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-23208

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that decisions made through the social security programme are appropriately escalated or reported to the programme's board.

We can confirm, and as stated by the Auditor General the Public Affairs and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee meeting held 16 May 2019, that the Social Security Programme has well established and robust governance structures, processes and mechanisms in place to support decision making and facilitate the escalation of risks and issues as when appropriate.

The Programme continues to show a commitment to improving its governance, reflecting on its progress and learning lessons.

Question reference: S5W-23213

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Social Security Scotland is staffed by an adequate number of permanent employees.

When considering our location(s) of our offices in Dundee and Glasgow, the Scottish Government undertook comprehensive analysis, part of this analysis was to consider the labour market and the ability to recruit for permanent posts within each location.

Social Security Scotland engage with third sector organisations and employability stakeholders across Scotland to raise awareness of their recruitment campaigns.

This has delivered successful outcomes in not only filling vacancies advertised, but also created some reserve lists for future recruitment campaigns.

Question reference: S5W-23219

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what progress it is making in finalising the contracts with the DWP for continued delivery of some devolved benefits.

A number of Agency Agreements will be put in place in preparation for transfer of executive competence on 1 April 2020. The Agency Agreements are key mechanisms to support the safe and secure transition of delivery responsibilities from the DWP to our own Social Security Scotland Agency. They are a cost-effective way of ensuring that Scottish residents continue to receive the right payments at the right time whilst we undertake the work required to develop our new systems.

To successfully achieve this, the Scottish Government is working closely with DWP to agree joint plans and priorities to deliver the necessary milestones.

Question reference: S5W-23325

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding the implementation of the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Question reference: S5W-23223

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to acquire third-party pieces of coding and software for the social security programme.

Question reference: S5W-23139

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it raises awareness among coastal local authorities of the funding streams that are available to them for economic and land development.

The Scottish Government has many available funds for coastal local authorities, raising awareness for these funds are done in many different ways, including social media and in local newspapers.

The Scottish Government is delivering a funding package of £11.2 billion for local authorities in 2019-20, a real terms increase of £310 million or 2.9 per cent for essential public services in Scotland. Details of the available funding from the Scottish Government is published in The Local Government Finance Circular that contains the individual allocations for each local authority.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/local-government-finance-circular-2-2019-settlement-for-2019-2020/ .

Question reference: S5W-23138

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much unallocated funding remains from the 2018-19 Coastal Communities Fund; what plans it has for this funding, and how this compares with how this was disposed of in previous years.

Question reference: S5W-23136

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to review its interim arrangement with COSLA regarding the distribution of funding for local authorities through the Coastal Communities Fund.

Following devolution of the management and revenue of the Scottish Crown Estate we agreed an interim arrangement with COSLA for distributing a share of total net revenue from marine assets in the 0-12 nautical mile zone (this arrangement is distinct from the operation of the Coastal Communities Fund). The precise timetable for reviewing this interim arrangement is still under discussion with COSLA but we expect it to be completed within the next two years.

The review of the Coastal Communities Fund in Scotland is at an advanced stage and I expect to announce the way forward on funding for coastal communities this summer.

Question reference: S5O-03292

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage the recruitment of GPs in rural communities.

Question reference: S5W-23196

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many claims for compensation for journeys on the Borders Railway ScotRail received in each month between May 2016 and May 2019.