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-12105

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it arrived at the definition of Scottish values to be used by the Expert Working Group on Welfare.

Question reference: S4W-12109

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the letters of appointment issued to the members of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.

Question reference: S4W-12104

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Expert Working Group on Welfare will define Scottish values in its final report.

Question reference: S4W-12103

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has provided a definition of Scottish values to the Expert Working Group on Welfare.

Scottish Ministers have set out their vision on welfare in an independent Scotland in Your Scotland, Your Voice and in Working for Scotland: The Government’s Programme for Scotland 2012-13. Opportunities for debate on the principles and values that should underpin welfare in an independent Scotland will be created through a programme of wider stakeholder engagement.

We established the Expert Working Group on Welfare to review and provide assurance on work being undertaken by the Scottish Government on the cost of benefit payments in an independent Scotland and the delivery of those payments in an independent Scotland. The group will seek to acquire further information from the UK Government as appropriate.

The group will also offer views on what aspects of the UK Government’s current reforms to working-age benefits should be an immediate priority for change in an independent Scotland.

The full remit of the group and other information on appointments, meetings, expenses and members can be accessed at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/welfarereform/EXPERTWORKINGGROUPONWELFARE. The conclusions of the group will be submitted to Scottish Ministers in May 2013 and will be published shortly thereafter.

Question reference: S4W-12112

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Expert Working Group on Welfare has been asked to recommend which elements of the £2.5 billion in reductions referred to in its news release of 6 January 2012, A welfare system for Scotland, should be reversed.

Question reference: S4W-12110

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Expert Working Group on Welfare has been asked to use the welfare system in place prior to May 2010 as a baseline.

Question reference: S4W-12108

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the terms of reference of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.

Question reference: S4F-01118

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2013

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S4W-11545

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of what schemes will be included in the (a) cycling infrastructure, (b) ferry port infrastructure, (c) canal infrastructure, (d) Highlands and Islands Enterprise economic development, (e) Scottish Enterprise economic development, (f) VisitScotland, investment in visitor infrastructure, (g) forestry, access, road infrastructure and buildings refurbishment, (h) national parks, developing the rural economy, (i) Scottish Court Service, estate improvement, essential maintenance and statutory compliance, (j) work to Historic Scotland’s estate, (k) National Museums of Scotland, maintenance, (l) Creative Scotland, grants programme, (m) college, targeted investment in priority estates, (n) national sporting facility and (o) community hub investment projects referred to in its news release of 25 November 2012, Swinney outlines further shovel-ready projects.

Further details relating to these schemes are as follows:

(a) Cycling infrastructure:

Investment in infrastructure that will extend safe cycling routes in different regions of Scotland and encourage active travel, tourism and commuting to school by bike.

(b) Ferry port infrastructure:

Essential port infrastructure improvements required to ensure the safe operation of the ferry services.

Investment in a range of projects that will stimulate regeneration and improve tourism and the visitor experience across our canal network.

(d) Highlands and Islands Enterprise economic development:

Various projects to provide infrastructure, services, access and support to business and communities that will provide economic development opportunities across the Highlands and Islands.

(e) Scottish Enterprise economic development:

Various projects to provide infrastructure, services, access and support to business that will provide economic development opportunities across the country.

(f) VisitScotland, investment in visitor infrastructure:

Investment in VisitScotland’s Glasgow Visitor Information Centre and the network of Visitor Information Centres across the country, which provide information to visitors and act as development hubs for the visitor economy in rural areas, towns and cities.

(g) Forestry, access, road infrastructure and buildings refurbishment:

A range of projects promoting access, through paths and road infrastructure, and refurbishment of key buildings.

(h) National parks, developing the rural economy:

A range of projects in the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond National Parks aimed at facilitating improvements to visitor infrastructure and buildings, and developing community projects.

(i) Scottish Court Service, estate improvement, essential maintenance and statutory compliance:

Projects focusing on essential estate maintenance and compliance, and estate improvements at Airdrie and Aberdeen, as well as civil court reform and carbon reduction.

(j) Work to Historic Scotland’s estate:

Various conservation and repair works to Historic Scotland’s estate including investment in new visitor facilities.

(k) National Museums of Scotland, maintenance:

Backlog maintenance and energy improvement projects across the National Museums of Scotland estate.

(l) Creative Scotland, grants programme:

Grants programmes for improvements to local and regional culture and arts infrastructure across Scotland.

(m) College, targeted investment in priority estates:

Projects to develop those college estates currently in the poorest condition.

(n) National sporting facility:

This commitment aims to support the delivery of facilities that play an important role in the player pathway and allow our top athletes to prepare for competing successfully on the international stage. These facilities build on existing provision and contribute to creating a lasting legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

(o) Community hub investment projects:

Projects to promote community access to sports and physical activities across Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-11689

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide additional guidance to community planning partnerships on the process required to reach single outcome agreements.

<>Guidance to community planning partnerships on the scope and content of their new Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs), including the timetable for their submission and agreement with the Scottish Government, was published on 4 December 2012 and is available on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/CP/SOA2012/SOA2012.

There are no plans for the issue of further formal written guidance to CPPs on preparation of their new SOAs. Instead, as stated in the guidance published on 4 December, the Scottish Government has offered to provide practical advice and support to CPPs to help them prepare their new SOAs.