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-22270

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 21 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing legislation that will require local authorities to advise it of any plans to close Gypsy/Traveller sites or facilities.

Question reference: S4W-22271

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 21 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it assesses the accommodation needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Accommodation needs for Gypsy/Travellers are assessed at a local level. A local authority has to consider the accommodation needs of Gypsy/Travellers as part of its Housing Need and Demand Assessment and when developing its local housing strategy and development plan. Each local housing strategy goes through a review process, with input from Scottish Government officials, and comments are provided. These comments would cover Gypsy/Traveller site provision, as necessary.

Question reference: S4W-22204

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that funding for domestic violence services reflects the need for such services.

The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to tackling domestic violence. In spite of unprecedented pressure on the Scottish budget, record funding of £34.5 million has been allocated for 2012-15 (an increase of 62% on the amount committed over the period 2004–07) to support work to tackle all forms of violence against women (including domestic violence). This includes funding for projects which deliver frontline services, or build capacity in local partnerships to strengthen responses to violence against women.

In the coming period funding for services will be aligned to the priorities set out in Equally Safe Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls.

Question reference: S4W-22272

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) The Highland, (b) Argyll and Bute, (c) Moray and (d) Perth and Kinross Council about the needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Question reference: S4W-22276

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it consults with the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Question reference: S4W-22273

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages collaborative working across local authorities regarding the facilities required to maintain the Gypsy/Traveller lifestyle.

We are aware of some local authority collaboration on site provision. We are working with key stakeholders, including representatives of local authorities, to develop an overarching strategy and action plan for Gypsy/Travellers. Through this work, we will consider other areas where collaboration would be helpful.

We also engage regularly with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on a range of race equality issues, including those relating to Gypsy/Travellers.

Question reference: S4W-22277

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with EU member states about supporting the Gypsy/Traveller lifestyle.

Question reference: S4O-03482

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what methods of consultation it uses to gauge the views of cyclists regarding major trunk road works.

Question reference: S4O-03427

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government about equalising the minimum wage regardless of age, given the impact on youth employment.

Question reference: S4W-22017

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 28 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what avenues of redress exist for occupants of houses that it owns and manages regarding the standard of maintenance.

The rights of redress of tenants depend on tenure.

If occupants are private tenants, the landlord is expected to meet its duty to repair and maintain its properties as set out in the repairing standard under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Private tenants can apply to the Private Rented Housing Panel for assistance if landlords fail to carry out repairs that are needed to meet the repairing standard.

If occupants are social tenants, the landlord is expected to meet its duty to repair and maintain property under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and to ensure that property meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by April 2015. Social tenants have a right of complaint against their landlord to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

These rights apply to occupants of homes owned by the Scottish Government as they would for other landlords.