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-23964

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent assessment has been made of the impact of the small business bonus scheme and, if not, what plans it has to commission such an assessment.

Views on the impact of the small business bonus scheme were expressed in response to the Supporting Business – Promoting Growth Consultation Analysis were analysed and published in September 2013, available at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/09/1530).

The success of the scheme is already indicated in the annual non-domestic rates relief statistics for small business in Scotland, available at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Local-Government-Finance/NDR-Rates-Relief), the latest of which estimate that over 96,000 properties (over two in five rateable properties) are benefiting from the scheme in 2014-15. The scheme's total support for ratepayers is estimated at £166 million this year.

The wider verdict of ratepayers is also clear, with consistent acclaim for the scheme including recognition from the Federation of Small Businesses that it ‘continues to give most Scottish small firms a competitive advantage over counterparts in other parts of the UK’.

Question reference: S4W-23940

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government in which areas of the economy it has identified skills shortages, and what action it is taking to tackle these.

The UK Employers Skill Survey offers a comprehensive source of information about skill shortages in Scotland. The survey is available to view at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/327492/evidence-report-81-ukces-employer-skills-survey-13-full-report-final.pdf.

Through the development of sectoral Skills Investment Plans (SIP) and Regional Skills Assessments (RSAs) we are working to ensure that Scotland’s skills and education system remains closely aligned with the needs of employers. Whilst the SIPs provide a blueprint for addressing skills supply issues within specific sectors, the RSAs are intended as a resource to inform future investment in skills at a regional level, including the development of College Regional Outcome Agreements.

Question reference: S4W-23958

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many modern apprentices have remained in employment with the same employer at the end of their apprenticeship.

Question reference: S4W-23951

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S4O-03927

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its staff work in the culture and heritage and external affairs directorates.

Question reference: S4O-03878

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of payments to consultants for recruiting patients for medical trials.

The Scottish Government supports the position of the General Medical Council that clinicians should not let their judgement about a research project be influenced, or be seen to be influenced, at any stage, by financial, personal political or other external interests. Any actual or potential conflicts of interest must be identified and declared as soon as possible to the research ethics committee, other appropriate bodies, and the trial participants.

Question reference: S4W-23580

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding the closure of hospitals.

NHS Lothian has not discussed the closure of hospitals with the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government met with NHS Lothian on 2 October 2014 to carry out the board’s mid-year review. This included discussion on the NHS Lothian Draft Strategic Plan 2014-2024. Part of the strategic planning process is a review of the Board’s estate so that it can best meet the needs of the people of Lothian over the next 10 years. Any concrete proposals regarding major changes to patient services would be subject to full public engagement in line with CEL(4) 2010.

Question reference: S4W-23578

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent requests it has received from NHS Lothian for additional funding and what its position is on granting this.

Question reference: S4W-23579

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding PFI contracts.

Scottish Government officials liaise regularly with NHS Lothian on a range of financial and performance issues and any issues relating to PFI contracts can be raised and discussed through this route.

Officials also attend the NHS Scotland PPP Joint Board and PPP Practitioners Group, on which NHS Lothian are represented, and which provide a forum for the discussion of PFI and other PPP arrangements.

Question reference: S4W-23581

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the financial position is of each NHS board.

For the current financial year, 2014-15; the latest figures submitted by all NHS boards is to the end of October 2014. Of the 22 health boards, 21 are currently projecting financial balance for 2014-15, with NHS Orkney currently forecasting a year end deficit of under 1% of its total resource budget.

The Scottish Government is working with NHS Orkney to determine options for recovering this forecast and to enable the board to achieve financial balance.

The Scottish Government remains constantly engaged with all boards via a well-established process of performance management to consider options and support as appropriate.