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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-03205

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications of independence are for the oil and gas industry.

Unlike successive UK Governments, an independent Scotland will provide industry with the necessary fiscal and regulatory stability and predictability for it to innovate and thrive in a globally competitive environment. With independence, Scotland would have the opportunity to put in place a regulatory and fiscal framework which supports and incentivises exploration and production and provides long term stability and certainty for the industry. More than half the value of North Sea oil remains, up to 24 billion barrels with a potential wholesale value of up to £1.5 trillion. We must not let Westminster continue to squander the remainder of this hugely valuable resource.

Question reference: S4W-20480

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the overall megawatt capacity for (a) onshore and (b) offshore windfarms has been in each year since 2003.

	Onshore Windfarms Consented Capacity (MW)	Onshore Windfarms Consented Cumulative Capacity (MW)	Offshore Windfarms Consented Capacity (MW)	Offshore Windfarms Consented Cumulative Capacity (MW)
2003	No records held	No records held	216	216
2004	No records held	No records held	-	216
2005	No records held	No records held	-	216
2006	No records held	No records held	-	216
2007	213	213	-	216
2008	1316.5	1529.5	-	216
2009	384.3	1913.8	-	216
2010	459.3	2373.1	-	216
2011	412.5	2785.6	6	222
2012	744.6	3530.2	-	222
2013	394.2	3924.4	7	229
2014	174	4098.4	1866	2095

Question reference: S4W-20798

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-17346 and S4W-20321 by John Swinney on 10 October 2013 and 1 April 2014 respectively, who the “range of stakeholders” are that it has met regarding the postal service in an independent Scotland; on what dates the meetings took place, and whether it will produce the (a) agendas and (b) minutes of these.

Scottish Government officials held informal initial discussions with representatives from the Communication Workers Union on 28 August 2013, the National Federation of Subpostmasters on 7 October 2013 and 7 March 2014, and Post Office Ltd on 17 March 2014. Discussions focussed on current issues around post and post offices and the relevant content of the Scottish Government's White Paper ‘Scotland's Future’. No minutes were agreed.

Question reference: S4O-03149

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to new research that shows there to be “no good evidence” that the Tamiflu vaccine reduces flu-related hospital admissions or the complications of influenza.

Question reference: S4W-20459

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 22 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what planning guidelines it will use to regulate new house building on flood plains.

Question reference: S4O-03129

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to farmers adversely affected by severe flooding.

Question reference: S4O-03101

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be on businesses of a Scottish postal service in the event of independence.

Question reference: S4W-20319

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what timescale it has set for the renationalisation of the Royal Mail in the event of a Yes vote in the independence referendum.

Question reference: S4W-20323

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any additional cost to businesses in Scotland of a separate postal service in an independent Scotland and no UK-wide universal service obligation.

On independence, stamp prices will be the same as they are at the time in the rest of the UK. A Scottish postal service in public ownership would not need to generate profits for shareholders and so should be in a better position to ensure that postal prices and deliveries meet Scotland's needs. This applies to sending post and parcels within Scotland, to the rest of the UK and to other countries.

We know that many people and businesses will continue to send post and parcels outside Scotland and it is our intention that postal charges to the rest of the UK will not be more expensive than charges to send post within Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-20321

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Royal Mail regarding its proposals to renationalise the company in an independent Scotland.