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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: S5W-07381

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it provides to third sector organisations that provide services for veterans.

The Scottish Government provides funding to a range of third sector organisations that deliver services for veterans. These include the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations to support the Community Jobs Scotland programme, Combat Stress for the provision of specialist mental health support, Scottish Veterans Garden City Association to build homes for disabled veterans and £464,000 since 2008 to the sectors umbrella organisation, Veterans Scotland, to support its activities.

Further, the Scottish Government has invested £833,316.88 to date via the Scottish Veterans Fund to support 125 projects delivered by third sector organisations across the country that provide services for veterans. Full details on the organisations and grants awarded was lodged with SPICe on 2 November 2016 in answer to
SW-04070 (Bib number 58314).

The Scottish Veterans Fund will be expanded to £600,000 over the next three year thanks to a contribution of £80,000 per year from Standard Life. Additionally, for the first time the Fund will include the opportunity for multi-year projects which will enhance employment opportunities amongst the veterans’ community. I will announce successful applicants and awards in March.

Question reference: S5W-07369

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the campaign to reduce VAT for tourism, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding this.

The Scottish Government values the significant contribution made by the visitor economy and considers that a reduced rate of VAT could bring important benefits for the tourism sector, including enhancing its competitiveness. In March 2016, following a joint Ministerial meeting, the former Minister for Tourism, along with those of the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations, wrote jointly to HM Treasury to request a review of VAT rates for the tourism industry to gather evidence on the impact of any change. This approach was declined.

Question reference: S5W-06492

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 3 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what powers local authorities have to compulsory purchase privately-owned, vacant high street shop units, and what guidance or assistance is available for this purpose.

Local authority powers to compulsorily acquire land are to be found in various general Acts of Parliament. The purpose for which the authority seeks to acquire land will determine whether it has relevant powers and which power is most appropriate.

The 2016 Programme for Government committed Scottish Ministers to introduce interim measures to modernise compulsory purchase orders in advance of legislation over this parliament and work is already underway to review the current framework for dealing with these. We are also exploring how best the intended Compulsory Sales Orders legislation can complement Compulsory Purchase Orders to ensure more effective use of vacant land and derelict land.

Scottish Government policy and guidance on the use of existing compulsory purchase powers can be found in Circular 6/2011: Compulsory Purchase Orders which is available at www.gov.scot/Publications/2011/10/21133522/3. Scottish Ministers can also offer a technical examination of a draft Compulsory Purchase Order. The aim of these examinations is to reduce subsequent delays and the period of uncertainty for people affected.

Question reference: S5O-00654

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how rural deprivation is taken into account in its funding allocations.

Question reference: S5W-06493

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications of devolution are for the Crown Estate's coastal communities fund.

The Fiscal Framework Agreement sets out the principle that responsibility for the UK Government's Coastal Communities Fund will be devolved to the Scottish Government. Scottish Ministers have agreed to a further round of funding applications under Round four for 2017-18.

Scottish Ministers are consulting on the long term arrangements for the management of Crown Estate assets in Scotland and will finalise the position on the future of the Coastal Communities Fund in Scotland in due course.

Question reference: S5O-00605

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the new Scottish Land Commission plans to review the effectiveness of access legislation.

I was delighted that the Parliament unanimously approved the appointment of the Land Commissioners in December and I am aware that they are beginning to develop an initial work programme in preparation for the Scottish Land Commission becoming operational in April.

At this juncture, I do not know whether that early work programme will include a review of the effectiveness of access legislation. I am aware that access issues do arise from time to time but I would observe that in 2014 the independent Land Reform Review Group said in its report that Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 Act, which deals with access rights, ‘is generally working well on the ground.’

Question reference: S5O-00617

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what funding and support it provides to projects that aim to tackle inequalities.

Question reference: S5W-05852

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans to provide financial assistance to rural schools that incur additional transportation costs for pupils that attend after-school activities, and to what extent local authorities are obliged to take such needs into account.

In Scotland local authorities have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the transport between home and school of pupils residing and attending schools, in their area. In considering these arrangements, authorities are required to have regard to the safety of the pupil.

The distribution formula used to allocate individual local authority funding allocations from the Scottish Government takes into account various measurements of need. The main indicator used in the formula in respect of school transport is the population aged 5 to 15 but in recognition that it costs more to provide school transport in more rural areas, a secondary indicator is used which is based on the dispersion of the population. The impact of this secondary indicator is to increase rural local authorities’ allocations at the expense of the more urban communities.

Any decision on specific travel arrangements including the provision of free school transport for pupils out of school hours would be for the local authorities to determine and it and it would not be appropriate for Scottish Ministers to comment.

Question reference: S5W-05671

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what financial assistance is available to support National Galleries Scotland touring programmes to promote access to national arts collections in communities throughout Scotland in and beyond 2017.

The National Galleries receives £12.9m per annum from the Scottish Government in support of its operating costs. While none of this is ring-fenced for touring programmes, I expect the Galleries, and all of the national bodies in receipt of public funding, to provide access to art and culture right across Scotland. The Galleries have an excellent track record of this, particularly through GENERATION which exhibited in over 60 venues across Scotland and Artists Rooms which has exhibited over 24 venues. Local venues taking part in touring programmes need to have adequate environmental and security conditions to house works of art.

Question reference: S5O-00570

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in providing the Crown Estate with a social remit as part of the devolution arrangements.