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-16735

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 August 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government who attended the recent meeting between it and NATO regarding an independent Scotland; what input it had into what was discussed; whether it will publish a record of the meeting and who requested that the meeting be held.

Question reference: S4O-02366

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what issues were identified in the latest Inspection report on Lanarkshire Area of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and what progress has been made on these.

Question reference: S4O-02337

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 4 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with COSLA regarding the settlement of single status and equal pay claims.

Question reference: S4W-16156

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 16 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) remuneration and (b) expenses the chair of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland has received in each of the last five years.

JABS Chairing Member Remuneration and Expenses 2008-09 and 2012-13:

Financial Year	Chairing Member	Remuneration	Expenses
2008-09 Apr-Sept Oct-Mar	Sir Neil McIntosh Sir Muir Russell	£7,078.75 £8,750 (equivalent to £17,500 per year)	£2,580.53 £16.40
2009-10	Sir Muir Russell	£17,500	£114.05
2010-11	Sir Muir Russell	£17,500	£78.40
2011-12	Sir Muir Russell	£17,500	£88.35
2012-13	Sir Muir Russell	£17,500	£220.35

Question reference: S4O-02227

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it is taking in light of the findings of Audit Scotland’s report, Managing early departures from the Scottish public sector.

Question reference: S4O-02184

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what support it and Scottish Development International give to the financial services sector in Central Scotland.

Scottish Development International provides a wide range of support services to financial services businesses. This can include advice, access to specialist expertise, business mentoring and development, market information, financial assistance, business location information, investor aftercare and specific services covering each phase of international trade activity. It offers companies operating internationally a one stop shop approach to the services offered in Scotland.

Scottish Government ministers and officials also meet regularly with financial services representatives to discuss matters of mutual interest, including through the Financial Services Advisory Board.

Question reference: S4F-01387

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2013

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with Vattenfall regarding its investment in offshore wind energy projects.

Question reference: S4W-13657

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by David Stewart on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many of its staff will be affected by contract changes resulting from proposed UK Government policy on pensions and terms and conditions; whether it is taking action to deal with any such impact, and, if so, what action.

SPCB staff are automatically enrolled into the Civil Service pension arrangements on appointment. Of the total head count of 470 SPCB staff as at 31 March 2013, 10 SPCB staff have opted out of the Civil Service pension arrangements. As a result 460 SPCB staff will be affected by contract changes resulting from proposed UK Government policy on pensions and terms and conditions.

Civil Service pensions are set out by statute under the Superannuation Act 1972 and managed by the Cabinet Office on behalf of the Minister for the Civil Service therefore the SPCB has no influence over policy changes made to the Civil Service pension arrangements.

The SPCB has recently agreed a two year pay deal for its staff of a 1% pay rise from 1 April 2013 and a further 2% from 1 April 2014.

Question reference: S4O-02078

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of Healthcare Improvement Scotland and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S4W-14514

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by David Stewart on 25 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its timescale is to provide a response to a written question and when it will provide a response to question S4W-13657, which was lodged on 13 March 2013.