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.

Question reference: S4W-00264

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether will introduce a Scottish equivalent of the Health in Pregnancy Grant and, if not, whether it will provide additional support for women who are pregnant.

The Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Act 2010 removed the entitlement to the Health in Pregnancy Grant from 1 January 2011. This decision was taken by the UK Government because the payment was considered to be a poorly targeted use of limited public funds. Targeted support is available to those families most in need of financial support through the Sure Start Maternity Grant and the healthy start scheme.

Question reference: S4W-00098

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-40420 by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 March 2011, how many NHS staff have received a wage increase as a result of the living wage introduced on 1April 2011.

Question reference: S4W-00099

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35494 by John Swinney on 25 August 2010, what aspects of EU law prevent community benefit clauses being used to progress the case for a living wage.

Imposing a requirement on contractors to pay their employees a living wage which is more than the National Minimum Wage could amount to a restriction on the freedom to provide services guaranteed by article 56 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This issue was the subject of a judgment of the European Court of Justice in the case of Ruffert v Land Niedersachsen [C-346/06]. A copy of the judgment can be found on the Curia website http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/j_6/.

Question reference: S4W-00101

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to meet the London Olympic Delivery Authority to discuss how it progressed the case for a living wage to be paid by contractors within the constraints of EU law.

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