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-18304

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is planning a promotional campaign for credit unions and, if so, what the nature of the campaign will be; what budget has been allocated; what organisations (a) it will consult and (b) will benefit, and which media outlets it will use.

The Scottish Government launched its ’12 days of Debtmas’ campaign on 18 November 2013. The aim of the campaign is to help alleviate debt by raising awareness of credit unions as one alternative to pay day loans in the run up to the festive period.

The campaign combines radio advertising with social media. A press campaign undertaken by the Daily Record also highlights the risk of pay day loans, including case studies of people affected by high interest lending, and promoting credit unions as ethical, sensible alternatives in the lead up to Christmas.

This campaign is part of the ‘Financial Health Service’ concept, much of which will be delivered through the Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Bill 2013. Credit unions, in addition to being one affordable alternative to loans which may be undertaken at greater risk, such as pay day loans, can have a wider role in promoting financial capability and encouraging people to save.

Details of the costs of the campaign will be published at the end of the financial year, alongside results of the campaign. This is primarily because we gain additional value from commercial partnerships and stakeholders, and public relations opportunities throughout the duration of the campaign. The campaign is a new initiative, requiring some investment, and assets will be used over coming years to deliver value for money longer term.

The Association of British Credit Unions were involved in the development of the campaign and are supportive of its aims. The campaign is not designed to benefit credit unions or any specific credit union and its aim is to promote understanding of what may be more affordable or ethical sources of credit. The people of Scotland will benefit through greater awareness of alternatives to high interest credit.

Question reference: S4O-02654

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how much it has spent on cyclical and reactive building maintenance in each year since 2010.

Question reference: S4W-17853

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to Entrepreneurial Spark in the last three years.

Question reference: S4O-02575

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Creative Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-17630

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the 2013-14 winter flu vaccination programme campaign.

Although full costs will not be confirmed until the end of the flu season, the overall annual cost of the seasonal flu vaccination programme is estimated to be approximately £17 million.

This figure includes costs in relation to the purchase of vaccines, payments to general practice, seasonal influenza surveillance activity and programme management and the communications and marketing campaign.

Question reference: S4W-17629

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding the 2013-14 winter flu vaccination programme.

Question reference: S4F-01637

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2013

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take to protect people affected by fuel poverty, in light of recent price rises by energy providers.

Question reference: S4O-02520

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the cross-party approach to securing the full common agricultural policy convergence uplift for Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-17628

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the (a) financial and (b) pricing plans for Business Stream.

Business Stream's delivery plan is agreed annually with ministers. The plan for 2013 was agreed on 16 April 2013.

The wholesale charges payable by licensed providers and maximum default charges payable by customers for the period were set by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland in November 2009. These set the bandwidth within which pricing structures will lie. Business Stream's pricing structure was set in the context of its delivery plan.

Question reference: S4O-02480

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the Business Gateway contract in Lanarkshire.