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-04520

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the impact on devolved areas of responsibility of the UK Government’s decision to freeze the BBC license fee for six years.

The Scottish Government regards the way in which the current licence fee settlement was negotiated, behind closed doors, without any outside consultation and within 48 hours as deeply unsatisfactory.

The Scottish Government is engaging with the BBC as it develops its response to the new settlement, most recently through the “Delivering Quality First” consultation document issued by the BBC Trust. The response from the Scottish Government to this consultation will be published soon.

The Scottish Government has expressed its concern at the impact of the licence-fee settlement. In doing so, it has emphasised the importance of ensuring maintenance of the public service broadcasting ethos and protecting existing commitments to improve the diversity and quality of programming from Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits of MG ALBA and BBC Scotland working in partnership to deliver the Gaelic channel BBC ALBA. In the Scottish Government’s response to “Delivering Quality First”, it has welcomed both the priority and support which the BBC has given BBC ALBA and urged the BBC to maintain both the priority and support it provides this service.

Question reference: S4W-04511

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what its economic tests would be for an independent Scotland joining the euro.

Question reference: S4W-04521

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected loss in Barnett consequentials would be if air passenger duty was abolished.

Question reference: S4W-04563

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-04230 by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2011, whether it has made representations to (a) the City of Edinburgh Council or (b) Historic Scotland regarding the suitability of Edinburgh Castle as a site.

Question reference: S4W-04513

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 21 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to judge local authorities' attempts to avoid the early emergence of inequalities.

The Single Outcome Agreements prepared by local authorities and their community planning partners are required to take account of the three social frameworks of Achieving Our Potential, Early Years and Equally Well. In addition, each of the shared risk assessments conducted by scrutiny bodies, which determine priorities for inspections and external audits of local authorities, includes an assessment of risks in relation to the protection and welfare of vulnerable groups in that council area.

Question reference: S4W-04522

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the current euro exchange rate has on Scottish (a) tourism and (b) exports.

Tourism and export figures are affected by a variety of factors, including exchange rates.

The Scottish Government publish export statistics on an annual basis in the Global Connections Survey and publish manufactured exports data on a quarterly basis. The ONS publish quarterly estimates of Overseas Travel and Tourism that include Scottish estimates Scotland.

These statistics show that the value of exports from Scotland and the number of tourists visiting Scotland have both been relatively strong in recent years, despite a very challenging environment in many of our trading partners.

This reflects the success of both SDI international, which has worked hard to explore new markets for Scottish products, and Visit Scotland which has effectively promoted Scotland as an attractive destination for tourists.

Question reference: S4W-04514

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it seeks to measure children’s healthy development with regard to (a) attachment, (b) stimulation and (c) nutrition.

The Scottish Government is taking a number of steps to ensure measurement of children’s healthy development, for example: national mental health indicators have been established; work is being commissioned to review assessment of attachment for Looked After Children; actions will be taken forward by NHS boards and other responsible organisations to assess the nutritional needs of children and to support parents to provide a healthy diet; there is a National Care Standard for Early Education and Childcare that children and young people have access to a well-balanced and healthy diet; the Growing Up in Scotland survey has collected information on maternal attachment, breastfeeding, weaning and the home learning environment, and work is underway to agree the core issues which should be addressed and recorded at the 24 to 30 month review which is being introduced.

Question reference: S4W-04512

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the potential impact on poverty in Scotland, what its position is on the UK Government’s decision not to uprate benefits in line with inflation.

Question reference: S4W-04270

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth has received reports from Transport Scotland on the progress of the Edinburgh tram project since May 2008.

Question reference: S4W-04271

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time-equivalent Transport Scotland employees there have been with the Edinburgh tram project since May 2011 and how many there were from (a) May 2008 to April 2009, (b) May 2009 to April 2010 and (c) May 2010 to April 2011.

May 2008 to April 2009	One
May 2009 to April 2010	One
May 2010 to April 2011	One
May 2011 to August 2011	One
September 2011 to present	Four