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-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-35661

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic impact of the recent closures of the Queensferry Crossing.

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-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-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-35665

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost to date is, including consultancy fees, of establishing the proposed publicly-owned energy company.

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.