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-07085

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Bruce Crawford on 9 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative consent motions it will lodge in connection with the legislative programme to be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012.

In accordance with the Sewel Convention, the UK Parliament does not legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

This is an important part of the devolution settlement, which acknowledges the special constitutional position of the Scottish Parliament and the democratic mandate conferred on this Parliament by the people of Scotland. In the view of the Scottish Government, the Sewel Convention will remain an essential part of the constitution of the UK for as long as the UK Parliament retains its current powers and functions in relation to Scotland.

In the normal course of business, legislation on devolved matters should be scrutinised and determined in the Scottish Parliament. There may however be situations in which it is helpful and appropriate for legislation dealing with devolved matters to be taken forward at Westminster.

The Scottish Government is committed to assessing opportunities of this kind on their merits and to working closely and constructively with the UK Government, on a case by case basis, to deliver legislation which best meets Scotland’s needs. The Scottish Government is equally committed to working with the UK Government to pursue opportunities to extend devolved competence.

The formal consent of the Scottish Parliament is required in relation to all proposals for Westminster primary legislation on devolved matters, including alterations to devolved competence, in accordance with Chapter 9B of Standing Orders.

Within the legislative programme announced today by the UK Government, we have identified potential opportunities to legislate for the benefit of Scotland on matters that are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or which alter legislative or executive competence.

The UK bills which we currently expect to give rise to Legislative Consent Motions in the Scottish Parliament cover:

Crime & Courts Bill – to create the National Crime Agency; make provisions about the structure, administration, and powers of courts and tribunals and judicial appointments; establish UK Border Agency Criminal Investigation Powers, and, permit Social Security and Tax Credit Data-Sharing.

Electoral Registration & Administration Bill – to include provisions to bring forward Electoral Administration and Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

Energy Bill – to address Reform of the Electricity Market following the DECC White Paper published last year. The intention is to ensure a secure electricity supply, investment in low carbon technologies and to minimise costs.

Enterprise & Regulatory Reform Bill – the Bill will address Regulatory reforms and Repeals; Dispute Resolution; Reform of competition laws; Executive pay, and, establish the Green Investment Bank.

The Scottish Government will, in due course, lodge memoranda and motions for these bills, once they have been introduced in the UK Parliament. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine whether to give or withhold consent.

It is possible that further opportunities to legislate for Scotland by means of Legislative Consent Motion may occur in connection with other UK bills, including Private Member’s bills. Any additional proposals of this kind, together with any relevant amendments to the government bills listed above, will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise, in line with the requirements of Standing Orders.

Question reference: S4O-00980

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the Farm Watch scheme across the Lothians and Borders police force area, in order to reduce the impact of crime on local farmers.

Question reference: S4O-00895

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for people who wish to purchase original pieces of Scottish craft from accredited producers.

Question reference: S4O-00710

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will hold to account those NHS boards that are not meeting clinical standards in neurological health services so that there is a consistent service across Scotland, including in rural areas.

Question reference: S4O-00688

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the recent announcement of Total Income From Farming increase means for Scottish farming.

The 4.1% increase in farm incomes in 2011 is good news for Scottish farming. It builds on the 25% increase seen in 2010 and this trend is generating optimism in the industry, which is at a 16-year high according to the recent Lloyds Bank Group agricultural survey.

But the figures also present a challenge to farmers, to make the most of their high value resources and to reduce their costs, which also rose substantially in 2011.

Question reference: S4W-05540

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 9 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties receive reduced or zero business rates under its rates relief package in each local authority area.

The following table shows the percentage of non-domestic properties in receipt of business rates relief, as at 1 April 2011.

Proportion of all Non-domestic Properties in Receipt of Rates Relief (SBBS, Rural, Charity, Religious, Disabled, Sporting, Empty, Renewable etc)

All Scotland	57%
Aberdeen City	42%
Aberdeenshire	55%
Angus	65%
Argyll and Bute	65%
Clackmannanshire	64%
Dumfries and Galloway	57%
Dundee City	55%
East Ayrshire	58%
East Dunbartonshire	59%
East Lothian	67%
East Renfrewshire	63%
Edinburgh, City of	44%
Eilean Siar	68%
Falkirk	48%
Fife	59%
Glasgow City	55%
Highland	64%
Inverclyde	61%
Midlothian	53%
Moray	59%
North Ayrshire	66%
North Lanarkshire	44%
Orkney Islands	77%
Perth and Kinross	60%
Renfrewshire	61%
Scottish Borders	68%
Shetland Islands	67%
South Ayrshire	58%
South Lanarkshire	57%
Stirling	59%
West Dunbartonshire	55%
West Lothian	55%

A copy of this table has been placed in the Scottish Parliaments Information Centre (Bib. number 53672).

Question reference: S4O-00544

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all temporary accommodation offered to families is of a suitable standard.

Question reference: S4W-04552

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2011
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Bruce Crawford on 13 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is the First Minister's intention to publish a new edition of the Scottish Ministerial Code.

By convention, the Scottish Ministerial Code is revised at the commencement of each new parliamentary term, and the 2011 edition will be published today. The Code, which was last revised in June 2008, provides a code of conduct and guidance on procedures for members of the Scottish Government and Junior Scottish Ministers. A copy of the 2011 edition of the Scottish Ministerial Code may be found on the Scottish Government’s website at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/684 and it has also been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 53502).

Question reference: S4O-00421

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage greater use of resident satisfaction surveys as evidence for local authorities to inform and develop single outcome agreements.

Question reference: S4O-00360

Asked by: Paul Wheelhouse, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2011
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for the development of local combined heat and power biomass energy plants.