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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: S4W-15435

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Sir James Mirrlees on the design of a tax structure for an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-15430

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in relation to an independent Scotland, it has a position on the statement in Dimensions of Tax Design: The Mirrlees Review that "the policy rationale for the zero-rating of food and children’s clothing is extremely weak”.

Question reference: S4W-15423

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Fiscal Commission Working Group’s meeting on 28 May 2013 included consideration of the extension of VAT to food and children’s clothing.

Question reference: S4W-15431

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in its proposals for a tax system for an independent Scotland, what weight it will give to the findings in Dimensions of Tax Design: The Mirrlees Review and whether such proposals will form part of the white paper on proposals for independence.

Question reference: S4W-15428

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost to an average family of an independent Scotland applying VAT to (a) food and (b) children’s clothing.

Question reference: S4W-15429

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on its poverty indicators of an independent Scotland applying VAT to (a) food and (b) children’s clothing.

Question reference: S4W-15427

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the statement in the minutes of the Fiscal Commission Working Group of 7 February 2013 that “the work of the Mirrlees Review would provide a helpful starting point”.

Question reference: S4W-15426

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the recommendation in Dimensions of Tax Design: The Mirrlees Review to extend VAT to food and children’s clothing was a factor in the invitation for Sir James Mirrlees to join the Fiscal Commission Working Group.

Question reference: S4F-01458

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2013

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S4W-15188

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the reported statement by the Minister for External Affairs and International Development at the Doha Forum on 21 May 2013 that “even at the moment, the United Kingdom Government is wanting the UK to leave the European Union” reflects the Scottish Government's understanding of the policy of the UK Government and what it considers the impact is of this statement on Scotland's international reputation, given that it is not the UK Government’s position.

The Scottish Government’s policy is that Scotland should remain part of the European Union, given the benefits of free movement and access to a single market covering more than 500 million fellow European citizens and around 20 million businesses. That position will be best secured as an independent member of the EU, given the proposal by the Prime Minister to hold an in-out referendum on the UK’s continued membership and the stated position of senior UK Government cabinet ministers that they would vote in that referendum to leave the EU.

In terms of Scotland’s international reputation, Scottish Ministers believe our nation’s standing will be massively enhanced by independence, allowing us to speak with our own voice and properly represent the interests of the people of Scotland on the European and wider international stage.