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-29141

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to regulate the number of staff employed in betting shops with fixed-odds betting terminals and to ensure that the terminals are placed in sight of staff desks.

Question reference: S4W-29130

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding devolving all aspects of (a) gaming and betting legislation or (b) the regulation of fixed-odds betting terminals, including curbing the terminals' speed of play and maximum stakes.

The Scottish Government argued in the Smith Commission that the power to regulate gambling should be devolved to Scotland. The commission recommended a more limited devolution that would allow the Scottish Parliament to control the proliferation of fixed-odds betting terminals.

The Scotland Bill does not deliver this recommendation. The provision would only give the Scottish Parliament the power to set the maximum number of fixed-odds betting terminals in new betting premises. This precludes any action in respect of existing machines, new machines in existing premises and those found in premises other than betting shops. The provisions set out in the Scotland Bill would not allow steps such as limiting stakes or prizes, or action to regulate the speed of play.

Question reference: S4W-29134

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many gambling licences in Scotland have been reviewed each year since the Gambling Act 2005 came into force.

Annual returns from licensing authorities for 2014-15 collated by the Gambling Commission indicate there were three reviews of premises licences issued under the Gambling Act 2005 across Great Britain during this period, with one of these occurring in Scotland. The Gambling Commission works in partnership with licensing authorities to regulate gambling in Scotland, England and Wales.

A licence review is the last of a range of interventions and sanctions available to licensing authorities in addressing operational problems within a gambling premises.

Question reference: S4F-03149

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2016

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding the proposed referendum on EU membership.

Question reference: S4O-05191

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the planning review panel to complete its work.

Question reference: S4O-04915

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the introduction of fiscal measures to promote oil and gas exploration.

Question reference: S4W-28119

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 16 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it would consider varying the permitted noise levels or times as set out in the Antisocial Behaviour (Noise Control) (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Question reference: S4W-28120

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 16 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it would consider setting permitted noise levels based on areas or descriptions of areas as set out in the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004.

Part 5 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 gives discretionary powers to local authorities to adopt the noise provisions for such times and for such areas they consider appropriate. The provisions complement noise nuisance enforcement legislation and complement police powers. There has been and continues to be consensus that these permitted levels should be the same across Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-28117

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 16 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it (a) last reviewed and (b) will next review the permitted noise levels set out in the Antisocial Behaviour (Noise Control) (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

The Scottish Government published a call for evidence to support a policy review of the noise regime under Part 5 of the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004 on 7 May 2014. This included a review of the permitted noise levels.

We sought evidence from a wide range of people across Scotland. There was a broad consensus that the current permitted levels are appropriate. We will review them again if there is strong evidence to suggest alternatives.

Question reference: S4W-28100

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons private student accommodation complexes are exempt from non-domestic rates.