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-03918

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 21 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Network Rail and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport regarding improvements to the East Kilbride railway line.

Transport Scotland have discussed electrification of the East Kilbride line with Network Rail as part of general discussions concerning the future electrification of the Scottish rail network from Control Period 6 (2019) onwards.

Further meetings are planned later this year with external stakeholders, including Network Rail and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, to maximise the efficiency and phasing of the Scottish Government’s developing rail electrification strategy.

Question reference: S4W-23981

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Futures Trust conducts place-based reviews as a matter of course during public infrastructure assessments, as recommended in the National Review of Town Centres External Advisory Group Report: Community and Enterprise in Scotland's Town Centres.

As noted in the Town Centre Action Plan – One Year On report, we are working with Architecture and Design Scotland and Scottish Futures Trust to identify opportunities to collaborate on town centre pilots. In addition we are working to identify where policies can be aligned to provide further support and opportunities to our town centres, including place-based reviews.

Town Centre Action Plan – One Year On report is available on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/town-centres/review/action-plan/one-year-on-report.

Question reference: S4W-23979

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established a community estate agency as recommended in the National Review of Town Centres External Advisory Group Report: Community and Enterprise in Scotland's Town Centres.

As noted in the Town Centre Action Plan – One Year On report we are currently discussing with the Development Trust Association of Scotland a proposal to support local communities to undertake and benefit from asset audits, to understand ownership patterns to assist in tackling empty property issues, identify assets and how to better utilise these.

The Town Centre Action Plan – One Year On report is available on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/town-centres/review/action-plan/one-year-on-report.

Question reference: S4W-23983

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to trial a town centre investment zone, as recommended in the National Review of Town Centres External Advisory Group Report: Community and Enterprise in Scotland's Town Centres.

As noted in the Town Centre Action Plan – One Year On report, town centre investments zones are dependent on the introduction of the ‘localised rates relief’ provision introduced via the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill, currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament. If approved, we will consider proposals from interested local authorities to trial a town centre investment zone.

The Town Centre Action Plan – One Year On report is available on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/town-centres/review/action-plan/one-year-on-report.

Question reference: S4W-23982

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the Business Rate Incentivisation Scheme, as recommended in the National Review of Town Centres External Advisory Group Report: Community and Enterprise in Scotland's Town Centres.

The introduction of the revised agreed Business Rates Incentivisation Scheme was announced as part of John Swinney MSP’s parliamentary statement on the 2015-16 local government finance settlement on 11 December 2014.

The revised scheme subsequently agreed with COSLA allows local authorities to retain 50% of any additional income to be spent on local priorities. The 50% retention was retained as the Scottish Government continues to carry the full risk of any shortfall in business rates income.

Question reference: S4W-23980

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established a microfinance fund or fortified an existing fund to lend to community enterprises, as recommended in the National Review of Town Centres External Advisory Group Report: Community and Enterprise in Scotland's Town Centres.

The Scottish Government already provides direct investment to start up, maintain and grow enterprises in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s Enterprise Ready Fund will distribute £6 million during 2013 to 2015 to help enterprising third sector organisations. The fund is helping 129 organisations to become more self-sustaining.

The Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund is aimed at individuals with ideas to start up new social enterprises in Scotland. This fund is delivered by Firstport. On 15 January 2015, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners Rights announced a further £500,000 would be available to ensure this direct funding continues until March 2016.

In addition, the Scottish Government’s Strengthening Communities Programme supports community organisations to become more sustainable and resilient, in turn helping their communities realise economic, social and environmental opportunities. Its impact will help supported organisations fulfil community regeneration objectives, and enhance their capacity, helping them take on more ambitious initiatives. The programme is aiming to support approximately 150 community organisations by March 2016.

Question reference: S4W-23672

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 6 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government which of the key actions and recommendations in the National Review of Town Centres External Advisory Group Report it will not adopt and for what reason.

The Scottish Government published the Town Centre Action Plan as a direct response to the External Advisory Group (EAG) report. The action plan format reflects that of the EAG report including the introduction of an underpinning ‘Town Centre First’ principle and it sets out the range of cross-government activities under each of the six key themes, which that group established.

For solutions outlined in the EAG report which are not for central government to undertake directly, we continue to invite those in the wider public, private and community sectors to discuss their ideas and thoughts on their own contribution in taking forward the plan.

Question reference: S4O-03769

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4O-03741

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it is promoting the living wage as part of its anti-poverty strategy.

Question reference: S4O-03705

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Healthcare Environment Inspectorate report on Hairmyres Hospital.