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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S4W-12137

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government (a) when and (b) where the Expert Working Group on Welfare will first meet and how often it will meet thereafter.

Question reference: S4W-12136

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of the impact on its anti-poverty strategy, it considers that the welfare system is in need of reform and, if so, what principles would underpin its approach in an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-12135

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Expert Working Group on Welfare will consider pensions.

Question reference: S4W-12133

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) which of its staff are involved in supporting the work of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.

Question reference: S4W-12127

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the remit of the Expert Working Group on Welfare includes the abolition or reform of current welfare benefits.

Question reference: S4W-12132

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants would be required to administer a welfare system in an independent Scotland and what information it has on how this compares with the number of civil servants in Scotland currently administering the welfare system.

The numbers of civil servants required to administer a welfare system in an independent Scotland will be dependent on a number of variables, such as: the ongoing impact of the UK government welfare reform programme; the public sector landscape that is inherited at the point of independence; and, the decisions taken by Scottish Ministers on delivery, transitioning and design of a Scottish system of welfare.

Question reference: S4W-12126

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the remit of the Expert Working Group on Welfare includes currently devolved benefits.

Question reference: S4W-12130

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with (a) the Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform, (b) SCVO and (c) COSLA prior to the establishment of the Expert Working Group on Welfare.

Question reference: S4W-12100

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider making the offer of three courses of IVF treatment standard across all NHS boards.

Question reference: S4W-12125

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the recommendations of the Expert Working Group on Welfare will be fully costed.