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-00541

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the changes to animal health and welfare legislation that it is considering deal with the prevention of the spread of animal diseases to Scotland’s islands or other animal disease prevention measures specifically for the islands.

Question reference: S4W-00574

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that small, independent businesses operating from higher rated premises or based in small units in prime locations are disadvantaged by the small business bonus scheme and, if so, how it will address this.

Question reference: S4W-00565

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Scottish Assessors’ process for handling non-domestic rates revaluation appeals is sufficiently accessible and efficient.

Question reference: S4W-00564

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Assessors regarding their handling of the appeals process for non-domestic rates.

Question reference: S4W-00561

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is planning to review property-based business taxation and, if so, when.

Question reference: S4W-00568

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a need for greater (a) government or (b) parliamentary scrutiny of how the Scottish Assessors meet their statutory duty.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with a range of business stakeholders and their representative bodies to listen to their views on the operation of business rates policy, including the role of the Scottish Assessors. It is a matter for the Parliament, including its various committees to determine the level of scrutiny it gives to any public body, including the Scottish Assessors.

Question reference: S4W-00573

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the possibility of rates holidays for seasonal tourism businesses.

Question reference: S4W-00570

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the accountability of the Scottish Assessors for their decisions.

Question reference: S4W-00569

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to increase parliamentary scrutiny of the Scottish Assessors, their methodology in calculating rateable values and their handling of appeals.

Question reference: S4W-00558

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring back its plans for a large retail supplement and, if so, when.

The Scottish Government keeps the business rates system, including all reliefs and supplements, under regular review to ensure we offer the most generous relief package available to businesses in the UK, worth an estimated £2.6 billion over the five year period 2010-11 to 2014-15.

The Scottish Government has no proposals to bring forward a proposal for a large retail supplement to business rates.