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: S3W-05355

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 26 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the comparable expenditure percentage will be for each sub-programme for the purpose of applying the Barnett Formula in relation to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Question reference: S3W-05379

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 26 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the lower UK growth forecast announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9 October 2007 means that the Scottish Government’s growth target will be lower and what that target is.

Question reference: S3W-05074

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the additional winter sailings to Islay, recently announced by Calmac Ferries Ltd, are part of the tender agreement.

I can confirm thatthe additional winter sailings to Islay were not includedin the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract that took effect from 1 October 2007. The contract gives CalMac Ferries Ltd the flexibilityto introduce additional services where there is a demand and where there is no needfor additional subsidy. The growth in Islay’s whisky production is very good newsand I welcome CalMac’s positive approach in meeting with industry representativesand introducing the additional sailings to meet the needs of the whisky producers.

Question reference: S3W-05075

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost breakdown is of the £11.5 million increase in subsidy provided to Calmac Ferries Ltd to operate the new tender agreement.

The increase in subsidyis approximately £11 million when the year beginning 1 October 2007 (the first year of the new contract) is compared withthe year ending 31 March 2007. A range of factors contributes to this increase.These include inflation (£3.2 million), increased employer pension contributions(£2.3 million), increased third party harbour charges (£2.2 million) and additionalleasing and running costs for new vessels (£1.9 million).

Question reference: S3W-05351

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 24 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers are on (a) permanent and (b) fixed-term contracts, broken down by (i) force and (ii) rank.

Question reference: S3W-05348

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made in relation to cost inflation in the NHS in respect of (a) wages and salaries, (b) administration costs and (c) pharmaceutical costs.

Question reference: S3W-05347

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of cost inflation in the NHS.

Question reference: S3W-05346

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS employees are on (a) permanent and (b) fixed-term contracts.

Question reference: S3W-05349

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 22 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers are on (a) permanent and (b) fixed-term contracts.

Information on howmany teachers are on (a) permanent and (b) fixed-term contracts is collected aspart of the annual teacher census. The latest available data relates to 2006 andwas published in Teachers in Scotland, 2006 which can be accessed using the followinghyperlink:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/27085753/0

Data for 2007 willbe obtained from the results of this year’s teacher census which will be publishedin March 2008.

Question reference: S3W-05380

Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 18 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations the Scottish Government has made, or intends to make, to the UK Government in relation to the impact on the Scottish budget process of a delay in the spending review such as occurred this year.