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: S5W-12244

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Construction of Edinburgh Schools (the Cole report), what work has been done to survey each schools regarding firestopping measures, also broken down by how the method used to finance the school's construction.

The health and safety of all pupils whilst at school in Scotland is of paramount importance to us. The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 places a statutory responsibility on all local authorities to manage and maintain the school estate and provide a safe school environment for all school users.

Scottish Futures Trust wrote to Local Authorities, Public Bodies, Health Facilities Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council (for colleges) in February, highlighting concerns raised about fire-stopping and reminding them to ensure their asset management and inspection practices are robust and to ensure that fire-stopping (often present in ceiling voids and other obscured areas) is appropriate.

In addition, I wrote to all local authorities in August seeking reassurance of fire safety across the school estate. From the detailed responses received, we are reassured that local authorities have taken all steps necessary to ensure the fire safety of their schools.

Question reference: S5O-01449

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what changes it plans to make to its procedures and policies regarding the operation of bars and receptions in the Parliament, in light of the role that such contexts and alcohol had in recent reports regarding sexual harassment.

Question reference: S5W-11876

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00714 by Michael Matheson on 1 March 2017 (Official Report, c.16), what progress it is making with the implementation of section 179 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 regarding disabled access.

Question reference: S5T-00732

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that violent attacks and abuse towards staff in schools have risen by a third in three years.

Question reference: S5W-11878

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what role the chair of the Strategic Board for Enterprise and Skills will have in education policy and governance.

On 31 August the First Minister announced that Nora Senior has been appointed Chair of the new Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board. Ms Senior is Chair, UK Regions & Ireland, of global PR firm Weber Shandwick.

The Board will align and co-ordinate the activities of Scotland’s enterprise and skills agencies – Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council. The new enterprise agency being established for the South of Scotland will also fall within the scope of the Board.

Through development of a strategic plan and a common performance framework which will stem from this plan, the Strategic Board will drive a coherent strategic direction for each of these agencies.

The Board will also engage more widely with organisations that contribute towards the aims of raising productivity and inclusive growth, including local authorities, where appropriate.

Question reference: S5W-11877

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of reference are for the role of the chair of the Strategic Board for Enterprise and Skills.

The Strategic Board is expected to meet for the first time in November, after which an agreed terms of reference for the Board, including the Chair, will be published.

The Board will align the activities of Scotland’s enterprise and skills agencies – Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council – behind a Strategic Plan. The new enterprise agency being established for the South of Scotland will also fall within the scope of the Board.

The Board will also develop an agreed common performance framework stemming from the strategic plan, and will aim to maximise the effect of Scotland’s investment in enterprise and skills, ensuring a simpler and more coherent system of support that will contribute towards Scotland’s economic ambitions.

Question reference: S5W-11492

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the Consultation on Primary Authority Partnerships relating to Devolved Regulatory Responsibilities of Local Authorities ended, and what steps it has taken to introduce the scheme.

The Consultation on Primary Authority Partnerships relating to Devolved Regulatory Responsibilities of Local Authorities ended on 25 June 2015.

We continue to work with stakeholders, including regulatory and licensing authorities on key elements that will form the foundation for the roll out of a Primary Authority type scheme in Scotland. We have already introduced the first set of National Standards for Mobile Traders relating to Food Hygiene where businesses receive one certificate (recognised across Scotland) from one local authority.

Question reference: S5W-11487

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 4 October 2017

Question reference: S5W-11483

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects VAT revenues to be assigned to it, and what its strategy will be for maximising these.

The Fiscal Framework agreed that VAT assignment will be implemented in the financial year 2019-20. VAT policy will remain reserved so the Scottish Government will not have any formal policy levers available to maximise revenues. However, the Scottish Government remains committed to doing all it can to generate sustainable economic growth, which will be important for protecting and growing VAT receipts.

Question reference: S5W-11486

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact will be of the increase in statutory minimum pension contributions in 2018, and what information it has regarding how many people in Scotland will be affected by the changes.