland and that this concentration of ownership may lead to constraints upon fair access to land to enable communities and individuals to achieve their full potential.

The Scottish Government cannot pre-empt the outcome of the final report from the independent Land Reform Review Group, or the outcome of the ministerial-led Review of Agricultural Holdings Legislation which are both due to report back later this year. However, our vision is for a fairer, or wider and more equitable, distribution of land in Scotland where communities and individuals have access to land and, where such is lacking, that there is the necessary diversity of tenure. The Scottish Government believe that Scotland needs to ensure communities are empowered to consider how land in their community is used, and that the system allows communities to fulfil their aspirations. This government also believes that land should be available to provide opportunities for new entrants to farming and forestry. Scotland is on a journey to delivering land reform and to enable improvements to engaging with communities on optimising land use. This government believes that the nation’s land should be used to benefit the people and environment of Scotland to deliver sustainable economic growth with due regard for impacts on the environment and upon the health and wellbeing of communities across Scotland.

To fulfil Scotland’s potential, this government believes we need to build a society with greater diversity of land ownership, where communities have access to land to fulfil their aspirations and needs and to support business and employment in rural areas, including in traditional rural sectors, and for provision of community infrastructure, such as housing and green space. This includes community land buy-outs to achieve greater distribution of land to communities, sustainable development and realise increased economic vitality and employment. There are currently just under 500,000 acres of land under community ownership and the Scottish Government is committed to a target of achieving 1 million acres of land in community ownership by 2020. The Community Empowerment Bill will streamline and extend the existing community right to buy contributing to this target to ensure communities have access to land needed for housing, environmental and employment opportunities and the Scottish Government, as one of Scotland’s largest landowners, is active in exploring opportunities for creation of new community ownership projects through appropriate transfers of ownership from the Scottish Government estate.

Question reference: S4O-02834

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the availability of the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme for residents of island areas that do not have participating builders.

Question reference: S4W-18977

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government which cyber security experts it consulted prior to publication of the white paper on independence.

Question reference: S4W-18976

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with internet service providers about the cyber security implications of establishing Scottish networks and IP addresses in an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-18972

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what stakeholders it consulted prior to publication of the white paper on independence about establishing a separate regulator for (a) advertising and (b) gambling in an independent Scotland.

Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland was informed by a range of research and discussions.Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland makes no proposals in relation to a separate regulator for advertising in an independent Scotland. Advertising is self regulated by the industry through the Advertising Standards Authority. Independence need make no difference to this. Gambling in England, Wales and Scotland is currently regulated by the Gambling Commission. It is in the interests of both Scotland and England and Wales to ensure stability of the regulation of gambling during the transitional period. We will consult widely with all stakeholders before deciding whether to establish an independent gambling regulator.

Question reference: S4W-18970

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what stakeholders it consulted about establishing a separate media regulator in an independent Scotland prior to publication of the white paper on independence.