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-16388

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 1 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has provided in grants to support the retrofitting of bus fleets since 2007, broken down by operating company.

In 2010-11, the Scottish Government awarded the City of Edinburgh Council £177,198 from the Emissions Reduction Grant Scheme, which was used by Lothian Buses to retrofit 20 buses.

In March 2011, the Scottish Government awarded the City of Edinburgh Council £243,000 and Glasgow City Council £281,000 to retrofit emission reducing equipment to older buses, benefiting the cities with better, cleaner and healthier air quality.

The City of Edinburgh Council, working with Lothian Buses, have used their award to retrofit an additional 34 buses. Glasgow City Council have not yet used their award and have been given an extension until December 2013 to do so.

Question reference: S4W-16071

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 24 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much each of the interventions set out in A Low Carbon Scotland, the Second Report on Policies and Proposals will save in cost-per-kilogram of carbon dioxide saved.

Part 3 of the Technical Appendix to Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting the Emissions Reduction Targets 2013-2027 (RPP2), published on the Scottish Government website, contains available information on annual emissions abatement, financial costs and benefits relating to proposals and policies in the report. The cost-per-kilogram of carbon dioxide saved each year from particular interventions can be estimated from this information. The estimated lifetime cost-per-kilogram of carbon saved from the non-traded sector between 2013 and 2027 from measures in RPP2 is 0.28 £/kg. This calculation does not include measures where it has not been possible to estimate costs at this stage. Due to significant uncertainties, projections of carbon savings and financial costs should be considered indicative only.

There are a number of important benefits that are not comprehensively included in the RPP2 figures – for example co-benefits including job creation, health improvement, local air quality improvement and biodiversity protection and enhancement, as well as the avoidance of potentially higher climate change adaptation costs in future years through taking preventative action.

Question reference: S4W-16070

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates the Edinburgh tram project will save each year in carbon emission reductions, also broken down by cost-per-kilogram of carbon dioxide saved.

The Edinburgh Tram remains a City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) project. The Edinburgh Tram Network STAG 2 Appraisal of December 2006 prepared by CEC predicts an increase of 2.6% in CO2 emissions. This information has not been updated since 2008.

The assumptions in the STAG were based upon significant development going ahead as a result of the trams with additional traffic, private cars and freight which would result in more CO2 emissions globally. It is also based on an assessment of the line from Airport to Newhaven and not the current truncated line from the Airport to York Place. It also assumed that power generation did not come from renewable sources, but it did identify that localised CO2 emissions through the key sections, such as Shandwick Place, would be significantly reduced.

Question reference: S4O-02320

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 27 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on deciding on the location of the proposed national performance centre for sport.

Question reference: S4W-15714

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 18 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update the code of practice of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 to take account of the new national policing structure and, if so, how.

Question reference: S4T-00369

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce the proposed Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S4O-02186

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what benefits would accrue to Edinburgh as the capital city as a result of Scottish independence.

Question reference: S4W-14799

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 21 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor enforcement of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 with regard to the offence of charging an illegal tenancy premium.

It is for landlords and letting agents acting on their behalf to comply with section 82 of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 (as amended by section 32 of the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011).

The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with consumer advice providers and stakeholders such as Shelter to assess compliance with the law.

The Scottish Government plans to launch a new Strategy for the private rented sector at the end of May 2013. This will set out our plans for regulating the letting agent sector in future.

Question reference: S4W-14798

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 21 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the enforcement body is for breaches of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 with regard to the charging of premiums.

There is no single enforcement body for such breaches. Any person who requires payment of such a premium, and any person who receives the premium, is guilty of an offence under section 82 of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 (as amended by section 32 of the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011).

Should a person believe that they have been charged a premium prohibited by the 1984 Act, or have been asked to pay one, they can report this to their local authority, and this can be taken into account for the purposes of the Landlord Registration ‘fit and proper person’ test. They can also seek to reclaim any premium fees charged through the courts.

Tenants or prospective tenants asked to pay such a premium may opt to approach a housing advice provider, or seek independent legal advice. In addition, if a letting agent in Scotland proposes the charging of such a premium, and is a member of a professional body, then a tenant or prospective tenant may also report this to that professional body.

The Scottish Government consulted on regulation of the Letting Agent industry as part of gathering views on a consultative strategy for the private rented sector in 2012. Further regulation of the industry received broad support. The Scottish Government plans to launch the final strategy for the private rented sector at the end of May 2013. The strategy will outline our plans for future action in this area.

Question reference: S4W-14797

Asked by: Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 20 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recourse there is for prospective tenants faced with a premium that contravenes the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984.

Any person who requires payment of such a premium, and any person who receives the premium, is guilty of an offence under section 82 of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 (as amended by section 32 of the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011).

Prospective tenants may opt to approach a housing advice provider, or seek independent legal advice. In addition, a prospective tenant can report the proposed charging of such a premium to their local authority. This can be taken into account in establishing whether a landlord is a ‘fit and proper person’ to let property. If a letting agent in Scotland proposes the charging of such a premium, and is a member of a professional body, then a prospective tenant may also report this to that professional body.

The Scottish Government consulted on regulation of the Letting Agent Industry as part of gathering views on a consultative strategy for the private rented sector in 2012. Further regulation of the industry received broad support. The Scottish Government plans to launch the final strategy for the private rented sector in May 2013. The strategy will outline our plans for future action in this area.