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-20574

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether its commitment in the white paper on independence to increasing the minimum wage "at least in line with inflation" refers to the consumer price index (CPI) or retail prices index (RPI).

Question reference: S4W-21606

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not established an air route development fund.

The restrictions placed on start-up aid for new air services in the European Union’s 2005 Aviation Guidelines, forced the discontinuation of the Scottish Government’s previous route development fund. They also made the creation of a new fund unviable. The Scottish Government has, however, continued to provide compliant support for the development of new air services from Scotland. Notable recent examples include Edinburgh to Philadelphia, Chicago and Doha, Glasgow to the Isle of Man and a range of new services from Inverness.

Question reference: S4W-21603

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has commissioned independent experts to review whether to establish an air route development fund.

Question reference: S4W-21601

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet last discussed whether an air route development fund should be established.

The European Union’s 2005 Aviation Guidelines made the creation of a new fund unviable but the Scottish Government is currently reviewing the new Aviation Guidelines that were published earlier this year to determine whether our route development work can be improved within these revised guidelines. The Scottish Government has provided significant support for the establishment of new direct international air services from Scotland. Notable recent examples include Edinburgh to Philadelphia, Chicago and Doha, Glasgow to the Isle of Man and a range of new services from Inverness.

Question reference: S4W-21602

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings ministers have held with stakeholders since 2011 on the possibility of establishing an air route development fund.

Ministers regularly discuss air route development with stakeholders including airlines and Scotland’s airports. The Scottish Government has a long history of supporting route development at Scotland’s airports despite the constraints placed upon us by the restrictive EU Aviation Guidelines. Notable recent successes have included Edinburgh to Philadelphia, Chicago and Doha, Glasgow to the Isle of Man and a range of new services from Inverness.

Question reference: S4W-21604

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is carrying out to consider whether to establish an air route development fund.

Question reference: S4W-21605

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the EU since 2007 regarding the possibility of establishing an air route development fund.

On 7 June 2011 the Scottish Government responded to the European Commission’s (EC) ‘Consultation on the review of the EC guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines departing from regional airports’. On 3 October 2013 we responded to the European Commission’s ‘Consultation on the draft Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines’. In both responses we argued that the guidelines on start-up aid for new air routes should be less restrictive. Scottish Government officials also made this point at a meeting with the commission on 25 January 2013.

Question reference: S4W-21607

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what future meetings it plans with stakeholders to consider whether to establish an air route development fund.

Question reference: S4W-21569

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what an independent Scotland's net fiscal balance would be in 2016-17 under scenario 3 from page 13 of the 3rd Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin.

Question reference: S4W-21567

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what an independent Scotland's net fiscal balance would be in 2016-17 under scenario 1 from page 13 of the 3rd Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin.