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-35813

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are employed by the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board, and whether it will provide an outline of the work that the Board carries out.

The Enterprise & Skills Strategic Board aims to create alignment and collaboration across the enterprise & skills system in Scotland, to drive economic growth and provide better support for businesses and users of the skills system. Over the past year the board has undertaken reviews of the Industry Leadership Groups and measures to mitigate the labour market impact from COVID-19, with all the recommendations accepted by Ministers. The immediate priorities for the board include: reviewing the innovation funding landscape to identify opportunities for greater collaboration and alignment; identifying how the enterprise and skills system can best support Scottish businesses with the new trading arrangements with the EU; and refreshing the board’s Strategic Plan in light of the new challenges facing the Scottish economy. More information on the board’s work can be found on its website.

The board is an independent body, supported by the Analytical Unit who monitor the impact and outcomes of agency activity through a Performance Framework and the Secretariat Team who support the work stemming from the board’s priorities. A total of 10 staff (8.4 full time equivalent) work in the Analytical Unit and Secretariat for the board.

Question reference: S5W-35761

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has provided any contingent liabilities in relation to the suspension of EU funds in the (a) last three financial years and (b) (i) current and (ii) next financial year.

The Scottish Government’s contingent liabilities for the potential recoveries by the European Commission (EC) as a consequence of the suspensions, as reported in the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts, are as follows:

	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20
Contingent Liabilities	Nil	£25m	£35m

The Scottish Government’s financial year ends on 31 March 2021 and therefore no contingent liability is disclosed for the current or future financial years.

The European Social Fund (ESF) programme was formally suspended by the EC on 15 November 2019 because of deficiencies with procurement procedures, verifying costs for achievements and checks on the direct staff costs of Lead Partners that deliver projects.

The suspension of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme was confirmed on 3 February 2020 and lifted on 18 December 2020. The ERDF suspension was introduced due to issues relating to management verifications and maintaining a robust audit trail, including documents regarding expenditure and audits.

The ESF and ERDF programmes have not had funds decommitted as a result of the suspensions. For more information on reasons for decommitment, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34699 on 5 February 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

As the ERDF programme is no longer in suspension, there is no risk of a penalty. If the suspension of the ESF programme is not lifted, the EC reserves the right in its regulations to impose a penalty of up to 25% of the programme value, which would equate to £82.8m based on current exchange rates. The Scottish Government is working closely with the EC to lift the suspension of the ESF programme and is confident that no penalty will be applied. No penalties have been paid by the Scottish Government, nor has the EC informed the Scottish Government that any penalties are payable as a consequence of the suspensions.

Question reference: S5W-35815

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out to determine the reserves and other capital required for the establishment of a central bank for an independent Scotland, and how these would be funded.

All work to update the Scottish Government’s comprehensive plan for an independent Scotland from 2014 has been paused since 18 March 2020, to focus on the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

If there is majority support for an independence referendum in the next parliamentary term, once the Covid-19 pandemic is over, the Scottish Government will return to this work to ensure that the people of Scotland have the information they need to make informed choices over the future of the country.

Question reference: S5W-35765

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum potential penalty is that the EU Commission can impose on it as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.

Question reference: S5W-35768

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been informed of any penalties that are payable as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.

Question reference: S5W-35763

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme was due to a failure of its management and control systems.

Question reference: S5W-35767

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has paid any penalties as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.

Question reference: S5W-35764

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been decommitted as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.

Question reference: S5W-35762

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme was suspended.

Question reference: S5W-35814

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether Scotland’s Centre for Regional Inclusive Growth remains operational and, if so, (a) how many full-time staff members it employs and (b) and whether it will provide an outline of the work that the Centre carries out.

The Scottish Centre for Regional Inclusive Growth continues as an online resource hub. It is maintained by Scottish Government officials as part of their regular duties, as such it does not have dedicated full time staff. The Centre continues to publish material pertaining to inclusive growth and wellbeing economies, city and regional growth deals, community wealth building, and regional economic partnerships. It hosts the Inclusive Growth Diagnostic Framework and Scotland's Economic Asset Register, alongside examples of good practice being delivered across Scotland.