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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: S4W-21709

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the inclusion of hepatitis C testing in the opt-out routine antenatal testing.

The Scottish Government does not currently support the inclusion of hepatitis C testing for all women as part of routine antenatal testing.

The Scottish Government takes advice on screening programmes from the UK National Screening Committee (NSC). Current NSC advice is that universal screening for hepatitis C in pregnancy is not recommended. This is because there are currently no interventions which have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of transmission to the baby. The exception to this is the small group of women with HIV/HCV co-infection. In addition there is insufficient information on the prevalence of hepatitis C in the pregnant population and on the natural history of vertically acquired infection.

This is a rapidly evolving area and discussion is beginning to focus on a postnatal screening strategy and the identification of children who would benefit from early intervention. However the effectiveness of new treatment regimens in the paediatric population, and their impact on the assessment of screening, are currently insufficiently understood to justify recommending that all pregnant women should be offered screening.

The NSC reviews its decisions on a regular basis and will do so earlier if new evidence arises. We will take account of any new recommendation made by the NSC in regard to hepatitis C screening.

Question reference: S4O-03389

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what prices it will set for the proposed pilot of commercial access to the Parliament, and whether these will be reduced for non-profit or charitable organisations.

Question reference: S4O-03381

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how the single intelligence agency it proposes to create in an independent Scotland would protect citizens from unjustified surveillance.

Question reference: S4W-21388

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in the event of Scotland becoming independent, it would support a process of regularisation for migrants as part of the transition to a new Scottish immigration system.

Question reference: S4W-21198

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 30 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking as a result of the UK Government's requirement on landlords to check the immigration status of prospective tenants.

Immigration is a reserved matter. However, these provisions, through their impact on private landlords and registered social landlords (RSLs), will have a significant impact on housing policy, which is devolved.

The Scottish Government has no evidence of difficulties with illegal migrants accessing rented accommodation from private landlords or RSLs. It believes that the provisions will place an unnecessary burden on private landlords and RSLs and, on several occasions, has made this point to the UK Government. It will continue to engage with the UK Government on this and to work with stakeholders in Scotland to ensure that their views on these provisions are made clear.

Section 35(3) of the Immigration Act confers a power on the Secretary of State so that different commencement days may be appointed for different purposes or areas. The Scottish Government understands that the UK Government intends to pilot these provisions in an area in England before taking decisions about further implementation in 2015. I have asked the UK Government to ensure that the Scottish Government is given time to conduct a full consultation with housing and other relevant stakeholders before it implements the provisions in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-03249

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the role of massive open online courses in improving the employment prospects of women and young people.

Question reference: S4F-02102

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2014

To ask the First Minister what steps Revenue Scotland would take to prevent tax avoidance practices in the event that Scotland had greater responsibility for taxation.

Question reference: S4W-20876

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether the UK Government's proposed Infrastructure Bill, which is to include provision aimed at allowing companies to run shale gas pipelines under private land, will apply to Scotland and, if so, what the Scottish Government's position would be on legislative consent for devolved aspects.

Question reference: S4W-20837

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the membership of the Confederation of British Industry, broken down by (a) public bodies, (b) organisations receiving public funds and (c) other bodies.

Five Scottish public bodies were members of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI): Visit Scotland, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. All resigned following the registration of the CBI as a permitted participant in the upcoming referendum.

While Universities are not public bodies media reports suggest that Heriot-Watt, Highlands and Islands, Aberdeen, Glasgow Caledonian, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Strathclyde resigned their membership of the CBI. Media reports also indicate that The Law Society of Scotland, Aquamarine Power, the Balhousie Care Group and STV have also resigned. The BBC issued a statement confirming that it had suspended its membership during the registration period.

The CBI news release of 25 April 2014, which confirmed that it has asked the Electoral Commission to nullify its registration, also states that it has 190,000 members across the UK of which 1,200 are registered and operating in Scotland. No further information is held about the membership of the .

Question reference: S4W-20492

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 30 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a draft of the letting agent code of practice before the stage 3 debate on the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

Subject to the Scottish Parliament passing the Housing (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government has committed to working with stakeholders to develop a draft letting agent code of practice, and subsequently will consult publicly on that draft. The code of practice will be a statutory code setting out the standard of service that landlords and tenants can expect of letting agents. As such, the Scottish Government wishes to allow sufficient time to enable meaningful stakeholder engagement. The intention is for this engagement to begin later this year. The Scottish Government intends to give Parliament the opportunity to scrutinise the code before it is issued.