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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: S4O-02866

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of childcare provision in an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-19026

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 17 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out of trafficking legislation in Scotland.

The Scottish Government keeps human trafficking legislation under regular review in dialogue with key stakeholders, in particular police and prosecutors. Trafficking is an international and cross border crime and a partnership approach is the most effective way to tackle it. In December 2013, the UK Government published a Draft Modern Slavery Bill and we are working with them to explore the potential for that Bill to cover Scottish interests. We have encouraged relevant Scottish organisations to consider and comment on the Bill. In addition, we have brought forward provisions for a human trafficking statutory aggravation, which are contained in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S4O-02668

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the CashBack for Communities programme in Fife.

Question reference: S4O-02513

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on common agricultural policy funding to be made available to Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-17472

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what PFI contracts to build schools were approved in Fife between 1999 and 2007, what the capital cost was for each and how much will be paid over the lifetime of the contracts.

Question reference: S4W-17398

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether jobs on so-called zero-hours contracts are eligible for support from regional selective assistance.

Only permanent positions part time (15-30 hours per week – 0.5 full time equivalent) or full time (30 hours or more per week) are eligible for regional selective assistance funding. The minimum conditions period for jobs created under aid for job creation rules are three years for small and medium-sized enterprises and five years for large businesses. These have to be certified by an independent accountant. Zero-hours contracts and/or seasonal contracts terminated before the qualifying period are not eligible for this assistance.

Question reference: S4O-02486

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how its economic policy protects family budgets.

Question reference: S4W-17271

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the abolition of tolls on the Forth Road Bridge on (a) jobs and (b) economic development in Fife.

The Scottish Government took the decision to abolish the tolls on the Forth Road Bridge and the Tay Road Bridge in the belief that it was unfair and unacceptable to continue charging. This introduced equality on all bridges in Scotland, ending an injustice whereby those crossing the Forth Road Bridge and the Tay Road Bridge, commuters, drivers of commercial vehicles, tourists or local residents, were singled out for road charging.

Our transport system contributes to this government’s purpose of sustainable economic growth through connecting people to jobs, education, services and recreation, and connecting businesses with customers and suppliers. The removal of tolls on the Forth Road Bridge contributes to increased mobility and equality, enabling faster and more reliable journeys, and increasing access to employment.

Question reference: S4W-17272

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S3W-38767 by Keith Brown on 27 January 2011, whether it will provide an update on the average annual saving for a commuter since the abolition of tolls on the Forth Road Bridge.

On abolition in February 2008, the tolls on the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for cars and light goods vehicles were £1.00 per crossing. This was for the north bound crossing only.

This meant an annual cost of tolls of £230 per annum (based on a five day working week over a 46 week working year, assuming six weeks holiday per annum). Frequent user discount vouchers were available on the FRB. If these were used then the reduced rate of £0.90 was applied and the annual cost would have been £207 per annum based on the same conditions above.

Assuming that an increase in tolls would have taken place, uprating the 2008 frequent traveller cost of £207 annually to allow for inflation would mean a bridge toll in 2013 of £233 per annum, the amount a commuter would save in 2013 if tolls had not been abolished. This is an increase of £26 or 12.6% since 2008. This uprated figure is calculated using GDP deflators from the latest National Accounts figures produced by the Office of National Statistics and HM Treasury forecasts.

Question reference: S4W-17273

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it maintains a record of the number of vehicles using the Forth Road Bridge since the abolition of bridge tolls.

On behalf of Transport Scotland, the Scottish Roads Traffic Database operates a number of automatic traffic counters at Echline. These were installed in 2004 to record traffic flows on the bridge.

The Forth Estuary Transport Authority is responsible for the management, maintenance and operation of the Forth Road Bridge. Detailed traffic statistics recording the number of vehicles using the Forth Road Bridge are available on their website:

http://www.forthroadbridge.org/the-bridgetraffic-statistics/the-bridge-traffic-statistics-2013.