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: S6W-24499

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, what alternative levies or taxes it considered as a means of generating additional revenue.

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget. As set out in the 2024-25 Scottish Budget publication, the Scottish Government has however committed to introduce or explore six new taxes. These comprise three national taxes: Scottish Aggregates Tax, Air Departure Tax, and a Building Safety Levy; and three local taxes: Visitor Levy, Cruise Liner Levy, and a Local Carbon Land Tax.

Question reference: S6W-24498

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, what its position is on whether the introduction of such a levy is consistent with (a) the principles set out in its Framework for Tax and (b) its pledge to maintain a competitive rates regime.

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget. The exploratory work will be carried out in compliance with the Framework for Tax, including engagement with all relevant stakeholders.

The Scottish Government is committed to keeping all Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) policy reforms under review to ensure that the NDR system delivers the most competitive environment to do business whilst also supporting our communities. The Basic Property Rate will be frozen in 2024-25 for the second year in a row, maintaining the lowest such rate in the UK for the sixth year in a row. Over 95% of properties in Scotland - those with a rateable value up to and including £100,000 - will continue to liable for a lower non-domestic rate than anywhere else in the UK in 2024-25.

Question reference: S6W-24446

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, whether it undertook any analysis of the previous iteration of the supplement, which was in place from 2012 to 2015.

Question reference: S6W-24444

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, whether this supplement will come on top of, or instead of, any higher property rate that may be levied on a retail property.

Question reference: S6W-24445

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with its economic development agencies, including Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International, regarding the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, prior to the announcement in its Budget for 2024-25.

Question reference: S6W-24181

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the £66.9 million investment in offshore wind, announced in its Budget 2024-25, will be delivered; what the investment priorities will be, and what the (a) timeline and (b) process will be for releasing the funds.

We are initiating our commitment of up to £500 million to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland with investment of £67 million in 2024-2025.

This commercial and grant investment will stimulate and support private investment in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to the growth of our world-leading offshore wind sector.

We have worked with public sector partners to develop a framework which will achieve strategic alignment of public sector investment in offshore renewables supply chain and infrastructure development.

This very much aligns with the approach taken by the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) in developing the Strategic Investment Model (SIM) to move from project-led to sector level investment that better supports growth in port and supply chain capacity and capability.

We will continue to collaborate with public sector partners and engage with industry and other partners as we finalise our approach and we will provide an update in due course.

Our strategic investment will support market certainty, create new jobs, embed innovation, and boost skills to foster a competitive economy, underscoring our determination to maximise the economic benefits from Scotland’s offshore wind potential.

Question reference: S6W-24109

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timetable for the publication of its Green Industrial Strategy, as set out in its Programme for Government 2023-24.

The global transition to net zero offers enormous economic opportunities for Scotland. We have strengths and potential in sectors ranging from offshore wind, hydrogen, and advanced manufacturing to data and finance. Across the country, Scottish firms have the chance to sell to the world and create good, well-paid jobs as part of a fair, green and growing economy.

Our Green Industrial Strategy will set out how the Scottish Government will help businesses and investors realise the opportunities from the global transition to net zero. We will set out our strategy in the summer.

Question reference: S6O-02877

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in implementing the recommendations made by the New Deal for Business Group on reforming non-domestic rates.

Question reference: S6W-23075

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly refused proposals by (a) the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council, (b) the Scottish Painting and Decorating Apprenticeship Council and (c) Unite the Union to use Professional Development Awards to alleviate the backlog in construction apprentices who have completed most of their SVA units and portfolio work but remain uncertified.

The challenges experienced by construction apprentices completing their apprenticeships continue to be closely monitored. The backlog of those who started in 2017 and 2018 has largely been cleared due to considerable support from all stakeholders. Scottish Government continues to work with agencies and industry to improve the rate of completion for the 2019 cohort, while maintaining the quality and integrity of the apprenticeships.

As Minister for Higher and Further Education I have chaired multiple roundtables with key stakeholders and industry partners and have stressed the need for practical solutions to resolve this backlog as quickly as possible, while ensuring no detriment to the apprentices.

I welcome practical and feasible solutions to help address this situation but we have to ensure that those solutions do not have any unintended consequences for the learners.

Question reference: S6T-01660

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the public sector workforce reductions predicted by the finance secretary on Sunday.