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: S4O-05678

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what impact fracking would have on Central Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-30109

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether any local authorities have used their new powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 since October 2015 to provide local discretionary business rates relief.

At this early stage data is not yet available on any schemes put in place by local authorities in respect of their power to reduce business rates which took effect on 31 October 2015 under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. I look forward to innovative use of this substantial power, with councils using their local knowledge, for example, to attract new investment into town centres and help create vibrant communities where people want to live, socialise and do business.

Question reference: S4W-30108

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the potential impact of its decision to double the large business rates supplement for 2016-17 on support from businesses for any future business improvement district ballots.

The increase to the large business supplement will apply to only around 13 per cent of rateable properties. Taken together with the non-domestic rates poundage for 2016-17 this will mean a 3.4 per cent total annual increase to rates bills for those properties liable to pay the supplement, which is in line with recent overall annual increases to bills. This is fully compatible with our support for the business improvement district model, which enables local businesses to take the lead and vote on whether to pay a levy to deliver projects they have agreed with local partners which will help regenerate the local area.

Question reference: S4W-30016

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 2 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to mark International Day of Older Persons on 1 October 2016.

The Scottish Government will work with its stakeholders to agree how to mark the day as we have done in previous years. The Scottish Older People's Assembly (SOPA) celebrated International Older People's Day on 5 October 2015, during older people's week, by holding its annual assembly in the Scottish Parliament with politicians and around 150 older people. Age Scotland's member groups are currently planning their activities for the day and it is expected that the community grants fund of £80,000 awarded to Age Scotland will support many local events.

Question reference: S4O-05534

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact would be on Scotland's economy of the proposed centralisation of HM Revenue and Customs' offices.

Question reference: S4W-29225

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 20 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update the Town Centre Action Plan and, if so, when.

Question reference: S4W-28987

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what representations since January 2014 it has received from the energy industry regarding fracking in (a) Falkirk, (b) North Lanarkshire and (c) South Lanarkshire.

The Scottish Government is committed to engaging regularly with our stakeholders. This engagement has helped the Scottish Government to prepare for a robust and thorough research programme and consultation on unconventional oil and gas. Details of this work are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 57240) and at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/onshoreoilandgas

Question reference: S4W-29043

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it will give to public opinion when deciding on the future of its moratorium in relation to fracking in Central Scotland.

On 8 October 2015 the Scottish Government announced plans for a wide-ranging and comprehensive programme of research into unconventional oil and gas, as well as a full public consultation.

Details of these plans are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 57240) and at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/onshoreoilandgas

The Scottish Government will carefully and fully consider the views presented through the consultation and the programme of research when taking a decision on the moratorium.

Question reference: S4W-29226

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-04553 by John Swinney on 9 September 2015 (Official Report, c. 8), what the timescale is for the review of business rates.

Question reference: S4W-29165

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to carry out the (a) electrification of the East Kilbride rail line and (b) delivery of a second platform at East Kilbride station.

Electrification of the East Kilbride line is one of a number of options being considered as part of the rolling programme of electrification from 2019 onwards. Development work for this, and the potential delivery of a second platform at East Kilbride station, is being taken forward by Network Rail, with the associated cost estimates and supporting business cases expected to be submitted to ministers later in 2016. Future delivery of these projects will be dependent on these business cases, subject to consideration against other rail priorities, and sufficient resources being available.