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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: S5O-00235

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent correspondence it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact on Scotland of the expansion of either Heathrow or Gatwick airports.

Question reference: S5W-02717

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide for the administration and audit of its proposed Scottish Growth Fund and whether independent audit checks will be undertaken.

Question reference: S5W-02724

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, with regard to its proposed Scottish Growth Fund, whether banks will be taking the lead in funding decisions, and what action it will take to guard against risk to the taxpayer.

Question reference: S5W-02718

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish banks regarding the delivery of its proposed Scottish Growth Fund.

Question reference: S5W-02720

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the annual default rate of businesses receiving a loan or guarantee under its proposed Scottish Growth Fund scheme, and how much it expects to pay out due to defaults in each of the three years of the scheme.

Question reference: S5W-02719

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what size of business will be able to apply for a loan or guarantee from its proposed Scottish Growth Fund.

Question reference: S5W-02722

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in relation to its proposed Scottish Growth Fund, businesses in receipt of a loan or guarantee will pay an annual premium to the bank in charge of these.

Question reference: S5W-02723

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in relation to its proposed Scottish Growth Fund, it will be providing a guarantee of 100% of the loans and guarantees provided.

Question reference: S5W-02388

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to make the recommended books listed in the First Minister’s Reading Challenge available in public libraries.

100 places to start your reading journey was shared with public libraries ahead of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge being launched. This allowed librarians to consider their current children’s book stock in light of the new programme before schools began to take part. The Scottish Book Trust is running regional events where teachers and librarians can come together to see how they can work in partnership on the Reading Challenge. Public libraries are represented on the Advisory Group for the Challenge by the CEO of the Scottish Library and Information Council.

Public libraries, which already hold a wide range of children’s titles, are an essential part of supporting access to reading materials. Everybody can join their local library service. Young people will be able to access a wide range of free books in all sorts of formats through their local library, as well as advice and recommendations from library staff.

100 places to start your reading journey is not a mandatory list. The First Minister’s Reading Challenge recognises the importance of personalisation and choice in reading for pleasure. It is therefore flexible so that children can read any books or other reading materials which interest them.

Question reference: S5W-02390

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has given to providing organisational infrastructure and resources for the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.

The Scottish Government has allocated £334,144 to enable the Scottish Book Trust to develop, promote and administer the First Minister’s Reading Challenge. This includes teacher resources and marketing materials for every primary school and branch library in Scotland, Reading Passports that are free on request upon registration for the Challenge, the 100 places to start your reading journey resource, prizes for schools and pupils, and a website. Schools can use the new website to register, access resources, interact with the book collection, submit their own reading recommendations, order passports and submit entries for challenges.

This funding also pays for Inspiring Classrooms, which gives schools the opportunity to apply for a small grant to pay for an author to visit their school and buy books or other reading materials for the children taking part, and a dedicated full time outreach worker with a background in primary school teaching. She is visiting schools and libraries across the country and speaking at events and parents’ evenings to provide information and support involvement in the First Minister’s Reading Challenge. She will also be gathering examples and case studies from schools taking part to share online, providing additional support and ideas for other schools.