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-18366

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to help Scotland's shipbuilders diversify.

We must explore an alternative and better future for our shipyards. Naval procurement will continue to be a key part of that, but even within that we must look at what we can do to boost exports, and to use the capabilities of the Clyde workforce to seek out new opportunities: independence will bring such new opportunities.

We will seek to maximise the economic impact of Scotland’s defence requirements where possible and support our defence industry to compete successfully for contracts in both domestic and export markets. Proposals for the defence capabilities we require were set out in the White Paper on 26 November 2013, along with the procurement implications of these.

Question reference: S4O-02662

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has conducted on red squirrel resistance to the pox virus.

Question reference: S4O-02640

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 27 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies on fiscal sustainability in an independent Scotland.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) analysis confirms that Scotland is currently in a stronger fiscal position than the UK. In the longer-term the IFS modelling shows what Scotland could look like should it remain part of the UK.

As with any country we face economic challenges, the need to increase productivity, to improve the level of participation in our economy by securing new and long-term job opportunities and to reduce inequality.

These challenges exist whether the Scottish people vote for independence or not. What the report highlights is the future for Scotland within the union. Under independence we will have control of the economic levers that can be used to increase productivity, increase our exports and invest in our economy.

Question reference: S4W-18365

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has produced a maritime strategy similar to that of the Norwegian Government.

Question reference: S4F-01695

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that statistics presented by Police Scotland are accurate.

Question reference: S4O-02610

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the rights of academics at universities to express their views on the constitutional debate.

Question reference: S4W-18022

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, if same-sex marriage was introduced, what its position is on whether (a) people, (b) churches and (c) other organisations that oppose it should be entitled to (i) hire publicly-owned facilities and (ii) provide services in partnership with public bodies.

The Government discussed the point about religious bodies against same sex marriage being denied the use of public premises in the second consultation on same sex marriage, at paragraphs 62 to 65 of Annex A:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/12/9433/272398.

The Government considers that any local authority (or other public body) which refused to let premises to any organisation or person on the basis of their religious beliefs risks a successful claim of discrimination.

Local authorities and public bodies are subject to the Equality Act 2010 and, as such, are directly prohibited from discriminating against an organisation or person because of their religious belief. In addition, the Human Rights Act 1998 makes it unlawful for public authorities to breach the European Convention of Human Rights which includes the right to freedom of religion.

The Public Sector Equality Duty (at section 149 of the Equality Act 2010) requires local authorities and other public bodies to have due regard to various matters including fostering good relations between people who share protected characteristics and those who do not. However, relying on the Public Sector Equality Duty would not allow a local authority or public body to act unlawfully and discriminate against an organisation or person.

The Government also considers that there should be no discrimination against any organisation or person who is opposed to same sex marriage from providing services in partnership with public bodies, as long as the service is provided to all eligible persons. Any service provided through public money has to be available to all.

Question reference: S4W-18020

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, if same-sex marriage was introduced, what its position is on whether it would be appropriate for public sector employees who oppose it to have their employer question them on their commitment to equality and diversity.

Public sector employees are entitled to have their own personal beliefs on same sex marriage and the Government would consider it inappropriate for public sector employers to question employees on their commitment to equality and diversity based solely on their belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

The Government fully appreciates that some public sector employees will be opposed to same sex marriage but will still approach their work in a professional and non-judgemental manner, respecting the diversity of service users.

Question reference: S4W-18055

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will issue guidance to local authorities regarding the implementation of the High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013.

Question reference: S4W-18023

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, if same-sex marriage was introduced, what its position is on whether it would be appropriate for (a) prospective and (b) current foster carers who oppose it to have their suitability to provide such care questioned; whether it considers that it would be appropriate to ask them their views on the matter, and under what circumstances it considers that opposition to it would make a person unsuitable to provide foster care.

The key issue in relation to fostering is the welfare of the child. It would not be appropriate for prospective and current foster carers who oppose same sex marriage to have their suitability to foster children questioned just because of opposition to same sex marriage. Persons opposed to same sex marriage who are seeking to foster children must, like anybody else, demonstrate their suitability to foster children from a wide variety of backgrounds. It may be appropriate in some cases to ask persons seeking to foster how they would deal with cases such as a young person who is uncertain about his or her sexuality or a young person who is being bullied in school about their sexual orientation. If a person is unable to provide satisfactory answers to these types of questions, they may not be suitable to provide foster care. However, opposition to same sex marriage is not by itself sufficient to make a person unsuitable to provide foster care.