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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: S6W-32559

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-32000 by Shona Robison on 18 December 2024, after taking account of the expected in-year transfers and budget revisions considered in its answer, what difference it expects there to be between level 1 funding for each portfolio as stated in its draft Budget 2025-26 and the final actual funding for these portfolios.

Question reference: S6W-32450

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-32009 by Ivan McKee on 17 December 2024, whether it is accounting for inflation through business rate increases and, if so, what the reason is for taking this approach rather than through changes to rateable value.

Question reference: S6W-32563

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to launch a public consultation on revised proposals on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion.

Question reference: S6W-32003

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly only gave the Scottish Fiscal Commission an eight-day notice period of its plans regarding the future in Scotland of the two-child cap on benefits.

The Scottish Government keeps a range of measures under consideration as it develops and finalises its Budget. Final decisions are communicated with the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) as soon as is practicable. The Scottish Fiscal Commission is undertaking work to cost the proposal to mitigate the impact of the two-child cap in Scotland for 2026-27. The SFC plan to publish their supplementary costings on 7 January 2025.

Question reference: S6W-32466

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties will be subject to the basic property rate poundage in 2025-26, broken down by (a) industry sector and (b) local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-32467

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it expects to raise from each (a) industry and (b) business sector from the basic property rate in 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-32451

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-32009 by Ivan McKee on 17 December 2024, and in relation to the "inflationary increase" in his response, how it has historically adjusted business rate poundage in relation to inflation since 1999.

Question reference: S6O-04162

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been made aware of the identity of the police officers investigating Operation Branchform, and, if so, when.

Question reference: S6W-32000

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, after taking account of the expected in-year transfers and budget revisions, what difference there will be between local government funding provided in 2024-25 and 2025-26.

As outlined in Table 4.12 of the Scottish Budget, on a like with like basis, the Local Government Settlement will be £15,035.2 million following the conclusion of the Spring Budget Revision 2025-26 compared with £14,027.1 million following the conclusion of the Spring Budget Revision 2024-25. It is therefore estimated that the difference in local government funding provided in 2024-25 and 2025-26 will be £1,008.1 million.

As with all previous years, any unanticipated transfers in year will also be given effect at the relevant budget revision and processed in the Local Government Finance Order 2026-27.

Question reference: S6W-31999

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase the local government budget through in-year transfers in 2025-26 and, if so, (a) to what extent and (b) from what other budget areas.

The Scottish Government routinely increases the Local Government budget in-year, including through transfers from other portfolios. The anticipated transfers for 2025-25 are as shown in Table 4.12 of the Scottish Budget and indicate that at least £1,438.3 million of resource and £25 million of capital will be transferred into the General Revenue and General Capital grants at the 2025-26 Autumn or Spring Budget Revisions. Further funding outwith the Local Government Settlement is outlined in Table 4.15 and paid directly by the relevant portfolio.

As with all previous years, any unanticipated transfers in year will also be given effect at the relevant budget revision and processed in the Local Government Finance Order 2026-27.

As outlined in Tables 4.12 and 4.15, it is anticipated that most Scottish Government portfolios will transfer additional funding to Local Government in 2025-26.