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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-21070

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reintroducing a ban on fishing within three miles of the coast.

The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a national three-mile-limit on mobile gear fishing.

The Scottish Government takes the enforcement of sustainable fisheries management and protection of the marine environment extremely seriously. It is important that everyone who uses Scotland’s substantial marine resources, and derives benefit from them, does so responsibly.

The Scottish Government is investing £1.5 million in its Inshore Fleet Modernisation Programme. The first phase, being rolled out this year, will see higher risk vessels fitted with appropriate equipment to enable tracking of fishing activity and location, in real time. The remaining under 12 metre fleet will be rolled out in 2020.

Question reference: S5O-02702

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in reducing youth unemployment in North Ayrshire.

Question reference: S5W-19891

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the existing and proposed marine protected areas, and other spatial measures, are sufficient to preserve the health of the seabed.

A large range of factors affect the environmental status of our seabed, including the protection provided to sensitive habitats by the MPA network. A UK-wide assessment of progress towards good environmental status for benthic habitats is expected to be published for consultation in early 2019. Following this a new programme of measures to maintain or improve environmental status will be developed and adopted by the end of 2021.

Question reference: S5W-19834

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 20 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that its services, such as financial health checks, which are delivered through Citizens Advice bureaux, are equally accessible in local authority areas where no bureaux are present.

The Financial Health Check will be delivered by Citizens Advice Scotland and the network of Citizens Advice Bureaux. The check will be delivered either face to face at one of around 60 local CABx across Scotland, or over the phone using the free-phone number 0800 085 7145. In areas where there is no local bureau, face to face appointments will be carried out by an outreach bureau in neighbouring areas ensuring the service is equally accessible in all local authorities.

Question reference: S5O-02557

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the world’s carbon output is from Scotland, and what it plans to reduce this to by 2050.

Scottish emissions of carbon dioxide represent around 0.1% of the global total.

The Scottish Government’s comprehensive package of policies and proposals for reducing emissions over the period to 2032 is set out in its Climate Change Plan.

The targets in the Climate Change Bill mean reducing Scotland’s emissions of carbon dioxide to net-zero levels by 2050. In other words, Scotland will be carbon neutral.

Question reference: S5O-02514

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to help boost the Ayrshire economy.

Question reference: S5W-19150

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 26 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the outcome of the BBC Loneliness Experiment, which indicates that levels of loneliness are highest among 16- to 24-year-olds, with 40% saying they often or very often feel lonely.

We recognise that particular groups, like young people, can be at greater risk of social isolation and loneliness than others. Analysis of responses to our public consultation highlighted issues specifically relevant to young people. These range from the important role schools can play in raising awareness of and tackling stigma around the issues of social isolation and loneliness; risks posed by use of digital technology for communication; and the challenges faced by young parents. We are continuing to develop our national strategy, A Connected Scotland, which takes a whole population approach to these issues and we will publish this before the end of the year.

Question reference: S5W-19062

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18698 by Derek Mackay on 25 September 2018, what information it has on how much revenue has accrued to the Treasury from alcohol duty on Scotch whisky, at today’s prices, over the last 10 years for which figures are available.

As set out in response to S5W-18698, there are no official statistics showing the extent of revenue raised from the Scotch whisky industry. Over the last 10 years, the UK government has collected £32 billion in revenue from alcohol duty levied on spirits (in 2017-18 prices). Revenue is not recorded for individual types of spirits, however, over this period 22% of spirits charged with duty were UK produced whisky, as measured by the volume of alcohol.

Question reference: S5W-18701

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been consulted by the Treasury regarding proposals to increase employers’ national insurance contributions, and what impact the implementation of these proposals would have on Scotland’s (a) budget and (b) public services.

Question reference: S5W-18698

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how much revenue has accrued to the Treasury from Scotch Whisky, at today’s prices, over the last 10 years for which figures are available.

The Scotch whisky industry is of vital importance to the Scottish economy, with exports worth £4.36 billion in 2017.

Like any industry, the whisky industry’s activity in Scotland generates tax revenue through a range of sources, such as corporation tax on profits, income tax and national insurance contributions on staff earnings, non-domestic rates payments on business premises, VAT and alcohol duty. Except for income tax on earnings and non-domestic rates, these revenues flow directly to the Treasury.

There are no official statistics showing the extent of total revenues raised from the Scottish whisky industry.