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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: S6O-01258

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will raise awareness of the Water Safety Action Plan ahead of the summer to ensure people stay safe in and around Scotland’s waters.

Question reference: S6O-01226

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the reported labour shortages and significant cost increases on materials will have on social housing construction in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-01189

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to local authorities as part of its Covid Recovery Strategy to help them resume normal services and manage staff absences.

Question reference: S6O-01174

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy for Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-01066

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on implementing the delivery of its National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

Question reference: S6F-01057

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government plans to mark Deaf Awareness Week 2022.

Question reference: S6O-01034

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what duty local authorities have to assist disabled people who reside in mobile or park homes under the Chronically Sick And Disabled Persons (Scotland) Act 1972.

Question reference: S6W-07504

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the most recent levels at which business rates begin to be paid for the rateable value of individual properties in Scotland, and how that compares with (a) England and (b) Wales.

The Scottish Budget 2022-23 ensures the lowest poundage in the UK for the fourth year in a row and supports a generous package of reliefs.

Table 1 shows the tax rates and thresholds that will apply in 2022-23.

There are also a number of rates reliefs available in each of the three countries, including up to 100% relief for small properties. Table 1 sets out the eligibility thresholds for 100% relief in each of the schemes across Scotland, England and Wales in 2022-23.

Table 1: Property rates and rates relief for small properties, Scotland, England and Wales, 2022-23

2022-23	Scotland	England	Wales
Basic Property Rate (‘poundage’) applies up to and including £51,000 rateable value	49.8p	n/a	n/a
Small Business Multiplier applies up to £51,000 rateable value	n/a	49.9p	n/a
Intermediate Property Rate applies from £51,001 to £95,000 rateable value	51.1p	n/a	n/a
Standard Multiplier which applies from £51,000 and above in England.	n/a	51.2p	n/a
Multiplier which applies for all properties in Wales	n/a	n/a	53.5p
Higher Property Rate applies above £95,000 rateable value	52.4p	n/a	n/a
Small Business 100% relief rateable value threshold	Up to and including £15,000	Up to and including £12,000	Up to and including £6,000

As at 1 June 2021, there were over 119,000 properties in receipt of Small Business Bonus Scheme relief in Scotland, of which over 111,000 received 100% relief. A 100% relief is available where the total rateable value of a ratepayer’s properties does not exceed £15,000.

In England, 100% Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) is available where an organisation has only one property. If an organisation acquires a second property, the existing relief will only remain for 12 months unless other properties have a rateable value less than £2,900 and the total combined rateable value is less than £20,000 (£28,000 in London).

In Wales, the equivalent SBRR relief is limited to two properties per organisation in each local authority area with the £6,000 threshold applied to each individually rather than collectively. There is no cumulative rateable value threshold.

Question reference: S6O-00921

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the consultation on a draft national plan to end the need for food banks.

Question reference: S6O-00790

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact on Scotland's Covid Recovery Strategy due to the UK Government's decision to end the legal requirement to self-isolate for people who have tested positive for COVID-19.