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-13351

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much of Scottish Water’s operational budget is spent addressing flooding events.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked Scottish Water’s chief executive to write to you to provide these details.

For each regulatory period, the Scottish Ministers direct Scottish Water as to the improvements it must deliver. The improvements required for this period are available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0088613.pdf.

In relation to customer service, which also includes measures in relation to sewer flooding, Scottish Water is required to improve its performance to deliver the upper quartile performance achieved by the industry in England and Wales by 2015. Further information on the basket of measures that describe customer service and the targets set is available on an information sheet provided by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland at:

http://www.watercommission.co.uk/UserFiles/Documents/Updated%20Public%20Information%20Note%20OPA.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-13353

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much of Scottish Water’s operational budget is spent addressing pluvial flooding.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13351 on 11 March 2013.

Scottish Water is named as a Responsible Authority under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. Amongst other duties, this requires it participate in efforts to assess and mitigate the risk of flood arising from the public sewerage network. Currently, six projects are underway in partnership with Local Authorities and SEPA in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Grangemouth, Aberdeen, Dundee and the Irvine coastline to understand better the performance of drainage and sewerage networks.

As I announced on 25 February, a package of investment worth some £250 million over the next five years for Glasgow has been informed by the excellent work undertaken by the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership. This will relieve flooding at numerous locations across Glasgow and deliver significant improvements to the quality of the water in the River Clyde.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-13367

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions regarding street level cabinet exchanges it has had with broadband operators who have received public money to upgrade exchanges.

BT is the only broadband operator to have received public money to upgrade exchanges, through the Scottish Government’s 2005 Broadband for Scotland Project.

Discussions regarding telephone exchanges and cabinets are likely to form part of the ongoing procurement exercises for the Step Change 2015 Programme. The programme, which is technology neutral, will deliver next generation broadband connectivity throughout Scotland by 2015 and is progressing through two procurements – for the Highlands and Islands, and the rest of Scotland. Detailed rollout plans in respect of both procurements will not be known until after the contracts are awarded.

Question reference: S4W-13350

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how issues raised by Scottish Water’s customer forum will inform Scottish Water's work programme.

The Customer Forum is already participating effectively in the on-going process of determining Scottish Water’s investment and service level priorities. The Forum is working with Scottish Water in scrutinising its customer research programme, analysing and interpreting the results. Key stakeholders across the industry – the Scottish Government, the Water Industry Commission, and Scottish Water itself - have acknowledged that the customer voice in decisions about water and wastewater service provision can be strengthened. The Forum will make sure that customers’ opinions are heard and taken into account in determining charges and spending priorities in the next price setting period.

Question reference: S4W-13396

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will set out the detail of its plans for a financial health service.

The Scottish Government set out proposals for a Financial Health Service, to support the provision of fair and just processes for debt advice, debt relief and debt management in its consultation paper, published on 24 February 2012. This is the first time in a generation that the principles and concept of bankruptcy and other debt management solutions have been considered. Following our consultation and the Scottish Government response, published on 7 November 2012, legislation will be brought forward during 2013 to deliver our broad and ambitious agenda for reform, focussing on outcomes and improvements to the whole system. This will commence with changes to the Debt Arrangement Scheme regulations and our Bankruptcy Reform Bill, which we expect to introduce in the first half of this year.

Question reference: S4W-12937

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 6 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to (a) redundant apprentices and (b) employers facing apprenticeship redundancies.

The Adopt an Apprentice Initiative was launched in June 2009. This scheme offers employers a £2,000 incentive to employ a redundant apprentice to allow the apprentice the opportunity to complete their training.

Since the scheme began it has supported over 1,500 redundant apprentices, enabling them to find alternative employment and continue their apprenticeship. (as at 1 January 2013)

If alternative employment cannot be secured for redundant apprentices then Skills Development Scotland advise them about alternative training and employment opportunities in their local area to try to ensure a positive outcome.

The Safeguard an Apprentice scheme provided a wage subsidy to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the construction, manufacturing and engineering sectors facing the prospect of making their apprentices redundant, and at September 2011 had supported over 110 SMEs to retain their apprentices.

Safeguard an Apprentice was closed to new applications on the 30 September 2011. The decision to close the scheme was taken after a significant fall in applications.

Question reference: S4W-12936

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 5 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish its response to the Skills Development Scotland report, Modern Apprenticeship Outcomes 2012.

Question reference: S4O-01892

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its position is on members paying their staff the living wage.

Question reference: S4W-13094

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 26 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the budget is for the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce; who the members of the commission are; what their remuneration is, and how many staff the commission has, broken down by pay grade.

The Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce does not have a specific programme budget. The costs of supporting staff and other costs such as travel & subsistence will be met from direct running costs.

The members of the Commission are Sir Ian Wood (chair), Linda McKay (vice chair), Michael Davis, Sir Willie Haughey, Christine Pollock and Grahame Smith. Additional members may be added as the work of the Commission progresses. Members of the Commission will not be paid.

The Commission’s secretariat currently consists of a deputy director with support from a B3 analyst. This is likely to be expanded to include a B3 policy officer and a B1 policy officer. The staffing requirements of the secretariat will be kept under review.

Question reference: S4W-12660

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 21 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the remit of Skills Development Scotland’s employer services team is and whether it operates via a hotline or visits businesses.