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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-17548

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when details of the successor to Eric Fraser, Scottish Veterans Commissioner, will be announced.

I want to express my thanks to Eric Fraser for his outstanding work over the past four years. He has achieved a great deal and his work has informed future priorities for this government. I have very much appreciated his great dedication to promoting veterans as assets to both employers and society.

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Charles (Charlie) Wallace as a very able successor to Eric Fraser.

Colonel Charlie Wallace has had an exemplary 35 year career in the Army and is currently the Deputy Commander, 51st Infantry Brigade and HQ Scotland. Colonel Wallace will succeed Mr Fraser when his tenure ends in the Autumn. Details of Colonel Wallace’s appointment are currently being finalised, and I look forward to working with him when he commences this vital role.

Question reference: S5W-17502

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 June 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers.

I am pleased to announce that we have today published our consultation paper, A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland . As stated in A Nation With Ambition , our 2017-18 Programme for Government, we want to introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers that will increase our recycling rates, improve the quality of material being recycled, and reduce littering. The consultation paper lays out the work that has been done so far and explains the components that will go into a successful deposit return scheme. It also offers four examples of how a system might operate. We would welcome comments on both the components and the examples to help us finalise the design of the scheme.

Question reference: S5W-17218

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time for registrations is at Land Registry Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-17219

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for registration at Land Registry Scotland in each of the last three years (a) have been complete and (b) are outstanding.

Question reference: S5F-02514

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 June 2018

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential impact on Scotland of a trade war between the United States and Europe following the recent imposition of new tariffs.

Question reference: S5O-02262

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet the new administration of the Moray Council.

Question reference: S5O-02186

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 6 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what options are being considered for the development of Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery to enhance its contribution to tourism to the area and the wider economy.

As Richard Lochhead will be aware, Dallas Dhu distillery is owned by Diageo and is property in the care of the Scottish Ministers. Its conservation and management is handled by Historic Environment Scotland under a scheme of delegation.

I understand that Fiona Hyslop has raised the matter with Historic Environment Scotland since Richard Lochhead last asked about Dallas Dhu and that active discussions are taking place. As there are commercial sensitivities to this issue Richard Lochhead will be aware there are limits to what can be said in public.

Question reference: S5W-16559

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has taken forward the recommendation by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in its report, The paediatric workforce: Focus on Scotland, to raise with the UK Government what the college advised was the need to ensure that, within the immigration rules, paediatrics should be included on the Scottish shortage occupation list, with exemption from the resident labour market test, and, if so, what response it has received.

I can confirm that the paediatrics specialty is currently on both the UK and Scotland Only Shortage Occupation List (SOL). In using either of these lists, Boards are free to recruit internationally to any of the medical occupations listed on the UK or (SOL) List, without the need to go through a Resident Labour Market Test.

We will continue to promote retention of the specialty on the shortage occupations lists, engaging with both the UK Government and the Migration Advisory Committee, as appropriate.

Question reference: S5F-02366

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2018

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of how any proposed post-Brexit trade deal with the United States could impact on the whisky sector.

Question reference: S5W-16200

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of disruption caused by the A939 regularly closing due to bridge repairs, what specific support is available to local authorities to construct new bridges that are required due to listed Highland bridges on key rural routes not being fit for purpose.

Transport Scotland is a member of the SCOTS Bridges Group which shares issues from the wider bridge community with local authorities. Transport Scotland take concerns raised about various issues to the UK Bridges Board, which is a sub group of the UK Roads Liaison Group, and also the Bridge Owner’s Forum.

The vast majority of funding from the Scottish Government is provided via a block grant and Transport Scotland do not stipulate how local authorities should utilise their individual allocations. It is therefore the responsibility of each local authority to manage their own budget and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities. The Scottish Government allocated over £10.4 billion to local government for 2017-18. In 2018-19, councils will receive funding through the local government finance settlement of £10.7 billion. This will provide a further real terms boost in both revenue and capital funding.

Highland Council will receive £487.5 million Scottish Government funding in 2018-19. Taken together with the decision to increase council tax by 3%, Highland Council will have an additional £17.1 million to support services compared to ‎2017-18.

In addition, the Finance Secretary, Derek Mackay MSP, has taken the decision to allocate an additional £10 million to cover all 32 councils, with individual council allocations to be determined by COSLA. This additional £10 million is being made directly available to local authorities immediately.

	Complete	Outstanding	% Outstanding
2015-16	475,596	369	0.1%
2016-17	495,817	18,231	3.5%
2017-18	505,815	35,807	6.6%