Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-00030

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what legislative consent memorandums it anticipates lodging in the Parliament in relation to the legislative programme of the UK Government announced in The Queen’s Speech on 11 May 2021.

In accordance with the Sewel Convention and in line with Rule 9B of Standing Orders, the UK Parliament should not legislate with regard to devolved matters – that is on matters within the legislative competence of the Parliament or which change the competence of the Parliament or the Scottish Ministers – without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

Within the legislative programme announced by the UK Government, Bills which appear to give rise to the requirement for the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament are:

Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill

Electoral Integrity Bill

Environment Bill

Health and Care Bill

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

Procurement Reform Bill

Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill

Professional Qualifications Bill

Kept Animals Bill

The Scottish Government will consider the content of all Bills before making its recommendation to the Parliament on legislative consent. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine whether to give or withhold consent.

It is possible that legislative consent may be required for other UK Bills and those will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise.

Question reference: S5O-05152

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting mental health services in the Renfrewshire South constituency.

The Scottish Government is supporting mental health services with significant investment, The total £262.1 million budget for mental health and autism in the coming financial year more than doubles the budget for 2021/22 when compared to 2020 and takes total anticipated spend on mental health in 2021/22 to in excess of £1.2 billion.

As part of the support available, we have awarded £11.25 million to Community Planning Partners via Local Authorities to enable them to provide pandemic-related mental health and wellbeing services to children and young people in their local area. Renfrewshire received £340,500, which they have indicated has been used to enhance school counselling services and expand counselling sessions to young children in primary schools. They have also provided a support service to support children and young people in children’s houses. They will focus on family and parenting support and services that support 18 – 24 year olds.

Question reference: S5W-35556

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the rateable value is at which businesses receive 100% small business bonus relief on non-domestic rates, and what information it has regarding how this compares with England and Wales.

The following table sets out a comparison of the non-domestic rates relief available under the Small Business Bonus Scheme in Scotland with the equivalent schemes in England (Small Business Bonus Rate Relief) and Wales (Small Business Bonus Rates Relief):

	Scotland	England	Wales
100% relief	100% relief for all premises where the total rateable value is £15,000 or less regardless of the number of premises occupied by the ratepayer	100% relief on a maximum of one premises with a rateable value of £12,000 or less.*	100% relief for as many as two premises** where the total rateable value is £6,000 or less
Less than 100% relief	25% relief for each premises with a rateable value of is £18,000 or less where the cumulative value is £35,000 or less.	Relief tapers to zero for premises with rateable values up to £15,000.*	Relief tapers to zero for premises with rateable values up to £12,000.
Comments	There is no cap on the number of properties that a ratepayer can claim on (only a rateable value cap). Pay day lending is not eligible.	* If a second premises is acquired, the relief will continue to be available on the main property but for only 12 months; relief is still available on the main property afterwards if the cumulative rateable value is £20,000 or less (£28,000 in London).	** Where a ratepayer is liable for more than two properties on a single local non-domestic rating list, and those properties meet only the rateable value conditions, relief will only be given for a maximum of two such properties.

Question reference: S5W-35917

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its refreshed national digital strategy will enable Scotland's people and economy to flourish in an increasingly digital world.

Scotland’s previous digital strategy was published in 2017. It set out a vision of Scotland as a vibrant, inclusive, greener, open and outward-looking digital nation.

This vision is now even more compelling – however, the context in which it needs to be delivered has changed dramatically: not least as a result of the pandemic, and the end of the Brexit transition period, which has compounded the challenges Scotland faces.

The Scottish Government and COSLA have worked together to deliver a refreshed Digital Strategy for Scotland that will enable a shared vision of a modern, digital and collaborative government, designed around people.

“A Changing Nation: How Scotland Will Thrive In A Digital World” looks at the role digital will play in three key areas:

people, place and society;
business;
government and public services;

and sets out a path for us to work together to enable Scotland to fulfil its potential, face the challenges and opportunities digital brings and in doing so ensure the societal and economic wellbeing of our people and our country.

The strategy considers how we must build a Digital Scotland in which:-

we are open, ethical and working with others to meet new moral, environmental, regulatory and security concerns;
green thinking is incorporated into all our digital solutions, so we can contribute to meet our statutory commitments to be a net zero society by 2045;
geography, background or ability is not a barrier to getting online and benefiting from digital technology, and we capitalise on the potential of digital technology to sustain and invigorate rural and island communities;
wellbeing is both safeguarded and enhanced through the greater use of digital technology;
security and resilience are at the core of all our digital developments;
our children are prepared for the workplace of the future, and training and skills development is available for the existing workforce;
Scottish businesses embrace the economic opportunities of data, technology, digital marketing and new ways of working;
our tech sector is an innovative one, successful internationally and involving enthusiastic partners in a network of digital and data talent;
we reinvent our public services to make them more personal, accountable, adaptable, efficient, secure, sustainable and worthy of public trust;
our government, NHS and Councils are transformed into true digital organisations with digital skills, cultures and operating models; and
our third sector partners are supported to develop their digital capabilities and introduce new digital business models.

The strategy is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/a-changing-nation-how-scotland-will-thrive-in-a-digital-world .

Question reference: S5W-35554

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the amount paid in income tax paid by people earning the UK median wage in each of the last two years, and how this compares with the rest of the UK.

According to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), median gross annual pay for all workers, both full- and part-time, in the UK was £25,780 in 2020. From this we can calculate the following tax liabilities, assuming the individual in question is in receipt of the standard UK Personal Allowance and is not in receipt of any other reliefs and exemptions.

	Tax Due
	2019-20	2020-21
Scotland	£2,643.85	£2,641.37
rUK	£2,656.00	£2,656.00
Difference	£12.15	£14.63

This shows that taxpayers earning the UK’s median pay will pay less tax in Scotland in both 2019-20 and 2020-21 than they would do elsewhere in the UK.

Question reference: S5W-35822

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Russell on 8 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish details of its view regarding the UK Government’s activity in relation to devolution following Brexit.

The Scottish Government published a report on 8 March 2021 showing the extent to which the Scottish Parliament’s powers are being eroded by the UK Government following the 2016 Brexit vote.

The report details the way in which devolution is being fundamentally undermined, culminating with the introduction of the UK Internal Market Act upon EU exit.

The report can be found on the Scottish Government’s website: After Brexit: The UK Internal Market Act & Devolution - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S5W-35555

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the average household water bill is, and what information it has regarding how this compares with England and Wales.

Question reference: S5O-05057

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce health inequalities.

Question reference: S5O-05021

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting rail services in the Renfrewshire South constituency.

Question reference: S5O-04888

Asked by: Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that care home residents who are unable to go outside can still meet friends and family.

Chamber and committees